ACTS

ACTS 2

• Acts 24:1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. 
• 2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, 
• 3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 

This reminds me of a verse in the Psalms:

• Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
• 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 
• 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 

These thought they had power and authority. They thought they were somebody of importance. The world now meets together and imagines evil against Israel. Yet in the next verses in that same Psalm:

• Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 
• 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 
• 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 
• 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 
• 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 
• 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 
• 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 
• 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 
• 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. 

God respects no man's person. When we stand before Him there will be no great men of importance. Money and fame will avail nothing. 

• Acts 24:4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. 
• 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: 

They should have known that Paul would not have been the ringleader of any sect of the Nazarenes for he came along much later and was once one of them (Pharisees).

• Acts 24:6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. 

In truth though the ones who were using the temple of God for merchandise, using the law of Moses to false accuse and using their position of importance to cover up their own sins were in reality profaning the temple. 

Jesus obeyed the law, established the law and became the required sacrifice to fulfill the requirements of the law. It was the ones that opposed Him that were breaking the law given from God to Moses for the nation of Israel. Moses wrote of this prophet to come and that when He did come, all were to hear Him. 

• Acts 24:7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, 
• 8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him. 
• 9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. 
• 10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself: 
• 11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. 
• 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: 
• 13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. 
• 14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 
• 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 
• 16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.

One thing I notice about Paul is that when he desired to speak it was never to defend himself against accusations and attacks so much as to use it as a chance to share the gospel. I know it wouldn't be easy to do but this also should be our purpose more so than just defending ourselves.

Many people have been persecuted and put to death for heresy. In most cases they were innocent. When the gospel was first preached it was considered heresy to the religious Jewish leaders because they believed it was contrary to the law of Moses. They didn't understand that the law had to be fulfilled and the sacrificial requirements of the law had to atone for sins or no flesh could be saved. This is what Jesus did when He allowed Himself to be put to death for breaking a law He did not break.

Animal sacrifices were only temporary until the perfect sacrifice was given once and for all to remove sins and usher in a perfect way of righteousness which before could not be accomplished by the works of the law for no man is justified by the law. Sooner or later they would break the law in one point. God made the way of salvation so simple that a child can believe and be saved from sin and be granted eternal life.

What before was hard to accomplish by human effort now was made perfect by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. To simply believe this gospel is to be saved. Believing in something of course means to take hold of, receive and begin to live in this new and living way. So the truth was considered heresy to the Jews, then years later the truth was considered heresy by the Catholic Church against Martin Luther who led people back to the scriptures instead of the doctrines and commandments of men. We call that time in history, The  Protestant Reformation. Than later the truth was heresy to some when other reformers went a step further and declared the truth of God's word above the traditions of men.

• Acts 24:17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. 
• 18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult. 
• 19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had aught against me. 
• 20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council, 
• 21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day. 

Actually one has to believe in this resurrection from the dead to be saved. If we do not believe Jesus literally rose from the dead, we cannot be saved. This is why faith has the power to save. It takes saving faith to believe in the resurrection. It can't be done in the flesh, it has to be by the spirit of God. The spirit of God will quicken one who is seeking God's salvation. That quickening of the spirit of God touches the seeker and they receive the faith to believe. The moment they really believe, salvation comes to them and they are "born again" by the spirit of God. 

This is why sometimes signs and miracles have to be done to convince unbelievers of the power of the resurrection. If we can believe without seeing miracles, it is also by the power of the spirit quickening our hearts to believe. This too is a miracle. When one believes in Jesus Christ and is born again by God's spirit; it is the greatest of all miracles. 

• Acts 24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttmost of your matter. 
• 23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. 
• 24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 
• 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 

That trembling was caused by the Holy Spirit convicting this man of his own sin of unbelief. He could have been saved himself and influenced many others to be saved but it is clear here that Felix resisted the power of the spirit and refused to receive the gospel. He came so close to salvation here. 

How many of us say to God, "Go away until a more convenient time?" "I'm not ready yet." 

My son asked a co-worker one time if she wanted Jesus to return. The lady said, "No, I want to party first." 

I asked someone once if they wanted to be saved. I was a young teenager at the time. They replied, "I want to have fun first." They thought that they had to give up having fun to be saved. 

I remember another person saying, not to me but to someone else that tried to speak with them, "I'm not ready yet." They just had things they need to work out. She later died because whatever was happening in her life was never worked out. I do hope she was saved. 

We can't work things out ourselves. We can't get our life right with God by our own efforts. It is through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives that changes things. We can't do it. I know some times people temporarily get help by human effort but sooner or later, it will fail because salvation only comes through Jesus Christ. 

Those were the days when going to movies and worldly pleasures were taught to be sin. While I realize many went over and above board on that teaching, still the thought that someone would refuse to receive Christ because they might have to give up going to movies is something to think about. If we tell them they don't have to give up anything and can go where they please, would they really be saved if they accept the Lord on those terms? I don't think so. To follow Christ is to forsake all and follow Him. That "all" being, whatever the Lord requires. I'm sure going to a movie is not sin in itself but if we thought it was sin and did it anyway, not caring whether or not we would lose our souls over it, it would be sin to us. We would be letting our fear of losing a little "fun" separate us from the salvation of faith in Jesus. 

Sometime we get things backward. When we come to Christ and start seeking Him on a daily basis, our "want to" changes. The things we once thought was something we couldn't give up, is now boring compared to the presence of God and the infilling of His Holy Spirit. There is no comparison. 

• Acts 24:26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the more often, and communed with him.

This guy kept Paul around hoping for money to be received for his release. Things haven't changed much. 

• Acts 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. 

He desired to please men more than God. This fact alone has kept many from God's gift of salvation. We can never please God and men at the same time. In many cases receiving Christ would separate us from what we thought were our friends but in the long run it is worth it all. Our life here is temporary, eternity is forever. DC

Acts 25