Sermon On the Net

 

 

PAUL’S DEFENSE

 

ACTS 25: Festus went up to Jerusalem and met with the Jews who continued to bring false accusations against Paul. They asked him to bring Paul to Jerusalem to be tried because they had conspired to kill him on the way. He told them that Paul was being held in Caesarea and for them to go there .After spending some time with the Jews, Festus went down to Caesarea with some of the Jews. Paul began to make his defense when Festus interrupted him to ask if he would be willing to be tried in Jerusalem, to which Paul said no and explained to him that he had a right to be heard and he appealed to Caesar.

 

A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived and Festus told him the story of Paul and how the Jews were accusing him of things related to their religion and something about a dead man who Paul claimed to be alive. The king was intrigued by all this and said he wanted to hear Paul himself.

 

The next day King Agrippa and Bernice entered the hall and Festus addressed them explaining how the Jews were accusing Paul and wanted him tried in Jerusalem. But Festus told them that he had found nothing wrong with what Paul had done, and also that Paul had appealed to Rome. Festus could find nothing to write to Rome about Paul so he was hoping that Agrippa might examine Paul and develop something worth writing to Rome.

 

Again Paul is demonstrating what needs to be done when adversity confronts us and there certainly is plenty to go around. Some Christians might sit back and say let God handle it or some might try to handle it in their own strength, but that is not what God wants. The Bible tells us that God has blessed us which means we already possess that which is necessary to confront any situation. All we have to do is to claim the right to the power that he has given us. In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Paul knew that God was going to put him in Rome; therefore he could have done nothing and left it up to God. However he did do something about it and did leave the results up to God. Paul knew God’s favor was upon him and we should all know that God’s favor is upon us. We are God’s children, therefore we are special in His eyes and he watches over us and wants the best for us. He has told us that throughout the Bible. Let’s claim it. He loves it when we claim what He gave us, when we accept His free gifts and especially the gift of salvation.

 

If you haven’t already given your life to Jesus, ask Him to come into your life. Tell Him you are sorry for your sins and you believe in what He died for on the cross. Look to Jesus directly, you don’t need religion; you need Him and His unchangeable Word.