Paul’s Nephew Intervenes for Paul

“Paul’s nephew, his sister’s son, overheard them plotting the ambush. He went immediately to the barracks and told Paul. Paul called over one of the centurions and said, ‘Take this young man to the captain. He has something important to tell him. The centurion brought him to the captain and said, ‘The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He said he has something urgent to tell you.’ The captain took him by the arm and led him aside privately. ‘What is it? What do you have to tell me?’ Paul’s nephew said, “The Jews have worked up a plot against Paul. They’re going ask you to bring Paul to the council first thing in the morning on the pretext that they want to investigate the charges against him in more detail. But it’s a trick to get him out of your safekeeping so they can murder him. Right now there are more than forty men lying in ambush for him. They’ve all taken a vow to neither eat nor drink until they’ve killed him. The amush is set—all they’re waiting for is for you to send him over.’ “ –Acts 23:16-21 (The Message Bible).

High drama was still occurring in Jerusalem regarding Paul the Apostle. After he spoke to the Jewish Sanhedrin, a mob would have killed Paul had the captain of the Roman guard and soldiers not taken Paul to the safety of the barracks. Then Paul’s nephew, his sister’s son, whose name is not given in Acts, went with an urgent message which the captain heeded. He told the nephew, “Don’t breathe a word of this to a soul.” (Acts 23:22). Secrecy in the night was necessary to save Paul’s life from the angry mob planning to kill him the next day. Then the captain quickly gathered a Roman unit—200 soldiers, 70 cavalry, 200 light infantry, and two pack mules for Paul’s gear. “We’re going to present this man safe and sound to Governor Felix” [in Caesarea] (v. 24). They left Jerusalem about 9:00 o’clock at night.

With the chief officer of the protective escort, the Roman commander, Claudius Lysias, sent a letter to Governor Felix explaining the situation. They went as far as Antipatris and spent the rest of the night. The next day, the soldiers returned to Jerusalem but the cavalry accompanied Paul on to Governor Felix. There Paul was locked in official quarters awaiting his accusers from Jerusalem. God works through people to accomplish his purpose. Paul’s nephew heard of his Uncle Paul’s plight. He risked his own safety to warn the Roman commander of the plot against Paul.

Today is Mother’s Day. How many good mothers have worked to instruct and train children in the way of the Lord? Paul and the nephew’s sister may have had the same mother. And the nephew who acted to save Paul had a mother who no doubt had played a role in making this young man sensitive to Paul’s needs. Today, we thank God for mothers and their influence. They reach far in God’s plan.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Sunday, May 9, 2010

Paul Encouraged by the Lord

“The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’ “ –Acts 23: 10-11 (NIV. Read Acts 23: 1-11).

Being a Christian and called of God to do a special work in His Kingdom is not always easy. God does not promise us a way of ease. But He promises to be with us always, in whatever circumstance we face. The account of Paul’s trials given in Acts reads like high drama, which it is. He was brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin. He gave his story. He had once been a devout Jew and when the Christian movement began after the ascension of Jesus, Paul was one of the most devout of the persecutors. But God changed direction for Paul on the road to Damascus. At this point in the drama revealed in Acts, Paul has been arrested in Jerusalem and is giving testimony before the Jewish Sanhedrin. He tells passionately and clearly what the Lord has done in his life to turn him around and make him a messenger of the good news to the Gentiles.

And right in the midst of Paul’s testimony, the Sanhedrin divides according to their beliefs.. The Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection form one faction and the Sadducees who are anti-resurrection are the other faction. Their attention temporarily was focused more on their own quarrel than on their prisoner, Paul. The commander of the Roman garrison, whom we learn later from the letter he wrote to Governor Felix on behalf of Paul (Acts 23:26-30) sent soldiers to rescue Paul again from the Jewish mob and secured him in the barracks.

That night, in the quietness of his cell, the Lord appeared and spoke to Paul, giving him encouragement and purpose: “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (Acts. 23:11). Sometimes in our darkest nights, as with Paul, God appears to us to say, “Take courage!” He reminds us of His presence and His purpose. “And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b, NIV). God let Paul know that He had a larger purpose for his life and it would be fulfilled. That same power is present with the sincere believer today, regardless of circumstances, however dark. “Take courage!” the Lord says. And He is ever present with us to give that courage. Praise be to God!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, May 8, 2010