Post by Shepherd on Aug 8, 2009 18:26:49 GMT -6
24a
PAUL DEFENSE BEFORE FELIX
ACTS 24:10-11...THEN PAUL, AFTER THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD BECKONED UNTO HIM TO SPEAK, ANSWERED, FORASMUCH AS I KNOW THAT THOU HAST BEEN OF MANY YEARS A JUDGE UNTO THIS NATION, I DO THE MORE CHEERFULLY ANSWER FOR MY SELF; BECAUSE THAT THOU MAYEST UNDERSTAND, THAT THERE ARE YET BUT TWELVE DAYS SINCE I WENT UP TO JERUSALEM FOR TO WORSHIP.
The governor motioned to Paul to speak and Paul said, “I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years and so I am happy to defend myself before you. As you can find out for yourself, it was no more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship.”
I believe that God was directing Paul what to say. He will also help you in so many ways if we are a born again Christian.
ACTS 24:12-14... AND THEY NEITHER FOUND ME IN THE TEMPLE DISPUTING WITH ANY MAN, NEITHER RAISING UP THE PEOPLE NEITHER IN THE SYNAGOGUES, NOT IN THE CITY; NEITHER CAN THEY PROVE THE THINGS WHEREOF THEY NOW ACCUSE ME. BUT THIS I CONFESS UNTO THEE, THAT 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 IN THE PROPHETS.
Paul continues with his testamony, “The Jews did not find me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor did they find me stirring up the people, either in their meeting house or anywhere else in the city. Nor can they give you proof of the accusations they now bring against me. I do admit this to you I worship the God of our ancestors by following that way which they say is false. But I also believe in all the things written in the law of Moses and the books of he prophets.”
The devil will cook up all kinds of things to try to stop us from working for God. We have to have on our battle clothes and be ready to pled the blood of Jesus when he comes against us. He cannot cross the blood of Jesus.
ACTS 24:15-17...AND HAVE HOPE TOWARD GOD, WHICH THEY THEM-SELVES ALSO ALLOW, THAT THERE SHALL BE A RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, BOTH OF THE JUST AND UNJUST. AND HEREIN DO I EXERCISE MYSELF, TO HAVE ALWAYS A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARD GOD, AND TOWARD MEN. NOW AFTER MANY YEARS I CAME TO BRING ALMS TO MY NATION, AND OFFERINGS.
Paul continues, “I have the same hope in God that these themselves hold, that all men, both the good and the bad, will be raise from death, and so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and men. After being away from Jerusalem for several years, I went there to take some money to my own people and to offer sacrifices.”
You see the resurrection is the center of Christianity. Christ died for our sins, and he was raised from the dead, and is sitting at the right hand of God as our attorney before God or our go between. What Paul was saying is that what he has done is for the sake of his conscience. Paul brings a gift to the church. Jesus gave us a gift by giving his blood on the cross.
ACTS 24:18-21WHEREUPON CERTAIN JEWS FROM ASIA FOUND ME PURIFIED IN THE TEMPLE, NEITHER WITH MULTITUDE, NOT WITH TUMULT. WHO OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE THEE, AND OBJECT, IF THEY HAD AUGHT AGAINST ME. OR ELSE LET THESE SAME HERE SAY, IF THEY HAVE FOUND ANY EVIL DOING IN ME, WHILE I STOOD BEFORE THE COUNCIL. EXCEPT IT BE FOR THIS ONE VOICE, WHAT I CRIED STANDING AMONG THEM, TOUCHING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD I AM CALLED IN QUESTION BY YOU THIS DAY.
As Paul continue, he said, “It was while I was doing this that they found me in the temple, after I had completed the ceremony of purification. There was no crowd with me, and no disorder. But some Jews from the province of Asia were there; they themselves ought to come before you and make their accusations, if they have anything against me or let these men here tell what crime they found me guilty of when I stood before the council–except for the one when I stood before them; I am being judged by you today for believing that the dead will be raised to life.”
The charge that Tertullus makes is that Paul has been stirring up people in the temple. The one that were in the temple when Paul was there was not there. The real issue here was the Resurrection. The resurrection is the very heart of the Gospel.
The devil cannot stand to hear about the resurrection of the Christians. You see Christ died for our sins, and was buried, and was raised on the third day.
ACTS 24:22-23...AND WHEN FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS, HAVING MORE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAY, HE DEFERRED THEM, AND SAID, WHEN LYSIAS THE CHIEF CAPTAIN SHALL COME DOWN, I WILL KNOW THE UTTERMOST OF HOUR MATTER. 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.
Then Felix, who was well informed about the way, brought the hearing to a close. He said, “I will decide your case when the commander arrives. Ordered under guard. But give him freedom. I am glad that God is my judge and that I will get a fair trial.
ACTS 24:10-11...THEN PAUL, AFTER THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD BECKONED UNTO HIM TO SPEAK, ANSWERED, FORASMUCH AS I KNOW THAT THOU HAST BEEN OF MANY YEARS A JUDGE UNTO THIS NATION, I DO THE MORE CHEERFULLY ANSWER FOR MY SELF; BECAUSE THAT THOU MAYEST UNDERSTAND, THAT THERE ARE YET BUT TWELVE DAYS SINCE I WENT UP TO JERUSALEM FOR TO WORSHIP.
The governor motioned to Paul to speak and Paul said, “I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years and so I am happy to defend myself before you. As you can find out for yourself, it was no more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship.”
I believe that God was directing Paul what to say. He will also help you in so many ways if we are a born again Christian.
ACTS 24:12-14... AND THEY NEITHER FOUND ME IN THE TEMPLE DISPUTING WITH ANY MAN, NEITHER RAISING UP THE PEOPLE NEITHER IN THE SYNAGOGUES, NOT IN THE CITY; NEITHER CAN THEY PROVE THE THINGS WHEREOF THEY NOW ACCUSE ME. BUT THIS I CONFESS UNTO THEE, THAT 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 IN THE PROPHETS.
Paul continues with his testamony, “The Jews did not find me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor did they find me stirring up the people, either in their meeting house or anywhere else in the city. Nor can they give you proof of the accusations they now bring against me. I do admit this to you I worship the God of our ancestors by following that way which they say is false. But I also believe in all the things written in the law of Moses and the books of he prophets.”
The devil will cook up all kinds of things to try to stop us from working for God. We have to have on our battle clothes and be ready to pled the blood of Jesus when he comes against us. He cannot cross the blood of Jesus.
ACTS 24:15-17...AND HAVE HOPE TOWARD GOD, WHICH THEY THEM-SELVES ALSO ALLOW, THAT THERE SHALL BE A RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, BOTH OF THE JUST AND UNJUST. AND HEREIN DO I EXERCISE MYSELF, TO HAVE ALWAYS A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARD GOD, AND TOWARD MEN. NOW AFTER MANY YEARS I CAME TO BRING ALMS TO MY NATION, AND OFFERINGS.
Paul continues, “I have the same hope in God that these themselves hold, that all men, both the good and the bad, will be raise from death, and so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and men. After being away from Jerusalem for several years, I went there to take some money to my own people and to offer sacrifices.”
You see the resurrection is the center of Christianity. Christ died for our sins, and he was raised from the dead, and is sitting at the right hand of God as our attorney before God or our go between. What Paul was saying is that what he has done is for the sake of his conscience. Paul brings a gift to the church. Jesus gave us a gift by giving his blood on the cross.
ACTS 24:18-21WHEREUPON CERTAIN JEWS FROM ASIA FOUND ME PURIFIED IN THE TEMPLE, NEITHER WITH MULTITUDE, NOT WITH TUMULT. WHO OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE THEE, AND OBJECT, IF THEY HAD AUGHT AGAINST ME. OR ELSE LET THESE SAME HERE SAY, IF THEY HAVE FOUND ANY EVIL DOING IN ME, WHILE I STOOD BEFORE THE COUNCIL. EXCEPT IT BE FOR THIS ONE VOICE, WHAT I CRIED STANDING AMONG THEM, TOUCHING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD I AM CALLED IN QUESTION BY YOU THIS DAY.
As Paul continue, he said, “It was while I was doing this that they found me in the temple, after I had completed the ceremony of purification. There was no crowd with me, and no disorder. But some Jews from the province of Asia were there; they themselves ought to come before you and make their accusations, if they have anything against me or let these men here tell what crime they found me guilty of when I stood before the council–except for the one when I stood before them; I am being judged by you today for believing that the dead will be raised to life.”
The charge that Tertullus makes is that Paul has been stirring up people in the temple. The one that were in the temple when Paul was there was not there. The real issue here was the Resurrection. The resurrection is the very heart of the Gospel.
The devil cannot stand to hear about the resurrection of the Christians. You see Christ died for our sins, and was buried, and was raised on the third day.
ACTS 24:22-23...AND WHEN FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS, HAVING MORE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAY, HE DEFERRED THEM, AND SAID, WHEN LYSIAS THE CHIEF CAPTAIN SHALL COME DOWN, I WILL KNOW THE UTTERMOST OF HOUR MATTER. 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.
Then Felix, who was well informed about the way, brought the hearing to a close. He said, “I will decide your case when the commander arrives. Ordered under guard. But give him freedom. I am glad that God is my judge and that I will get a fair trial.
