Building a Great Church, part 11 - On Trial | Chicago International Christian Church

Preached by Chris Broom, 5/4/2008

Download audio

JC Sbraccia (3rd from left) gets baptized.

Building a Great Church, part 11 - On Trial - Outline

Acts 9:15-16

Paul is God’s chosen instrument.
Paul must suffer for God’s name.
2 Timothy 3:10: Anyone who wants to live a Godly life will be persecuted.

1. False Accusations: Acts 21:20-29a

Some twisted what Paul was saying.
Even disciples can twist words and gossip about other Christians.
Paul goes out of the way to be above reproach.
Paul was willing to do whatever it takes to win people to God.
Some will try to twist what we are doing even today.

2. Disturbing the Peace: Acts 21:30-40

The whole city was in an uproar over what Paul was preaching.
Is your city in an uproar because of your preaching.
Paul used to persecute people in exactly the same way in that same city.
The Jerusalem church forgave Paul and greeted him warmly.
Can you forgive any act anyone has done against you.
Can you go anywhere even if it means remembering your shame.

3. In Defense of the Truth: Acts 22:14-16

Are you looking for spiritual entertainment or truth?
It’s easy to go to church and enjoy the good stuff, but not obey.
Being a true disciple is tough. We are called by God to expect each other to obey.
Going to church should be fun, but if nobody is called to hold anyone accountable, that’s not worship, it’s spiritual entertainment.
The “world” hates us because we say sin is wrong. Sleeping with someone before marriage is wrong. That’s why there’s so much rape and babies having babies.
If we just obey the Word of God, it would all change.
The “spiritual world” hates us because we say that you can’t just say you are a Christian and live however you want, you have to obey the word of God.

Before the Chief Priests and the Sanhedrin: Acts 22:22-30

People were angry with Paul.
Paul was put in chains but got out of it by divine guidance.
He was Roman citizen.

Acts 23:1-8

Paul was determined to see his destiny through and speak to the gentiles and their kings, and all Israel.
Paul wasn’t perfect. He wasn’t wrong in what he said, but he was taught to show respect.
God doesn’t ask you to check in your brains when you become a Christian. You can still be shrewd.
Paul pits resurrection believing Pharisees against the Sadducees.

Acts 23:9-11

In prison, Jesus strengthens Paul.
Determination allows Paul to go to most influential city of the day … Rome.
Paul is told to take courage (because he was afraid).
Are you afraid to fulfill your destiny?

A Fast to Kill: Acts 23:12-24

God fights to protect you so you can fulfill your destiny.

Before Governor Felix: Acts 24:5-16

Paul is called a troublemaker, also known as a pest and a plague.
Church is called a sect, which means a cult.
Drusilla, Governor Felix’ wife, comes from a long line of persecutors. She left her husband to marry Felix. She was one of three daughters of Herod Aggripa 1st. who was eaten by worms in chapter 12. Her dad. Her sisters were Mary Ann and Bernice. Her father murdered the apostle James. Her great uncle, Herod Antipas, beheaded john the baptist. Her great grandfather Herod the great had all the babies in Bethlehem killed after Jesus was born.
Paul preaches in front of her. Even after all that wickedness, she heard the gospel.

Procrastination: Verse 24-26

People that aren’t ready to follow God want to call the shots. They say, “that‘s enough, I‘ll call you when it‘s convenient.”
Convenient never happens.
God loved Drusilla and gave her a chance to hear the message.
Every one deserves a chance to hear the whole will of God.

Before Festus: Acts 25:9

Paul fulfills his destiny to preach in Rome before Caesar’s court.
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill your destiny?
Who do you want to please?
Verse 13. Bernice is Drusilla’s sister.
Paul gets to preach to all the leading men of city and rulers because he is in prison.
He has nothing to lose! We have stuff to lose. We must get rid of it, and preach unhindered.
His goal was not to be free, but to fulfil the will of God.
Being a prisoner was God’s way to give Paul an audience with Kings.

Before King Agrippa:

Agrippa is the 2nd son of man eaten by worms which makes him the brother of Drusilla and Bernice.
Bernice had married her uncle Herod but he had died. she then went to live with and began an elicit affair with her brother.
The future emperor of Rome, Titus, who in ad 70 would destroy the temple and all that was Jewish as we knew it was said to have fallen in love with Bernice. (She was said to be one of the most beautiful women of the world at the time and maybe that is why there was so much sin surrounding her.)
The Romans, pagans who were known to be sinful, were so nauseated by the life of Bernice that they had caused an uproar and therefore Titus didn’t marry her.
These were real people like us. Even they were given the chance to hear the life giving message.

4. Guilty as Charged.

Paul was a follower of the way.
He loved God with all his heart.
He wanted Agrippa and all who heard him to become Christians!

Armed and Dangerous.

We must be armed with the sword (God’s word) and our shield (our faith)!
We must be armed with the evidences and proofs of Christianity and the Bible, so that we can persuasively proclaim the truth.
Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation. - Elton Trueblood
There’s so much proof of the power of God.
If you don’t believe in a creator, then you believe that you are an accident … a freak of nature.
Creation testifies to the genius of God.
The human eye has 40,000 nerve endings and focusing muscles that move more than 100,000 times a day. (137 million light sensitive cells)
Charles Darwin, creator of the theory of evolution said, “To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection seems, i freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.”
This building: how do you know there was a builder? We cant see him, touch him, taste him or smell him.
The building is evidence of a builder. Creation is absolute proof there is a creator.
It is not intelligent to say a building has no maker, and it is not intelligent to say we don’t have a maker.
Genealogy: A little girl asked her mother, ‘How did the human race appear? The mother answered, ‘God made Adam and Eve and they had children and so was all mankind made. Two days later the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered, Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved. The confused girl returned to her mother and said, Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys? The mother answered, ‘Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his.
We must study these things and know them well.
Andrew and Patrique Smellie will be here June 6-8 to do a weekend for us on the evidences of God, Jesus and the Bible called “Evidence that Demands a Verdict.”