Old Llantrisant Hill
- Looking at Complementary and Paradoxical Truths
- Last week - Judge and Judge Not
- This week - looking at Favour and disfavour
- There are various truths in scripture that have to be hold in balance
- Example - transcendence vs imminent, Individual vs Corporate Worship
- Favour and disfavour
- Example of favour
- Example of disfavour
- Do you find this?
- Accepted by some but rejected by others?
- The fruits of the Spirit are often respected ...
- ...but the things of Christ are often counter cultural
- The disciples - riots, stonings, beatings, imprisonment
- They are received good treatment - Example of Gamliel standing up for Paul, King Agrippa and Festus wanting to hear from Paul
- The Church had great favour with those around them - in the beginning of Acts
- As the book progresses, this favour has turned
- The context of the passage:
- All 287 people from the ship wreck are saved - it seems because of Paul
- They came to Malta
- The power of God is seen in the situation with the snake
- Publius brings them into his house
- They stayed 7 days with friends - v14
- Paul was given special treatment - v16
- Example of Joseph who was given favour
- Paul was able to write several letters from prison
- Paul has considerable freedom
- He calls the Jews to him
- He is concerned with the report they have of him
- The Jews had not received any letters but they had not heard any bad reports of him - v21
- The Christians were being spoken of everywhere - v22
- Paul preached to the Jews all day long - v23
- Some were persuaded but some rejected - v24
- Some hardened their hearts - some in church today hardened their hearts also
- There was a great dispute amongst the Jews after Paul's preaching - v29
- They did not want the gospel to go the Gentiles
- Paul does not give up
- Many come to Paul over 2 years
- The book of Acts ends with no statement of what happened in his future
- Maybe Paul was released from prison - Phil 1:19
- Prepare me a guest house - Philemon v22
- To later be re-imprisoned and probably executed
- Think of the life of the Lord Jesus
- He was rejected by many
- Some made positive statements towards Him
- Jesus warned us of persecution
- He promised the Holy Spirit would comfort us
- We are never alone and following in the masters footsteps
- 2 Cor 6:8-10 - the paradox of the Christian life
- Persecution and the riches of God's grace