When God is your advocate

When God is your advocate…

, And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

This chapter is the beginning of Paul’s main trial which will last for the next three chapters. This morning we are going to hear the opening and closing arguments from the prosecution represented by the Jewish leadership as the prosecutors and also from the defense represented physically by Paul but spiritually by God who is his advocate.

What is an advocate? An advocate is a person who speaks or writes in support of and in defense of a person or a cause. It is a person who pleads for or in behalf of another as an intercessor; sometimes even in a court of law.

"What does it mean that Jesus is our Advocate?" What happens when God is your advocate? As mentioned before an advocate is a person who comes to our aid or pleads our case before a judge. Advocates offer support, advocates offer strength, and advocates counsel and intercede for us when necessary. The Bible says that Jesus is an Advocate for those who’ve put their trust in Him: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” ().

The Bible teaches as well that the Holy Spirit is our Advocate , says this, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” The English word advocate has been translated from the Greek word “parakletos”, which means “helper, adviser, or counselor.” In a human court system, an advocate speaks for the rights of his or her client. We call them lawyers because they have studied the intricacies of the law and can navigate through those often-complicated statutes with accuracy and precision. That is the picture John paints when he refers to Jesus as our “advocate with the Father.” God’s righteous law pronounces us guilty on all counts. We have violated God’s standards, we have rejected His right to rule our lives, and we have continued to sin even after coming to a knowledge of the truth. Because the Word teaches us that, “For although they knew God, they did not honor his as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (). The only just punishment for such wickedness is an eternity in hell. But Jesus stands as the Advocate between our repentant hearts and His righteous law. This only happens if His blood has been applied to our lives through faith in His son, ‘For if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Christ from the death, we are saved.’ From that moment onward Christ is our advocate and pleads our case with the Righteous Judge who is God the Father. We may imagine the conversation going something like this: “Father, I know these have sinned and violated our commands. They are guilty as charged. However, you have said that my sacrifice is sufficient payment for the debt they owe. My righteousness has been applied to their account when they trusted in me for salvation and forgiveness. I have paid the price, so they can now be pronounced ‘Not guilty.’ There is no debt left for him to pay” tells us this, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Jesus is our Advocate when God first accepts us into His family as His children. He remains our Advocate forever. says that, when we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness… As His followers, we will still sin. But, when we do, we are commanded to confess that sin to God. Confession is an agreement with God about how bad sin is. We stand guilty before Him with no argument and no justification of our own.

Our Advocate steps before the Judge, and together they agree that, because we are “in Christ,” no further punishment is necessary.

Jesus has already made sufficient payment to redeem us. Another aspect that makes Jesus a compassionate advocate is the fact that He has experienced life in this world, too. He has been tempted, rejected, overlooked, misunderstood, and abused. He does not just represent us theoretically; He represents us through experiene. Jesus knows our sorrows.

He lived the life we live, yet He did so without succumbing to the evils that befall us. He successfully refused to give into temptation and can be our High Priest because He perfectly fulfilled God’s law. ‘He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God’. Jesus our Advocate can plead our case from personal experience. An earthly advocate can only plead our case from external evidence or witness testimony. Our heavenly Advocate knows our hearts and pleads our case on the basis of what is there. He also knows the complexities of God’s legal system. He has already satisfied the demands of justice, so His advocacy is from a position of strength and righteousness. God accepts His Son’s advocacy on our behalf as part of their divine agreement, established before the world began. Christ was given all authority over every tribe and people, every language and nation, and all who dwell on earth whose name has been written on the book of life. Our position as “the righteousness of Christ” is secure because the One who purchased our position with His own blood is also our Advocate “For God has done what the law weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” (). My brother and sister there is nothing to fear before the courtroom of the world when God is your advocate.

Let us pray …

When God is your advocate … He allows no man to prosecute.

1 “And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul.”

Paul was guarded for five days in Herod’s praetorium, under constrain but in comfortable conditions before the high priest. Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. Paul’s accusers were clearly anxious to expedite the proceedings, using the best possible legal assistance available to them. With the aid of a professional ‘barrister’ or ‘advocate’, like Terttullus they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. This was the indictment; they serve as the grand jury bring their charges against Paul and placing the formal process in motion. It has been argued that Tertullus was a Greek-speaking Jew and was able to speak precisely on from both fronts.

Now we see the prosecution present their opening arguments. When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix. Tertullus began his speech with the customary way. This involved some complimentary exaggeration, listen to his words 2b‘Since through you we enjoy much peace… Tertullus knows the governorship of Felix in Palestine was characterized by much social and political disturbance. Nevertheless, this introduction is ‘carefully linked to the charges which follow and is not an example of mere flattery. But a framework in which to cast his forth-coming comments about Paul.

For example, Tertullus knows that Felix had recently restored law and order by quelling the rebellion of an Egyptian prophet. He knows Felix to be a law and order judge who could be expected to maintain the peace by punishing someone who disturbed the public order in Jerusalem and the Dispersion. Tertullus further claimed that … 2c Since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, the Jewish nation. Speaking on their behalf, Tertullus claimed that this law and order image was acknowledged 3‘everywhere and in every way, and with much gratitude’ In other words, he affirmed that Jewish appreciation for the peace and providential reforms brought by Felix was widespread and comprehensive. However, he knew that he could Felix would get ‘weary’ and lose attention if he continued in this vein, and so prepared to move to the substance of his speech and laying before him the charges by saying, 4 ‘But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly’. The word translated here as kindness denotes being reasonable and being fairness, in giving them an honest hearing.

Speaking on behalf of his clients, Tertullus declares, 5 ‘For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world…’ which means throughout the Roman Empire. Rebellion and the creation of civil disturbance was ‘a capital crime and could land you in prison as well’. The prosecution was trying to lay the groundwork that Paul’s ministry was an indication of the danger of Christianity for the well-being of the Empire, and the prisoner was being likened to a dangerous disease which must be stopped before it infects everyone. This charge to some extent echo’s the one made in against Jesus. , And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” This would have been seen as rebellion and treason.

It was precisely the charge to bring against a Jew during the reign of Claudius or the early years of Nero. ‘The accusers of Paul were putting themselves on the side of the Roman government and framing Paul as a treasonous ringleader. The seriousness of the charge is further explained by describing Paul in quasi-military terms, look at 23.5b speaking of Paul ‘… And is a ringleader of the sect of Nazarenes.

The Jewish leadership assign to Paul the same importance as the standard bearer of the messianic movement that Luke himself does with Jesus. There were several Jewish sects or parties at this time, but Tertullus implies that this new group of Christians, those Nazarenes were dangerously different. The term ‘Nazarene’ was normally applied to Jesus, but here in the plural to his followers.

According to his accusers, Paul, as the ringleader of this group, they level yet another charge against by saying.

6‘He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him’. In religious terms, this explained the violent response from the Jews, which, from a Roman point of view, which also had serious political implications. Such an offence would have incurred the death penalty, had it been proved true. Now Tertullus climactically asserts that temple desecration was the main reason for Paul’s captivity, (‘so we seized him’ Felix, that is what he is here). Tertullus conveniently omits to say that a riot in Jerusalem prompted the commander to take Paul into custody and that his claim is unproved. So, Tertullus really leaves the final state of the charges for Felix to issued when he says. 8‘By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.’ Here I think we see the hand of God the advocate moving because Tertullus invites the governor himself to cross-examine Paul about the matter. And really from that standard only Paul’s own testimony could convict him. Yet, still the Jews joined in the accusation, using a military term, ‘joined in the attack’) to signify the intensity of their opposition to Paul. They joined their lawyer in asserting that these things were true. Remember, Luke, however, has already made it clear that the accusations against Paul were false from the start. This was their opening statement and their complete case against Paul and the prosecution rested, but when God is your advocate no weapon formed against you can prosper.

When God is your advocate… He is the one who defends.

As the court room quieted, in great expectation of what defense could be mounted against such devastating attack. We see Paul as he takes to the witness stand. 10 So when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul, took the stand to mount his defense, all the time knowing that is was God, Himself who was his advocate.

, says “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Paul begins his response as Tertullus did, in a similar in a more restrained fashion, however, when he spoke these words, 10b “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.” Paul said this with the purpose of acknowledging the experienced Felix had in these matters relating to Jewish law and the disputes of their people. His goal was to build a foundation upon the common ground of fairness and like-mindedness. Here Paul is making an effort to deal with the disputes before the magistrate reminding him to keep an open mind as he listens to the defense God is about to put forth.

Paul now proceeds to establish and interweave God’s several lines of defense, and in certain respects ‘making use of Tertullus’ words to build his own case’. Paul’s first defense is that he is not a warrior but a worshipper. This claim with color his entire defense. Here he asserts his piety as a Jew in going up to Jerusalem to ‘worship’.

Look at verse 11 ‘You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.’

Paul is saying here that he was is a devoted worshipper of God and because of his worship of God he was there to express homage and honor, respect and reverence, and adoration and adulation to the one that he serves. Paul is telling Felix, that he was there to worship God, with reverence and not to rebel, to honor God and not to harm the temple, and to give a sincere sacrifice of praise not to engage in sacrilege in the Temple.

Paul’s second line of defense was this: that those who were railing against him were not reliability. He was telling Felix that he should question the reliability of his accusers claims. Paul is clearly saying he in this in verse 12 12‘And they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city’.

Paul also clearly confines his claim of not disrupting directly to the Jerusalem synagogues within Felix’s area of responsibility. Though he has had challenges in other places, these present opponents cannot prove any of the charges they have logged against him in Jerusalem. Paul goes on to said, 13 “Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me.”

Paul, here is emphatic and enlists them to show any evidence to against him; he knew that his opponents had no legitimate claims and could only tell lies. So, he had no reason to fear them, or allow them to frustrate him, and frame a defense because of them. Paul trusted that God would in the end expose them and deliver him from the charges and claims that now seem so detrimental and could make Felix doubtful. Lies are always used to mislead people concerning the truth and lessen the impact of the truth making it doubtful.

Augustine once said, When our regard for truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful.

When you really look at it a lie has no legs. It requires other lies to support it. Tell one lie and you are forced to tell others to back it up. And stretching the truth won't make it last any longer. Those that think it permissible to tell white lies; they soon grow colorblind and their lies cloud their vision like a kaleidoscopic.

The third level of Paul’s defense is his confession of belief.

Paul gives this confession to show the marvelous manifested mitigating majesty that God has had upon his life. When you think about it this is starling turn of events; right in the mist of his defense, right in the mist of all his emphatic denials, and right in the mist of deliverance he confesses. He confesses not to a crime, but he confesses to a cause. He wants Felix to understand what has been driving his behavior.

It is this behavior, which has brought him before this judicial body. It was his belief and worship of God!

, But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.”

Paul says that I worship the God of our fathers, the God of our ancestor’s, the one and true living God! He says I worship God through my obedience, believing everything laid by the Law, written in the Prophets. I worship by having my hope God, the Father of all, the one who is just and the justifier. And by the way this God, that I worship; these men serve also, in the hope and the knowledge that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

Paul proceeded to show how as a Christian he was a faithful Jew, accepting the Law and the Prophets and sharing the resurrection hope that comes through Christ the Messiah.

With the following words, however, Paul differentiates himself from other Jews by identifying himself as ‘a follower of the Way, which he says the Jews they call a sect’. The Way speaks of Christian and is a self-designation favored by many. Paul serves the God of the OT ‘according to the way’ of Jesus and his followers as a true Jew. Although Paul occasionally visits the temple in Jerusalem to evangelize and engages in some traditional Jewish practices, but his worshipping God is in a gospel ministry designed to bring Jews and Gentiles together to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Such an appeal to a common hope and common desire to serve God was still somewhat uncommon but his worship of the one true and living God should cast him as destroyer of Judaism. But as angel of light.

His attitude and behavior identify him as one of ‘the righteous’, whose life is shaped by the totality of God’s revelation in Scripture. Although Paul addresses the governor with these words, he clearly also challenges his Jewish accusers to recognize the genuineness of his relationship with God.

Paul says this without fear of contradiction, 16, So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

Paul’s fourth level of defense to Felix continues this theme of his piety, claiming that his most recent behavior was above reproach. Paul is saying that accusations and the charges against him are theologically, steeped in Jewish law rather than criminal misconduct needing Roman judgment.

Paul asserts that his most recent visit to Jerusalem was completely benevolent. , Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. His most recent visit had been intended only ‘to bring my people gifts for the poor.’ Paul’s collection for the relief of poor Christians in Jerusalem figures significantly in his own writings, yet this is the first allusion to his ministry in Acts. Paul even declares that the gifts are (lit.) ‘for my nation’ rather than being more narrowly for Christian Jews only.

Paul is painting an accurate portrait of being punished for doing an act of mercy. In view of , While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult... Whether or not Paul planned to offer any sacrifices before he reached Jerusalem we don’t know. But Paul insisted that ‘there was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance’.

Denying the charge of being a deliberate troublemaker and ringleader, Paul indicates that those who accused him of wrong didn’t have a leg to stand upon or they should be there mounting their own prosecution.

, But some Jews from Asia— they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me.” Now remember, Roman law was very strong against accusers who failed to show proof or abandoned their charges’.

The failure alone of these witnesses to not appear before the governor’s court suggested that their charges could not be substantiated. Here Paul was making a sound technical objection that really was sufficient enough for the dismissal of the case on its face.

Then Paul challenges the representatives of the Sanhedrin to present the conclusions of their examination, as we see this in these verses.

20-22, ‘Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

Paul, knowing full well that, that trial ended without a decision, ended in chaos because of theological issues. He is basically saying this, ‘if you have something, then bring it, or just let a brother go!

Paul highlights once more what is really the heart of the matter as he sees it: 21b ‘other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’

All these false charges are not based on breaking laws, but based on his belief in the resurrection. Paul now points Felix the main point in his defense. His worship of God insists on His belief in what God clearly teaches, which includes the resurrection of the dead for the just and the unjust. You see all these false charges are based not on crimes committed but because of Christian belief in the resurrection!

Look at this brothers and sisters, in just one master stroke, Paul had turned the tables on them! He has made his accusers witnesses on his behalf, by showing that he had spoken only of theological matters! Now there was nothing more to say, without a formal ending Paul ceases to speak, believing that the very weight of the defense that God had presented filled and balance the scales of justice. All that was left was to silently sing the praises of God for His mercy and to worship Him, Case closed! All is finished but the shouting and singing the praises to the Lord. When God is our advocate we must sing until the power of the Lord comes down!

Louis Albert Banks tells of an elderly Christian man, a fine singer, who learned that he had cancer of the tongue and that surgery was required. In the hospital after everything was ready for the operation, the man said to the doctor, "Are you sure I will never sing again?" The surgeon found it difficult to answer his question. He simply shook his head no. The patient then asked if he could sit up for a moment. "I've had many good times singing the praises of God," he said. "And now you tell me I can never sing again. I have one song that will be my last. It will be of gratitude and praise to God."

There in the doctor's presence the man sang softly the words of Isaac Watts' hymn, "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath,/ And when my voice is lost in death,/ Praise shall employ my nobler power;/ My days of praise shall ne'er be past,/ While life, and thought, and being last,/ Or immortality endures."

Paul’s consistent theme and defense throughout this entire trial has been his deep desire to worshipped God. He when to Jerusalem to worship, he worshipped the God of his fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written by the Prophets. He worshipped God and took pains to always have a clear conscience before God and man.

This is why God advocated for him and will deliver him, because of his worship, which is the complete assessment of who we are and how we live, our worship of God will always stand as our star witness. When God is our advocate!