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What happens when a man who has been beaten, chained, and nearly killed finds himself utterly alone and in the dark with no one to defend him? In the middle of the night, with questions pressing in and danger still looming, an unexpected voice breaks through with a command and a promise that changes everything. How does Paul’s story speak to the moments when we feel abandoned and uncertain about the road ahead?
📝 Study Notes, Scripture List, Transcript, and more: https://medicallake.church/sermons/doubting-in-the-darkness
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📝 Study Notes, Scripture List, Transcript, and more: https://medicallake.church/sermons/doubting-in-the-darkness
#mlcc #church #churchonline
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LearningTranscript
00:00Martin Niemöller was a pastor, a Lutheran pastor, during the time of Hitler's Nazism in Germany.
00:09Hitler came to power, and he was already causing havoc within the country of Germany,
00:14and there was a group of pastors that said, you know, we cannot adopt the policies of Hitler,
00:19we cannot agree with what he's trying to say, and so they formed what was known as the Confessing
00:24Church. So, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was part of that, Martin Niemöller was part of that,
00:28part of the Confessing Church. Well, because he spoke out strongly against the policies of Hitler,
00:33you can imagine Hitler hated him, hated him, and in 1938, he arrested Martin Niemöller.
00:42He was in a place called Dachau. I don't know if you've ever been to any of the concentration camps
00:48in Germany. Dachau is not a good one. It's a really bad one. He was sent to Dachau.
00:56He was brave, but you can imagine he knows Hitler's character. He doesn't know what's coming.
01:03So, they led him away from his cell where he was at into the place where the trial was going
01:08to be
01:08held, and he had to walk down a long corridor. And so, you can imagine all the thoughts running
01:12through his head as he's walking down this long corridor. What's going to happen? What's my fate?
01:16What's God going to do? What's going to happen here? So, as he's walking along, he's getting partially
01:21down toward them before he gets into the trial room. There was one of the guards standing right
01:25there, and he was muttering something. Martin Niemöller couldn't understand what he was saying
01:30until they got closer. And he recognized that he was quoting Proverbs 18.10 in Latin. And it was
01:39probably from a Catholic liturgy that the man knew, but Martin Niemöller knew it as well. As a Lutheran
01:44pastor, he knew this. And what the guard was quoting was, now, if you know Latin, please forgive me.
01:50I'm sure I'm not going to say it absolutely correctly. Nomen domini turis fortiismo, which
01:56means the name of the Lord is a strong tower. So, he's walking down the corridor to the trial
02:03room, not knowing what to expect. And all of a sudden, he, in a sense, gets a word of the
02:07Lord. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. And it was a call for Niemöller, for Martin
02:16to take courage, even though he's about ready to enter into the lion's den. Those words gave
02:23him the courage to strength, the strength to face what was coming his way. The name of
02:29the Lord is a strong tower. God is so faithful. Even though Niemöller was imprisoned in Dachau,
02:39he made it out. He did not get killed. He made it out. He came out of Dachau. He was
02:44released.
02:45He helped the church get back together and at least take care of some of the issues they
02:48had from Hitler's time. So, God was gracious to him. But that's what he needed that day
02:54to have a word of the Lord come to him and say, the name of the Lord is a strong
02:58tower.
02:58Don't be afraid. I'm with you. At the moment of intense trial, at the right time,
03:08God sent forth his word and it encouraged, strengthened, and directed Martin, directed him.
03:16Today in the text, we're going to see Paul seemingly standing by himself. I mean, you've seen
03:21him. He's been abused. He's been beaten, nearly killed. He was just in the temple worshiping God
03:27and they think that he's violating the temple rules and they attack him and beat him. He's
03:31pulled back and he tries to give a defense of what he's trying to say and then they try to
03:35beat him
03:35again. He's been through a lot of stuff in the last couple of days. But he thought in all of
03:42this,
03:42there was no one standing with him. All of his countrymen hated him, it seemed like. He's in the
03:49barracks chain. We're going to see that he's bound in the barracks and he's thinking,
03:56who's standing with me? Who is here with me? In reality, God was standing with Paul and he's
04:05going to encourage Paul and he's going to strengthen Paul and he's going to direct Paul
04:09through his word, a word given at the right time for Paul.
04:15So as we finish, I'm sorry, in your handout, it should be 2230, not 2130, 2230. And then down
04:22into the first part of chapter 23, as we continue on this story here, we'll see that at the right
04:28time, God sends forth his word, which will encourage, strengthen, and direct us at the
04:34right time, his word comes to us. I mean, when everything seems to be against us, and we've all
04:40been through times like that, right? When it seems like, man, the boss at work is ragging on me,
04:43all my coworkers don't seem to like me anymore. And it just seems like everybody is against me and
04:48we're standing alone in this world. Where do we turn to? It's kind of a rhetorical question because
04:52obviously we would say as believers, why turn to God? Yet, however, sometimes we don't do that,
04:57do we? We look for other sources of strength and direction and courage, and we don't turn to God
05:03and expect that word to come from him. So not getting all the answers that he wanted, the Tribune,
05:09Claudius Lysias said, you know, let's try it. He can't get it from the mob. He doesn't seem to be
05:15able to get it from Paul. So let's try a third way. Let's bring him before the council, the Jewish
05:20council, and see if they can ferret out information from him because he doesn't know how to write
05:25anything about this, Paul. What do I write to my superiors? He has no clue. So he's thinking maybe
05:31the Jewish council could help us in this. So if you look at the end of chapter 22, verse 30,
05:37he kind of sets it. Now you do know that in the original writings, there were no chapter breaks.
05:41Now actually there's no verses either. I'm glad they put them in there because it'd be an awful
05:45hard to find stuff, especially in big books where it's located at. So just remember they're not
05:49originally there. So verse number 30, but on the next day, so he's been in the barracks,
05:57desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him, which tells us
06:02he was bound all night, chained, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet.
06:08So an impromptu meeting, not a direct meeting, but an impromptu meeting. And he brought Paul down
06:13and set him before them, before the council. And looking intently at the council, Paul said,
06:19brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day. And the high priest
06:27Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth, punch him. Then Paul said to him,
06:33God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. I don't know. That sounds kind of rough in my voice.
06:39I'm not sure exactly. It's an exclamation point there. So it's, it's emphatic.
06:45You whitewashed wall. Are you sitting to judge me according to the law and yet contrary to the law,
06:50you ordered me to be struck? Jewish law or American law is like Jewish law. You're innocent until proven
06:55guilty. They're saying he's guilty before they even hear him. You contrary to law, you ordered me to
07:02be struck. Those who stood by said, would you revile God's high priest? And Paul said, I did not know
07:09brothers that he was the high priest for it is written. You shall not speak evil of a ruler of
07:15your people. So he's trying to get to the root of the matter of what's happening. How do I write
07:20my
07:20superiors about this? Paul, what do I say? So he brings me for the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin is the
07:27highest legal legislative and judicial body of the Jews made up of 70 people. And they did have a
07:34little bit of power. Those areas of religious blasphemy, they actually could carry out stoning.
07:38They did with Stephen, but typically all of it fell under Roman rule. But here's the council,
07:43the Sanhedrin. So he's brought down and he stands before the Sanhedrin. The text says he intently
07:48looked at them, intently gazing on them. I wonder if he was looking out there wondering if there's
07:54any friendly faces. Was anyone smiling at him? Were they only frowning at him? Did they have angry
08:01looks on their faces? Did he recognize anyone out there? He was a Pharisee. He may have actually been
08:06on the Sanhedrin for a period of time. We're unsure about that. Did I recognize any of those people,
08:11Paul was saying? Are they friendly towards me? So he's staring at them intently. Would they be
08:16favorable? He says, I've lived my whole life. I've lived everything about as a good Jewish person.
08:24That word lived actually is where we get our political, our English word politics from. Politics.
08:31He lived as a good citizen is what the text said. So he says, I was a good Jewish citizen.
08:36I've always
08:37been a good Jewish citizen. I've always honored the law of Moses. I've never stood against it or spoke
08:41against it. I'm a good Jewish citizen. He lived in good conscience. And I'm kind of thinking,
08:48well, he actually murdered people and he brought them to trial and he signed off when they were
08:53burning murder. How could he say he had a good conscience? I mean, I would think that would be
08:57a bad conscience. Actually, conscience is based upon actually the light that has been, the response to
09:03the light that has been given to us. Rauschling said this about conscience.
09:07From a theological perspective, conscience reflects the image of God in humanity, our capacity to
09:15distinguish between good and evil and act accordingly. However, and this is a big however,
09:20while all humans possess conscience, they vary in their ability to understand right from wrong due to
09:26sin's effects and other factors. Importantly, possessing a conscience doesn't guarantee ethical
09:33behavior. Rather educating and nurturing it fosters moral growth and integrity between belief and action.
09:40For conscience to guide us effectively, it must be continually educated and cultivated through the
09:46scriptures and the Holy Spirit's work in our life. So in good conscience, that was he lived up to the
09:53light that he had received as a Pharisee, as a one who walked underneath the law. But remember on the
09:59road
10:00to Damascus, he met a different light, didn't he? He met the light of the world that gave him insight
10:05into stuff that he never understood. And now he has a greater understanding of all. He has more light
10:11and he's living by this light that God has given to him. High priest couldn't stand that. Good conscience?
10:18You? You've been around the Gentiles all these years. You can't possibly be a good Jew. Good conscience.
10:23So he says, beat him. And it's actually the same word that the soldiers who beat Jesus was used. Same
10:29exact
10:29words. It wasn't just like, way to go. No, it's like he punched him hard right in the face. This
10:37man
10:37pleasing to God, no way. So he had him beaten. This Ananias, this high priest. Josephus said he was a
10:44rude,
10:45hot-tempered, and greedy man. He was the high priest. None of those things should be said about any Jewish
10:52high priest ever. If you think about it, at the beginning of Paul's ministry, Ananias helped him.
11:00Now here, Ananias is harming him. Here, Paul says, yeah, you whitewashed him. May God smite you.
11:10Paul here is speaking prophetically, for it's true. God did smite Ananias. He did smite him.
11:18God struck Ananias. When the Jewish wars took place between 66 and AD 73, and the Jewish temple
11:24was destroyed in AD 70, it was at that time he was assassinated, Ananias. Ananias served as high
11:33priest during a time of significant political tension between the Jewish people and Roman
11:37authorities, which meant that his actions often reflected a compromise with Roman interests,
11:43leading to resentment among nationalistic Jews. Remember, this is a hard, a high time of Jewish
11:48nationalism. His reputation for corruption in collaboration with the Romans further complicated
11:53the political landscape as he was seen as a traitor by many, which ultimately contributed to his
11:59assassination during the Jewish uprising. And Warren Wiersbe gives us more information. When the Jews
12:05revolted against Rome in the year 66, Ananias had to flee for his life because of his known sympathies
12:11with Rome. The Jewish guerrillas found him hiding in an aqueduct at Herod's palace, and they killed
12:17him. It was an ignominious death for a despicable man. God did smite him. Paul was speaking prophetically
12:24when he said, God smite you, you whitewashed wall. A whitewashed wall, that kind of reminds you of
12:30something, doesn't it? Remember what Jesus said about the Pharisees? They were a bunch of hypocrites.
12:36Whitewashed wall reminds us of what Jesus said about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
12:41They looked good. Hypocrisy, hypocrisy. In the Jewish theater, you know, the theater when people
12:48did plays, the actors would have either a smiley face on one side or a frowning face on the other
12:54side. So depending on the scene that they're acting in, they would hold up a smiley face or they would
12:59turn it around and have a frowning face. So it wasn't that the actor was feeling those things. On the
13:04outside, they were displaying it. That's where we get our word hypocrisy from. On the outward,
13:10it shows one thing, but inwardly, it's something completely different. That's hypocrisy. And Jesus
13:15said it about the Pharisees. He said, woe to you, Matthew 23, woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
13:20hypocrites. For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full
13:28of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So on the outside, they're smiling, inside it's frowning.
13:33So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and
13:38lawlessness. Sounds exactly like you said about the Pharisees, a bunch of hypocrites. I mean,
13:43think about it. He's supposed to be one upholding the law of God and he strikes Paul contrary to the
13:48law of God. That's a hypocrite. That's someone who doesn't believe in the law of God. He looked
13:55great on the outside, but he's corrupt on the inside is the idea. Again, he beat him. It wasn't just
14:02a
14:02slap. It was a beat. He was willing to violate the law. The question that came up, how would Paul
14:09not know this was a high priest? Typically, the high priest had their garments on. You could
14:13recognize a high priest. Possibly, because this was an impromptu council meeting, he wasn't wearing
14:18his garments. That would then help us understand. But some have given some suggestions of why he
14:23possibly couldn't honor. He didn't know who the high priest was. One person said, well, some say
14:28because he had bad eyesight. And they do say that. I think Galatians talk about his eyes,
14:32you were willing to gouge out. So some think he had bad eyesight, so he couldn't see that far
14:35and recognize. No, gone that one. I don't think that's a good one. He was angry and forgot who
14:41he was. No, no. I'll knock that one out too. Paul's not like that. Sarcasm. That one's possible.
14:48He was being sarcastic. Oh, you think you're the high priest? I don't think so. Maybe. Or possibly,
14:54because he'd been gone from Jerusalem so long now on his Gentile tour and the high priesthood
15:00changing so often at that time, he really just didn't know who he was. He just didn't know. But
15:05once he found out, you notice the respect he gave him after that? He gave them? He gave respect to
15:11the office. He wasn't respecting the person in the office. He was respecting the office of high
15:15priesthood, not the person. He showed respect for him. So likely, Paul could sense that this was not
15:22going well. It's not going well. So he changed his tactic. Look at verse number six.
15:30Now, when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, which made up the,
15:36you have the Herodians in there too, but the Sadducees and the Pharisees, he cried out in the
15:43council, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of the Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope of the
15:50resurrection of the dead that I'm on trial. And when he had said this, a dissension arose between
15:57the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say there is no
16:03resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. You see, that's why they're sad. They're sad, you see.
16:13Okay. That's not, that's not original with me, by the way, just passing that, passing that wisdom
16:18on. Okay. Nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledged them all. Then a great clamor arose,
16:26more than just a discussion. They're nearly at blows. And some of the scribes of the Pharisees'
16:31party stood up and contended sharply. We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel
16:37spoke to him? And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be
16:43torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from them, among them,
16:49by force, and bring him into the barracks. So he changes tactics. He realizes he's not going to get
16:55a favorable outcome. So he switches gears here a little bit and recognizes the Sadducees believing
17:00one thing, the Pharisees. So he says, I'm a Pharisee, and I'm standing here because of my hope and the
17:05resurrection of the dead. And I'm sure he's talking about Jesus's resurrection. He speaks
17:10in general terms, but I'm sure he's talking about Jesus's resurrection. So this conflict arises,
17:16the division between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. It's so sad. The Pharisees do not
17:22believe in Jesus the Messiah, but in the teaching of the resurrection, they side along with Paul. So
17:28they believe in a resurrection, but they don't believe in Jesus the Messiah. So sad. They're so close
17:33to the kingdom, but they just, they're not there. And the Sadducees, they don't believe in any of that
17:38stuff. And again, one part says, I don't find any fault in this guy. Again, Paul receives another
17:46declaration of innocence. Three times now, I don't find any fault with this guy. There's nothing wrong
17:51with him. He's, if an angel or a spirit spoke to him, let him go. I find no fault with
17:56this guy.
17:58Apparently the Pharisees disliked the Sadducees more than they disliked this rogue Pharisee, Paul.
18:03They don't like the Sadducees at all. Now the New Testament records Pharisees believing on Jesus,
18:09Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, but nowhere do we see a Sadducee coming to faith in Jesus.
18:15That is sad. That really is sad. Nowhere. It doesn't mean they didn't. We just don't have any
18:20record of it. So the Tribune understood that no rational decision could be made by the Sanhedrin.
18:27And it was just a religious matter that they're not going to, he's not going to solve. It's not going
18:31to
18:31solve. And then what's interesting is as they came and they took him, take him by force,
18:37take by force. It's the same word used in 1 Thessalonians chapter four, when we read the
18:42taking away of the church, it's the word rapture. He was raptured out of it by force. He was taken
18:49out, moved from one location to another to protect him. It's the same word we see in 1 Thessalonians
18:53chapter four. He was raptured away from the situation. So the next night now, so he's almost
19:01killed again, right? He's killed almost in the temple. He's almost killed again. Tribune thinks
19:05he's got to spare him. So it comes down and takes him for the third time. Tribune must rescue Paul
19:11the third time. So he's about killed. He's brought back. He's rescued. And he's back in the barracks
19:21again. And I wonder what he's thinking. I mean, I don't know. The scripture doesn't tell us. I mean,
19:26he's a human. What would we be thinking if we were there? Is, you know, I know God's faithful.
19:34I know he's called me into ministry. Yet it just seems like that no one's for me.
19:40And everyone wants to kill me. And I'm not sure that I can carry on. This is a task that's
19:49too large
19:49for me. Because something happens that night to Paul. At the right time, at the right moment,
19:58God comes to him. Look at verse number 11. The following night, night, the Lord stood by him
20:08close and said, take courage. It's a command. For as you have testified to the facts about me in
20:16Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome. At the right time, God sends forth his word
20:25to encourage and to strengthen and to direct Paul in what's coming in his life.
20:33Notice the text says, that night. Now, it doesn't say that day or that afternoon. It's that night.
20:39I don't think that's arbitrary. You and I know what happens at night when we're struggling, don't we?
20:47We know what takes place at night when we're struggling.
20:52Questions.
20:56Personal crisis.
20:59Darkness. That's why they say never make a decision at night. Wait till the morning to
21:02make a decision. Because at night, we know those things that run through our head at night.
21:09We understand the dark night of the soul. I think all of us have experienced that here.
21:15Where there are questions and crises and we don't know which direction to go and we feel
21:20so weak and that no one is with us. The dark night of the soul. Job talks about this three
21:28times. He
21:29says, terrors overtake him like a flood. In the night, a whirlwind carries him off. Oh, the night.
21:38Job 30. The night racks my bones and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest. Oh, the night.
21:45Do not long for the night when peoples vanish in their place. Oh, the night. We understand the dark
21:52night of the soul and what runs through our minds during this time. And it's at this time that God
21:57brings
21:57forth his word to his man to encourage him and to strengthen him and to direct him.
22:05Sitting in the fortress Antonia and trying to make sense of everything he was experiencing,
22:10the challenge of Jesus to take courage assured Paul that he was not alone or abandoned by God.
22:18He was not abandoned to the evil desires of the Jews. See, here's the thing. You and I know the
22:24rest
22:24of the story. He doesn't know what's coming. We've read the story. He doesn't know whether he's going
22:30to die here or not. That dark night of the soul. Something to remember in the dark night of our
22:41soul
22:41is this. God was in control of all of these events. It's not outside of his control. In his hand,
22:50in his providence, they're there for a reason for his man.
22:57So many people were against him, but God stood with him, the text says. He stood there. He says,
23:05I am for you. Could you remember how much I told you he loved the Jews? He said he'd be
23:09willing to
23:10go to hell if his Jewish brothers and sisters would come to faith in Jesus. That's how much he loved
23:14the
23:14Jews. And now they all hate him, his people. No one's standing with me. Yes, Paul, God is standing
23:21with you. Romans 8, we know this so well. What then shall we say to these things? If you think
23:28about Romans 8, it starts off with, there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in
23:32Christ Jesus. We've been given the gift of the spirit. We long for the redemptions of our body
23:37where creation is groaning until that day comes, where the sons of the kingdom will come into their
23:43glory. We read that all things work together for good. In this chapter 8, he says, what should we
23:49say to all of these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? It's a rhetorical question.
23:55The answer is no one. No one can be against us. He who did not spare his own son, but
24:02gave him up for
24:03us all. How will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Again, it's a rhetorical
24:08question. Of course he's going to. Yes, he will. He's not alone. Jesus stood with him and gave him
24:16his word to encourage him and to strengthen him and to direct him. If you think about the violence
24:23he had experienced in the last two days, this violence, now he is assured he's going to escape
24:29Rome, escape Jerusalem, and he's going to make it to Rome. He's assured now that that's going to
24:34happen. He's given the promise. You will testify me about it, Rome. He didn't know. Now he knows.
24:40So it gives him encouragement. He didn't know he was going to get out of Jerusalem alive. So this
24:45word that Jesus gave him encourages him to continue on and to expect to make it to Rome. He'll get
24:51to
24:51Rome. Remember, he had plans to get to Rome. Chapter 19 of Acts told us he had plans to go
24:57there.
24:58Now, after these events, Paul resolved in the spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and
25:02to go to Jerusalem saying, after I've been there, I must also see Rome. He had plans to go there.
25:07But
25:07if you remember in Acts, we read a couple of times that he had plans to go to a particular
25:11region and
25:11the Holy Spirit said, no, you can't go there. And then he wanted to go here and the Holy Spirit
25:15said,
25:15no, you can't go there. And then he gets the Macedonian vision and he goes there instead.
25:19So at times God tells him, no, you can't go there. Now he knows for sure he's going to make
25:23it to Rome.
25:23He knows he's going to get to Rome. Nothing can happen to him until he gets to Rome to preach,
25:29to give testimony about Jesus at Rome. God is with him.
25:34The words of Jesus now will accompany Paul all the way to Rome. Every day when he wakes up,
25:41he'll remember. Every night when he goes to sleep, he'll remember. Every conflict he runs into,
25:46which he's going to, he's shipwrecked, gets bit by a snake. We'll find out later. We'll see all that
25:51stuff. Everything he's going to go through, the word of Jesus now will comfort him and guide him all
25:57the way till he gets to Rome. God's word, God's word. Oh, how we need God's word daily in our
26:08life.
26:11The psalmist said in Psalm 119, forever, oh Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
26:19How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Oh, how we need the word
26:25of God daily.
26:27Psalm 19, which we heard today, more to be desire are they than gold, even much fine gold,
26:33sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned
26:39in keeping them. There is great reward. Oh, how we need the word of God daily.
26:44We need that word that will, that will encourage us, that will, that will strengthen us, that will
26:49direct us in the life of where we're supposed to go. We need God's word.
26:53Peter said it like this, like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk. The emphasis is not on
27:02the infant being an immature person. The emphasis is on, we've seen babies, when they get hungry,
27:08what do they do? They cry out. They cry out. In other words, I want my mommy's milk. I want
27:15it.
27:16Do we cry out for the word of God like an infant? Oh God, I need your word. I cannot
27:23survive today
27:23without your word. I need it like a child needs nourishment. I need your word that you may grow
27:31up into salvation. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. We have tasted, we've talked about
27:37the goodness of the Lord today. God has given us his word and it is more than black text on
27:45a white
27:45page. It's more than that. The writer of Hebrews says this, for the word of God is living. It's alive.
27:53It's active. It's working. It's sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul
27:59and of spirit, of joints and of marrow and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It's more
28:04than black text on a white page. It's God's very word to us, his revelation. And God's word encourages
28:13us and strengthens us and directs us. And we need that daily. Proverbs says, every word of God proves
28:22true. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. And Joshua at the end, after they've conquered
28:29everything and they're, and they're ready now to settle in the promised land. This is what he said in
28:34Joshua 23. And now I'm about to go the way of all the earth. He's going to die. His time
28:38is over
28:39with. And you know, in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all
28:46the good
28:46things that the Lord, your God promised concerning you. Not one word all have come to pass for you.
28:52Not one of them has failed. Oh, how we need God's word. So I say to us today, immerse yourself
29:01in
29:01God's word. When you need encouragement to continue run to it, desire it like an infant
29:08that needs nourishment to survive. Jeremiah said this, your words were found and I ate them
29:16and your words became a joy, became to me a joy and a delight of my heart and encouraged me
29:24for I am called by your name. Oh Lord, God of hosts. Oh, it was a joy. It encouraged him.
29:34Think about Jeremiah, this poor guy called to be a preacher. What's God going to tell him? No one's
29:38going to listen to you. By the way, you're not even going to be able to marry. He said, but
29:43your word
29:44brings me joy. No one may be listening to me, but your word brings me joy. It encourages me.
29:51Again, a summary of how God's word encourages us. I have full disclosure. The encouragement
29:58scripture offer operates at both emotional and spiritual levels. The written record exists for
30:04our instruction that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have
30:09hope. Romans 15, 4, establishing hope as a primary outcome of engaging with God's word. God's law
30:16functions as delight that prevents perishing in affliction. Psalm 119, transform how believers
30:22experience hardship. Those who love your law receive great peace and protection from stumbling. Psalm 119,
30:29suggesting that encouragement deepens through relationship with scripture rather than casual exposure.
30:34The word also encourages by revealing God's character and promises. When believers
30:39encounter God's word, they become to me a joy and a delight of my heart. Jeremiah, which we just
30:44read, transforming scripture from external instruction into internalized encouragement that sustains faith
30:51through difficulty. Well summarized from all the books in my library. Psalm 119, remember your word to
31:00your servant in which you have made me hope. You've encouraged me. I rise, I rise before dawn and cry
31:08for
31:09help. I hope in your words. They give me encouragement. I hope in your words. Hezekiah was told by Isaiah,
31:17the prophet, that he was going to die. Put your house in order. You're going to die. Isaiah leaves.
31:23Hezekiah cries, he weeps, and he prays. And then we read this here in the text, 2 Kings 20.
31:29And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him. God's word,
31:35turn back and say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, thus says the Lord, God's word, the God of
31:41David,
31:42your father, I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third
31:48day,
31:48you should go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add 15 years to your life. I
31:52will deliver you
31:53in the city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my
31:57own sake and for my
31:58servant David's sake. That is a word of encouragement. You're not going to die. I've
32:04heard your prayer. Not only that, I'm going to deliver you from the enemy that's around your
32:07gates right now. That's encouragement. That's what the word of God does. It encourages us.
32:13Secondly, consume God's word to find the strength you need to walk in the manner worthy of the gospel.
32:20And the darker it gets, the more strength we're going to need to endure, to persevere.
32:28I mean, brothers and sisters, we pray for around the world. They need God's strength daily.
32:34When really the world is against you, they need God's strength daily.
32:39Psalm 119, my soul melts away for sorrow. Strengthen me according to your word. I need
32:47strength today. I need to be faithful. I need to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. I want
32:53to do
32:54the good works that the people would see that would glorify you, Father in heaven.
32:57I want all of that. I need strength. At the most fundamental level, God's word operates with
33:04penetrating power, piercing to the deepest parts of the human consciousness and discerning thoughts
33:10and intentions. Hebrews 4. This active transformative quality means scripture doesn't merely inform,
33:16it reshapes the inner person. The law of the Lord revives the soul, makes wise the simple and
33:22enlightens the eyes. Again, Psalm 19, providing both wisdom and vitality. Scripture equips believers for
33:28every good work through teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3.
33:34Scripture strengthens through sustenance and comfort during hardship. God's promise gives life in times of
33:40affliction and God's law becomes a delight that prevents perishing in affliction and grants life
33:45through his precepts. It strengthens us. This strengthening is ultimately relational. It draws
33:52believer closer to God by revealing his faithfulness and inviting deeper trust in his character and promises.
34:00Remember what Jesus said? Matthew 4. But he answered, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but
34:08by every
34:10word that comes from the mouth of God. That's what strengthens us. That is our daily bread.
34:19Thirdly, when it seems there is no way, immerse yourself in God's word to find direction in life.
34:26Immerse yourself. Immerse yourself. Cherish his words. All of these verbs that were used to show a passion
34:34for the word. Immerse. Consume. I guess it just brings up a good question for all of us. Is, do
34:44you have
34:44a planned time daily in your schedule that you spend time in God's word? I mean, some people like the
34:50morning and some people like the afternoon and some people like the evening. But do you have a
34:55planned time where it's built into your schedule? This is the time I sit down and I spend time in
35:00God's word so that I can be encouraged and I can be strengthened and I can be directed.
35:07Oh God, I need your help.
35:11Psalm 119. The unfolding of your words gives light and imparts understanding to the simple.
35:17And when Elijah was afraid he was going to die, God came to him and gave him a word. The
35:23Lord said to
35:23him, go return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint
35:28Haziel to be king over Syria. He's giving Elijah direction. And Jehu, the son of Menemshi, you shall
35:33anoint to be king over Israel. Again, direction. And Elijah, the son of Shaphat, of Ebal Mola, you shall
35:38anoint to be prophet in your place. Again, direction. The word of God gives direction.
35:43When everything seems to be against you and it's night to your soul, turn to God's word and be
35:48encouraged, strengthened, and directed. In his words, we find all that we need for life and
35:55godliness. Peter says it like this, for all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of
36:03the grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this
36:12word is the good news that was preached to you. Oh, how we need God's word. Let's pray. Father,
36:19thank you. Thank you for giving Paul that encouragement when you came to him and spoke
36:24directly to him and gave him your word that he knows now that you're with him. He is not alone.
36:30He's encouraged to continue on. He's strengthened now to go and make it all the way to Rome now.
36:35Oh, you've directed him exactly where his end goal is, Rome. So, we want to thank you for revealing
36:43yourself in your word and giving it to us in the English language that we can read it, that we
36:48can
36:48study it, that we can know you. For we know that your word both encourages and strengthens and directs.
36:57And we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.
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