1. Our Enemy Wants to Destroy Us! The document describes a plot by Jews to kill Paul, showing that enemies want to harm believers. 2. We Can Stand Against Anything the Enemy Throws Against Us! It tells how Paul was warned of the plot and rescued by Roman soldiers. 3. God’s Care Insures Victory AND Produces Peace! It explains that Paul was safely escorted by the soldiers to the governor, showing that God protects his people and brings calmness even amidst threats.

3. And this is the tes*mony, that God gave us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever
has the Son has life; whoever does not have the
Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God that you may know that
you have eternal life.
1 John 5:11-­‐13 (ESV)

4. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has
eternal life.
John 6:47 (ESV)

5. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor
angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things
to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all crea*on, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Romans 8:38-­‐39 (ESV)

6. 1. Our Enemy Wants to Destroy Us!

7. When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound
themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink *ll
they had killed Paul. There were more than forty
who made this conspiracy. They went to the chief
priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound
ourselves by an oath to taste no food *ll we have
killed Paul. Now therefore you, along with the
council, give no*ce to the tribune to bring him
down to you, as though you were going to
determine his case more exactly. And we are ready
to kill him before he comes near.”
Acts 23:12-­‐15 (ESV)

8. For the love of Christ controls us, because we
have concluded this: that one has died for all,
therefore all have died; and he died for all, that
those who live might no longer live for
themselves but for him who for their sake died
and was raised.
2 Corinthians 5:14-­‐15 (ESV)

9. 1. Our Enemy Wants to Destroy Us!
2. We Can Stand Against Anything the Enemy
Throws Against Us!

10. Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush,
so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take
this young man to the tribune, for he has something
to tell him.” So he took him and brought him to the
tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and
asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has
something to say to you.” The tribune took him by
the hand, and going aside asked him privately,
“What is it that you have to tell me?” And he said,
“The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul
down to the council tomorrow, as though they were
going to inquire somewhat more closely about him.

11. But do not be persuaded by them, for more than
forty of their men are lying in ambush for him,
who have bound themselves by an oath neither
to eat nor drink *ll they have killed him. And
now they are ready, wai*ng for your consent.”
So the tribune dismissed the young man,
charging him, “Tell no one that you have
informed me of these things.”
Acts 23:16-­‐22 (ESV)

12. 1. Our Enemy Wants to Destroy Us!
2. We Can Stand Against Anything the Enemy
Throws Against Us!
3. God’s Care Insures Victory AND Produces
Peace!

13. Then he called two of the centurions and said,
“Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy
horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as
far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night.
Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring
him safely to Felix the governor.” And he wrote a
lePer to this effect:

14. “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor
Felix, gree*ngs. This man was seized by the Jews
and was about to be killed by them when I came
upon them with the soldiers and rescued him,
having learned that he was a Roman ci*zen. And
desiring to know the charge for which they were
accusing him, I brought him down to their council. I
found that he was being accused about ques*ons
of their law, but charged with nothing deserving
death or imprisonment. And when it was disclosed
to me that there would be a plot against the man, I
sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also
to state before you what they have against him.”

15. So the soldiers, according to their instruc*ons, took
Paul and brought him by night to An*patris. And on
the next day they returned to the barracks, leUng
the horsemen go on with him. When they had
come to Caesarea and delivered the lePer to the
governor, they presented Paul also before him. On
reading the lePer, he asked what province he was
from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia,
he said, “I will give you a hearing when your
accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be
guarded in Herod's palace.
Acts 23:23-­‐35 (ESV)