Well, if you would take your Bibles and open them to the book of Acts, Acts chapters 22 and 23. I will offer a brief explanation as you're getting there. Our text, by the way, will be Acts 22, beginning in verse 30. through chapter 23, verse 11. But before we stand for the reading of the word of God, just a little explanation. Some of you know this already. I'm experiencing a slight amount of pain this morning in my lower back. Some of you who've had back trouble may be able to empathize with this. So this morning, I performed the difficult task of bending over to pick something up. And I received an acute reminder of my frailty when I did so. And I think I hollered out loud, wondered who was standing behind me, stabbing me in the back. and slowly but surely was able to stand up and made my way to a spot where I could ice my back. So I threw my back out this morning. It's happened to me one other time. And so bear with me. I've got a TENS unit on. I've joked about this before, but you know, if you see me wince here and there, it may be the Holy Spirit. It may be the common grace of a tens unit, I don't know. And then additionally, I wanted to mention this because there is a stool up here. I had brothers and sisters who were so very kind before the service this morning that were insisting on helping in some form or fashion. And I don't know how my back will hold up, I covet your prayers, but that is there just in case I need to just lean against it. So I hope you'll bear with me if I have to do that. It is a privilege. to be here to preach the Word of God. It is an absolute privilege. And moreover, and then we will get to the text. In the text, the Apostle Paul, as you're going to see, actually makes the comment that he's on trial for the hope of the resurrection from the dead. So this morning I have a reminder of my hope that this mortal body will someday be clothed in immortality. this corruptible existence will give way to incorruptibility. That is the Christian hope. We're gonna highlight that this morning. I didn't ask the Lord for an illustration of my own personal life today, but he gave me one, all right? So let's look to the word of God. Acts chapter 22, verse 30 through chapter 23, verse 11. And because this is the word of the living God and you are God's people on the Lord's day, if you are able And I say it with sympathy this morning. If you are able, would you please stand? Acts 22, I will begin reading in verse 30. Luke wrote these words as he was carried along by God's Spirit. But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews. He, that is the tribune, unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet. And he brought Paul down and set him before them. And looking intently at the council, Paul said, brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day. And the high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. Are you sitting to judge me according to the law? And yet, contrary to the law, you order me be struck. Those who stood by said, Would you revile God's high priest? And Paul said, I did not know, brothers, but he was the high priest. For it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people. Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial. And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledged them all. Then a great clamor arose and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, we find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him? And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks. The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also. Rome. The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of our God will stand forever. You may be seated. It is difficult to overstate the influence and the significance of the Apostle Paul, especially with respect to early Christianity. Even in the book of Acts, Paul is front and center as a follower of Jesus in chapters 13 through 28, not to mention his conversion in Acts 9 and a couple of appearances in between Acts 9 and Acts 13. Some, who have, by the way, successfully overstated Paul's influence, have referred to Paul as, quote, the founder of Christianity. However, if we read Acts and the letters of Paul properly, we find that Paul was no founder of Christianity. In fact, he was rescued by the founder. He was rescued by the Lord Jesus. Paul's life, after coming to know the risen and ascended Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians, by the way, served a single purpose. And that purpose was to proclaim the glory of the one he had seen and heard from heaven, Jesus Christ. We find a summary of Paul's commission from Jesus in Acts chapter 9, verses 15 and 16. In speaking to Ananias about Paul, Jesus said these words, Go, for Paul is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much He must suffer for the sake of my name. And Paul would spend the rest of his days bearing witness to Jesus before Gentiles, bearing witness to Jesus before kings, and bearing witness to Jesus before the children of Israel, often in the context of suffering for the name of Christ. This was Paul's story. Our text this morning is an example of the fulfillment of that commissioning back in Acts 9 verses 15 and 16. Paul, you see in our text, is on trial as a believer in Jesus. He has already provided a defense before an angry Jewish mob, and then in Acts 22 verse 30, Through 23 verse 11, our text this morning, Paul provides another defense before the highest council of Jewish leaders known as the Sanhedrin. And it's through this trial that we learn a bit about what distinguished Paul from these Jewish accusers. And as we observe what distinguished Paul from his Jewish accusers, we also learn what distinguishes Christianity from all other worldviews and religions generally. So if you're taking notes, here's what we're going to attempt to do this morning. First, we're going to ask the question, what distinguishes Paul from the Sanhedrin? And we observe this through the trial. Luke is writing this down as he is born along by God's Spirit, and he's not writing it down merely to record the facts about the trial. He's writing it down to distinguish the Apostle Paul from these religious leaders of Paul's day, the highest of leaders, the Sanhedrin. What distinguished Paul from the Sanhedrin? And we're going to identify two. distinguishing characteristics of the Apostle Paul. Two characteristics. And then the second question we're going to ask and answer this morning, which will be our final question, is this. How do these distinctions inform us as followers of Jesus? So first, what distinguished Paul from the Sanhedrin? And then second, how do these distinctions that we find in the text inform and instruct us as followers of Jesus Christ? Well, let's begin by building a little context from Acts 22, verse 30. We'll just read that verse again, which sets the stage for the trial. Acts 22, verse 30. But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he, that is the tribune, the Roman commander, unbound Paul and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet. And he brought Paul down and set him before them. Now, if you were with us last Thursday, you might remember that this Roman tribune has already sought to identify the reason for the chaos that had ensued surrounding the Apostle Paul in and around the temple area and just outside of the temple, this Roman commander would have been in charge of keeping peace. And when he saw chaos, he had to intervene. And the chaos was caused or materialized when this Jewish mob, this angry Jewish mob began to attack the Apostle Paul and to drag him out of the temple. And as they sought to kill him, the Roman commander actually with his soldiers showed up to rescue the Apostle Paul from their And from that point on, the Roman commander sought to identify the reason, the cause for this mob and this anger and this chaos. And so far, he's been unsuccessful, at least in his own mind, to determine the cause. So what he does is he calls together the Sanhedrin. highest Jewish council in the first century, and we're gonna see some characteristics of the Sanhedrin in just a moment. And he assumes that a trial before the Sanhedrin will uncover and unearth the real cause of for this rabble rouser, the Apostle Paul, causing the trouble that he has caused in and around the temple. Okay, so that's the stage for us. That's the context in verse 30. Now, chapter 23, verses 1 through 11. And we'll begin answering that question, what distinguished Paul from the Jewish Sanhedrin? Two distinguishing characteristics. Let me mention the first one to you, and then we'll see it in the text. First, Paul was distinguished by his behavior. Paul was distinguished as he was on trial before the Sanhedrin by his behavior. I want you to notice the description of Paul in Acts 23, verse 1. And looking intently at the council, Paul said, brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day. So it starts with a kind of description of his own conscience before God, of his own life. Even when Paul acted in opposition to the church, you may remember this, you may not. Paul, before he is known as the Apostle Paul, was referred to by his Hebrew name, Saul, Saul of Tarsus, and Saul was a zealous Pharisee. persecutor of the Church of Jesus Christ. He even sought to seize men and women, dragging them out of their homes if they were worshipers of Jesus as the Messiah, and to bring them to Jerusalem to be punished for their faith in Jesus. And even when he was doing that, he believed that he was sincere. He was seeking, at least as far as he could tell, to please God. He did all of this because he was motivated by zeal for God, even though his zeal for God led him to sin against Jesus Christ. Now, as an aside here, I'm gonna point this out because I think it actually gets quite relevant for us. This is a helpful reminder, friends, that although the conscience is essential, our consciences are essential and even necessary to caution us against what is inherently wrong, they are inadequate. That little voice inside of us is insufficient and can lead us astray if depended on without the aid of special revelation from God in His Word. This is important. This is why the narrative in our day, to trust what is within us, to trust our own hearts is so insidious and so dangerous. Paul trusted what was within him prior to coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ, and it placed him in opposition to God. Although we need the internal sense of right and wrong established by God in creation, that internal sense has gone astray. because of Genesis 3, because of the fall. And as a result, that internal sense, the conscience as we often refer to it, must always remain subservient to the better and clearer word of God through Jesus Christ inscribed on the pages of scripture. This is extremely important for us as evangelicals. I mean, we often talk, and this isn't a bad way to talk, okay? Don't hear me saying it's always a bad way to talk. But we often talk about this need for this internal peace. I'm praying about something and I just don't have a peace about it just yet. And that's just fine, but make sure that peace or the lack thereof is informed by God's clear instruction in his word. God does not and will not lead you contrary to what he has already spoken to you. And so I think here even we find an example of the way that it might lead us astray. The Apostle Paul, of course, saw this in his own life. But even while he was persecuting the church, he was doing so out of zeal for God. And now, having come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, having repented of his sins and being given life through this heavenly Appearance of Jesus on the road to Damascus now He continued to seek to live before God with a good and clear conscience, of course through faith in Jesus now look with me at Acts 23 verses 2 and 3 and The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth the verse 3 then Paul said to him God is going to strike you you whitewashed wall and This is not flattering for the high priest. This is no compliment. Paul goes on to say, are you sitting here to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law, you order me to be struck? Before Paul is even able to give an explanation or a defense before the Sanhedrin, the high priest named Ananias at the time commands others who were standing by Paul, hit him on the mouth, and they did. And by so doing, Paul says that the high priest is actually breaking the law. Now there are a number of passages we could look at to demonstrate that this indeed was a breach of the law. I'll mention one of them to you, Deuteronomy chapter 25, verses one through three. But consistently throughout the law, God instructs his people first to have a trial and then to punish those who are found guilty. You see here, Ananias acts prematurely. He has Paul struck before the trial is complete. And by so doing, he breaks God's law. Now hold on to that. That's important because you might recall that Paul actually is on trial in part because some are accusing him of teaching contrary to the law of Moses. Interestingly, here the Jewish high priest The greatest leader in Judaism breaks God's law by having Paul struck. And then Paul doesn't mince words. He warns him of God's judgment. God is going to strike you. And calls him a whitewashed wall. Now, what in the world is meant by a whitewashed wall? Well, a whitewashed wall was comparable to a plastered or painted wall. Think of stucco, maybe. where the ugliness of the inside of the wall is covered by something more attractive on the outside. The idea is this, what people see on the outside, high priests, is not who you really are. It's actually quite similar to what Jesus says in Matthew 23, verses 27 and 28, when he's accusing the Pharisees. He says, you're a lot like decorated tombs. On the outside, beautiful. On the inside, full of dead men's bones. And so it is the case with the high priest here. Now again, don't miss the irony of the narrative. The high priest, who ought to serve as a model for adherence to God's law, is the one breaking God's law. The Spirit of God wants to highlight this, as the Spirit is inspiring Luke to write these words. On the other hand, the one on trial for his teaching For his belief in Jesus Christ is the one living in submission to God's law. As we go on to see Paul's obedience and submission become apparent. I mean, it's actually quite staggering and surprising. I think to myself, my goodness, this had to be the grace of God at work in his life in that moment. Notice verses four and five. So the high priest orders Paul to be struck, and by so doing, breaks God's law. Paul warns him of God's judgment, calling him a whitewashed wall. And then verses four and five, those who stood by said, will you revile God's high priest? In other words, Paul, do you know the one to whom you were speaking? You're out of line. Notice what he says, verse five, Paul said, I did not know brothers. that he was the high priest. And then he goes on to say, for it is written, you shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people, quoting from Exodus chapter 22. In other words, I agree. And now that I know he's high priest, I will change my tone and how I speak to him. Now, by the way, I take Paul at face value here. In other words, I don't think Paul recognizes the high priest. Some think this is a real issue. And it may be, there are some good commentators, good theologians throughout church history that have taken this as a real issue. I just don't see it. Paul had been gone from Jerusalem for some time. And so, the once trained Pharisee, even in Jerusalem, had been gone now for decades. Moreover, when Paul was informed that this was the high priest, his immediate response appears to be one of humble reverence. Not, by the way, Not for the depraved man, but for the exalted office. That's the idea here. And then of course in quoting Exodus 22, verse 28, Paul recognizes that God's law commands respect for those who lead his people. Now you see, you see this contrast and Paul's behavior that Luke is highlighting. The high priest of Judaism is living contrary to the law of Moses. Paul, on the other hand, who was on trial for his teaching concerning Jesus, and he's on trial concerning his teaching regarding the law of Moses, he's submitting himself to instruction, even in a moment of passion, to God's law. After he's been struck, instantly realizing when this is the high priest, ah, I will speak with reverence and with awe. Again, not for the depraved man, but for the exalted office. Paul beautifully models church family, the presence of bold and unyielding commitment to the truth of God alongside humble respect and submission to his authorities where possible. This is a rare combination today. I suspect it's been a rare combination since Genesis 3. But don't miss that. Both are present in Paul. He's not compromising the gospel. He's not compromising the truth of Christianity. He's boldly proclaiming it, in fact. The reason why those who stood by rebuked him was because of his strong rebuke of the high priest, and yet as soon as he realizes indeed this man is high priest, he shows deference and humility and respect. Now how can he do this? How can we do this? As followers of Jesus, How is it that we can boldly proclaim the word of God, unashamed, unabashed, unyielding on the truth of the gospel and on the truth of God's word, even, if I might add, boldly calling out governing authorities who are living in direct opposition to God? How can we do that all the while maintaining humility and respect? for the exalted offices. And I would submit to you the way we do that is by a robust trust in the benevolent sovereignty of the God who appoints every authority. Paul would be the one who wrote these words in Romans 13, that every authority established has been established by God. And I might even add, that writing to the Romans, the Roman church, Paul actually is describing a supreme, as it were, earthly authority in an emperor named Nero, who would be the one who eventually lops off Paul's head for his faith in Christ. And yet here Paul was unbending on the truth of God's word. So this imposter, by the way, this imposter high priest, which is what he was, He was an imposter. How do we know that? Well, because the high priest, Jesus Christ, had already come. And so Paul could have easily, could he not have easily said, you're an imposter masquerading as the real thing. I owe you no submission and reverence. He could have said this. He didn't. He didn't because he trusted in the risen, ascended, and reigning Lord Jesus, who reigned even over Paul's suffering, and through suffering was bringing about his glory. Okay, I think that's enough concerning that point. So Paul was distinguished by his behavior. We'll come full circle on this in just a moment. Second, in addition to his behavior distinguishing him, Paul was distinguished by his beliefs. Paul was distinguished by his behavior. He was also distinguished by his beliefs. Look with me at verse six. Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial. Maybe there it is respect to the hope of the resurrection of the dead. It's difficult to know, same concept. But I am on trial. Now, a bit here about the nature of Sadducees and Pharisees may inform us and prove helpful. It's in the text, after all. The Sadducees were a sect of Judaism that controlled the high priestly office. And so in Paul's day, for example, when you had a high priest, the high priest was a Sadducee. They exercised leadership over the temple and had obtained a fair amount of political influence. They attracted the well-to-do types, okay? So if you were well-to-do, you were perhaps fond of the Sadducees, but they did not enjoy the support of the common Jewish people. The Pharisees, on the other hand, they had the respect of many of the Jewish people. Whereas the Sadducees controlled the temple, the Pharisees controlled the synagogues, or those centers for Jewish instruction and learning and worship. More times than not in the Gospels, you'll find Jesus at odds with the Pharisees, but there are some times where you'll find him at odds with the Sadducees. In our text, a few theological differences surface between the two. Notice Acts 23 verse eight. So Luke tells us, the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. The Sadducees denied many of the supernatural and spiritual aspects of God's Word, like the presence of life after death, for example. We know that the Sadducees actually challenged the belief that one's soul lived on after death. They challenged the belief of future bodily resurrection. They challenged the existence of angels and so forth. Pharisees, on the other hand, actually ascribed to all of these beliefs. And so this of course will make sense why the Pharisees will take Paul's side even here in the Jewish council. So when Paul claimed to be on trial for the resurrection from the dead, or for the hope of the resurrection from the dead, a dissension broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the common commotion became so fierce that the Roman commander chose to rescue Paul from being torn to pieces in verse 10. And all this happens because Paul, wisely I think, says, I am on trial for belief in the resurrection from the dead. So according to Paul, the reason for his trial was theological, at least in part. The reason for his trial consisted of his own beliefs, and in particular his belief in the hope of the resurrection. However, Paul's argument was not merely, don't miss this, not merely that there would be a future bodily resurrection of the just someday. This would not have distinguished him from the Pharisees. Paul, rather, was also distinguished from the Pharisees in this respect. He believed that the future bodily resurrection of all people would take place only, only in Christ, and because of the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord Jesus. In fact, the resurrection of all people would take place when Jesus returned and called forth the dead out of the tombs. This is what distinguished Paul from all of these other Jewish Theologians. He proclaimed in a way similar to Acts 4 verse 2, he proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And then our passage concludes with a vision that very night as Paul slept in the barracks in verse 11, the following night the Lord stood by him, it says, and said, take courage for as you have testified about the facts concerning me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." Paul has been faithful as he's on trial to bear testimony to Jesus Christ before the Jewish Sanhedrin. Jerusalem and he will bear testimony all the way to Rome. And on his way, just a little bit of a sneak peek and chapters to come on his way, he will bear testimony before governors Felix and Festus and eventually King Agrippa II. So in summary, and then we're gonna, again, see how this grows legs and walks. In summary, Paul was distinguished from the Sanhedrin in two ways. One, his behavior was quite different than theirs. And two, his beliefs were different from theirs. In particular, his belief of the resurrection in Jesus, of course his belief in the resurrection generally distinguished him from all the Sadducees, but his belief in the resurrection through Christ distinguished him from all. of the members of the Sanhedrin. So, how does this inform us? So we're gonna spend the remaining time we have together asking and answering this question. How is it that this trial of the Apostle Paul before the Sanhedrin informs us as followers of Jesus? And I'm gonna give you two ways, all right? We had two answers to the first question. We're gonna have two answers to the second question. First, consider whether your life distinguishes you from the world. Paul's life, his behavior distinguished him from his accusers. This morning, I want to ask you, does your life distinguish you from the world? In the early church, one of the strongest testimonies to the truth and the power of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus was the personal transformation of believers. It was one of the strongest pieces of evidence offered in the early church. The moral difference between the church and the surrounding world adorned the gospel the church proclaimed. Christianity is more virtuous than its surrounding cultures, the early church argued. But are we demonstrating this superiority today in our lives as followers of Jesus? Church family, through moral compromise, we lose our platform. to proclaim the sufficiency and the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why would anyone want a Christ who leaves us the way he finds us? I've shared this with you before, but before I became a believer in Jesus, one of the greatest frustrations and arguments I had against Christianity was simply this, the life of the Christians I knew. It really was. Now, I know that's an excuse. It's an excuse that unbelieving men and women use all the time. And it will not carry them through the judgment on the last day. Nevertheless, I was so very frustrated that the friends of mine that claim to be followers of Jesus did the exact same thing I did all week long, except at times Sunday morning. And for a short period of time, some of them, though not all, would go to church. And so I thought, well, I'll save the trouble of going to church, sleep in a little bit late, and stay the same. This is a problem, church family. It's a problem. Listen to the following description of the church in the second century. Fascinating, by the way. I'm tempted to tell you the reference. I'll tell you the reference. at the danger of losing you just because of the name. The Epistle of Diognetus. Some of you want to know that. There are three of you in the room that wanted to know it, now you know it. The Epistle of Diognetus. Wonderful, wonderful apology, defense for Christianity in the second century. Listen to what the author wrote. Christians marry like everyone else. They have children, but they do not expose their offspring. but what we could run with this one. From the beginning, Christians cherished life at conception. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or historically and biblically naive. This is an argument throughout the early church in the second and third centuries. One of the distinguishing marks of the early Christians was that a child the moment of conception, although their understanding of conception certainly was different from ours. That that child was made in the image of God and therefore needed to be preserved and protected at all costs. I know there's a complexity, and that's a sermon for another day. But it was very clear to early Christians, and it should be equally clear to us. And so, this author wrote, they do not expose their offspring. They share their food, but not their wives. Interesting, isn't it? We wouldn't say it that way. But indeed, they were generous with some aspects of life. They were exclusive in marriage. Sexual purity mattered to the early church. He continues, They are in the flesh, but they do not live according to the flesh. They live on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws. Indeed, in their private lives, they transcend the laws. Don't miss that. Christians are better citizens than the rest of you, he's arguing. They love everyone, and by everyone they are persecuted. They are unknown, yet they are condemned. They are put to death, yet they are brought to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich. They are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor. They are slandered, yet they are vindicated. He continues, they are cursed, yet they bless. They are insulted, yet they offer respect. Paul does that in the text. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers. When they are punished, they rejoice as though brought to life. By the Jews, they are assaulted as foreigners, and by the Greeks, they are persecuted. Yet those who hate them are unable to give a reason for their hostility. We'll see that with Paul as he's tried time and time again throughout the remainder of the book of Acts. You'll come to the end and think, what in the world were they accusing him of? That's the point. They can't rightfully and justifiably accuse Paul. They should not be able to rightfully and justifiably accuse us as followers of Jesus. I'll stop there with that document. I will never forget one of my professors as a college student at the Masters College then, now the Masters University. One of my professors, after he read the Epistle to Diogenes, he asked a group of us the following question. Are we able to make the same argument today? as the church. In other words, are we able to say to a watching world, you want to know what one of the stronger arguments in favor of the power of the gospel is? Look at the lives of the believers in the church, how they adorn the gospel. It was what one historian calls the first line of defense for the early church. Does your life, friend, make a convincing argument for the gospel? I'm not suggesting, let me add a caveat here and qualify it a bit, I'm not suggesting that anyone's life comprehensively does this, nor am I suggesting that anyone's life adequately even displays the glories of Christ. No, no, every one of us falls woefully short. However, I am suggesting that the one who is genuinely trusting in Jesus Christ is being changed by the presence of the Holy Spirit as a trophy of Christ's redemptive work before a watching world. That's what I'm suggesting. So friends, to put it strongly, and I know this is strong, I think it's faithful and loving, If your life is virtually indistinguishable from the world, you likely do not have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. As James 4.4 warns, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. If that's where you are this morning, that's bad news. I should be careful walking around, shouldn't I? That's bad news. But the gospel is wonderful news as an antidote and a remedy to bad news. The bad news is you may be separated from God eternally as of this morning. On account of your sin, it may even be the case, it may even be the case that you've been baptized, that you've walked down an aisle, that you've said a prayer, you've signed a card, you've done all the things. You quote, got saved some time ago, but your life has remained the same. Unchanged and unencumbered by God's instruction in his word. If that's where you are this morning, repent of your sins and place your faith not in your own abilities to clean yourself up, you cannot, but place your faith in the one who offers you, even this morning, not merely forgiveness through his life, death, and resurrection, but who offers you righteousness. who offers you a right standing with the Father permanently that could never be taken away, and who offers you transformation of slowly and progressively bringing you into conformity to Jesus Christ. That's what we're offered in the gospel. Forgiveness, a right standing before God, A righteousness, as it were, that declares us righteous, God's verdict, but we're also offered in Jesus Christ as he continues to work in our lives, applied by the Spirit, authentic and genuine transformation. And all of that because of his mercy, because of his grace. If you'd like to talk more about this, we would love to visit with you after the service. So after the service, as you make your way out of one of these double doors behind you, take a left, and on the right-hand side out there is a room called Crossroads. Go to that room and have a conversation with one of our elders about what it means to trust in Jesus Christ. Perhaps you're wrestling through that this morning. We'd love to come alongside of you and you alongside of us. So, in addition to considering whether your life or your behavior distinguishes you from the world, second, and we'll close with this point, second, consider whether your hope distinguishes you from the world. Consider whether your hope distinguishes you from the world. So Paul was distinguished by his behavior. He was also distinguished by his beliefs. His beliefs in what or in whom? In Jesus Christ, of course, and in particular, the hope for the future resurrection of the body when Jesus Christ returns. The distinguishing hope of Christians is bodily resurrection from the dead when Jesus comes back. That's what we hope for. That's our hope. And what this means, by the way, is it means that we must guard against lesser hopes. Inferior hopes. Lesser hopes are not always bad hopes. They're just inferior. Okay? You can have a good hope, or a hope in a good thing, but it'd be inferior and inadequate. And we must identify these kinds of hopes throughout our life. We all, I think, struggle with this. I struggle with this, this week, probably. I need to be taught that my hope is not in this life. And certainly not in this bat. So what are some of these inferior hopes? There are inferior hopes in this life. For example, hope for prestige and the recognition by others. That's an inferior hope. When we hope for prestige or we hope for recognition by others, then we're going to work our way toward that recognition and prestige and presumably compromise. Hope for wealth in this life. Hope for wealth in this life, that's an inferior hope. a wealth that passes away. As the Lord Jesus says, do not lay up for yourselves or store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupt or thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt and thieves cannot break in and steal. In other words, set your hope on Jesus Christ, risen and ascended, who will someday return. Hope for comfort and peace in this life is an inferior hope. God never promises us this comfort and peace in this life. Hope for, how about this one? Hope for a happy and harmonious family. Is that a good hope? Sure it is. As a father, as a husband, I want a happy and harmonious household. And yet, it is an inferior hope. It can't be my final hope. It will never finally satisfy. It is not the purpose for which I exist and was created. And there's also, I'll add one more here, there's also an inferior hope in the life to come. And I hear this a lot among Christians. You'll hear it a lot in various songs and read it in theological literature. And here's the hope, hope of dying and going to heaven. Did you know that dying and going to heaven is an inferior hope? One theologian has said it this way, heaven is not my home, I'm just passing through. What did he mean by that? Heaven is that place where we exist in this intermediate state between death and final resurrection. It's good, it's better than our existence now according to Paul in Philippians chapter one, but it's not best. What's best according to scripture? Resurrection from the dead. And so again, dying and going to heaven is a good thing. It's a good thing, don't hear me say it's not. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and that is a wonderful thing. However, it's not the best thing. The best thing is not existing in heaven in some disembodied existence as spirits. No, no, the best thing is Jesus coming back to lay claim to everything, including these bodies. and raising these bodies out of corruptibility into incorruptibility, out of mortality into immortality. Arguably, the clearest and most extensive treatment of our future resurrection from the dead is 1 Corinthians 15. And the text wraps up with these words, and we'll use them, we'll use them as a landing this morning, okay? 1 Corinthians 15, verses 54 to 57. But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Paul continues, now the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege this morning of being in your word. for the reminder of who we are as followers of Christ, rescued, still sinful indeed, but being transformed, such that our behavior, we pray, even in some faint ways, would serve as a reflection of your holiness and our beliefs in Christ And in particular, our belief in the future return of Christ and the resurrection of the just in Christ. We would be, by it, we would be distinguished from the world around us. Father, do this work in us for your glory, for our eternal good. We pray this in the name of our Savior together. Amen.