Written by: Nick Treby
Acts 24 v 1-4
Five days later Ananias, the high priest, went to the city of Caesarea with
some of the older Jewish leaders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They had come
to make charges against Paul before the governor. Paul was called into the meeting,
and Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Most Excellent Felix! Our people
enjoy much peace because of you, and many wrong things in our country are being
made right through your wise help. We accept these things always and in every
place, and we are thankful for them. But not wanting to take any more of your
time, I beg you to be kind and listen to our few words.”
Notes
Acts 24 tells the story of when Paul was up in court. The people accusing Paul
were the Jewish leaders, and they'd employed a lawyer called Tertullus to help
them make their case. Paul had been accused of stirring up trouble, but all
the courts he'd been in hadn't convicted him. He had been passed around several
rulers, and he had ended up here in front of Felix, the governor of Caesarea.
The other rulers who had seen Paul hadn't wanted to convict him as they couldn't
find any evidence, but they didn't want to upset the Jewish leaders either.
These first few verses tell us what Tertullus said in court to open the case. He was smarming up to Felix by saying how much the Jewish leaders liked him and appreciated his fair rule. Now Felix wasn't very fair and had a reputation for being pretty nasty. Tertullus was playing a game, hoping that flattering the governor would help him win his case.
Now, I like it when people flatter me - when someone says how handsome I am, or how funny my jokes are. If someone says nice things to me I think of them as good people. The problem is, my jokes aren't always funny. So I let people's words about me influence what I think.
I need to listen to all people, not just those who are flattering. Sometimes people say things that are tough, because it’s for our good - our teachers correct us so we don't keep making the same mistakes. We must listen to what people say and make up our minds based on what they say, not who they are.
Prayer
Lord God, help me to listen carefully to what you have got to say through
other people. Help me to learn to listen to you and see past the characteristics
of the people who are speaking. Amen
Acts 24 v 5-9
“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up the Jews everywhere
in the world. He is a leader of the Nazarene group. Also, he was trying to make
the Temple unclean, but we stopped him. By asking him questions yourself, you
can decide if all these things are true.” The other Jews agreed and said that
all of this was true.
Notes
I work in London, England. London is about 200 miles (320 kilometres) from Manchester,
home of the world-famous Manchester United soccer team. Yet loads of people
in London wear Manchester United Football shirts. It is a bit of a joke that
there are more Man United supporters in London than in Manchester. It's just
because Man United have been successful over the last few years.
Are you a bit of a sheep? Do you follow the latest fashions because all your friends do? Do you go along with the crowd to avoid making a fuss?
In this section of Acts, the Jewish leaders make their case against Paul. Their allegations were not true, but still lots of the other Jews backed up their leaders.
The Bible tells us that we should be respectful of our leaders - in church, in our country, and so on. But also the Bible tells us to respect God. When a conflict of interest arises, we should side with God.
Don't be like the Jewish crowd here, who lied to the court about what Paul had done just to avoid making a fuss with their leaders. Stand firm for what you believe and what you think. Make sure you have used the Bible to instruct you about what you should believe, but then stand firm. Don't be a sheep and follow everyone else. Work things out for yourself, asking God to help you, asking leaders you know and respect to help you, and then stand firm for what you believe.
Prayer
Lord God, help me to have the courage to stand out from the crowd if I don't
agree with what they are saying. Help me to be my own person, and someone who
is devoted to speaking up for you, and for your truth. Amen
Acts 24 v 10-13
When the governor made a sign for Paul to speak, Paul said, “Governor
Felix, I know you have been a judge over this nation for a long time. So I am
happy to defend myself before you. You can learn for yourself that I went to
worship in Jerusalem only twelve days ago. Those who are accusing me did not
find me arguing with anyone in the Temple or stirring up the people in the synagogues
or in the city. They cannot prove the things they are saying against me now.”
Notes
The people who were most critical of Paul were the Jews. They thought he was
a troublemaker. They didn't like what he said about Jesus, because the Jews
had asked for Jesus to be crucified. So, rather than listen to what Paul had
to say, they tried to get rid of him.
But here, Paul sets out very clearly what really happened. He didn't try to flatter Tertullus, or make things up; he just spoke the truth.
Do you find it easy to be straight with people - to just honestly say what has happened? There are lots of occasions where we think that if we embellish the facts, it will make us look a bit better, or help our case.
Paul was under quite a lot of pressure. It would have been easy for him to try to impress Felix, or to pretend he was someone else entirely. He could have spoken about his Jewish background, to try to calm the Jews down. But Paul wasn't into any of that. He spoke simply, clearly and honestly.
Prayer
Lord God, help me to tell the truth all the time. Help me not to embellish the
facts, or be worried about what people might think of me. Help me to be honest,
no matter how much pressure I am under. Amen
Acts 24 v 14-16
“But I will tell you this: I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower
of the Way of Jesus. The Jews say that the Way of Jesus is not the right way.
But I believe everything that is taught in the law of Moses and that is written
in the books of the Prophets. I have the same hope in God that they have—the
hope that all people, good and bad, will surely be raised from the dead. This
is why I always try to do what I believe is right before God and people.”
Notes
Paul had been accused of stirring up trouble, and in Acts 24 v 10-13 he defends
himself, by telling the governor exactly what happened.
And then in this bit, Paul sets out his belief plainly and simply. Paul didn't miss an opportunity to tell people about Jesus - even when he was up in court!
So Paul started by telling them all that he had in common with the Jews - his accusers. He told them how he agreed with the law of Moses and the prophets - just like the Jews did. And then he said that prophets told us about Jesus, and now Jesus had come. He reminded everyone that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews had been waiting so long for.
Are you any good at explaining what you believe to your friends? Sometimes we can sound really confused, wishy-washy or speak only in clichés. How about writing it down, seeing how it looks and then learning it, so when people ask why you believe in Jesus you can tell them? Then, like Paul, you will always be ready to explain to people who God is, and why you follow him.
Prayer
Lord God, help me to take every opportunity to tell people about you and what
you have done for me. Help me to get the right words to say, and to trust you
to change people’s lives. Amen
Acts 24 v 17-21
“After being away from Jerusalem for several years, I went back to bring
money to my people and to offer sacrifices. I was doing this when they found
me in the Temple. I had finished the cleansing ceremony and had not made any
trouble; no people were gathering around me. But there were some Jews from the
country of Asia who should be here, standing before you. If I have really done
anything wrong, they are the ones who should accuse me. Or ask these Jews here
if they found any wrong in me when I stood before the Jewish council in Jerusalem.
But I did shout one thing when I stood before them: ‘You are judging me today
because I believe that people will rise from the dead!’”
Notes
Paul now tells us exactly what he did. We see his trip to Jerusalem was
to hand out money and to offer sacrifices in the temple (as the Jewish law commanded).
The Jews who were accusing him were not even there. Some Asian Jews were around,
but these people hadn't turned up in court to accuse Paul!
Paul was extremely confident that when his behaviour was scrutinised, he would be found to be in the clear. He knew he did nothing wrong.
The one thing he did do was shout, but what he shouted - about the dead rising - the Jews believed and so they had nothing to really accuse Paul of at all.
Are you confident that when people look at your life they will find nothing to accuse you of? In 2 Thessalonians 3 v 11-12 Paul says that we should lead a quiet life, so that our daily lives win the respect of those around us! Paul was confident that was what he had done here.
So examine your own life. Is there anything there which is not very Godly? Anything you are not comfortable with? First, ask God to forgive you - he will because that's why Jesus was sent to us. Second, ask God to help you live a life that wins the respect of everyone around you. It's a tough thing to do on your own, but God is with you and will help you.
Prayer
Lord God, forgive me when I've let you down. Thank you that Jesus has taken
my mistakes on himself, and so you forgive me. Help me to live my life in a
way that is pleasing to you. Amen
Acts 24 v 22-23
Felix already understood much about the Way of Jesus. He stopped the trial and
said, “When commander Lysias comes here, I will decide your case.” Felix told
the officer to keep Paul guarded but to give him some freedom and to let his
friends bring what he needed.
Notes
Felix, the governor, knew what was going on in this trial with Paul. He knew
that Paul was innocent, but also knew that if he kept him locked up, the Jews
would be happy about it.
So Felix didn't know what to do. He pretended to be waiting for Lysias (a Roman commander) to come and help him decide.
This way, Felix thought, the Jews would be happy because Paul was still in prison. Also, Paul wasn't actually convicted of anything. So Felix allowed Paul some freedom and let his friends see him.
It's difficult to do what is right when other people want you to do what is wrong. Lots of people put us under pressure all the time. Our friends try to get us to go along with their plans, or at work your boss will want you to lie to a client or colleague. Sometimes, it just feels like it will be easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing.
That's what Felix did here. He wasn't brave enough to do the right thing. Are you?
Prayer
Lord God, help me to do the right thing, even when other people don't want me
to. I want to be more concerned with what you think, than what other people
think. Amen
Acts 24 v 24-27
After some days Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, and
asked for Paul to be brought to him. He listened to Paul talk about believing
in Christ Jesus. But Felix became afraid when Paul spoke about living right,
self-control and the time when God will judge the world. He said, “Go away now.
When I have more time, I will call for you.” At the same time Felix hoped that
Paul would give him some money, so he often sent for Paul and talked with him.
But after two years, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus as governor. But Felix
had left Paul in prison to please the Jews.
Notes
So Felix had Paul in prison, and he went to see him to talk Jesus. Felix's wife,
Drusilla, knew quite a bit, and so Felix had learnt about it too. The trial
of Paul had got them interested.
Felix could cope with having to believe in Jesus - he knew all about Jesus, and his miracles and claims. That was the easy bit. Felix didn't like the fact that he would have to be self-controlled and that one day he would be judged. When Paul talked about this, Felix and Drusilla left.
Felix also hoped Paul would bribe him to get out of jail, but Paul had none of it. For two years Paul stayed there, and even when Felix left and Porcius Festus took over as governor, Paul stayed in jail.
Paul wasn't bothered. I'm not sure how Paul managed. It can't have been easy. He knew that God was looking after him. He wasn't going to give Felix an easy message to believe in the hope he could be released, and he wasn't going to offer bribes.
Through this whole trial, in Acts 24, Paul was more concerned to tell the truth and to talk about God than about what might happen to him. I wish I was like that. I'd like to be less bothered about what people think of me and more bothered by what God thinks. This trial of Paul teaches us to be straight with people, to live such Godly lives that we cannot be criticised, and to speak out for God in all circumstances. What a challenge!
Prayer
Lord God, help me to be bold in speaking out for you. Help me to do what is
right, even if it makes my life more difficult. Help me to love you more, and
live more for you, every day. Amen
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken
from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993
by Word Publishing Milton Keynes