Pauls Trials
Notes
Transcript
Welcome
This morning we are going to wrap up Acts
And you may think but what a minute we have so much left of scripture in Acts to get through and there is
However this has been on my mind and I actually wrestled with it and this is where we are
10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!” 15 After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem.
After Paul goes through Asia he made stops in many of the places he had planted churches
He spent sometime in Ephesus
It is one of those things you are excited for Paul to come and preach and see you but if you had any wisdom you might be a bit scared because he was going to bring it when he came
Anyway they are making their way home
Right before they end up at a place called Caesarea
While there a prophet comes and confirms what the Lord had said earlier about going back to Jerusalem
To not to
Those with Paul start to attempt to what we would cal reasonw ith Paul
Paul you need to conside this
You will be arrested
They may have even mentioned Paul consider your ministry you might not be able to conintue
Pauls response should not surprise us and dare I say it should probably match our own response when faced with a similar situation
Paul says I am not worried and in fact I had already made my peace with even dying in Jersualem for my faith
Sounds a lot like Paul right
Paul ends up back in Jerusalem and while in Jersualem people from Asia show up and stir up the people to disagree with Paul
27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
The Jews from Asia so show and are upset with paul because he is sharing the Gospel Message with gentiles
They are mad that he is sharing with People that you don’t need to follow a set of rules but that you need to follow Christ
That you salvation is not tied to if you can keep the law or not in fact that is settled
You can’t keep the law
If you could be saved by keeping the law
Paul says that Jesus died needlessly
Paul is sharing with people that the only way to salvation and heaven is through Jesus
It is only the work of Jesus on the cross and in the tomb that saves
you bring nothing to the table
God who is rich in Mercy and Grace is waiting for you to sit there and say yep I am a sinner in need of a savior
God does the saving
That is what Paul is sharing because Paul himself had so been changed by the Gospel Himself
So they are angry with Paul for telling people that salvation is only through Jesus and not the law of moses
They snatch him and start beating him
Some Roman Soldiers see and hear the commotion and go and stop them from beating Paul
They take him bound
He not is given an opportuinty to speak before the Jews in Jersualem
1 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,
He begins with his testimony
He shares with them how he was trained and that in fact he would presecute those belonging to the way
That he was headed to arrest them and he met Jesus
He shares with them how he encountered the living God and how God had changed his life
To the point that he went and shared that with others and around the world of how Jesus is full of Grace and Mercy and had come to save you and take away you sin
He shares with them how he was even at the killing of stephen and how God had called him to ministry to share with others how Jesus saves
They listened to that point and then they say yea no
Away with him lets kill him
As they are about to start to beat him
25 But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” 27 The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” 29 Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains. 30 But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
Paul shares with those Roman soldiers that he is a roman citizen himself
This is important because it meant that he could request a trial or was able to be scene in front of a magistrate and even to appeal the decision
This stops Paul from being beaten this time
So now Paul stands before the Council which included both Pharisees and Sadducees
Both were part of the religiously elite and held power
The difference between the two groups comes down to the resurrection
So Paul stands before them and begins to share with them how Jesus was in fact killed and has raised from the dead
During which a large argument breaks out and the Roman commander is afraid they will tear Paul to pieces to they take him away and put in back in jail
11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
The Lord reminds Paul is going to be a witness at Rome
Church Paul is sitting in Jail has been beaten all because the Gospel has so changed his life
Earlier we would have sided with those trying to warn Paul not to go to Jersualem
While Paul is in jail his nephew comes
16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18 So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. 21 “So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” 22 So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”
They are planning to assassinate Paul because he has and continues to share the Gospel message
Because the Gospel Message has so changed Paul that he can’t help but share how it has changed him with anyone and everyone who will listen
So they move Paul and bring him before Felix
He shares with him how he walks with Jesus and how others do not like that
And Felix says you know what I will wait till someone else shows up and then I will decide your case
So Paul goes back to jail during which Felix would call for Paul to listen to him and they would talk
And after 2 long years
Felix is replaced by Festus
27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.
So to continued to be liked by the Jews Felix left Paul in prison
Festus shows up and they bring charges against Paul
9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
Paul after hearing the charges and speaking a bit
Festus wants to give him back to Jersualem for them to handle him and Paul appeals to stand before Caesar
As a Roman citizen you had the right to appeal and so Paul does
Before though He goes King Agrippa comes by and listens to Paul
30 The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
So Paul is going to Rome
We know that on his trip to Rome he is shipped wrecked
We know Paul is bit by a Viper and survives
Paul makes it to Rome
As you read the end of Acts you may be asking yourself why in the world did Paul ask to go before Cesar
It sounded like King Agrippa would have released him if he hadn’t
Why does Paul risk so much and his life
Because Christ
Church as you read through Acts that is what we are talking about
We are seeing what it looks like for Men and Women and for a church to be set on fire for Christ
During our cruise I found this quote by CS Lewis from Mere Christianity
“The Christian way is different: harder, and easier. Christ says ‘Give me All. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want to cuff a brand here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don’t want to drill the tooth or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will you myself; my own will shall become yours.
This was why Paul risks going before Cesar this is why he is willing to lay down his own life
Because Christ had all of Paul
What an amazing example of what it truly means to walk with Christ in your daily life
Paul was so changed by the Gospel
He was so changed by the Gospel we would look at him and think man you probably need to tone it down and seriously think about what you are doing you are being arrested right now
And I believe church we would even attempt to justify it
Just like those people earlier trying to warn him not to go to Jersualem
We would say Paul you wouldn’t be able to reach as many people if you go to prison
Think of your ministry
Things like that
And you know what church we would be wrong
Let me ask you does Jesus have all of you?
I think as believers we must ask ourselves that question
Really we need to ask anyone who wants to follow after Jesus do they understand and know what Jesus will take?
The same question C.S. Lewis says we need to ask people
“That is why He warned people to count the cost before becoming Christians. Make no mistake, He says If you let me I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through.”
Simple put church
We must count the cost before we give our hearts to Christ
And when we give our hearts to Christ it is not just half or only compartmented pieces of our heart or only the broken pieces of our heart to God and let Him fix them
We are to give our entire selves to Christ and let Him do with them as He wishes
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
We are to give all of ourselves to God as we enter into a relationship with Him
Stop trying to negotiate with God and give him a portion of your hearts
Stop trying to hold on to parts thinking you will be able to control those parts while God has the rest
You cannot serve two Masters
26 Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.
When we give our hearts to Jesus, all of ourselves to Jesus we sit back and watch what he will do
We know that He has good in store
God has amazing things in store for us if we will only give him all our hearts
And yet we with hold parts of our hearts
We have just read example after example of God having good in store for Paul and yet it would still be hard to do
So church let me ask you this morning
Does God have all of your heart and life
Or are there areas you are holding back from him
Maybe this morning you need to spend sometime in prayer at the alter saying God have all of me, do with me as you will, help me to be obedient
Or maybe you are not saved we would invite you this morning to come and speak with someone about repenting of your sin and trusting Jesus
The alter is open
