Suffering for the Gospel — Acts 23-24

0:09 Good morning, everyone. Turn with me to the book of Acts. We're gonna be in Acts 24 today. What's that? It's not working.

0:31 Alright. In preparation for this morning, I was thinking about, you know, you think about looking presentable. And, you know, forward, coming up to the day, was thinking, I'm going to kind of use my imagination and not cut my hair and not shave my beard so much and because we're still in the story with Paul and he's stuck in prison. So maybe Paul might not have looked the most presentable. My wife tells me though it's not really working that well.

1:13 She says that I just look like a bush with her husband under it. So she's actually my hairdresser now though so. So we're in Acts chapter 24. Let's go to the lord in prayer. Dear lord, we're just grateful to be here this morning.

1:35 We thank you for your word. Thank you that it's true. We just pray lord your blessing upon this time this morning that we can study, that we can read, that we can look into your word for truth, how it can impact our lives, lord. We pray that you would encourage our heart this hearts this morning. Pray this in the name of Jesus.

1:53 Amen. Amen. So, we've left off Paul. He has traveled. If you look at the back or the end of chapter 23 of Acts, he's traveled from Jerusalem and he's going down to Philippi is how it reads.

2:10 He's actually going north or excuse me, Caesarea. He's actually going north to Caesarea and he's going there because he's going there to see Felix, the governor to have his case heard by Felix, the governor. Now, if you take a look at Acts chapter 24, it kind of breaks into three kind of natural sections verses one through nine. You have his accusers before Felix, the governor. Ananias, the high priest and the elders come up from Jerusalem and to go and accuse Paul in verses 10 through 21, you have Paul's defense and his response to them and then you kind of have what happens afterwards in verses 22 through 27.

3:04 I appreciate it also in preparation for this message. Some of the things that we've been discussing that we heard from Jeremy and others in the past weeks. Kind of Paul's attitude while he's in prison. He has has one of joy that he would have this opportunity to suffer for Christ and suffer for the gospel that he has this opportunity to go before kings and rulers and to bring the message of the gospel to the lost. Also, this idea of spiritual warfare, we're going to see that a little bit.

4:13 The stakes of Paul's trial. What's really important in this passage? Then second one is Paul's speech. What are the things that he says and reveals to the people that he's talking to? Third is what Felix does in keeping with the S theme, I said his selection.

4:37 So, what he decides to do with Paul and then finally, kind of tracing a little bit through Acts in Paul's life and relating it to Jesus. We're going to look at some similarities of the trials of the trial of Jesus, the suffering of Jesus, and we're going to look at Paul's trial and his suffering as well. So, go with me to Acts chapter 24 and starting in verse one. Now, after five days, Ananias, the high priest, came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertulus. Other translations might say, lawyer.

5:22 These gave evidence to the governor against Paul and when he was called upon, Tertullis began his accusation saying, see that through you we enjoy great peace and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight. We accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, and with all thankfulness. Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear by your courtesy a few words from us. For we have found this man, a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple and we seized him and wanted to judge him according to our law.

6:14 But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands. Commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself, you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him. And the Jews also assented maintaining that these things were so. So, here you have this crowd surrounding Paul with the Roman leaders there and after their their discussion and the the tumult that is in happening in Jerusalem, he ends up they're trying to get Paul killed.

6:53 They're trying to look for the death penalty for Paul because of what he's preaching. And so, they take this guy Tertullis up to Caesarea and they try and manufacture a case against him and try and say to the Roman leader there, Felix, that what he is doing is deserving of death. But if you get your facts straight and we're going to see Paul's response but if you get your facts straight and you remember back to some of the dealings with Paul, if you look at back at Acts chapter twenty one and twenty seven, they said that he's a plague and he's a creator of dissension among the Jews. All the Jews throughout the world. Twenty one and twenty seven, it talks about how it wasn't actually Paul when he was in the temple that was stirring up all the people and causing all this commotion.

7:52 It was all the other people in response to them. It says, when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, so these other people that Paul had had been in contact with in Asia when he was there on his missionary journeys, seeing him in the temple, they're the ones that actually stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him. And once more, in Acts chapter 19 and verse 27, this actually goes all the way back to the riot back in Ephesus. Maybe some of these same people who were in Asia, in Ephesus were there doing the same thing when Paul was in the temple and they were stirring up the people. But in Acts chapter 19 and verse 27, so not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised.

8:51 I must have the right reference wrong but but you get this if you look into this passage, you get this idea that it's actually the people's response and there's the ones that are creating this riot in Ephesus. So just some some facts as we look into the accusations against Paul. Let's take a look at Paul's response verses 10 through 21. Verse 10, then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered, in as much as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. So Romans had a privilege back then.

9:40 I think we get that today and even our constitution. They had the privilege to answer their accusers. So, Paul being a Roman citizen had this privilege to see his accusers and answer for himself. Verse 11, because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd either in the synagogues or in the city.

10:59 So, Paul is saying here that he's not going against their way and actually if you look into what he was being accused of in verse five, it they say that he's a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes and so, what they were trying to say is that he is coming up with some sort of new religion, new thing that you can practice in the Roman Empire and they are saying that that's a way of kind of subverting the Roman authority. So, in that way, they're trying to get the death penalty but Paul is saying, no, I came to the temple and I came to worship the lord and so, as the Romans, as they're hearing this, they would actually hear this and they would say that the sack of the way or the the way of Christ, the Christian way then, they they kind of likened it right along with Judaism. So, it wasn't necessarily something something illegal that he could practice and so, Paul's just given that testimony that he he has come to worship the lord and he he's not going and making some sort of new religion but it is according to the Old Testament and so the Romans would know that as they hear Paul's testimony.

12:25 Verse 16, again, this being so, I, myself, always strive to have a conscience without offense toward god and men. Now, after many years, I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation. In the midst of which, some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple. So, the accusation was that he was trying to profane the temple but actually Paul himself is declaring, I went to the temple to to do the purification ritual to complete the Nazarite vow and that's what he's testifying again again to the Roman leaders there. They found me purified in the temple neither with a mob nor with a tumult.

13:17 So, he's he's declaring the truth to them. His testimony of what actually happened. Verse 19, they ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. So, it turns out that these guys that actually were accusing him from Asia weren't actually there. It was just the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem there.

13:42 Verse 20 and else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council. Unless it is for this one statement which I cried out standing among them. Concerning the resurrection of the dead, I am being judged by you this day. So there we have the end of Paul's defense. So what's at stake?

14:08 What is Paul trying to do in his response to these people, to the Roman leaders and to the people accusing him? Well, we heard a little bit before. Tim brought a little bit of a message about having a good conscience toward god and that's what he says in verse or excuse me going back to Acts chapter 23 and verse one. So, Paul is he's defending his testimony before the lord here. Verse one, he he had said before the crowd there, he looked earnestly at the council said, men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

14:56 So he's declaring to them that he's not trying to cause trouble. He's not trying to offend them with whatever he's doing. Verse 24 or excuse me, chapter 24 and verse 16, he says the same thing but he he doesn't he adds on to it and he doesn't just say a conscience toward god but a conscience toward men as well. This being so so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward god and men And so Paul could confidently say before them that he always his speech and the way that he acted, he tried to do it without offense toward other people. But at the same time, he didn't compromise the truth.

15:49 So, that's what also is at stake. Not only are they trying to harm Paul's testimony and being true to the lord but they're trying to harm the truth of the gospel and if you look at the very end of what he says in response, he says, that I am concerning the resurrection of the dead. I am being judged by that this day and and he's confessing to that. He's still going to confess to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He's going to preach that until he goes to the grave.

17:12 I think that just even if it isn't directly talking about the truth of scripture, I do believe that telling accurate events is is a way of pointing back to the god of the universe. That god, the god of the universe cares about truth and so, Paul got to to tell his version of what had actually happened and he got to tell what actually happened. And so, you can see in this happening, in this time that he gets to speak with the Governor Felix that he's exposing the truth. You can see the spiritual warfare, the deception of of those accusing him and the truth of of the testimony of Paul. And we're going to get into it a little bit later talking about a little bit of the similarities but you might remember the response of Pilate when Jesus was on trial.

18:12 He says, what is truth? Just a little interesting thing there but that's what Paul is doing. He's testifying of the truth and to the truth of what actually happened and he's testifying to the gospel. And finally, to look at some of the other things that Paul said and maybe exactly how might he have said it, let's look at the end of chapter 24, these last verses. When Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, when Lysias the commander comes down, I'll make a decision on your case.

18:57 So he kind of kicks the can down the road like a lot of politicians can do. Verse 23, he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. And after some days, when Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who is Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now, as he reasoned about righteousness, self control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, go away for now when I have a convenient time, I will come or I will call for you. So here we have what Paul gets to talk about in sort of a more private audience with Felix the Governor.

20:19 And that's righteousness, self control, and the judgment to come. Talked about righteousness. The entire book of Romans that Paul wrote is about how to make how to be righteous, how to be justified before the lord. So, maybe Paul took him on the Romans road and and took him on the road of salvation. How can we be saved?

20:47 And sharing the gospel with him. Romans 116 through 18. He might have said, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It's the power of god to salvation for everyone who believes. For the Jew first and also for the Greek.

21:04 For in it, the righteousness of god is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith and so he was speaking to Felix about righteousness, about how to be right with god, about the fact that you have to have faith in Christ to be righteous. Verse 18, the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. So, we might ask him, Felix, how are you going to be righteous? How are you going to be right with god?

21:42 How can you be made righteous? Second Corinthians five and verse 21 says, for he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of god in him. Imagine he might have said, the only way that you can become righteous is having faith in Christ because he's the one that pay the penalty for our sins so that we wouldn't have to so that we could be righteous. We've heard on occasion about how it's the great exchange that we wouldn't get the penalty for our sin but instead we would get the righteousness of Christ. So, like to think that those are some of the things that Paul might have shared with Felix, the governor, governor about righteousness.

22:36 The next thing is self control. Living in a Greek society, there's a lot of things that you can be involved in. This word self control. If you look at the different words throughout the scriptures, this one has a direct relation to the the sort of the desires of our flesh, of our heart, the things that we want that are that are that we get bent towards to do and and this guy being a Roman governor, he had a lot of power and and so, I imagine he he maybe have maybe chose to do some certain things that were against what the lord has for mankind. And so Paul was talking to him about self control.

23:29 I was talking to someone recently and talking about how as a believer, the only way that you can really have self control is by having the Holy Spirit in your life and so, I imagine that Paul maybe have would have gone into the fact that listen, you need to be born again. You need to have the spirit of god in your life in order to exercise self control. That's the only way. Think of where he says in Galatians that the self control is a it's a fruit of the spirits and outcome of having the spirit of god in your life. He might also have gone into the beginning of Romans where it says that the different seeds or the different sins that we do are actually storing up wrath against us in the day of judgement.

24:24 In in Romans two and verse five, it says, but in accordance with your hardness and your impotent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of god. So, he might as said to him, listen, there's going to be a a coming day where you're going to have to answer for the things that you have done and your lack of self control. Verse six, who will render each one according to his deeds? So, talking about self control and finally, the judgment to come. The judgment to come.

25:05 Verse fifteen and sixteen of Romans, it says, the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness and between themselves and their thoughts accusing or else excusing them. So, might have appealed to this man's conscience saying, even if you don't have the law yourself being not Jewish, you have the law on your heart and your conscience and you'll be judged by that in judgement day and in that day, god will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Hebrews nine twenty seven, it is appointed for man to die once but after this, the judgments. So, Paul is talking to Felix as he has this opportunity to to talk this guy in power, talk with his wife, and he's telling them, there is a judgment to come and you're going to have to answer to the lord either for the things that you've done or if you've put your you can and have the opportunity to put your faith in Jesus Christ and you and I have that same opportunity. We don't have to go to the lord on judgement day and see him as our judge but we can rest in the work of Christ on the cross and that day that we get to see the lord will be a one of rejoicing not of fear but you see here that Felix heard these different things and it made him uncomfortable.

26:42 Sometimes, when we have that opportunity to share the gospel with people, to talk about the things that truly matter, about righteousness, how to be right with god, about self control, about turning away from sin, and talking about how we will be judged. People can get uncomfortable and it's not to say that we shouldn't talk about those things. Those are the things that truly matter but this this man was afraid and answered and said, go away. I don't wanna... He's he's doesn't wanna listen to Paul anymore and talk about these things that make him uncomfortable.

28:22 In verse 20 says, or 27, but after two years, Portius Festus succeeded Felix and Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor left Paul bound. So, Felix kicks down the the can down the road again and he leaves Paul in prison and he does it as a way to kind of a gander favor with the Jews there that he's ruling at the time. So, Paul ended up just being coming sort of a political pawn there in the Roman occupation of Israel and he was continuing in prison. He was being accused unjustly and he was suffering, continuing to suffer in prison for a total lie. Finally, let's look at just some similarities after we've wrapped up this chapter.

29:20 So, similarities of Paul's trials and his suffering and Jesus's suffering. If you remember back throughout Paul's missionary journey, he gets towards the middle towards the end of his third missionary journey and he has this revelation not only to himself in a dream or direct revelation from the lord but also other people say this to him that he's going to go to Jerusalem and that he's going to be in chains and then he's going to suffer for for the name of Christ, for the name of the lord Jesus and it's it's also you see that Paul is so focused on that even as that man Agabas told him that that this man he grabbed his belt and he said that you are going to be suffering for the name of Christ. Paul was willing to do it and he had this focus at the end of the of his missionary journey to go to Jerusalem and suffer for the name of Christ and I I kind of like it how it's in parallel with the life of Christ even in the book of Luke. If you remember back in our Luke study, very in the middle of Luke, you have this verse in Luke chapter nine and verse 51.

30:47 It says, it came to pass that when the time had come for him for Jesus to be received up that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. So, Christ just had this tremendous determination and focus in this point of his missionary in his ministry that he knew that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer and die for the sins of the world and in that same way, Paul was also had that same focus that he would go to Jerusalem and that he would suffer for the gospel, that he would suffer to bring the gospel to other people. We also see that when he got to Jerusalem, when Christ got to Jerusalem, he was also teaching daily in the temple and we see the different chief priests and scribes and leaders, they sought to destroy him in Luke 19. It says that he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders, and the people sought to destroy him.

31:53 And we see that same thing happen to Paul. Paul goes to the temple to be purified, to do this ritual, and to worship the lord and all of these different scribes and leaders they come against him and seek how to destroy Paul. So, you can see that parallel that Paul is suffering the same way and for some of the same things that Christ is suffering. Although for a different purpose, Christ came to suffer for the sins of mankind. Paul had a different purpose in his suffering.

32:32 He had that opportunity to preach Christ to kings and officials. It says in verse 26 of of Acts 21 excuse me, that's not the right reference but oh excuse me, verse 11 of chapter 23, he says, the following night, the lord stood by him and said, be of good cheer, Paul, For as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome and so we see Paul's focus of his suffering, of his trials, that he is doing this so that he can be a testimony to these rulers and these authorities. What are some of the things that we could learn through both the suffering of Christ and the and the trials that he went through and the suffering of Paul. In first Peter chapter two, you can you can turn there if you'd like. First Peter chapter two can gives us kind of a a prescription of how to suffer and by by the way, if you're looking sort of for a proof of the truth and validity of the scriptures, This is someone else testifying of the way to suffer.

34:23 You take it patiently. But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before god. For to this, you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps. Verse 22, who committed no sin nor was their deceit found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, did not revile in return.

34:58 Thinking about Christ not reviling in return. This always impressed me because who else would have the right to point out to these leaders that they were wrong in doing this. Christ would be the only one that would be able to do that but he made the decision not to revile and return. When he suffered, he did not threaten but committed himself to him who judges righteously. Who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we having died to sins might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.

35:41 So, there we just have a little bit of insight on how to suffer for the lord that we would do it in a way committing ourselves to the lord, the one who judge judges righteously. We're going to see a little bit later on that Paul was wanting to go to Rome. He was just totally in submission to the lord's plan that he had for his life and that he was okay these with being in prison even though he wasn't supposed to be because he knew the purpose that god had for him and that was to be a witness to these different rulers. So, the question that we have for us today is, are we willing to do the same thing? Are we willing to to suffer for the sake of the gospel?

36:56 And even though we suffer, we can do it with a clear conscience knowing that we have done it faithfully to the lord that we've done our best not to offend through the mannerisms or in the way that we speak or hopefully not through our actions but we've done it out of love in our testimony to others. Let's just close in a word of prayer. Dear lord, we're grateful this morning as we see in your word that we have this opportunity to be a witness for you lord. We see this continual witness through the book of Acts. We thank you for the example of Paul and and the fact that he was a sufferer for the gospel that he suffered just like Christ suffered that he would follow in Christ's footsteps.

37:51 Lord, I do pray that you'd help us to do the same thing that we would be great followers of Christ that we would suffer for his name in witnessing to others and that we would do it knowing that we have that same opportunity to tell others about the what you have done for them and that we would be willing to suffer that. Suffer any heartache or injustice that happens lord. We just pray that you'd be with us as we go to our homes. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.