The theme of this chapter isPAUL THE PRISONER

In verse 18 of this chapter we find the apostle referred to as “Paul the prisoner”.

This was the name the Roman soldiers used for the apostleIt was also the way Paul referred to himself.

introduction

(Eph 3:1 NKJV)

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles;

(Eph 3:1 NKJV)

(2 Tim 1:8 NKJV)

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

(2 Tim 1:8 NKJV)

(Phile 1:9 KJV)

Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

(Phile 1:9 KJV)

It’s amazing that even though Paul saw himself as a prisoner, he never viewed himself as the held captive by man.

He always saw himself as captured by Jesus!

That was more than mere perspective –

introduction

Paul’s heart was genuinely captured by - held captive by the love of Jesus

And that transformed the way he responded to his physical imprisonment.

MAKE APPLICATION

introduction

Does His love so capture our hearts that it transforms the way we respond when we are imprisoned by our circumstances.

introduction

insight / sidenote

Paul was under “military custody,” which meant he was bound to a Roman soldier who was responsible for him.

Imagine being hand cuffed to the most radical evangelist in the history of the world!

introduction

From this point on we find Paul appearing before several rulers giving a defense of himself and his ministry.

Because the Jews are plotting his death, he will be taken from Jerusalem down to Caesarea.

introduction

He will spend about two years there in prison before he finally appeals to Rome and is sent to stand before Caesar.

It is sad that there is no record that the Jerusalem church took any steps to assist him, either in Jerusalem or during his two years in Caesarea.

introduction

(Acts 23:1 NKJV)

Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

(Acts 23:1 NKJV)

Looking earnestly

It is believed by many that Paul had weak eyes as a result of either -

key observation

Looking earnestly

It is believed by many that Paul had weak eyes as a result of either -

1.) His illness in Perga Pamphylia

2.) The stoning that he endured in Lystra.

Paul may have been staring hard at these men because of his weak eyes.

But I can’t help but think that he was looking steadfastly to see if he recognized any faces that were with him years earlier when they tried and executed Stephen.

key observation

I have lived before God

This is a form of the verb politeuô

= to manage affairs of city (polis) or state, to be a citizen, behave as a citizen.

I have lived before God

key observation

It means that Paul "had lived as God's citizen, as a member of God's commonwealth".

Paul serves as the MODEL for the Christians attitude towards life in this present world.

insight / application

It means that Paul "had lived as God's citizen, as a member of God's commonwealth".

(Phil 3:20 NLT)

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

(Phil 3:20 NLT)

key insight

The Philippians understood this - Philippi was a colony of Rome on foreign soil. They LIVED like Romans on foreign soil.

Thus they understood that they were a “colony of heaven” on earth and were to live like citizens of heaven on planet earth.

key insight

To truly understand Citizenship in the Kingdom of God - and to help us to get the full impact what Paul meant in this statement of Acts 23:1- we need to look at what has been so aptly referred to as the Manifesto of the Kingdom - The Sermon on the Mount.

(Mat 5:1-2 NKJV)

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. {2} Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

(Mat 5:1-2 NKJV)

This is NOT a pattern for the world to imitate.

It IS a message for those who were willing to FOLLOW Jesus.

It is a DESCRIPTION of the CHARACTER of the CITIZEN of God’s Kingdom.

key insight

(Mat 5:3 NKJV)

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(Mat 5:3 NKJV)

key insight

This is where Heavenly Citizenship begins – With poverty of spirit (the opposite of pride)

Poverty of spirit is the way into the Kingdom and it is the trademark of the Citizen of the Kingdom.

key insight

This IS NOT something that you DO…..It is something that you BECOME.

God IS NOT so much interested in what you DO as much as He is interested in what you ARE.

key insight

It has been said that these are the “BE – ATTITUDES,” not the “DO - ATTITUDES”

You BECOME “poor in spirit” by seeing yourself in the light of Who God is.

example: ISAIAH - Upon seeing God said “ Woe is me…”

key insight

POVERTY OF SPIRIT is recognizing, in the light of who God is, that you are spiritually bankrupt.

Our problem is that we make the mistake of comparing ourselves with man - “I’m not perfect, but I’m not as bad as…..”

key observation

We can see this POVERTY OF SPIRIT in Paul.

The religious righteousness that he once valued he came to count as dung.

(Mat 5:4 NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

(Mat 5:4 NKJV)

key insight

This refers to those who mourn over their true condition before a holy God.

It is a genuine broken-ness over my sin – a genuine brokenness over having offended God.

(Mat 5:5 NKJV)

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

(Mat 5:5 NKJV)

Upon seeing my spiritual bankruptcy and upon mourning over my condition, I begin to have a new estimation of myself!

Meek = ME - EK

Upon seeing my spiritual bankruptcy and upon mourning over my condition, I begin to have a new estimation of myself!

key insight

Again we see this in Paul.

(1 Tim 1:15 NLT)

This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--and I was the worst of them all.

key insight

Again we see this in Paul.

(1 Tim 1:15 NLT)

key insight

This new estimation of myself results in a new attitude about others in the light of my new estimation of myself.

I can never look down on others.

(Mat 5:6 NKJV)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

(Mat 5:6 NKJV)

key observation

Up to this point we have seen the Citizen of Heaven experience an emptying!

note well: It is only after the emptying that the filling comes.

key insight

Before God fills us with His life He first EMPTIES us of the old life.

When you are emptied of that old life you begin to HUNGER for the things of God.

You would think that this humble, broken, meek, merciful, peacemaking Citizen of the Kingdom would be loved by the rest of the world, but look at what follows in verses 9-10.

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake…”

key observation

You would think that this humble, broken, meek, merciful, peacemaking Citizen of the Kingdom would be loved by the rest of the world, but look at what follows in verses 9-10.

“Blessed are you when men shall revile and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you for my sake……..”

Jesus was humble, meek and merciful; Jesus was a peacemaker, and they CRUCIFIED Him.

key observation

“Blessed are you when men shall revile and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you for my sake……..”

(Mat 5:13 NKJV)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

(Mat 5:13 NKJV)

Then Jesus looks at them and says -

insight / application

In the day of Jesus one of the primary uses of salt was that of a PRESERVATIVE.

Salt helped prevent rottenness.

In the day of Jesus one of the primary uses of salt was that of a PRESERVATIVE.

Salt helped prevent rottenness.

The citizens of the Kingdom should act as a preserving agent to the world.

Salt was also used as a purifying agent.

God wants to use the Citizens of His Kingdom as a purifying agent to the world around us.

When SALT goes into a wound it STINGS.

insight / application

Salt was also used as a purifying agent.

insight / application

Do you have any STING to your witness?

Does your LIFE convict your unsaved friends?

Salt also makes you THIRSTY.

Does your life make people THIRSTY for Jesus?

insight / application

Salt also makes you THIRSTY.

note well

Jesus went on to say –

“If the salt has lost it’s savor it is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot of men.”

If we aren’t doing our job we will be trodden under the foot of men. That is always the plight of the backslider.

(Mat 5:14 NKJV)

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

(Mat 5:14 NKJV)

insight / application

The picture was very clear to them.

Just above that location was a town called Safed.

As followers of Jesus, as the Citizens of the Kingdom, they would be out in the open to be seen of all men.

quote

“Some people may never read the Bible - But they will read you like a book.”

(Mat 5:20 NKJV)

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

(Mat 5:20 NKJV)

insight

These guys spent their lives keeping every little aspect of the Law.

But their righteousness was an outward and showy kind of righteousness.

key insight

Jesus said that unless their righteousness EXCEEDED that of the Pharisees and Scribes that they could forget it!

You can imagine Peter’s reaction to such a standard!

So Jesus gave five illustrations that showed God’s intention behind the law.

“You have heard it said that you shall not kill…”

“You have heard it said that you shall not commit adultery…”

key observation

So Jesus gave five illustrations that showed God’s intention behind the law.

key insight

Jesus showed them that the law goes beyond outward righteousness to the ATTITUDE of the heart.

You see, ultimately God is interested in the heart and in attitudes.

key insight

You may have never clubbed your neighbor to death; but maybe you wanted to do that.

You may have never slept with anyone besides your spouse; but maybe you wanted to.

key insight

If I take the Law to mean only outward actions, then I become self-righteous and begin to judge others.

Of course, that was the life of the Pharisee!

The Law of God was not given to make men holy!

The law of God was not given to make men righteous!

The law was given to show that we are sinners in need of mercy.

note well

Paul understood this completely –

(Phil 3:8-9 NKJV)

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

key insight

Paul understood this completely –

(Phil 3:8-9 NKJV)

and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ {9} and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

key observation

Jesus went on to show how a wrong understanding of the law would lead to boastful religious activity.

He made it clear that if the FOUNDATION is WRONG then everything that is built upon it WON’T STAND up to God’s judgment.

crucial application

In light of the manifesto of the Kingdom, do YOU see yourself as one of His subjects?

One of the early apologists describes Christians as in the following way –

"Christians are not marked out from the rest of mankind by their country or their speech or their customs. They dwell in cities both Greek and barbarian, each as his lot is cast,

quote

One of the early apologists describes Christians as in the following way –

quote

following the practices of the regions in clothing and in food and in the outward things of life generally; yet they manifest a wonderful and openly paradoxical character of their own spiritual state. They inhabit the lands of their birth, but as temporary residents thereof;

quote

they take their share of all responsibilities as citizens and endure all disabilities as aliens. THEY PASS THEIR DAYS UPON EARTH, BUT THEIR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN.“

key insight

THAT was THEN, but THIS is NOW.

There are NOT many believers that live like that today.

illustration

There are hummingbirds that are hatched and nurtured in the crater of an extinct volcano. They never fly up and get a view of the vast surrounding countryside, even when fully grown, but always stay in their own barren little world.

key applicationMany who call themselves Christians live like that.

Though they might never live in blatant sin, their lives are never elevated above the rim of the temporal - they exclude God from their thinking and fail to realize that they have a HEAVENLY DESTINY and the capacity for FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.

key application

They seem to be satisfied to exist within the limited confines of their own temporal pleasures.

They NEVER look at their time, talents and possessions in light of eternity.

key application

BECAUSE they have restricted their vision to a hummingbird horizon they lay up for them-selves treasures on earth….

conclusion

This is NOT merely the record of what Paul believed or taught.

This is how Paul LIVED.

Though he was a prisoner of Rome, he lived as a CITIZEN of God’s Kingdom.

conclusion

In light of how Jesus defined and described the citizen of heaven, can you say that you ARE a citizen of heaven and that you behave as citizen of heaven?