Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Acts 23:23-24 Then he [the commander] called two of his centurions and ordered them, "Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix."
KIDNAPPED!
While Paul was in the protective custody of the Commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem, a plot to murder the Apostle was uncovered. The Roman Commander took his responsibility seriously, especially since Paul was a Roman citizen, and used his troops to move Paul swiftly to safety under the cover of darkness.
Some 14 centuries later in Germany, Frederick the Wise of Saxony took extraordinary steps to see to the safety of a monk who, as a citizen and professor at the Prince's university, was under his protection. After Martin Luther took his stand on the Word of God at the Diet in the city of Worms, Emperor Charles V declared him an outlaw. Anyone killing Luther would thus not be committing murder, but carrying out the Emperor's will. Prince Frederick was not going to let that happen.
As Luther traveled by horse-cart through the Thuringian forest near Eisenach, three armed knights came out of the woods and forcibly carried him off. Like Paul, Luther was placed on a waiting mount and miles later, under cover of darkness, brought into the safety of a massive fortress--Wartburg Castle.
In both of these cases God used men in positions of government authority to protect a messenger of the Gospel of Christ. In both cases Jesus fulfilled the promise He made when he sent Christ-believers everywhere out into the world with the message of forgiveness and life in Jesus' name.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20).
This same promise Jesus has made to you and me. What He did for the Apostle Paul and Martin Luther Jesus will do for us. Christ may not use armed troops, kidnapping or night-time horse-rides, but as we take the Gospel to sinners in need, God may well use people in authority to protect us. After all, He put them there-- and it's His Gospel message.
