Acts 24

This morning I want to begin by asking a question of you and then ask it of the Apostle Paul. I want you to answer honestly.  There is a way we want to be and then there is the way we are.  So, answer, to yourself, about how you really are. Here is the question; “How do you handle pressure?”  Every now and then you find yourself in an intense situation; there may be a lot on the line, emotions are high, there may be people who are opposing you, if the outcome of this confrontation goes wrong perhaps it would be bad.  How do you do under pressure?

One of the things I have learned about myself is that I don’t do very well.  My brain locks up.  I can’t think of that witty response. You know the one you think about after the whole things over.  When I am aggravated I say things that are hateful, that I don’t even mean.  Or if I do, I would never say, out loud.  When I am under pressure I often choke.  Do you know what I mean?   Do we have any other chokers?  

Because of who I tend to be, I find how Paul was amazing.  He was not only able to keep his cool under pressure; he was able to keep his focus under pressure.  In Acts 24 the stakes could not have been any higher for Paul.  The animosity towards him was tremendous.  The wrong words could have cost him his life.  Yet he not only handled it with grace, he advanced the glory of God in the midst of it.  Let’s focus this morning on Acts 24 and Paul under pressure. 

Acts 24:1 Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.

Last week there was a fiendish plot against Paul. 40 Jewish zealots vowed to not eat until he was dead and they plotted an ambush. But Claude, the Roman Centurion, rescued Paul, for the third time, and delivered him to Caesarea to the governor, Felix.  Now, five days later, the high, not-so-priestly, Ananias has brought his lawyer with him to Paul’s trial before Felix.  Ananias knows that Felix could, with a whim, decide to put Paul to death.  So, Tertullus, the best lawyer they could find, presents his case against Paul.  Paul was about to filleted in front of Felix.

Acts 24:2-4 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: "We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.”

Like modern day lawyers, Tertullus lays it on thick. 
-“We have enjoyed peace;” Right! Marcus Antonius Felix was a brute. He accomplished peace by crushing revolts. He hired a group called the Sicarii ("Dagger-men"), by whose aid he contrived the murder those who would disturb the peace.  He even had a Jewish high-priest assassinated.
-“You have brought reforms” Sure! Like justice through bribery.  Great social reform.
-“We don’t want to take up your time.” that was thoughtful.  Felix needed to get back to his licentiousness. If you know what I mean. 

Anyway Tertullus gets to the point of his accusations against Paul.

Acts 24:5-9 "We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him." The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.

Okay, the charges are:
1) Paul stirs up riots all over the world; you would have to kind of agree to that one; there were riots where Paul went.
2) Paul was a ringleader of the Nazarenes: true again; although ringleader has a negative spin to it. 
3) Paul desecrated the temple: that was what they wanted to believe about him.

To us these are not all that serious.  We believe people have a right to protest things they don’t agree with. Anyone can be a leader of a cult. That is not against the law.  And to our way of thinking everyone should be allowed to go to the church or Temple of their choice.  But these charges, in 57 AD, in the context of the volatile rule of the Romans, were very serious.  Troublemakers, disturbers of the Pax Roma, were routinely eliminated without much thought; Jesus would be a prime example.  And if Paul had brought a Gentile into the Temple and intentionally attempted to blow up Jerusalem, and once again disturb the peace, he was dead meat.   These charges could easily have led to Paul’s extinction.  So, Tertullus had done his homework and presented the appropriate charges.  If this were a TV show there would have been some dramatic music right before the commercial break.  Bum-bum-bum.  How is Paul going to get out of this one?  These charges were worthy of a death sentence.

As I said the stakes could not be any higher for Paul.  If he choked under the pressure, he could easily be executed. Let’s see how Paul does. 

Acts 24:10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense.”

Paul begins by expressing his acknowledgment of Felix as judge.  Not any of the flattery Tertullus had used.

Acts 24:11 “You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.”

This may seem to be an irrelevant fact.  But Paul is answering the first charge.  He has only been back for 12 days and 3 of them he has been in jail.  That is hardly time for him to have organized a terrorist cell in Jerusalem and plot a revolt against Rome.  “Hey, I just got to town. Give me a break I haven’t plotted to disturb any peace.”

Acts 24:12-13 ”My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.”

Paul goes on to answer the rioting charge.  I wasn’t causing trouble in Jerusalem and they have no evidence that I did.  Then Paul confesses to what is not illegal. 

Acts 24:14-16 ”However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”

Paul does admit to being a follower of the Way. Paul called it The Way where the Jews had called the Nazarene sect.  But he readily agreed to that charge.  But he says it is not a trouble-making group, but rather it is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets; the Old Testament. And it is all about the resurrection!  Note Paul mentions, what is very dear to him, the resurrection. He wants Felix to be thinking about the resurrection.  He places this thought in his head.  No panic at all in his speech so far. 

Acts 24:17-19 "After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.  I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. “

I did nothing wrong in the Temple.  I purified myself and was minding my own business, when the Jews from Ephesus started the riot. They should have been the ones on trial.  Where were the ones who started all this anyway?  They were the ones who had caused all the trouble. 

Acts 24:20-21 “Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin-- unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: 'It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'"

“Even the ruckus in the Sanhedrin was only me saying I believed in the resurrection.”  Note Paul has mentioned the resurrection for the second time.  This is intentional.  Paul has reinforced the resurrection theme. 

So, Paul has dealt with all three charges,
-He is a follower of Jesus. But the Way is not subversive.  It is the fulfillment of the OT.
-He is a ring-leader. But he wasn’t doing any ringing, in Jerusalem.  In fact he had brought a donation to the poor of the city.
-He didn’t do anything to desecrate the Temple. It was the Ephesians who started the riot. 

Paul stopped there.  He was not guilty. The Jews could not prove anything.  But look at what Paul has done.  He has placed in the mind of Felix a thought about the resurrection. Even under the pressure of defending himself on trial for his life, Paul was planting seeds.  Wow.  Let’s see how Felix ruled.

Acts 24:22-23 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.

Felix was in the same tough spot Claude was last week.  If he simply dismissed the case, which was the right outcome, the Jews could very well riot and he would be in trouble with his boss.  On the other hand, Paul was a Roman citizen and that could be a problem if he ruled against Paul.  So, Felix did what every good politician does when a decision is going to be unpopular, he procrastinated.  “We need to gather some more information.  I will decide later when Claude comes.” But he already knew what Claude thought.  He had Claude’s letter which said Paul was not guilty of anything. But he decided to delay.  And that was a fatal character flaw in Felix. 

But watch what the seed did. The lingering seed Paul had placed in his head, about the resurrection, began to grow.  Felix knew about the Way.  And he saw something in Paul; hope, I think.  It didn’t take long before there was a different sort of trial with a different person on trial.

Acts 24:24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.

Isn’t that an amazing verse?  The seed had grown.  Felix wanted to learn a little more.  Felix wanted to know more about that resurrection thing. So, Paul spoke about faith in the Son of God, who came to this earth and lived a perfect life and did many wonderful miracles and taught wonderful lessons and gave his life for us all and then was resurrected and has promised us resurrection!  Paul witnessed his faith before the governor of Judea! 

Acts 24:25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you."

Paul not only discussed who Jesus is to Felix, he lectured him on righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come. Can you imagine Paul lecturing the guy who had authority to let him go or execute him about his life-style?  Paul lectured him on his lack of self-control. He told him about how he needed to live righteous!   And he told the judge that one day he would be judged! And he scared Felix to the core.  The word “afraid” is not the simply phobos but euphobos good scared.  Paul had really gotten to him.  But Felix procrastinated, his fatal flaw and sent Paul away.  Then we have the sad last two verses of this chapter.

Acts 24:26-27 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

Although Felix was good scared, he never repented.  He never released Paul.  He wanted a bribe.  Isn’t that sad?  We learn from Josephus, that Felix got further cross-ways with Jews over a different matter and they took charges against him to Rome, where they got him fired.  But Felix was discharged as governor but wasn’t punished. And perhaps, that is why he left Paul in prison.  No one knows what happened to Felix after that. 

Here is the point of the sermon.  It is about Neapolitan witnessing.  It is about witnessing under pressure. It is about how we share the Gospel. 
1) Regardless of who Felix was, even as a brutal, lascivious, bribe-taking Roman governor, Paul thought he was worthy to receive the gospel.  We must be careful about writing people off.  Our assumptions about whether people are receptive or worthy of the Gospel are best left to God.  God places people in our path.  
2) Even on trial for his life; Paul saw an opportunity to teach Felix.  So, he planted a seed.  That is how we need to approach people.  Place in their minds who we are and what we stand for and be there; open for them to respond.  We drop the seed to the people in our path.    
3) Felix already knew some about the Way, and Paul used that to begin his discussion.  In witnessing, we start where people are and move them toward Jesus. That is what witnessing is; moving people toward Jesus.  It is simply our job to help people along. 
4) Felix had a heart that could be touched.  Paul was not afraid to talk about the tough stuff with him.  Faith, righteousness, self-control and the judgment!  Those are the hard topics. But Paul was straight up with him.  He was authentic to Felix. We don’t back off the hard topics. We are authentic with the people God places in our path.  There is power to touch hearts.
5) Ultimately people have to make their own choices.  This is a difficult lesson.  Sometimes after we have worked and taught and prayed for someone, they choose the dark side anyway.  The apostle Paul struck out with Felix.  The love of money and fear of his position caused him to never repent and turn to the Gospel, as far as we know.  But that didn’t mean Paul should not have tried.  That was what he was called to do.  We are called to witness, not make choices for other people. Everyone makes their own decisions about Jesus.
6) This went on for 2 years.  Paul wasted two years of his precious time on Felix with no success.  Paul was faithful to his calling.  We work with people as long as they are in our path. 
7) And in the end he was betrayed by Felix and left in jail anyway. Witnessing is about being faithful to our calling, not “success.”

Paul was amazing under pressure.  He not only kept his cool, but was able to share his faith with a governor!  Wow, I want to be like that!

Los Alamos Church of Christ
October 19, 2008