The Boy who was a Spy for Jesus

WCF - THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Study Number 39 Acts 23 v 12 - 23 v 35
4 Feb 1990

The Boy Who Was a Spy For Jesus

"It is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people" (1 Peter 2:15).

The Story So Far

Paul had travelled as a missionary to many foreign countries, telling people the Good News of Jesus. As a result a great number of people had become Jesus' disciples, and many churches had been started in Syria, Asia, Macedonia and Greece. But there were also many who refused to follow Jesus, and hated Paul because he was so successful. They stirred up trouble wherever Paul went.

Paul returned to Jerusalem to visit the church and cheer them up with the good news of so many becoming Christians. But Paul's enemies also went to Jerusalem. They got a large crowd to attack him, and he was only just rescued in time by Roman troops. The Roman commander kept Paul safe in the barracks, and took him the next day to the Jewish High Court to hear the charges against him. Once more he was attacked, and once again he was rescued by the soldiers.

The following night the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul, comforting him and telling him to be brave. Jesus told him he would travel safely to Rome, where he would be able to tell people the Good News of Jesus.

Last week we learned that Paul witnessed boldly for Jesus, because the Lord had called him, and he had decided to follow whatever it cost. It was the Lord Jesus who gave him the courage, so that he kept going in spite of all the danger. The Lord Jesus calls each one of us to follow Him too, to witness for Him boldly, and to trust Him at times when we are afraid.

Today we will continue with the story, which gets even more exiting.

Forty Men Form an Evil Plot

1. Hatred in the heart makes you forget the difference between right and wrong.

2. Join with the wrong group and you will be led into wrong-doing.

3. Leaders who don't put God first end up following the crowd in doing evil.

One Boy Stands For What is Right

1. Standing for what is right often means positive action.

2. Standing for what is right can involve risk.

3. Standing for what is right will help others.

Claudius Lysias Takes Quick Action

1. God blesses those who seek a way of peace.

2. God uses even those who do not know Him to obtain His purpose.

3. God expects us to submit to those in authority (1 Peter 2:13-17).

Following Jesus means choosing to do good. Sometimes that will lose friends. Sometimes that will make enemies. But always it will benefit other people, and will receive God's approval.