Episode 12: KILL THE BEAST
August 13, 2023

All verses are in the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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We open today with “The Mob Song” from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Or as I grew up calling it:

Kill the Beast.

In this scene, the villian Gaston, who has been publicly humiliated by Belle rallies the townspeople to Kill the Beast.

My bold claim: The greatest threat facing the modern world is what happens in this scene from Beauty and the Beast.

A process I am calling “Kill the Beast.”

In todays story: Paul is hunted by a bloodthirsty mob.

• Paul has finished his successful missionary efforts in Ephesus and throughout the Provence of Asia.
• Paul has come to Jerusalem at God’s command.
• Paul learns of rumors circulating about him.
• He goes to the temple for purification and is falsely accused by men from the Provence of Asia and arrested.

This week is the beginning of the story of his trial, and it is completely unjust.
1. Paul says one sentence in his trial and the High Priest orders him struck.
2. When Paul calls out this injustice, they turn it around on him and get him for insulting the High Priest.
3. When they don’t kill him that day, 40 men make a death-pact, not to eat or drink until Paul is dead.
4. When Paul escapes that, they pursue him hundreds of miles, then lie about him in court.
5. When that doesn’t work, they use political influence to keep him in prison without trial.

God’s tribunal of justice becomes a kangaroo court of injustice - or an 18th Century provincial town becomes a murderous mob.

We need to understand how this happens and how to avoid it.

11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. —2 Corinthians 2:11

Kill the Beast is a classic scheme of Satan we all need to be aware of.

What is “Kill the Beast?”

1. Outrage leads to dehumanization of a person (they become the beast).

2. The idea of them as beast is spread from one person to another until we have “the mob.”

3. We “kill the beast,” and spur each other to do so.

Clarifying Point: Not every crowd is a mob.

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In this image, Dr. Martin Luther King stands in front of a crowd of 250,000 people and delivers his famous “I have a dream” speech. On this day, no one was killed, no violence was done. There are no torches or pitchforks. This is not a mob, it is a crowd for two reasons:
1. The crowd does not choose a person to dehumanize as the beast, but fights against the concept of segregation itself.
2. The crowd does not give itself permission to do evil in order to “kill the beast.”

How to avoid “Kill the Beast.”

This story goes so perfectly wrong that we can use the Sanhedrin in this story as a counter-example. What we see them do, we are called to do the opposite.

1. Avoid gossip.
They: Pass around false stories about Paul.

Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. —Acts 22:22-24

We: Are responsible for the truthfulness of all our words, even if we heard them somewhere else.

Consider this meme showing Joel Osteen next to a $325,000 Ferrari he drove to church in a show of wealth. Only it isn’t true. Joel Osteen doesn’t own a Ferrari and the image is from a Flickr message board of exotic cars from 2010.

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2. Withhold immediate judgement.
They: Strike Paul before convicting.

And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. —Acts 23:1-2

We: Are called to withhold judgement until we have all the facts.

the one who states his case first seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. —Proverbs 18:17

3. Assume the best.
They: Hear Pauls words through a “beast” lens.

3 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 to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” —Acts 23:3-5

We: Are called to be slow to anger, quick to forgive.

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. —Proverbs 19:11

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. —Colossians 3:13 NLT

4. Flee from malice.
They: Were willing to hurt themselves if it meant hurting Paul.

12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. —Acts 23:12-13

We: Must be willing to sacrifice if it means loving our enemies.

How to respond if you become “the beast.”

1. Recognize that you have become “the beast” in their eyes.

3 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 to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” —Acts 23:3-5

2. Be shrewd as a serpent and remain innocent as a dove.

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. —Matthew 10:16-18

3. Understand your accusers worldview.
Paul understands the views of and relationship between Pharisees and Sadducees. He also understands the political situation between Rome and Judea. He uses this understanding to be both shrewd and innocent.

4. Remain objective and tell the truth.

Paul focuses on the facts – no character accusations this time.
a. I’ve only been in the country for 12 days.
b. I came to bring my alms to the temple.
c. There are no eye-witnesses to this “riot” I allegedly started.
d. My original accusers are also not here. All second-hand.

5. Trust our appeal to a Higher Authority.