From birth to live our lives with two factions: 

1. Those who speak and live Truth.  Their words can be trusted because of their observed behaviors that back up what is being said.  They love God and love others with the love of God in them.  They are continual seekers of Truth in all circumstances and seek to understand situations and people asking for wisdom from God.
2. Those who seek to be heard, revel in being ranked above all others, and say things that others want to hear for the purpose of getting what they want.  Truth is irrelevant in their lives of self-satisfaction while exercising behaviors of pride, arrogance, prejudice, judgement, envy—all produced by competing to get what they think they deserve. 

Navigating our world with these two consistent factions has taught us to look closely at the facts, seek witnesses, examine the evidence, before trusting what is said or done.  We need wisdom.  We want the Truth and nothing but the Truth! Who is the best to give us what we need?

Governor Felix seeks Truth. Certain Jews seek to destroy the spread of Truth. 

Paul knows Truth personally and speaks what he knows about Truth. 

Acts 24, The Message

Paul States His Defense

^1-4 Within five days, the Chief Priest Ananias arrived with a contingent of leaders, along with Tertullus, a trial lawyer. They presented the governor with their case against Paul. When Paul was called before the court, Tertullus spoke for the prosecution: “Most Honorable Felix, we are most grateful in all times and places for your wise and gentle rule. We are much aware that it is because of you and you alone that we enjoy all this peace and gain daily profit from your reforms. I’m not going to tire you out with a long speech. I beg your kind indulgence in listening to me. I’ll be quite brief.

^5-8 “We’ve found this man time and again disturbing the peace, stirring up riots against Jews all over the world, the ringleader of a seditious sect called Nazarenes. He’s a real bad apple, I must say. We caught him trying to defile our holy Temple and arrested him. You’ll be able to verify all these accusations when you examine him yourself.”

⁹ The Jews joined in: “Hear, hear! That’s right!”

^10-13 The governor motioned to Paul that it was now his turn. Paul said, “I count myself fortunate to be defending myself before you, Governor, knowing how fair-minded you’ve been in judging us all these years. I’ve been back in the country only twelve days—you can check out these dates easily enough. I came with the express purpose of worshiping in Jerusalem on Pentecost, and I’ve been minding my own business the whole time. Nobody can say they saw me arguing in the Temple or working up a crowd in the streets. Not one of their charges can be backed up with evidence or witnesses.

^14-15 “But I do freely admit this: In regard to the Way, which they malign as a dead-end street, I serve and worship the very same God served and worshiped by all our ancestors and embrace everything written in all our Scriptures. And I admit to living in hopeful anticipation that God will raise the dead, both the good and the bad. If that’s my crime, my accusers are just as guilty as I am.

^16-19 “Believe me, I do my level best to keep a clear conscience before God and my neighbors in everything I do. I’ve been out of the country for a number of years and now I’m back. While I was away, I took up a collection for the poor and brought that with me, along with offerings for the Temple. It was while making those offerings that they found me quietly at my prayers in the Temple. There was no crowd, there was no disturbance. It was some Jews from around Ephesus who started all this trouble. And you’ll notice they’re not here today. They’re cowards, too cowardly to accuse me in front of you.

^20-21 “So ask these others what crime they’ve caught me in. Don’t let them hide behind this smooth-talking Tertullus. The only thing they have on me is that one sentence I shouted out in the council: ‘It’s because I believe in the resurrection that I’ve been hauled into this court!’ Does that sound to you like grounds for a criminal case?”

^22-23 Felix waffled. He knew far more about the Way than he let on, and could have settled the case then and there. But uncertain of his best move politically, he played for time. “When Captain Lysias comes down, I’ll decide your case.” He gave orders to the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to more or less give him the run of the place and not prevent his friends from helping him.

^24-26 A few days later Felix and his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, sent for Paul and listened to him talk about a life of believing in Jesus Christ. As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment, Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him. “That’s enough for today. I’ll call you back when it’s convenient.” At the same time he was secretly hoping that Paul would offer him a substantial bribe. These conversations were repeated frequently.

²⁷ After two years of this, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. Still playing up to the Jews and ignoring justice, Felix left Paul in prison.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

There are indeed two factions at work in our world.  Jesus versus Satan.  The quicker we realize this truth; the more equipped we are to see the “Proof of Life” who is Jesus versus all the distractions, deceptions and destruction that leads to death by Satan. 

PAUSE TO PRAY:

Do you really believe all that God says to be really real?  We must answer this question daily from the inside out.  Who do we really believe?  Who guides our steps? If accused of believing and living for Jesus, doing what He said; would I be found “guilty as charged”?  Like it or not, our behaviors will soon tell the real story of our faith.  We just cannot hide the truth of what we really believe. We cannot hide what is in our hearts.  God knows.  “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT

We either are or we are not fully committed to God and our relationship with Him because of Jesus’ work on the cross for us.

The accusing Jews did not believe in Jesus as Messiah, Son of God.  They did not and would not believe Jesus died for our sins and rose again to give us hope for eternal life with God.  They were fully committed to self and adamant about preserving traditions that upheld their important status as priests.  So, instead they came to use elements of truth to fabricate lies about Paul for the purposes of getting what they wanted and thought they desired—power and rule over the Jewish people.

Jesus who lives in Paul gives Paul the confidence to speak only Truth.  Seekers of Truth, prompted by God’s Holy Spirit, can tell the difference between what is true and what is false. Like Felix, they might not be persuaded at first and are skeptical of the Truth, but they still seek. 

Paul does not give up telling the Truth.  We love that about Paul!  For two more years, Paul remains in prison. But the Truth is told with every opportunity given to him by God.  This is a work of prayer by Paul and others who live for Jesus and seek God’s will: 

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” –Paul, Colossians 4:2-6, NLT

With God’s Holy Spirit within Paul, he became Christ’s mouthpiece; he defended himself and his faith against their accusations. Paul’s powerful arguments thwarted the priests and won new converts at the governor’s court, although some remained hesitant to receive God’s Word.

God is in control of Paul’s circumstances.  Paul knows, believes and lives in Jesus who won the war with the enemy upon resurrection from death to Life!  Jesus went to hell and back for each one of us.  We merely skirmish with the enemy who continues to try to deceive us in order to draw us away from our real Victor. 

But we know better—we know Truth who is Jesus!  He is the Victor over death.  He is the overcomer and makes a Way for us to be overcomers with Him. And that’s the Truth!

Do you know better?  You’ve probably met people who attend church regularly but are unmoved by the preaching of God’s Word. Their attendance seems more of a social obligation than a means for sharing and being enriched with God’s Word. Is that how life is for you or your family? Think about your relationship with Christ. Does it have a true and real meaning? Seek God next Sunday, giving full attention to Him in worship.  Don’t look around but look up to God through active participation and listening. Seekers of God will find Him every time—Truth.

Lord,

We come to you weary of the skirmishes thrown in paths as we live for you. As we seek you; give us wisdom.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, transform our behaviors, refresh our souls with your new mercies, restore the joy and peace of you in us and us in you.

In Jesus Name, Amen