Encouragement for the Discouraged Witness

³⁰ But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. ¹And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” ² And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” ⁴ Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” ⁵ And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

⁶ Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” ⁷ And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. ⁹ Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” ¹⁰ And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome” (Acts 22:30-23:11. ESV).

He keeps looking at her across the classroom. He’s trying to muster the courage to approach her after class and ask her to the homecoming dance. His hands are sweaty. His heart is beating fast. And he can’t get this one thought out of his mind. What if she says, “No.” The sting of rejection. Maybe he’s felt it before. Or maybe it’s that fear that’s always kept him silent.

You’re gathered with the family for Thanksgiving dinner. That brother-in-law who doesn’t know Christ is there and you’re trying to muster up the courage to witness to him. Your hands are sweaty. Your heart is beating fast. And you can’t get this one thought out of your mind. What if he refuses to listen? The sting of rejection. Maybe you’ve felt it before. Or maybe it’s that fear that’s always kept you silent.   

Let’s face it. Rejection stings. When your efforts to witness for Christ are rejected it’s discouraging. It can make you feel like you’re not doing something right. It can make you feel like you’re just not good at witnessing. It can rob you of your desire to witness. But it’s not just you. Even the best of Christ’s servants have been rejected. Take the Apostle Paul for instance. He was taken into custody in Jerusalem. He showed tremendous courage and stood before all the Jews and shared his testimony about how Jesus had saved him and called him to preach the gospel. But his testimony was rejected outright.

I know that must’ve been discouraging. But that night Jesus Himself came to encourage Paul. And the Lord’s message to Paul is also the Lord’s message to us. When your testimony is rejected, take courage because it is not a defeat. This message will become clear as we come to grips with three realities seen in this text. 

First, realize some people’s minds are already made up (Vv 1-5). Paul stands before the council and begins to speak. “I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." The Greek word translated “lived” means “to live as a citizen.”  Paul affirmed that he was a loyal Jew who had lived as a good Jewish citizen and had not broken the Law. His conscience did not condemn him even though the Jews had condemned him. Before Paul could get another word out the high priest commanded those standing near Paul to hit him in the mouth. Ananias was one of the most cruel, evil, corrupt high priests ever to hold office. He was hated by Jewish nationalists for being pro-roman and was eventually assassinated in 66 AD.

In Ananias’ mind Paul couldn’t possibly be innocent. Paul taught that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. He taught that Jesus rose from the dead. He said that God sent him to preach to the Gentiles. For a Jewish high priest who was a Sadducee those things simply could not be true. He had already determined in his mind Paul was guilty. That’s why Paul’s claim to be innocent drew his anger. His mind was made up before Paul even began speaking.

In John 11 we find the remarkable account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. These are the verses immediately following. “⁴⁵Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, ⁴⁶ but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:45-48). Could there be any greater evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and Messiah. Lazarus has been dead four days and Jesus simply calls him out of the tomb. Yet, the Pharisees are unmoved by even a testimony as great as this. Why? They had already made up their minds about Jesus and nothing He said or did was going to make any difference. The problem certainly wasn’t a lack of evidence or a weak testimony. Their minds were made up, Jesus would never get a fair hearing in their ears.

I know it’s discouraging when you try to share Christ with someone and they dismiss you right off the bat, without even giving your testimony about Jesus a fair hearing. But you need to recognize that the problem isn’t your testimony. The problem isn’t that your witness is flawed. That person made up his mind long before you came along. Some people have been so indoctrinated by false religion that they simply will not hear truth. Some people have developed such a negative opinion of religion in general that they will never give the gospel a fair hearing. Some people have had such negative experiences with so-called Christians that when the real thing comes along they are not interested. But in all of those cases the problem is not your testimony. Some times people have already made their mind up.

But no matter how rude or hurtful such people may be, we must remain respectful. When Ananias had Paul hit in the mouth, Paul went off on him. You can see it in verse 3. The picture of a whitewashed wall comes from Ezekiel 13. To call something whitewashed is to say that it has been made to look good on the outside, but it really isn’t what it appears to be. Paul was calling Ananias a hypocrite. Ananias was putting himself in the place of trying Paul according to the Law. But, when he struck Paul he was breaking the Law. The Law did not allow a man to be struck apart from some established guilt. Paul’s words were correct, but they weren’t appropriate. In verses 4-5 Paul acknowledges his mistake and quotes Exodus 22:28.

In 1 Peter 2:23, Peter reminds us that Jesus is our example. “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” Paul’s response was out of place and he was humble enough to acknowledge it. When people reject your testimony without even giving it a fair hearing, it’s still important to respond in a Christ-like fashion. Some people won't hear your testimony because their minds are already made up. That’s a reality. Here is another reality that you need to keep in mind when you are discouraged because your testimony is rejected.

Realize the controversial nature of your testimony (Vv 6-10). After this little incident Paul knew beyond any doubt that he would never get a fair hearing with the Jewish religious leaders. And he knows that the council  is made up of two groups, Pharisees and Sadducees. He decides to use that to his advantage. Paul shouts loud enough for all to hear, “I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” Paul is basically saying, “I am being judged because I wait with confidence for the resurrection of the dead.”

The Sadducees did not believe in angels, spirits, or an afterlife. They accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament. But the Pharisees did believe in angels, spirits, and an afterlife. They accepted all of the Old Testament. These two groups were socially, politically, and theologically at odds with one another.

There are three things to consider. First, what Paul said was absolutely true. Second, Paul knew his message would never be accepted with the Sadducees. But there was a possibility that some among the Pharisees might possibly be persuaded to listen. Third, his statement would be so controversial that the dissension among the Pharisees and Sadducees might turn attention away from him for a time. That’s what happened. Verse 9 says a great clamor arose. Basically they got into a shouting match. It got so intense that it was beginning to turn violent. That’s when the Roman Commander got Paul out of there. What this illustrates so well is the controversial nature of our testimony.

Have you ever thought about how controversial the gospel is? To tell people that Jesus was born of a virgin is controversial. To claim that He is God in flesh is controversial. To insist that he never did anything wrong is controversial. To say that he was crucified but rose bodily from the dead is controversial. To claim that only those who believe these things can go to heaven is controversial.   

During the Vietnam War our nation was divided. People were either “doves” or “hawks.” The doves were against the war. They felt that this was a war that the U. S. didn't need to interfere in. They felt that it was a civil war being fought by North and South Vietnam and we had no business getting in the middle of it. Other Americans who opposed the war felt that Vietnam was insignificant and the United States Military was wasting man power when we should have been fighting China or the Soviet Union. Others accused the U.S. of having imperialistic goals in Vietnam. The hawks, however, supported the war in Vietnam. They feared what was called the Domino Theory. The Domino Theory said if one land in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect. The hawks felt we were justifiably fighting against communism. To say the Vietnam war was controversial would be an understatement. And the ones who received the worst part of it were the soldiers. Many didn’t come home to parades and welcome home signs. Many were cursed and spit on. Families of the soldiers were often apathetic, not even acknowledging what their loved ones had suffered through. It was a sad result of the controversial nature of the war. Listen believer, sometimes when your testimony is rejected it is just a sad result of the controversial nature of your testimony.

I know it is discouraging when people don’t want to listen to the truth, they just want to argue. For some people Christianity is just a topic to be debated. The gospel is not easy to believe. It is controversial by nature. But that’s not a reflection on you as a messenger of the gospel. And it’s not a reflection on the truthfulness of the gospel. Sometimes your testimony is rejected because people’s minds are already made up. Other times it’s because of the controversial nature of your testimony. That’s just the reality. And the text gives us a third reality that we must not miss.  

Realize there is no reason to be discouraged (V 11). That same night the Lord Jesus Himself appears to Paul. This is His message. “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” “Take courage” means to have confidence and firmness of purpose. This is a word of encouragement. Don’t lose confidence. Don’t be discouraged. Don’t lose your sense of purpose. Jesus doesn’t want the rejection Paul faced in Jerusalem to cause him to lose confidence or determination.

Jesus’ words convey two ideas. First, “You are doing what I want you to  do.” He says to Paul, “You testified to the facts about Me.” When you speak the truth of the gospel you are doing what Jesus wants you to do, even if you words are not well received. Your neighbor may not respond well to your attempts to witness to him. But you are still doing what Jesus wants you to do. Be encouraged. The second idea conveyed here is this. “The gospel will go forward.” Jesus wanted Paul to know that it wasn’t over. The rejection of his preaching by the Jews did not mean all was lost. He was going to keep preaching and would eventually preach the gospel in Caesar’s palace in Rome. The gospel will go forward, no matter how many people refuse to accept your testimony. The gospel is unstoppable.

Back in September I did something I had never done before. I preached a series of sermons specifically targeting children. My goal was to try to make not so simple truth about Jesus simple enough for children to understand. I’ll never forget how I felt immediately after the first sermon. I sat down thinking. “That was horrible.”  I’ve never been confident in my ability to communicate to children, but I really felt like I’d missed it. I’m thinking, “There is no way I can do this two more times.” But when the service dismissed people started coming to me commenting how good they thought it was, quite a few people. I really appreciated that. I was encouraged because I really felt as if I’d failed. Your words turned my discouragement to confidence. That’s exactly what the Lord’s words in verse 11 are designed to do.      Are you discouraged because your testimony has been rejected? Hear the words of Jesus this morning and let your discouragement be turned to confidence. “Be encouraged. You are doing exactly what I want you to do. The gospel will keep going forward.”

I can’t even imagine what it must have been like. Listening to your own people condemn you. “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” It was exactly what the Apostle John described in John 1:11. “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” He came testifying to the truth about the kingdom of God. His testimony should have been received with joy. But it wasn’t. The vast majority of the people, His own people, rejected His testimony. So, does that mean Jesus’ mission was a failure? When His testimony was rejected, did that spell defeat for Jesus? No. He was doing exactly what the Father wanted Him to do, and His mission would succeed.

Don’t you see? When your testimony is rejected the same is true for you. It’s not a defeat. Take courage! Don’t lose confidence. Don’t lose your determination to be a witness for Christ. When you testify about Jesus and how He has saved you and changed you, it is pleasing to Him. The outcome isn’t your responsibility. The gospel will go forward. The cause of Christ will not and can not be defeated. When your testimony is rejected, take courage because it is not a defeat. So, even if your testimony is not well received, keep testifying for Jesus.