SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/21/2018
8:51 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Conquest
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 23:6-10
Message of the verses: “6 But perceiving
that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying
out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am
on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!" 7 As he said this,
there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the
assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,
nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 And there
occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood
up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "We find nothing wrong with
this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" 10 And as a
great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to
pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by
force, and bring him into the barracks.”
We
have been looking at different parts of the life of Paul who was named earlier
in the book of Acts “Saul of Tarsus,” and one of the things that we know about
Paul is that he was very intelligent, and that shows up here in this
section. Paul realized that things were
not going to be fair in this hearing, especially since he was almost beaten when
the high priest ordered him to be “slapped in the face.” Paul then realizes that in the Sanhedrin
there were both Pharisees and Sadducees and he knew that the Sadducees did not
believe in anything that was supernatural like angels or spirits or the resurrection
of the dead. I know that you have
probably heard this before but I can’t resist in writing it again. It is because that the Sadducees did not
believe in the supernatural, in the resurrection of the dead that they were “sad
you see.” Paul was on trial for the hope
of the resurrection and so he knew, at least for the time being that the
Pharisees would be sympathetic towards him and that is why he stated that he
was on trial because he believed in the resurrection of the dead.
We
can say that one of the themes of the book of Acts is the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, for if Jesus had not been raised from the dead assuring those who
believed in Him eternal life, then there would be no need for the book of Acts
at all. Paul writes the following to the
Corinthians: “12 Now if Christ is
preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that
there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the
dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised,
then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even
found to be false witnesses of God,
because we testified against God that He
raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16
For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if
Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your
sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If
we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied
(1 Cor. 15:12-19).”
Now
once Paul stated that he was on trial because of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ the place became almost like another mob scene and this was not what the
commander was hoping for, for he wanted to find out why people were upset with
Paul, and not he is involved in another place filled with arguments over things
that he probably knew nothing or little about.
Lysias,
the commander had little choice but to rescue Paul from this mob scene between
the Pharisees and the Sadducees and so he order Paul to be taken by force back
to the barracks. I know that when we
read this story we can see the hand of God in it, as it was God’s plan to have
Paul go to Rome, something that Paul wanted to do for some time, as he had
written to the Romans that it was his desire to visit Rome.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Sometimes, or perhaps even many times in my
life when I don’t understand what is going on I have to believe that God is
moving things in my life to work out for my good and for His glory.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to continue to work things out
in my life for His glory and for my good.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Nebuchadnezzar” (2 Kings
25:1).
Today’s Bible question: “Which book of the Bible tells of seven
seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls?”
Answer in our next SD.
8/21/2018 9:16 AM
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