Savage Street Church of Christ

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06252017IDoNotObjectToDyingActs25DonRuhl

I Do Not Object to Dying 

What it means to live with a good conscience

Acts 25

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • June 25, In the year of our Lord, 2017

Scripture Reader and Reading: Dominic Meyer – Colossians 4.2–6

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Phil Joseph – Songs on living faithful lives

Prelude: 

1. Revelation 12 shows the Earth helping the woman, who is the church,
   
   15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth (Rev 12.15–16).
   
2. First Timothy 2 explains why we must, therefore, pray for our government,
   
   1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1Ti 2.1–4).
   
3. Let’s see this in action, as we have in other parts of the Book of Acts. 

Persuasion: 

1. Acts 25.1–5 | The Roman Governor Protects Paul from an Ambush 
   1. Festus went to the province that included the Land of Israel.
   2. After three days, probably resting from his trip,
      1. he traveled from Caesarea on the coast
      2. southeast to Jerusalem in the mountains.
   3. Once he arrived in Jerusalem,
      1. the high priest and other leading men among the Jews
      2. informed Festus of Paul,
         1. speaking against him,
         2. entreating him to ask for Paul to be brought
            1. from Caesarea to Jerusalem, and
            2. they would ambush him on the way.
   4. Although Festus did not take action against these Jews for conspiring murder,
      1. he did state that he would keep Paul in Caesarea, but
      2. that Festus himself would travel back to Caesarea shortly.
         1. Festus invited those with authority among the Jews
         2. to go down to Caesarea with him and
            1. there they could accuse Paul,
            2. if he had truly done anything evil.
   5. In this manner, the Roman government helped Paul for the moment.
2. Acts 25.6–11 | Taking a Bold Stand 
   1. Finally ten days transpired and Festus returned to Caesarea.
      1. The day after he arrived,
         1. he sat on his judgment seat, and
         2. asked for Paul to come into his presence.
      2. Some Jews had accompanied Festus back to Caesarea, and
         1. when Paul entered the judgment room,
         2. they made many serious accusations against him, but
            1. they could not prove and
            2. did not prove any of those charges.
      3. Paul simply declared his innocence that he had not caused an offense
         1. against the Law of Moses,
         2. against the temple, nor
         3. against Caesar.
   2. Then Festus started acting like Pilate and
      1. weakened on his resolve that Paul’s judgment would happen in Caesarea.
         1. Earlier he told the Jews that he would not bring Paul to Jerusalem, but
         2. he did not condemn them for plotting against him.
      2. Then he asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem and
         1. there be judged on these matters.
         2. What made him change his mind?
   3. However, Festus may not have been ready for what he heard next,
      
      10 “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
      
      1. Paul knew that the Jews would not treat him fairly.
      2. He also knew that Festus knew that Paul had not wronged the Jews.
      3. He would accept the death penalty, if he had done something wrong.
      4. He had not wronged the Jews, so he refused to be turned over to them.
      5. Therefore, he appealed to Caesarea, which would keep him from the Jews.
3. Acts 25.12 | The Government: Sometime Foe, Sometime Friend
   
   12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”
   
   1. Festus checked with the other Roman officials there and
      1. they agreed that since Paul had appealed to Caesar,
      2. to Caesar he would go.
   2. No doubt this gave Festus a sigh of relief.
      1. He knew Paul was innocent.
      2. He also wanted to favor the Jews, but
         1. that would hurt his conscience,
         2. knowing of Paul’s innocence.
4. Acts 25.13–22 | The Government Could See the Baseless Accusations 
   1. King Agrippa and his wife Bernice showed up at Caesarea.
      1. Festus saw an opportunity for an objective third-party opinion, and
      2. presented Paul’s situation to the king.
   2. Festus explained to Agrippa
      1. that the chief priests and elders of the Jews charged Paul and
      2. that they wanted Festus to render judgment against Paul.
         1. However, Festus told the Jews
         2. that the custom of the Romans
            1. allowed the accused to meet his accusers and
            2. have the opportunity to defend himself pertaining to the charges.
   3. Therefore, Festus said that he held court, and
      1. listened to the charges against Paul, but
      2. Festus did not hear any charge that he expected to hear, for
         1. the Jews only had questions
            1. about their own religion,
            2. about a certain Jesus,
               1. who had died, yet,
               2. Paul was affirming was alive.
   4. Festus told Agrippa that he did not know how to deal with such questions.
      1. He asked Paul whether he would go to Jerusalem
      2. to answer the charges,
         1. thinking that the Jews there would know what to do.
         2. However, Paul wanted an audience with Caesar Augustus.
            1. Agrippa wanted to hear Paul also, and
            2. Festus assured him that he could the next day.
5. Acts 25.23–27 | Perhaps Someone Else Can Find Something Wrong 
   1. The next day presented a great gathering
      1. where Agrippa and his wife entered the auditorium with great pomp, and
      2. Roman commanders and other prominent men also gathered.
   2. Festus then announced why he had them all come together to hear Paul,
      
      24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
      
      1. The Jews had decided that Paul was unfit to live.
      2. Yet, Paul had not done anything worthy of death, according to the Romans.
         1. Therefore, he appealed to Caesar and
         2. Festus agreed to send him.
      3. However, Festus did not know what letter to send with Paul.
         1. He hoped that Agrippa could help with judging the situation of Paul.
         2. Festus believed that it was not right
            1. to send a prisoner
            2. with no charges against him.

Exhortation: 

1. Pray for Our Government 
2. Stand Boldly Against False Accusers 
3. Be Willing to Die 
4. Use the System 
5. Let the Government Do Its Job
   
   8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them (Ecc 5.8).