The document discusses whether God still speaks today. While some argue God only spoke in the past and the Bible contains all we need, the author is unsure. If God spoke today, it would never contradict Scripture. Messages claimed to be from God must align with the Bible. God's Word is perfect and complete, but the Bible doesn't say God never speaks now. Any supposed message from God requires careful biblical examination and confirmation. We should focus more on what God has said in Scripture rather than claiming new revelations.

1. Acts 23
Acts Chapter 23, Ananias, A Perfectly
Good Conscience, Caesarea, Cilicia,
Sadducees Pharisees, Separation Of
Church And State, Taking An Oath

3. Turbulent Times
Ahead For Paul

4. ACTS 23
We’re Getting
Close To The End

5. BIBLE IN FIVE
Pastor Dave Kooyers
Valley Bible Fellowship
Box 433
Boonville CA 95415
http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers
www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org
(707) 895-2325
These Microsoft PowerPoint
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equipping of the saints for the
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grow up in all aspects into Him
who is the head, even Christ." So
that "we are no longer...tossed
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God bless you as you examine His Word,
Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5,
Dave Matthew 10:8 …Freely
you received, freely give.

6. Last Time
• Acts 22
Paul was rescued
from scourging by
declaring that he was
a Roman

7. ACTS
22:25 Is
it lawful
for you
to
scourge
a man

8. Acts 23, Be of good cheer
• Paul was not guilty
• Acts 23:1-5; a perfectly good conscience
• Acts 23:9; nothing wrong with this man

9. Acts 23:1, A Perfectly Good Conscience
• NAU Acts 23:1 Paul, looking intently at the
Council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life
with a perfectly good conscience before God
up to this day.“
• Paul is not claiming sinless perfectionism.
• He is claiming that he did his best to keep
God’s Law. Offering the prescribed sacrifices,
making restitution, etc., as God required.

10. Acts 23:2,“Ananias” Used 10 X’s in Acts
(Acts only), Wikipedia
• NAU Acts 23:2 The high priest Ananias commanded those
standing beside him to strike him on the mouth.
• Ananias son of Nedebaios (Josephus, Antiquites xx. 5. 2,
called "Ananias ben Nebedeus") in the Book of Acts, was a
high priest, who presided during the trial of Paul
atJerusalem and Caesarea. He officiated as high priest from
about AD 47 to 52. Quadratus, governor of Syria, accused
him of being responsible for acts of violence. He was sent
toRome for trial (AD 52), but was acquitted by the
emperor Claudius.
• Being a friend of the Romans, he was murdered by the
people at the beginning of the First Jewish-Roman War. His
son Eliezar ben Hanania was one of the leaders of the Great
Revolt of Judea.

11. Acts 23:5, I Did Not Realize
• Acts 23:5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not
realize that he was the high priest; for it is
written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of
your people.‘
• Eye problem, zeal/passion of the moment,
sarcasm, or the high priest was out of uniform
• Ex 22:28 "Do not blaspheme God or curse the
ruler of your people.

12. Acts 23:6, Sadducees/Pharisees
• Acts 23:6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them
were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called
out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a
Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial
because of my hope in the resurrection of the
dead."
• Great strategy!
• Acts 23:8…no resurrection, and that there are
neither angels nor spirits…
• Sad-u-cee
• Scripture records salvation of Pharisees but not
Sadducees

13. Acts 23:11, Be Of Good Cheer
• KJV Acts 23:11 And the night following the Lord
stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul:
for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so
must thou bear witness also at Rome.
• Be of good cheer, not because you “won souls”
but you testified
• We are to obey and give witness, God’s in charge
of who gets saved.
• They tried to kill him hear and they will kill him in
Rome, yet Jesus said, “Be of good cheer “Paul
• Jesus said Paul is going to Rome

14. Acts 23:16, Paul's Family
• NAU Acts 23:16 But the son of Paul's sister
heard of their ambush, and he came and
entered the barracks and told Paul.
• This is all we know of Paul's family!
• NAU 1 Corinthians 9:5 Do we not have a right to
take along a believing wife, even as the rest of
the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and
Cephas?
• Paul's family sent him to Jerusalem to school

15. Acts 23:17, A Young Man, A Youth
• NAU Acts 23:17 Paul called one of the centurions
to him and said, "Lead this young man to the
commander, for he has something to report to
him.“
• In the Old Testament we have many examples of
brave young youths (Daniel, Samuel, Joseph,
Esther, David, Zadok). Not in the New;
• Acts has more uses of “young” and more
examples for young people than any other NT
book.

16. Acts 23:17, A Young Man, A Youth
• NAU Acts 23:17 …this young man…
• NAU Acts 20:9 And there was a young man named
Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep
sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by
sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked
up dead.
• NAU Acts 5:6 The young men got up and covered him
up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
• NAS Acts 2:17 …your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And
your old men shall dream dreams;

17. Acts 23:21, Taken An Oath
• NAU Acts 23:21 "So do not listen to them, for more than
forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound
themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they
slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the
promise from you."
• 332 ἀναθεματίζω anathematizo {an-ath-em-at-id'-
zo}
• Meaning: 1) to devote to destruction 2) to declare
one's self liable to the severest divine penalties…
• Grk word only here in NT, Galatians 1 uses anathema
• How many starved to death?

18. Acts 23:23,
• NAU Acts 23:23 And he called to him two of the
centurions and said, "Get two hundred
soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to
proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen
and two hundred spearmen.“
• They left with this big of a entourage at 9 PM
on this long of a journey, indicates urgency.
• He took this plot seriously, he sent ¼ to 1/3 of
his troops to guard Paul.

19. Acts 23:27, Politically Correct
Government Employee
• Acts 23:27 This man was seized by the Jews
and they were about to kill him, but I came
with my troops and rescued him, for I had
learned that he is a Roman citizen.

20. Acts 23:29, Separation Of Church And
State
• Acts 23:29 I found that the accusation had to
do with questions about their law, but there
was no charge against him that deserved
death or imprisonment.
• Government solutions only ultimately end in
“death or imprisonment”
• Big hammers should be used very selectively

21. Acts 23:31,
Antipatris
• Acts 23:31 So the
soldiers, carrying
out their orders,
took Paul with them
during the night
and brought him as
far as Antipatris
• A rest stop on the
way to Caesarea,
about 40 mi. from
Jerusalem

22. Acts 23:32, Safety in Gentile Territory
• NAU Acts 23:32 But the next day, leaving the
horsemen to go on with him, they returned to
the barracks.
• Foot soldiers returned

23. Acts 23:33, Arriving In Caesarea
Acts 23:33 When
the cavalry arrived
in Caesarea, they
delivered the
letter to the
governor and
handed Paul over
to him.

24. Acts 23:33, Arriving In Caesarea
• Not Caesarea Philippi at Panias, or Banias (north)
• It is what Easton’s describes as; “Caesarea,
(Palestinae), a city on the shore of the
Mediterranean, on the great road from Tyre to
Egypt, about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem,
at the northern extremity of the plain of Sharon.
It was built by Herod the Great (B.C. 10) who
named it after Caesar Augustus…”
• That is “Caesarea Maritime”

25. Caesarea Maritime

26. Caesarea Maritime

27. Caesarea Maritime

28. Acts 23:34, Cilicia
• NAU Acts 23:34 When he had read it, he asked
from what province he was, and when he
learned that he was from Cilicia,
• Felix had jurisdiction from Cilicia to Judea so
he would hear Paul’s case.

29. Acts 23:34, Cilicia
• NAU Acts 23:34 When he had read it, he asked
from what province he was, and when he
learned that he was from Cilicia,

30. Acts 23:35, Herod's Praetorium
• The praetorium in Jerusalem covered part of
the original palace of King Herod the Great…

31. John 3:16, For God So Loved The World
• God loves everyone, but
probably prefers
• 'fruits of the spirit' over
'religious nuts!'

32. Keep Looking For The
Blessed Hope

33. Acts 22:6, 8, 10, 18, 21, 18:9, 9:4-16, 1:4-8, 23:11, Does
God still speak?
• Does God still speak?
• http://www.blogos.org/gotquestions/God-still-speak.php
•
By S. Michael Houdmann, Got Questions Ministries
"God told me to tell you…" "I have a word from the Lord for you." "I am a prophet of God." "I know what the Bible says, but God spoke to me and…"
The above sayings are increasingly common these days. Sadly, most people who say them do not understand how dangerous they are. Claiming direct revelation from God is essentially
putting yourself in a place of equal authority with the Word of God. If God speaks, it is always going to be 100% inerrant, authoritative, true, holy, and perfect. If God truly told you to tell
me something, I better listen or I am in direct rebellion against God.
The problem with this idea that God is directly speaking to people, and through people, today, is the fact that the messages attributed to Him are anything but inerrant, authoritative, and
true. They are almost always a jumbled mess of confusion, inconsistencies, and outright contradictions of the Word of God. Far too often, "God told me…" is in reality, "I think…and I think
God would agree with me…therefore, I am going to tell you that God told me…"
In response to this, many argue that God no longer speaks outside of His Word. Period. Never. The Bible is the complete and sufficient Word of God that gives us everything we need to
be saved and walk with God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12). Therefore, there is no need for any further revelation from God. God does not speak. Rather, God has spoken.
This is the viewpoint I was taught in Bible College and Seminary. This is still the viewpoint that I strongly lean towards. Admittedly, it is a very comforting position. It means I can ignore all
the claimed messages from God. It frees me from having to use biblically informed discernment in separating truth from error in supposed messages from God. The problem for me is – I
do not see solid biblical evidence on which to claim God NEVER speaks today.
Interestingly, even those who hold the "God never speaks" position seem to allow for exceptions to the rule. For example, stories of people in closed countries having dreams/visions that
result in them coming to faith in Christ seem to be accepted, even rejoiced over. Accounts of people in third world countries being told to go to such and such a place at such and such a
time to speak with God's messenger, only to bump into a missionary at the exact place and time, are accepted as amazing miracles of God. The justification for the exception is usually
something along the lines of, "Well, God only does stuff like that in places where they don't have access to the Bible."
Hmm. Where does the Bible say that God works differently based on whether a person has access to the Bible? And, the fact that the United States has tens of millions more Bibles than
Yemen does not mean the average American is significantly more biblically literate than the average Yemeni. One could argue that with the massive amount of false doctrine being
propagated in the United States that the United States is more in need of corrective direct revelation from God than most third world countries. I just don't see a solid biblical or
reasonable basis for the "God only does stuff like that over there" argument.
So, where does that leave us? To be honest, I am not completely sure.
I firmly believe that the Bible is the perfect and complete Word of God. It contains everything we need to know to follow God's will for our lives. While it does not give specific
instructions related to the personal situations and decisions we face, it does provide all the wisdom we need to be able to make right judgments in those situations and decisions.
With that in mind, I do not see any reason for God to "supplement" His Word with additional revelation. But, at the same time, there is nothing in the Bible that indicates
God NEVER speaks today. I do not know the mind of God, and therefore I do not claim to know every reason why God might say something to someone (Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 11:34).
What I do know is this: if God were to speak today, what He said would be in perfect agreement with His Word. God does not contradict Himself. God does not change His mind. Compare
any supposed message from God with God's Word, and if the message in any way is in contradiction or disharmony with God's Word, reject the message. If you think God has spoken to
you, but are unsure about it, ask Him for confirmation (Judges 6:36-40; 1 Samuel 3:1-10). Seek wise counsel from men and women of God whom you respect and trust (Proverbs
11:14; 15:22).
Above all, understand that God speaking is a miracle, not a normal. Even in the Bible, God speaking directly to people, whether through an audible voice or a "still small voice" is rare. We
would all benefit from spending far more time on what God has said instead of on what God might be saying.