ACTS 25

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ACTS 25…

Festus, the new governor of this region, was bent on hearing Paul’s defense in Caesarea. Note in verse 8…
8while Paul said in his own defense, "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." 9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?" 10But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11"If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar." 12Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go."

Festus was a different type from Felix. Felix was actually an enemy to the Jews and was more concerned about himself and his image than the people he governed. We know very little about Festus, but what we do know proves that he was a just and upright man. He died after only two years in office, but he died with an untainted name. The Jews tried to take advantage of him; they tried to persuade him to send for Paul to come to Jerusalem; for once again they had formed a plot to assassinate Paul on the way. But Festus was a Roman, with the Roman instinct for justice; and he told them to come to Caesarea and plead their case there. From Paul's answer we can deduce the malicious charges which they leveled against him.

Festus had no desire to get up against the Jews in the first days of his governorship and he offered a compromise. Was Paul, he asked, prepared to go to Jerusalem and stand his trial there while he stood by to see fair play? But Paul knew that for him there could be no such thing as fair play at Jerusalem and he took his great decision. If a Roman citizen felt he was not getting justice in a provincial court, he could appeal direct to the Emperor. Only if the man was a murderer, a pirate, or a bandit caught in the act, was the appeal invalid. In all other cases the local procedure had to be dispatched to Rome for the personal decision of the Emperor. When Paul uttered the fateful words, "I appeal to Caesar," Festus had no choice; and so Paul, in very different circumstances from those of which he had dreamed, had set his foot upon the first step of the road that led to Rome.
13Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. 14While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; 15and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16"I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17"So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18"When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting, 19but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20"Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. 21"But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar."

22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him." 23So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. 25"But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26"Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him."

Agrippa was king of a small part of Palestine, which included Galilee and Perea; but he knew quite well that he held even that limited realm by the grace of the Romans. They had put him there and they could just as easily remove him. It was therefore his custom to pay a courtesy visit to the Roman governor when he entered his province. Bernice was a sister of Drusilla, the wife of Felix, and she was also a sister of Agrippa himself. Festus, knowing that Agrippa had the most intimate knowledge of Jewish faith and practice, proposed to discuss Paul's case with him. He gave Agrippa a characteristically impartial review of the situation as it existed at that moment; and now the stage was set for Paul to plead his case and bear his witness before a king.

Festus had gotten himself into a difficulty. It was Roman law that if a man appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome there must be sent with him a written account of the case and of the charges against him. Festus' problem was that, as far as he could see, there was no charge to send. That’s why this meeting had been convened.

Into such a scene came Paul, the little Jewish tent-maker, with his hands in chains; and yet from the moment he speaks, it is Paul who holds the stage. When a man has Christ in his heart and God at his right hand he has the secret of power. Of whom then shall he be afraid?

I’m reminded of the scene where Jesus was sending out the 12 (Matthew 10) or the 72 (Luke 10) and He made it clear that they were to look for the leadership in a city and bring them the peace of God. He called them the “worthy” people—those who were interested. They were sent out to take the message of the Gospel—Jesus—to these cities. And, if these presumed “worthy” people rejected their message—were not interested anymore—then they were to shake the dust off their feet and move on. Then, Jesus makes an interesting statement in Matthew 10: 16"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17"But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19"But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20"For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

This is precisely what is happening here…Paul brought before governors and kings and about to speak, maybe his best message to the king in the next chapter.

The Spirit of God is still working in the same way today. When you are in a situation and you don’t know what to say, He will give you the words. This is a great evidence of God at work in you. Count on it next time you are caught in this kind of situation, where you know you must say something, yet you don’t have any idea of how to say it or what to say. Count on the Spirit of God to give you the words and then marvel over what you just said….

ACTS 24

ACTS 24…

After 5 days, the high priest, Anaias, came down to Caesarea and brought Paul’s case before the governor Felix. Their accusations were made up, for the most part, and in verse 5 the attorney Tertullius says…

5"For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6"And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7"But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, 8ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him." 9The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so. 10When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: "Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, 11since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12"Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. 13"Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. 14"But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; 15having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16"In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. 17"Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings; 18in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar But there were some Jews from Asia 19who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20"Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council, 21other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, 'For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'"

22But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case." 23Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him. 24But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened

NOTE that Paul was a real pest…a fellow who stirs up dissension among the religious Jews around the world…a ringleader of the group of the Nazarenes (named after Jesus of Nazareth)…he was considered a revolutionary!

But just being these things doesn’t qualify a person to be a REVOLUTIONARY in the sense of being a part of a movement of transformation. NOTE what else Paul uses to describe himself…

1. a servant of the God of our fathers…JUST AS THOSE JEWISH LEADERS VIEWED THEMSELVES.

2. believing all that is in accordance with the Law and the Prophets…JUST AS THESE LEADERS BELIEVED.

3. having a hope in God that there will be the resurrection someday…JUST AS THESE LEADERS HOPED IN THE RESURRECTION.

4. doing his best to maintain a good conscience before God and men…JUST AS THESE LEADERS WANT TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES.

So, what’s the difference here? Well, Paul is appealing to the hearts of his hearers. They have plenty of common ground to bind them together. They serve the same God. They believe in the same kind of practices that are righteous. They hoped in the same resurrection from the dead. They believed in keeping a good conscience before God and men.

The difference is in the reality of the experience. Paul didn’t just talk a good game, but he walked it, too. He really practiced these same things that they all taught and believed in. He was not a hearer of the word who deludes himself. A hearer who deludes himself is one who hears a truth, agrees with it and becomes all enthused about it, yet does nothing about it. Don’t be merely a hearer of the word, but BE A DOER OF THE WORD.

Jesus said, “A wise man is one who hears my word and practices it…a foolish man is one who hears my word and doesn’t practice it.” And then He said, “Just because you speak or perform miracles in my name, this doesn’t mean that you are genuine related to Me.” “But those who do my will are the ones who will enter the kingdom of heaven.” PAUL WAS A DOER…HE PRACTICED WHAT HE PREACHED! He was the real deal. And, when you are the real deal, religious people tend to get jealous and angry and want you removed in some form.

The simplest instruction I’ve ever heard is, “SEE WHAT JESUS SAID AND DID, THEN GO SAY IT AND DO IT!” That’s what it takes to be a revolutionary!

ACTS 23

ACTS 23…

NOTE 4 things God uses to accomplish what He wants in our lives…
FIRST—God uses your personal perception and knowledge.
1Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day." 2The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?" 4But the bystanders said, "Do you revile God's high priest?" 5And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.'" 6But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!" 7As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" 10And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
Paul was perceptive enough to see how to get the crowd side-tracked away from him. He did it by pulling the Pharisee card, so that they fought among themselves….

SECOND—God uses His more direct communication.
11But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, "Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also."
As you learn to walk with Jesus, it’s important to listen to His Spirit in you. Listen to those impressions and follow them as they flow…UNLESS they are illegal, immoral or fattening. As you make it a habit of trusting Jesus to lead out in your life, you’ll know what to do next….and not too far ahead of time.

THIRD—God uses your enemies.
12When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15"Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place."
16But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.

God used Paul’s enemies to get him to Caesarea safely. If they had not been so filled with rage in plotting to kill him, they wouldn’t have been found out by Paul’s nephew.

FOURTH—God uses officials and community leaders.

Throughout this scene in Jerusalem in the last chapter and in this one God uses the Roman Commander to protect Paul from the crowd, from those who were plotting to kill him, took him safely to Caesarea and presents Paul to governor Felix as a man falsely accused.

God has used non-believer leaders to accomplish His work—the King of Nineveh gathered the people to hear Jonah’s message. God has even used a donkey, when He was without a human willing to speak up.

Here’s the principle: GOD IS ALWAYS AT WORK TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE WANTS IN YOUR LIFE…AND HE IS NOT BOUND BY THE TOOLS HE WILL USE!

THE PERSON OF JESUS...Oswald Chambers

November 29, 2006—My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

He will glorify Me . . . —John 16:14

The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with "the blood of the Lamb" ( Revelation 12:11 ). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, "That is the work of God Almighty!" Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.

The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration— no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!

Jesus said, ". . . when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He will glorify Me . . ." (John 16:13-14 ). When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.

ACTS 22

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ACTS 22…

1"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you." 2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said, 3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. 4"I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. 6"But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 8"And I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.' 9"And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10"And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.' 11"But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. 12"A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13came to me, and standing near said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him. 14"And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15'For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' 17"It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18and I saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.' 19"And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. 20'And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.' 21"And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" 22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!"
The crowd listened to what Paul had to say, UNTIL he mentioned that God sent him to the Gentiles. Why is this? Why did this incense them so? I think this is all part of the human condition. It’s just human nature to…

1. Want to be right and all others are wrong…or more right than others…which places us above the others.
2. Want to have our own clique or club, separate from all others…feel threatened that others might be as IN as we are.
3. Want to denigrate or destroy those who are not on the inside with us…or, at least, we tend to be joyful over the “others” fall or difficulty or ruin.

5 observations:
FIRST—Religious systems produce piles of guilt. And what’s even more interesting is that the guilty have the urge to throw on more guilt on everyone else.
SECOND—Religious systems produce fear and insecurity. The religious mindset of “innies” and “outies” is filled with insecurity and fear.
THIRD—Religious systems produce angry people. There is nothing more ugly than an angry, passionate, religious person with a bible verse.
FOURTH—Religious systems are not so much about God as they are about ME, MYSELF and MINE.
FIFTH—Religious systems leave the residue of shame on all who participate.

I keep defining religion as man’s best attempt to avoid going to hell, but religious systems are hell.
A relationship with God says, “I’ve been to hell and don’t want to go back!” This relationship with God is a taste of heaven while going through your hells.

The crowd was firmly implanted, and even stuck, in their religious comfort levels, which emerges from a belief that God is exclusive. It’s a WE-FOUR-AND-NO-MORE approach to life. It’s ugly and a massive turn-off! Paul was speaking from the reference point of a relationship with God, which is all-inclusive…for anyone who is interested. RELIGION ALWAYS DIVIDES…JESUS ALWAYS UNITES…Try it out and see for yourself!