Sometimes, we feel the pressure that it is all up to us. Don’t worry. God’s got this. We see that Paul is nearly killed. There is a plan to ambush and kill Paul. But, Paul is saved, and in his saving, Paul is headed further down the road to where God wants him, in Rome, preaching. We may not always understand what is happening at the moment. It may not always make sense. But we know that God is at work, and we know that we can’t mess up the plans of God. Our job is to be faithful. We can trust that God is at work and knows what He is doing. God’s got this.

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Good morning! It’s wonderful to be with you on this beautiful Monday. It’s great to come together once again to study God’s Word. I hope you had a fantastic weekend. We had a great weekend at St. Matthew’s, and it’s always good to spend time with family. So yes, God is good. Resting over the weekend is rejuvenating, but now it’s time to get back into our routines on this Monday morning and dive into God’s Word.

Today, we’ll continue in Acts 23, focusing on verses 12 to 22:

“In the morning, a group of Jews conspired to kill Paul. We’ll come back to that in a moment. They bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than 40 people involved in this conspiracy. They went to the chief priest and the elders, saying, ‘We have sworn an oath not to eat until we’ve killed Paul. Now, you and the council should notify the tribune and bring him down to you, suggesting that you want to conduct a more thorough examination of his case. We are ready to do away with him before he arrives.’ Paul’s nephew heard about the ambush, and he went to the barracks and told Paul. Paul then called one of the centurions and said, ‘Take this young man to the tribune; he has something to report.’ The centurion did so, and the young man informed the tribune, ‘Paul asked me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you.’ The tribune took him aside and asked, ‘What do you have to report?’ The young man said, ‘The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, under the pretext of a thorough inquiry into his case. But don’t be persuaded by them, for over 40 men are lying in ambush, vowing not to eat or drink until they kill him. They are ready and waiting for your consent.’ The tribune then dismissed the young man, instructing him not to reveal that he had informed him about this.”

As we can see, Paul is still in Roman custody, and everything that’s happening since his arrest is part of God’s plan to get him to Rome. While there’s a real threat to Paul’s life, the Roman tribune wants to protect him. Practically, he needs to be transferred to Rome. Spiritually, God is working to fulfill His plan, which involves Paul’s journey to Rome, where he will preach the gospel to the emperor and the church in Rome.

It’s essential to understand that when you read the term “the Jews” in the Bible, especially in Acts, it often refers to religious leaders. It’s not a reference to all Jewish people. This distinction is crucial, as Paul himself was a Jew.

Life is lived moving forward but is understood looking backward. Paul may not have fully comprehended God’s plan while it was unfolding, but everything served the purpose of getting him to Rome. Similarly, we may not always understand God’s plan while we’re in the midst of it. Still, we must trust that He’s at work and will bring good out of every situation.

Sometimes, we feel immense pressure to get everything right, fearing that a mistake will disrupt God’s plan. However, reading stories like Paul’s is a reminder that we can’t thwart God’s plan. Therefore, don’t burden yourself with the expectation of perfection; instead, be faithful, and God will take care of the rest.

So, as you face your daily tasks and responsibilities today, remember that there’s a spiritual reality at play, even if you can’t always see or understand it. Stay faithful, and God will handle the rest. Have a wonderful day and a great week ahead!

Thank you for joining us, and as we near the conclusion of Acts, I’ll be wrapping up soon. Have a fantastic day!