Convenient

Yesterday, Paul gave his defense before Governor Felix. Ultimately, his trial Paul’s trial will be postponed; but his conversation with Felix would continue.

Acts 24
22 At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.” 23 He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs. 24 A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” 26 He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. 27 After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.


Convenient. In reading this part of the story, it would be easy for me to step on my soapbox and rail against Felix. He seems like such an easy target ... shallow and greedy, searching for a faith that was convenient. Jesus made it pretty clear though, that his followers should be humble, not proud (check out Luke 18:9-14). With that in mind, I want to approach these stories with humility ... listening for what God is saying to me. Is my relationship with God convenient ... do I accept his offer to help (check out Matthew 7:7-11) and comfort (check out Matthew 11:28-30) and forgive (check out Matthew 26:26-29); but avoid his call to righteousness (check out Matthew 5:17-20) and selflessness (check out Matthew 16:21-26) and service (check out Matthew 25:31-40)? That is the question I will be wrestling with today.

Clear

Yesterday, we listened in as Paul was accused by Tertullus (the High Council’s spokesman) in his trial before Governor Felix. Today, we will listen to Paul's defense.


Acts 24
10 The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. 11 You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. 12 My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 13 These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. 14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. 17 “After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. 18 My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. 19 But some Jews from the province of Asia were there - and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 20 Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, 21 except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’”


Clear. Authors usually have a distinct writing style ... a specific way of developing characters and unveiling the story. You are an author. You may not write novels; but every day, through what you say and do, you are writing the story of your life. Think of every day as a new page ... and every season of life as a new chapter. No one will ever “buy” your story; but they will certainly read it. The people in your “circle of influence” ... your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors ... are already reading it. Paul, in this part of his story, is reminding us why it is important for our story to be clear. I love that word ... clear. This idea of living a life that is so clear that we become transparent ... ultimately, allowing the light of Jesus to shine through us (check out Ephesians 4:20-5:14). Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid accusations; but there is a way to prepare for them.

Find

Paul has been turned over to Governor Felix in Caesarea for trial. They are waiting for Paul’s accusers to arrive so the trial can begin.


Acts 24
1 Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor. 2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: “Your Excellency, you have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. 3 For all of this we are very grateful to you. 4 But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. 5 We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. 6 Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. 8 You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” 9 Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.


Find. I love the fact that Tertullus challenged Felix to “find” the truth in his accusations because most of the truth had been covered up or distorted. Here are a couple of examples: Felix hadn’t provided “peace” or “reforms” as much as he had provided “tyranny”. The Jews weren’t “grateful” as much as they were “fearful”. Paul hadn’t been stirring up riots “among” the Jews as much as the Jews had been stirring up riots “against” him. Paul wasn’t trying to “desecrate” the Temple as much as he was trying to “consecrate” a Jewish vow. The Jews didn’t “arrest” Paul as much as they tried to “assassinate” him. You see, the truth was there ... distorted by jealousy and covered up by pride. Seriously, in reading this part of the story, I am reminded of the importance of diligently seeking the truth whenever someone shares with me an accusation against someone else.

I

After finding out about the plot to assassin Paul, the Roman commander (Claudius Lysias) has Paul escorted out of town under the cover of night.


Acts 23
23 Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. 24 Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.” 25 Then he wrote this letter to the governor: 26 “From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings! 27 “This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. 28 Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. 29 I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law - certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death. 30 But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.” 31 So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. 32 They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea. 33 When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. 34 He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered. 35 “I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters.


I. I have a defensive mechanism inside of me that attempts to put me in the best light possible ... even if that means rearranging some of the facts and leaving out some of the faults. It’s like a defective default mode. Maybe Claudius and I ... and Paul (check out Romans 7:15-21) ... are the only ones that have ever dealt with this issue. I doubt it because Jesus made it very clear that the most important things we do in life ... love and serve (check out Matthew 22:34-40 and Matthew 6:33 and Luke 22:24-27) ... only happen when we take the focus off of us and put it on someone else. I think he was trying to protect me from me by redirecting me away from me and refocusing me on him. That is what Paul seemed to discover (check out Romans 7:24-8:2).

Conspiracy

Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen how Paul has faced attacks and accusations. Today, he will face assassination.

Acts 23
12 The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. 14 They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.” 16 But Paul’s nephew - his sister’s son - heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul. 17 Paul called for one of the Roman officers and said, “Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him.” 18 So the officer did, explaining, “Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took his hand, led him aside, and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” 20 Paul’s nephew told him, “Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information. 21 But don’t do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent.” 22 “Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man.


Conspiracy. It is interesting to me how times have changed in this town (Jerusalem). Years ago, Paul probably would have been the ringleader of this conspiracy (check out Acts 8:1-3 and Acts 9:1-2). Today, he is the focus. A group of guys (not one or two ... 40+) decided that the best way to honor their faith in God was to dishonor the teachings of God. I know ... it goes to show you how irrational we can become in our rationalizations; but that is the heart of a conspiracy ... rationalizing irrational behavior. If you are struggling to find a solution to a difficult situation, here is one way you can trim your list of options ... eliminate all the “solutions” that would dishonor God. I know that sounds simplistic; but when hurt turns to anger and sorrow turns to bitterness ... vengeance is just around the corner ... and we need to be ready to counter thoughts of conspiracy with teachings of Jesus (check out Luke 6:27-36).