Well, friends, why don't you turn with me to the book of Acts.
That's what we're going to be studying this morning.
Can everybody hear me okay?
We're trying some new things with a microphone this morning because we have fans.
So the options are I can hold this microphone like this or you can all sweat a lot by the
end of the service.
So we're going to go with the microphone option, but can everyone hear me okay?
Yeah, good.
All right, great.
We're in Acts 22 this morning.
That's page 931 in the Pew Bible.
If you want to turn there, we're actually going to start in chapter 21, verse 37.
And to kind of pick up a little bit of the context of this narrative that Luke wants
to tell us about the Apostle Paul and his defense in Jerusalem.
One of the things we see way back in the beginning of the book of Luke, actually, which is the
first volume that sets up volume two, which is the book of Acts, is that Luke has written
this two-volume work to give us certainty.
That's what he writes to his young friend Theophilus, that he's writing this long narrative about
the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and about the growth of the church and the
spread of the gospel so that we might put down deep roots in the certainty of the things
that we've been taught.
In other words, that this message about Jesus might not just be more credible to us, but
more beautiful too.
So let's see how Luke does that in Acts 22.
Again, we'll start at chapter 21, verse 37.
Let me read this story for us.
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune,
May I say something to you?
And the tribune said, Do you know Greek?
Are you not the Egyptian then who recently stirred up a revolt and led the 4,000 men of the
assassins out into the wilderness?
Paul replied, I am a Jew from Tarsus and Cilicia, a citizen of Nobes, your city.
I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.
And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand
to the people.
And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying, Brothers
and fathers, hear the defense that I make now before you.
And when they had heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more
quiet.
And he said, I'm a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated
at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers.
Being zealous for God, as all of you are this day, I persecuted this way to the death, binding
and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priests and the whole council of
elders can bear me witness.
From them, I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those
who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus about noon, a great light from heaven shone
around me.
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
me?
And I answered, who are you, Lord?
And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.
Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who
was speaking to me.
And I said, what shall I do, Lord?
And the Lord said to me, rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that
is appointed for you to do.
And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those
who were with me and came into Damascus.
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who
live there, came to me and standing by me said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight.
And that very hour I received my sight and saw him and he said, the God of our fathers
appointed you to know his will, to see the righteous one and to hear a voice from his
mouth.
For you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
And now why do you wait?
Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him
saying to me, make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly because they will not accept your testimony
about me.
And I said, Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another, I imprisoned and beat
those who believed in you.
And when the blood of Stephen, your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving
and watching over the garments of those who killed him.
And he said to me, go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.
Upon this word, up to this word, they listened to him.
Then they raised their voices and said, away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should
not be allowed to live.
And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined
by flogging to find out why they were shouting against him like this.
When they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing
by, is it lawful for you to flog a man who was a Roman citizen and uncondemned?
When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, what are you about
to do?
This man is a Roman citizen.
So the tribune came and said to him, tell me, are you a Roman citizen?
And he said, yes.
The tribune answered, I bought this citizenship for a large sum.
Paul said, but I am a citizen by birth.
So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately.
And the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had
bound him.
I recently read the story of an American tourist who is visiting a Greek Orthodox monastery on
an island in the Aegean Sea in Greece.
And, you know, these monasteries are places where you're supposed to be able to get away
from it all and sort of spend some time in prayer and fasting and contemplation.
And this tourist, while he was there, happened upon a monk sort of quietly sitting in the
monastery.
And to this American tourist, this person looked to be very Greek and very Orthodox.
He was dressed in all the sort of strange garb to him and he had sort of olive, suntanned
complexion.
So the visitor approached this man, this monk, and asked him one or two questions.
And then to his American surprise, this very exotic-looking monk spoke to him in perfect
Oxford Queen's English.
Not exactly what he was expecting from this very exotic-looking monk.
Well, it turns out that this monk was actually a guy named, well, as he came to be known,
Bishop Callistus Ware.
But his original name was actually Timothy.
And he was born and bred in England.
And Timothy Ware had converted to Eastern Orthodoxy as he was growing up.
And he actually taught theology for a number of years at Oxford.
And, of course, the American tourist, not knowing any of this, sort of blurts out in surprise,
my, you do speak good English.
And the bishop, with sort of classic English humor, replies, well, one picks it up here and there.
One picks it up here and there.
Now, maybe you've been in a similar sort of situation, surprised at finding someone in an
unlikely place that actually speaks your language or maybe knows something about something that
you're very interested in, but, you know, you wouldn't have expected it coming from them.
Someone who speaks your language.
You know, I think that's the surprise, the sort of surprise that this Roman tribune,
this military officer, must have felt when sort of grabbing him out of a crowd that was ready
to rip him to pieces, Paul turns to him and speaks in perfect, eloquent Greek,
ah, excuse me, sir, might I have a kind word with you?
And the tribune turns in shock because, according to the tribune, he was thinking that Paul was
this sort of notorious criminal that sort of had been nicknamed the Egyptian, this sort
of wild rebel leader who a few years prior had taken a whole band of assassins, as the
tribune calls them, out to the Mount of Olives, prophesied that the walls of Jerusalem would fall,
and then they would rush in and conquer the Romans.
This was the Egyptian, and we know from historical sources that the Romans killed off the entire
band, and somehow this character named the Egyptian got away.
So the tribune's thinking, well, this is probably this guy who got away, causing up, stirring up
trouble in Jerusalem once again.
But of course, such a wily character wouldn't speak polished, perfect Greek, would he?
The tribune is a bit shocked when Paul turns to him and says, can I have a word?
And of course, this tribune's going to be just as surprised at the end of our story, right?
When Paul reveals his Roman citizenship, a citizenship that he says he was born with and hadn't procured
through a petty bribe, which was a way that a lot of people got their citizenship back in the day,
by bribing a sort of higher official to grant it to them, which it turns out that's how the tribune got his.
That must have been a bit surprising.
But you know, maybe the thing that surprised this Roman military officer the most
was the fact that Paul, standing on the steps of the barracks,
turns and actually tries to make a defense to this angry crowd.
Just seconds ago, last week we looked at this passage, Greg walked us through it,
this crowd of worshipers in Jerusalem was ready to rip Paul limb from limb
because they thought he was defiling the temple by bringing Gentiles into the inner courts.
They had heard rumors that he was teaching Jews not to keep the law of Moses.
Surely this guy was no friend of the people.
He was a traitor.
He was a betrayer of Israel.
And with mob mentality, they're ready to do away with him there and then.
But in the heat of the moment, Paul turns and gives, as he says in verse 1, his defense.
And at that very word, we come to a new section in the book of Acts.
For the rest of the book, from this point forward, Paul is going to be under Roman arrest.
You know, up till this point, Paul's been sort of roaming freely about the country,
as Southwest Airlines likes to tell us.
He's been going here, there, and everywhere in seemingly utter freedom
and on the offensive for the kingdom of God.
But now, he's imprisoned.
And in the next five chapters, Paul is going to offer a defense five times.
And eventually, this imprisonment and defense is going to take him all the way from Jerusalem to Rome.
And each defense speech that we're going to look at over the coming weeks offers us kind of something unique.
But with our particular speech here, I want us to see three things as Paul sort of defends himself
before these angry crowds in Jerusalem.
And to sort of give our time together some points or some heads,
we're going to just basically look through and see why Paul defends himself.
We're going to see how he does it.
And then lastly, we're just going to look at what his defense actually is.
Why, how, and what.
And each of these things is going to be helpful to us, I think,
as we think about sharing the good news about Jesus in our context.
Now, you might be thinking,
I've never faced a rabble crowd that wants to tear me limb from limb.
I'm not really sure how this is going to apply to me.
Well, you know, if you ever find yourself in that situation, here you go.
No, but I mean, think about it.
Don't we still today face frustration, anger, misunderstanding?
Isn't it not uncommon for new Christians to face family members who feel like they've been betrayed
by their son or their daughter converting to Christianity?
You know, we live in a world where civil discourse isn't really easy to come by.
It's a lot of hatred and anger and cynicism.
What does it look like to respond in a context like that?
Well, let's look first at the why of Paul's defense here.
In other words, just the fact that Paul even turns to the crowd to speak to them is helpful for us to see.
Now, imagine, here are angry crowds shouting off with his head and sharpening the guillotine.
And in case you didn't realize it, angry mobs, enraged mobs,
aren't really known for their openness to cool, detached reason and conversation, right?
I mean, if I'm Paul, I'm thinking, thanks, I'll just take my spot in the Roman barracks.
That's probably the one safe place for me in all of Jerusalem,
where they can't get at me and rip me apart.
But Paul still turns and says to them,
brothers and fathers, family members, let me reason with you.
Hear my defense.
Now, why in the world would you do such a thing?
Maybe there are a lot of reasons we could come up with,
but I think at the end of the day,
the only answer, the only thing that could really drive you to do that would be love.
As Paul looks out at the people before him,
through the shouts and the anger,
he sees people that he loves.
He sees his own people, right?
Some of them there that day may have even been close relatives,
uncles, cousins, friends,
people he had lived with, studied with, worked with,
shared a meal with, laughed with, worshiped with, hoped with.
And through their angry eyes and through their violent shouts,
he sees a people that he loves.
And Paul sees something else too, doesn't he?
He also sees in those squinting eyes and those raising voices,
a picture of himself.
He sees that he was just like them,
not so long ago.
Zealous, angry, violent.
And so Paul turns,
turns into the teeth of the lion,
raises his hand and says,
brothers and sisters, hear my defense.
And out of love, he's ready to be consumed.
If only he might say one last thing that could reach them.
Now consider what that means for us today.
First, maybe just kind of as an aside,
you know, it's good for us to remember
that this is the same Paul who wrote about half
of the rest of the New Testament.
So when you read a book like Romans or 1 Corinthians,
you're reading the letters of a person
who loved people deeply
and who often risked his neck for them.
So, you know, when you come across things
in the Bible that Paul wrote
and when they seem confusing or hard,
friends, don't imagine a petty little man
wrinkled over with anger and bigotry
trying to make everyone's life miserable.
That is the picture you might get
according to how some people
would have us view Paul the Apostle today.
Instead, friends, when you're reading those letters,
see a man with tears in his eyes
and a longing in his heart
to see others come to know the love
with which he has been loved.
And hear the voice of a man
who has tasted the new creation
and wants to do anything
so that others can experience it too.
In other words, read Paul's letters
as if Paul actually wrote them.
The man who would turn and speak
with an angry crowd because of love.
But, you know, don't we also see something else here
as Paul sort of turns and defends himself,
the fact of his defense.
And don't we see this,
that in the light of the gospel,
no one, absolutely no one
is too far gone.
No one is beyond hope.
Isn't that what Paul's actions
are telling us here?
Isn't that what we should seek to understand
that even the person filled
with generations
of anger and prejudice
and even violence,
even that person is still
a human being made
in the image of God,
is still a human being
worthy of dignity
and respect,
that there are no lost causes,
that there's no one
who's beyond the pale.
And furthermore,
had not Paul lifted up
his angry voice
with that same crowd in Jerusalem?
Had he not stood there
while they gathered stones
and executed Stephen
with the same anger?
And was not Paul the one
who was standing by
approving of their actions
with eyes filled
with the same kind of hatred?
And friends,
isn't that the same
with all of us?
Haven't we all felt that grip
of self-righteous zeal
and prejudice?
Our circumstances
were no doubt different.
But weren't our hearts
the same?
When someone threatens
something that we hold dear,
that props up our identity,
aren't we quick
to lash out?
You see,
what Paul knew by experience
and what we know as well
as followers of Jesus
is that we ourselves
weren't beyond the reach
of God's grace.
even when we were angry
and kicking tooth and nail
against the truth.
Friends,
we weren't beyond
the reach of God's grace
and neither are they.
So we see the why
of Paul's defense,
that it's ultimately love.
But second,
take a look at the how
of Paul's defense.
And very importantly,
Luke notes
at the end of chapter 21
that Paul starts
addressing them,
as he says,
in the Hebrew language,
which is sort of Luke's way,
a common way
of referring to Aramaic,
which was the language
that most Jews
in Jerusalem
would have spoken
at the time.
And you can even see
the impact that this makes
in verse 2 of chapter 22.
When they heard
that he was addressing them
in the Hebrew language,
they became even more quiet.
And in the rest
of the speech,
Paul is at pains
to make the point
that he too
is a faithful Israelite.
Isn't he?
Notice how often
he points to his loyalty
to his Jewish heritage.
After all,
isn't it Paul's loyalty
to the traditions,
to the people,
to the temple
that's brought him
under fire?
Paul wants them
to see in this speech
that he hasn't forsaken
the God of their fathers,
that he'd been brought up
right here in Jerusalem,
that he'd sat at the feet
of Gamaliel,
the great teacher.
And certainly his zeal
for these traditions
could not be questioned.
Go ask the high priest,
he says.
Go ask the council.
They're the ones
who gave me
their commission,
their blessing
to go round up Christians
to bring them back
to Jerusalem
so that they could
face the music.
Now you have to consider
that's pretty impressive stuff.
Very few in that crowd
could have imagined
rubbing elbows
with the high priest.
It's like a scientist
sort of saying
that she has a prestigious grant
from the NIH
to do her research
and on top of that
the president wrote her
a letter saying
that he's very excited
to find out
about her findings.
It's like a civil rights
activist saying
that they marched
with Dr. King.
Paul is an insider
in ways that this crowd
could not imagine.
Faithful to Israel's God.
And notice what he says
about Ananias
as he continues
with his story.
Here's a devout man
according to law.
Well spoken of
by all the Jews
who lived in Damascus.
In other words
the very person
who initiated Paul
into the Christian community
into the way
was also a faithful Jew
just like me
just like you
he's saying.
And then on top of it all
where does Paul
hear Jesus reaffirm
his commission
to go to the Gentiles?
In the temple itself.
In the very center
of Jewish identity
loyalty and loyalty.
In that very place
where Isaiah
had his earth-shattering vision
of the holiness of God
there Paul too
has a vision
of the Lord
the Lord Jesus
telling him
to go
to the Gentiles.
Right in the temple.
The very place
that Paul is accused
of dishonoring.
You see Paul's
very purposeful here
isn't he?
To speak their own language
and to build
many bridges
of credibility
and commonality
and trust.
And none of it's
fabricated
none of it's put on
he's telling the truth.
But he's doing it
so that this crowd
before him
will be able to listen
and to hear
and to understand
and hopefully believe.
Now friends
isn't that instructive
for us today?
If you think about your life
I'm sure that none of us
are sort of insiders
to first century Judaism
and the way Paul was.
If you are
come meet me
after the service
I'd like to talk to you.
But if you think about it
each of us
is an insider somewhere
aren't we?
Each of us knows
how to speak
a language
if you will.
Consider this morning
what world
are you
inside?
What language
can you speak
with ease?
Is it the language
of science?
Is that your world?
Medicine?
How about the language
of the arts?
Is that where God
has put you
and made you proficient
and fluent?
What about business
or education?
Is that your native ground?
Maybe it's sports
the athletic field.
Maybe friends
you know the language
of hard knocks
and what it means
to go through loss
and hardship.
And you can speak
with credibility
to those who come
from the same background.
Whatever it is
God has providentially
put us
somewhere
and made us
an insider
to that world.
And it's not
an accident.
It's not an accident
that you speak
the language
and that you have
credibility there.
it's part
of your mission.
Have you experimented
with ways
you can express
the truth
of the gospel
in your native tongue
as it will
as it were?
What do your colleagues
or your classmates
love and long for?
What are they really
going for?
You know when you think
about your friends
that you work with
when you think
about your neighbors
what's driving them?
What's getting them up
in the morning?
What are their hopes
and fears?
You know you probably
share a lot of them
don't you?
You're from the same world.
But friends
how has Christ
made himself
known to you
in that world?
How has his glory
been revealed
in its own particular
way there
so that others
might see it too?
And how can you
begin to speak
in ways
that they'll understand?
Now I grant you
that is not
an easy thing to do.
Easier said
than done.
It's a lot easier
to burn bridges
than to build them
isn't it?
It's easy to post
and forward
that Facebook article
that blasts the people
you disagree with.
It's a lot harder
to speak in ways
that those others
will actually have
a chance of hearing
what you have to say.
It's a lot easier
to sort of
build a huge wall
around our own tribe
than try to go out
to the people
that we share
something with
and try to help them
see the beauty
of Christ.
But friends
for as hard
as it is
haven't you and I
also been the recipients
of someone
speaking our language?
Haven't you and I
received the gift
of that too?
Hasn't someone
done that for us?
Someone else
took the time
and the pains
to share with us
the good news
in ways that we could hear.
Not dumbing it down
not taking out
the depth
of the teeth
but singing it
in a way
that the melody
actually beckoned to us.
And friends
what those
faithful bearers
of the gospel
did for us
isn't that
ultimately
a picture
of what Christ
has done?
Coming down
to earth
taking on
our flesh
speaking our language
sharing our humanity
so that it might
bring us to God.
coming across
to us
so that he could
bring us across
to him
so that we could
at last
know God.
Friends
think of all the ways
in which Christ
has become an insider
to our fallen
and broken world
for its redemption
and doesn't that
inspire you?
Doesn't that empower you?
Doesn't it encourage you
to know that his Holy Spirit
is in you
to enable you
to do the same
thing?
Consider also
what we see
in this how
of Paul's defense.
You know
you also have to realize
that what Paul's
doing here
is a pretty
costly
risky
move
and not just
because
this crowd
is very very angry
but also because
as soon as Paul
starts speaking
in Aramaic
who has no idea
what's going on?
The tribune.
he might speak
Greek okay
but he has no idea
about this Hebrew language
or at least
not enough of it
to follow
what in the world
is going on.
So
as a result
I mean
imagine
imagine someone's
you arrest them
they stand on the steps
they start talking
in a language
you can't understand
and then the crowd
breaks out
in double fury.
You must be thinking
what has this guy
just said to them?
He's probably
the problem right?
Okay
here's the plan guys
bring him into the barracks
and we're going to
basically torture him
until he tells us
what's going on.
That's what
that's what examination
by flogging means.
It was a whip
with lots of pieces
of metal and bone
tied into it
that they would just
keep raking across
your back
until you hollered
whatever it is
they really wanted
to tell you
or you to tell them.
And as Luke tells us
Paul sort of
barely escapes
that one
pulling out
his Roman passport
just in time
and you know
as you sort of
see Paul
kind of hung
between the horns
of these two
groups of people
you have to admit
that Paul must have
seemed a bit strange
right?
I mean
Luke is showing us
here how Paul
seemed to belong
in both of these worlds
the Jewish world
and the Roman world
how he was a
verifiable
card-carrying citizen
of both
Jerusalem
and Rome
and yet
at the same time
Paul seemed
to belong
to neither.
To his fellow Jews
Paul seemed
very odd
in fact
at times
dangerous.
He spent way
too much time
with the Gentiles
his views about
the law
and the temple
were constantly
raising eyebrows
at best
and on top
of it all
he was a
citizen of Rome.
Someone might ask
well why did he
wait to get
into the barracks
to sort of
tell them
that he was
a citizen?
Well not exactly
something you
want to flash
before an angry
mob
who hates
Romans
right?
I mean
being a Roman
citizen as a Jew
is sort of like
being a Jedi Knight
with a standing
welcome to stay
at the Death Star
whenever you wanted
right?
There's a bed
right next to
Darth Vader
it's all yours
on the Emperor's
dollar
come get it.
Not exactly
someone who's
maybe most loyal
to the cause
but you know
to his fellow
Roman citizens
Paul probably
seemed just as
odd
and maybe
just as dangerous
I mean
think of Paul
with his
strict moral code
Paul are you
serious?
No sex
and no idols
what am I
going to do
with my time
when I become
a Christian?
Come back
for 1 Corinthians
this fall
we'll figure
that one out
so his strict
morals
and definitely
what must have
seemed very
odd
this talk
about a man
named Jesus
who was crucified
but now alive
again
and before whom
apparently
every knee
would bow
and through whom
perfect justice
would come upon
the world
and through whom
sins
could be forgiven
Paul belonged
everywhere
and nowhere
all at once
the insider
and the outsider
at the same
time
and friend
if you become
a follower
of Jesus
it'll be the same
for you
all your progressive
friends will find
you odd
no sex
no idols
really
but all your
conservative friends
will probably
think you're
a bit weird
too
you see
Luke is writing
acts
to help
his young
friend
Theophilus
as I mentioned
at the very
beginning
get a deeper
grasp
of what he's
been taught
and friend
if you feel
a tug
between two
worlds
if you feel
like you
just don't
belong
anywhere
Luke is
saying
yes
that's
sometimes
how it feels
to be a
citizen
not just
of Jerusalem
not just
of Rome
but a citizen
of heaven
a citizen
of the kingdom
of God
that's exactly
how it feels
to be living
in light
of the new
creation
right in the
midst of the
old
so Theophilus
so brothers
and sisters
don't give up
even
when
your
every
worldly
defense
seems
lost
and
you're
standing
on the
steps
with an
angry mob
in front
of you
and Roman
chains
behind you
you're
not
alone
even
when
no
one
is
standing
up
for
you
you're
not
lost
and doesn't
that bring us
to the last
thing
that we see
here in
Paul's
defense
what does
he talk
about
what's the
what
of Paul's
defense
what's the
substance
what's the
matter
of all
that he
says
and at the
end of the
day
Paul's
defense
comes down
to one
and only
one
thing
and it's
not ultimately
his good
Jewish
upbringing
and it's
not ultimately
his great
zeal for
the law
and it's
not ultimately
his Roman
citizenship
being from
no obscure
city
as he
sort of
coyly
touts
to the
tribune
it's
not where
Paul rests
his defense
you know
he could
have
right
I mean
think of
how this
scene could
have run
a little
differently
if maybe
you or
I
were in
Paul's
shoes
we would
have stood
on the
steps
and said
look
idiots
I'm
smarter
and better
than all
of you
check my
credentials
I know
people
and have
been
places
that you
backwater
hicks
could only
dream of
so cool
it down
before I
pull rank
on this
tribune
and have
him send
you packing
with the
edge of
a sword
but that's
not what
Paul does
it's the
furthest
thing from
his mind
in that
moment
when Paul
stands
defenseless
before the
angry
shouts
of Jerusalem
on one
hand
and the
prisons
of Rome
behind him
his defense
was nothing
in himself
nothing what
he had done
not his
wisdom
not his
status
not his
zeal
he had
one
defense
the words
of Ananias
coming back
to his
memory
in that
moment
Jesus
Christ
the
righteous
one
as Paul
stood before
a crowd
roaring for
his execution
as he
opens his
mouth and
starts speaking
their own
language to
people who
were his
own flesh
and blood
how could
Paul not
remember
the one
who years
earlier had
faced the
same crowd
stood before
people of
his own
flesh and
blood
shouting for
his own
execution
and how
could Paul
not remember
that this
one
instead of
being saved
from the
jaws of
the lion
was crushed
in its
grip
that Jesus
goes to
the cross
for Paul's
own sins
so that
before the
only bar
of the
only courtroom
that really
matters
you and
I could
actually have
a righteous
defense
that the
righteous
one is
cast out
with the
unrighteous
so the
unrighteous
can finally
stand before
God
even when
every
worldly
defense
has been
stripped
away
Jesus is
his defense
friends
is he
yours
he is
if you've
placed your
trust in
him
a righteous
one
isn't I
mean think
about it
I mean
Harper Lee
just released a
new novel
this week
has anyone
read Harper
Lee's new
novel
no because
you all read
the New York
Times review
that said
it's the
worst piece
of literature
ever created
and they've
destroyed
all of our
childhood dreams
that the
one
righteous
person
that we
could find
in all of
American
literature
Atticus Finch
the one
who held
out one
little shred
of hope
for us
that there's
some last
spark
of dignity
and rightness
in the world
lo and behold
has feet of
clay
Ghost Out of
Watchmen is a
beautiful book
it's a hard
book
and there's
a chapter
in that
book
where Scout
sorry if
many of
you have
read to
go kill
to kill
a mockingbird
go read
it after the
service
there's a
beautiful passage
where Scout
having come
home
she's 26
she's been
living in
New York
City
her father
has just
been shown
as being
very morally
questionable
and suddenly
she's spinning
in her mind
everything that
I'd built
my life on
and all those
moments growing
up when I
wondered
what should
I do
is there
hope for
me
is there
right in
the world
the one
voice that
she could
hear in
her mind
was the
voice of
her father
back home
one little
picture of
righteousness
in a sea
of unclean
lips
and when
that falls
she goes
into
basically
existential
tailspin
who is
she
what is
she
what hope
is there
is it
worth
going on
friends
isn't that
a heart
cry
in all
of us
for
someone
who
actually
is
righteous
for
someone
who
actually
in
the
sea
of
injustice
and
duplicity
for
someone
who's
actually
right
and who
could be
a rock
on which
we could
stand
and a
hope
in a
sea
of
hopelessness
friends
there is
a righteous
one
it's
Jesus
Christ
and like
Paul
that will
give
you
and me
when we
finally
come to
rest
in him
an
incredible
boldness
look at
Paul
bold
to stand
before an
angry
crowd
and to
see them
with
love
and to
tell them
the truth
about
Jesus
in ways
they might
actually
understand
bold
to leave
your
home
and all
that's
comfortable
to go
far away
to the
Gentiles
as Paul
was
seeing
Jesus
as your
righteous
one
makes
you
bold
to see
your
conversion
as also
what it
is
friends
your
conversion
just like
Paul
is a
commission
it's a
calling
to go
friends
what's
your defense
this morning
if it's
Jesus
Christ
the
righteous
one
then you
can
love
in the
face
of
anger
and you
can
speak
in the
face
of
confusion
and you
can be
brave
in the
face
of
danger
and if
he's
not
your
righteousness
this
morning
then hear
the other
thing
that
Ananias
told
Paul
when he
was
converted
why do
you
wait
why do
you
wait
let's
pray
father
I
pray
that
we
would
be
so
rooted
in the
righteousness
of
Christ
that
we
could
not
help
but
have
love
and
humility
and
boldness
come
surging
forth
Lord
when we
too
feel
caught
in the
middle
of
worlds
belonging
everywhere
and belonging
nowhere
with no
defense
and no one
standing up
for us
God lift
our gaze
to Jesus
the righteous
one
Amen