Thursday, May 1, 2025

Doin’ Time, Wasting None, Acts 25:1-12

 

Ecclesiastes 1:9.

What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.

Evil uses the same playbook, just with different names and faces.

Enraged they hire hitmen.

Then, the holier than thou, pious leaders accuse others of what they themselves are doing. Dividing the people, perverting the law, twisting Scripture to fit their agenda.

Rather than punishing perpetrators, the mob is appeased and the innocent arrested.  

For two long years Paul sat in prison.

Bottom line, behind the scenes, what’s really happening, then and now, is evil trying to outmaneuver the movement of God in the affairs of men.  

Daniel 4:17 says the Most High rules in the kingdom of men.

So, when evil is enraged, know for sure and certain that God is on the move.

A good gauge to see when and where God is moving is watch the countermeasures evil is doing.

Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

It was quiet for two years, while Paul sat in prison.

But suddenly, there was a changing of the guard.

Felix recalled, Festus installed.

The serpent started to rattle. The religious hypocrites started spewing their venom against Paul again.

 A sure sign God is on the move, about to take one more step in HIStory.

Acts 25:1
 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

Festus, was appointed by Roman Emperor Nero to take the place of Felix.

Felix was corrupt, cruel, crafty, like a cat.

If Felix was a cat, Festus was a stallion.

Festus was a welcome relief. Educated. No nonsense. By the book. Believed in the rule of law.

He was followed by Albinus, who was as corrupt as Felix. 

But, from out of nowhere, for a brief moment, Festus appeared in Biblical HIStory.

Kind of like how Paul’s nephew appeared at just the right time when Paul was about to be ambushed, Acts 23:16-17.

Likewise, at a similar time in Paul’s life, Festus shows up for such a time as this to make decisions that protect and then propel God’s plan for Paul.

Have you ever had that happen? A Divine connection for Divine direction.

After that, within two years Festus would be dead.

The Most High rules over the kingdoms of men. Daniel 4:17.

 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him (Festus) against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.

They did not ask for justice but “favor”.

They did not bring evidence but petitions.

You scratch our back, we’ll have yours.

Paul was in prison. Hadn’t set foot in their city or any Jewish temple, in two years.

If they were seeking justice, they’d let it go since Paul already served two years without a shred of evidence against him.

But they weren’t seeking justice, they were fueled by hate against Paul, they thought, but it was really against the Spirit of God that dwelt in Paul.  

What did Paul do to them?

He had been living away from Jerusalem for over a decade during his missionary journeys. He was only back a week before getting arrested and hauled to Caesaria.

What did Paul do against them?

Nothing. He did nothing against them. That’s how we know they were fueled by evil. They had an irrational unforgiving irritation against the man.

 Just like they had against Jesus.

They had JDS, Jesus derangement syndrome. Now they have PDS, Paul derangement syndrome. It’s all GDS, God derangement syndrome.

Harboring hatred too long results in being wholly overcome with evil. And eventually, eternally confined to hell.  

 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.”

Fine, I’ll reopen the case but not change the venue.

This of course was a good thing. Perhaps a God thing, since it thwarted their plans to ambush and kill Paul.

And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, 

Festus wasted no time upon his return, he called Paul.

Once again, they provided no evidence or proof. They simply laid many serious complaints: weighty petitions. Requests, demands, accusations, charges.

They say: 

When the facts are on your side, speak the facts.

When the law is on your side speak the law.

When neither is on your side, attack the person.

Rather than facts or law, they brought demands, accusations, Kill him! He's not fit to live! Blasphemer! 

Sounded like the same evil demons that motivated the mob to cry: Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

Always remember, personal attacks indicate there’s no evidence.

Words like: loser, unworthy, worthless, dirty, too old, unforgivable, are based in lies, not Truth.

If you hear anything like that, just smile and know that it’s not True, and it’s not you. Those words are evidence that the accuser’s got no evidence.

If you’re born again, all your junk has been washed away, cleansed by the forgiving, cleansing, shed blood of Jesus. When the Father looks at you, He doesn’t see your sin, He sees the glory of His Son. Like back before the fall of man, before Adam and Eve ever sinned. They were naked and unashamed glowing with, clothed with, the pneuma, the breath of Life, the Spirit of God, residing within. Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27.

while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

Answered; apologeomai, (ap-ol-og-eh'-om-ahee): To defend oneself, to make a defense, to give an account. Apologetics; a reasoned defense.

1 Peter 3:15; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

Do not apologize for your faith, but always be ready to give an answer, a reason, for the beautiful, powerful, faith and hope and Love, within you.

Notice Paul said he had not offended. That word means, to sin, or err, against. (Not the same as today where everyone gets offended over every little thing).

But you dear child of God ought not be easily offended.

Psalm 119:165, Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

You fly above all that offends and follow Jesus. At times you may need to simply say, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”

Okay, I take back anything nice I said about Festus.

Festus, better than Felix, but a politician nonetheless, and after spending 10 days wining and dining with the lobbyist Pharisees, now he wants to do them a favor.

Not much has changed today.

Politicians do favors for donor lobbyists.

10 So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged...

The word for judgement is: béma. An elevated seat for the judge.

It’s the same word is used in Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, speaking of an awards ceremony in heaven.

Christians will stand before the béma seat of Christ, not for salvation, but for rewards.

Paul is right in more ways than one. He stands where he ought to be judged before the béma seat of Caesar. And one day before the béma seat of Christ.

He may not know it yet, but His words are inspired by the Holy Spirit.

10 ...To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.

Being led by the Lord we have confidence and boldness beyond our own, allowing us to respectfully speak the Truth, in Love.

 11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying;

To live is Christ, to die is gain, (Phil. 1:21).

but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. 

But I’m not going to lay down and let the devil take me out before my time without a fight.

Even if in chains, I still have books to write and sermons to preach, souls to save, disciples to make.

I appeal to Caesar.”

Those words, “I appeal to Caesar” (only two in the Greek: Epikaloumai Kaisara) whether Paul knew it or not, were inspired by the Lord. Those two words were the catalyst to carry Paul into the final phase of God’s plan for his life.

Did you know receiving inspired words to speak right when you need them is a promise from Jesus, not only to Paul, but you, too?

Luke 12:11-12, “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, (ap-ol-og-eh'-om-ahee) or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”

Every freeborn Roman citizen had the right to appeal to Caesar. It was the law established by Emperor Nero.

Now, what Jesus said would happen, is happening. Paul is going to Rome.

 Acts 23:11, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

The plan of God is always fulfilled. Maybe not always according to His will, but He’s found a way from beginning to end to weave His Divine plan into the wonky, wicked, wacky, ways of man.

Perhaps that’s why it took so long to fulfill His plan of Salvation. It took a long time to find enough folks willing to yield to His will.

But God is ever patient, and kind and as sure as He wove His plan through the pages of the Bible back then, He’s still weaving, orchestrating, His plan today.

By the looks of the offended and the enraged, it appears once again He’s on the move, about to take one more step in HIStory.

Are you, and all those God’s given you, ready to stand before the béma seat of Christ, or do we still have work to do?

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word that is ever timely. Thank You for this Word, this Seed, that was just planted in us. We water it with this prayer and ask that our hearts be fertile soil to bear much fruit. From now on we refuse to listen to the lies of the accusers but focus only on Your Truth. Thank You for giving us confidence and boldness beyond our own, allowing us to respectfully speak Your Word of Truth, in Love, right when we need it. Thank You for Divine connections and direction, so Your good will and perfect plan is completed in our lives, and of all those You’ve given us, none is lost.

Thank You, Lord.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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