Ebenezer – Acts 26:19-23

In one of the darker days of the history of Israel, the Ark of the Covenant was lost to the Philistines.

That loss was due to the sin and superstition of people who should have known better.

But as a result, both the Philistines and the Israelites learned some important lessons.

Please turn to I Samuel 7.

After the return of the Ark, the Lord once again demonstrated to Israel His grace and omnipotence.

Let’s begin reading with verse 3:

“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar. Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”

I know that the Bible often uses the terminology, and that it is perfectly good theology, but it seems kind of paradoxical to me that the Lord should be helping the people who are supposed to be His servants.

This would never happen in an old English manor.

But we hear it promised, and we see historical statements about throughout the Bible

Isn’t “Ebenezer” one of the truly great Biblical words?

“Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”)

This afternoon’s message will be primarily review, but hopefully with a pointed application.

As Paul stood before Agrippa he declared, “I have received God’s help unto this day.”

This was just after he said that the Jews had been going about to try to kill him.

But this statement was about more than just the Jews.

And it was more than just protection from his enemies.

The word translated “help” in this verse is unique – it’s found only one time in the Bible.

It’s a perfectly good translation.

But unlike some of the other Greek words translated “help,”

this one doesn’t emphasizes the kind of help being given but the One Who is helping.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary says that “epikouria” strictly denotes such as is rendered by an “epikourios,” an ally, an auxiliary.

Paul was not saying, “I was DELIVERED from my enemies,” or “I was HELPED to preach the gospel.”

He was saying “THE LORD saved me; GOD assisted me.”

Paul was saying, “The God, Whom the Jews say I am blaspheming, has been my ally throughout the years since I began serving Him.”

Christians today need to see this subtle difference in emphasis.

We tend to focus on the fact that we were healed of this disease, or we were delivered from that problem..

But what Paul did, and what we should do, is focus our attention on the Deliverer not the deliverance.

Our prayers should not so much be for God’s assistance, but God’s glory.

I’m not saying that it’s wrong to pray for deliverance and assistance,

but even when it appears that we aren’t helped and we aren’t delivered,

our praise and thanksgiving should still be in the Lord.

As we think back on Paul’s ministry, it’s interesting to notice that in over half the cities where he preached,

the direct assistance of God was clearly seen in one way or another.

Either he or his co-workers were spared from death,

or God miraculously blessed their preaching or gave them the opportunity to preach.

Much earlier, when he was writing to the Corinthians Paul said,

“And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.”

And to Timothy, who knew about Paul’s sufferings first hand he wrote: “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.”

As the Psalmist sang, “O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.”

Ebenezer.

Let’s make a quick survey of Paul’s ministry, keeping “Ebenezer” in mind.

We have the first account of Paul’s salvation in Acts 9.

Please turn to Acts 9:19:

“And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.”

So at the first place that he ever tried to preach Christ, the Jews tried to kill him, but God delivered him.

From Damascus he went to Jerusalem – Acts 9:

“And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.”

Paul’s first stop on his First Missionary journey was the island of Cyprus – Acts 13:4-12:

“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”

In this case Paul and Barnabas were not delivered from attack, but were given unprecedented liberty to preach to the most important man in the country.

Then they crossed over into Pisidia – Acts 13:42-52:

“And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”

In Iconium the persecution continued. Acts 14:1-7: “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about.”

And what happened in Lystra? Acts 14:19-23:

“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

As the First Missionary Journey wound down the missionaries retraced their steps through the cities where they had been persecuted but the Lord protected them.

And as Paul started his second expedition, he and Silas again visited many of those same cities, without serious incident, by the grace of God.

But eventually they came to Philippi.

I hope that the history of the events in Philippi are so-well known that I don’t have to read Acts 16.

Paul healed a demon possessed woman; was arrested and beaten for it.

He and Silas were locked into stocks with their wounds still bleeding.

But God sent an earthquake which should have killed everyone in the prison, yet no one died.

Eventually the missionaries were released, and a church in Philippi was begun.

As the missionaries traveled south, they were attacked, or there were plots against them in every community.

Acts 17:1 – “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.”

After he reached Athens, Paul was given again given unprecedented opportunity to preach Christ

From Athens he went to Corinth where he had a lengthy ministry, but not without difficulty.

Acts 18:5 – “And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment seat.”

Eventually Paul began a successful ministry in Ephesus,

but which nearly cost him his life and the lives of some of his co-workers.

There was a city-wide riot against the Christians there.

And then we come back to Jerusalem.

Not only was Paul almost, but not quite, killed on the grounds of the temple,

but when he was brought into the council chamber the next day,

the dignified members of the Sanhedrin tried to pull him limb from limb.

And yet through it all he had “obtained help of God.”

By the grace and power of God, Paul and the other missionaries were delivered from hateful Jews, and hurtful Gentiles.

Not only that, but God opened unheard of doors, for the preaching of the gospel.

When Paul said to Agrippa “having therefore obtained help of God, I continue to this day,” we was grossly understating the Lord’s help.

And all of it was according to the promise of the Lord similar to that which he received in Corinth:

“Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.”

I’ll close with one interesting little tidbit.

“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”

The words “I continue” are grammatically just the opposite to “help.”

“Histemi (his’-tay-mee) are not in the least rare, but the translation definitely is.

This word is found 158 times in the Greek New Testament and nearly 80% of the time it is translated “stand” in one form or another.

In other words Paul didn’t just make it through the fight on wobbly legs, cuts over both eyes and blood all down his shirt.

He passed through those fights virtually unscathed – standing and ready to take on the next fight, if his Manager called for one.

The point of all this is that even though the details may change, the theme is basically the same for us.

We have an Helper, who cannot be defeated.

And when we have undefeatable Assistant, then we cannot be defeated either.

We “can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us.”

But let’s not forget the Source of our strength

And let’s not forget the reason that we have been strengthened.

“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day,

witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”