WHY PAUL WAS NOT AFRAID TO FACE DEATH AND ETERNITY?
Acts 21:10-13
Acts 21:10-13
Why Paul was not afraid to face death and eternity?
The Apostle Paul is on his way to Jerusalem and tarries in
Caesarea for a few days with Phillip. While he is there, the events
of our text take place.
Note:
The deterring sign (10-11)
Agabus comes down and binds himself with Paul’s girdle. It
was an action full of significance. No one present needed to be
told what the gesture meant because Agabus quickly declared it.
It was a warning of the problems and difficulties that awaited
Paul at Jerusalem.
The detaining people (12)
There was a united voce against Paul’s resolve to goto Jerusalem.
His friends and fellow travelers form the mission filed pleaded
with him. They were all united in their interest of Paul’s
welfare.
The determined Paul (13)
Their argument that he would be imprisoned did not impress him.
He had been imprisoned before. In any case he was ready to die
if need be. Paul was not afraid to face eternity.
All of us are facing death and eternity, but can you face it
without fear as the Apostle Paul.
Why was Paul not afraid to face death and eternity?
I. Because his sins were covered
The thing that makes man afraid is sin.
See Genesis 3:7-9
Sin brings guilt. Guilt brings shame, and shame causes the sinner
to want to hide from God. Guilt is a fundamental problem of man,
and without a remedy he is doomed to behavior that will ultimately
destroy him. Guilt dogs the footsteps of all mankind.
A teacher was distressed by the dirty appearance of a boy.
Day after day she talked about cleanliness, but it did no good.
One day she asked , "Son, when your house gets awfully dirty,
what do you do?"
"We move," came the reply.
That is what so many do with sin. They move from one shelter
to another attempting to cover it up their sin. Many try to shelter
their guilt in church membership, baptism, and their own self-righteousness,
but to no avail.
Have you ever noticed that the only tree that Jesus in the NT
ever placed a curse on was the fig tree? The fig leaves of church
membership, religious exercises, and attention to the ordinances
of the church are all futile fig leaves used to cover sin.
It only the blood of Jesus Christ that can sufficiently cover
and cleanse us from sin. "The blood of Jesus Christ his son
cleanseth us from all sin." "Without shedding of blood
is no remission."
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stain.
They dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenss
of sins."
II. Because his experience was convincing (Acts 9)
A. The miracle of his conversion
1. Deadly enmity
to him Christ was a blasphemer and Christianity a cult
2. Driving energy
determined to destroy Christianity - seek them out and eliminate
them..... determined to wreak vengeance on believers
B. The manner of his conversion
1. The tremendous revelation - Jesus was alive!
a. The light from heaven
b. The Lord from heaven
2. The tremendous revolution
Paul is changed from persecutor to preacher in a moment. The angry
bull had now become the docile lamb. See Acts 9:21. Oh, the difference
Christ will make in a life.
See II Corinthians 5:17
1) The sovereignty of Jesus is established in his life
"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"
2) The sufficiency of Jesus is established in his life
Paul needed no other!
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’s name.
III. Because his foundation was constant
His life was no longer built on sinking sand. His hope and life
was now built on Jesus. If you are on the right foundation, there
is no cause for fear.
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other grond is sinking sand.
If your life is built on Jesus, there is no need to fear the
winds or the storms. I Peter 2:6 informs us that believeth on
the chief corner stone shall not be confounded - ashamed or embarrassed....
no need to fear if trusting Jesus!
II Timothy 1:12
The believer may not know What, or know When, or know Why, but
He knows WHOM!
Paul was certain of the PERSON he was trusting. Paul’s faith,
grasping Jesus Christ, who abolished death, changes the whole
aspect of death. True confidence in Jesus Christ is the armor,
not only against the ills of life, but against the inevitable
ill of death. Jesus changes the whole aspect of the shadow feared
of man.
A man has some rich treasure. He is afraid of losing it. He is
doubtful of his own power of keeping it. He looks about for some
reliable person and trusted hands, and he deposits it there. AND
WHO IS INFALLIBLE TRUSTWORTHY BUT HE?
IV. Because the promises were clear
John 5:24
John 3:36
John 3:16
John 10:28
It is presumptuous to say that you know you are saved; it is presumptuous
to doubt what God has said clear in His word. The Bible says that
it is impossible for God to lie.
Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving.
My warrant is the Word of God -
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my soul should feel condemned,
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart,
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll stand on His unchanging Word,
Till soul and body sever,
For though all things should pass away
His word shall stand forever.
Conclusion:
Can you say assuredly as Paul, "I am ready to die."
It would be well if you could say this, for you have that to do.
To him that is ready for it, the burden is light.
...
Yours because HIS
Bro. Jimmy Chapman