Good Saturday day May sixteenth as we study God’s word to learn His truths.
Uncle Paul
Paul has been taken to safety after the hearing before the Sanhedrin to the barracks at the fortress. A day after the hearing Paul has a vision where Jesus comes to him and encourages him first for sharing the gospel, the word of the Lord with the Jews in Jerusalem. Mathew 25:23 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Then The Lord says to Paul “so you must also bear witness at Rome.” This was a game changer, what Paul has learned is there is nothing man can do to him will stop what the Lord has said He was to do, go to Rome before kings. Paul knows he will be able to witness to Rome. While all this is going on a group of some forty plus men come to the Sanhedrin and strike a deal where they plan on killing Paul. Understand the differences again between having religion and having faith in the Lord. Religion sees freedom to choose as a vise against their standards, and get angered, the result the killing of the innocent. Now faith in the word of God, God’s truth always loves even God’s enemies. Luke 23:34a “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” While on the cross with nails hammered into His feet and hands, as blood flowed from the thorns from His head, Jesus asks the Father to forgive them! Not only that, He was asked to remember a thief on the cross. Luke 39:42-43 “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The difference one wants blood to kill and one wants blood to save. Let’s read together from Acts 23:16-22 “So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.” Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.” So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” Is this not nice to know that Paul is human; I mean here we learn he has a sister who has a son making Paul an uncle. This young man has overheard the plot to kill Paul and visits Paul and shares the plan. Paul asks him to share what he has learned with the commander which by itself is a tough task, a boy meeting with Roman authority. But the soldiers assist here and he is able to tell the plot with the commander. Coincidence the nephew happened to hear? Think again, what are you hearing? Remnant
