Acts 25:1-12

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you where surrounded by the enemy or have you ever asked the question why do those who bring me harm prosper while I struggle in life?

Have you ever looked at the world and asked why

Last week we stepped into hear a hearing. Jews had brought their charges against Paul. Paul made his defense.

Paul preached the gospel to Felix and Felix was convicted and then rejected the Gospel. He leaves Paul in prison for two years and this is where we pick up this morning.

Acts 25:1–5 ESV

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

Acts 25:1–4 ESV

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly.

Acts 25:1–3 ESV

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

Felix the former governor had been removed from office for doing such a bad job.

The new governor is Gestus

Festus had not been on the job long and he makes his way to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a tuff place to rule. Festus makes his way there and meets with the High Priest and other leading priest.

Felix had, had the old High priest Jonathan killed. and Festus is meeting with the new High Priest.

The Felix had killed the former High Priest Jonathan. And this new high priest is going to revive the old plan

They laid out there case to Festus about Paul.

Most likely the same case they had laid out to Felix. they said he caused riots, he belong to this sect called the Nazareens, and He had defiled the temple.

Verse 3 they also asked a favor against Paul.

They are trying to make a backroom deal.

They ask Festus if he will summons Paul to Jerusalem.

The reason they wanted him to be summonsed is because they still wanted to kill him and follow through with their plan to ambush him

Evidently this new High Priest remembered the vow 40 men had taken to kill Paul and he wanted to see this happen.

You think after two years they would have given up or cooled off a little toward Paul.

Festus the governer is wise and instead of giving into their plan, he invites a delagation to go with him to Ceasarea and make their case there because Paul is there.

No body likes there named smeared. Nobody likes people to spread false gossip about them or bring false charges against them.

Festus the govener replies to this request by saying that Paul is being kept in Caesarea. I am heading there as soon as we leave here why don’t you have some of your men who are in authority go with me and bring charges against him.

And yet this is what has happen to Paul.

This trial, these false alligations didn’t just happen in in life for a week or two. This trial in Paul’s life at this point is at the two year mark. And yet Paul is faithful. As we will see today. Paul is still trusting the fact that Jesus is still beside him. He trusting in what Jesus has told him. That he will go to Rome.

Acts 25:6–8 ESV

6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”

Acts 25:6 ESV

6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

Acts 25:6-7

Festus stayed and got to know these guys for the next 8 -10 days.

He then headed down to Caesarea as he said he would.

The next day after arriving into town. He takes his seat on the tribunal to judge.

One of the first cases he calls for is Paul to be brought before him.

Some of the Jews made there way down to Caesarea and brought many charges against Paul that they could not prove.

Notice in verse 7 this time they are standing around Paul like a pack of wolves, ready to jump on him.

I can just picture them circling around him.

Paul made his defense.

But in making his defense Dr. Luke points out to us that Paul

But he didn’t make a defense against the Law of the Jews

nor against the temple

nor against Caesar.

Paul is saying I am innocent by all who are concerned. I have broken no Jewish law nor Roman law.

Paul kept his cool. He remained calm, he remained courageous. He just makes his defense and trust in God.

He didn’t tell them what he thought. He spoke very little.

C.H. Spurgeon said:

Preaching the Word: Acts—The Church Afire An Innocent Man (Vv. 7–8)

“Often the less we say to our foes, and the more we say to our best Friend, the better it will fare with us.”

The best thing we can do when the enemy rises against us to call out to God.

To share with him what is on our hearts.

This is what the psalmist calls us to do in

Psalm 109:1–4 ESV

1 Be not silent, O God of my praise! 2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. 3 They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. 4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.

Listen Christ follower. The enemy may talk about you behind your back. The enemy may encircle you with words of hate.

They may attack you without cause.

They may bring accusations against you. But you are not helpless. You can call to the living God who is their to hear all your request.

When surrounded by those out to get you the best course of action sometimes is to make your defense and trust in God.

Losing your cool won’t help. Telling them what you think won’t help. Often times when we do that it hurts us in the long run. Paul kept his composure and just made a simple defense and left it in Gods hands.

I encourage you today. Whatever is going on in your life. Leave it in Gods hands.

Acts 25:9 ESV

9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”

It is easy at this point to wonder why the wicked is prospering.

Why those who are doing evil seem to be on top.

We ask this question all the time. Why do those who mean harm get by with it, while the person they persecute struggles.

Why does the person who cheats, cuts corners get the promotion while you are stuck in the lower position.

Why does the drunk driver walk away from the accident while the innoncent child is killed.

We ask this question all the time.

This trial is a mockery. Festus is trying to please the Jewish elder priest. He is trying to get in good with the leadership so that he will have a peaceful long reign.

So in verse 9 Dr. Luke lets us know that he is trying to set Paul up. Festus knows that Paul will never make it back to Jerusalem. That he will be attacked and killed along the way.

In leadership you must understand. it is not about popular opinion. It is not about who you will upset or who you will make happy.

In leadership espeacilly in the church it is about pleasing an audience of one.

So in verse 9 Dr. Luke lets us know that he is trying to set Paul up. Festus knows that Paul will never make it back to Jerusalem. That he will be attacked and killed along the way.

The problem is Festus doesn’t know that God has promised Paul that he will make a defense in Rome.

The enemy may be surrounding you. But I want to remind you that God has a plan for you a plan not to harm you but for you to prosper.

Even though sometimes his way for us to prosper is through the pain.

Paul is relying on God throughout this situation. Paul understands that God is in control.

When our world is turned upside down and it seem evil is proveiling, we must trust in God. We must understand as I pointed out last week that nothing is done without him noticiting.

That he is judge and that he will make all right in the end.

As the commentary Preaching the Word said If anyone could have had a reason to be bitter at this point it was Paul. And yet he was not.

We must remember not to become bitter.

Bitterness will eat you alive. It will keep you up at night. It will hurt your health. It will cause problems in other relationships.

Matthew 5:43–44 ESV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

I know it is hard, I know it is not easy. If we are honest we don’t want to love our enemy. But we have been commanded by Jesus to love our enemies.

C.H. Spurgeon

Preaching the Word: Acts—The Church Afire An Innocent Man (Vv. 7–8)

“We ought never to fear those who are defending the wrong side, for since God is not with them their wisdom is folly, their strength is weakness, and their glory is their shame.”

Preaching the Word: Acts—The Church Afire An Innocent Man (Vv. 7–8)

C. H. Spurgeon, “We ought never to fear those who are defending the wrong side, for since God is not with them their wisdom is folly, their strength is weakness, and their glory is their shame.”

Paul didn’t

Festus ask Paul if he would like to go to Jerusalem and there be tried for the charges against him.

Paul turns it down.

Paul was appealing to a higher power.

That higher power was not Festus or Agrippa. That higher power was not even Ceaser. Paul appealed to Jesus and Jesus had commanded him to go to Rome.

Sometimes the best thing we can do in our situation is to appeal to a higher power.

I am not talking about a higher position up the ladder at work.

I am not talking about someone higher up the chain of command

I am not talking about a higher court in the land.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is appeal to the higher power of Jesus and rely on the last thing he told us to do.

The last thing Jesus had told Paul was he was going to Rome. So Paul is content to go to Rome until Jesus tells him other wise.

When the enemy rises up we must appeal to the higher power of Jesus and keep doing what he last commanded us to do.

C.H. Spurgeon said:

Preaching the Word: Acts—The Church Afire An Innocent Man (Vv. 7–8)

“Often the less we say to our foes, and the more we say to our best Friend, the better it will fare with us.”

Preaching the Word: Acts—The Church Afire An Innocent Man (Vv. 7–8)

Spurgeon, “Often the less we say to our foes, and the more we say to our best Friend, the better it will fare with us.”

The best thing we can do when the enemy rises against us to call out to God.

To share with him what is on our hearts.

This is what the psalmist calls us to do in Psalm 109:1-4

Psalm 109:1–4 ESV

1 Be not silent, O God of my praise! 2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. 3 They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. 4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.

Listen Christ follower. The enemy may talk about you behind your back. The enemy may encircle you with words of hate.

They may attack you without cause.

They may bring accusations against you. But you are not helpless. You can call to the living God who is their to hear all your request.

Paul understood that God was not calling him to go back to Jerusalem. Had God called Paul to head back to Jerusalem he would have gladly gone.

Paul understood that God had called him to go to Rome.

Acts 25:10–12 ESV

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Church when God calls us to a task or to a mission, there will be all kinds of things and opportunities that will arise to take us from the task we are called to.

We must keep our eyes focused on where God has called us to go.

Acts 25:10–12 ESV

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Acts 25:10

Paul told the tribune that he was where he was suppose to be.

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Then Paul tells the tribune:

If I am guilty, I am not trying to escape death. If I deserve death then sentence me.

But if there charges are false. then no one can turn me over to them.

Paul is not afraid to die. He understands that when he dies his next breath will be in the presents of the Lord.

Tony Merida says “The Christian should not be afraid to die. The Christian should be afraid of sin.

Paul is not bragging. He is not trying to push his way. Paul just keeps standing for the truth. He keeps standing on the promises of God. As we sang about this morning.

In your times of trouble. Stand on the promises of God.

Stand on the promise that he sticks closer to you than a brother.

Stand on the promise that he is Soverign and in control

Stand on the promise that it is for our good and is conforming us to the imagine of Christ.

Stand on the promises

Jesus has promised Paul that he is going to Rome.

Some would say then we are to sit back and wait and wait and wait until God does it.

Paul saw God open a door and he walked through it. He applead to Caesare

A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, "Jump in, I can save you."

The stranded fellow shouted back, "No, it's OK, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me."

So the rowboat went on.

Then a motorboat came by. "The fellow in the motorboat shouted, "Jump in, I can save you."

To this the stranded man said, "No thanks, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith."

So the motorboat went on.

Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, "Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety."

To this the stranded man again replied, "No thanks, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith."

So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, "I had faith in you but you didn't save me, you let me drown. I don't understand why!"

To this God replied, "I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?"

The spirit is leading Paul in this situation and he appeals to Caesar.

In our times of trouble when we are surrounded by the enemy. When it does not look like it is going well we must rely on the Spirit.

For far to many of us instead or rely on the Spirit in our times of trouble, we rely on the flesh. We rely on ourselves and our own thoughts. And this is where we get into trouble.

We try to plan out our defense. We try to plan out what are going to say when they say this or that.

Remember Luke 12:11-12

Luke 12:11–12 ESV

11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Because Paul request to be sent to Caeser Festus has no choice, but to send him after meeting with council.

The governor Festus talked with his council and sends him to Caesar.

Preaching the Word: Acts—The Church Afire 38: The Accused

In the early morning hours of October 4, 1980, a young nursing student was brutally murdered in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park. Following the advice of well-meaning friends, Steve Linscott, a student at Emmaus Bible College, told police about a dream he’d had the night of the crime. Oak Park police later arrested him, interpreting his dream account as the roundabout confession of a psychopathic killer. Later a jury found Linscott guilty, and he was sentenced to forty years in prison. There was just one problem—Linscott was innocent! Only after time in prison and numerous legal appeals—a process that lasted twelve years—was Linscott free and vindicated!1

Those years undoubtedly brought the most difficult challenges Linscott will ever face—separated from his wife and children for three and a half years except for brief visits, wondering if he had somehow brought all this on himself and why God had allowed it to happen, surviving prison violence. Those were tough years, and yet years of growth and a growing awareness of the goodness of God. In Linscott’s words:

I have come to realize that we cannot judge God’s purposes, nor where He places us, nor why He chooses one path for our lives as opposed to another.

The Bible itself is replete with accounts of divine action (or inaction) that does not seem fair, that does not make sense except when viewed in light of God’s perfect plan. Thousands of Egyptian children were massacred while a baby named Moses was spared. Jacob was a liar and a thief, and yet it was he, not his faithful brother Esau, who received the blessing of their father Isaac and of God. On one level it makes no sense that God would allow His Son to die for the sins of humankind. But God has a plan—a perfect plan.2

I don’t know about you but I need that reminder. Life does not always seem fair, but God has a plan and it is perfect.

Every Head bowed.