Acts 25

On page 934, Acts 25.

Alright, let me read this for us, starting with verse 27.

When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus,

and desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Now three days after Festus had arrived on the province,

he went up to Jerusalem, to hold Caesarea.

And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews

laid out their peace against Paul and the Jews,

asking as a favor against Paul and he summoned him to Jerusalem,

because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

Festus replied that Paul was being come to Caesarea,

and he himself intended to go there shortly.

So, said he, let the men of authority among you go down with him.

If there is anything wrong about the man,

let them break charges against him.

After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days,

he went down to Caesarea.

And the next day he took his seat at the tribunal

and ordered Paul to be brought.

When he had arrived, the Jews were come down,

and Jerusalem stood around him,

bringing many serious charges against him

that they could not prove.

Paul argued in his offense,

neither against all the Jews,

nor against the temple, nor against Caesar,

have I committed any offense.

But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,

said to Paul,

Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem?

Can there be tried on these charges before me?

But Paul said,

I am standing before Caesar's tribunal,

for I ought to be tried.

To the Jews, I have done no wrong,

as you yourself know very well.

If then I am wrong,

you are going to have committed anything

for which I deserve to die.

I do not seek to escape death.

But if there is nothing but their charges against me,

no one can give me up to them.

I have to as a Caesar.

Then Festus came and conferred with his counsel,

answered,

To Caesar, you have a meal.

To Caesar, you shall go.

Now in some days in the past,

Agrippa the king and her niece

arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.

And as they stayed there many days,

Festus laid a false case before the king,

saying,

There is a man left prisoner by feelings,

and when I was at Jerusalem,

the chief priests and the elders of the Jews

laid out their case against him,

asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.

I answered them that it was not the custom

of the Romans to give up anyone

before the accused met the accusers face to face

and had opportunity to make his defense

concerning the charge of it against him.

So when they came together here,

I made no delay,

but on the next day,

I took my seat to the tribunal

and ordered the man to be brought.

When the accusers stood up,

they brought no charge in his case

of such evils as I supposed.

Rather, they had certain points of dispute

with him about their own religion

and about a certain Jesus,

who was dead,

but who all asserted to be alive.

Being at a false side of investigating

these questions,

I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem

and we tried there regarding him.

The colonel had appealed to be kept in custody

for the decision of the emperor.

I ordered him to be held

until I could save him to see him.

Then a crampus said to Festus,

I would look at the man myself.

Tomorrow's the end of the year.

Well, here we are.

We're nearing the end of the book of Acts.

And as Luke draws his account

from the early church to a close,

he's presenting us with the account

of Paul's trials and defense.

Five times, we find here,

Paul will be brought before various authorities.

And each time, he will offer a speech.

And here in chapter 25,

this is the fourth of these defenses.

Next week, we'll get to the climax

of Paul and chapter 26.

But for now, you know,

it's worth asking, isn't it,

why is Luke spending so much time

recounting this part of Paul's life?

Maybe you're wondering the same thing.

I mean, for the last four weeks,

if you've been following our sermon series,

Paul has been in prison,

defending himself against baseless charges.

I mean, for a whole month here at Trinity,

it's like the record has been skipping.

Each week, Paul in prison, in defense.

And you know what?

We have two more chapters to go.

Why is Luke spending so much time

on this part of the story?

Well, on the one hand,

he's building a case for Paul's innocence,

isn't he?

That's pretty obvious.

And in doing so, Luke is showing

that not just Paul,

but the church itself is innocent

of any accusations that are being thrown against it

as being perhaps bad for the state

or bad for society.

But you know, more than that,

we need to remember that Luke is writing

his two-volume work,

what we call the Gospel of Luke

and the Acts of the Apostles.

He's writing this two-volume work

to his young friend, Theophilus.

And he's writing so that Theophilus

and other Christians like him

might have certainty concerning the things

they've been taught.

That's what Luke says in the beginning

of this whole work of the chapter 1.

In other words,

this is a work of discipleship.

That is what he's writing.

And so there are important things

that we're meant to see in these chapters

so that our grasp of the faith

might grow deeper and more secure.

And I think one of the things

that we see dealt with here

in chapter 25 along these lines

is the issue of injustice.

After all, is it the injustice

of the world

and the injustice that we sometimes

face in our own lives

one of the things

that can shake our faith?

When things aren't right,

we can often wonder

whether there's any substance

to what we believe.

So let's take a look

at how this theme unfolds

in chapter 25

so that we might

grow in our certainty

concerning the things

we're being taught.

And I think as we open up

this chapter,

the first thing that we see

is this.

Don't let injustice

shake your faith.

Don't let injustice

shake your faith.

But chapter 25 opens.

Did you catch that?

Paul has been in prison

for two years.

And for no other reason

than the fact that Felix

was waiting for a bribe.

Paul is the evicta

of injustice.

There's no real case

against him

if you can follow it along.

The authorities of Jerusalem

are trying to condemn him

for flouting the law,

defiling the temple,

causing civil unrest,

but they can't prove

any of these charges.

They don't have a single witness

to bring before Felix

or Festus here in 25.

And Felix knows

that none of these charges

are true back in 24,

but he leaves Paul

in prison anyway,

hoping to get some money

out of all of his friends.

And that goes on

for two years,

and Felix finally

is replaced by Festus.

You know, historically,

we know that Festus

wasn't very much liked

by the Jews,

so they ended up

petitioning Rome

to have him removed.

They sent a delegation

to the capital,

made their case,

and Felix was fired,

so Festus gets the job.

Not exactly the kind of shoes

you want to be following him.

And as soon as Festus

arrives around 59 AD,

the authorities in Jerusalem

were making their move

against Paul once more,

again plotting

to kill him in an ambush,

just like they tried

back in chapter 23.

Of course, again,

there's a deep irony here,

isn't there,

that the ones who are

so zealous for the purity

of the law

are actually more than willing

to break the law

in order to get rid of Paul.

They're happy for the ends

to justify the means.

And isn't that so often

the reality of the unjust world

that we live in?

But you know, at first,

Festus seems like a breath

of fresh air, doesn't he?

He refuses their request

to have Paul transferred

to Jerusalem,

and as soon as he gets back

to Caesarea,

he opens Paul's case

and brings him in

for the hearing.

It seems that with Festus,

someone is finally

going to do the right thing

for Paul.

But how quickly

things change.

In verse 9,

Festus wares.

He sees an opportunity

to do the Jews' effect

for him.

He tries to send Paul

back to Jerusalem.

And it seems like the doors

of injustice are again

closing in around Paul.

Two years he's been waiting

for his just acquittal,

and now we think

from back to the Romans.

The world is an unjust place.

Of course, we know that.

You know,

read a newspaper,

watch the news,

live your life,

and you see injustice

all the time.

And yet, isn't Luke

taking all those

special pains here

to show us how Paul

is personally

undergoing injustice

in these chapters?

It's almost as if

to tell us

that we shouldn't be

shocked or surprised

if the same thing

happens to us.

The world's an unjust place,

Theophilus.

Don't be spiritually rocked

or emotionally devastated

or paralyzed to respond

if some of that injustice

hits you personally.

In fact, you can expect it

at some point or another.

Christians live in the world.

And if the world's an unjust place,

then it's something

we don't experience injustice.

And maybe all this seems obvious.

And it is.

But I wonder, friend,

have you ever questioned

your belief in Christ

when you've seen injustice

in the world

or experienced it

in your own life?

Has it ever rocked

your certainty

leaving a strain of doubt

rippling in its wake?

Well, Luke here

is trying to give us

a more robust

and realistic picture

of discipleship

and what it means

to really follow Jesus.

Creation groans

under the weight

of injustice

and believers

will often join

in that group.

Now, is that a cause

to abandon belief in God?

Certainly not.

After all,

the very cry

of your heart

for things to be made right,

the very cry

of your heart

for justice,

your very deep sense

that things are not

the way they're supposed to be,

all of that inner groaning

is a sign

that you're made

in the image

of the living God.

All of that

is a sign

that you're more

than just

a different matter

and time

and chance.

all that's a sign

to God's reality.

After all,

if life were just atoms

colliding into atoms,

what sense would we have

that things should

be different after all?

The strong would eat

the weak

and that's not

things would just be.

We might not like it,

but we couldn't say

it's unjust.

We couldn't say

it's not right.

But friends,

don't you see

that injustice

awaits in us?

a deep echo

of something

that many of us

have almost forgotten.

We see the injustice

of the world

and our heart

cries out for something

to be made right.

It's a deep echo

of something

that we've almost forgotten.

That this world

is God's.

And God is a God

of peace

and justice.

And as humans

made in His image,

we want the world

to be put right

with anger.

Like watchmen

long for the morning

of the Psalms

that said.

Like watchmen

long for the morning

we long for God's

kingdom to come

in place.

So Luke's reminding us

that the world

is an unjust place.

Not a reason

to abandon faith in God

but a reminder

that we will often

grow under its weight

so don't let

injustice surprise

and appreciate your faith.

The second point

we see here

is this

that in this

unjust world

we are to pursue

justice

with integrity.

Notice how Paul

in verse 8

responds to the charges.

It's quite simple

and straightforward

isn't it?

Neither against

the law of the Jews

nor against the temple

nor against Caesar

have I committed

any offense.

be calmly

clearly

and with integrity

declares what's right

and what's true.

You know this is not

the fourth time

as we've said

that he's had to

defend himself.

This is the second time

he's done it

before this very

same tribunal

in Caesarea

but isn't it amazing

that again

with the same

sort of

composure

and integrity

he lays out

his case.

And notice

he's not just

out to sort of

win an argument

and to save his skin.

Look at verse 11.

I mean it's not

if I'm a wrongdoer

if I've done

something that

deserves death

then I'm willing

to accept that sentence.

He's perfectly

willing to be

justly tried

in sentence.

He cares about

justice.

Paul cares about

what's right

but

he's also

willing to pursue

what's right

through the means

available.

And so he

appeals to Caesar.

Seeing that

Thessalonians

is not going

to judge

his case

with integrity

he uses

the means

available to him

as a running

citizen

to try

to get a fair

shame

to try

to get a fair

trial.

Send him to

Caesar

he says

send him

to him.

And notice

what Paul

isn't doing

here

as he appeals

to Caesar

on the one

hand

he's not

simply

resigning

himself

to the

injustice

around him.

That could

have been

easy to do

he could

have said

this must

just be

my fate

and given

up

and gone

to Jerusalem.

And on the

other hand

Paul wasn't

kicking and

screaming and

raging

demanding his

rights

he wasn't

disrespecting

all the

authorities

around him

Jewish

or Roman

he wasn't

seeking

any way

possible

to get

out from

under

this

kangaroo

court

I mean

after all

why not

escape for

jail

if you're

being

adjusted

to help

or not

break out

why not

escape

at night

why not

pay the

bribe

if you're

there

under

false

accusations

don't the

ends

justify

the

means

hasn't

all sense

of justice

utterly

collapsed

in this

bond

group

of law

but no

Paul wasn't

falling off

either side

of it

he wasn't

getting up

and he

wasn't

angerfully

using any

means

possible

instead he

was pursuing

justice

with integrity

now most

of us tend

to tip

one way

or the

other

don't we

some of

us avoid

conflict

like the

plague

I confess

I often

fall into

that category

we passively

accept our

faith

never speaking

up

never standing

up

maybe we

even kind

of dress

it up

in theological

language

this must

be the

Lord's

will

we say

but that's

not the

example

we see

here

is it

Paul

believes

in God's

sovereignty

oh yes

but he

still

acts

and pursues

what's

right

but if

some of

us avoid

conflict

some of

us

are

fighters

and we'll

do whatever

it takes

to stand

up for

what we

think are

our

rights

even if

it means

playing the

game

and bending

the truth

and fighting

fire

fire

and yet

the example

of Paul

here shows

us a

calmness

confidence

a courage

to pursue

justice

with integrity

but you

know this

way that

Luke is

sort of

showing us

in the

apostle

Paul

pursuing

justice

doing the

right thing

doing it

with integrity

it's hard

isn't it

I don't

know about

you but

I often

feel more

like Festus

in this

story

than Paul

Festus

starts out

with really

good intentions

not willing

to be swayed

but when

the pressure

comes

when faced

with a hard

but clear

decision to

do the

right thing

when the

pressure

comes

he caves

look again

at verse

9

he knows

the case

against Paul

is not

a leg

to stand

on

and yet

he also

sees that

it would

be

advantageous

to keep

the Jerusalem

of the

four days

happy

why not

do them

a favor

and get

started

on the

right foot

he thinks

have they

made life

hard

for his

predecessor

Felix

have they

got him

fired

why not

do their

good side

Felix

knows

the

right

thing

and he

waves

instead of

pursuing

justice

with

integrity

he gives

in

the

pressure

and fear

haven't you

been there

I know

I have

enough

and look

at the

trouble

it creates

Festus

drives

his

end

all back

to Jerusalem

tries to

win some

favor

with the

local

authorities

and Paul

appeals to

Caesar

and suddenly

Festus

is in

trouble

because

as part

of this

appeal

Festus

has to

send a

report

to the

capital

as to

why

this

case

is

coming

to the

emperor

and what's

Festus

going to

say

ah

well

I wanted

to do

the Jewish

council

a bit

of a

favor

because

you know

you know

how difficult

they can

be

and Paul

wouldn't

go along

with it

so he

killed

to you

so well

here he

is

your problem

now

not exactly

like I've had a

legal breach

that's going to

make Festus

a little

problem

clearly that's

not going to

work

so Festus

starts covering

these tracks

almost immediately

look at verse

20

he says

well I was at a

loss

I'm investigating

these things

that's why

I wanted

to send

Paul back

to the

first

really

Festus

we know

that was

the real

reason

we wanted

to do

the Jews

a favor

friends

haven't you

been there

you cave

under pressure

you don't

do the right

thing

and suddenly

the consequences

start unfolding

and you have

to start

weaving the story

and backtracking

and covering up

and Festus

is in a bigger

pickle now

than he was

at Paul's

hearing

he was afraid

of touching

the anger

of the authorities

of Jerusalem

now he's

about to face

the wrath

of Rome

itself

unless he

didn't come

up with

a story

now what

made these

men so

different

Paul

and Festus

what gave

Paul such

courage

while Festus

caved

it wasn't

wealth

that's not

what Paul

had

going for

Festus

was

aristocrat

Paul

was a

poor

tent

baby

missionary

was it

status

or power

that gave

Paul the

upper hand

Festus

was a

Roman

leader

one of the

highest

seeds of

the empire

Paul was a

traveling

rapper

what was it

what made

Paul

able to

pursue

justice

with integrity

while Festus

wavered

and caved

out

fear

and

is this

a problem

that in an

unjust world

where more like

Festus

and Paul

you and I

are good

intentions

often give

way

under pressure

and very

little seems

to have

there is

a

there is

one last

point

that Luke

wants us

to see

and the

last point

here in

chapter 25

is this

that in

this unjust

world

God

is

accomplished

his just

purpose

and plan

that's the

difference

between Paul

and Festus

one had

come to

see this

truth

with blazing

clarity

and the

other had

thought

Festus was

probably a

good Roman

and as a

good Roman

you appeased

the gods

and you did

your best

Roman civic

life was

very pragmatic

ah but the

God of the

Bible

was a

different

sort of

God

altogether

the God

that called

him

was the

sovereign

creator

of all

things

who was

able to

use

even

injustice

to bring

about

his

purposes

think of

God's

history

with his

people

when Joseph

was sold

by his

brothers

into slavery

God was

there

to put

Joseph in

Egypt

and then

into power

and the

rest of

his team

when Daniel

was sent

into exile

by the

Babylonians

and he

was thrown

into a

lion's

den

there

God

was

working

to

exalt

Daniel

put him

in a

position

of

authority

and

broadcast

throughout

the

Persian

empire

as a result

of that

event

the greatness

of Daniel's

God

God

for think of

when Esther

was taken

from her

family

and put

into the

king's

herald

even there

God was

worthy

to make

her the

queen

so that

at the

right time

she could

advocate

for her

people

and save

them

from

destruction

this was

the God

that Paul

had

this is

the God

that Paul

had now

come

to know

in a new

way

you see

now Paul

had come

to know

what all

this history

was pointing

toward

now he

knew about

the one

who brought

Israel's

history to

its surprising

finale

now Paul

knew Jesus

God's

very son

and Jesus

who was

innocent

in every

way

was betrayed

and was

unjustly

condemned

by his

own people

and was

crucified

in a

miscarried

pro-injustice

class

in and

through that

most severe

and blatant

act of

injustice

God

was working

his just

delay

and at

the cross

God was

carried

away

our sin

and our

death

and death

Christ

and God

demonstrated

that fact

by raising

Jesus from

the dead

overturning

the just

unjust

verdict

that had

been cast

and in

overturning

that verdict

breaking

righteousness

and life

and vindication

to all

the world

you see

this God

that Paul

knew was

the God

who worked

out his

just purpose

in an

unjust

world

and now

Paul had

to know

this God

or better

put to be

known

by this

God

in Jesus

the crucified

and risen

world

in verse

19

Festus

recounts

a little

more of

what Paul

had said

in his

defense

Festus

is a bit

confused

he says

it seemed

to be all

of us

serving

Jesus

who was

dead

but

he

called

out

to be

alive

why was

calling

to pursue

justice

with

integrity

and not

give

into

pressure

or fear

and what

will allow

us to

do the same

because in the

light of the

resurrection of

Jesus our

living king

we can know

that no matter

what happens

God

is at work

to bring

about his

just kingdom

even through

injustice

and that means

that the rulers

of the nations

are not beyond

the control

of the Lord

of the universe

you know as

Paul was in

prison in

Caesarea

I wonder how

often he

remembered

the words of

Jesus that

Ananias told

him right after

his conversion

Jesus said to

him Paul

you're a chosen

instrument of

mine to

carry my name

before Gentiles

and kings

and the children

of Israel

and I will

show you how

much he has

suffered

a saving

right here

you see

Paul's suffering

wasn't in vain

it was for

Jesus sake

he was testifying

to kings

our passage ends

with Agrippa

the Jewish king

at the time

wanting to hear

Paul

wanting to listen

to what he has

to say

and hear the

words of Jesus

coming true

testifying to

kings

and again

I wonder how

often the words

that Jesus spoke

to Paul

in prison

in Jerusalem

just two years

earlier

was comforting

to Paul

during those

years in

Caesar

take courage

Jesus

for as you

have testified

to the facts

about me

in Jerusalem

so you

must also

testify

in Rome

you must

testify

in Rome

no matter

what happened

Paul knew

that the

Lord was in

control

and that no

matter what

happened

he was going

to testify

to the grace

of God

in Christ

see if you

and Paul

appeals to

Caesar

in our

chapter

here

it's more

than just

a last

ditch

effort

to try

to save

his skin

it was

Paul

realizing

that the

words

of Jesus

were coming

true

this probably

wasn't how

Paul originally

thought he was

going to get

there

he probably

wasn't thinking

that his

trip to Rome

would be in

chains

but what Luke

has been trying

to show us

through this

whole section

of Acts

is that

Paul's chains

are the

gospel's wings

and the

injustice

that he suffered

only served

to advance

the gospel

and that gave

Paul great

reason

not only

to worship

Jesus as

the Lord of

Lords

but it gave

him incredible

courage

not to cave

but to waver

in the face

of injustice

the Lord

is my helper

Psalm 118

6 says

what can

man do to

me

who

shall I

fear

friends

if Christ

died

and rose

again

for me

for you

if his

resurrection

proves that

he's going

to work

out his

just life

even through

injustice

what if

we

do

you know

if that

truth goes

deep for

us

just like

it did

for Paul

and we'll

find that

in the face

of injustice

we don't

need to

avoid

conflict

and give

in to

passivity

we'll find

that the gospel

actually gives us

the confidence

to appeal

as a

God

like Paul

because we

know that we

stand with

the king

and the guy

that was a

king

and his

just plan

cannot be

overthrown

isn't that

the confidence

that we

need

and at the

same time

we need not

fight fire

with fire

and use

unjust means

to fight

injustice

the gospel

gives us

the courage

to suffer

for the one

who died

and rose

again

stands

with us

and his

kingdom

will advance

even

through

suffering

there's the

courage

that we

need

and here's

why we can

do the right

thing even

under pressure

even when

it's hard

because no

matter what

trouble may

come as a

result

the risen

Lord's

working through

to advance

his kingdom

in our lives

and the world

his kingdom

of grace

and of peace

and of the

justice

our hearts

are so warm

Lord Jesus

we thank you

that in your

resurrection

there is

great courage

and great

confidence

for us

Lord we

confess this

morning that

we're often so

fearful

and so weak

God that so

many of our

response

fall so harsh

and yet

Father we

thank you for

your Holy

Spirit

that you

poured out

in the

house

through

Jesus

that helps

us to see

and to know

that your

kingdom is

going for

and that

nothing

is wrong

God grant us

the courage

that we need

and the confidence

that we need

in you

Lord Jesus

so that we

might be people

of justice

so that we

might be people

of righteousness

and truth

of mercy

and compassion

so that we

might bind

out of the

hearts of the

broken

so that we

might go to

the needy

and believe

you to stand

with them

so that we

might be able

to face

hope

with calmness

and composure

and grace

Lord knowing

that the very

people who

often sit in

the seat of

judgment are

really just

like us

or may

this be

the long

end of the

life of

my

everything

I pray

this in

Jesus

friends let's

stand

as the

music scene

comes out

and let's

use this

closing song

as an

opportunity

to respond

and worship

to Christ

our King

and let's

return

and proclaim

thank you

Alleluia, sing to Jesus

Here's the scepter, here's the throne

Alleluia, here's the china

Here's the victory in me alone

I will come to thee to Zion

Under thy almighty fire

Jesus, our every nation

That's redeeming us by his love

Alleluia, God and so on

Are we glad in sorrow now?

Alleluia, keep his spirit

Faithfully, the blessed sound

All the doubts of sight receding

When the Lord is the Lord

Shout out our hearts, forget his confidence

I am with you evermore

Alleluia, let our better

Through all earth, our fruit are saved

Alleluia, keep the simple

Will flee to you from day to day

Intercessor, friend of sinners

First redeeming early on me

Where the Santa, Father, the Lord

We are the best of sin

Alleluia, keep the simple

You, the Lord

You, the Lord, the Lord

We are the best of sin

Alleluia, Lord, O Mary

Heard your force to heaven

Your crown

You, with the end of the world

As an angel

And broken

Broken death

I bring thy feet

I, O Spirit

Be the song

For the love

In heavenly peace

Amen, friends, well, that's the end of our service

Feel free to stick around

Fellowship up here

Downstairs

Don't forget

The pick-up in the park

Is happening

In Worcester Square

Right there, Worcester Square

So, grab some lunch

Take it over

Have a good time

Of just fellowshipping there

Don't forget to come back tonight

For our brief service

We're working our way

For the opening chapters

Of the book

Of Revelation

And Greg's gonna pick up that tonight

Let me end

With a benediction

From the book of the Decients

A place where we've been landing

Of the most these days

At the end of our service

Now to Him

Who is able to do

Far more above

And all we ask

With faith

According to the power

Of work and fitness

To Him

The glory of the church

And in Christ Jesus

Through all generations

Forever and ever

Amen

Friends, go on, please

quase

Thank you

An ata

り

Thank you.