Sometimes, it's hard to know what to say to sinners. This is, perhaps, even harder when they're on the attack and you're on the defensive. In that moment, our knowledge of Scripture, our trust in the Holy Spirit, and our peace with Christ are our greatest assets. --In Acts 24-24-27, Paul is recorded as giving yet another legal defense. Here, Luke is building a crescendo of convincing reasons why the Christian church should never give up and should keep on keeping on. It is an account of Pauline textbook consistency in his Gospel message that is, for us, a textbook case for how we should approach sinners, even when they're on the attack.

It's one thing to hear about grace and peace in someone else's life. It's another to have it in your own. --Paul gives us Romans 5-1-5 to convince even the most anxious of genuine believers that YES, indeed-beyond all you may think or feel-God can genuinely love you.--Why- On what basis-

Lenin once said, -There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.- --That's where we are in Acts 24, as Luke records Paul's longest defense-a defense we know he gave, in various forms and times and places, but which is here written in careful detail by St. Luke.--What's happening- What can we learn-

What is faith- What is the heart of faith- What are the dangers to a healthy faith that brings us -all the way home- from our long journey through the tunnels of sin and death-

How do we not merely talk about faith, but life in faith- When shipwrecks hit Paul-when suffering, tragedy, etc.-how did he live and why- --Why does Luke want us to know about one shipwreck -though Paul experienced others- in one tiny island in the closing chapter of his magnum opus-

In Romans 5, even though we may be a little bit ready for Paul to move on to happier things, he goes back and forth about the contrasts between Adam, the first Man, and Jesus Christ, the Best Man. Why does he do this- --Because the consequences of missing the contrasts and comparisons between the two isn't academic-it's eternal, both physical and spiritual.

The Gospel brings both triumph, and tragedy. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2 how thankful he was that those who heard in that church believed what he preached was God's word, not man's word. Others in Thessalonica had not only disbelieved, but rioted, and then stalked Paul to other cities to try to cancel him in their great acts of woke-liberation. --The Gospel brings both triumph, and tragedy, often in the same place, from the same sermon, and the same group of listeners. A brother will hear and repent- his sister will not. A father will be cut to the heart and believe and be baptized, while his wife mocks him for abandoning family ways and tradition, and refuses to follow Christ. ----This is what we see happening in Acts 28, too- both Gospel Triumph, and Gospel Tragedy. Luke wants them both recorded, because that will be the history of the Gospel until Christ comes again.

There are tens of millions of people who believe they have grace, but do not-who believe they have the smile of God, but will face his frown on the day of judgment. Why is this- --More to the point, does grace save me from judgment in a distant future, or does it also conquer me today for righteous living tomorrow-

What good is the book of Acts in 2021- In a world of quarantine, should we be so outgoing as the church in Acts- In a world of doctrinal decline and lawlessness among Christians, should we just focus on ourselves- --What does Acts offer that helps every church be faithful to the mission of Christ-

If we have grace from God, does it matter how we live- If we have a -get out of Hell free- card, then can I live like I'm on the way to Hell and yet still end up in Heaven---Never. No. Not at all. --Why not-