Our Detours to Rome
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Taking our family vacation from Albuquerque to Laughlin we got a flat tire… at 2am in Flagstaff I had to put on the donut… 55 mph was tough going downhill from 7000 feet to about 300 feet on I-40 and it was pretty scary with semi trucks barreling down like torpedoes down the mountain.
Our plans got detoured but eventually we made it to our destination. The detour was a part of the journey experience.
Detours can be frustrating…
Road closures are inconvenient. It always takes longer to go from point A to point B. Now we have to go to point C before we get to point B.
God still works through our detours. God still uses the detours as opportunities to share the Gospel.
Paul came down from Jerusalem to Caesarea because the Jews were plotting to kill Paul but thanks to Paul’s nephew, who was at the right place at the right time, their plot was exposed and snuffed out.
So they transferred Paul to Caesarea to stand trial before Felix the governor. They even provided Paul with the security of over hundreds of soldiers.
Remember that God spoke to Paul in Acts 23:11 and told him that he must testify in Rome.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him 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 where God was leading him. Paul was faithful even though he wasn’t in Rome yet.
Knowing where God is leading us is important but trusting God with the how and the when is just as important.
It’s more about the journey and less about the destination. Traveling down our Road to Rome is our journey. The journey gives us opportunities for growth as we travel to our destination.
In Acts 24-26 we see that Paul was detoured on his road to Rome.
The next three chapters provide a look at 3 politicians—Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. All three held significant offices in the Roman regime. All three came face-to-face with the gospel of Jesus Christ through the testimony the apostle Paul. All three rejected Christ.
In Acts 24, Paul stood on trial before Felix, the Roman governor in Caesarea.
Paul stayed in prison in Caesarea for about two years. During this time, Paul had many opportunities to speak about Jesus.
Paul noted that no matter where he was in the journey that he will stand before the Lord and give an account on what he did on the journey.
In Paul’s defense, he talked about the journey that is every day.
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.
PRAY
Not everyone will make our road easy to travel but having a clear conscience before God and man is important.
Speak the truth no matter what. Strive to live with integrity every day.
Paul’s journey was very difficult as he was held in prison awaiting his trial before Felix.
The defense spoke first so Paul had to listen to the lies before Paul had an opportunity to speak.
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:
“You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. 3 For all of this, Your Excellency, 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.
Never get tripped up by other people’s lies
Never get tripped up by other people’s lies
These Jews were out to get Paul, they wanted to kill him so lying about him was nothing. As long as Paul would no longer be able to influence the people for Jesus and take away the Jewish leaders power to manipulate the Gentiles who were seeking to know the Lord. The goal was to take Paul out.
It’s an election year and we are in a swing state, every ad is full of lies to try to trip up their opponent. They are trying to sway people’s opinion to get a vote instead of running on their record and their plans and great ideas.
Beware of flattery
Tertullus was guilty of flattery.
Governor Felix was not the person this man portrayed him as. The Jews would remember Felix as a violent and corrupt ruler and was hated by the Jews.
Tertullus made Felix sound like a wise and gentle ruler but the truth was that Felix had a reputation for corruption, violence, and self-promotion.
Tertullus was guilty of lying and flattery.
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Flattery) “Insincere or excessive praise”
The Bible warns us agains Flattery
Proverbs 29:5 (NLT)
5 To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.
It is appropriate to affirm others by truthfully acknowledging noble character traits, but it’s never appropriate to exaggerate qualities for selfish motives.
The next time you are prompted to praise somebody, ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? For them or for me?”
Beware of Name-Calling.
Paul was called a “troublemaker” a “plague” or a “pestilent person.”
They tried to persuade Felix that Paul was causing issues against Rome that would reflect poorly on the governor’s responsibility of keeping peace in the Empire which was a major part of his job description.
The second charge, that Paul was the leader of a “Nazarene sect,” or cult.
This of course, referred to the Christians.
He tried to distance Christianity from Judaism. He tried to make Paul look like a leader of a religious cult not sanctioned by the state and making the church appear controversial.
Making the gospel appear to be cultish and strange.
Such religious name-calling is still prevalent. Some secular people enjoy making fun of Christians’ beliefs and behavior. We can’t prevent them from doing this; all we can do is live with integrity.
And as believers, we can certainly avoid branding other Christians with unflattering labels.
Paul was accused of desecration of the temple. This was likely designed to push Felix toward allowing the Jews to put Paul to death. It was one of the few offenses for which the Jews could still enact the death penalty.
Originally, Paul had been charged with actually bringing a Gentile into the temple area, thus desecrating it.
Here the charge was modified to read that Paul “tried” to desecrate the temple.
Evidently the accusers knew they had no proof so they had to shift their strategy to say that they had seized him in order to prevent the desecration.
Never get tripped up by other people’s lies. Never get sucked into flattery or name-calling. Lying causes people to get hostel or lash out in anger.
God will expose the lies so let the Lord defend you by living and speaking truth.
Make it a habit to always speak the truth
Make it a habit to always speak the truth
The accusations seemed compelling; his case against Paul appeared to be airtight. And a parade of other prominent Jews corroborated his version of the events.
Yet Tertullus was not being truthful.
Paul had never disturbed the peace—though his enemies had, everywhere he went.
Paul had never even spoken ill of the temple, much less attempted to desecrate it!
These false charges remind us not to believe everything we hear. People often misrepresent facts and distort truth.
Hear both sides of a story before you present your opinion.
Felix had an opportunity to hear Paul’s side of the story and defend himself against these accusations.
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.
Paul said that he made to Jerusalem… no more than twelve days ago. He had not been in Jerusalem long enough to stir up trouble.
He stated that he had come to Jerusalem for the purpose of worship (The Feast of Pentecost) after an extended absence.
He was not there to stir up trouble.
Paul’s statement could be verified. Paul explained that his accusers could not prove the charges because they did not have a shred of evidence that he had desecrated the temple.
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.
Paul was accused of being a ringleader of a Nazarene sect. He answered this accusation as an opening to share the gospel.
The term “the Way” was not only known to Felix, but it also reflected a more universal and positive nature of Christianity.
Jesus being “the way” to the Father, a “way” to deal with sin, and a “way” to live.
“The Way” was the earliest name for the Christian church. It probably came from…
Isaiah 40:3 (ESV)
3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Jesus declares HIMSELF “the way of salvation,” and to John 14:6, where Jesus referred to himself as “the way.”
Paul took this opportunity to tie the roots of the Christian movement to the God of the Jewish people—the God of our ancestors—and particularly to the Old Testament Scriptures.
Paul was still worshiping the same God and holding to the same moral code as his accusers.
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.
Paul presented his case by going straight to the issue of resurrection and judgment.
Because of this resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, Paul sought to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else.
Having a strong personal testimony of one who expected to stand before his Maker and give account for his life. Paul not only bore witness to the fact that he was ready to meet God but also that all people must get ready. This was convicting work of the Holy Spirit, where Jesus said:
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
It’s the hope of the resurrection and the reality that we will all stand before the Lord and give an account for our life. But it’s the convicting work of the Holy Spirit that draws us to holiness and righteousness.
If we want to honor the Lord here on earth then we must seek the conviction of the Holy Spirit. If we are not sensing the Holy Spirit’s conviction in our life, then responding to God’s way is not possible.
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!
Paul came to Jerusalem to deliver a financial gift to the church in Jerusalem but he also wanted to be there in time for Pentecost.
Paul was ceremonially clean when he was discovered in the temple courts.
Paul stated, “There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.”
The problem came when some Jews from the province of Asia showed up. They had caused the uproar, not Paul.
Paul said that they should have been in the courtroom to bring charges against him.
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!’ ”
Paul explained that he had made a controversial remark by claiming to believe in the resurrection of the dead. Paul knew it was unlikely that any of his accusers would attack that statement in Felix’s presence, and they kept their silence.
This gave Paul a chance to present the Resurrection again, this time before Felix and his court, as well as to those Pharisees who defended Paul when making these remarks in Jerusalem.
Paul simply spoke the truth. Lies will eventually be exposed when we make it a habit to always speak the truth.
Patiently and prayerfully look for opportunities for God to Show up and to Show off in the detour.
Patiently and prayerfully look for opportunities for God to Show up and to Show off in the detour.
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.
Felix had been governor for six years and he was quite familiar with the Way.
Some believe the language of this verse indicates that Felix had more than a little knowledge of Christianity. Maybe he had gotten his information from his wife, Drusilla, who was a member of the Herod family.
Either way, Felix’s knowledge of the church seemed very important to Luke. Luke wanted the original readers of his book to have a solid record that found Christians innocent, even as they experienced ongoing persecution all over the Roman Empire.
Paul was kept in custody, but given a great deal of freedoms by allowing visits by his friends in order to take care of his needs.
Paul had a number of Christian brothers and sisters in Caesarea who loved him dearly and would readily visit him and take care of him. Such freedom was likely the result of Paul’s being a Roman citizen against whom no crime had yet been proven.
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.
After an unnamed period of time, Felix and his wife Drusilla … sent for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ.
Some sources say that Drusilla was the one most interested in what Paul had to say about Christ and Christianity. But it would be her husband who would come under conviction!
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.
Paul’s discourse with Felix and Drusilla included an interesting trio of topics—righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come.
Like Paul’s remarks earlier in the trial, these three areas track with Jesus’ description of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and would likewise be areas of great conviction for Felix.
Felix’s career was marked by brutality and injustice so righteousness and judgment would likely be more than a little uncomfortable.
History also records that Drusilla was Felix’s third wife, and he had to break up her previous marriage in order to free her for himself. Thus, a discourse on self-control would likely not have been something he would have enjoyed hearing.
Paul’s message was not abstract platitude or theology. It contains hard-hitting ethical and behavioral issues.
This was not a particularly comfortable message, and Felix responded like an individual under the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Felix was afraid. He surely did not like this shift from an enjoyable jousting about politics or religion into morality and responsibility.
Like so many people today, Felix wanted to keep his religion contained, categorized, and irrelevant.
Paul confronted Felix, forcing him to deal with its full convicting message and Felix wanted no part of it.
Felix’s rejection of Paul’s message are the most telling: When I find it convenient, I will send for you.
What a sad statement for anyone to say. Translated: “I’m too involved, too busy with other things, to worry about God.”
Felix frequently sent for Paul, hoping the apostle would offer him a bribe, supposedly to buy his freedom.
We are not told where the governor thought Paul would get the money.
Maybe he had heard of the offering Paul had brought from the Asian and European churches.
Perhaps he assumed that a leader of Paul’s stature gave Paul a hand in the church coffers.
He sent for Paul and regularly exposed Felix to the truth.
Felix was a sorry example of one who “went to church” regularly, heard a personalized message from none other than the apostle Paul. Yet there is no record of Felix ever coming to faith.
How sad to be so regularly exposed to such profound truth and yet never take advantage of its life-changing power given through surrender.
Take Away:
Are we Prayerfully and Patiently looking for opportunities for God to show up and show off, even in the detours?
Are we listening to lies and allow them to manipulate our thinking?
Are we speaking and living the truth and exposing those things that are untrue?
