SELF DEFENSE (PART 2)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, 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.”

Acts 24:14-16

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The battle lines were drawn within the courtroom-like setting in Caesarea as the Roman governor Felix presided over a hearing between the Jewish religious leaders from Jerusalem and the Apostle Paul.

On one side, you had the high priest of Jerusalem’s Sanhedrin council, Ananias, and his prosecuting attorney, Tertullus.

On the other, you had Paul with the Lord God Almighty as his defense attorney.

Who do you think will win?

Frankly, you’ve got to love Paul’s chances, right?

Now you’ll remember that Tertullus took center stage first and made his opening remarks as the Sanhedrin were the ones levying charges against Paul. The lawyer tried to make the case that Paul was a troublemaker and had incited all kinds of violence within the city of Jerusalem. The lawyer went as far to say that Paul had intentionally tried to desecrate the holy temple of God. For these reasons, the Jews wanted Paul eliminated and going back to Jesus, we remember the Romans didn’t have any problem executing people in the most heinous ways possible.

After Tertullus concluded, we saw Paul begin his self defense in yesterday’s message as he refuted the allegations that he had stirred up trouble in Jerusalem. He asserted that he had only come to Jerusalem for a single reason and that was to worship the Lord and it was this worship that we see at the center of the second devotion in this series. Look again at Paul’s words here:

“However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, 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.” Acts 24:14-16

Going back to Tertullus’ opening, he had this to say about Paul:

“He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.” Acts 24:5

The statement made by the Sanhedrin lawyer intended to portray Paul as vastly different and opposed to the Jews. The man accused of stirring up trouble and desecrating the temple was nothing more than a Nazarene cult leader with no connection to the God of Israel.

And so Paul moved to set the record straight regarding his identity. Yes, he was a “follower of the Way”, which was what they called Christians in those times in many circles, but he also was a God worshiper. Paul cherished the same God the Jews showed reverence to. He wasn’t distinct and different from his detractors. Rather, he was like them in every way possible except his belief in Jesus which the Jews rejected.

Paul believed “everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets” and professed he had “the same hope in God” as the high priest and the elders with him.

Finally, Paul said something that was meant to set the stage for what was to come. For he wanted Felix and those gathered to know that he focused on the Lord and Jesus the Way so he could live right and righteously. His belief system kept him on the straight and narrow path, pointed toward honesty and integrity before God, and away from wickedness.

Paul didn’t wish to live life with a guilty conscience. Rather, he tells the court that he strived to keep his conscience "clear before God and man” and committing himself to God and Jesus with full devotion allowed him to accomplish just that.

Unfortunately, there were Jewish believers who refused to respect Paul when he gave up his persecution life to be a new creation in Christ. We’ll see Paul highlight this as he continues his self defense in tomorrow’s message.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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