TAKE COURAGE! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Acts 23:1-11 | Fifth Sunday after | July 10/13, 2014 The Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in , so you must also testify in ." My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, when the whole world stands against us Jesus stands right beside us. A cold glass of iced tea, a lawn chair and a good book with no one to interrupt you – I. The World Stands Against Us nice. Leaving your smart phone in the car A little background information will help while you hike a beautiful, wooded trail us better understand our text. The Jewish on a sunny, appointment-free morning, all religious authorities hated Paul. At one by yourself – also nice. Young mothers time they loved him because he fantasize about having a few moments persecuted . But now they hated just to use the bathroom by themselves, him because he preached the gospel of solitude that they all-too-rarely enjoy. Christ. Their hatred led them to action. Sometimes it’s good to be alone.

But usually we prefer to have some They accused Paul of being against the company. When the thunder is cracking Jewish people and the Law of Moses. As and the lightning is flashing little kids tend evidence they said Paul had brought a not to prefer the solitude of their own Greek in the temple courts. This was a big rooms. They run and jump into bed with no-no according to Jewish law. It was also mom and dad. When there’s a big completely false. Nevertheless, a mob decision to be made, most people don’t formed and became so upset that they go it alone. They ask the advice of dragged Paul out of the Temple and tried respected friends. When struggling to kill him. through a time of grief, we tend to cling to one another. We lean on those we love for The commander of the Roman garrison support. intervened. He wanted to know what the uproar was about. He sent his soldiers in God said, “It is not good for the man to to get Paul. The crowd was so worked up be alone. I will make a helper suitable for they almost didn’t get him out. him” (Genesis 2:18). We need each other.

But even more than we need the Once things had calmed down a bit, Paul companionship of our fellow human got permission from the commander to beings, we need the presence of a speak to the crowd. He told them about gracious God. And we have it. Our text his strict training, his zeal for the Law of brings this truth out so beautifully. God’s Moses and his intense persecution of the Word before us today assures us that even 1 | P a g e

Church. He told them how Jesus had shrewdly lobbed a hand grenade into the appeared to him on the road to room. “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the Damascus, completely changing his life. son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because They listened quietly to all this. But then of my hope in the resurrection of the Paul explained that Jesus had sent him to dead.” This caused an uproar. You see, the preach to the Gentiles. As soon as he used Sanhedrin was split into two groups, the G-word, they went nuts again, and . The Pharisees shouting: “Rid the earth of him! He’s not believed in an afterlife. The Sadducees did fit to live!” not. They all forgot about Paul and began to fight among themselves. Things got so The commander was determined to get to violent that the commander had to come the bottom of this. So he ordered the to Paul’s rescue once again. The soldiers Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, to marched Paul back to the barracks. assemble. He brought Paul before this body of seventy men. Things were hardly As Paul once again sat in a jail cell, he was, less hostile inside the council chambers no doubt, exhausted - exhausted and then they had been out in the street with discouraged. All he wanted to do was the crowd. Paul spoke respectfully stating carry out his commission, to preach the that his conscience was clear. He was not life-saving gospel. All he wanted to do was going against God’s law. He was doing help people by giving them the greatest exactly what God had commanded, gift of all – Jesus. Simple, right? But he preaching the gospel of Jesus to the met opposition at every turn. Enemies Gentiles. seemed to spring from the woodwork. Understandably, the great apostle was a His statement earned him a smack in the little down in the dumps. mouth. Ananias the high priest – a man known for his violent nature, a man who So Jesus encouraged him. Jesus gave him later met a violent end himself, stabbed to just what he needed. What did Jesus tell death by assassins – gave the order. Paul him? “Buck up, little camper. Everything’s rebuked him, calling him a “white-washed going to be OK? Don’t worry, Paul. It will wall” – in other words, a hypocrite. When be smooth sailing from here on out?” No! Paul found out that he was the high priest Jesus himself stood in that jail cell with he as apologetic. He quoted from God’s Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have Word, a clear indication that Paul was not testified about me in Jerusalem, so you against the law but for it. must also testify in Rome."

It quickly became clear to Paul that he “As promised, Paul, I am with you. You are wasn’t going to get a fair hearing. He not alone. So keep on speaking my Word wanted to get out of there so he could boldly and courageously. This is not the continue to preach the gospel. So he end. I have more work for you to do. You

2 | P a g e will carry my name to Rome.” Jesus knew afraid what people will think. We’re just what to say to encourage his faithful scared that people might look down on apostle. us, that we’ll lose friends, that we won’t be popular, that we’ll be ridiculed and We need this encouragement too. The ostracized. world today is no less hostile to Christians or the Christian confession. The world And you know what? Those things may stands against us and our faith. We bear happen. Worse things may happen. the name of Christ. We are his witnesses. Believers all over the world are losing He has commanded us to let our lights their lives because of their confession. shine before men, to make more disciples Biblical faith and faithful Christian witness by baptizing and teaching, to preach the will not help anyone win a popularity good news to all creation. And the world contest. hates us for it. Shame on us for putting our own comfort, Want to start an argument at work? Bring our own popularity above Word and up religion. Want to make the people at witness on life’s list of priorities. The that backyard BBQ uncomfortable? Start words of our Savior serve as a sobering talking about Jesus. Want your classmates reminder: “Whoever disowns me before to dismiss you as a raving lunatic? Raise men, I will disown him before my Father your hand in class and say that you accept in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). the as God’s truth, that you believe in the six-day creation, Noah’s ark, and the II. Jesus Stands with Us virgin birth. Even worse, proclaim the Incredibly he doesn’t disown us. Though truth that Jesus is “the way, the truth and we are often faithless he remains faithful. the life,” (John 14:6), the world’s only Though we regularly fail to confess him Savior. That’s not a very popular teaching. before men, he still intercedes for us

before his Father in heaven. Just like he Now here in America, hatred of Christians did for Paul, Jesus stands beside us, doesn’t usually take the form of angry encouraging us with his gracious mobs ready to throw stones. It comes in presence, comforting us with his forgiving the form of snide comments, raised love. How can he do that? How can he eyebrows, rolled eyes and demeaning stand with people who have so often chuckles. Christians are dismissed as old- failed to stand with him or for him? fashioned and irrelevant. This is not violent persecution, but it’s still He stands with us because of what he did discouraging. Sometimes a little for us, to make us right with God. He discouragement is all it takes to get us to stands with us because his record is clean. close our mouths, to shutter our lights He did what we can’t. He met God’s and to stop our witness for Christ. We’re righteous demands. He fulfilled the law.

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He did everything God commands; he himself “an ever-present help in trouble” avoided everything God forbids. And God (Psalm 46:1). considers his perfect record our perfect record. He comes near to us in his Word to strengthen us and give us courage. He is He stands with us because his cross is present in his Supper to forgive us when stained. It’s stained with, blood - his we fail. And when trouble comes as we blood, the blood of God and man, holy witness for him he is never more than a and precious blood, blood that purifies us prayer away. The risen Christ stood beside from all sin, blood that atones for every Paul in that jail cell, encouraging him with failure to stand up for Jesus, blood that his Word and promise. He stands with us pays our unimaginable debt to the last through his Word and Sacrament. His penny, the last sin. presence is no less real, and his grace is just as comforting. He stands with us because his tomb is My friends, take courage. You are not empty. His efforts weren’t for nothing. His alone. The world may stand against you, mission is complete, his victory total. You but Jesus stands with you. So go out into see, his tomb holds nothing but air, and so your personal mission fields and share the his promise of forgiveness holds up. Word of Christ boldly. Jesus’ presence and Because of that empty tomb we enjoy his promises will uphold you. Amen. gracious presence now and forever. Our heavenly reservation is confirmed. S.D.G. That’s the gospel message, the good news of a Savior from sin, the good news that Paul preached, the good news that brings comforts our troubled hearts, the good news we are privileged to share. And here’s one more bit of good news. When we go with that gospel, we don’t go alone. When we stand up for Jesus, he stands with us. The Savior who commands us to go and make disciples promises “Surely, I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). The Lord who tells us to “preach the good news to all creation” guarantees “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake” (Hebrews 13:5). The God who sends us out as his witnesses in a hostile world calls

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