All Things Together

PRAY

Introduction

This morning is where our time with Paul in the book of Acts begins to really speed up. We carry on with Luke accounting Paul being before several Roman officials. On the surface here, our text in Acts 25 may seem a bit “boring”.

It may seem rather insignificant to the accounting of Paul’s ministry here at the end of the book of Acts. But let me assure you that this chapter is a crucial development in Paul’s story and the narrative of Acts in general.

Isn’t that how it certain situations or events or developments in our lives appear though? We don’t see what God is doing, yet He is purposefully working, moving, ordaining, and causing certain things to happen and not happen in our lives in line with His purpose. His plan. At His pace. For our joy and HIS glory.

Right before I was blessed with the opportunity to be on staff here, I was working at a fiber glass shop. And I....loved it. No I didn’t, I can’t lie to you I actually hated almost every minute of it.

I was itchy ALL the time, surely was taking in way too many fumes from all the paint and resin, working with people who certainly weren’t my favorite, begging the Lord to lead me into some sort of ministry role.

But now funny enough I look back fondly of that time in my life. God was teaching me things, killing things in my heart that didn’t belong, shaping and forming me all during that time.

And now I’m here working with fiberglass all the time its crazy! Just kidding...

BUT, I can now look back at what I can call a “dessert season” of my life and see at least of glimpse of how the Lord was using and is still using that time in my life today.

That is why the title of my sermon this morning is “All Things Together”. Acts 25 gives us more of a couple days worth of events and conversations that took place in Paul’s life, not necessarily a long season of his life.

Although, what I hope for us to glean from this passage is that God is faithful and good on His word, therefore we should be content in Him and on fire for Him in every season of life.

What we will see in the text, by His grace, is our sovereign God piecing together certain situations that lead to the outcome that HE wants.

Everything God does is for His glory, the exaltation of His own name, for His gospel to be known, and for our (His sons and daughters, those who believe in and follow Him) good in Him.

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Recap

We’ve been bouncing around a lot over the last several weeks because we’ve just had so much going on. I’m sure we would all benefit from very brief recap as to how we’ve ended up where we are in Acts 25.

Paul was arrested a few chapters ago on false accusations, although really he was just preaching the gospel. This all escalated into the Jews plotting to kill Paul which then led to him being relocated to Caesarea by a Roman tribune to be seen by the governor Felix.

Felix heard Paul’s case but delayed it quite a bit in the hopes that he’d get some money out of Paul. After two years of this Felix was succeeded by Festus. Now we read about Festus’ dealings with Paul in chapter 25.

Festus in Jerusalem then Caesarea

25:1-3- Festus is checking in on Jerusalem presumably. The chief priests and other Jewish leaders made sure to plead their case against Paul before Festus, asking Festus to bring Paul back to Jerusalem. For they wanted to kill Paul on his way back.

Keep this in perspective, back in Acts 23 was where we first read about the Jews plot to kill Paul. Two whole years elapsed since that original plan and yet here the Jews are right away, before the new governor, still plotting and conniving a way to get Paul killed.

This is because the gospel is offensive. The Jews didn’t hate Paul because he’s a jerk or because he’s simply annoying them. No, they were offended by the truth which he was proclaiming.

John 15:18–21 ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

Jesus foretold that his disciples would be hated, resisted by the world, because HE was hated by the world!

His ministry and message offended the world because it is the truth, the only truth, and it calls us to die to ourselves and follow Christ, who is the truth.

1 Corinthians 1:22–25 “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Preaching Christ crucified turns all of our preconceived notions on our head. The message of the gospel clashes with our pride and wrestles it to the ground. It brings the dead to life, according to the ordination of our God!

Festus then tells the offended Jews to come down to Caesarea to bring their charges against Paul before Roman officials.

Paul’s Humble Defense

25:6-12- Festus eventually makes his way back to Caesarea and holds an official hearing with Paul on trial. The Jews bring many serious charges against Paul, which Luke records as non-substantial.

The words he actually uses to describe the charges are “charges…that they could not prove.”

Now, before we’re quick to point the finger at the Jews here, we must understand something. You are just like the Jews in Acts 25! I am just like them. Before Christ, did we not come up with every reason in the book not to believe? At least some of us?

Did we not, or maybe some today are currently, arguing against the truth of the gospel? Not wanting it to be true because it would absolutely crush our human pride?

Do not be so quick to tear down the Jews in this account brothers and sisters, we are right there with them. Bringing false arguments trying to debate away the beauty of the gospel message.

If this is you, repent. Believe. Submit to Christ and His precious gospel message.

In verse 8 Paul argues in his own defense. From Paul’s recorded defense we are clued into some of the false charges the Jews were bringing against him; breaking the law of Moses, an offense against the temple, and disobeying Caesar.

These are all baseless claims that the Jews made up, due to them being offended by the truth Paul was proclaiming. We’ll get back to Paul’s defense in just a moment.

We’re given a glimpse into a bit of the governor’s corruptness in verse 9, as Luke records that Festus wished to do the Jews a favor by seeing if Paul wanted to go back to Jerusalem (per the Jews request) and be tried there.

Paul’s humility is on full display in verse 11. Acts 25:11 “If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death.”

How do you terrify a man that isn’t afraid to die? Paul’s conscience was clear before the Lord, he knew to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord, AND he was willing to suffer any consequence that he justly deserved.

Yet, he knew that the Jews charges were baseless, therefore he invokes his right as a Roman citizen. He appeals to Caesar and his request is duely honored.

Back to the baseless claims of the Jews, which Paul clearly recognizes them as such. I believe Pastor Tommy may have brought this point up a few weeks ago, that point being: why did Paul defend himself? Isn’t that the opposite of what our Savior did?

This is a fair, hermeneutically appropriate question to ask. An answer to this question can be that Jesus’ trial before His crucifixion and Paul’s trial here are heading toward different results.

Jesus of course knew His trial was necessary as a part of His Father’s sovereign plan for His Son to be sacrificed for the sins of His people. On the other hand, Paul’s trial was a part of God’s sovereign plan in getting the gospel to the ends of the earth. WHICH Jesus’ trial and subsequent crucifixion and resurrection made possible!

Paul at the very least knew two things in the midst of trial:

This next passage is admittedly jumping ahead a bit, but it gives us context as to what Jesus told Paul in his conversion experience in Acts 9.

Acts 26:15–18 “And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

Acts 23:11 “The following night the Lord stood by him (Paul) and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.””

Paul knew he was an apostle to the Gentiles. He knew appealing to Caesar was a direct way to be in front of the Gentiles and get them the gospel.

And the Lord orchestrated this all to take place.

God is faithful and good on His word. Therefore, we can be content in Him and be passionately on fire for Him in every season or situation of life.

The Lord told Paul He would send him to the Gentiles. The Lord has not only BEEN doing that as we’ve seen in previous chapters, but our sovereign God has brought and is bringing Paul to some of the highest seats of government in the land and perhaps the world at that time.

Jesus told Paul that he must testify to the facts about Himself, the Lord Jesus in Rome. Therefore, we have witnessed how Jesus has curated a situation for which Paul has appealed to Caesar and will go to Rome!

If the Lord says its going to happen, its going to happen! He will make it happen! He will never leave you nor forsake you.

If you are saved today it is because God chose to save you. And if God chose to save you He has said that HE alone will keep you until the very end! God’s good work of salvation will be completed in you by the Lord Himself!

I grew up playing many different sports. There was very rarely a time that my parents missed a game, but especially my dad. That’s not a knock at my mom at all, she was there for most every game.

But my pops was the one taking me to just about every practice and every game. And I knew if he said he was going to be there, he was there. Even to this day, I know my dad is good on his word.

And can I tell you, that is a comfort like no other. That I know I can rely on my dad. I knew if he dropped me off he was going to be at that game cheering me on. I know if he says he’s going to do something for me, its going to happen. I just know it.

And the beauty of that is, that is nothing compared to the security we have in our Heavenly Father. Beloved church of the Lord Jesus Christ, your Heavenly Father is good on His word.

Festus Before King Agrippa

25:13-22- Moving on within the text we’re introduced to King Agrippa and his wife Bernice. For you to have an idea of who Paul is about to deal with, this is King Herod Agrippa II and his wife is actually his niece. This King Herod Agrippa comes from quite the family line, full of wicked and unfortunate King Herod’s. This is just a glimpse into the perversion that was present among the Gentile leadership.

Festus here simply fills in the king on what is occuring with Paul and why the Jews are essentially in an uproar over him. Verses 13 through 21 are a recap that Festus gives to fill in the king.

Festus has concluded that the dispute between Paul and the Jews is a matter of their own religion and is not over “such evils” as he supposed. This tells you just how much of a fuss the Jews were stirring up.

Agrippa makes known that he would like to hear from Paul himself.

Paul Presented Before King Agrippa

25:23-27- In this last section of the text this morning, note the pomp that Luke records King Agrippa and his wife arriving into the audience hall with.

This is a picture of how the world views the gospel. We have Agrippa and Bernice adorned in quite the display and Paul, a gospel minister to the Gentiles in chains.

The world would rather dress up incest and keep the gospel locked up. Be careful beloved, or we dare drift into such a mindset!

This final section ends with Festus officially presenting Paul before the king and queen in order to have something solid to send Paul with to Caesar.

Conclusion

What we have seen in our passage this morning is our sovereign God of the universe piecing together how the Gentiles will continue to receive the gospel. And ultimately how the gospel will make its way to reaching the ends of the earth.

If you are a Gentile believer this morning, which I presume most of us are, Acts 25 plays a major role in you receiving the gospel message.

Our God is faithful and good on His word, therefore we should be content in Him and on fire for Him in every season of life. Regardless of how great, terrible, or bleak that season is. Your God can and should be trusted.

Are you living in this truth daily? Do you fearlessly and relentlessly proclaim the gospel, to your neighbors and yourself, daily because of this fact?

Our God is for Himself, His glory, His name, His fame, His gospel. May we be the same.