Praying through Acts- Acts 24

Intro:

Acts 24:1 NKJV

1 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.

We will continue to pray through the Book of Acts, focusing on chapter twenty-four.

Enemies. Enemy is defined, a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

Nations have enemies. People have enemies. Businesses have enemies.

What about us, do followers of Christ have enemies, and how are we to deal with our enemies?

Matthew 5:43–44 NKJV

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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Jesus tells us how to deal with our enemies. More than that, He shows us how to deal with our enemies. Before our salvation, we were all enemies of God.

Because of sin, God was HERE and we were THERE. But God sent Jesus to help him reconcile with His enemies.

We might think, that is great, but that is Jesus. How do I deal with my enemies?

Through prayer and dependance on the Holy Spirit.

Through a life of prayer and help of the Holy Spirit, we will have compassion and concern for our enemies.

Acts 1 - promise of power

Acts 2 - received power

Acts 3- exercised power

Acts 4 - prayed for more power

Acts 5- people lied and God displayed His power

Acts 6- conflict arose and God used people of power to help the church

Acts 7- Stephen reminded them of God’s power in history

Acts 8- walked in power to spread Gospel in Samaria

Acts 9- Saul was converted through an encounter with God’s power

Acts 10- the power of God fell on the Gentiles as Peter preached

Acts 11- Peter defended Gentiles receiving power

Acts 12- the church prayed and Peter was released from prison

Acts 13- God sent Barnabas and Paul as a result of prayer

Acts 14- Paul and Barnabas took the gospel to new regions proclaiming God’s message with power

Acts 15- they prayed and God gave powerful discernment

Acts 16- Paul and Silas prayed and praised in prison, and God set them free

Acts 17- Paul stayed consistent in the face of hardships because of his prayer life

Acts 18- Paul prayed and God helped him reach the city of Corinth.

Acts 19- Paul put what he prayed for and believed into practice and God answered

Acts 20- Paul prayed as he headed to Jerusalem, knowing difficulties laid ahead

Acts 21- Paul Told everyone he was ready to go to Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit led him there

Acts 22- Paul took time to witness to those who hated him

Acts 23 closes with Paul waiting for his accusers and for the governor, Felix to determine his fate.

Through a loophole, Paul’s enemies, the Jews, were not allowed to kill him. Instead, they turn to the Romans, which the Jews actually considered an enemy and sought their help with killing Paul.

There are three parts, [The Case Against Paul], [The Confession of Paul] and [The Conversation with Paul].

Let’s begin

1. The Case Against Paul

Acts 24:1 NKJV

1 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.

Paul waited on his accusers for five days. They devised their plan for Paul’s demise.

They hired an attorney by the name of Tertullus. He was a Jewish lawyer who acted as their spokesmen.

The first thing they did was to compliment the governor. This sounds wise enough, but Jewish historian Josephus explains that the Jews hated Felix.

Felix was a very harsh man who had opposed and hurt the Jews many times in the past. But the enemy of their enemy was their friend and their haterd for Paul outshined their disdain for Felix and they begin to compliment him for all of his “wonderful” qualities.

They didn’t mean a word of what they said, but they wanted to manipulate Felix so that he might agree and side with them.

They accused Paul of three crimes, hoping one of them would stick.

First, they accused Paul of being a {creator of dissension among the Jews}. Though the Romans gave the Jews a certain amount of liberty, one thing they would not tolerate was dissension.

They did not want the Jews to create problems for the Romans. Therefore, the Jews attempted to paint Paul as the culprit.

Second, they accused Paul of being the ringleader of the Nazarenes. Hear how they all Paul, “this man.” They had little regard for the Apostle and their words to him are meant to belittle him.

We need to remember that to be called a Christian was not a compliment. We carry the title of Christian as a title of respect and honor. However, in those days it was a derogatory term.

It literally meant, “little Christ”. Therefore, they compared Paul with the little Christ’s who was of the Nazarenes.

This was meant to be an affront to Paul. He was highly educated, but he walked with the simple.

Finally, they accused him of defiling their temple. Though no one saw Paul enter the temple with a Greek, the rumor continued to spread. They mentioned this because, as a state religion, they were legally authorized to protect their temple.

Therefore, they hoped that Felix would hear their arguments and send Paul back to their custody.

He lied that the Jews were handling the situation when the Romans came and violently took Paul, when in reality; the Romans only came because Paul was about to be killed.

Our enemy will always build a case against us, but God will have the final say.

2. The Confession of Paul

Acts 24:13–16 NKJV

13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Paul was given the chance to defend himself and he did it cheerfully.

Paul refutes all three of their accusations. Paul explains that it had been twelve days since he came to Jerusalem. A lot can happen in twelve days.

Paul reminded them that the only reason he came was to worship in the temple and to give an offering to the poor. However, the Jews made accusations, but they didn’t have a witness.

Furthermore, when they attempted to paint him as a leader of the Nazarenes, they wanted to project that Paul worshipped a different God than the Jews.

If this was successful, then they could have had Paul tried on other grounds for his religion would not have been recognized by the Romans.

However, Paul points to the fact that the WAY, or Christianity was merely the fulfillment of Judaism. Paul believed in the same law and prophets and he worshipped the same God.

Finally, they accused him of defying the temple when in reality; he went to the temple to worship. Had he been as vile as they claimed, he wouldn’t have wanted to go to the temple.

They only accusation that Paul accepted any guilt had been in the Sadducees accused him of preaching the resurrection. Remember, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, but the Pharisees did.

He didn’t go to the temple to defile, but he went to be purified. With each accusation, Paul defended himself against their lies and as a result, the governor didn’t know what to do.

When the enemy accuses us, depend on the Word of God and the message of salvation.

3. The Conversation With Paul

Acts 24:25–26 NKJV

25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

The Jews hoped Felix had little knowledge of the Way, Christians, but Felix did know about the Way. Therefore, he decided to wait until Lysias, the commander came to make his decision.

Lysias was the commander that arrested and then protected Paul. History shows no evidence that Felix ever called Lysias.

Therefore, Paul was released to house arrest, given the liberty to have guests and to speak to whomever he wanted. Later Felix called Paul back.

There is so much to this interesting story. Felix was married a woman by them name of Drusilla. She was a Jew and it is likely that she wanted to hear more about Jesus.

So Paul, who never missed an opportunity to witness, spoke about Jesus to them, (what did he say to them?)

Paul never sugar coated his messages. He told Felix what he needed to hear.

He spoke to him about {righteousness}, {self-control} and the {judgment that will come}. This was not a popular message, but Paul spoke the truth in love. Felix asked Paul to leave because he and come back at a more convenient time.

Who knows that there is never really a convenient time to hear about what we are doing wrong. Furthermore, he hoped that Paul would bribe him with money so that he could be set free.

But Paul’s hope and trust was not in Rome, but in God. Therefore, Paul stayed there for two years. And when Felix’s term was finished, he left Paul under house arrest to give a favor to the Jews.

We must stay willing and ready to tell our enemies about Jesus.

Close:

Paul understood the source his problems and it was not theJews. {It was not because of flesh and blood, but because of spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.}

Instead, Satan used the forces of this world to attack and stop the body of Christ.

He still does this today. Therefore, we must hold on to the Lord’s promises and continue to walk upright.

For there is coming a day when our accuser will be silenced.

As I read this story, I thought of our accuser, the father of all lies, Satan. Day and night he accuses us, but if we will be like Paul, God will find us not guilty.

Revelation 12:7–11 NKJV

7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

What I loved about Paul is that he didn’t give his accusers any ammunition. Every time they accused him, it was found to be false.

If we will walk close to God, He will be our defender and our enemy will not have the power to find us guilty.