God Speaks
Paul’s Testimony in Court Before Felix, Festus and King Agrippa
Verse of the Day: [Paul testified that the resurrected Jesus said to him.] I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faiith in me. (Acts 26:17-18 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 347
We Respond
Acts 24
Reflection: I am indebted to Warren Wiersbe* for highlighting the three men in this chapter: Tertullus, Paul, and Felix. Tertullus was a “good” prosecutor. He flattered Felix the Roman governor, but he insulted and mischaracterized Paul. He exaggerated and purposefully misrepresented the facts without offering corroborating evidence. Paul acknowledged Felix without flattery. He stated clearly and truthfully who he was and what he had been doing. He presented the facts of what he believed and quoted exactly what had triggered the uproar at the Sanhedrin. Felix essentially just passed the buck and refused to believe. Paul being kept in custody just to please the Jews or in hopes of a bribe–not because the case against him had been proven–is a tragedy, but God used even this miscarriage of justice to further the expansion of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
*The Wiersbe Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, pp. 397-401.
Prayer: O Judge of all the earth who oversees courts on earth and in Heaven, please help Your people whenever they are called into court in some of these ways: 1) May we not be intimidated by high-powered attorneys. 2) May honor and respect flow in both directions. 3) May the cases of both parties be presented truthfully, clearly, and concisely according to the law and/or rules of the court. 4) May false accusations and/or misunderstandings be confronted and handled without anger or malice. 5) May judges and/or juries make clear, unbiased decisions and not “pass the buck.” 6) May believers trust You to overrule and/or use whatever the decision, even the wrong motives and selfish actions of sinful people, for Your good purposes. In the name of Jesus, the ultimate judge. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will pray that God will be glorified in the courts of my community, state/province, and nation.
- I will watch what I say to be sure that I am not flattering, insulting, mischaracterizing, exaggerating, or purposefully misrepresenting the facts.
- I will present my viewpoint clearly without being defensive or offensive.
- I will clearly present the truth about Jesus to someone this week so that they can decide to believe in Jesus or not.
Acts 25
Reflection: In Acts 25, Festus took charge. He did not submit to the Jewish leaders’ deceptive persuasion. Festus leaned toward favoring the Jewish leaders but proceeded according to the law. This thwarted their plan to kill Paul while he was being transferred. When King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived on a state visit, Festus discussed Paul’s case with them and stood firm on Roman law and the accused’s right to appeal to a higher authority. Festus invited the king to join him in examining Paul in order to determine the specific charges to send with him to Caesar. Once again, we have a cliffhanger as to how that interview went.
Prayer: Dear God who knows the thoughts and intentions of all people, please reveal the motives and/or hidden actions of leaders, whether political, religious, or any other area of authority. May Your will be done in every area of public life. Please thwart the plans of the enemy to disrupt the growth of Your kingdom of righteousness. May believers live clean, law-abiding lives so that any charges brought against us will be shown to be false or unfounded. Help Christians to see below the surface so that we can avoid any traps set by the enemy. May Christians face up to the consequences of their words and/or actions and not refuse just punishment, neither should they meekly accept injustice without challenging it. We affirm that Your plan and purpose is to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to even the highest officials and courts in the world. Cause even unbelievers to discuss the case against a Christian in a clear, concise manner. May civil authorities thoroughly investigate any charges against believers and be clear as to those charges. For the furtherance of Your kingdom, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will investigate rumors or negative comments about a public figure to be sure that I am acting in the truth.
- I will speak up for someone who is being falsely accused, mocked, or mistreated.
- I will take responsibility for my words or actions when I have been proven wrong.
- I will participate in my government by knowledgeably and prayerfully voting at every opportunity and/or reporting for jury duty when called, asking God to inform my decisions with His wisdom.
Acts 26
Reflection: Paul politely spoke in his own defense. He summarized how he had lived in the past and his Jewish background and beliefs as Saul of Tarsus. Paul told what he had been doing and why he was going to Damascus. He related how he met Jesus on the road and what Jesus said to him there. He made a clear, concise presentation of the gospel. It seems that the topics of preaching to the Gentiles, resurrection of the dead, and repentance were what drew Agrippa’s and Festus’ attention. Even with this examination, they could find nothing that called for the death penalty or imprisonment. Still, they couldn’t let him go because he had appealed to Caesar. God was working things out to get Paul to testify in Rome, even if it was by a prison ship.
Prayer: Dear gracious God, please teach and empower Your people to testify (in or out of court) how You brought us into an ongoing, interactive relationship with Yourself. Help us to think through our experiences and be prepared to tell others what You have done in our lives. Thank You for calling each believer to yield to Your Holy Spirit, for then He will be able to use us to “open [people’s] eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Christ Jesus].” May we, like Paul, exhibit changed lives by working hard in cooperation with the Holy Spirit proclaiming what the prophets taught about the Messiah’s suffering, death, and resurrection. May we boldly proclaim these truths to all people regardless of any kind of social division [either without or despite fear]. May many people be persuaded to become Christians. May we be set free of everything except to fulfill Your purposes in our lives. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will write out my testimony so that I can share it whenever I’m asked.
- I will prepare to clearly define “the gospel of Jesus Christ” in just a couple of sentences.
- I will thank God for the changes He has made and is making in my life.
- I will not let any kind of social divisions keep me from acting in love and sharing the good news of Jesus with someone this week.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.