Through The Bible - Acts 24-25 - Part 3

Brett Meador: Paul's happiness and his joy wasn't dictated by his circumstances. Paul's happy, I believe, because he knows he's doing the work of the Lord.
Guest (Male): Pastor Brett Metter offers Paul's positive example for an adverse situation.
Brett Meador: The mature Christian is not going to let their circumstances dictate whether they're happy or sad. I know that's easier said than done. You might be in a miserable situation right now. I hope you can learn from Paul. Don't let your circumstances dictate your joy. Your joy comes from the person Jesus Christ. We have eternal hope in Christ and we can put our trust in him.
Guest (Male): Paul's courtroom saga continued in Acts 24 and 25 as his accusers presented their case using misinformation and flowery flattery in an attempt to defeat Paul once and for all. Though the ongoing indecision sets Paul on a course to stand before Caesar, Pastor Brett Metter reflects on Paul's determination in today's word to remain faithful to the Lord through it all.
Brett Meador: Acts chapter 24. Largely, the Jews in Jerusalem for the most part were the religious leaders were very much against Paul. If you remember, the Roman chief captain Claudius Lysias takes Paul into custody for his own protection because the Jews were going to tear him apart. But if you remember, it got so hot there for Paul in Jerusalem that Claudius Lysias took 470 soldiers and escorted Paul to Caesarea and really puts him before the top chief Roman official Felix. You know, the Jews are accusing him, Paul, and Felix kind of wants to know what the story is. And so Paul's been there for several days now in Caesarea waiting for a sort of a pre-trial and we pick it up in verse 1 of chapter 24. And after 5 days, Ananias, the high priest, descended with the elders and with a certain orator named Tertullus who informed the governor against Paul. Cuz Tertullus, who's basically an orator, some would call him an attorney or a lawyer. He's a silver-tongued, fanciful speaker, kind of a character this Tertullus. Verse 5 it says, for we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Okay. Now, if you know the story so far, Paul was not doing any of these things. In fact, everything that this Tertullus guy says is really false and it's a mischaracterization of everything. And so now we pick it up in verse 10. Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, for as much as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. I'm really happy to answer your question. That's what he says. Paul goes on verse 11, because that thou mayest understand that there are yet but 12 days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues nor in the city. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. He's saying, man, I was there peacefully and there's no evidence to say otherwise. That's what he's saying. Verse 14. But this I confess unto thee that after the way, that's the Christians according to Paul's way of after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow that there shall be both a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. Now, Paul it sounds like he's starting to preach here and he kind of is, but there's a bunch of really cool things that he's talking about here. He's basically saying none of that is true, but here's what is true. And Paul says, number one, I declare myself a Christian. We would say that today. But he says I I declare myself part of the way after which they, the Jews, call heresy. But that's who I worship. I worship the God of the way. Paul is not ashamed to be associated with believers in Christ. That's important. Number two, he said I believe in the whole Bible in so many words. He said believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets, which was the written word at that time. And that too, don't be afraid to not only say I am a Christian, but I believe the whole Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And then number three, he says I believe in the resurrection. He says here in verse 15, and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. So no matter who you are, you're going to resurrect. The question is, are you going to resurrect unto eternal life? That means you're saved, Christian, follower of Jesus. Or are you going to resurrect unto death? That means you've rejected Jesus is dying on the cross and you're on your own and you'll be judged according to your sins and end up in hell. This is important. Paul clearly believed in the resurrection for both the righteous and the unrighteous. Verse 22. You know, this is interesting that Felix says, we're going to hear more about this later, but we know something about him now that's interesting that he has a more perfect knowledge of that way. The idea is he already has a pretty good understanding of what the Christian church is. And because of that, he 's not just quick to judge Paul, which is kind of interesting, but instead he defers. He says I'm going to defer and when Lysias, remember Claudius Lysias, we'll have him come down from Jerusalem and speak into this and then I 'll know the deeper issues of the matter. Verse 23. And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. So this is Paul probably sort of being followed around by a Roman soldier, but had freedom to move around. And also Christians could come and minister to him, which is even the language of the sort of the the King James here. But basically number one here, Felix is avoiding making a legal decision. Now, one of the things that noticed that Felix reminds me of is Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate with Jesus knew that Jesus was innocent. He said it over and over, I find no fault in this man. But being afraid of the people, the fear of man is a snare, the Bible says. And that's the way Pontius rolled. And it seems that Felix had a similar you know, he knew Paul was innocent. You could just tell this. And he holds him just to make the Jews happy and try to appease them. So what are we going to do now that Festus is on board? Well, verse 1 of chapter 25 it says now when Festus was come into the province after 3 days, he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Verse 2. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him and desired favor against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem laying weight in the way to kill him. Do you wonder if these 40 guys that made their dumb vow to not eat or drink, they're like it's been 2 years. Like I'm pretty sure they had some food. But it might just be the same guys. Okay, get them to come up to Jerusalem and and then they'll lie and wait between Jerusalem and Caesarea and they'll take him when he's traveling. That was their plan. But Festus is not going to be tricked. He says, let them therefore he said he which among you are able go down with me and accuse this man if there be any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than 10 days, he went down to Caesarea and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. So basically Festus said, okay, we'll start it all over again. We'll have another trial, but it's going to be in Caesarea, not in Jerusalem. Verse 7. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood roundabout and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul which they could not prove. Same thing that happened before, false accusations, nothing provable, same song, different verse. The Jews just don't have a good case here. Verse 8. While he answered for himself, neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple nor yet against Caesar have I offended anything at all, Paul says. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul and said, wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat where I ought to be judged. The Jews, have I done no wrong as thou very well knowest. Boy, that's bold. Paul says right to Festus, you know good right and well that I've done nothing wrong. Paul goes on and says, for if I be an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Remember Paul's a Roman citizen. And it's interesting because when a Roman citizen's been in an extensive trials already like Paul, which she's already been 2 years of trials, he says I appeal to Caesar and by law he had to be taken to Rome and be seen by Caesar. So who was Caesar at this time? Well, we know him as Nero. We'll get more into that in a second. But Paul appealed specifically to Caesar Nero who was later, of course, notorious as a very huge enemy of Christians. Now, one thing that we might consider though, if you know your history of Caesar Nero, Nero was is wacko and crazy as a leader ever was. But some historians make a big argument that is noteworthy that Caesar was actually not wacko in his earlier first few years of reign. In fact, the first 5 years of Caesar Nero's reign under the influence of good men around him, this is the way history writes it, not the Bible. But apparently Nero had some good solid men around him that kept him solid and he was regarded in his first 5 years as wise and just which is kind of a shocker if you know the history of Nero cuz some argue that once he met Paul and Paul preached the gospel that somewhere along that process that Caesar literally was like either A went completely mentally insane rejecting Paul's gospel and literally lost his mind. Or even I've heard stories and thoughts of maybe he would became possessed with a demonic spirit. There's all kinds of speculation there. We don't know for sure. So we don't know what Paul was thinking. I I don't think Paul necessarily had the evidence that Caesar Nero was this crazy as he would eventually be. But there's a interesting response verse 12. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, hast thou appealed unto Caesar? Unto Caesar thou shalt go. Like I think do you get a sense of Festus is like awesome. It's out of my hands now, you know, like whatever. I I don't want to deal with this. It's it's obviously the hot potato. Paul is a guy that's caused riots. According to these guys, they're worried about Paul and people hate him and the Romans were trying to to calm things down in that part of the world. So they're like, yeah, you appeal to Caesar, then to Caesar you will go. You know, and it's almost like you get a sense be careful what you wish for there, Paul. Well, verse 13 picks it up. After certain days, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to salute Festus. Now, this is interesting. Who are Agrippa and Bernice? Well, they enter into the story. We're going to talk more about them in later studies. But Agrippa, this is Agrippa the Second. We've seen him already. His grandfather was Herod the Great. I think it's helpful to know these people are all interconnected. His grandfather was Herod the Great. So his father was Herod Agrippa the First. Do you remember his dad was the one who beheaded John the Baptist and was also eaten by worms in Acts chapter 12 if you recall. That was Agrippa the First. This is the son of that guy. But he's going to rise more in power and eventually be the king of this whole region, this Agrippa the Second guy. So to keep everything straight, let me give you a little quick family tree. You got Herod the Great, the one that murdered all the babies when Jesus was born. You know, Herod Agrippa the First was the son of Herod the Great and then Herod Agrippa the Second was the grandson of Herod the Great. But this is all about when Paul was in Caesarea and now he's going to stand before not only you know, Felix, but also Festus now and Bernice and Herod Agrippa the Second. So this is becoming a big deal. Paul's appealing to Caesar. And so this is starting to become like a not only a national incident, but an international incident. It's going to reach all the way into Rome. This is a big deal. I think we still think of him as just little Paul the apostle in trouble in Caesarea, but this is becoming a big situation. Well, we pick it up in verse 14. It says there, and when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king saying, there is a certain man left in bonds by Felix about whom when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews informed me desiring to have judgment against him to whom I answered, it is not by the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die before that which he is accused has the accusers face to face and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against them. So this is Festus talking to Herod Agrippa the Second and his wife and his sister Bernice. And he said, I got a problem here and it's because these Jews are accusing but they don't have a great case. I don't know what to do. Verse 17. Therefore when they were come hither without any delay on the morrow, I sat on the judgment seat and commanded that this man be brought forth against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things that I supposed but had certain questions against him of their own superstition. And one of Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. So that's something we know that already Festus heard from Paul that Jesus was the resurrected savior, which is kind of interesting. Verse 20. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved under the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. So so what's going on now? You might be confused because they're talking about sending him to Caesar Augustus. That's aka Caesar Nero. We'll share more about that later. But basically Agrippa wants to hear from Paul himself. That's kind of what he's saying. So verse 23, on the morrow when Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pomp. Pomp is a great word in the Greek. The Greek word's fantasia. Great fantasia. What is that? It means a showy appearance, a vain show and a display. So here comes Festus and Bernice and Agrippa the Second and their pomp and all their royalty, you know, like they're they're making a big show of this it says. So they show up in their fanciness. And then middle of verse 23 and was entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal men of the city at Festus's commandment, Paul was brought forth. Caesarea, it's one of the greatest visits. When when you go with me to Israel, one of my favorite spots is to go to Caesarea Maritima. And I've been going there since 1996 and boy, what they've unearthed from 1996 to today, it's incredible. When I first used to go there, they basically was this big huge theater that they unearthed and archaeological digs and they sort of have built up the way it fell down. They built it all back up and it 's an impressive theater. And then since I've been going there since 1996, they found a hippodrome. Remember the movie Ben-Hur and the chariot race scene and it's this big oblong chariot race lap. Those are called hippodromes and it's just like the one in Ben-Hur. It's like an oblong chariot race track and they would also use it for battles and gladiators and stuff. They called those arenas, by the way. Does anybody know what the word arena the word means or comes from? Sand. It's from sand. Now, you say why do they have sand when they say it's arena, sand? The answer in the arena is they had sand in the base of the arena so that when the people were killed and died and blood was spilling, the sand would just soak it all up and it it wouldn't no mess to clean up. That's why they call it the arena. So next time you're in an arena, think about that. It's mean sand from the original languages. Now, so here Paul is now most likely most believe Paul is standing in the theater of Caesarea. And we I have done Bible studies right where Paul was standing. It's really an amazing place to be, but they they believe that the whole city probably came out for this trial, especially because Agrippa the Second and Bernice are there and great pomp or fantasia there flashy and it's a big deal. And you know, this here's a nobody, little Paul being faced by all this pomp and royalty. It's quite the opposite. Do you remember 2 Corinthians 10:10 where it says, for Paul's letters say they they are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech is contemptible. What did they say of Paul? They said he might sound impressive when he writes a letter, but he's just a little wimpy, a little squeaky-voiced guy. That's kind of a funny description of Paul. I've seen people that do that with emails and text messages and social media. They're mighty at the keyboard, but little pipsqueaks in real life. I've noticed that's a real thing. But Paul is being accused of that. But here is little Paul, bald, hooked nose, short little guy with weepy eyes. And he's standing before all this pomp. You got to get into the scene here. Verse 24 says, and Festus said, King Agrippa and all men which are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me both at Jerusalem and also here crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my Lord wherever I have brought him forth before you and and especially before thee, oh King Agrippa, that after examination I might have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not with all to signify the crimes laid against him. Festus says, I'm in a predicament and I need help from you, you know, Agrippa and Bernice. My problem is nobody's given any legitimate accusations and they have zero proof. And yet now this knucklehead has appealed to Caesar. And I got to send him, but I don't have anything to send him with. Like what is the accusation? He's in a real predicament because remember we're talking about Caesar Nero. And if you know, Festus sends Paul to Nero with no explanation, that's not going to go well for Festus. Might not even go well for Herod Agrippa the Second and Bernice. So they need to figure this out. They're in a predicament. Now, let's just do a sneak preview into the next couple verses, okay? It says, I love this. So verse 1 of 26 it says, then Agrippa said unto Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand and answered for himself, I think myself happy. Now, we'll we're going to end there because I can't think of a more unhappy situation. I mean, Paul, what is Paul's deal? Is he wacko? Or does he know something? You see, Paul is a guy. I think he did deal with disappointment and discouragement. But Paul he knows that he's got a job to do and he thinks himself happy here. Why? And he's going to help them with a narrative. Like Paul saying, he puts up his hand and says, chill out, guys. Let me give you a hand here. No problema. I'll help you out with this one. Like what an amazing guy Paul is, but it's because Paul is determined to go to Rome because the Lord already revealed that he's going to go to Rome. So Paul's like, let's get this going. I don't want to wait here any longer. Let's let's go to Rome, get some business done. But Paul, you and I can be really thankful. Paul's happy, I believe, because he knows he's doing the work of the Lord. And Paul's happiness and his joy wasn't dictated by his circumstances. His joy was dictated by a person. Can I remind you, the mature Christian is not going to let their circumstances dictate whether they're happy or sad. I know that's easier said than done. You might be in a miserable situation right now. You might have sickness or people that hate you or relationships that have gone bad or a person that dumped you or maybe your your job's on the line or maybe you're just in a bad situation and you're like, well, it's easy for you to say, bro. Yeah, but I think we all go through times where we feel like, what am I doing here? And you're just a little squeaky-voiced Paul standing in front of a bunch of pomp and and royalty. And you're like, man, what am I doing? I hope you can learn from Paul. Don't let your your circumstances dictate your joy. Your joy comes from the person Jesus Christ. We're going to heaven. We have eternal hope in Christ and we can put our trust in him.
Guest (Male): As our verse-by-verse account of Paul's enduring, unfair, difficult circumstances, Pastor Brett Metter offers the encouragement we receive from his example of the hope and trust in the Lord from today's word. And to conclude the message today, Pastor Brett will also be offering up a closing prayer in just a moment. So I hope you'll stick around for that. But first, Brett Metter is the senior pastor of Athey Creek Church just outside of Portland, Oregon. Each episode of Today's Word serves to enrich your understanding of God's word and support your ongoing spiritual journey. If you've missed any portion of our time today, you'll find all of Pastor Brett's studies online at todayswordradio.com. That's todayswordradio.com. Also want to mention that if you'd like to share your story of how God has changed your life through these verse-by-verse messages, you can email us at info at todayswordradio.com. That's info at todayswordradio.com. We'll now I invite you to bow your head for a closing prayer of encouragement with Pastor Brett Metter.
Brett Meador: Lord, we are thankful once again. What a great story. Pretty radical situation Paul finds himself in. Most would see it as a very doomed situation. But we know Paul is going to turn the whole world upside down by spreading the gospel all the way to Rome and then ultimately, Lord, it would make its way from Rome to the uttermost parts of the world. And how thankful we are for that, Lord. The spreading of the gospel and the joy that Paul had. May we have that same joy even if we suffer while we're trying to share the gospel. I pray that we would have joy knowing that we are giving people the good news of the gospel. Lord, help us to not be into flattery using it or receiving it. Help us to be level-minded like Paul was in his in his dealings with the government of that time. I pray that we would deal with it wisely even as Paul does in this story. I pray that Paul's faithfulness and his stick-to-it-iveness would rub off on us as we read through this story. May it bring forth good fruit in Jesus's name. Amen.
Guest (Male): Amen. Pastor Brett Metter at the close of our program here on Today's Word. And that's all the time we have. Next time, Pastor Brett will continue in the Book of Acts and we'll see the apostle Paul confronting a king who was unwilling to leave his lifestyle behind, including one particularly alarming sin. Today's Word with Pastor Brett Metter is an outreach of Athey Creek Church in West Linn, Oregon.