Study on Acts 25 — Atlee Yoder

Praise the Lord. It is very good to be here. Just want to Greet you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There's just so much in that that We just we just can rejoice in. A little verse that came through my mind this morning a lot was Psalms.

I like that Psalm that says oh if I can quote it now, it's Because you have been my help. I will I Will rejoice in the shadow of your wings and it just forms this picture of a brooding hen. You know with her chiclets Chickens and That's where we need to be found.

That's where Probably many a times the Lord clucks like a chicken to get us back and we need to be tuned to hear that cluck. Anyhow if we're under that wing then and we are We are protected. Another verse while Rob was speaking.

I I was just really Blessed with verse somewhere in John where it talks about These things that speak unto you. That that you that you shall have peace in the world you have tribulations. But I have overcome the world and that's yet another thing that we can just rejoice in.

Rejoice under the shadow of his wings and many other countless things just kind of fit that whole pattern of God being good and how that. All just some little thoughts of how they're in John it says the gospel of John Soon after it starts in it says that the law came through Moses, but grace and truth came came through Jesus Christ and I just had to ponder on that a bit how.

If we read into it a little bit it seems like the law was missing this grace and truth. The intent of the law was good, but how it worked itself out throughout generations. It seemed like Grace and truth just somehow lacked there.

But not so with the Lord Jesus like He brought us grace and truth. That's rejoicing that The world goes on it has its its things that it Rejoices in it's short-lived. There's a destination for those kind of pleasure rejoicings.

No, I think what we're talking about here is Something that we have we have a faith in we have a hope for. The things that it cannot be seen necessarily, but we still hope for it. And in that way our rejoicing is very different in the world the world will always have tribulation.

They will always have the woe is me. The Here I am again stuck or something something like that just You name it the turkeys die the chickens get sick. But just that's how it goes. But that happens to the Christians too.

Paul’s Clear Conscience Before God

It's it's it's the attitude we have when those things come that Put us in that different in that different category in the kingdom of God. So well, I Guess I'll do another little lesson on acts. We're getting back there towards the end and I just want to Keep pointing out some things that are of interest to me and that stand out to me and I Think they do to you all as well the other little thing I had spoken up with in my living room and it's recorded and stuff and it Didn't know for sure how good it came out and stuff.

But just some thoughts in review. I I just really I It seems like I can read through the acts Here and find new things about all the time and just things to to meditate on that are good things to question myself in see if I'm right and The first thing would be and if y 'all want to page to acts 23 I'll just read verse My main my main chapters are 25 and 26.

That's where I'm going. But just in review a few things there. It says Paul earnestly beholden to counsel said men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And it was then that the high priest got really upset and and smitten on the on his mouth.

I Think Paul was saying this with a true sincere honest heart. He had a good conscience before God. He Had not acted out of deceit or or vain or or any way that was was crafty. But but the accusations against him we're not so the accusations against him.

Maybe we'll read it today. We're like He is he is the leader of a cult. He is a part of the ring. He is a ringleader of a cult. He profanes the temple Notorious man like they they were after him in a in a bad way but through all that Paul still he just he just Knew he had a clear conscience before God.

And so I want to touch on a few verses that relate to that and The first one I'll go to 1st Timothy 1 this is again Paul speaking about having a clear conscience. 1st Timothy 1 18. This charge I commit unto thee son Timothy according to the prophecy which went before on thee.

That thou by them mightest worry good warfare. Holding fat holding faith and good conscience, which some having put away concerning faith have been have made shipwreck and. Then he gets specific and he says Who is Hymenaeus and Alexandria whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Still it's specific in who it was. But what actually happened? I don't I don't really know some kind of act of blasphemy. They probably were crafty they probably were deceitful in their handlings of facts their handlings of.

You know trying to maybe Manipulate or pull pull people to themselves away from Paul is what I am suspicious of and that was called Blaspheming an Act worthy to be delivered unto Satan and and so Paul here was encouraging Timothy to hold hold the faith.

Seems like somewhere else. He said something about holding the mystery of a faith holding them the mystery of faith in a clear conscience someone has that reference, I think we're I Think it's right in here to somewhere if I remember right first Timothy 6 Holding to the mystery of faith with a with a clear conscience that word is it's somewhere in there.

It's what it says and and so it's yet another Another thing that Paul said, you know, that's an important ingredient for our Christian walk and I Want that I think we should all desire that and I Confident that y 'all do desire that.

Honesty and Rejecting Deceitful Handling of Scripture

This is what this is what the Apostle Paul had and he professed it before. The high priest and the council there and he got smit on his mouth. Second Corinthians 4. It's another good verse to go to for that second Corinthians 4 verse 2.

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty. I'm gonna read verse 1 therefore seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy. We faint not like saying we don't give up but having renowned Things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully.

But by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God I guess if I would. It kind of holds its holds its own without too much Emphasis just how that the things of dishonesty are to be rejected.

The handling of God's Word deceitfully is to be is to be worked against like. These are things that I think They want to just kind of naturally rise up in our flesh sometimes it's a part of the battle.

But but like it says somewhere in the scriptures that there is no temptation so great that God does not give us a way of Escape and that's just yet another thing that we can we can have that's yet another thing that That we do have if we find ourselves under the you know, rejoicing under the shadow of his wings.

All right. Yeah, it it might seem like I go through these things there's going to be different things to talk on and different things that stand out to me, but That's just a little bit how it goes when you read through Acts.

There's just a lot going on a lot that that's. That's good. It's just good for us a couple of quick things there through Acts 23. Yeah, I thought I had a few okay verse 11 says 23 verse 11 and the night following the Lord stood by him and said be of good cheer.

Here the Lord himself came to the sight of Paul to his sight and he said be of good cheer Paul. For as thou has testified of me in Jerusalem So must thou bear witness also at Rome and and that verse helps me a little bit in understanding why Paul Might have appealed to Caesar Augustus Caesar, I believe why why he chose this heart path of when he was given the option to go all the way to Rome and The Lord had already told him in a in a vision that he must bear witness in Rome.

He must preach the good news in Rome. So I don't know is am I just reading into it to make that link or not? But it stood out to me that Further back. We'll read maybe yet how that Paul chose to go. I think it was pretty much his choice to appeal to Caesar and Then Agrippa said if you appeal to Caesar to Caesar you will go.

God’s Protection of Paul from Conspiracy

Okay, maybe I should just read this whole thing maybe starting at verse 14 there and they came to the chief priests and elders and said we have found ourselves under a curse great curse That we will not eat Until we have slain Paul now therefore you with the Council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow.

This is this is the Jews in a very deceitful way conspiring against Paul figuring out how they could possibly Set things up to where they could kill him. And so they they went to the chief captain and said yeah just bring Paul bring Paul down from case or up over with us up or down from Caesarea to Jerusalem and We'll try we'll try his case there in Jerusalem, but in their minds they were like on the way.

We're gonna we're gonna kill him. Okay, it says as though you would inquire something more perfectly concerning him and we wherever he Come here are ready to kill him. I don't know that they told all that to to the high council, but that was their intense anyhow, the story goes Paul's sister's son heard of their lie and wait and went and entered into the castle and told Paul.

Then Paul called one of the centurions into unto him and said bring this young man into the chief captain. For he has a thing to tell him so he took him brought him to the chief captain and said Paul the prisoner called me into him and Prayed me to bring this young man into thee who has something to say to you.

Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him What is it that you want to tell me and he said the Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou would bring Paul down Tomorrow into the council as they would inquire something of him more perfectly.

But do not thou yield unto them for their lie and wait for him more than 40 men Which have bound themselves with an oath that they will neither eat or drink Till they have killed him. That's Paul and they are Ready looking for a promise from thee.

So the chief captain then let the young men depart and charged him Don't tell anyone basically and then and he called unto him two centurions saying make ready 200 soldiers to go to Caesarea and horsemen three score and ten and spearsmen 200 at the third hour of the night so that so the commanders Got his officers in gear and they put together this like a mob of troops Something close to over 400 troops and they ordered that Paul would be on his on his own horse and What I what came to my mind was that I'm not sure if they quite understood who they're protecting other than Paul Being a Roman citizen the reason Paul even got spared The first time around in some earlier chapters was because he made it known to the Chief captains that he is a Rome.

Yes. He's a Roman citizen and Just like that. They took him into into protective custody and kept him There and they were they were really trying to seek out the matter further and see what's going on here To the to the degree that they would put together this big of an army of troops to take him From one place to the other.

I'm not sure Caesarea to somewhere. I'm not sure where anyhow, those are just some things they stand out to me, but If we can transfer from there back to how Paul then actually got very good opportunity to speak to these Roman officers It would be Felix Festus Even to King Agrippa.

They were they were starting to back off a bit. They were like, oh well, especially when Paul started speaking to them about righteousness Judgment and some other thing like Soundness or some kind of other quality.

They're like, oh that kind of backed off and they were like in a more convenient time We will hear you. So, I'm just not sure if they actually knew who they were taking into into protection here but in that way God had it so that Paul was protected and as Much ministry opportunity that he had already taken and done, you know having had make two big trips and a third trip up through through other provinces God still had more work for him even at this time.

Paul Before Felix: Righteousness, Self-Control, and Judgment

Maybe we'll jump up and get going on Acts chapter 25. I thought there was a few other things that were just good there through 24. Maybe they'll kind of be brought out later, but if you all see anything You can point it out but Acts chapter 25 and 26 largely are then Paul is then Paul being in front of these officers Roman officers governors Kings and Just the profound things that he that he had to say to them and just the the wisdom he was given to speak to them in a convicting way and I think it largely had to do that.

He really had a clear conscience and that You know different different things that he wrote in the epistles would describe that he had he would say he has not desired any man's gold or silver or has not.

Like throughout the epistles you can see that Paul had a clear conscience. He had always taken opportunity to preach and that brought on a clear conscience. Many many other things you can just start naming them.

Paul did it and in that way he He was he was clear in his conscience it'd be like saying that's how he was working out his salvation. I Guess we all know that our consciences can be deceived. And those are all things that That we need to guard against stuff, but but still Paul just he is that example of having a clean clear conscience.

And he did it through. Speaking in all honesty he did it through Just being a trustworthy man throughout all his preachings he never Travels and stuff it's he would say over and over how he never was a burden on never tried to be or never was a burden on anyone, but supply for his own needs and Okay Acts chapter 25 so 24 ends with Paul having an opportunity to.

Okay, maybe we need need to just hit that a little bit starting in Acts 24 verse 24. After some days when Felix was with his wife Priscilla, which was Jewish he sent for Paul and Hurt him concerning the faith in Christ.

I don't know was he It says in the New Living Translation sending for Paul. They listened as he told them about the faith in Christ. I don't know that they were actually inquiring, but of course this was just going to be a thing that he was going to talk about Faith the faith he had in Christ.

And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix tremble and said go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee. We don't read anything anywhere.

That Felix ever ever lived up to that where he actually did look for that season that he would again see Paul all we see here is that Let's just read it and he he hoped that also that money should have been given Him of Paul that he might lose him.

I mean just in the back of his mind. He was like well if this guy would just give me some money I'd free him up and he could go his way and I'd be I'd go my way. Wherefore he sent for him the the oftener and communed with him.

Okay, just say that he would commune with him Often but after two years Porcius Festus became into came into Felix room and Felix willing to show that she was a favor. Let Paul bound left Paul bound. Now when Festus was coming to the province of after three days. He ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

Apparently these governors would make their rounds. And so So here he was in Jerusalem then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him about Paul and Besought him and desired favor against him that he would sent for him to Jerusalem lying in wait in the way to kill him yet another Plant ambush that did not work out.

But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea and that he himself would depart shortly dither so Festus this new governor Expressed his plans of going to Caesarea anyhow and encouraged Paul's accusers to just come up there and present their case.

Let them therefore he said which are 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 ten days he went unto Caesarea and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought in and When he was come the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul Which they could not prove.

I just can't imagine the frustration for the Jews having Having no ability to really make their case in front of Festus try one thing and then try another thing and through manipulation and many Grievous words and complaints they tried to make their case.

But It just they just came up empty every time while Paul answered for himself neither against. Okay, this is Paul speaking neither against the law of the Jews neither against the temple nor yet against Caesar.

Have I offended anything at all? There's that pure and clean conscience, but Festus Might as well say a cowarding under the Jews to give them a pleasure pleasure giving them a a pleasure answered Paul and said Will you go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me and Paul said no I stand at Caesar's judgment seat where I ought to be judged to the Jews have I done nothing wrong.

No wrong as They very well know Paul just put it right back in their lap. Look you have not you have not been able to accuse me of anything with any kind of validity and you know it 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 were of These accused me.

No, man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus when he had conferred with the council answered Has thou appeal unto Caesar unto Caesar thou? Shalt thou go and this would be the verse That I was earlier making a connection with Paul already having a received a vision from the Lord Jesus that he must go to Rome and How all to to explain that a look at that I don't know but he knew he had to go he saw an opportunity and He appealed to Caesar.

Festus and Agrippa Examine Paul’s Case

Okay, verse 13 and after certain days King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus and if you look at some other versions They were basically coming by Just doing what the politics do to come came by and just puff each other up they came to salute Festus, but it really was more like they came to Admire him they came to.

Maybe other versions say respect him or You can just kind of imagine their their their ways about those things. It's it still happens today. And when they have been there many days Festus declared Paul's case unto the king saying there is a certain man left in bonds by Felix.

Remember Felix was the man earlier that That said I will call for you on a more convenient time. About whom when I was at Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me Deciding to have judgment against him to whom I answered It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die before that he which is accused have accusers face-to-face.

And has have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him therefore when they were come thither Without any delay on the on the morrow. I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought forth.

Against whom when the accuser stood up they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed But has certain questions against him of their own Superstition and in one Jesus Which was dead whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

Because I doubted of such matter of question I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters but when Paul had appealed To be reserved and to the hearing of Augustus.

I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar then Agrippa set unto Festus. I Would also hear the man myself tomorrow said he thou shalt hear him so this is this is King Agrippa and Festus communicating about the prisoner Paul Just helping each other catch up on the on the latest of the process of the case and we see through that that even they.

But it was just obvious that this man is. Is not it not guilty? He's being accused by Jews. He has appealed to Caesar. What do we do? Anyhow, so Agrippa was Gonna just have his his turn with him too. He asked to see him verse 23 When Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pump and was entered into the place of the hearing with the chief captains and the principal men of the city at Festus command Paul was brought forth and Festus set 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 I have found that he has committed nothing worthy of death That he himself has appealed to Augustus.

I Have to determined to send him. And this last verse I'm just gonna read it in the New Living. I just think it brings out so much Of the hidden things of the case, but what shall I write the Empire for there is no clear charge against him.

So I brought so I have brought him before you all and especially you a king Agrippa. So that after we examine him, I might have something to write. For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the Empire without specifying the charges against him.

And just brings out the dilemma. They were in trying to condemn someone that really was not guilty. This is the same pattern that came forth with Jesus. Very very similar. Just we could just go find the pages and it just be very same like Pilate wasn't the same spot.

He was. He was asked to condemn someone that Even he desired to release him, but that's that's how it goes part of our cross Is is to be falsely accused by the world and even worldly Christians do it to us are those that falsely profess Christianity.

They do it to us and that's that's okay. That's okay. It's how it wasn't the beginning expect now Something we've read so many times how? The Jews just without any Conscience towards life wanted to kill Paul and And then if we take our minds back over that culture and back over their beginnings.

Yeah, say again later in Rome. He got beheaded. Yeah, we won't quite get to that today, but but you're right so so my thought is how just how. It's I think it's another reason why Paul could so freely write to the Galatians that law has become a sin unto you see see how see how this became a sin to them like the law that they tried to uphold and squeeze into their Use use for their their benefit and stuff Had become a sin unto him.

Maybe there's no link to make there but it just is if you think back over that culture like God had God had set out the children of Israel to be a separate people not to indulge himself in the ways of the nations they they and they progressed more that way where they fell away and they What God had intended to become Something good it still was good, you know, but The people went and took it and turned it into something Something bad a little bit like we.

Like Paul is encouraging Timothy that that we are not to hold the Word of God deceitfully. I think this would be about the best example it that you could find that people were holding the Word of God deceitfully the Jews using their their law to try to Condemn Paul so that they can kill him.

Anyhow, I just wondered whether there be I Mean surely all these things have a certain shadow in the present day that that we also need to be aware of God. Yeah, it's right here in these chapters amazing how the movie world is captivated by drastic and dramatic stories and they'll even go to the Bible to develop them and that I believe would be handling the Word of God and craftiness and Deceitful ways, I don't think we're supposed to do that.

Paul’s Defense Before King Agrippa

All right. So so where we're at, I believe this Is this predicament that That Felix was in Festus Sarah and having to put together some kind of Letter some kind of writings to go along with with this prisoner that was supposed to be doomed to die.

But no one really could condemn him. And so it was a hard thing for him what he wrote I don't know but King Agrippa, let's just read there in verse chapter 26 King Agrippa said unto Paul thou art permitted to speak for thyself.

Thyself then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself. I Think myself happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for myself this day before you about all the things whereof I am accused of By the Jews.

Especially because I know thee to be an expert in Customs and questions which are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth which was at first among you among my own nation at Jerusalem knew all the Jews.

Basically saying the Jews know where I come from they understand my beginnings. Which knew me from the beginning if they would testify that after the most strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee and Now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers.

Under which promise our twelve twelve tribes zealously serve God day and night hoping to come. For which hopes sake King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews. I The bigger crowd there Paul was getting pretty intense with King Agrippa.

He knew the king knew about the Lord Jesus. He knew the king knew about everything that happened. There is nothing it wasn't somewhere. I read something like these things weren't done in the corner. You know it.

You know Jesus was deceitfully handled. You know he died. You know he resurrected. Are you willing to admit it? Verse 8 why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?

Again Paul Pretty directly responding to I think looking at or talking to Agrippa the king I verily I Used to think within myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison? Having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to prison I gave my voice against them it it seems like Paul's interaction with the stoning of Stephen was maybe a bit more deeper than than I previously had thought.

That here it says here Paul admits that he gave his voice against Against the Saints when they were shut up in prison and when they were being put to death and just seems like he He threw his lot in with those that were stoning Paul even though it says when we read the account of The stoning it says there was a young man there Guarding the clothes, but it does seem like Paul would be willing to admit that his interactions.

There was a little deeper than that. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. Paul had missionary trips before he was a Christian, but they were not Christian missionary trips.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests at midday Oh King I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the Sun shining around about me and them which turn it with me and When we all fell to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew tongue Saul Saul why persecutors thou me?

It is hard for you to kick against the pricks pricks. And it just again comes up. I think they could read something like it is hard for you to go against The conscience that you have to you know better, but you don't do it.

That's a sin to you. It's hard for you to kick against the pricks and note also how they were all fallen to the earth. Wasn't just Paul that was knocked down. I would hope those others that were knocked down were Humbled as well.

And I said, who are you Lord? And he said I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest. Remember what Jesus had said what what you've done unto the least of these my. Well, maybe that one wouldn't fit all that well.

But but yeah, basically what we do the least of these my breath and you have done it unto Jesus. You've done it unto me and so even though Paul Persecuted Saints to Jesus it was as though he was persecuting Jesus.

But rise stand upon thy feet for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and a witness both of Those things which you have seen and of those things which I will show unto you in the future Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I sent thee To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and Inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Whereupon Oh King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision again, this is Paul Really making this communication between him and the king but preach first unto them at Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judea and Then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance.

For this cause the Jews caught me in the temple and were about went about to kill me Having therefore Obtained help of God. I continue unto this day witnessing both through the small and the great saying none other thing than the things which the prophets and Moses did say should come I just Again, I'm reminded how big a difference there is and how we understand Just the thing that we read.

Paul here understood the prophets and Moses. He understood the fulfillment of it. He understood it just made perfect sense to him when Jesus Was would say something like not one shot or tittle shall depart from the law to all be fulfilled.

He Paul understood the fulfillment of the of the law and the prophets and then on the other hand when when the others the Jews read Read these same words these same scriptures There's like this avail over their head and they just cannot they cannot see this kind of truth.

Okay, this is really linked together verse 23 that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should Show light unto the people and to the Gentiles. And so this is yet another thing that That Paul understood as as a fulfillment, you know that Christ should suffer.

And he should be the first to rise from the dead he will be the one that shows light to the people to the Gentiles and As he thus spoke for himself Festus set with a loud voice Paul You're beside thyself much learning doth make thee mad.

It's the only thing yet left to say. All through this the grip it was still quiet. It was Festus that spoke first, but he said I am NOT mad most noble Festus. But speak for us the words of truth and soberness.

For the king knows of all these things. And I think so now he was speaking to Festus and like the king knows all these things King Agrippa knows. For the king knows all these things before whom also I speak freely for I am persuaded that none of these things Are hidden from him.

These things didn't were not done in a corner. These things of Jesus being the first to raise from the dead being a light to the Gentiles. Paul somehow knew that Agrippa knew about it, but just was too Cowardly to really stand on his own feet with it and then and then here King Agrippa believe is now the prophets.

I know thou believest. And then it's this interesting just like this heart-wrenching respond from Agrippa. Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Why not just all the way why not just why just almost.

There was there was too much of a prestige in his life. There was too much To give up there was too big of a cross to bear the cost was just a bit too high. And then Paul says I would to God that not only you but also all that hear me this day.

We're both both all together such as I am. Except these chains and when he had thus spoken the king Rose the governor and Bernice they'd have sat with him. And when they had gone aside they talked between themselves saying this man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

Then said Agrippa and Hephaestus this man might have been set at Liberty if he had not appealed to Caesar. I thought I had a few more thoughts to go with that. I don't really. It's just a lot of things go through my mind when I read this and I just maybe might leave it at that just when I close off with a Prayer and then we'll open it up for discussion.

Hopefully some brothers have some thoughts about these things. Oh God be with us just want to thank you for yet another opportunity to read your word and To see the truth that flows through it. We thank you for Grace and truth that came through the Lord Jesus Christ.