Couragous Citizen

 

    If you are a Christian, then you are a citizen in Heaven.  Your home is not here, but in the unseen world.  You live here with the rights and privileges as a dual citizen because you were born and live here.  You have to be strong and courageous to live up to that honor.

    Paul endured brutal examination which was really an interrogation because he was a Christian and a Roman.  He used his skill to be courageous and speak up for the truth of Jesus and why he believed.  However, at the same time he had to honor the Roman legal system.  

    Paul understood that he would be hated for the same reasons Jesus was hated.  The closer your walk is with Jesus, the more the world will hate you.  Understanding the truth about his life on this Earth did not intimidate Paul.  It made him bolder.  He would not be silenced in teaching about salvation and the truth.

    Paul's trail was a lot like Jesus' final trial.  Paul was beaten until he was raw and bloody.  They planned on scourging him which means his muscles would have been torn apart.  Yet, they did not break him.  God protected him by only having to endure a beating.  It could have been so much worse.  

    Paul knew how to use the power of words.  He declared his citizenship which means the soldiers could have gotten in real trouble.  It was illegal for them to brutally interrogate a Roman citizen.  Paul used the timing of his words as a weapon.  He knew he had their undivided attention at this point.

    Claudius was the soldier in charge.  He was afraid because he had his men hurt a naturally born Roman.  He understood the rules and knew how much trouble he would be in if this information left the room.  He was a citizen, but he had to pay for his citizenship.  He knew he had less advantage than Paul since Paul was a born citizen.  

    Jesus is a natural citizen of Heaven.  He paid our way to be citizens.  We have the rights of a born citizen because we were born again at the moment of salvation.  We live in this world, but we are not to live of this world.  Learn and hone your spiritual gifts, so that you can be courageous in defending your true citizenship.  Be a true leader by obeying God's instructions without deviation.

Joshua 1:6-9, Acts 22:24-29, 1 Corinthians 13, & Philippians 2:1-18