Author: missionspaul

God is in control

Acts 23:32 “The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.”

Happy Christmas!

Two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen had taken Paul on a journey from the danger of the Jerusalem mob to the governor Felix, in Caesarea. They stopped at Antipatris and then the 70 men of the cavalry continued on whilst the others returned.

To be a servant of God doesn’t mean you follow Him. There have been many who have served God’s purposes without realising it.

Today is a day when we hear the Queens speech, the sermons from the major traditional churches and the message from the Pope. They will contain the hope of light in a dark world and they will speak of the challenges from the enemy. We will be reminded to pray for the leaders of the world. Each one of those leaders are servants of God whether they know it or not, whether they believe in Him or not.

Nowhere is this better seen than in the Christmas story. Mary’s home was Nazareth, but because of one man, Caesar Augustus, she is in Bethlehem. However 650 years preciously: “But you Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

The cavalry served God as Paul continued in the His purpose to stand trial before Felix and then in Rome.

God has the whole world in His hands and He is accomplishing His higher purposes even when we cannot see it.

God has you in His hands and the people He uses to move into your life, to exchange with you may be people you never anticipated walking with, they may not even share your views and beliefs, but they are His servants working for your good and His purpose.

 

The night

Acts 23:31 “So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris.”

Paul had to journey to the governor, Felix, during the night.

Today is Christmas Eve and for so many children it will be a magical night as they anticipate their presents the next day. Most will not sleep for many hours as they become too excited to sleep, they will rise early. The night can be full of wonder and awe as we look to the skies and see a vast array of stars. The story that we celebrate reminds us how there “were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” (Luke 2:8) After they encountered the angels they travelled to see Jesus. It was a night journey full of excitement.

Some people will not make that kind of journey, tonight or at any time. They are like the apostle Paul being taken down a night journey where they do not know what the day will turn out like.

When Herod was searching for Jesus to kill him, an angel appeared to Joseph and warned him, “So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt” (Matthew 2:14). Their night time was filled with questions as to what might happen next.

So, your night can be filled with excitement and also of challenge. However you would describe it make sure it is filled with trust in God. Whether you are journeying towards Him or whether it feels He is enabling you to escape from an enemy, He is here, God with us, Immanuel. He is here, with you, God of the day and God of the night.

 

The Christmas Herod

Acts 23:30 “When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.”

The Commander continues in the letter to Felix to relay the story of rescuing Paul from the angry Sanhedrin. As we know at the crux of the story is the plot from evil men, 40 of them, to kill Paul.

The Christmas story is not only about the birth of Jesus but we incorporate into the wonder of that stage the desire of a certain ruler who wants to kill Jesus in his early childhood.

Not every character in the Christmas nativity play is a cute figure. If the story gets told in full then someone has to play the villain. That character is King Herod.

King Herod plotted to kill Jesus and told the Magi to find the child and to let him know where he is so that he could worship him. They didn’t for they knew it was a pretext for a hidden agenda and it fuelled his anger even more when they never returned.

Every year we hear of some council trying to kill off Christ in Christmas, banning advertising Christmas plays, cards, shop windows etc. Because of President Trumps announcement of Jerusalem being the capital of Israel the authorities in Bethlehem have turned off the Christmas lights which had apparently become a marvellous display of light. Bethlehem is now in darkness this Christmas.

People who have had a bad year may want to dismiss Christmas. Or maybe they just do not believe the story. Christmas is often dismissed. It always has been.

King Herod lives in every generation.

 

 

The Christmas plan

Acts 23:29 “I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment.”

The Commander recounts the events of Paul before the Sanhedrin. Originally the charge was that Paul had taken a Gentile into the holy place within the Temple. The punishment for such an action was death. But this was never mentioned at the Sanhedrin.

Paul was being attacked on trumped-up charges and on no charges at all.

But he was in the plan of God.

Jesus was born to die. That was the plan. He came and offended the religious. They brought false charges and he was put on the cross.

Isaiah 53: 2-9

But it was the plan of God.

So friends it doesn’t matter what the charges are or even if they are mentioned but they just stir up a disturbance against you. One of the major themes of Christmas is that even when man does his worst, God is doing His plan. His plan is always for your best.

The Christmas question

Acts 23:28  “I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. “

The Commander wanted to know why.

One of the things I tell my missionary students is to always try and find out the story. Prejudice is the barrier to mission and it is broken down one we ask the right question, “What is your story?”. So many judge on face-value opinion and often they are wrong.

This Christmas maybe we can be refreshed in knowing the why of the story. Hopefully people who have never asked that question will do so. I am sure Churches throughout the world will be trying to communicate the answer.

Why? The Christmas question.

Christmas rescue

Acts 13:27 “This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.”

The Commander, Claudius Lysias, is writing to Felix as he has Paul escorted to Caesarea.

Whether we want to say this is a slight exaggeration or a down right lie that is your opinion, but is wasn’t true and he left out some details.

He twists the truth to put him in a positive light with the governor. He had only discovered Paul was a Roman citizen after he had rescued him from the mob and had him stretched out ready to be flogged.

The story of Christmas is the story of a rescue.

We were in sin and deserving punishment.

The devil had a hold on us and knew all our sins and demanded justice for them.

But God came.

The incarnation of Christ was the rescue for all mankind. It was joy to the world.

Today be glad, don’t be downhearted, He has come, you are rescued. And if you need rescuing again, He is near to you.

Christmas Greetings 2

Acts 23:26 “Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.”

The day comes – the signing of the Christmas cards. If there’s two of you, one can do the envelope and the other signing. It’s the luck of the draw who gets the card with a Christmas bauble and who gets the star of David. One year nephew Nick, the 21 year old sportsman gets a little angel playing a harp on top of a Christmas tree, whereas 88 year old Aunt Matilda gets Santa Claus on top of a snow-laden rooftop doing a moony – it’s what comes out of the box. You sign it and that’s that job done for another year.

One year I attended a Pastors meeting and one of the Pastors was sitting in the corner before the meeting writing his cards before we commenced. He then put the card in the envelope and put the name of the person who was in the meeting on the front of the envelope then handed them out. When I got mine apart from the printed ‘Happy Christmas’ on the inside of the card, it just gave his name. It could have been given to someone else. I haven’t forgotten that expression of lavish generosity!

If you get a card with a sentence in it this year be very thankful for the effort taken!

Gabriel announced to Mary, ‘Greetings’

The Commander wrote to Felix, ‘Greetings’

And you will write greetings cards and receive them.

Within our family we would ask one another ‘how many cards did you get?’, we would have them dangling on a string off the walls of the rooms in the house.

Whether you have many or just one be thankful this year that someone has written to you.

Maybe take a bit more time to write your greetings.

 

 

Christmas Greetings 1

Acts 23:25 “He wrote a letter as follows”

Luke has the exact copy of the letter. He doesn’t say ‘It said something like…” No, he has it with him. He is holding the letter or a copy of it at least.

Christmas is often the season for letter and card writing. Some of us do not do so well seeing as we haven’t written all year but have typed on some keyboard or phone. Before 2007 and the rise of technology written communication was really important at this time of the year. We used to make a list of people that we needed to buy cards for. Who would make it on to our list this year? Who was no longer with us? Who didn’t deserve to receive a card because of the behaviour in that year?! Of course some would be there on the list, every year, no matter what they have or not done. They had to be on there because if you didn’t send a card you would be causing a world war 3 to happen!

Whatever happens this year, whether you get cards or send them, remember this … in your hand you hold the world’s greatest love letter – the Bible. The Message of God to you.

Horses

Acts 23: 24 “Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”

Paul was protected by the strength of the soldiers and of the horses. Maybe these were like a bullet-proof vehicle today! It epitomised the strength of protection around Paul.

The Old Testament has over 100 references to the strength of horses, mainly referring to the power of the enemy as it attacks God’s people. God often laughs and scorns such prowess, no matter how many horses there are. His kings would collate their own regiment of horses, David and Solomon in particular.

At some point in this Christmas season we will start to hear the song, ‘Little Donkey, carry Mary’ as she and Joseph went to Bethlehem and there Jesus was born. Most live-manger scenes have a donkey. Though pretty there isn’t obviously a donkey mentioned in the gospel account. But it would make sense as a means of travel. We like to stress the humbleness of the story and the donkey does the job for us.

Of course Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem and again we have the humility of Jesus.

But make no mistake … God has horses!

In an amazing encounter between Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6: 17-18 we have this said:  ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.

John in his revelation and the ending of the Bible gives us a picture that Jesus is not riding in humility, he is not on a donkey…

 ^“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Revelation 11: 11-14

Paul had the Commanders horses.

But he like us served a higher Commander who rides the white horse! He is not only meek and mild, He is high and powerful. He is big!

 

He is big!

Acts 23:23 “Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.”

Now let us just remind ourselves of the threat.

There were 40 Jews ready to ambush Paul and kill him.

The Commander ordered 470 Roman soldiers to take Paul to Caesarea.

That is a large amount compared to the 40. The Commander was bigger than the threat, his resources were bigger and more frightening than their plans and he flexed his muscle.

We have a big Commander.

To those today who are facing difficulties, no matter how big they are … you have a bigger God

You may be facing an army of problems but God has a bigger army!

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17

Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew 26:53

If only you could see who God has set around your life and who is working for you!

The lowly Shepherds realised how big God was:  “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’ Luke 2:13-14.

Don;t let people be fooled by the size of the baby in the manger. Jesus is really big!