Trusting God in difficult circumstances

S: Acts 23

O: Paul took advantage of the fact that the Pharisees had some affinity to Christian teachings because they believed in the resurrection. So he pitted the Pharisees and the Sadducees against each other, dividing the Sanhedrin.

Later, we find out that many Pharisees become Christians, so much so that they became a problem in the church – they became the Judaisers who wanted to impose the Mosaic Law on Gentile believers.

The anti-Paul faction, however, formed a conspiracy to kill Paul by asking for him to be brought to the high priest, so that they could ambush and kill him on the way. But Paul’s nephew somehow heard of this, and so the Roman commanding officer, Claudius Lysias, sent him to Procurator Felix. He took the opportunity to spin the circumstances as if he had rescued Paul from the initial mob because he was a Roman citizen. In actual fact, as we read in the last chapter, he didn’t know Paul was a Roman when he stopped the mob and was about to have him flogged without trial when he found out and stopped at the last moment!

A: Paul used his knowledge of the Pharisees' and Sadducees' theological differences to create division, preventing immediate harm. This shows that wisdom and discernment are valuable when navigating opposition. We should ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) to handle conflicts, especially when facing hostility or difficult conversations about faith.

Paul was in danger multiple times, yet God ensured his safety through unexpected means—his Roman citizenship, the intervention of his nephew, and the Romans’ involvement. Even when circumstances seem against us, we can trust that God is working behind the scenes to accomplish His plans (Romans 8:28).

Paul faced death threats from those who rejected his message, yet he did not compromise his mission. We should remain faithful in our calling, even if we face opposition from others who misunderstand our faith.

P: Father, thank you that because you are for us, nobody can succeed against us, because nothing can keep us from the love of Christ. Help us to be steadfast in Christ, and lead us by your wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.