7.1.12 Wait For The Gift The Father Has Promised and Live As Jesus’ Witnesses. Acts 1:1-11

Wait For The Gift The Father Has Promised and Live As Jesus’ Witnesses. Acts 1:1-11 Closing Message DuPage/NIU UBF Bible School Key verse 1:8 Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7/1/12 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Part l: Jesus Is Alive (1-2) Today we want to look at the last commands Jesus gave to his followers just before he was taken up into heaven. In them we can find direction for ourselves, who have had a personal encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. First, we learn about the author of the book. Look at verse 1a, “In my former book, Theophilus..,” This book was written by Luke the Apostle. He was also a doctor and an historian. His former book was the book of Luke, out of which we have studied several passages. Theophilis means, “Lover of God.” He could be writing to a specific person, or to all lovers of God throughout history. If that is the case he is writing to you also. In his former book he wrote about Jesus. Look at verse 1b, “…I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.” At this conference we learned about what Jesus was doing and teaching. Jesus was a spiritual doctor when he healed a paralytic physically and spiritually, forgiving his sins and saying, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” He healed Levi of his selfishness and his loneliness when he said, “Follow me.” He saved people from condemnation freeing them and telling them, “Go now and leave you life of sin.” He searched and found people who have wandered away from the Lord. He searched and found people who have fallen on their backs in dark places like lost coins. He forgave and restored countless prodigal sons and daughters. He also reached out to those like the Pharisees, helping them to know the grace and truth of God. Jesus did a lot of wonderful things during his earthly ministry. Jesus also taught his disciples many things. Look at verse 1b again. “…after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.” Jesus spent a lot of time instructing the Twelve because he knew that through them to Gospel would be preached throughout the world. Jesus taught them through the Holy Spirit. Jesus used all kinds of methods to teach the apostles, verbally, through group and 1:1 discussions, through showing the example, and allowing the disciples to have hands on experience. But the ultimate teaching came when he gave instructions through the Holy Spirit. When we try to reveal Jesus through Bible study or serving we are essentially environment makers. It is God who will do the ultimate teaching through his Holy Spirit. We saw this in the testimony of my daughter Sarah. She had a life time of Bible teaching and living in Christian family, but it was not through her father’s gospel messages that she had a revelation about Jesus. It was during one praise and worship session and being surrounded by people whom she loved and who loved her, that her heart was strangely moved to confess, “This is what I want.” She meant life with Jesus among other Christians. Julie first accepted Jesus, not through a powerful message at a conference, but while talking in the kitchen with the mother of a former boyfriend. The Holy Spirit moved her heart and taught her the truth about Jesus. Maybe, through this Bible School, God is making and environment so that the Holy Spirit can teach you about Jesus in a life changing way. Jesus tried hard to show people that he was alive. Look at verse 3. “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Jesus suffered much during his 3 ½ years of ministry serving others. He suffered much during his passion being falsely accused and nailed to the cross so that we can be forgiven of our sins. After his death and resurrection he appeared to his followers convincing them that he was alive. He ate with them, gave them his peace, he even told doubting Thomas to touch the wounds in his hands and his side. There are many convincing proofs that Jesus is alive. He was alive during those 40 days he was with the Apostles. He is alive right now, ministering to our hearts through his word and his Holy Spirit. Part ll: Do Not Loose The Point (3-7) Jesus is very wise about things that may sidetrack and deceive his followers over the millennia. First, they need to stick to the main point of Jesus’ teachings. Look at verse 3 again, “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Jesus’ point is always the resurrection and the Kingdom of God. Jesus rose from the dead and is alive right now. He wants us to place our hope in the Kingdom of God. He will come again to gather the Elect, all those who have been forgiven, those who have placed all of their hope and trust in him. This was main point of Jesus’ teaching and ministry. So often we are tempted to deviate from the message of the Kingdom of God for more practical issues. But think about it…there were more than enough social issues of the day in Jesus’ time. What about Roman occupation and taxation? Government corruption? What about woman’s rights? But Jesus spoke about the Gospel and the kingdom of God. It seems that people want to hold onto something practical and tangible instead. But the Gospel and the Kingdom of God are the most important. Why? It is because knowledge of the gospel and the Kingdom of God gives us a living hope. We suffer a lot because of lack of hope. Students despair. Will I ever get a job? Will my degree be worth something? Will I get out of debt? Will I ever marry? Will I never be free from depression? Will I always be wrestling with this or that issue? But a living hope in the Kingdom of God is what our hearts long for. In the Kingdom of God there is love, joy, peace, kindness and goodness. There a whole universe of opportunities. There is hope because the Kingdom of God is ruled by the Prince of Peace, our Lord, Savior and God, Jesus Christ. It is the best kingdom to dwell in. Matthew 6:33 reads, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we seek Jesus’ kingdom as of top priority in our lives, letting nothing get between us and Jesus, then we will taste life with the Risen Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Don’t get me wrong…I am not ignoring the social issues of the day. God will raise up people to tackle these important social issues. Some of these people will be Christians, maybe even some of you, but we, who know the main gist of Jesus message, and who have been called to preach it, need to stick to message of the Gospel and the kingdom of God. I liken it to a canoe. The bow of the canoe cuts through the water. Radiating from the bow are ripples in the water. The bow is the Gospel message going out into the world. The ripples of water are the many good affects of Gospel preaching. The ripples are good things, but they are not the Gospel. The ripples would not even be there if it were not for the bow cutting through the water. There must be pure Gospel preaching for this world to be filled with many good things. But we who know Jesus and the Gospel must stick to the message. Second, we can not be discouraged by hardships or our weaknesses. These disciples needed to live in God’s strength. Look at verses 4 & 5, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Jerusalem was the hardest place for them to remain. It was the place where their savior, Jesus was crucified. It was the place where Peter denied Jesus three times. Now it was a hostile and dangerous place. Every fiber of their being was telling them to flee Jerusalem and never come back. But Jesus told them to stay and wait for the gift the Father wanted to send them, the Holy Spirit. Practically speaking there is something difficult that God has called us to embrace. It is unique for every person. It is something that our human nature is telling us to avoid, but God is telling us to embrace. It is there that we must remain and pray and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will dwell in us and inspire us and teach us and grow us and guide us. The Holy Spirit will help us to hold onto faith in the Risen Jesus and our living hope in the Kingdom of God. . Third, we should not be led away by false hopes. Verse 6 reveals what was on the disciples’ minds. “ So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus was talking about the Kingdom of God and the disciples were concerned about the re-establishment of the kingdom of Israel. They wanted Israel, independent and glorious, like in the time of King David. They were full of nationalistic hopes. We often say that all of our hope is in the Kingdom of God. But we may actually be nurturing selfish or nationalistic hopes. In light of Jesus’ resurrection and grace, our hopes must be for the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which has already begun to grow in many of your hearts. Many great Christians have died with the their last words being, “Your Kingdom Come!” Fourth, we should not be sidetracked by false prophets. Look at verse 7. “He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” Recently a ministry claimed to know the time and date that Jesus was returning. It was not true. Many lost their life savings paying for billboards and the leader has disappeared into a coma. But Jesus says that it is not for us to know the times and dates the Father has set. Jesus, the Son, did not know the hour of his returning. We shouldn’t be side tracked by guessing the time of Jesus’ return. We must stick to the Gospel and the message of the Kingdom of God. Part lll: You Will Be My Witnesses (8-11) There are so many things that we should not be doing, but what should we be applying our energies to? Look at verse 8. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Disciples of Jesus should be witnesses of Jesus. A witness is someone who has seen and experienced something personally. The disciples had seen the Risen Jesus and experienced his love and grace. They are more than qualified to be witnesses. To be a witness means many things. For some it could mean being a martyr. Many of the apostles did die a martyr’s death. I don’t think you will be such a witness in America. For us, being a witness could also mean living the Christian lifestyle, emulating Jesus life of love and sacrifice. Such lives can reveal the love of God to a world lost in darkness. Another way is to have a high degree of integrity at school or on the job, being faithful, serving your fellow students and employees. Be a friend to others. Serving your boss or learning from your teachers and peers as though you are serving Jesus and learning from Jesus. If you are a witness then people should know that you are a Christ follower. How you bear up under stressful situations can make you a good witness. What do you do when things get a little hairy? What about when deadlines are looming? What about when your finances are running low or your patience is failing? Can you come to God in prayer and forgive and love unconditionally and trust God in all things? If you can then you can be a good witness of Jesus. Another way of witnessing is actually making a focused effort to share the gospel with other people. We could invite our friends to study the Bible with us. Many do this among us. The best way of being a witness is by loving one another. Jesus once said in John 13:33-35 reads, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’” Loving one another, as Jesus has loved us, is the best way to be witnesses to the Gospel. This love is more than just good friends hanging out together. Is more than being friends on Facebook. It about forgiving each other and loving each other in a Christian sense. It includes washing one another’s feet, bearing with one another’s weaknesses and serving each other as we mature in our Gospel faith. Then all of the world will know that we are disciples of Jesus. There are many ways to be witnesses of the Jesus, but all of them is never easy. Sometimes forgiving and loving others unconditionally is like pulling teeth. Jesus knows how hard it is and so he gave us a promise in verse 8, ““8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” He promised to send the Holy Spirit, to strengthen us, so that we can be witnesses of Jesus. Jesus wanted his disciples to be witnesses to the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We saw how an American missionary China helped Peter L. to be changed from an atheist to a believer. We have been touched by the prayers and service of Korean missionaries who have come here. These missionaries went to the end of the earth. We need to keep the end of the earth in mind as we live as Jesus’ witnesses. Some may be called to be missionaries. Some may stay and witness locally. We can think globally and act locally. The disciples needed to get to the task at hand. Look at verse 9, “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” Jesus had to go in order to send the promised Holy Spirit. Jesus could have stayed and set up an office in Jerusalem and wrote many books and had huge conferences in which he would be the guest speaker. Millions and millions of people could have come to visit him in Jerusalem. Jerusalem could have become a type of Christian Mecca. Not only that, the disciples, and all future disciples would have depended on the human Jesus….the Jesus in Jerusalem. But Jesus wanted them to be his witnesses. He wanted them to go to the ends the earth. Jesus once said to the Samaritan woman, in John 4:23-24, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Jesus freed us from location based faith. He also freed us from “person” based faith. We can worship Jesus anywhere in this universe and he can help each of personally to be his witnesses. Jesus gave his disciples the world mission command in Matthew 28:18b-20 which reads, “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” How can Jesus be with each one of his disciples, world wide, 24/7? It is possible if he was taken into heaven and he could send the Holy Spirit of God. The disciples became sidetracked once again by focusing on the fantastic things too much. Look at verse 10 and 11, “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” They were standing there and looking up into the sky. Who could blame them? What they had just witnessed was fantastic! Jesus is alive and levitated into the sky and there were angels also. If this happened on the 88 toll way this would be called a gaper’s delay. As disciples we shouldn’t gaze off into the sky, or remain flabbergasted by amazing things too long. We need to kick into gear and get to the task at hand. What is that task? It is verse 8, let’s read that again. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judah and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In conclusion we who have met the Risen Jesus, who have tastes his love and his grace, must hear his call to be his witnesses. We need to remain in Jesus, embracing whatever God has in store for us and depend on the Holy Spirit of God. Keep your focus on Jesus, the Gospel and the message of the Kingdom of God. Do not be discouraged by hardships or our weaknesses. Do not be led away by false hopes, or sidetracked by false prophets. Remain in Jesus. Focus on Jesus, Place your hope in the Kingdom of God as you decide to live as Jesus’ witness.

Acts 28:1-31

Paul Preaches The Kingdom Of God In Rome

Acts 28:1-31 Lesson 31
Key verse 31 3-22-09

“Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the
Lord Jesus Christ.”

Today we come to the final chapter in the book of Acts. It is a beautiful chapter that displays the grace and kindness of God, the glorious image of Christ in Paul, and the fulfillment of God’s redemptive purpose through Paul. At last, Paul arrives in Rome and begins to preach the gospel as a prisoner in a rented house. We can learn many things. Especially we can learn how God works through events and through small house churches like Paul’s rented apartment. May the Holy Spirit guide our study today.

First, God Is Kind (1-2).

God was guiding them according to his perfect will. Look at verse 1. “Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.” Malta was just south of Sicily, near Italy. During the storm, they seemed to be driven at random. But when it was over, they were very near Rome, right where God wanted them to be. God is always good. Even through the storm, everything turned out for good. We can trust God in the midst of storms of life.

God revealed his kindness to Paul and his companions. Look at verse 2. “The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.” Paul and his fellow travelers had been wet, cold, tired, hungry, constantly in suspense and suffering from despair for two weeks. There were 276 of them. Some were prisoners. However, the islanders treated them with unusual kindness. It was expressed by a big, warm fire. It was not a small matter to care for the needs of these unexpected guests. They served them for three months. Let’s to do the math. Three months equals 2,700 meal times. Multiply that by 276 people. That equals 745,200 meals served. Plus providing for their linens, doing laundry and providing toiletries and entertaining the men would put a huge burden on these islanders. That would have taken the concerted effort of dozens of people and the equivalent of thousands of dollars in groceries. They remind us of Abraham and his family serving the three strangers in Genesis 18:1-15. We can learn generosity from these idol worshiping islanders. Christians should even be more generous. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 reads, “10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Let’s think about the words “unusual kindness,” Luke suggests it was inspired by the kindness of God. God disciplines, but God also shows kindness. Many times this is expressed through people in our lives, sometimes through providential events. The struggle with the storm lasted two weeks. But God’s kindness through the islanders on Malta lasted for three months. Some people think that God only gives hard training. But God is far more kind than he is strict. In fact, kindness is part of the character of God (Ge 39:21; Ps 18:50; Jer 31:3). We should realize that God is kind and thank him for all his kindness in our lives, even on the midst of our hard trials. We should also be kind, for God is kind and kindness is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22).

Second, The Image Of Christ In Paul (3-10).

In verses 3-10 we see the glorious image of our Lord Jesus Christ in Paul. First, Paul had Jesus’ servant image. Verse 3 says that Paul was gathering a pile of brushwood to put on the fire. Paul was a great man of God. He was one of the leaders of the early church. He had been the source of God’s salvation for all those who were on the ship. He should have been respected and honored and served. But he did not sit down, expecting to be served. He got up to gather wood for the fire. He was ready to perform a menial tasks for those around him. Paul had learned how to serve like Jesus did. Jesus did menial tasks like foot washing. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45).

Second, Paul had victorious, resurrection faith like Jesus. As Paul was putting the wood on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. One bite from such a viper is fatal to a human being, causing their airway to swell up, stopping their breathing and causing their heart to stop. Paul could have died on Malta, so close to Rome. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from Paul’s hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live” (4). Here we see that the islanders had a vague knowledge of God, for they believed in divine justice. But their thought world was very fatalistic. They felt that God was like their pantheon of gods who are ready to mead out punishment on people and who must always be appeased. They didn’t know our gracious and compassionate God.. They lived by cause and effect. As a result they were under the power of sin and death. Their influence could have caused Paul to think fatalistically, thinking, “I am a murderer. God is punishing me for killing Stephen years ago.”

What did Paul do? Look at verse 5. “But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.” Paul did not have any element of fatalistic thinking. He shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Paul had gospel faith. He believed the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the kingdom of God. He believed God’s promise of protection. He trusted that God would protect him from the snake’s toxins. In this way he was victorious over all the forces of darkness. Jesus promised his disciples in Mark 16:18a says, “...they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all....” This promise is given to all who believe in Jesus and preach the gospel. This does not mean that we purposely go and look for dangerous situations to put ourselves into. But in the course of serving Jesus, God will protect his servants. In this way we can even invite strangers to Bible study and we can be missionaries to far off countries.

In the course of serving God, we sometimes experience unexpected spiritual viper attacks. We can feel the poison of fatalism and despair enter into our bloodstream. Sometimes others misunderstand our struggles and are ready to pronounce that we are defeated because of our sins and shortcomings. But we learn from Paul to shake off the snake into the fire, trusting absolutely in God’s forgiving grace and love that protects, continuing to move forward. We must claim victory over the darkness by faith in Christ. For example, the devil tries to accuse God’s people, night and day. He usually tries to hold our sins over our heads whispering, “God doesn’t love you anymore. You’re too sinful and far gone to be a child of God.” But we must hold onto Gospel faith and know that the power of the devil, afforded by our own sinful nature, has been defeated by Christ. Romans 6:11 says, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” We are no longer under the power of sin. By the grace of Christ we now live a new life. We must shake off the vipers and overcome its venom with absolute faith in God’s love.

Third, Paul had the image of Jesus who heals the sick. The islanders expected Paul to swell up or suddenly fall dead. So they watched him carefully for a long time. But nothing unusual happened to him. Then they thought of him as a god. Through this, their hearts were opened to Paul’s message and ministry. Look at verses 7-10. The chief official of the island, called Publius, had an estate nearby. He welcomed Paul and his companions to his home and showed them hospitality. Publius’ father was sick in bed with a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him. After prayer, Paul placed his hands on him and healed him. It was a miracle. This fulfilled Jesus’ promise in Mark 16:18b where he said, concerning his disciples: “...they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.” Then the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul. One by one he healed them all.

Paul was a blessing to the islanders. As a result, the islanders were happy to care for the needs of Paul and his companions. The islanders honored them and furnished supplies when they left. Through the beautiful scene on Malta, we are inspired by the glorious image of Christ in Paul. Like Paul, we must grow to maturity in our faith in Christ until we can be a source of blessing to those around us.

Third, Paul Arrives In Rome And Thanks God (11-16).

Paul and his companions were fully refreshed through God’s grace poured out on them at Malta. When the weather became suitable for sailing, they put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux, the patron gods of sailors. Their appearance on the ship reminds us that the world was heavily under the influence of idols and false gods. It was a world that desperately needed the gospel of Jesus.

From Malta, they sailed to Syracuse on the island of Sicily. Then they sailed to Rhegium on the Italian peninsula. Two days later they arrived at Puteoli, known as the port of Rome. Look at verse 14. “There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.” At last, Paul arrived in Rome. Paul first mentioned Rome after seeing God’s great work in Ephesus. Acts 19:21 says, “After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. ‘After I have been there,’ he said, ‘I must visit Rome also.’” Paul was delayed by imprisonment and trials. But in Acts 23:11, the Risen Christ stood beside him and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Later, in the terrible storm, the Lord’s angel said to him, “Do not be afraid Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar...” (Ac 27:24). At last, Paul was standing on Roman soil.

God encouraged Paul through other Christians. Look at verse 15. “The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.” The distance the brothers traveled to meet Paul was considerable. Many of them did not know Paul personally. But they recognized him as God’s servant and honored his arrival. It was the work of God. God had gone ahead of Paul to begin world mission work in Rome. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.

We must learn from these Christians. They went out of their way to encourage a servant of God. We need to make time to serve them with delicious meal, some spiritual conversation, campus visits and the sharing of prayer topics. Over the years we have had many servants of God visit us at NIU UBF. I remember how blessed it was to serve the Oral Roberts University Praise band and the missionaries from New Zealand. We could serve 30 UBF shepherds last December in preparation for the Christmas service. I am thankful for our co-workers who greeted our UBF publishing team, last Thursday. We must always be determined to go out of our way to host and serve and encourage servants of God.

Fourth, Paul Preaches The Gospel In Rome (17-31).

Paul did not waste time. Three days after his arrival, he called together the leaders of the Jews and talked with them (17-20). Paul’s ministry in Jerusalem was not random. He followed the principle of Jesus’ ministry, “First for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” He began with the Jews. Paul wanted them to know that he was innocent. He was in prison because of Jewish political pressure. But he had not retaliated with a counter suit. He understood his imprisonment spiritually. It was because of the hope of Israel that he was in chains. Here the hope of Israel refers to the hope that the long awaited Messiah would come and save his people and establish the kingdom of God. This long awaited Messiah is Jesus Christ.

The Jews in Rome were already predisposed against Christianity. But they agreed to listen to Paul and came in large numbers to meet him (21-22). Paul took the opportunity to preach the Gospel boldly. Look at verse 23b. “From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” Paul’s message was the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is where God is King. God’s kingdom is in the heart of his people. Without the kingdom of God, men are ruled by sin and death. They constantly live in fear and anxiety. They become slaves of the devil. But whoever willingly accepts Jesus as the King sent by God, can receive the kingdom of God in his or her heart. All the power of sin and death is driven out. God rules them with peace and love. At that time, the world was a Roman world. Nero was the Emperor. The Roman Empire was like a brute beast that crushed and devoured its victims and, at the same time, utterly corrupted its members. But Paul declared the kingdom of God in Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. That is like proclaiming the Gospel in Mecca. Paul hoped that the Jews in Rome would be Bible teachers and that God would use them to evangelize the Roman Empire as missionaries.

Paul also tried to convince the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, sent by God. But Jesus was not the kind of Christ they wanted. Jesus came to save men from their sins through his death and resurrection. But the Jews wanted an economic or political messiah. A few of them believed, but most of them did not. In the end the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves. (29) What a terrible result it seemed to be. They did not become the emissaries of Christ as Paul had hoped.

How did Paul handle this? Paul understood the rejection of the Jews on the basis of God’s word (25-28). It was the fulfillment of prophecy. Paul saw where God’s work and history were going. God’s salvation was being sent to the Gentiles. As Simeon prophesied, Jesus is the Light to the Gentiles (Lk 2:32). There are no surprises to God. There is only the fulfillment of prophecy. In the time of rejection we must have eyes to see what God is doing based on his word.

Look at verses 30-31. “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” Humanly speaking, Paul was a prisoner. He was confined under house arrest. He could not go out to meet potential Bible students in the market places freely. But God sent him many interested Roman Bible students, one after another, who came to see him. And Paul welcomed them. Paul preached the kingdom of God to them and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. No doubt he taught them that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And God raised Christ from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. One by one, Roman citizens and soldiers received the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the kingdom of God. They brought their faith home to their families. In this way the Christian church in Rome grew.

To human eyes, Paul’s preaching the kingdom of God under Roman confinement seemed insignificant. He was not the pastor a huge megachurch. He was a prisoner in a small apartment. But in God’s eyes, Paul’s house church ministry was a new beginning of world history, that would see the Roman Empire defeated by the Gospel of Jesus. In the next three hundred years, through the seeds planted by Paul small housechurch ministry, and through innumerable unnamed Christians, God turned the Roman Empire into a Christian Empire. In 313 A.D. the Emperor Constantine declared Christianity to be the national religion. God’s kingdom was not contained by the Roman Empire. God’s kingdom has been steadily advancing steadily through house churches like Paul’s conquering empire after empire over the last 2,000 years. Two years ago some people tried to start a mega church style ministry in Kazakhstan. On the first Sunday 2,000 people showed up to worship. This caught the government’s attention and they outlawed all churches except the Russian Orthodox Church and Islam. But they can not stop the house church ministries proliferating through the countries of the former Soviet Union. Today there are over 90 million house churches in China. One day the communist system will bow its knee to Jesus. North Korea will be changed. The Muslim world will be changed through small house church ministries like Paul’s.

A recent survey on religion in America is shows that the membership of centuries old mainline churches are declining. Many have let go of Gospel faith in blend in with the surrounding culture, even supporting alternative life style marriages. We must know that God’s church is not confined in these mainline institutions. God’s church was found in the manger of the baby Jesus. It was found in the prison where Paul and Silas was held. God’s church is found through Paul’s gospel preaching in the rented house in Rome. God’s church is in the individual Christian homes throughout America in which men and women fear God, live a holy life, and preach the kingdom of God. In this way we can see in Paul’s house church the whole church of God. May each of us live as a house church like Paul. May Jesus centered house church ministries me established on every campus in the USA and Canada.

UBF USA and Canada has grown like a spreading vine. It now covers many cities and states. But in essence we are a house church ministry. We are a manger ministry. We must value quiet devotion to Christ in the house church more than a glamorous mass movement. We must highly value personal faith in Jesus and personal piety. We must keep up one-to-one Bible study. We must keep our message focused on the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. As we do so, God will make North America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

The book of Acts ends here. In fact, it ends with a new beginning. Human history is always changing. But the work of God is flowing steadily from one generation to the next through the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ. The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. As a conclusion to Acts study, let’s renew our gospel faith and world mission vision. Let’s renew our commitment to house church ministry.

Acts 27:1-44

God’s Grace In The Storm

Acts 27:1-44 Lesson 30
Key verse 27:24 3/15/09

“...and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has
graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’”

We all like action flicks. Block busters are movies that are filled with action, where the hero faces many dangers and overcomes all odds with superhuman strength in order to save the day and countless lives. Good conquers evil. Our hearts beat faster. We are excited. We wish that we could do what the hero does. Today’s passage is a kind of action flick where God works through Apostle Paul to save the lives of 276 men. Paul begins his final journey from Caesarea to Rome. Along the way he experiences a storm and a shipwreck. During these trying events, God is with him. God visits him through his angel and speaks to him. God uses the storm to prepare Paul for what awaits him in Rome. It was God’s grace to Paul. God’s grace overflowed to his fellow travelers. Today let’s accept God’s grace in any storm we may find ourselves in.

First, “...instead of listening to what Paul said...” (1-12).

Finally, it was decided to send Paul to Rome. Look at verse 1. Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment, and elite fighting force, and they put out to sea, bound for Italy. The personal pronoun “we” begins to appear here again in the book of Acts. This indicates that Luke was with Paul. The author of Acts is Luke. Therefore this account is Luke’s eyewitness testimony of the journey. It is precise and very detailed. To the historian Luke, all the tiny details were significant. May God help us understand why.

Another important person was with Paul. Verse 2 mentions Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. Do you remember him? He was a member of Paul’s world mission journey to Jerusalem (Ac 20:4). He had been persecuted in the riot in Ephesus (Ac 19:29). Paul recognized him as a fellow prisoner (Col 4:10), and a fellow worker (Phil 1:24). Paul did not look down on his young coworker. Rather he respected him and was grateful for his partnership in the remaining sufferings of Christ.

The next day the ship landed at Sidon. The Centurion, Julius, allowed Paul to go to his friends, a local house church, who could provide for his needs. From Sidon, they put out to sea again. The winds were against them. Eventually, they landed at Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and they set sail in it. The journey was slowed by the elements. It was only after much difficulty that they arrived off Cnidus. From there, they wanted to sail due west to the Greek peninsula, but the wind would not allow them to. They were forced almost due south and ended up on Crete in a place called Fair Havens.

The journey had not gone well. It was getting late in the year, and it was too dangerous to sail. At this point, Paul gave them a warning. Look at verse 10. “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” Humanly, Paul was a prisoner. Nevertheless, Paul was God’s servant. Paul was also a seasoned traveler. But the centurion, instead of listening to Paul, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. Since the harbor at Fair Havens was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and harbor there.

Here Luke stresses the fact that the advice of a man of God was ignored and the advice of worldly people was followed. The decision was popular with most people. But it was a wrong decision. The pilot represents the professional opinion. However, his judgment was clouded by his desire, and that of his men. Maybe they had a financially greedy motive to carry on. Maybe they wanted to enjoy the night life of Phoenix. Maybe they couldn’t stand the Cretans and didn’t want to get stuck there. Titus 1:12 reveals a popular prejudice. It reads, “Even one of their own prophets has said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes and lazy gluttons.” Whatever the reason, Luke, the historian, notes that this was a majority decision. The outcome reveals that it was a wrong decision. The majority is not always right. This is an important lesson for the democratically minded. It is much better to listen to one man who stands on God’s word than to many counselors who are slaves to their sinful desires and making decision according to them.

Second, “We Finally Gave Up All Hope Of Being Saved” (13-20).

The people followed a favorable situation. Verse 13 says, “When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.” A gentle south wind represents a favorable situation. In life most people follow a favorable situation. Whatever seems beneficial to them at the time, they seek after with no regard to whether or not it is the will of God. Many Christians even spiritualize their self seeking desires to justify their living for these things. They lack the spiritual insight and moral courage to follow the truth. They trust their senses rather than the word of God. However, their situation can change suddenly.

Despite of their decisions based on human wisdom, these men could not escape their destiny. Look at verses 14-15. “Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.” The men in the ship were caught by the storm. They could not sail from Fair Havens to Phoenix though it was only 34 miles. Instead, they were driven south. As the storm gained intensity, they had to haul in their lifeboat and secure it. They passed ropes under the ship to hold it together. Fear came into their hearts. They envisioned running aground on the sandbars of Syrtis. So they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. The ship took a violent battering. They began to throw the cargo overboard, fulfilling what Paul had warned them of. Then they began to throw the ship’s tackle overboard. This probably refers to the main sail and other rigging, like ropes and large block pulleys. Look at verse 20. “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” The pilot and owner and overconfident sailors reached their human limits. After doing everything they could, they gave up all hope and totally despaired of even life itself.

People want to live in the illusion that they rule their own destiny and can do what they want to do. But this is not true. So often they fall victim the storms of life that are sure to come. This is the destiny of man without God. Many young people follow the American dream without much thought. During college they only want to study well to get a good job. So they have no time to think deeply about their life direction. They avoid seeking Jesus and trying to determine God will in their lives. After graduation, they are busy to establish their careers and their families. Then one day, they wake up and find they are not young any more. Whatever money they made is not enough. Their family relationships are temporal and generally shallow. The world that appeared so big and promising in their youth has turned out to be a place of broken dreams and empty illusions. Especially, with the faltering economy, many are left only with the thought that they worked hard for nothing. So they fall into what is referred to as a mid-life crisis. Such people are spiritually dead, even though they are biologically alive. Let’s repent of just following, what seem to favorable circumstances, or our own destiny will be filled with despair.

Third, God’s Angel Visits Paul (21-26).

The men on the ship went a long time without food. It was not because they decided to have fasting and praying. It was because despair and the constant suspense robbed them of their appetites. Then Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed” (21-22). Paul had godly concern for these men. He rebuked them as their shepherd. Then Paul promised that not one of them would be lost. How could he do this? It was because God was with him.

Even Paul was struggling with fear in the midst of the storm. But the Lord helped Paul overcome the fear in his heart. Look at verses 23-24. “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’” The angel’s first words were, “Do not be afraid, Paul.” To any person, overcoming fear is crucial. Fear is planted by the devil’s lies. Fear paralyzes people from doing what they need to do. Fear makes people sleep a lot in order to forget about their fears. Paralyzed people become useless. Without overcoming fear, human beings cannot function normally. Living in a state of fear also displeases God, for the cowardly, without Christ, are first on the list of those who go to hell (Rev 21:8). How then can we overcome fear? Let’s learn from this passage. Look at verse 24 again. When Paul heard God’s word, “Do not be afraid, Paul,” the Holy Spirit came to dwell in Paul’s soul. The Holy Spirit drove out fear and renewed the love of God in Paul’s heart. Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba,’ Father.” 1 John 4:18a says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear....” God’s love, expressed through the Holy Spirit, is the antidote to all of our fears. Let us pray that God’s Holy Spirit may dwell in our hearts.

Then the angel said to Paul, “...and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” This was a kind of bonus. Why should God save them? These men did not deserve to be saved from the storm. They had ignored the word of God’s servant. They were bent on pursuing their own sinful pleasure. They were proud. They should have died in the storm, as Paul had foretold. But God wanted to spare Paul. And in his grace, God also decided to spare the men sailing with him. Because of Paul’s life of mission, the grace of God came to these undeserving men.

I also want to mention a practical application of verse 24, “and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” This can be a promise and a prayer topic that we can hold onto. God has put each of us on a type of ship. We have students in our class. Andrew has students in his tennis club. I have nurses on my shift at work. We have our Bible students and our family members. Why not pray, “Lord, graciously take hold of the lives of all the people you have put me with and grant them eternal life!”

Next, the angel reminded Paul of God’s plan for him to stand trial before Caesar. God had given Paul the vision to go to Rome. God had promised him that he must testify in Rome (Ac 23:11). God had not changed his plan. God reminded Paul of his unchanging purpose for him. In the midst of storms, God reminds us of our purpose of life. Yes, God does have a purpose of life for all of us. But alas, many young people struggle with their physical desires rather than following the will of God. Everywhere we turn we see invitations to follow this course of life. Even Yahoo email is being filled with invites to see singles in our area, accompanied by video clips. Almost every TV drama and every movie introduces our young people to a life led by flesh desires. How can our hearts remain pure in such an environment? Sometimes these desires are so strong that they seem to be the driving force of their lives. But this does not need to be the case. God’s calling and God’s purpose are the driving force of one’s life and can supersede worldly desires in the hearts of those who have surrendered to Christ. We must listen to God’s word. We did not choose God, but God chose us as members of a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Even when the struggle seems to be futile, we must remember God’s purpose for choosing us. God who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Php 1:6).


Fourth, Paul’s Good Influence And Spiritual Leadership (27-44).

Paul’s words of faith and courage brought hope to all on board. Shortly, they sensed that land was near. Then the sailors construed a plot. They pretended to be lowering an anchor, but they really lowered the lifeboat. They planned to jump into it, abandoning the ship. It was a selfish and irresponsible plan. All me were needed on board to survive. Maybe they were all needed to hold the ropes that we keeping the hull intact long enough to get close to land. Men whose only desire is to save their lives in this world cannot be trusted in a crisis. Paul was alert to the problem. So he warned the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” This time, the centurion listened to Paul. The soldiers cut the ropes and let the lifeboat fall into the sea. Though a prisoner in chains, Paul was the true leader in the time of crisis. It was because of his faith. God raised Paul up for such a moment as this. There are times in our lives where it becomes obvious that God has raised us up for us certain purpose. When the purpose comes we need faith and strength to stand up and serve that purpose well and allow ourselves to plant faith in the hearts of despairing people and not abandon ship to save ourselves.

Paul saw what needed to be done. Paul had enough room in their minds to think about their physical condition. They had not eaten for a long time. They needed strength to swim ashore. So Paul encouraged them to eat and promised, “Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” This was an absolute promise. It was the expression of Paul’s faith in God. It was an incredible promise. Actually, Paul, whom historians think was bald, had lost a lot of hair. We all loose hair every day. Look at your hair brush. Look at your drain in the shower. No! Don’t do that! But he promised that not one hair would be lost. His faith in God’s promise was absolute.

Paul’s act of thanksgiving to God was another expression of his faith. Look at verse 35. “After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.” Paul gave thanks to God in front of all the other travelers. He was thankful for God’s word. He was thankful for God’s world salvation work. He was thankful because he loved God. He made it very clear to everyone that it was God who would deliver them from the storm. He was not afraid of atheists who may have been yelling out, “How can your loving God allow this to happen?” Paul boldly and confidently thanked God publically. And there was a favorable reaction. Verse 36 says, “They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.” After being encouraged, they could eat well for the first time in many days. We need to boldly lead others in thanksgiving to Jesus…not just other Christians. Under stress some people over eat, but some under eat, thinking too much about their life problems to even take care of their bodies. But we see here that eating well in a stressful situation is possible for those who have faith in God’s promise.

When daylight came, they saw a bay with a sandy beach. They cut loose the anchors and made a run for it. But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. It was broken to pieces, just as Paul had foretold. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent their escape. Otherwise they had to forfeit their own lives. But the centurion stopped them in order to spare Paul. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard and get to land. The rest used planks and pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety. As Paul promised, they were all saved. God was in control.

In this passage we learn that God was with Paul. God made Paul’s words come true, both words of warning and words of salvation. Finally, even a Roman centurion was obedient to him. This encouraged Paul as he approached Rome. Whatever might happen, Paul knew that God is the sovereign Ruler of the world. Paul knew that God was fulfilling his world mission purpose. This event also encouraged the Christian church. Persecution was about to come upon them. But God would be with them as he had been with Paul. The storms of life are times of God’s mysterious good work. God uses them for world salvation. God is gracious in the storms of life. May God help each one of us to listen to his word, put our faith in his promise, and experience his grace.

Acts 26:1-32

I WAS NOT DISOBEDIENT TO THE VISION FROM HEAVEN

Acts 26:1-32, Lesson 29
Key Verse: 26:19 NIU UBF 2-22-09
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.”

Chapter 26 is Paul’s defense before King Agrippa. Paul was on trial. Yet Paul does not try to save himself. Paul tries to save Agrippa by sharing a gospel message undergirded by his own personal testimony. Essentially, it is a one-to-one Bible study between Paul and Agrippa. Today we learn Paul’s gospel faith and shepherd’s heart that is not squelched even when under trial. Through it we learn how to testify to all kinds of people, including kings. Most of all, we learn that God has given us a great vision and, like Paul, we should not be disobedient to the vision from heaven.

First, Paul’s Hope In The Resurrection (1-11).

In verses 1-3 Paul begins his defense before King Agrippa. Let’s read them together, “ 1Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.” First, who is King Agrippa? This was Herod Agrippa ll, son of Herod Agrippa l, and a descendant of Herod the Great. He had power over the temple, controlled the temple treasury and could appoint and remove the High Priest. Bernice was the sister of Herod Agippa ll. She married her uncle, Herod Chalis, became a mistress to her brother Agrippa ll, and then became a mistress to the emperor Vespasian’s son, Titus. Here Agrippa and Bernice had made an official visit to Festus.
In Paul’s opening address, Paul acknowledged that Agrippa knew the Jewish customs and controversies well. So Paul freely explained his conflict with the Jewish leaders. At one time he was one of them, a member of the strictest sect–the Pharisees. Pharisees were known for their extreme self-discipline, devotion to study and loyalty to Judaism. From a young age they had to memorize at least the first five books of Moses. When his friends came over to ask him to come out to play his mom would say, “Not now, little Saul is memorizing the Scripture.” Later on they studied all kinds of theology and secular subjects. They appeared religious and pious. But Jesus revealed their true face. Jesus once told the Pharisees that they did not study the Bible to know Christ and have life (Jn 5:40). Rather, they studied the Bible to acquire knowledge by which they gained a privileged position in the Judaistic system. The desire to hold political power and gain economic benefit made them blind Bible students who could not find God through their Bible studies.

When Jesus came as the Messiah, preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Mark 1:15) the Pharisees’ question was, “How will this affect my job and my position in my society?” They knew that if Jesus were the Messiah he would fulfill the law and the prophets. Then there would be no more need for the temple, the priestly system or sophisticated interpretations of oral laws passed down for centuries. In other words, the Pharisees would be out of a job and all they have given their hearts and their lives towards will come to not. When they realized this, they rejected Jesus’ claim aggressively. But Jesus never compromised with them. They needed to trust Matthew 6:33 which says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” He taught that they were like old wineskins. They need to repent, accept the new wine of the gospel. They need to be ready to be retrained for new roles in the Christian church and relocate if necessary. But they got stuck in their fixed ways. Jesus could not use the likes of these. And so Jesus started a new history with twelve disciples. Jesus was sure that his disciples, who were flexible and dynamic, would inherit the blessing of God for world mission. Eventually they would conquer the world with the gospel, but first there would be a transition in God’s history, shifting from Judaism to the Christian church, especially the Gentile church, which Paul had pioneered. So we can understand why the Pharisees felt threatened by this gospel ministry.

Before conversion, Paul, too, thought that he should oppose Jesus. He even thought he was doing God’s will. In verses 9-11 he describes his activity. Let’s read these verses, “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.” He kidnapped and tortured sincere Christians. Paul tried to force Christians to blaspheme. It was nothing but the work of the devil. He said, “In my obsession against them....” He could not stop thinking about Christians day and night. His consuming thought was to wipe them off the face of the earth. Now, the Jewish religious leaders who opposed Paul were doing the same thing. Sometimes we wonder why anti-Christians work so earnestly against the gospel instead of just forgetting about Christians and freely enjoying their lives in the world. It is because they suffer from the same obsession that Paul had, an obsession that leads to demon possession. When Paul saw the misery of the Jewish leaders, he had compassion on them for he knew that it was only by the great mercy of God that he was saved from the same darkness that was enslaving their hearts. Paul realized that what they really needed was a changed hope that the gospel could bring.

When Paul met the Risen Christ, he found the hope of resurrection. He said in 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Jesus’ resurrection is God’s victory over death. Jesus’ resurrection opened the way to eternal life in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is forever. 1 Peter 1:3,4, reads, “ 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,” Paul was on trial because he had this hope. The real issue between Paul and the Jewish leaders was about hope. Paul had a living hope in the kingdom of God. They had a dead hope in the system of Judaism. They were like a monkey that is hunted in India. Do you know how some people hunt monkeys? They get a jar with an opening, only big enough for a monkey to hardly push his extended fingers through. When the monkey sticks his hand into a hole to grab some nuts, example, he can not get his hand out without letting go of the nuts. In his illusion, he thinks that he can possess the handful of nuts forever and he never lets go. Finally the hunter comes along and grabs him. This happens to all who cling to dead hope in the perishing world. They never let go and death and judgment are soon to follow. Paul wanted to share his living hope with those entrapped under the power of death. And he knew that is former colleges were not far from this living hope. That is why he says in verse 8. “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” They were so close and yet so far.

According to one news reporter, 82% of Americans call themselves Christians. A good many of them are “cultural Christians” who believe in Jesus to have a better life in this world. They hope to get a nice wife or a decent husband, a good education, a good job, and so on. However, a genuine Christian is one whose hope is in the kingdom of God through the resurrection of Christ. Christians who have resurrection hope are powerful and free. They can testify to Jesus’ name before governors and kings, before presidents, before family, friends and classmates, whatever the consequences may be. Now America is in a fierce spiritual battle; it is a battle for the soul of our nation. We are becoming like Europe where over one million people a year are leaving the church. We are slowly becoming like the Roman Empire. Christians must be the salt of the earth, the light of the world. This will be costly. But with hope in the resurrection we can stand for God’s truth as Paul did. Jesus is the only hope in this generation wallowing in the darkness. May God help us teach God’s word as it is, with resurrection faith. Amen.

Second, The Risen Christ Had Compassion On Paul (12-15).

In verses 12-15 Paul explained how he met the Risen Christ. “ On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'” When he was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, he saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around him and his companions. This bright light was the presence of the holy God (1Jn 1:5). When this bright light of the Risen Christ shone on Paul, it illuminated his dark inner person…fully. This divine light of the Risen Christ changed Paul into a new creation. (2 Cor 5:17) After this, Paul could be a light to the Gentiles, pointing to the great light, Jesus. We see many dark and dirty things in this world. We are burdened with our own sinful natures. But when we look at the light of Christ through sincere prayer and Bible study, he renews our souls, makes in to new creations and light to others.

The Risen Christ spoke to Paul. He said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” The Risen Christ knew Paul by name. He is our personal God. The Risen Christ helped him realize what he was doing. He was persecuting God Almighty, the glorious Risen Christ. Then the Risen Christ said, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” It was an exact description of Paul’s inner life. A goad was a sharp prod used to drive draft animals forward by pricking their backsides. Most animals go forward when prodded, but some are rebellious. They kick against the goads. They resist to the point of self-destruction.
Outwardly, Paul looked like a pious man trying to do the will of God as he knew it. But inwardly, he was suffering more than those he persecuted. Each time he damaged a Christian, he damaged his own soul more. His life was too hard to endure any longer. The Risen Christ understood his suffering. The Risen Christ visited him to help him surrender to the sovereign call of God. The Risen Christ had great compassion on this most rebellious man. This compassion melted Paul’s heart and he recognized Jesus as the Lord. Paul surrendered to the compassion of Christ. It also became the foundation for Paul to be a compassionate shepherd for so many. We must stop and realize how the Risen Christ is so compassionate toward each one of us. We may not meet him in a blaze of light, like Paul did. But when we simply believe his word of promise, he comes into our hearts, forgives our sins and makes us compassionate shepherds.

Third, The Risen Christ Appointed Paul As His Servant (16-19).

Meeting the Risen Christ was a dramatic experience for Paul. He might have felt he needed time to digest its meaning. But the Risen Christ said in verse 16, “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.” The Risen Christ wanted Paul to stand up before him as a new creation, ready to begin his new life…right away. The Risen Christ immediately appointed Paul as a servant of God, as a witness of the Risen Christ. It was the most successful example of raising a disciple in history. In a few minutes, he was changed from God’s enemy into the Apostle Paul, God’s chosen servant for world salvation. From this point on, Paul lived the rest of his life with this clear identity. He was a servant of Christ Jesus, set apart for the gospel of God.

Paul knew that his drastic transformation would have consequences. The Jews would want to kill him. However, the Risen Christ promised Paul, “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles” (17a). The Risen Christ would rescue him. No one is wiser than the Risen Christ. No one is stronger than the Risen Christ. When the Risen Christ says he will rescue a person, that person will be rescued. Paul accepted this promise of protection in his heart. Paul entrusted his life to the Risen Christ. From that time on, he boldly went wherever the Risen Christ sent him, with the full assurance of God’s protection.

The Risen Christ saved Paul to use him as a blessing to the whole world. Verses 17b-18 say, “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” The world is in the darkness and under the power of Satan. God sent Paul to turn people from darkness to light, from Satan to God. The Risen Christ wanted all people of all nations to hear the gospel and be saved. The Risen Christ wanted God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. This was the vision of the Risen Christ. Paul was chosen to carry out this vision.

Fourth, “I Was Not Disobedient To The Vision From Heaven” (19-23).

How did Paul respond to God’s vision? Look at verse 19. “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.” In saying this, he was acknowledging God’s sovereignty in world salvation work. He did not choose Jesus. Jesus chose him. Jesus appointed him for the mission when he was living as Jesus’ enemy. Paul did nothing but surrender to the grace and calling of Jesus. It was God who was carrying out the work of world salvation. Sometimes Paul could do nothing. Once he said, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2Cor 1:8b,9). Paul believed that when he was not disobedient, God would intervene. When he depended on God with resurrection hope, God empowered him with God’s strength. So he did not credit himself with a positive obedience, but only as one who totally depended on God.

Let’s examine the facts of God’s protection to Paul. After his conversion, Paul began to preach the gospel in Damascus, where he had been planning to persecute Christians. He preached so boldly and decisively that the Jewish leaders tried to kill him. So he escaped in a basket. Later, he went to Jerusalem and preached. Again, the unbelieving Jews wanted to kill him. He had to escape. He went to all Judea. Then he went to the Gentiles through three mission journeys. It was God’s power, especially the resurrection power of Christ, that had brought him thus far. Now he was on the way to Rome. These are the facts. Can you trust Jesus with your life and ministry?

Paul’s gospel ministry was not his own idea. It was God’s work according to the vision from heaven. It was also rooted in God’s promises in Scripture. It was part of what Moses and the Prophets foretold. Look at verses 22-23. “But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen–that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” Having vision for yourself should never begin, “I feel God is calling me to this.” It is never based on feelings, but on the facts. It must be based on the facts of the history of what God has been doing, the facts of what God is presently doing in your life and the facts of the word of God. As a ministry, God has given us a vision from heaven to establish a Jesus centered house church on every campus in Canada and the United States. We have vision to establish North America as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. For us at NIU UBF, we have vision to establish a life giving discipleship ministry, at NIU, through 1:1 Bible study and house church ministry. In God’s time we can be used to pioneer the D.E.A.R. area, (DeKalb, Elgin, Aurora, Rockford) Indeed God wants to turn the hearts of young people from the darkness of sin and death to the light of Jesus. God is using our one-to-one Bible study to do so. Still, it is a fierce spiritual battle that few want to join in. Sometimes we wonder if it is worth the cost. Sometimes we feel helpless. Sometimes we feel alone. Sometimes we cannot say, “I was obedient.” But at least we must say, “I was not disobedient.” When we depend totally on God and have resurrection hope we can be used by God, like Paul was. May God grant Julie resurrection faith and hope to plant the seeds of the prayer at Wabansee Community College in Aurora as she studies accounting there.

Fifth, Paul Appeals To King Agrippa (24-32).

At this point, Festus interrupted Paul, saying, “You are out of your mind Paul.” In modern terms it would be, “You are crazy!” To the unspiritual man, resurrection, God’s vision, and eternal life do not make sense. (Or if they can understand it, they think it is useless.) However, Paul used this interruption wisely. Paul said, “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” (25-27) Paul believed that Agrippa, deep down in his heart, had a holy desire and boldly appealed to it. Paul wanted Agrippa to make a decision of faith to accept Jesus as his Savior. Agrippa realized this. Surprised, he said, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (28) Paul replied, “Short time or long–I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” (29) Here we see Paul’s earnest prayer for King Agrippa and all in attendance. Paul had a broken shepherd heart for them. Paul had a prayer for them to be children of God and servants of the gospel, just as he was. Where did it come from? It was from the Risen Christ, who had compassion on him when he was lost in the darkness of his sin.

In this passage we learned the importance of resurrection hope. The things of the world all perish, spoil and fade away. But through the resurrection of Christ, God gives us the kingdom of God as our inheritance, which is everlasting. This is our true hope. We also learned that God has given us a vision from heaven. It is to pioneer every campus in Canada and the United States with the gospel of Jesus through 1:1 Bible study and a “Jesus Centered” house church ministry. Ours is NIU. We did not choose God. God chose us to be his servants. May God help each one of us totally depend on God so we may not be disobedient to his vision.

Acts 25 Message

“I Appeal To Caesar!”

Acts 25: 1-27 Lesson 28
Key verse 25:11 By Jay Irwin NIU UBF 2/8/09

“If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

In today’s passage Paul stands on trial before governor Festus. The Jewish religious leaders were plotting to murder him, but God protected Paul and put words in his mouth as he testified boldly to the resurrection of Jesus. This passage teaches us important lessons regarding the justice of God, God’s protection, and the difference that faith in the resurrection makes in our lives. I pray that each of us may understand what it means to have the justice of God in our hearts and stand firm in any adverse situation. Let’s pray.

Part I, Paul’s trial before Governor Festus

The first 5 verses of chapter 25 paint a grim picture for us of Paul’s situation after having been arrested for preaching the gospel. Look at verses 1-5. Let’s read these verses responsively, “1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. 3They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. 4Festus answered, "Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. 5Let some of your leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has done anything wrong." The Jewish religious leaders were still operating under their oath to ambush and kill Paul. They had been looking for a way to fulfill their plan, but had no way of doing so until now. When Festus became the new governor of the land, they thought they could get Festus to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem for a trial there. Their request seemed honest and simple, but their motives were devious and they would kill Paul on his way there. God knew of this evil plan, and blocked Paul from being transferred. Festus insisted that he would listen to Paul at Caesarea where Paul was being held in prison. God protected his servant Paul from the evil plots of the religious leaders.

This teaches us that God is a God who protects his servants and people. God protected many other prophets as well throughout history. When David was being pursued by king Saul, God protected David on numerous occasions. One time is psalm 41 he said, “The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.” David trusted that God would protect him from all harm, especially from his immediate enemies. God is also protecting his servants today in our times. Can you think of ways that God has protected you or is protecting you these days?

Personally, I can see God’s hand of protection upon my life these days as well. God protected Carrie and I financially despite the hard economic times by allowing me to get hired at the Geek Squad and Carrie to get a temporary Spanish job at Geneva high school. He also recently blessed us with an apartment to make a spiritual environment and an inheritance from Carrie’s grandmother, this will help us as we prepare for the new baby boy on the way, due in June. God has also helped me to find spiritual protection from the devil’s temptations through my new year’s key verse Psalm 143:9, “Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.” I also pray for God’s protection upon my Bible students, Danny, Anthony, and Mark so that they would continue faithful Bible study and grow in God’s words. Let’s pray that God would open our eyes to see his protection in our day to day lives and give thanks to him for it.

Look at verses 6-7, Augustine can you read those verses for us please, “6After spending eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. 7When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.” The Jews accused Paul vehemently before governor Festus, but they could not prove anything they were saying. This probably means that they had no witnesses, nor did they have specific details such as times, dates, people, or places. Their claims were exaggerations and farces that they were using to try to make a case for Paul being guilty of committing a crime. They might have accused him with remarks like, “He causes uproars and riots among our people everywhere!”, “He disgraces and dishonors the Jewish religion by preaching about the resurrection of Jesus!”, “He brings Gentiles into the temple courts, defiling the holy temple!”, “He claims that there is a king greater than Caesar, named Jesus who was crucified some time ago!” We are not sure what they said exactly, but we do know that their charges were serious.

In verse 8 Paul makes his defense to the Jews’ accusations by saying, “8…"I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." In reality, such a bold and clear response did not come from Paul but from the Holy Spirit, for Jesus himself promised his disciples in Mark 13:11 saying, “11Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

At times we too are at a loss as to what to say in difficult situations. When we are inviting students to Bible study on campus, sometimes we are not sure how to invite them exactly. Or when we talk to our family members about the gospel, at times we are not quite sure about what to say or how to say it. Likewise, sometimes the problems that people have are overwhelming to us and we don’t even know how to respond to them. Well, such situations are perfect opportunities for us to rely on the Holy Spirit to give us just the right words to speak to them.

Paul clearly explained that he had not done anything wrong against the Jewish law, the temple, or Caesar. Paul used to be a Pharisee and he deeply respected God’s laws. As a follower of Jesus, he lived by faith, but he also still upheld the law in his practical life. Likewise, Paul had not brought Trophimus into the temple area as the Jews had assumed, instead he had only been seen together with him. He preached about Jesus not as a political king or as a rival to Rome, but as a spiritual king whose kingdom was not of this world. Festus replied by saying in verse 9, "…Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?" There was no reason for Paul to need to go back to Jerusalem to be tried again. Festus wasn’t really interested in seeing justice done regarding Paul’s case, he only wanted to do the Jews a favor and look good in their eyes. It was clear that Paul was innocent and that the charges brought against him were exaggerated and ungrounded. This was an official roman court, but justice was nowhere to be found; instead it was full of a spirit of false accusation and condemnation. How did Paul answer Festus’ question?

Sarah, can you read verses 10-11a please, “Paul answered, “I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them…" Paul repeated himself by saying he had done nothing wrong. He also understood that in court justice should be done. It is just for a guilty criminal to be punishment for his crimes, while an innocent criminal should be released without being punished. Paul was not afraid to die, and would accept death as the just punishment for any crime he might have committed.

Paul’s trial before governor Festus makes us think about issues of justice and righteousness. In this world, Paul was accused falsely and condemned. In this world Satan accuses people night and day. The devil is our accuser and he accuses people before God constantly. He makes us feel that we are condemned, and he enslaves us by our fear of death. Spiritually speaking, we are treated very unjustly by the devil and by the principle of this world if it were not for Jesus and his infinite justice. God is a God of justice, who saves us from the unjust treatment of the devil. The Bible declares that the foundation of the kingdom of God is justice and righteousness. Psalm 84:19 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” After meeting Jesus personally God put his justice and righteousness in Paul’s heart. Before, Paul had trusted in his own legalistic righteousness and tried to be justified based on his own good works. But he was only left feeling condemned and enslaved by his covetous desires. He must have felt guilty and burdened like a man on trial, but he came to put his faith fully in the righteousness that came from God through the blood of Jesus. Through this, Paul could have a clear sense of God’s justice which vindicated him before God and made him bold and fearless before these corrupted leaders. Even though he was guilty as a sinner before God’s court, having broken God’s holy laws, he was not afraid or intimidated by their condemning accusations. Instead, he stood his ground and believed that God would justify him and would make things right, even though that is not what was being done throughout his court case. God was on his side, and in God’s way justice would be done. God had freed him from spiritual condemnation in his heart that came from his sins. Though men tried to accuse him, God forgave him completely. And God would bring about his perfect justice through it all.

It is very important for us to trust in the justice of God in our lives as well. God is just, which means that he always does what is right. When people sin they feel guilty and their consciences condemn them. To sin is to commit a crime against God and it requires that we be punished and even put to death. Imagine if you were on trial in God’s court for all the crimes you committed throughout your lifetime, what would you say in your defense? Through we would try to say a lot, honestly, none of us would have anything to say except, “I’m guilty!”

However, Christ died in our place and took the punishment upon himself that we all deserved. His death frees us from the condemnation of our own hearts and consciences which always accused us before we knew Jesus personally. Jesus came to make the guilty innocent and to take all the offenses of humanity upon himself. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” When we repent of our sins and trust God’s justice given through Christ, then God does what is right; he frees our hearts from guilt and condemnation and we can be free to testify boldly about Christ in any situation.

Does the devil ever accuse you of things you have done wrong? How do you respond to such accusations? Are you ever accused by worldly people falsely? How do you respond to them? We should respond with humility and boldness, being firm in our faith in the justice and righteousness of God that Christ brought into our lives. We should not be intimidated or pushed around, but instead we should overcome the world with the grace that God has poured out into our hearts. We should be bold not to justify ourselves, but bold to proclaim the gospel. I pray that all of us today would trust in God’s justice and that God will do what is right and just in our lives.

One example of trusting in God’s justice can be seen in the life of a young Pakistani girl named Shafia. Voice of the Martyrs wrote about her heart-moving story. Her brother was killed and she was held captive by a violent kidnapper who tried to force her to convert from Christianity to Islam. In a section entitled “Trusting God’s justice” she shared her experience, she said,

“Previously, when I was pursuing my court case against my brother’s killers and against the person who raped me, I did not forgive them. I wanted to take revenge… Then, I read and heard in the Word that we should forgive our persecutors. It was very difficult for me to forgive them. This took about a year. Now, I have forgiven those who persecuted me. The Lord can do anything. He will do justice with me.” (VOM Feb 09, pg. 5)

Shafia found that through trusting in God’s justice in her life, she could forgive those who had wronged her and she could have peace for the future. Although she had been wronged by people, God had made things right in her heart. She knew that God would work things out in her life and would bring about his righteousness for her in his good time. This is the same work that God wants to do in our lives as well. We can know that even though we may have to pass through many injustices during this life, God has filled our hearts with his righteousness and justice. He is preparing us for life in the eternal kingdom to come where his justice and righteousness will endure forever.

Then, empowered by God’s grace, justice, and wisdom from the Holy Spirit, Paul makes a bold statement by saying, “I appeal to Caesar!” Festus talked things over with his council, and being bound by Roman law, could only consent to Paul’s appeal to Caesar. So, Festus said, “…You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!"

The decision of Festus to send Paul to Caesar in Rome was actually God’s will. Because of the fact that Paul was a roman citizen, he had the right to have his case heard by Caesar himself in Rome. This would be like someone requesting that their case be heard by the Supreme court. But when we think about the bigger picture here, we know that God was working to send the gospel to all nations. What better way to send the gospel out than to have Paul sent to Rome, protected from the murderous Jewish leaders so that Paul could share the gospel with numerous Roman rulers, and even Caesar himself. If these leaders accepted the gospel then this would have a great impact on Rome and even the whole world, since Rome was the most powerful nation on earth at that time.

Part II, Festus consults king Agrippa about Pauls’ case

After a couple days, King Agrippa and Bernice came to honor governor Festus. Festus spoke to Agrippa about Paul’s case, telling him about how the Jews had accused Paul and how Paul had defended himself. Carrie, can you read verses 18-19 "18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.” Festus didn’t fully know how to handle Paul’s case since the Jews were accusing Paul of numerous religious issues, which were things he was not familiar with. From Festus’ account, the Jews saw Jesus as “…a dead man…”, but Paul saw Jesus as one who was alive. This distinction reveals what difference faith in the resurrection makes in our lives.

The resurrection proves that Jesus did not die in vain and that everything he said was true. Jesus had not just died randomly like any old criminal on the cross, nor had he suffered pointlessly at the San Hedrin. Rather, Jesus had overcome sin, death, hell, and the grave by his powerful resurrection from the dead and was now alive. The message of the resurrection stuck in Festus’ mind as the key point of what Paul was on trial about.

Sometimes, it seems hard to know how believing in Jesus’ resurrection makes a difference in our lives today. The Bible says that Jesus died and rose again, but what difference does that make to us? The difference is that worldly people are influenced by us through our faith in the resurrection. If Paul would have never converted from Judaism to Christianity, governor Festus, king Agrippa, and many other Roman leaders would have never have heard the gospel. Through the resurrection Paul’s life was totally changed around.

God also wants to change our lives around entirely too, but that can only happen when we fully accept and believe that Jesus not only died, but that he also rose again. Our Christian life doesn’t stop at the forgiveness of our sins, instead it continues on with the victorious life over sin and death that Jesus wants to live out in us through the power of his resurrection. Faith in the resurrection is what makes us have an impact in the lives of unbelievers. Our friends might not remember a lot about us, but they will remember that we believe in a living Lord with whom we have a dynamic love relationship. Let’s pray that each of us may believe in the resurrection of Jesus and see what a difference that makes in our lives this week and beyond.

Agrippa requested to hear Paul for himself, so Festus made arrangements for Agrippa and the others who had come to stay there to hear Paul for themselves. In verses 23-27, we see the introduction to Paul’s trial before king Agrippa and numerous other Roman officials. Festus confessed that he had found nothing in Paul deserving the death penalty, and that he hoped that something definite could be written about Paul’s case as the arrangements were made to send him off to Caesar.

In conclusion, Acts 25 teaches us that God protects us in adverse situations. We should trust that God will give us words and wisdom to say in difficult situations through the Holy Spirit. It also reminds us of what God did through Christ to justify us and make us righteous despite our wrongs and crimes against heaven. Through trusting in God’s justice, our hearts are made strong and bold. Finally, we learned that faith in the resurrection makes a difference in our lives by allowing us to make an impact upon those around us.

One Word: Trust in God’s justice

Acts 24 Message

Paul’s Hope In The Resurrection
Acts 24:1-27 Lesson 27
Key verse 24:15

“...and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the
righteous and the wicked.”

Today, Paul stands on trial before Governor Felix. Paul did not try to save himself. Instead, he sought to please God. He also shepherded Governor Felix with the gospel truth. We can learn Paul’s hope in the resurrection of the dead and his shepherd heart for one lost person, like Felix May God bless our study today.

First, Paul Was Imprisoned Without A Charge (1-13).

As we studied, Paul was taken to Caesarea by 470 Roman soldiers. It was a spectacular rescue, demonstrating that God was with Paul. Paul was kept under guard in Herod’s palace. Then, five days after Paul’s arrival, his accusers–the high priest Ananias, together with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus–came to Caesarea and brought their charges against Paul. Tertullus must have been a famous trial lawyer. He knew how to work the crowd and manipulate the atmosphere in order to achieve his goal. His opening remarks were full flattery. He said, “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly” (2-4).

Tertullus spoke very eloquently but despite his fancy words, there was no basis to charge Paul. Look at verses 5-8. (We will also include the footnote in the bottom of the page.) “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him and wanted to judge him according to our law. But the commander, Lysias, came and with the use of much force snatched him from our hands and ordered his accusers to come before you. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.” When we look at this statement carefully, we notice that there are no facts mentioned. There is no date, place or specific action, but only groundless accusations, laced with loaded words, such as “ringleader.” and “Nazarene Sect”. He sensationalized the rumors to captivate the people, like a good newspaper reporter. What is more, Tertullus implies that if Lysias had not acted so ruthlessly, the whole matter could have been settled peacefully in Jerusalem. But the fact was, they would have killed Paul. Tertullus’ plan worked for as Tertullus spoke, the Jews joined in the accusations (9). He had used the crowd to serve his own diabolical purpose. He was revealing the character of the devil who is a lair and the father of lies and a murderer. (Jn 8:44)

Paul acknowledged Felix’s authority and spoke based on facts. When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me” (10-13). He had done nothing more in Jerusalem than go to the temple to worship God. Now, because of slanderous lies, he was now branded as a dangerous criminal. As Jesus had been slandered and falsely accused, Paul was also. It should not surprise God’s servants to be hated by the world. In fact, anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Tim 3:12) They will be hated. It is not because they did something wrong, but because the devil opposes God’s work. Jesus described his own persecution, by saying: “They hated me without reason” (Jn 15:25). There are some who think they can who think they can do the work of God without any persecution. They think that if they are nice enough and sincere enough then this world will accept their work and understand them. If this was possible then Jesus surely could have done it. We are not better than Jesus.

Second, Paul’s Faith In Jesus And In The Word Of God (14).

If Paul was only thinking about getting out of the situation, he could have stopped speaking after verse 13. But he did not. In verses 14-16, Paul continues with a personal testimony. In doing so, he reveals his faith in Jesus and in the word of God. Look at verse 14. “However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets....” Paul worshiped God, the God of Israel. He worshiped God as a follower of the Way. Here, “the Way” refers to Christianity. Ultimately it refers to Jesus himself. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mk 15:38). This curtain represented the wall of separation between God and men because of sin. Jesus died for our sins. Now we can come to God and have a personal relationship with the living God through the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:20-22 says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith....” Jesus is the way to God. Without Jesus no one can come to God.

Paul was not ashamed of Jesus or the ways of Jesus. When Paul said that he was a follower of the Way, he added, “which they call a sect.” This was a derogatory expression of the Jewish leaders to discredit Christianity, referring it as some unrecognized religious organization. They wanted to shame Christians and make them powerless and useless. It was the devil’s temptation. But Jesus had warned his disciples, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels” (Mk 8:38). Peter said, “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1Pe 4:16). Paul was not intimidated by the devil’s pressure. Paul clearly identified himself as a follower of the Way, that is, Jesus Christ, though the corrupted said it was a sect. Paul said in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes....” We must not be ashamed of Jesus, or Jesus’ words or the ways of Jesus before corrupted people. We must identify ourselves boldly as Jesus’ disciples. We must boldly go fishing on the campuses of our universities. We must boldly pray in Jesus’ name whenever we eat, at home and in public. We need to identify ourselves as Christians before our friends and family.
Paul also confessed his absolute faith in the Law and the Prophets, that is, in the Bible. Look at verse 14b, “…I believe everything that agrees with Law and that is written in the Prophets.” Paul had discovered that the Law and the Prophets pointed to Christ and found fulfillment in Christ. Paul’s faith in Christ was not based on his personal experience alone, or even on the life and ministry of Jesus alone. It was rooted in the Scriptures. Paul had mastered the faith that Jesus really wanted his disciples to have. (Jn 2:22) Jesus had said in Luke 24:44, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Jesus really wants us to believe, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1Co 15:3,4). When we believe God’s promise, rooted in his word, instead of focusing in on our present situation or our visible reality alone, we have faith that pleases God. Thank God that this does not depend on how we feel or on our present situation. What pleases God is that we believe the word of God simply because it is the word of God. May God help us believe the word of God like Paul did.

There are many people who are like Paul, who live by faith in the word of God, despite of hardships and persecutions. Think about our missionaries in the strictly Muslim nations of the Middle East. Because of strict government controls, they cannot go fishing on the campuses. They cannot even go onto the campuses. If they try to share the gospel openly, they will be deported. For them, it is a very real possibility that they may invest their whole lives in the mission without seeing any visible result. Sometimes it seems like they can do nothing. But they have faith in God’s word. They believe that one day God will bring the gospel light to those living in darkness. They may not see it with their own eyes. But they believe it. They struggle every day to overcome discouragement by holding onto the word of God.

We pray that God may make North America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Sometimes this seems irrational or unbelievable. It seems that this country is drifting towards at liberal atheism. But our faith is rooted in the promise of God (Ex 19:6; 1 Pet 2:9). God is pleased by our faith when we hold onto a personal promise of God. We must believe God’s victory for us in this world and final victory in heaven. Sometimes we despair about school, or the difficult financial situation, or the atmosphere where most people don’t seem to want to get to know Jesus, let alone serve him. May God help us to believe one promise of God from our heart and experience God’s victory. We have ups and downs in life. Our world is ever changing. But our faith in Jesus based on the Scriptures must be constant. With this faith we can study the word of God deeply, building up our Bible material. We can study hard. We can develop our music program. We can strengthen our house churches and train disciples, even in the midst of persecution….all because of our faith in Jesus and the words of God.

Third, Paul’s Hope In The Resurrection (15-21).

Paul goes on to speak of his hope in the resurrection of the dead. Look at verse 15. “...and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” This hope began to be realized when God raised Jesus from the dead. God proved that he is the almighty, living God and that Jesus is the living Son of God (Ro 1:4). Jesus said in John 5:28,29, “...a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” Everyone will be raised from the dead, both the righteous and the wicked. When we believe the word of God, we can have hope in the resurrection.

However, the devil deceives people to think that death is the end of everything. He fills their hearts with the fear of death and controls their lives with this fear. Hebrews 2:15 says, “...and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” The fear of death makes people fatalistic. The fear of death makes people despair. The fear of death makes people powerless. Hedonism and moral corruption are rooted in the fear of death. Selfishness is rooted in the fear of death. The fear of death makes us live by the moto: “Save yourself.” But Jesus unmasked the reality of death. He taught that death is like sleeping (Jn 11:11). When life on earth ends, our souls go to the Lord and our bodies go to the dust. In God’s right time, our bodies will be raised. But they will not be like they were before. They will be spiritual bodies worthy of the kingdom of God. They will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1Co 15:42-43). There will be no hair loss, wrinkles, deformities, or pot bellies. We will bear the glorious image of Christ within and without. When we have this hope, we can live the way God wants us to live.

How did Paul life when he had resurrection faith? Paul concluded in verse 16, “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” Our deeds will be remembered. All pains borne for the work of God will be recognized. God will crown us with glory and give us eternal life in the kingdom of God. When Paul had this hope, he did his best to live before God with a clear conscience. He lived to please God and to be a blessing to others every day. Resurrection hope is not just a theory. It is very practical. Resurrection hope leads us to struggle hard to keep our consciences clear before God and man. Resurrection hope helps us resist the hedonism of the present culture. Instead of despairing, we can study hard to get all A’s. We can joyfully teach the Bible one-to-one to our friends and classmates. We can live a pure moral life, holding onto a good conscience, trusting in God’s future blessing. We can teach our children the word of God and pray for them like St Augustine’s mother, Monica, or Franklin Graham’s mother, Ruth Graham did. We can deny ourselves as live as shepherds of God’s flock. We can trust God with our future and go as missionaries to a foreign country one day. May God help each of us to have resurrection hope and strive to keep our consciences clear, living before God each day.

Fourth, Paul’s One-To-One Bible Study With Felix (22-27).

After hearing Paul, Governor Felix adjourned the proceedings, saying he would wait for Lysias before making his decision. Most likely he was stalling. It was clear that Paul was innocent, but Felix had no strength to do what was right. A lifetime of moral compromise had rendered him powerless to make tough decisions. He was like Pilate, remaining indecisive, caught in a human dilemma. Several days later he brought his wife and they listened to Paul speak about faith in Christ Jesus. It was a small group Bible study. Felix seemed to like Bible study. He found the truth of God refreshing to his soul. At the same time, he must have liked Paul, sensing his godly concern and his shepherd-like heart towards him. When Paul had hope in the resurrection, he was free, even though his was under house arrest. He was free to minister to Felix and he taught Felix and his wife joyfully. When life dealt him lemons he made lemonade.

But this beautiful 1:2 Bible study came to an end before Felix could accept Jesus. Look at verse 25. “As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, ‘That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.’” Felix was convicted of his sin. Satan used fear to keep him from his Savior , Jesus. Felix, like Herod Antipas (Mark 6:17-18), had taken another man’s wife. Paul’s words were interesting until they focused on “righteousness, self control and the judgment to come.” Felix should have repented. But he postponed until a more convenient time. He is like some who study the Bible until the topics start to touch their own sin problem. Then they say, “Don’t call me. I will call you when I am ready.” Many people will be glad to discuss the Gospel with you as long as it doesn’t touch their lives too personally. I had a weekly Bible study with an atheist for over two years and another for one year. They have one common trait. They both avoided personal application of the Bible. Christians do this too…not just atheists.
The gospel requires a personal decision to repent and believe in Jesus. Parents cannot do this for their children. Shepherds cannot do this for their Bible students. Sooner or later, each person must decide personally to repent and accept Jesus. Those who postpone this decision run a great risk, for we don’t know if we will live through tomorrow. Our hearts may harden beyond recovery. Felix lived in indecision for two years. Then his indecision eventually became a rejection of Christ. Without Christ he could not escape the judgment to come.
As you teach the Bible you will find that some will resist or run. But this is what the Gospel is all about – God’s power to change lives. The gospel is not effective until it moves from principles and doctrines of the Christian faith, into a life changing faith. When someone resists or runs from your witness, do not despair but take heart, for you have succeeded in making the Gospel personal.
In this passage we learn that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. Let’s believe this Bible truth and live before God as followers of the Way, followers of Jesus. With resurrection faith, let us keep a clear conscience before God as we live as shepherds for our people. And may we move from the theoretical to the personal in our Bible teaching and in our practical walk with Jesus.