Sermon Video: The vanity of conspiring against the will of God - Acts 23:12-35

After having placed the Apostle Paul in protective custody following the riot instigated by his enemies in Jerusalem, the Roman garrison's commander, Claudius Lysias, learns from Paul's nephew that a conspiracy of over 40 men has vowed to murder Paul in the streets after their co-conspirators in the Sanhedrin have used a false pretext to request Paul appear before them.  Upon learning of this disturbing plan, one that includes the blasphemy of using the authority of those who are supposed to represent God to plan a murder, the commander sends Paul away to Caesarea with a strong escort of soldiers.
What do we make of this text?  (1) That the providence of God is not thwarted by the conspiracies of evil men, (2) that while evil thrives in the dark it only takes a little like to begin to counteract it (in this case the courage of Paul's nephew to come forward), and (3) that even if we are the target of an attempt to discredit or destroy us, even if we personally face persecution, that we remain, as was Paul, in the care of Almighty God.

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