In Acts chapters 23-26 we see several things about the apostle Paul while he is on trial: he is consumed with the hope of the resurrection, he is compelled to preach Christ fearlessly, he was commissioned to call men to repentance, and he was committed to seizing opportunities for the gospel.
Paul On Trial
Acts 22:22 – 26:32
This morning we are going to do something unprecedented. We are going to cover more than 4 chapters in a single sermon! So, we ought to be finishing up the message about 3:00 p.m.! No, we’re going to take this message a little differently. If we were to read the entire 4.5 chapters, it would take us about 20 minutes and eat up 1/3 of our total time, so we’re not going to read it. Acts chapters 23-26 are a single story. They are the story of Paul on trial. So, I’m going to tell you that story. When you get home, you can take the time to read through the story for yourself.
Now, I believe it’s important to teach and preach the Word of God in such a way that it makes a difference in people’s lives. There’s not a lot of value in teaching through a story in the Bible just to say we did it. We should desire to meet God in His Word. So, I’m going to narrate the story for you, but then I’m going to pull out 4 principles that we see in Paul’s life that can make a tremendous difference in our lives as well, if we will apply them.
In Acts 22 through 26, we find Paul making 5 speeches in front of 5 different audiences in order to defend himself.
In Chapter 22, we find Paul before an angry Jewish mob.
In Chapter 23, we find Paul before the Sanhedrin (Council)
In Chapter 24, we find Paul before Felix
In Chapter 25, we find Paul before Festus
In Chapter 26, we find Paul before King Agrippa
Now, we’ve already looked at Paul before the angry Jewish mob last Sunday. So today, we are going to take 4 chapters and see Paul facing 4 different audiences and speaking in his own defense as he is on trial.
In Chapter 22 we’ve already seen Paul before the Jewish mob. Bruised, bleeding, and half-dead, he begs the Commander to give him an opportunity to speak to his Jewish countrymen. Paul earnestly desires their salvation, and figures this is his big chance. He has all of Jerusalem as his audience. So, he launches into his own spiritual journey. He shares with them his religious zeal as a Jew to the point of persecuting imprisoning Christians. Then he shares how Jesus blinded him with His bright light, spoke to him from heaven, and soundly converted him. Further, he shares how Jesus sent Ananias to him to heal him of blindness, bring God’s commission to him, and baptize him. Finally, he tells these Jews that after his conversion he came to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple and fell into a trance, and the Lord appeared to him telling him to hurry and get out of Jerusalem because He was sending him to the Gentiles. It was at that point that all hell broke loose. These Jews cried, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” And they were throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air. Now, of course, the Roman Commander is stymied by all of this. He doesn’t understand Hebrew. Just a moment ago, you could have heard a pin drop as Paul was giving his testimony. Now, there is bedlam everywhere. The Commander is in charge of keeping the peace in Jerusalem, so he figures he will torture Paul to get him to confess why the Jews were so angry with him. The way he was going to torture him was by scourging. A scourging was where the lictors took a cat-o-nine tails with pieces of bone, or glass sewn into the ends. They would strip the victim to his waste, and tie his hands to a column, and then mercilessly bring the whip across his back. Of course, when the whip with the glass or bones struck the back, and was pulled back, it would end up stripping the flesh off the body. In a matter of minutes, a man’s back would look like hamburger. Many people died under a scourging.
Well, at this point Paul pulls out his trump card. He asked whether it was lawful for them to scourge him being a Roman citizen. That put the fear of God into these Romans, because scourging an uncondemned Roman citizen was illegal, and could result in severe punishment by the authorities. So, instead, the Commander decided to bring Paul before the Council, which was the Jewish Sanhedrin, to determine what had caused the uproar.
In Chapter 23, we find Paul before the Sanhedrin. Paul told the Council that he had lived his life with a perfectly good conscience up to that day. At that, the high priest commanded Paul to be struck on the mouth. Paul then tells the high priest that God was going to strike him, and that he was a white-washed wall, and that he was trying him according to the Law, but violating the Law in ordering him to be hit in the mouth. When someone nearby told Paul that he had reviled the high priest, Paul responded that he didn’t know it was the high priest, and that if he had known, he wouldn’t have said what he did. Then he had a brilliant idea. Paul knew that half of the Sanhedrin were Pharisees and half were Sadducees. He needed to come up with a plan to divide them so that they would fight with each other instead of fighting against him. Paul knew that the Pharisees believed in the supernatural, angels, spirits, and resurrection, but the Sadducees denied all of it. So, he cried out, “I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” Well, that did it. There was chaos again – and the Sanhedrin started fighting amongst themselves. The Pharisees even admitted that they found nothing wrong with him! Well, when the Commander saw that a great division was developing, and that Paul would be torn to pieces, he ordered his troops to take Paul away forcibly into the barracks. That night the Lord came to Paul and told him to take courage for he must witness to His cause in Rome. What a relief! Paul must have been wondering whether he was going to make it out of this thing alive, but now he had Jesus’ word on the matter. He would live and testify in Rome as well.
At this point over 40 Jews got together and formed a plot to assassinate Paul, vowing that they wouldn’t eat or drink until Paul was dead. But it “just so happened” that Paul’s nephew caught wind of the plot and came and told Paul. Paul directed his nephew to tell the Commander. When the Commander heard of the plot, he commanded 200 soldiers and 70 horsemen to escort Paul in the middle of the night out of Jerusalem down to Cesaerea, carrying a letter to Felix, who was the governor, explaining the whole situation.
In Chapter 24 we find Paul before Felix. The high priest, Ananias and some elders travel the 60 miles from Jerusalem to Cesarea with their attorney Tertullus to attend Paul’s trial. Tertullus tries to ingratiate the Jews to Felix with nauseating flattery, and then brings 3 different accusations: Paul stirs up dissension among the Jews throughout the world, he’s a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and tried to desecrate the temple.
Paul is then given an opportunity to speak in his defense. He denies that he had done anything to stir up trouble or cause a riot. He does admit that He serves God according to the Way, and believes all the Scriptures, and cherishes the hope of the resurrection of the dead. Paul challenges them to produce any proof of their lame charges against him. Now Felix is between a rock and a hard spot, because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, but he could see no evidence that Paul had committed any crime. So, what did he do? Nothing! He just left Paul in prison, with the lame excuse that he would wait until Lysias, the Commander came down from Jerusalem, and then he would decide the case. Well, guess what? Lysias never came down. After 2 years Felix was out, and his replacement Festus was in, and Paul was still in prison.
In Chapter 25 we find Paul before Festus. Festus calls the influential blood-thirsty Jews down from Jerusalem to another trial. At this trial these Jews threw out all kinds of serious charges which they couldn’t substantiate. Paul simply responded that he had committed no offense either against the Law, Temple or Caesar. Throughout these trials Paul says that he was loyal to Jerusalem and Rome, to the sons of Israel and Caesar. Paul believed all the Law and Prophets. Further, he was a loyal citizen of Rome. Felix responded by asking Paul if he was willing to go up and stand trial in Jerusalem. Paul knew that would be to sign his death warrant. There was no way he would ever receive justice if he was tried by the Jews, so he refused to go, and instead appealed to be tried in Rome by Caesar’s tribunal. So, Festus decides that Paul will go to Rome to be tried. Now, it just so happened that King Agrippa shows up about that time to visit Festus. Festus tells Agrippa that he’s on the horns of a dilemna, because he is sending Paul to Rome to be tried, but he has no evidence that Paul has committed any crime. He asks Agrippa if he would hear Paul’s case in order that Agrippa can help Festus figure out what to write to the Emperor. Of course Festus doesn’t want to appear like an idiot before the Emperor.
In Chapter 26 we find Paul before Agrippa. Here again, Paul rehearses his testimony of his religious zeal and persecution of Christians, his dramatic conversion, and the Lord’s commission that Paul preach the gospel to the Gentiles. At this point Festus interrupts Paul and says he’s out of his mind. Paul denies this accusation, but then turns to the King and asks him if he believes the Prophets in an attempt to bring the King to faith in Christ.
Paul was on trial before the Jews and Romans. Rome and Jerusalem represented 2 huge power blocks. The faith of Jerusalem went back 2,000 years, and the rule of Rome extended some 3 million square miles. Jerusalem’s strength lay in history and tradition; Rome’s in conquest and organization. If a solitary individual like Paul were to set himself against them, he would be crushed. The Jews accused Paul of sedition and desecrating the temple (24:5-6). Paul, again and again defends himself as a loyal citizen of Rome and son of Israel. He was not subverting the authority of Rome, nor was he rejecting the teaching of Judaism.
As bleak as these trials became for Paul, he never lost hope, because the Lord Himself had appeared to him and told him that he must witness at Rome (Acts 23:11). This must have been a huge boost to his faith, and keep him from despairing.
Now, one of the things Luke continually repeats throughout this section is Paul’s innocence of anything worthy of imprisonment or death. The Pharisees – 23:9, Lysias – 23:29; Festus – 25:25; King Agrippa – 26:31. It’s obvious that Paul was innocent. The Jews were just infuriated with Paul and wanted him dead because he was saying that God was inviting Gentiles into His kingdom on exactly the same basis as Jews.
Now, let’s take the remainder of our time to focus on some very important principles that were true in Paul’s life, that should also be true in our lives.
1. Paul Was Consumed With The Hope of the Resurrection:
We find Paul speaking of either the resurrection of Jesus, or the future resurrection of believers in almost every defense he makes. Let’s look at them briefly.
Acts 23:6 “I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!”
Acts 24:15 “having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.”
Acts 26:6-8 “And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?”
Notice that the resurrection of the dead is connected with the word hope. The word hope in Scripture is not a wishy washy thing that may or may not happen. It is something good coming in the future that is absolutely certain. So, Paul is telling the Jews and the Roman governing officials that he is absolutely convinced of the hope that believers will experience a resurrection unto glory. Now, why was Paul so convinced of this? Both in chapter 22 and chapter 26 Paul rehearses how he was headed toward Damascus with the intent of imprisoning men and women who believed in Jesus, when all of a sudden Jesus blinded him with a heavenly light, and spoke to Him from heaven, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul answered, “Who are You Lord?” Then in an instant comes the shocking message, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.” In an instant Saul’s world turns upside down. He realizes that everything he was doing was wrong. Jesus is the Lord from heaven. And Jesus is not dead! He’s very much alive. In fact, He spoke to him! Notice how Festus summed up what Paul had said in his defense in Acts 25:19 “but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.” Because Jesus was raised from the dead, just like His followers kept preaching, that must mean that His Word is true when He said, “Because I live, you shall live also” (Jn.14:19). Jesus is the first-born among many brethren. If God raised my Elder Brother, He will also raise me. And that fact changed everything for Paul. Everywhere He went, He preached that Jesus was alive, and that all who followed Him would be made alive with Him to share in His glory eternally.
Life Application: One day Jesus will return in glory for all to see. At that time God will recreate this broken, sin-ravaged world, and transform it into a world of love and joy, life and freedom. At that time our bodies will be raised from the dead just as Jesus’ body was raised, and we will dwell on the new earth in which righteousness dwells. I know Paul believed in the hope of this resurrection, because it shaped everything about him – how he lived, how he spent his time, his attitude toward money and possessions. My question to you is “Do you really believe in the resurrection?” Now don’t answer too fast. Think this through. In fact, your life already tells me if you really believe you will be raised to glory. If you really believe that, it will have a profound effect on everything in your life! Sadly, studies have shown that there is no real difference between the Church and the world when it comes to divorce or how much TV we watch, or what shows we watch. Aside from attending church, and living a somewhat moral life, is there anything radically different about your life than those who don’t believe in the resurrection?
Let’s assume for a moment that there is no future resurrection, no glory with Jesus, no New Earth on which to dwell eternally. Let’s suppose that death is the end of everything. What kind of life would make most sense in that situation? Paul tells us in 1Cor.15:32 “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” If life is all there is, then it makes total sense to live for the here and now. Live for whatever pleasures you can get out of life. Get as many possessions and toys as you can. Have sex whenever you can with whoever you can. Go on long luxurious vacations. Eat and drink because tomorrow there is nothing.
Now, let’s assume that our future resurrection is true. What makes sense now? 1Cor.15:30-31 “Why are we also in danger every hour? I protest, brethren, by the boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” A life lived for eternity now makes sense, not a life lived for the here and now. Because Paul believed in the future resurrection, he was willing to endure dangers, and die daily. Compared to eternity, our lives are just a dot. Any sacrifice, suffering, or hardship we face is just a blink of the eye compared to eternity. On the other hand all of our sin, indulgence, wealth and fame we might enjoy in this life are also just a blip compared to eternity. Are you living for the temporary glory of a broken world when you can live for the eternal glory of a New World?
Thought Questions: If you planned your calendar and finances as if Christ were returning tomorrow, how would your life be different? Think about your last week – what did you do for your comfort and security, and what did you do for your eternal future? When you die you will be separated from every source of happiness except for Jesus, so can you say that “to die is gain” because Jesus is your ultimate joy? We show the value we put on Christ by what we are willing to risk or give up for Him. When was the last time you took a risk or gave up something for Christ? When you are faced with major decisions in your life like a home, job, marriage, how much are these decisions shaped by your eternity with Christ?
2. Paul Was Compelled To Preach Christ Fearlessly:
Notice Paul’s interaction with Felix in Acts 24:24-25. We need to understand a little bit about Felix, to appreciate Paul’s courage. Felix began life as a slave in the household of Antonio, the mother of the Emperor Claudius. He was given his freedom, and later given the position of Governor of Judea from A.D. 52-59. Drusilla was his 3rd wife. She was a famous 18 year old beauty. Felix had seduced her away from her husband who was the King of Syria. Drusilla was the sister of King Herod Agrippa II whom we read about in chapter 26, and daughter of King Herod who slew James in Acts 12 and then was smitten by God and eaten by worms. Felix has been described as “one of the worst of Roman officials.” He was lustful, cruel and greedy. Neither he nor Drusilla seem to have any moral scruples.
Paul is summoned before these 2. Felix has the power to release him or execute him. It must have been tempting for Paul to spend his time arguing for his release and avoiding speaking on any sin or Christ. But what does he do? Acts 24:24 says that he spoke about faith in Christ. What’s more, he discussed righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. Paul spoke of the perfect righteousness of God and the absolute righteousness that God demands from every person as revealed in His holy law. He spoke of self-control, no doubt applying it to this powerful couple with their sins of lust, adultery, greed, and selfish indulgence. Then he followed all this up by speaking on the judgment to come. No doubt he told them that God had fixed a day in which he would judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ, and therefore was commanding all men everywhere to repent. This was definitely not Christianity light. It wasn’t a seeker-sensitive approach. Paul was direct, bold and fearless. He wasn’t intimidated by this sinful Governor. In fact, he cared more about this man’s soul than for his own personal safety.
A couple weeks ago Kelly preached on the fact that God is Glorious so we don’t have to fear man. Paul was a man who didn’t fear man. Instead he feared God. He feared God so much that he wasn’t intimidated by any man.
Life Application: What about you? Do you fear man? Do you allow yourself to be intimidated by other strong personalities to do things you aren’t sure are the will of God? Are you tempted to avoid talking to people about things like righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, because it might get uncomfortable? In times like that, remember that their never-dying soul is at stake? Whether they are saved or lost is infinitely more important than whether the conversation gets a little uncomfortable. Paul provides a good example for us here. He preached Christ. He rebuked powerful rulers for their sin, and he told them that there was a Judgment to come. Do you do that? When was the last time you spoke of repentance and faith in Christ in spite of the fact that it might go down really bad? God help us to repent of our fear that prevents us from speaking the truth boldly and fearlessly!
3. Paul Was Commissioned to Call People to Repentance:
Look with me at Acts 26:16-20. This is a description of Jesus’ commission which He gave Paul. In verse 18 we read that those Paul preached to must “turn”. Then in verse 20 we read that those same people must “repent and turn to God”. You say, vs. 20 explains vs. 18. To “turn” is to “repent.” The Risen Christ appeared to Paul and commissioned him to call all men to repentance. Now, let’s notice several things that true repentance involves:
A. Repentance involves a change of understanding. Sinners must turn from darkness to light. When a man truly repents, he changes his mind. He turns from error, and embraces truth. He rejects the idea that he’s basically a good person, that Jesus was just a good religious teacher among many others, that hell is what we experience now on this earth, that we should live for ourselves and whatever pleasures we can get out of life. Now he believes that he is shot through with sin, that Jesus Christ is God in human flesh and the only Savior of sin, that hell is a place of eternal torment and suffering for those who don’t know God or obey His gospel, and that we should deny ourselves, take up our cross, and live for eternal pleasures.
B. Repentance Involves A Change of Masters. Acts 26:18 goes on to say, “and from the dominion of Satan to God.” When a man repents, he exits Satan’s kingdom, and enters Christ’s kingdom. Colossians 1:13 says that God has “delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Satan rules over all lost men. The only way to escape His reign is to be delivered from his domain and transferred to the domain of Christ. The way Jesus delivers you from Satan’s kingdom is by enabling you to repent.
C. Repentance Involves A Change of Status. “to receive forgiveness of sins.” Before a sinner repents, what is his status? Condemned! Every lost person is a condemned man. He is by nature a child of wrath. When a sinner repents, he goes from being condemned to justified. Rather than being afraid of God because of our sins, now we can come boldly into His presence because we are perfectly accepted because of Christ.
D. Repentance Involves A Change Of Behavior. Acts 26:20 says, “repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.” Paul firmly rejected works before conversion as a ground of salvation, but he also firmly demanded good works as an evidence of salvation. Repentance is not just an intellectual change of mind. It is a turning of the whole person from sin to God, resulting in a life of obedience to God from the heart.
Life Application: Is Paul the only one who is commissioned to call men to repentance? No – every Christian is called to do the same. When was the last time you called anyone to repentance? Who is it in your life that you believe God wants you to share the gospel with? Picture that person’s face in your mind. Resolve today that with God’s help, you will sit down with them, and explain the gospel and call them to repent and trust in Jesus Christ. Take that person to lunch or coffee, and let them know that there is something important that you would like to discuss with them. Then be compassionate, but bold and direct, and pray the entire time that God would grant repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
4. Paul Was Committed to Seizing Opportunities For The Gospel:
Notice Acts 25:23-27. Notice the great pomp and ceremony. The king would be wearing the purple robes of royalty and the gold crown on his brow. Festus, the Governor, would no doubt have worn the scarlet robe typical on these occasions. So, here you have King Agrippa and Bernice, his sister, who was rumored to have an incestuous relationship with him in the court. Also, there is Festus the Governor, and then all the commanders and prominent men of the city. There is a great crowd. Then in walks the lowly apostle. Paul, according to tradition, was short, balding, with beetle brows and a hooked nose. He’s dressed in a plain prisoner’s tunic, his arms handcuffed in chains. If anyone should be intimidated in this setting, it should have been Paul. Well, Paul launches into his testimony in chapter 26. In verse 22 we read, “And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer; and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” At that Festus cried out, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” Paul calmly responds, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.” At that Paul says, “King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” The court gasps. Has any prisoner ever before presumed to address his Royal Highness with such disrespect or rudeness? Agrippa coyly responds, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” Paul responds, “I would to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” At this point Paul lifts his hands and rattled the chains which bound him.
Now, what is Paul doing? He’s seeking the king’s conversion! Instead of giving his own defense, he’s turning the tables and seeking Agrippa’s salvation. The Lord had told Ananias about Paul that he was a chosen instrument of His, to bear His name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Paul is simply fulfilling the Lord’s prophetic word. The principle I see here is that Paul was committed to seizing present opportunities for the gospel. Paul has been a prisoner for well over 2 years. Yet, instead of pining away in self-pity, he is seizing any and all opportunities for the gospel. When he’s before the Jewish mob he testifies about how the risen Christ had appeared to him and conquered him. When Felix sends for him, he speaks straight, boldly and directly to the sin issues in his life and urges him to put his faith in Jesus Christ. When he appears before this great august body, instead of spending all his time defending himself, he goes for the jugular, and urges the King himself to put his faith in Jesus Christ, even though being so bold may work against him. Paul didn’t make his defense all about him. He ended by making it all about Jesus and the king.
Life Application: What about you? Do you seize any and all opportunities for the gospel? So you are injured or sick and have to spend time in the hospital. Do you seize the opportunity to speak of Christ to your doctor and nurses? So, you have to give an oral report in school or your college class on one of the most important experiences of your life. Do you seize the opportunity to tell the whole class how Jesus Christ saved you from sin? So you have to go out of town on work with another fellow employee for a week. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, do you seize the opportunity to share Christ with your workmate?
Folks, we have a limited amount of time in our lifetime. Jonathan Edwards wrote that time is precious because 1) heaven or hell depend on the improvement of it; 2) it is very short; 3) we are uncertain of its continuance, and 4) once it is past it can’t be recovered. The gospel work we have to do is so great, and time is short, that we have none to spare! I did a little research on the biggest time wasting activities of Americans. What do you think were rated #1 and #2? Yep, watching TV, and video games. In 2007 American Men watched 4 hours, 35 minutes on average. Women watched 5 hours, 14 minutes. Teens watched 3 hours, 21 minutes, and children watched 3 hours, 25 minutes. You say, well at least the teens and kids weren’t watching as much as the adults! You know why? Because they were playing video games! Video gaming has become a huge industry in the U.S. Americans spend 25 billion a year on games. In one study, 8th grade boys averaged 23 hours a week on video games. Now, am I not saying that all TV viewing and video gaming are absolutely wrong. I am saying that if we allow these things to divert us from God’s call on our life then they are wrong and we must give them up. We are the servants of Christ. Our time is not our own. We are accountable to Him as to how we use it. Could you better use that time by writing an encouraging e-mail to a friend, or spending time with a non-Christian and praying for an opportunity to share Jesus with them? What about studying the Word, memorizing Scripture, praying or worshiping? This life is just a preparation for the next one – let’s not waste precious opportunities, but seize them for the gospel!
Conclusion:
Are you consumed by the hope of the resurrection? Compelled to preach Christ fearlessly? Commissioned to call others to repentance? Committed to seizing opportunities for the gospel? Then give yourselves to these things! These are the things in life that are vital. Let the trivial go – you don’t have time to spend on the trivial. Give your life to the truly important. You are are going to stand before God sooner than you think. Prepare for eternity now!
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