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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Sunday, April i£ Acts 22:30-23:5.
ous prophecies delivered along the way must have arisen before Paul’s mind, and how calmly he must have looked upon the thongs and said, “This is just what God said, but I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (cf. Acts 21:13), and then Paul must have remembered how they bound his Lord (John 18:12), and he did not grieve but rejoiced to know “the fel lowship of his sufferings” (cf. Phil. 3:10). And yet Paul claimed his rights as-a Roman citizen. There was no morbid seeking of unnecessary disgrace and pain. The tying with the thongs was preparatory to an examination by torture. Paul did not fear the torture' if it was God’s will. No, he would have rejoiced in it for Christ’s sake, but he was not going to endure it if it was unnecessary. Saturday, April 14. ''Acts 22:26-29. No sooner did the centurion hear Paul’s declaration that he was a Roman than he hurried away to his chief exclaiming as he burst into his presence, “What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.” Yes, centurion, he is a Roman and has a right on that account to command respect. The Roman government will make you smart for it if you do not give it. But he is more than a Roman, he is a Christian, a child of God, anfl as such take »care how you treat Him, for his Master will hold you responsible (cf. Matt. 25:34, 40, 41, 45). The Roman law was very stern regarding any one who denied a Roman citizen his rights. The Roman government sought to magnify the dignity of every Roman citizen and see to it that his rights were respected. I It was illegal to bind, a Roman uncondemned, and Paul was a Roman. And the Roman colonel knew that he was liable to suffer penalty for thus dishonoring a Roman citizen. The colonel had good occasion for being afraid. But how much more occasion for being afraid have those who wrong a child of God? Our King and Father will some day see to it that they are made to smart for it.
Paul had that absolute fearlessness of mind that comes from having a concience absolutely' void of offense “before God.” He could say what so few men can say honestly: “I have lived before God in all gQod conscience until this day.” Many who do say this are in reality deceiving them selves, but Paul was not. This declara tion of integrity was more than the high priest Ananias could believe. He com manded that Paul be smitten on the mouth. It was a gross outrage, and contrary to the law of which the high priest was the highest officer. But Paul should have hqld his peace as did the Master under similar circumstances. But Paul, though a con secrated man was not an absolutely per- iect man, and for the moment he lost his temper and sinned by speaking evil of a ruler of his people. The provocation was very great, but that does not excuse the offense, and Paul apologized with great meekness. How great this man who could humbly apologize to those who did him gteat wrong. Bdt we find here a lesson of great solemnity as to x>ur duty toward our properly constituted rulers, even when they are clearly and outrageously in the wrong. Monday, April 16. Acts 23:6-10. Paul though a man, as we have just seen, of absolute fearlessness and great humility, was also a very sagacious man. He quickly observed and took advantage of the fact that his enemies were divided among them selves, and at once proceeded to set them at odds with one another by bringing ,up the burning question on which they differed, the question of the resurrection. This he could do with good grace- and with great effect because the doctrine of the resurrec tion was the central point of his testimony. He did not do it merely to create a diversion in his own favor, but with the hope of winning some of the Pharisees not merely to his side, but Christ. He was probably successful in this. In coming days many
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