SINCERELY WRONG

ACTS 22:1-11

          To help us understand the passage of scripture that we just read I need to back up a little and talk about Chapter 21.  Beginning at verse 18 of Chapter 21, Paul has returned to Jerusalem from his second missionary journey where he had traveled though out the Gentile nations preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  On returning to Jerusalem he went in to meet with James the brother of Jesus and the other church elders.  During this meeting he was informed that there were many who were upset with Paul because they had been informed as verse 21 says “that thou teaches all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they should not circumcise their children nor should the follow after Jewish customs.”  Recognizing that those who opposed Paul would soon hear of his presence in Jerusalem, James and the elders advised Paul to go to the temple and purify himself after the manner of Jewish custom so that all would see that he was committed to keeping the law.  They hoped though this to thwart or stop a potential uprising against Paul and other Christians.  Paul follows their directions, but after his purification, still the people wanted to kill him.  The Roman soldiers, hearing that Jerusalem was in an uproar rescued Paul from the mob with the intent of arresting him.  Paul before being arrested requested the opportunity to speak to the crowd and explain his actions.

          Paul offers his defense for his actions in Chapter 22.  What I have been instructed to key in on in his defense is related to verse four where Paul says, “And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.”  You see Paul is talking to Jews who oppose the Christian belief, so he begins with saying to them basically, “I used to be just like you, in my thinking and in my actions.”  What Paul is trying to explain is that now he recognizes that he was wrong.  The title of this morning’s message is “Sincerely Wrong”.

ACTS 6:8 -12

          Here in this story of Stephen we will see one incident where Paul is involved in the persecution of Christians.  Stephen a young Christian is brought before the council of Jewish elders for preaching the Gospel.  He is arrested and given a chance to defend his cause.  As he nears the end of his defense having shown how even the Law and the prophets pointed to Jesus, the mob becomes irate as he calls them rebellious, stiff-necked murderers who received the Law but refused to keep it.

ACTS 7:57-8:3

          Not only did Paul consent to the stoning of Stephen, verse 3 says that he made havoc of the church.  In his persistence to seek out and destroy Christians Paul is described as being like a ferocious animal seeking out his prey.  He went from house to house dragging both men and women of to their death.

ACTS 9:1-2

          Now Paul was not just some wild man who hated Christians.  He really believed that Christianity was a false religion and that he was doing the work of God.  After all he had the consent of the high priest, he who represented God to the people.  Paul was certain that he was carrying out the will of God, yet he was sincerely wrong.  Many times it is those who are sincerely wrong that are the most dedicated to their actions and the hardest ones to convince that they are wrong.  Why, because they believe themselves to be right and thus they see nothing wrong with their actions or their way of thinking.  However, even when we can not always see or understand that we are wrong, all of us can be wrong; sincerely wrong, but still wrong.  This is the case with Paul before his conversion.

ACTS 22:1-11

          I believe from this passage and related scriptures we can glean 3 reasons that led to Paul ending up in a state where he was sincerely wrong.  I also believe that these same three reasons will lead us, if we are not careful to being sincerely wrong in our actions and thinking.

ACTS 22:3

          One thing that I believe led Paul to being sincerely wrong is that he was caught up in following the traditions rather than God.  Paul explains here that he was a Jew who was proud of his heritage.  He had been taught the laws and traditions by Ga-ma-li-el, the most noted teacher of that day.  Now I want you to remember this name.

GALATIANS 1:13-14

          Paul says here that he was exceedingly zealous in following after the ancient traditions.  Because of this and the teaching he had received Paul was swiftly promoted up the religious ranks. 

PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6

          Paul explains here that he had joined the group of Pharisees.  The Pharisees were known for being great students of the Law.  They spent much of their time doing nothing but studying and interpreting the Law; breaking it down into practical application that set rules on behavior and actions.  The Pharisees knew the law but Jesus often rebuked them for not obeying the law.  Jesus warned the people concerning the Pharisees in Matt. 23:3 saying, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.”  Jesus accuses them of putting their traditions above the commandments of God in Matt. 15:3 saying to them, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?”  He accuses them of rejecting the commandments of God so that they can hold on to their traditions in Mark 7:9 saying, “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition”.

          But Paul said that he was blameless as it related to the Law.  In other words he felt that he was doing as the law commanded.  Not only was he a great student of the law he believed himself to be practicing what the law taught.  The only problem with this is that God had moved from the covenant of law to the covenant of Grace.  Paul was so rooted in his tradition and the law that he failed to follow God when God moved.  Believe it or not there are many who are just like Paul.  We are so sure that we are right in what we believe and are so grounded in our tradition that even when God is trying to move us in another direction we are stuck and refused to be moved even by God.  Some have done wrong for so long that they actually see nothing wrong with the wrong they are doing.  They have done it so long until now it feels right.  It is not that they are trying to sin.  They sincerely do not recognize their actions to be sin. (Can a woman dress provocatively and it not be sin? I Tim. 2:9-  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.) 

          Oftentimes we know what the Word says to do but we fail to do it because it is not what we want to do.  It is not what is comfortable for us to do which means it is not what we would normally do, not what we are accustomed to do, or i.e., not our personal tradition.  When we fail to do what God would have us to do for these reasons and rather do what is comfortable for us to do then we are putting our  personal tradition before the Word of God and the will of God.  We like Paul may find ourselves following our traditions rather than God.  And although we may sometimes think our tradition to be right, if it does not line up with the Word of God and the will of God, then we are sincerely wrong.  In the upcoming year I pray that we will all ask God to show us any areas in our lives where we are following our own personal traditions rather than following Him.

ACTS 5:34-39

          A second reason that Paul found himself in the position of being sincerely wrong is that he failed to seek out and listen to wise counsel.  In Acts 22:3, Paul prided himself in having sat under the greatest teacher of that time.  Now who was Paul’s teacher? It was Gamaliel.  The same man who is here telling the council of Jewish elders to let the Christians alone.  He says there is no need to bother with them.  If it is man’s doing it will come to naught on its own and if it is truly of God you can’t stop it any way.  As Paul ran around killing Christians he either did not seek wise counsel from his mentor or he got the counsel and disregarded it.

          Some of us get a little scripture under our belt and we think we know everything.  We think that we are right in our behavior and action and therefore we will not receive instruction.  But Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkens unto counsel is wise.”  In other words you can continue doing it your way and be sincerely wrong and end up looking like a fool or you can receive counsel and be wise.  That is why Proverbs 19:20 encourages us to listen to good counsel, saying, “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou may be wise in thy latter end.”  Paul had good, wise counsel right at his finger tips, but he was so sure that he was right that he did not bother seek or heed the counsel.  Had Paul applied the wisdom of Gamaliel he could not have gone wrong.  Either the movement would have died on its own like so many others before had done and Paul would not have been running through out the land killing off fellow Jews or God would cause it to prosper in spite of what Paul did.  Of course the latter happened and Paul ended up looking like a villain who was outside of the will of God.  Now here is a bit of wise counsel.  Sometimes we need to learn how to keep our mouths shut and let God handle things that we see in others.  If we are all trying to live for God as we claim to be, then we should realize that in his time he will correct the faults that he sees in each of us and if he chooses to work in one area while we of course would like to see other changes maybe we should take the time to consider that we are not God.  If God does not work out a fault right away it is because he is working on more important things.  Things that will help fulfill his will for our lives.  Besides he may be leaving that quirk in that particular person so that he can work out a fault in you and since we all want to be changed into the image of Jesus, maybe you should thank God for using that quirk in another to work out a fault in you.

ACTS 22:6-8

          Another reason that Paul ended up being sincerely wrong is that he did not truly know God.  He knew the Law, but he did not know God.  One of the points that Jesus tried to get across to the disciples was that in seeing him they were also seeing the Father and in knowing him they also come to know the Father.

JOHN 14:7-11

          If we have a relationship with Jesus then we also have a relationship with God.  Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in John 10 because the claimed to know God but would not receive him.  He told them that they did not know the Father and that in fact Satan was their father.  Though Paul thought he was carrying out the will of God, in truth he had no idea what the will of God was because he had no real relationship with God.  Paul knew the law but did not know the law maker.  Likewise we can know what the Word of God says and not know Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh.  In Acts Chapter 9 when Jesus introduced himself to Paul by knowing off his horse, Paul quickly says who are you?  He did not get the full revelation of who Christ was at that time, but he got enough to know that he had been sincerely wrong in persecuting the Christians.

          Knowing God, be it God the Father, God the Son or God the Holy Spirit requires more than just reading the Word and knowing what it says.  Knowing God requires fellowshipping with him, talking to God and listen as He talks to us.  We must build a solid, intimate relationship with Him.  All that God wants to say to us is not written in the Bible.  He has individual conversations for each of us.  He wants to whisper words of love to us, to speak instructions to us and in some cases to yell out orders to us.  He wants living communication with us that we might establish a vibrant, passionate relationship with him.  If you think that all God wants to say to you is written in His Word, then you like Paul are headed on the path to being sincerely wrong.

ACTS 22:10

          After Jesus introduced himself to Paul, recognizing that he had been sincerely wrong, Paul asked “Lord what would you have me to do” and this began their relationship.  This is a question that each of us should continuously ask Jesus.  If we ask this question, wait on and heed his answer I believe that we will more often than not find ourselves sincerely in his will and not sincerely wrong and out of the will of God.