ACTS 23

Working with teenagers, I hear many excuses from students as to why they don't read their Bibles.  

• I don't get anything out of it
• I don't understand what it's saying
• I don't have the time

I can kind of understand where they're coming from, but there's one answer I don't understand at all.

IT'S BORING!

When I hear that excuse I usually think to myself, "What Bible are you reading?" In just the first 10 chapters of the Bible you have the creation of the world, naked people, talking snakes, murder, weird creatures called Nephilium, the destruction of the earth, and a guy getting drunk and sleeping naked in a tent.  That's all in just the first 10 chapters.

Why do I bring this up today?

Well we're reaching the part of the book of Acts where things can start to seem repetitive.  It seems like in every single chapter Paul is sharing his story previously being a Pharisee who persecuted Christians and then become a Christian.  This chapter is no different.

It can be so easy to start skimming the text and miss just how interesting this story really is.

In Acts 23, Paul once again shares his story. This time in front of the Sanhedrin.  To put it lightly, things went badly.  A fight starts to break out and the troops have to break things up.

Then it says this:

12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

Pause and let that soak in!

The religious leaders got together and, with a team of 40 men, plotted to kill Paul.  They were so serious about it, that they weren't eating while the plot was taking place.  

Paul's nephew finds out about the plot, and tells the commander about what is going on.  So the commander sends 200 soldiers, 200 spearmen, and 70 horsemen as an armed escort for Paul to protect him from the 40 assassins!  

There's nothing boring about this story at all!

The Bible is filled with these amazing accounts of actual events which are way more interesting than anything which Hollywood puts out.  Don't read too fast. Don't skim.  If you do, you will miss these amazing little historic events recorded in your Bible.  

Here are some additional thoughts on this account from Charles Swindoll:

Not one assassin but forty of them! Forty determined terrorists, operating under cover of secrecy. All of them vowing, "We will not eat or drink until we've killed him." The plan was treacherous and set in motion by those who wanted him dead. What they hadn't counted on was an unlikely ally for Paul. His nephew had overheard everything and made tracks to warn his uncle.

Remarkably, Paul's nephew plays a major role in his survival. He is not mentioned by name, and we never hear of him again. Then how did he know about the ambush? Only God knows.

Meanwhile, the Roman commander was feeling relieved, proud of his wise handling of the situation. His musings were interrupted by a reluctant knock at the door. The news couldn't be good. One of his centurions reports that the young man with him has some important information about a conspiracy to kill Paul. The Roman commander wasn't about to let some scrappy band of fanatics spoil his plan to bring Paul safely to Rome. So he pulled out all the stops.

Uniformed, armed, and trained soldiers. Four hundred and seventy-two to forty rag-tag conspirators. Nice odds. Talk about overkill. The guy would not be outdone. He made sure no one could get to Paul. Remember God's promise? "You must witness at Rome." This is just part of that divine plan. It was as if God said, "I know what I am doing. I will escort you down to Caesarea by the Sea with full protection. You are in My hand." A massive official escort—that would work just fine.

What a comforting story. Despite the odds stacked against him, Paul was never removed from God's protective hand. And neither are you.

Are you feeling alone, mistreated, misunderstood, forsaken? Remember this true account. God is at work. He's there, working behind the scenes. He'll work it out. He has a plan. Just when you're convinced the bottom is about to drop out from under you, He steps in and lifts you to safety. For Paul, he used an unlikely and virtually anonymous ally, a nameless nephew who comes out of the shadows at precisely the right time. God's timing is always perfectly synchronized with His will. Remember that. And be comforted. 

 SEAN CHANDLER  |  Associate Pastor 

 Sean has been a part of the association of Hill Country Bible Churches for over twenty years. He received Christ as a youth while attending Hill Country Bible Church Austin. He attended Hill Country Bible Church NW from 1989 to 2002. At that time he began attending HCBC Pflugerville. He served as a student ministry intern there for two years. In 2008, Sean graduated from Columbia International University with a double major in Bible and Bible teaching. Sean married his wife, Jennifer, in 2006. Their first child, Liam, was born in 2012.

He blogs regularly at seanchandler.net.