The decisions that we make as believers are on trial every day. We live in a time when tensions for believers are real, visible, and, at times, exhausting. Our culture constantly challenges what we believe and how we live out those beliefs. The world around us doesn’t just disagree with the Christian worldview; it often misunderstands it. That misunderstanding breeds tension, and tension can push us into moments where we have to decide: Will I stay silent, or will I stand for the truth of God’s Word?
We Defend What We Believe, and the Decisions We Make Reinforce Our Belief
(MULTILINE)
Last week, in our mini-series Faith on Trial, we stepped into this reality by looking at the theme of misunderstandings. We saw how they can arise in conversations with friends, with other believers, with religious leaders, and even with government authorities. And we learned that misunderstandings can easily turn into conflict. Yet, in the middle of confusion, God calls us to speak truth and to stand firm in our faith, even when it feels like the world around us is crumbling.
Today, we pick up the next phase of the story in Acts. The scene is still chaotic. The stakes are still high. But now, Paul isn’t just navigating misunderstandings — he is defending the very core of what he believes about Jesus Christ. If I were to give this part of the story a label, it would be this: A Defense of Core Jesus Beliefs.
Confusion about Jesus has always existed. Even today, people will say they believe in Him, but they strip away the very heart of the gospel. Some say, “I believe in Jesus, but I don’t believe He rose from the dead.” Others will affirm God exists, yet deny His creation work, choosing instead to believe a human explanation that ignores His power. Some believe in the idea of God, but reject the miracles we read in the Old and New Testaments — as though a God who could speak the universe into existence would somehow be incapable of parting the Red Sea, sending a global flood, or raising His Son from the grave.
And here’s something I find both ironic and revealing: many people have more faith in the power of evil than in the power of God. Mention “spiritual warfare” or “demonic possession,” and suddenly people’s ears perk up. They become more engaged, more fearful, more convinced. But tell them, “God loves you and has the power to transform your life,” and somehow the urgency fades. They believe the devil is active, but they doubt that God can create, flood, part seas, or raise the dead. Why is that?
I came across a story from a U.S. Army officer who taught at the artillery training school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He said there was a striking contrast in his students during two different teaching eras. From 1958 to 1960, the attitude was so lax that the instructors had a problem even getting the men to stay awake during lectures. They’d drift off, scribble a few half-hearted notes, and walk out without urgency.
But from 1965 to 1967, the very same lectures were given — same material, same classroom, same instructors — and yet the room was completely different. The men sat up straight. They were alert. They took copious notes. They leaned forward when the instructor spoke. What was the difference?
In that second era, those soldiers knew that in less than six weeks, they would be facing the enemy in Vietnam. Suddenly, the training was not theoretical — it was essential for survival. The officer said, “When you know the enemy is real and the battle is soon, you listen differently.”
(MULTILINE)
That makes me wonder… could this be why so many Christians find following Jesus boring or irrelevant? Could it be that for many believers, there’s no urgency, no real sense of battle? If you have no interaction with non-Christians… If you have no vital ministry to help someone grow in faith… If you have no personal struggle… Then the truths of following Jesus and diving into Scripture feel like a classroom lecture we can nap through, because we don’t think we will be on trial for the decision we have made in our faith. But for Paul, the trial wasn’t “out there somewhere”; it was right in front of him. Acts 22 and 23 drop us into an ancient courtroom scene, but don’t be fooled, this is a battlefield. Paul’s very life is on the line. He’s standing before religious leaders who despise him, Roman officials who don’t understand him, and crowds who want him dead.
And yet, Paul is not flustered. He’s not scrambling to save his own skin. He’s clear-eyed, steady, and focused. Why? Because Paul knows what Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8 — “You will be my witnesses.” This is not an accident. This is not a setback. This is the mission. When it comes to defending our beliefs, most of us already know how to build a defense, not necessarily for the truth of Scripture, but for the way we want to live.
Sadly, most people have never seen that lived out. They’ve never been part of a biblical process of discipline that’s filled with love. They’ve never witnessed what it looks like for Christians to stand on truth with both conviction and compassion. And because they’ve never been taught, never studied, or simply choose to ignore God’s Word, they replace biblical doctrine with personal preference.
That’s the tension we face today, the pull away from God’s truth toward something easier, more comfortable, and less confrontational. Paul refused to take that path. He wasn’t playing games. He wasn’t bending the truth to make peace. He was standing firm on the resurrection through Jesus Christ and because of Jesus Christ.
Why Paul Was On Trial
Acts 22:30-23:10
The Gospel Puts Us at Odds with People Who Need It the Most
(MULTILINE)
Luke, writing to a Gentile audience, takes time to explain the key difference between the two groups in the Sanhedrin: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection, in angels, and in the supernatural power of God. The Sadducees did not. They believed only in the Law of Moses — the first five books of the Old Testament — and denied the reality of resurrection or any spiritual beings.
Believing in the Resurrection of Jesus was the Decision that Paul Made
(MULTILINE)
Paul was on trial for one reason: because he believed that Jesus Christ rose from the grave, fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament, and revealed Himself to Paul, commissioning him to take the gospel to the nations, and confirming His message through miracles and teaching.
The question for us is, do we know why we believe? Can we hold fast to the resurrection truth and/or other Christian beliefs even when it costs us?
(MULTILINE)
Confirmation of Our Belief
Acts 23:11
Knowing Why We Believe Allows Us to Endure Any Trial
(MULTILINE)
In one verse, Jesus gives Paul three things:
Clarity – “As you have testified about me in Jerusalem…” Jesus is saying, “Paul, you did exactly what I called you to do here.” Sometimes the greatest encouragement we can get is simple affirmation: You’re on the right track.
Commendation – The tone of Jesus’ words isn’t cold or corrective; it’s encouraging. “Take courage.” That’s the language of someone proud of His servant. That’s the voice of a Father saying, “I see you, and I’m pleased with you.”
Confidence – “…so you must also testify in Rome.” Jesus isn’t just reflecting on the past — He’s pointing Paul to the future. “You’re going to make it to Rome, Paul. This mission isn’t over. And you’re not alone in it.”
(MULTILINE)
God’s Commendation is Greater than Man’s Condemnation
(MULTILINE)
When we know our why, the trials don’t break you — they refine you.
When We Are Choosing the Lord, Adventure Awaits
Acts 23:12-35
It Is Not About Keeping Up with God, It is About Taking Steps with God
(MULTILINE)
In Acts 1:7-8, Jesus tells His disciples, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
God’s Kingdom Advances Even When We See Uncertainty
(MULTILINE)
Our Faith is on Trial Every Day and Our Faith Every Day Speaks to What We Believe
(MULTILINE)
Today’s Application:
Why do you believe in Jesus?
(MULTILINE)
When you have a confirmation from the Spirit of God, does it fuel your faith?
(MULTILINE)
Are you trusting the timing of God while you wait?
(MULTILINE)
Paul knew why he was on trial. He knew what Jesus had called him to do. And he knew where he was going.
When you know your why, nothing can shake your faith
(MULTILINE)
