at the command of the captain of the Roman god, Lysias, who wanted to determine for himself the reason for the great uproar why the Jews were seeking to slay Paul. Now let us not forget the background of what has preceded in all of this, for there is a very deep and an earnest and strong lesson for you and for me who are believers to recognize in what is already transpired in the preceding last two chapters particularly. Twenty-one and twenty-two. We may well remember, I trust, that if the Apostle Paul endeavoured to go to Jerusalem, the Spirit of God, personally Himself, together with others, believers in the Lord Jesus, and even with the prophecy of Agabus, the great prophet of that day, sought to persuade him never to go to Jerusalem. And may I say, very frankly, we have a lesson today that we can take for ourselves in the mistake that the Apostle Paul made. He went contrary to the leading of the Holy Spirit. either directly as the Holy Spirit spoke to him, which was true, and even indirectly through the fellow believers around him. And last of all, by the prophet Agabus who came to Caesarea where Paul happened to be on his way to Jerusalem. And also prophesied that if he went to Jerusalem, he would be bound. And as a result of his mistake, He did find himself in a dilemma. Very fortunately, as our dear brother in the preceding study of chapter twenty-two, certainly brought out before us a week ago, God saved him from disobeying the Scriptures. For when he came back to Jerusalem, the brethren, the fellow brethren, the Judaistic believers and the leaders, The Apostle James was one of them, and many and the elders of the Church of Jerusalem persuaded him to make a Jewish vow, to take the vow of a Nazarene, which he did. And in so doing, he committed himself to pay the price of a sacrifice not only for himself, but for the whole company of four men, there were four of them, who took this vow for a few days. And at the end of the vow, when kept, it was the required order of the Lord Moses to offer a sacrifice, an animal sacrifice, in view of having completed their vow. And which would have been necessitated. Paul would have been denying what he had been preaching. There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but the great riot of the preceding chapter came about and in so doing delivered him from having to fulfill that mistake that he had made and he was delivered and kept by the captain a prisoner now the captain brings him before the Sanhedrin the next day and as we read note verse one Paul is speaking to the Jewish Sanhedrin. They compose usually seventy either Sadducees or Pharisees and many times on this occasion both who considered themselves and they were the respected leaders of Judaism in the city of Jerusalem and before the nation of Israel. Paul declares earnestly as he beholds the council Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day. My beloved fellow believers, that was a very strong, but it happened to be a true statement. His conscience had never been affected by what he had been doing. And as we well know from other scriptures, First Timothy chapter one. And even in the Philippine Epistle chapter three. When he was persecuting the Jews or the believers, early believers in the Christian testimony. He did it with a good conscience. His conscience never troubled him. He thought and he believed he was doing the work of God. And what he states here was exactly a fact. Though we know he was doing wrong to persecute the Christians, but he didn't know it. And he didn't believe it. He thought he was doing God's work. But now notice the reaction. Command Ananias, the high priest who was there, commanding someone nearby to smite him on the mouth. Whichever then he was done. And Paul remonstrates. and note the character of the words of the language that he uses. Verse three, Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee down white and wall. For sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandeth me to be smitten contrary to the law. For nothing had been done by Paul to give such an offense that he should be smitten like that. For there was no accusation against him that could accurately and was accurately able to be brought. But Paul made a mistake talking to the high priest that way, though he didn't know he was the high priest. And you know what he goes on to say. They that stood by said, Revile us, thou God's high priest. Then God said, and then said, Paul rather, I wish not, brethren, that he was the high priest. for it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people now beloved here was a law in something in the law of Moses to hold respect for the official priests now if you remember when the Lord Jesus was before Caiaphas the Lord Jesus said nothing when he was accused. But Caiaphas made a statement, an official statement as the high priest. I adjure thee by God that thou tell me, art thou the Son of God. And the Lord Jesus handed him and said, It's right. Otherwise the Lord would never have answered him. But he put him on oath. And the Lord recognized it with an oath that the law commanded everyone should obey the oath. And he answered him. And he told him a little bit more too. He said the day is coming when you shall see the Son of Man coming in all of his glory. That the high priest never realized what he meant. So when Paul made this accusation against the high priest Ammoniah, he made a mistake again. But let me remind you of something that's not in the scripture. There was a man by the name of Jewish historian by the name of Josephus. He lived around the time of Christ and in the days of the early church. And his writings had been prolific. And in some of one of his writings, he mentions Ananias later on after this occasion, when again he was high priest on another occasion. But he also mentioned, and strange to say, it's not in the scripture, but it's in Josephus' writing, secular history. Ananias were dragged to death by some of the fellow Jews that hated him. It was almost seemed that God's hand was upon him in judgment for what was happened to Paul. But then, as you read Paul saying, I wist not brethren that he was the high priest, for it is written, thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. And then if I may begin reading from verse six through verse eleven. Another section. Paul perceived that that the one part was Sadducees and the other Pharisees and he cried out in the council. Paul noticed very carefully and it was distinguishable by the dress and the adornments that they often had upon their outward adornments and particularly the Pharisees. You could tell a Pharisee by the way he dressed. And you could tell a Sadducee by the way he dressed. But Paul discerned, here were two parties in Judaism consisting of the Council of Jerusalem who were divided in their convictions. He knew it. And we read on. Let me read what Paul goes on to say. He cried out in the Council, men and brethren, I am a Pharisee. the son of a Pharisee, of the hope and resurrection of the dead, I am called in question. And when he is so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither an angel, nor spirit. But the Pharisees confess both. There arose a great cry, and describes that were of the Pharisees part, arose and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit and an angel have spoken unto him, let us not fight against God. And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing less Paul, should have been pulled in pieces of men, commanded the soldiers to go down and to take him by force, from among them, And to bring him into the castle. Now it might have been that it was a strategic step that the Apostle Paul took. But he was right. And he knew it. But he knew that the Pharisee would uphold him. For they believed in the resurrection. They believed in angels. They believed in revelations. Revealed by God to his people and to his servants. But Sadducees did not. And when the question arose, and Paul mentioned that he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, then he was. If you want to know what a good Pharisee he was, read Philippians chapter three from verse one down through verse nine. And there in that particular portion he boast on his achievement in that strictest of all religious bodies in Judaism, the Pharisees. and he knew the subject would divide their opinion. And it did. But he saw a rose sudden such a dissension way that the captains, Paul, thought that they were going to tear him to pieces there. And he rescued him by force and took him to the castle. Well, one can recognize, and let us humbly say it, Paul would not indeed denied himself he was out of the will of the Lord when he went to Jerusalem now may I be reminded with you when he spoke about before he went to Jerusalem he told the fellow believers in Asia Minor I'm going to go to Rome he wanted to go to Rome and he landed up in Jerusalem where he should not have been and was taken prisoner. Now when you think of this situation, here he was a prisoner in the castle. All the Jews were against him and had been and sought his life. The fellow believers couldn't help him. But there was one person who did help him. The one that he had disobeyed Can I raise a question? If you and I disobey the Lord, will He help us? Will He fail us? There is a verse in the book of Not Habakkuk. One and nine are prophets. And a little statement that says, He never fails. Then let me be reminded with you. We read it for our own comfort. You find it in Hebrews chapter thirteen, as well as in the Old Testament, but in Hebrews chapter thirteen of our Lord Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore we know he'll help us. And he goes on to say, Father, I say unto you, I will never leave you, nor forsake you, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my help. Let me raise the question again. Here's the picture. Here's the Christian that has failed his Lord. He took the wrong path. The Lord was going to take him to Rome. But Paul was trying to make his own way. And he got stalled. And as you read the context that Paul... He was over two years around Jerusalem and Judea before he even started for Rome. But the Lord didn't fail him. Read the words again in verse twelve. Paul verse eleven. And the night following the Lord stood by him. You have a wonderful confession of Paul in the last letter that he ever wrote. Second Timothy chapter four. In that fourth chapter of the last epistle he ever wrote, he says, All men forsook me, but the Lord stood by me. My beloved, let me say, if there's one verse out of this chapter that's worth taking for home for yourself, it's this one. more important in the whole chapter than any other because it bears witness the Lord stands by please may I say it again my my have you ever felt it I have when I failed I have to say the Lord stood by me. Well, did the Apostle write the words? He's the same yesterday, today, forever. Now note the words that he says, Paul, be of good cheer, Paul. I tell you one thing. The good cheers of Jesus are better than anybody else's. I hope you know then. You'll find Three good cheers from Jesus in the Gospel. Matthew chapter nine. Matthew chapter fourteen. And in chapter sixteen of John. The three good cheers of Jesus. And here's another good cheer. Be of good cheer, Paul. And here you find him commanding him. For one sure thing. Though Paul was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he witnessed for the Lord. in Jerusalem. Though his testimony was rejected, the moment they heard him say he was to be sent to the Gentiles, they got in an uproar. And here you find them in an uproar again, wanting to pull them apart. But, as the Lord said to Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. So Paul was assured by the Lord himself, you're going to Rome. My beloved, let me say again, just visualize, if you can, the loneliness of the beloved apostle that night. A prisoner in the castle. The captain had delivered him. He delivered him from fulfilling his vow, fortunately. He delivered him. also from the riot that took part immediately and also delivered him again as we see here as he thought they were going to tear him apart again and were finally ultimately delivers them completely out of his condition his situation but we read on when it was day certain of the Jews banded together bound themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink killed they had killed Paul. And they were more than folly which had made this conspiracy. They came to the chief priests and elders and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore, ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him, And we, or ever become near, we're ready to kill him. Beloved, you've got to say this, that Paul's life was in danger with him without a question. And the religious, yes, the religious leaders, the whole Sanhedrin in council, together with the Jews around, were determined to kill him. And here was an oath made by over forty of them. They would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him. I presume if they kept their oath, they must have starved to death. There's nothing further said about it, what they did. But then let's read on. In verse sixteen is where God intervenes again. When Paul's sister's son, and Paul evidently had relatives in Jerusalem, and his sister, And here's the nephew. When his sister's son heard of their lying in wait. He went and entered into the castle and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain. For he had a certain thing to tell him. So he took him and brought him to the chief captain and said, Paul the prisoner asked, Call me unto him. prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who has something to say unto thee. Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to decide that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more publicly. But do not thou yield unto them, For they are lying in wait for him of men, more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. So evidently the intervention of God by his grace and mercy. The news of the fact is brought by the young nephew. and brought ultimately to the captain, the chief captain of the Roman Guard. And immediately he asked, and here we find God undoubtedly intervening to save Paul from the destruction that the Jews threatened him with. And we read it. So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charge him. See, thou tell no man that thou must show these things to me. And he called unto him two centurions, say, Make ready two hundred soldiers, to go to Caesarea, and horsemen, three-score and ten, and spearmen, two hundred, at the third hour of the night, and provide them beasts, that they may sit Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this matter. Claudius Lysius, unto the most excellent Governor Felix, send of greetings. This man was taken of the Jews and should have been killed of them. Then came I with an army and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman, and when I would have known the cause whereof they accused him, I brought him forth into their council, whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bands or of bonds. And when it was told me how that the Jews laid way for the man, I sent straightway to thee and gave commandment to his accusers, also to say before thee what they had against him farewell. So the chief captain takes immediate action and provides escort Safety for the soldiers, as well as for Paul himself, particularly, to send him to the governor Felix at the government headquarters in Caesarea, where Felix home was. And what a deliverance that was for Paul. Read on as we read how it was done, as we read it, if we may, in verse thirty-one. Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, they took Paul and brought him by night, to Antipatris. On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him and returned to the castle. Who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistles of the governor, presented Paul also before him. And they bring into the governor of the land in that day, who happened to be Felix, only there temporarily for a few years, But when they came to Caesarea, they delivered the epistle that the chief captain had written to the governor and presented Paul before him. Now we read in verse thirty-four when Paul, when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province that Paul was. And when he understood that he was a Cilicia, he said, I will hear thee when thine accusers are also come. and he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. So that is the final deliverance that God provides for Paul from the evident destruction that he faced because of his great mistake. Beloved, let me say again, go back to that verse eleven again. May I say again, it's the greatest risk in the whole chapter. It meant more to Paul than it did to anyone else. And it should mean more to you and to me. May I repeat again? Maybe you don't like it. I don't care. I know you make mistakes. I know I make mistakes. I know I am. I didn't lose my salvation, though. No matter what a mistake you might make, you'll never lose your salvation, if you've trusted Christ. And may I go on to say, you'll never lose your Savior either. I am with thee, with us, so ever thou goeth. Here's the promise. I don't know whether you've been through it. I have. More than once. You know, there's a scripture in Hebrews chapter eleven, whom the Lord loves, He chases us. And scourges every son whom He receives. Did you ever get a scourging from Him? I remember years ago, I'm glad my son isn't here. He wouldn't like me to tell it. When he was a young boy, After chasing him for something wrong that he had done, I tried to console him. I said, now daddy and mother want you to grow up to be a fine young man for the Lord. And then I thought, I console him. I said, Bobby, when your daddy does something wrong, the Lord punishes him. And you know, he looked at me and said, yeah, but not the way you do me. I said, Bobby, I'll take yours anytime. My beloved, there's no question of doubt. The cunt, if I may point out something, Paul never heard anything from the Lord when he made that wrong step until this night in prison. when the Lord says, Be of good cheer. You've witnessed with me in Jerusalem, I'm going to send you to Rome to witness with me. And, beloved, what a joy it is to recognize the faithfulness of the Lord. In First Timothy chapter two, it is written, if we are faithless, He abides as faithful. He cannot deny himself. My beloved fellow Christian, listen. I don't know. I dare you to find anybody the Lord hasn't given some spanking to when they belong to him. And if you haven't had any, you may get it yet. Your life isn't over. But here's the faithfulness of the Lord. Always with us. And even in our mistakes. One sure thing, too late for Paul to correct his mistake, it made it. With the intention, and he had told the believers in Asia Minor, I'm coming back and I'll see you again on my way to Rome. He never did. But Paul, God said, the Lord said to Paul, I'll get you to Rome. You'll witness for me in Rome. And may I say, Paul did. You read the end of the Philippian epistle. It was a prison letter he wrote from the prison in Rome. And in that letter at the end of it, in the greetings to the Philippian Christians, it said, the saints in Caesar's palace, Seleucia. Right in the very household of Caesar. He led someone to Rome, to the Lord. Oh, the joy of having such a faithful master. May the Lord help us to realize it and enjoy it fully. And undoubtedly the dear apostle did. We'll find in the later chapter, the twenty-seven chapter, the Lord stood by him again in that storm that was upon the seas as they journeyed to Rome. My beloved, let me just say again for you and for me, Don't forget it. He faileth not. Shall we pray? Our beloved and blessed Father, oh, what a comfort it must have been. To thy dear servant, oh, the many trials and difficulties that he had passed through and borne for thee, that even when he made a mistake, and Lord Jesus, will never find only but one perfect man who never made a mistake. And that is the Lord Jesus. Oh, we thank you for him. And Lord Jesus, we thank thee that thou hast said to every one of us who are thine, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we can boldly say the Lord is my helper. I shall not be afraid of what man can do unto me. We give thee thanks for this, and we thank thee for thy dear servant Paul. Lord, we wouldn't even criticize him. We've got our own mistakes to criticize. But Lord, we would indeed be reminded as he learned. You never fail. We ask it as we separate and commend to thee the blessing of thy word. to every one of our hearts in Jesus' name. Amen. Remember a dear friend in the Lord that told me up in Washington, D.C. in one of the