1

You are

welcome

Stone

Creek

www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

12-12-12

2

The Bowmans will be here

Saturday, December 29 at

6:00 to lead in worship.

Pure Heart will be here

Sunday morning, January

13, 2013 to lead worship.

We will have our Fifth Sunday dinner and

fellowship December 30 at

Constitution Hall in Fort Oglethorpe.

3

The chief captain arranged

for Paul to be heard before

the Jewish Sanhedrin.

It didn’t go well.

4

Acts 23 1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the

council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all

good conscience before God until this day.

We all need to try to live in a manner that will

allow us to make this statement.

Good conscience

We have done our very best to live according to the

Word of God day in and day out.

We have repented of past wrongs, and we are

looking ahead to walking in God’s Grace.

5

2 And the high priest Ananias

commanded them that stood by him

to smite him on the mouth.

Unreasonable angerAnanias’ response is in keeping with

what is known about him from Jose-

phus, who described him as insolent

(disrespectful), hot-tempered, profane,

and greedy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by

Dallas Seminary Faculty.

Not fit to be a priest.

6

Proverbs 25 28 He that hath no rule over his own

spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without

walls.

He lacks self-control.

Quick to anger with violent outbursts.

He does not live in moderation.

Self-control comes thru the Power of the Holy

Spirit, as we submit unto Him.

7

3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee,

thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after

the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary

to the law?

Jewish law presumed the accused to be innocent

until proven guilty. Like a whitewashed wall,

Ananias looked all right on the outside but was

weak and deteriorating inwardly.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

He broke the Law, while presuming to judge

Paul by the Law.

8

4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's

high priest? 5 Then said Paul, 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.

A true high priest would not willfully and openly

break the Law.

Paul knew by Ananias’ clothing and position, but

could not tell by his actions. (Sarcasm)

Let us live so that all will know by our actions -

we are the children of the Most High God.

9

6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were

Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, 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. 7 And when he

had so said, there arose a dissension between the

Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude

was divided. Divide and conquer.

10

The Pharisees believed the Old Testament.

They believed in the miracles.

The Resurrection from the dead.

The Sadducees believed none of this.

They believed in a liberal theology, and wanted to

work with the Romans to be blessed by them.

There are churches today that claim to be Christian,

but deny most of the Word of God.

They are not true churches.

11

8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resur-

rection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees

confess both. 9 And there arose a great cry: and the

scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and

strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a

spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not

fight against God.

Paul’s ploy worked!

Now they are fighting among themselves.

12

10 And when there arose a great dissension, the

chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been

pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers

to go down, and to take him by force from among

them, and to bring him into the castle.

It is sad but true: Paul was safer in a Roman prison

than standing before the Jewish council.

Sometimes those who should love us and

stand with us are the ones who betray us.

Love them anyway!