Standing Tall Acts 25:1-27 Message 10 in our 14-part series on the Acts of the Apostles. Sunday, September 7, 2014 Speaker: Phil Hainaut

1) The assassination is plotted (v.1-5) (v.1) Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. (v.2) The chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. (v.3) They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.

Principle #1: Religious people and systems are haters of the truth John 3:17-21 “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

John 15:18-25 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world… That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also… They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me… As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ ”

Principle #2: A godly life is a rebuke to the ungodly world Principle #3: Sin enslaves Romans 6:16 “You are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness”

(vs. 4, 5) Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.” Principle #4: God is sovereign in human affairs and ordains things according to His purposes.

John 19:8-11 “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”

Acts 2:22, 23 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”

Daniel 4:24, 25 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

2. The accusation is presented (v.6, 7) (v.6) “After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.” (v. 7) “When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.”

The accusations (Acts 24:5, 6) 1)Insurrection: “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world.” 2) Heresy: “He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.” 3) Sacrilege: “He even tried to desecrate the temple.”

Principle #5: The world typically accuses Christians falsely and for Christ’s sake Matthew 5:10, 11 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

1 Peter 3:14-17 “If you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed... Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

3. The absence of proof (vs.7-11) (v. 7b) “They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.” Principle #6: A blameless life has a powerful effect on the world

1 Peter 3:14-17 “If you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But…” 1) Have godly actions: “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord” 2) Have godly words: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” 3) Have godly thoughts: “…keeping a clear conscience” “…so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Principle #7: Christianity is not about physical revolutions 1 Peter 2:12-15 “ Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”

(v.8) “Then Paul made his defense: ‘I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”’ (v. 9) “Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?’”

(v. 10, 11) “Paul answered: ‘I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!’”

4. The appeal proposed (v.11b) “I appeal to Caesar!” (23:11) “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

Principle #8: Committed Christians should be courageous (v. 12) “After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: ‘You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!’” Principle #9: Christians should put themselves in the hands of government because government is God’s institution

Romans 13:1, 2 “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

Paul before Agrippa (vs.13-27) 1.The consultation regarding Paul's testimony (v. 13) “A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.”

(v. 13) “A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea” (v. 23) “The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room.” (26:30) “The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice.” Principle # 10: Sin clings to us and taints our moral character

(vs. 14a) “Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king.” (26:3) “…you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies.” (vs.14b-21) He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.

When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

(v. 22) “ Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear this man myself.’ He replied, ‘Tomorrow you will hear him.’” 2. The circumstances of Paul’s testimony (vs.23-27) (23a) says: “The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city.”

(vs. 23b, 24a) “At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Festus said: ‘King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man!’” Principle # 11: God’s value system when evaluating a person is very different than that of the world

(vs. 24b-27) “The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”

Principle # 12: Because of his faith in a Sovereign God, a Christian uses every opportunity, no matter how difficult, to be a witness for Christ (1 Peter 3:15) says: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (2 Timothy 4:2) “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season”

1.Religious people and systems are haters of the truth 2.A godly life is a rebuke to the ungodly world 3.Sin enslaves 4.God is sovereign in human affairs and ordains things according to His purposes 5.The world typically accuses Christians falsely and for Christ’s sake 6.A blameless life has a powerful effect on the world 7.Christianity is not about physical revolutions

8.Committed Christians should be courageous 9.Christians should put themselves in the hands of government because government is God’s institution 10.Sin clings to us and taints our moral character 11.God’s value system when evaluating a person is very different than that of the world 12.Because of his faith in a Sovereign God, a Christian uses every opportunity, no matter how difficult, to be a witness for Christ