We do welcome you to our
3ABN Sabbath School Panel,
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and we are today looking at the
12th lesson in our Quarterly.
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Only one more lesson left after
this and ladies and gentlemen,
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hasn't this study on the
Book of Acts just been riveting?
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It has been such an
encouragement to all of us,
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and we just want to encourage
you to study along with us.
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What we would like to encourage
you to do is to get a copy
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of the Sabbath
School Study Guide.
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It just is encouraging and surly
encouraging to our learning
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process when we have
the material before us.
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And the way you can receive
this study guide is to go
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to your computer and
just download it from online,
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and you would go
to: ABSG.Adventist.org
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Now I know that's on your
screen, but for you who are
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listening on 3ABN radio,
let me give it to you again...
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ABSG.Adventist.org
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Download it and
study along with us.
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And there is another way for
you to get these study guides,
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and that's for you to go to
your local Seventh-day Adventist
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Church - just go in and say,
"You know, I've been studying
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along with 3ABN in your Sabbath
School Lesson Study Guide,
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and I would like a copy of
that and they would be so happy
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to provide it to
you, they will also
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invite you to attend
their Sabbath School on Sabbath
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morning and if you're
really lucky as C.A. reminds us
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quite often - you may go
on a day when they're having
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a POTLUCK! That is
some of the best food!
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We have found that Seventh-day
Adventist ladies are some
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of the best cooks in the world,
and so they will invite you
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also to have a meal with them.
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So, again, we're in
Lesson 12, and we are studying
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out of the Book of Acts.
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And here are the ladies
and gentlemen that will be
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your teachers today...
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To my left is Pastor C.A.
Murray, our on staff theologian,
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next to him is our
general manager here at 3ABN,
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and a wonderful Bible teacher,
Jill Morikone, next to her
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world renown Bible
teacher, Shelley Quinn,
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and next to Shelley is
Pastor John Dinzey, who is
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the general manager
of 3ABN Latino and has
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spread the gospel to the
four corners of the earth
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in the Spanish-speaking
world, and I appreciate
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all of you so much!
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Now before we go into our
lesson study, it's so vitally
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important that we
open with prayer...
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Shelley, will you open in prayer
for us, please. Certainly.
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Heavenly Father, We
come before you once
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again in the name of
Jesus, thanking You, Lord, for
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who You are and how You
love us... thanking You for Your
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plan of grace and, Lord, we are
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so very grateful for Your word.
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We know that in this word,
every Scripture is inspired
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by the Holy Spirit and we
need the Holy Spirit to discern
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these spiritual
words, so please send Him,
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let Him speak through
us, give us all ears to hear
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what the Holy Spirit has
to say and, Lord, work in
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us to will and to
do Your good pleasure.
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In Jesus
name... Amen, Amen, Amen
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So as we have been
studying in the Book of Acts,
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one of the main people
that we've studied about is
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the Apostle Paul and that's who
we are really looking at today.
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And I just wanted to lay
a little foundation for you.
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The title of today's lesson
is "Confinement at Caesarea"
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We'll look at that, but I
wanted us to look at something
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that Paul says himself in
the Book of Romans 15:22-25.
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Something that
Paul says, so 15:22-25.
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Paul is writing to the
Roman Church and he says,
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"For this reason, I
also have been much hindered
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from coming to you.
(Paul wanted to visit
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the Roman Church - at this
point he hadn't' been there,
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but he was writing them a
letter - he wanted to go.)
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But now no longer
having a place in these parts,
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Verse 23... And having a
great desire these many years
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to come to you,
whenever I journey to Spain,
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he says, "I shall come to you."
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And so then in verse
25... "But now, I am going
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to Jerusalem to
minister to the saints."
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So, Paul had written to
the church at Rome and said,
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"I'm gonna come
to you, but first
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I'm going to go to Jerusalem."
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Now the rest is kind of history
from the study that we've had.
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What happened to the
Apostle Paul when he went
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to Jerusalem? He got arrested!
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He got arrested and he got
put in jail, so now, again,
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we're looking today at
a confinement at Caesarea.
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He had been
arrested in Jerusalem.
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There was a great riot in
the temple and actually what
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happened was - the
Roman Centurion, the Roman
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barracks were there -
they actually rescued Paul
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from the temple there in
Jerusalem where there was a
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great riot and the
people had laid hands on him.
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They were beating him
and their full intention was
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to do what, Pastor C.A.?
They were going to kill him.
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They were going to kill
him and so he was taken by
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the Roman guards there, the
centurion, put in the barracks.
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Acts 23:11- let me
read this to you...
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(Now while he's in the
barracks, he was sleeping there,
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and this is what the Scripture
says, but the following night,
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now Paul is in the barracks,
meaning he's in jail...)
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"The Lord stood by him and
said, "Be of good cheer, Paul,
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for as you have
testified for Me in Jerusalem,
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so you must also
bear witness at Rome."
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So what is God's
ultimate goal for Paul?
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Where does He
ultimately want Paul?
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He wants him in Rome.
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Where did Paul say he wanted
to go? He wants to go to Rome.
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Okay, now Paul's transfer
from Jerusalem to Caesarea...
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Now last week we
studied that the reason Paul was
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transferred from Jerusalem
to Caesarea was because
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the Jewish
leaders there in Jerusalem
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had hatched a big
plot, had they not?
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And what was the big plot?
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The big plot was to take
Paul from the Roman garrison
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and what were they
going to do to him?
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They had said, "We're not
going to eat and we're not
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going to drink
until we kill Paul."
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And so the plot became
known to the Romans and they
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put a big guard
together and they took Paul from
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Jerusalem to
Caesarea, and so now today,
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we'll look at his
confinement in Caesarea.
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Alright... before we look
at that, we need to look at
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our memory text...
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Our memory text is Acts 26:29,
so let's all read that together
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if you will please...
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"Whether quickly or not,
I pray to God that not only
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you but also all who
are listening to me today
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might become such as I am
- except for these chains."
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Okay, we're going to
see the significance of this
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because we will
study that Scripture
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here in just a few minutes.
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But I am privileged today
to look at the first governor
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that Paul was brought
before, his name is Felix,
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and five days after
Paul transferred to Caesarea,
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a group of important Jewish
leaders - the high priest,
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some members of the Sanhedrin,
and a professional lawyer
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named "Tertullus" came
down from Jerusalem and formally
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laid before Felix
their case against Paul.
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Let me tell you a little
about this group that came down
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from Jerusalem to accuse Paul.
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It was made up of
members of the Sanhedrin.
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Now when Paul was tried
before the Sanhedrin previously,
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he presented his case explaining
that he was a Pharisee,
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but when he mentioned that
he believed in the resurrection,
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the Sadducees were in
great, great opposition to that,
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but the Pharisees
believed in it - so they took
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Paul's behalf in this argument.
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Now the Sadducees
made up the largest amount
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of the Sanhedrin and one of
their strongest doctrines that
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they did not believe in was this
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resurrection, is that not true?
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They would become
violently opposed to that.
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So this is the group that
came to Caesarea to accuse Paul,
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members of the
Sanhedrin that were Sadducees,
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the high priest was a
Sadducee and then the attorney
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that I spoke about Tertullus.
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Now this is the only
trial in Acts where the accusers
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employed a lawyer.
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Tertullus tried an
interesting strategy to win
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Felix's favor - let's
look at that in Acts 24:2-3...
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"And when he was called upon,
Tertullus began his accusations
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saying, "Seeing that
through you, we enjoy great
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peace and prosperity is
being brought to this nation
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by your foresight, we accept
it always and in all places
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most noble Felix,
with all thankfulness."
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Now, he was just smoking Felix!
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He was flattering
Felix... nothing could have
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been further from the truth!
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The truth was that
Felix ruled with cruelty.
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He was harsh and he was hard.
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No other governor had
been so repressive and violent,
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and this repression
had generated an enormous
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antagonism against the
Jews towards the Roman rule.
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Now Tertullus, using
this flattery, was trying to
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encourage Felix to kill Paul.
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And here's what he
said... "If you'll do this...
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"If you will renounce
Paul, if you will kill Paul,
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he would achieve great political
stability using the very thing
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the Jews resented the most
about Felix's administration
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which was severe repression.
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Now let's look at their
accusations, that's Acts 24:5-9.
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"For we have (Tertullus
says,) we have found this man a
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plague, a creator of
dissension among the Jews
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throughout the world
and a ringleader in the sect
00:11:13.64\00:11:16.57
of the Nazarenes.
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He even tried to
profane the temple."
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Now that wasn't
even the original
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complaints against Paul.
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Remember what the Asian Jews,
the ones in the temple that
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caused the riot... what
did they say about Paul?
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They said that he had a
problem with the people,
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and the law, and the temple.
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Now the only thing
repeated here from the original
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accusations and
remember, they were
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false accusations against Paul.
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Wasn't it that he had
defiled the temple which was a
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false accusation - he hadn't.
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So they didn't even
bring the same accusations from
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the original accusations.
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Well now, Paul
didn't have a lawyer,
00:11:58.98\00:12:01.32
so he spoke for
himself, that's Acts 24:10-13...
00:12:01.35\00:12:05.35
"Then Paul, after the governor
had nodded to him to speak,
00:12:05.39\00:12:09.09
answered; "because you may
ascertain that it is no more
00:12:09.12\00:12:13.06
than 12 days since I went
up to Jerusalem to worship.
00:12:13.09\00:12:16.63
And they neither found me
in the temple disputing with
00:12:16.67\00:12:19.30
anyone nor inciting the crowd,
00:12:19.33\00:12:22.04
either in the
synagogues or in the city.
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Nor can they prove the things
of which they now accuse me."
00:12:24.11\00:12:28.18
Paul denied the accusations,
and the fact that there was
00:12:28.21\00:12:31.51
no witness to validate
any of his supposed offences
00:12:31.55\00:12:36.38
wasn't lost on Felix.
00:12:36.42\00:12:38.99
He then addressed
the issue at point,
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and that's verses 17-21.
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It was Jews from Asia that
had made the false accusations
00:12:43.63\00:12:47.60
against Paul and
started the riot in the temple,
00:12:47.60\00:12:50.40
and they weren't even there.
00:12:50.43\00:12:51.90
Verse 19... "They
ought to have been here
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before you to
object if they had anything
00:12:55.57\00:12:58.01
against me, Paul says.
00:12:58.04\00:12:59.41
Or else, let those who
are here themselves say
00:12:59.44\00:13:02.38
if they found any wrongdoing
00:13:02.41\00:13:04.05
in me while I
stood before the council,
00:13:04.08\00:13:06.82
unless it is for this one
statement which I cried out,
00:13:06.85\00:13:11.62
standing among
them... (remember what Paul is
00:13:11.65\00:13:14.82
doing, he is getting
to the point at issue...
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what is the #1
thing that the Sadducees
00:13:17.76\00:13:21.26
most strongly
opposed in Paul's teaching?
00:13:21.30\00:13:24.47
That our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ was
00:13:24.50\00:13:27.30
resurrected from
the dead. That's right.
00:13:27.34\00:13:29.30
Paul says that the one thing
that you opposed is this...
00:13:29.34\00:13:36.01
"Concerning the resurrection
of the dead, I am being
00:13:36.04\00:13:40.48
judged by you this
day." (he boils it down)
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It boiled down to this...
They had nothing to accuse
00:13:43.55\00:13:47.12
him of except
that he believed in the
00:13:47.16\00:13:50.13
resurrection from the dead.
00:13:50.19\00:13:51.53
Now he's standing before
Felix, Felix is in a position
00:13:51.56\00:13:55.70
to make a judgment, but
this is what Felix does...
00:13:55.73\00:13:59.33
"But when Felix heard
these things, having more
00:13:59.37\00:14:02.07
accurate knowledge of
the Way, (that's because his
00:14:02.10\00:14:04.61
wife, Drusilla, was Jewish,
he adjourned the proceedings
00:14:04.64\00:14:08.31
and said, "When Lysias,
the commander comes down,
00:14:08.34\00:14:11.91
I will make a
decision on your case."
00:14:11.95\00:14:14.02
So he commanded the centurion
to keep Paul and to let him
00:14:14.05\00:14:17.95
have liberty and told him
not to forbid any of his friends
00:14:17.99\00:14:22.92
to provide for or visit him."
00:14:22.96\00:14:25.36
So Felix was very accommodating
to Paul, as-a-matter-of-fact,
00:14:25.39\00:14:30.33
but here's what Felix was...
00:14:30.37\00:14:31.80
See, he stood in a
position there to make a strong
00:14:31.83\00:14:34.94
stand, but he didn't...
Felix was a procrastinator,
00:14:34.97\00:14:38.47
he was also a
politician. Thank you!
00:14:38.51\00:14:40.74
But you know, what
Paul had done in the midst
00:14:40.78\00:14:44.75
of all of this, was he
had hurt Felix's interests.
00:14:44.78\00:14:49.22
Felix actually... and I
want to read this to you...
00:14:49.25\00:14:52.35
in Acts 24:25... what Paul
did in every single time he was
00:14:52.39\00:14:56.99
brought before a council
of any kind - he would defend
00:14:57.03\00:15:00.96
himself, he would also preach
00:15:00.96\00:15:02.96
Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
00:15:03.00\00:15:04.90
The death,
burial and resurrection
00:15:04.93\00:15:06.74
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:15:06.77\00:15:08.20
So in Acts 24:25... "Now as
he reasoned about righteousness,
00:15:08.24\00:15:13.71
self-control and the
judgment to come, Felix was
00:15:13.78\00:15:16.75
afraid and answered.
(what Felix had done was
00:15:16.78\00:15:18.91
call Paul to him)
"Go away for now, when I
00:15:18.95\00:15:23.28
have a convenient
time, I will call for you."
00:15:23.32\00:15:26.52
So Felix had called Paul
to him, and asked about this
00:15:26.55\00:15:30.23
belief that he had,
but then he sent him away,
00:15:30.26\00:15:33.19
and I believe, C.A., you're
going to pick it up from there.
00:15:33.23\00:15:36.10
Indeed I certainly shall try!
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.33
On Monday, we have Paul before
Festus and I want to read just
00:15:38.37\00:15:45.97
a little of the lesson
and then I want to spend
00:15:46.01\00:15:50.61
considerable time,
perhaps more than is normal
00:15:50.65\00:15:53.01
in the book "Acts of
the Apostles" because
00:15:53.05\00:15:55.75
of the culture that
Ellen White's writing here
00:15:55.78\00:16:00.39
paints for us in dealing with
these two men, Felix and Festus.
00:16:00.42\00:16:08.73
On Monday, the lesson says,
"After two years holding Paul
00:16:08.76\00:16:14.74
in prison just to win the
favor of the Jews, Felix was
00:16:14.77\00:16:20.31
replaced by Porcius
Festus as the governor of Judea.
00:16:20.38\00:16:24.98
Festus ruled from A.D. 60 to 62.
00:16:25.31\00:16:29.65
So to try to win some favor,
to curry favor with the Jewish
00:16:29.68\00:16:36.42
population because
he was a cruel man,
00:16:36.46\00:16:39.56
he leaves Paul in prison
during this interregnum between
00:16:39.59\00:16:44.57
Felix and Festus.
00:16:44.60\00:16:47.10
I want to go to the end
first and then work my way back
00:16:47.14\00:16:51.44
in this scenario of these
two men, so I'm reading from
00:16:51.47\00:16:54.61
"Acts of the
Apostles" beginning at page 427.
00:16:54.64\00:16:58.11
We are told Felix was
finally summoned to Rome because
00:16:58.15\00:17:04.32
of a gross wrongs he had
committed and he was a cruel
00:17:04.35\00:17:08.26
man - he ruled cruelly.
00:17:08.29\00:17:12.09
So he was summoned back
to Rome because of the wrongs
00:17:12.13\00:17:15.50
had has
committed against the Jews.
00:17:15.53\00:17:16.87
Before leaving Caesarea,
in answer to his summons,
00:17:16.90\00:17:21.14
he thought to show the Jews
a pleasure or a little favor,
00:17:21.17\00:17:25.44
by allowing Paul
to remain in prison.
00:17:25.47\00:17:27.98
Now it's interesting that
he is pleasing them by keeping
00:17:28.01\00:17:30.95
Paul in prison, you know.
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.75
So that gives you
a tenor of the times.
00:17:32.78\00:17:34.52
Paul had lost favor
with the Jewish leaders.
00:17:34.55\00:17:38.15
They wanted him gone,
they wanted him quiet,
00:17:38.19\00:17:40.66
they wanted him out of the way.
00:17:40.69\00:17:42.06
So Felix, after being so cruel
and murdering so many people,
00:17:42.09\00:17:46.53
was now trying to do
a little something nice,
00:17:46.56\00:17:48.20
you know - throw
them a little bone...
00:17:48.23\00:17:50.27
so he leaves Paul in prison.
00:17:50.33\00:17:52.67
But Felix was not successful
in his attempt to regain the
00:17:52.70\00:17:55.94
confidence of the Jews.
00:17:55.97\00:17:57.31
He was removed from office
in disgrace and Porcius Festus
00:17:57.37\00:18:02.34
was appointed to succeed him
with headquarters at Caesarea.
00:18:02.38\00:18:06.85
"A ray of light..." Now
this is what kind of sad.
00:18:06.88\00:18:09.32
Pastor Kenny said,
"Sometimes this Book of Acts
00:18:09.35\00:18:12.02
makes you laugh and
sometimes it makes you cry."
00:18:12.05\00:18:13.79
"A ray of light from heaven
had been permitted to shine
00:18:13.82\00:18:17.56
upon Felix.
00:18:17.59\00:18:18.93
When Paul reasoned with
him concerning righteousness,
00:18:18.96\00:18:22.76
temperance, and
a judgment to come,
00:18:22.80\00:18:25.83
that was his
heaven-sent opportunity
00:18:25.87\00:18:29.47
to see and forsake his sins."
00:18:29.50\00:18:32.44
And as you well said,
Mollie, that when Paul defended
00:18:32.47\00:18:36.85
Christ, he wasn't
just making a defense,
00:18:36.88\00:18:39.65
he was preaching the
gospel, he was evangelizing."
00:18:39.68\00:18:42.45
So he's taking time with
this man now to reason with him
00:18:42.48\00:18:46.45
about righteousness in
an attempt to see himself.
00:18:46.49\00:18:50.16
He wants Felix to see himself.
00:18:50.23\00:18:55.66
"But he said (that is
Felix) to the messenger of God,
00:18:55.70\00:18:59.47
Go thy way for this
time; when I have a convenient
00:18:59.50\00:19:03.94
season, I will call for thee."
(don't call me, I'll call you)
00:19:03.97\00:19:11.25
You know, how many
people have said, I'm not ready
00:19:11.28\00:19:13.78
to come to Jesus. Yes!
00:19:13.85\00:19:15.78
"See now, okay next month
I'll give, next year I'll give,"
00:19:15.82\00:19:20.29
"I'm into something right
now, I gotta finish school,
00:19:20.32\00:19:22.42
I want to get married,
I gotta buy this house."
00:19:22.46\00:19:24.89
You know, "I've got some
other things, I've got a job and
00:19:24.93\00:19:27.03
I'll lose my job if I work
on Sabbath and I've gotta eat."
00:19:27.03\00:19:30.17
You know, any kind of
thing we can put there...
00:19:30.20\00:19:32.23
And let me hustle along...
00:19:32.43\00:19:33.77
"He had slighted
his last offer of mercy.
00:19:33.84\00:19:39.91
That's sobering... My, my...
00:19:39.94\00:19:41.38
See you never know,
Genesis - the Bible says,
00:19:41.41\00:19:45.28
"The Spirit will not
always strive with mankind."
00:19:45.31\00:19:49.68
"He had slighted his last
offer of mercy, NEVER was he to
00:19:49.72\00:19:55.12
receive another call
from God." Now that's sad.
00:19:55.16\00:19:58.63
That is sad.
You get a one-on-one
00:19:58.66\00:20:00.93
audience with Paul and Paul
is trying his best under the
00:20:00.96\00:20:05.87
power of the Holy
Spirit, and you say...
00:20:05.90\00:20:09.14
"I don't want to
be bothered right now,
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.34
my man will call your man."
00:20:11.37\00:20:14.04
You know, "My secretary
will call your secretary,
00:20:14.08\00:20:15.58
but not now - I don't
want to do this right now."
00:20:15.61\00:20:18.18
And he did not know
that that was his LAST offer
00:20:18.21\00:20:21.68
for mercy - never was he to
receive another call from God.
00:20:21.72\00:20:26.19
So from what I read
here, Felix is lost! Yes
00:20:26.22\00:20:30.73
Felix is a lost man and
he sealed his fate that day,
00:20:30.79\00:20:34.73
and it should not have happened,
it did not need to happen.
00:20:34.76\00:20:38.83
He had a Jewish
wife, so he knew,
00:20:38.87\00:20:43.27
but when his opportunity came,
he let his opportunity pass by.
00:20:43.34\00:20:46.81
Now quickly because
my time is going away...
00:20:46.84\00:20:48.48
Festus replaces Felix, the
chief priest hatched a plot.
00:20:48.51\00:20:53.55
Now Festus could be rough
too, but he had a little more
00:20:53.58\00:20:57.65
conscience than Felix did,
so he's not aware of this plot.
00:20:57.69\00:21:01.96
The plot is... here we go...
The ruling capital for Rome
00:21:01.99\00:21:07.60
in that providence as
in Caesarea - he's saying,
00:21:07.60\00:21:12.10
"Why don't you bring Paul
from Caesarea up to Jerusalem."
00:21:12.13\00:21:16.97
The plan was - we will waylay
00:21:17.01\00:21:19.87
him on the way
and we will kill him.
00:21:19.91\00:21:21.58
How many times have we
said that over the past
00:21:21.61\00:21:23.11
several weeks there's a plot?
00:21:23.14\00:21:24.48
Someone needs to get out
a calculator and find out
00:21:24.51\00:21:26.28
how many times people
have tried to kill Paul
00:21:26.31\00:21:28.35
because it's more than
you can do on your fingers.
00:21:28.38\00:21:30.05
You know, it's a large number.
00:21:30.09\00:21:31.89
So here's another plot by the
00:21:31.92\00:21:33.92
high priest - we
want to kill him.
00:21:33.96\00:21:36.52
Now we need to insert
a little something here.
00:21:36.56\00:21:40.40
Acts 23:11... let me
read that very fast...
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.86
Acts 23:11...
00:21:42.90\00:21:50.54
"But the following
night, the Lord stood by him
00:21:53.21\00:21:56.01
and said, "Be of good
cheer, for as you have testified
00:21:56.04\00:21:59.35
for me in Jerusalem, so you
must also bear witness at Rome."
00:21:59.38\00:22:03.22
So Paul had this promise
that he was going to go to Rome.
00:22:04.19\00:22:08.39
So Paul now - - Festus
asked Paul, "Do you want to
00:22:08.42\00:22:16.26
go to Jerusalem?
(because he was a Roman citizen)
00:22:16.30\00:22:18.33
Got to respect the fact that
00:22:18.37\00:22:19.87
he was talking
to a Roman citizen.
00:22:19.90\00:22:23.24
Paul says, "I appeal to Caesar."
00:22:23.30\00:22:26.64
End of story! Trial
over, interrogation stops.
00:22:26.68\00:22:31.55
All malice ceases,
you mention the name of
00:22:31.58\00:22:37.25
Caesar - we stop!
00:22:37.29\00:22:40.06
And I love this, Acts 25:11...
00:22:40.12\00:22:43.49
Acts 25:11- you can see
how automatic this thing is.
00:22:43.53\00:22:48.43
Verse 11
00:22:48.46\00:22:52.53
"For if I am an offender
and I've committed anything
00:22:54.37\00:22:59.77
deserving of death, I
do not object to dying,
00:22:59.81\00:23:03.35
but if there is nothing
in these things of which
00:23:03.38\00:23:07.35
these men accuse me,
no one can deliver me from
00:23:07.42\00:23:11.22
them, I appeal to Caesar."
00:23:11.25\00:23:13.56
Now I love 12...
Then Festus, when he had
00:23:13.59\00:23:16.59
conferred with the council,
answered, "you have appealed
00:23:16.62\00:23:20.00
to Caesar? To
Caesar you shall go!"
00:23:20.03\00:23:23.53
End of story! Stop!
Period! Exclamation point!
00:23:23.57\00:23:27.34
You want to go to Caesar?
Then this little trial is over.
00:23:27.40\00:23:30.67
You shall go to Caesar.
00:23:30.71\00:23:33.11
Now that also meant that
he was going to be protected;
00:23:33.14\00:23:36.14
he was going to
be taken care of;
00:23:36.18\00:23:37.81
he was going to be
guarded; and that he had
00:23:37.85\00:23:40.68
to go to Caesar.
00:23:40.72\00:23:43.65
What is sad and Flavius
Josephus talks about this,
00:23:46.52\00:23:50.93
he portrays Festus as
a man with a conscience,
00:23:50.96\00:23:55.10
but he struggled to
keep order in Palestine,
00:23:55.13\00:23:58.47
and he too, tried
to placate the Jews.
00:23:58.53\00:24:01.54
You know, when you're
standing for the Lord,
00:24:01.57\00:24:03.91
you gotta really plant
your feet for the Lord,
00:24:03.94\00:24:08.51
no equivocation, no
vacillation, no hesitation,
00:24:08.54\00:24:12.48
you've really gotta
plant your feet for the Lord.
00:24:12.51\00:24:15.12
And only as you plant
your feet for the Lord,
00:24:15.15\00:24:17.62
can you honor God.
00:24:17.65\00:24:19.09
Christ said, "If
you stand up for Me,
00:24:19.12\00:24:21.29
I will stand up for you."
00:24:21.32\00:24:24.23
Both of these men,
Felix and Festus...
00:24:24.26\00:24:26.73
Festus did not rule
long, 2 years, so he didn't do
00:24:26.80\00:24:29.90
a good job either,
but a chance came for
00:24:29.93\00:24:33.00
both of them to be
saved, to talk to the greatest
00:24:33.03\00:24:37.37
evangelist in the New
Testament, and both let that
00:24:37.41\00:24:40.64
opportunity pass by.
00:24:40.68\00:24:42.18
How sad that is! That is sad.
00:24:42.21\00:24:43.91
The one thing I don't
ever want to be guilty of
00:24:43.95\00:24:46.25
is when God says,
"Murray, get up and go,"
00:24:46.28\00:24:50.85
I got to get up
and go! Thank you!
00:24:50.89\00:24:53.92
You know, you gotta
respond to that call,
00:24:53.96\00:24:56.02
and that is the
call for all of us.
00:24:56.06\00:24:57.66
When God calls, accept
that call - whatever He calls
00:24:57.69\00:25:00.93
you to do - wherever
He calls you to go...
00:25:00.96\00:25:03.26
serve Him and when
you stand up for Him,
00:25:03.30\00:25:06.37
you have His ironclad
guarantee that He will
00:25:06.40\00:25:09.64
stand up for you and
God will take care of you
00:25:09.67\00:25:12.34
wherever He sends you,
whatever He calls you to do,
00:25:12.37\00:25:14.48
He will give you the
ability to accomplish that
00:25:14.51\00:25:17.81
in the name of
Jesus. AMEN! Amen.
00:25:17.85\00:25:20.65
Well done Pastor C.A.
00:25:20.72\00:25:22.15
It hurts my heart when I think
about these men, these rulers
00:25:22.18\00:25:27.36
who stood there before Paul,
had the privilege, as you said,
00:25:27.39\00:25:31.43
the opportunity to hear
the gospel and said, "no."
00:25:31.46\00:25:36.06
Made a choice against that.
00:25:36.10\00:25:38.07
Okay, we pick up the
story, I have Tuesday!
00:25:38.10\00:25:42.30
Tuesday's lesson
is "Before Agrippa"
00:25:42.34\00:25:45.17
And we pick up the story in
verse 13, the very next verse
00:25:45.21\00:25:48.21
after you finished
there, we're in Acts 25:13...
00:25:48.24\00:25:52.21
"And after some days King
Agrippa and Bernice came to
00:25:52.25\00:25:57.82
Caesarea to greet Festus."
00:25:57.85\00:26:00.72
Now I just want to give a
little history here on the
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.76
Herodian Dynasty because
King Agrippa was the last one...
00:26:03.79\00:26:07.40
you can say of the
Herods who ruling there.
00:26:07.46\00:26:09.76
The Herodian Dynasty is
partly hereditary of course
00:26:09.80\00:26:13.23
because they
passed down father to son,
00:26:13.27\00:26:15.34
but it's also partly an
appointed line of rulers
00:26:15.37\00:26:18.74
because they were
appointed by the Roman emperor,
00:26:18.77\00:26:21.91
and by the senate.
00:26:21.94\00:26:23.78
The first one that
we see, Herod the Great,
00:26:23.85\00:26:26.31
we see him in Matthew 2
when he ordered all the baby
00:26:26.35\00:26:31.39
boys under the age of 2,
Brother Johnny, to be killed.
00:26:31.42\00:26:35.26
We also see him when
the wise men came and he was
00:26:35.29\00:26:40.20
trying to find out
the whereabouts of Jesus.
00:26:40.23\00:26:43.63
Then we have his
son, Herod Antipas,
00:26:43.67\00:26:46.43
is that the
correct pronunciation?
00:26:46.47\00:26:48.10
"Antipas." Okay,
or also called in the
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.27
Bible "Herod the tetrarch."
00:26:50.31\00:26:52.17
He was the tetrarch of Galilee.
00:26:52.21\00:26:54.14
He was the one we see who
murdered John the Baptist.
00:26:54.18\00:26:57.11
He also took the wife
of his half-brother Philip,
00:26:57.15\00:27:01.48
so you see not only was
he not such a good ruler,
00:27:01.52\00:27:05.32
he had some moral issues
going on in his life as well.
00:27:05.35\00:27:08.72
He is also the Herod
that was sent to Jesus during
00:27:08.76\00:27:13.26
the trial there at the end,
just before the crucifixion.
00:27:13.29\00:27:16.67
Then we have - this
is the grandson now of
00:27:16.70\00:27:19.90
Herod the Great,
this is Herod Agrippa I.
00:27:19.93\00:27:24.21
He was the King Herod
who persecuted the early
00:27:24.24\00:27:26.98
Christian Church -
the Apostolic Church.
00:27:27.01\00:27:29.38
He's the one who killed James
or ordered the killing of James
00:27:29.41\00:27:33.01
the brother of
John by the sword.
00:27:33.05\00:27:35.15
Now we come to his son who
is Agrippa II - this is the
00:27:35.18\00:27:41.46
Agrippa referenced here.
00:27:41.49\00:27:43.73
Now, he also had other
children and the other two
00:27:43.76\00:27:46.59
I want to mention here in
addition... let me back up
00:27:46.63\00:27:50.47
a moment - not the
Herod Agrippa mentioned here,
00:27:50.53\00:27:52.87
the Herod Agrippa who
killed James, the big daddy,
00:27:52.90\00:27:56.17
the first. Thank you Shelley.
00:27:56.20\00:27:57.57
The first had Herod
Agrippa II who we see here,
00:27:57.61\00:28:01.11
but he also had Bernice
who was his oldest daughter.
00:28:01.14\00:28:04.85
And he also had
another daughter by the name of
00:28:04.88\00:28:07.28
Drusilla - now Drusilla we
see she was married to Felix.
00:28:07.35\00:28:12.92
She was Felix's third
wife and Drusilla had left her
00:28:12.95\00:28:18.23
first husband to marry Felix.
00:28:18.26\00:28:21.43
Herod Agrippa II, he was the
last of the line of the Herods,
00:28:21.46\00:28:26.03
after him the family kind
of fell out of favor with Rome,
00:28:26.07\00:28:29.47
and he died about A.D. 100.
00:28:29.50\00:28:31.97
He came to with Bernice
to Caesarea to see Festus.
00:28:33.51\00:28:37.45
Bernice is his sister,
but Bernice was not such a
00:28:37.48\00:28:40.92
good woman either,
if we think about that.
00:28:40.95\00:28:43.18
She married her
uncle, then when he died,
00:28:43.22\00:28:46.99
she became mistress
to her brother Agrippa.
00:28:47.06\00:28:51.39
Then she married another
gentleman - the King of Cilicia;
00:28:51.43\00:28:56.30
then she left him for
her brother; then she became
00:28:56.33\00:28:59.70
a mistress of the
governor of Titus.
00:28:59.73\00:29:02.10
So she kind of made
the rounds a little bit.
00:29:02.14\00:29:05.67
We are in verse 13...
"They came to see Festus."
00:29:05.71\00:29:10.38
Verse 14... "When
they had been there
00:29:10.41\00:29:13.25
many days... (so this
shows this was not a priority
00:29:13.28\00:29:16.22
on Festus' mind - to
say, "Okay, I want you to hear
00:29:16.25\00:29:19.45
the case of Paul,"
it took a few days)
00:29:19.49\00:29:21.79
"When they had been
there many days, Festus laid
00:29:21.82\00:29:24.66
Paul's case before the
king saying: "There's a certain
00:29:24.69\00:29:28.13
man left a prisoner by
Felix, about whom the chief
00:29:28.16\00:29:31.53
priests and the elders
of the Jews informed me,
00:29:31.57\00:29:34.04
when I was in Jerusalem asking
for a judgment against him."
00:29:34.07\00:29:38.31
So Festus explains, as
it were, the case of Paul,
00:29:38.34\00:29:42.24
and he shows it's
not a criminal charge,
00:29:42.28\00:29:44.61
it's not even a
political charge,
00:29:44.65\00:29:46.58
it is a religious
matter concerning the Jews,
00:29:46.61\00:29:49.78
and what does that
have to do with it?
00:29:49.82\00:29:51.15
It has to do with
concerning the resurrection
00:29:51.19\00:29:53.76
of the Lord Jesus Christ
as Mollie and Pastor C.A.
00:29:53.79\00:29:57.53
so aptly described.
00:29:57.56\00:29:59.26
We're in verse
16... "To them I answered,
00:29:59.29\00:30:01.66
"It is not the custom of
the Romans to deliver any man
00:30:01.70\00:30:04.37
to destruction before the
accused meets the accusers
00:30:04.40\00:30:07.34
face to face and has
opportunity to answer for
00:30:07.40\00:30:10.37
himself concerning
the charge against him."
00:30:10.41\00:30:12.64
"Therefore when they had
come together, without any
00:30:12.67\00:30:15.84
delay, the next day I
sat on the judgment seat
00:30:15.88\00:30:17.98
and commanded the
man to be brought in.
00:30:18.01\00:30:20.08
When the accusers stood
up, they brought no accusation
00:30:20.12\00:30:22.95
against him of such
things as I supposed,
00:30:22.98\00:30:25.99
but had some questions
against him about their
00:30:26.02\00:30:28.32
own religion and about a
certain Jesus who had died,
00:30:28.36\00:30:32.16
whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
00:30:32.19\00:30:34.30
And because I was
uncertain of such questions,
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.60
I asked whether he was
willing to go to Jerusalem
00:30:36.63\00:30:39.00
and there be judged
concerning these matters.
00:30:39.03\00:30:41.60
But when Paul appealed to
be reserved for the decision of
00:30:41.64\00:30:44.41
Augustus, I
commanded him to be kept
00:30:44.44\00:30:47.31
till I could
send him to Caesar."
00:30:47.34\00:30:49.98
"Then Agrippa said to Festus,
Oooo, this is interesting.
00:30:50.01\00:30:53.55
"I want to hear the man myself."
00:30:53.58\00:30:56.42
Now in verses 23-27,
we see Paul brought out
00:30:56.45\00:31:02.12
for this trial.
00:31:02.16\00:31:03.63
We see that King Agrippa,
in verse 23, and Bernice
00:31:03.66\00:31:07.60
came out with great pomp!
00:31:07.60\00:31:09.36
So they came out
with, as you could say,
00:31:09.40\00:31:11.33
all the trappings,
Shelley, of success... Yes!
00:31:11.37\00:31:13.50
of the power of
the pomp that they were
00:31:13.54\00:31:15.60
involved in and not just
them, and Festus, who else came?
00:31:15.64\00:31:19.61
They entered the
auditorium with the commanders
00:31:19.64\00:31:22.31
and the
prominent men of the city.
00:31:22.34\00:31:24.98
At Festus' command,
Paul was brought in."
00:31:25.01\00:31:28.48
Now I want to read for you
here - this is a quote from
00:31:28.52\00:31:30.89
"Acts of the Apostles" p.434...
"And now Paul, still manacled,
00:31:30.95\00:31:36.22
he still has the chains,
stood before the assembled
00:31:36.26\00:31:40.36
company. What a
contrast was here presented!
00:31:40.40\00:31:44.00
Agrippa and Bernice
possessed power and position,
00:31:44.03\00:31:47.84
and because of this they
were favored by the world.
00:31:47.87\00:31:50.97
But they were
destitute of the traits of
00:31:51.01\00:31:53.54
character that God esteems.
00:31:53.61\00:31:56.68
They were transgressors
of His law, corrupt in
00:31:56.71\00:32:00.92
heart and in life.
00:32:00.95\00:32:02.78
Their course of action
was abhorred by heaven."
00:32:02.82\00:32:05.82
You know, many times,
from a human perspective,
00:32:05.85\00:32:09.16
we look at
something and we think...
00:32:09.19\00:32:10.86
"Oh this person
is in good standing,
00:32:10.93\00:32:13.09
this person is
struggling, he's in chains,
00:32:13.13\00:32:15.40
he's been in prison
here a couple of years,"
00:32:15.43\00:32:17.67
and yet he was
highly favored of God. Amen!
00:32:17.70\00:32:20.84
He was the righteous one
who stood before God justified,
00:32:20.90\00:32:25.17
and the others
stood in their sins.
00:32:25.21\00:32:27.38
And then I believe
Paul's defense here
00:32:27.44\00:32:31.48
for Shelley has her portion.
00:32:31.51\00:32:32.95
But before I pass it on to
you, Shelley, I want to talk
00:32:32.98\00:32:35.62
about what are we to
do... if we are brought before
00:32:35.65\00:32:38.99
kings and rulers to
speak for our faith.
00:32:39.02\00:32:42.36
We know at the end of time,
Pastor C.A., each one of us
00:32:42.39\00:32:45.46
will have an opportunity to
speak - maybe not in the same
00:32:45.49\00:32:48.96
fashion that Paul
did here before Festus,
00:32:49.00\00:32:53.00
and Agrippa and
Bernice, but we will all have
00:32:53.03\00:32:55.00
some fashion in order
to speak for our faith.
00:32:55.04\00:32:58.21
What is the preparation
that we should be doing?
00:32:58.24\00:33:01.21
#1... Trust God to
give you the words. Amen!
00:33:01.24\00:33:06.08
Luke 12- we have
time to turn there.
00:33:06.11\00:33:08.85
Luke 12:11-12...
Now it's interesting
00:33:08.88\00:33:12.82
Luke wrote Acts and he also
00:33:12.85\00:33:14.72
wrote this book
Luke, Luke 12:11-12.
00:33:14.76\00:33:20.13
Let me turn back a page.
00:33:20.20\00:33:24.90
The Bible says, "Now when
they bring you to the synagogues
00:33:28.04\00:33:31.57
and magistrates and authority,
do not worry about how
00:33:31.61\00:33:35.14
or what you should answer
or even what you should say.
00:33:35.18\00:33:38.65
For the Holy Spirit will
teach you in that very hour
00:33:38.68\00:33:42.65
what you ought to say. Amen!
00:33:42.68\00:33:45.12
#2... We need to actually
study and know His word.
00:33:45.15\00:33:47.99
There is a preparation
that needs to take place...
00:33:48.02\00:33:50.49
Yes, we can depend
upon the Holy Spirit.
00:33:50.53\00:33:52.63
Yes, we don't have to
be afraid because we know
00:33:52.66\00:33:55.06
God will give us the
words, but at the same time,
00:33:55.10\00:33:58.00
2 Timothy 2:15- "We need
to study to show ourselves
00:33:58.03\00:34:02.47
approved unto God, a
workman that does not
00:34:02.50\00:34:05.01
need to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth."
00:34:05.04\00:34:08.51
So we need to be studying now.
00:34:08.54\00:34:10.15
Now is our time of preparation.
00:34:10.18\00:34:11.91
Now is our time to
get into the word of God
00:34:11.95\00:34:14.75
and to know what it says.
00:34:14.78\00:34:16.18
And when that time
comes, what happens?
00:34:16.22\00:34:18.52
God will give us His word.
00:34:18.55\00:34:21.09
And finally... #3...
Receive His peace and
00:34:21.12\00:34:24.13
presence and don't be afraid.
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.49
Isaiah 41:10...
"Fear not, I am with you,
00:34:26.53\00:34:30.43
do not be
dismayed. I am your God.
00:34:30.47\00:34:32.87
I will strengthen
you. Yes, I will help you.
00:34:32.90\00:34:36.24
I will uphold you with the
right hand of My righteousness."
00:34:36.27\00:34:39.87
You know, a couple of years ago,
Greg and I had the privilege
00:34:39.91\00:34:42.64
of going to Israel and we
actually stood where Paul gave
00:34:42.68\00:34:46.78
his defense there in Caesarea
Maritime right by the sea.
00:34:46.82\00:34:52.09
You can look out of the
Mediterranean Seas there,
00:34:52.12\00:34:54.22
and I remember I stood right
where they said, the guide said,
00:34:54.26\00:34:57.59
"Well this is where
Paul would have stood."
00:34:57.63\00:34:59.96
And I just began to
cry... thinking he was sharing
00:35:00.06\00:35:04.63
the gospel in chains, but
being obedient to the call
00:35:04.67\00:35:08.67
of God upon his life.
00:35:08.70\00:35:10.84
Whatever situation
you find yourself in,
00:35:10.91\00:35:14.58
speak the truth, speak
for the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:35:14.61\00:35:18.61
and you have His assurance
that He will be with you.
00:35:18.65\00:35:22.38
Amen! Thank you Jill
and I know that was a very
00:35:22.42\00:35:26.05
touching moment for many people.
00:35:26.09\00:35:28.36
You know, we've been
very blessed that we've had
00:35:28.39\00:35:30.96
the opportunity - I think
that everyone sitting here
00:35:30.99\00:35:33.13
has had the
opportunity to travel to Israel,
00:35:33.16\00:35:36.63
and I want to talk to you just
a moment to set all of this up
00:35:36.67\00:35:40.80
so that you can get an
idea, those of you at home
00:35:40.84\00:35:44.34
... can an idea of
what we're talking about?
00:35:44.37\00:35:46.88
Caesarea Maritima - there
are two cities called Caesarea.
00:35:46.94\00:35:54.02
There is Caesarea
Philippi and Caesarea Maritima,
00:35:54.08\00:35:58.49
and it was incredible.
00:35:58.52\00:36:02.29
There is a beautiful
harbor, it's right on the
00:36:02.32\00:36:04.76
Mediterranean
Coast, the water is
00:36:04.79\00:36:06.96
the bluest water
you've ever seen.
00:36:07.03\00:36:08.60
The sun just
sparkles and dances off of it,
00:36:08.63\00:36:10.87
but this city was built
by Herod for the honor of
00:36:10.90\00:36:15.24
Augustus Caesar.
00:36:15.27\00:36:17.01
And what we see there are
some of the most impressive
00:36:17.04\00:36:20.01
works of
architecture in the Roman world.
00:36:20.08\00:36:23.08
There was a citadel, a
fortress and then they had
00:36:23.11\00:36:25.98
the palace and the amphitheater
and that amphitheater
00:36:26.01\00:36:30.39
was huge - it seated
4,000 people and it had
00:36:30.42\00:36:35.49
a large hippodrome where
they would have the horse races,
00:36:35.52\00:36:39.23
and you remember, it had
the city walls and the gates
00:36:39.26\00:36:44.07
and the aqueducts and
those beautiful paved squares
00:36:44.13\00:36:48.20
with the huge statues.
00:36:48.24\00:36:49.80
It was an incredible place!
00:36:49.84\00:36:52.77
Beautiful and here is
where Paul was imprisoned.
00:36:52.81\00:36:57.21
So as you mentioned,
when Festus calls Paul
00:36:57.25\00:37:01.75
to come in and
there's Agrippa and Bernice...
00:37:01.78\00:37:05.42
They're coming in with
their pomp and circumstance,
00:37:05.45\00:37:07.89
and you've got the
rest of these leaders,
00:37:07.92\00:37:10.29
this amphitheater, there
was probably filled up with
00:37:10.36\00:37:13.93
4,000 people because
this was a spectacle.
00:37:13.96\00:37:18.67
And so, Paul's
speech, as he begins and they
00:37:18.70\00:37:23.14
bring Paul in and this is what
will really bring you to tears,
00:37:23.17\00:37:26.68
is that when they bring Paul in,
the prisoner would stand at...
00:37:26.71\00:37:32.68
you've got the
amphitheater with all the rows
00:37:32.71\00:37:35.85
of seats going up, but
then the prisoner would stand
00:37:35.88\00:37:39.02
at the far end and
there was a hole in the floor.
00:37:39.05\00:37:42.79
And when they
would bring them out,
00:37:42.82\00:37:45.39
they would drop his
chains down below there,
00:37:45.43\00:37:48.20
and somebody was manipulating
those chains so if he said
00:37:48.23\00:37:52.50
something that Festus
didn't like or that Agrippa
00:37:52.53\00:37:55.60
didn't like he would get
YANKED, there would be a signal,
00:37:55.64\00:37:59.74
and he'd get yanked to
the floor to his knees,
00:37:59.77\00:38:02.81
and then have to get up again.
00:38:02.84\00:38:04.85
So this was an amazing
thing that happened there.
00:38:04.88\00:38:08.62
Now let's look at Paul's
speech, beginning with Acts 26,
00:38:08.65\00:38:13.15
we'll begin with verse 1,
and he is aiming his speech
00:38:13.19\00:38:17.76
at Agrippa because Festus
has already heard his defense.
00:38:17.79\00:38:21.96
Then Agrippa said to Paul,
"You are permitted to speak
00:38:22.00\00:38:24.90
for yourself," so Paul stretched
out his hand and answered
00:38:24.93\00:38:27.54
for himself. "I
think myself happy,
00:38:27.57\00:38:30.04
King Agrippa, because today I
shall answer myself before you
00:38:30.11\00:38:34.08
concerning all the things
which I am accused by the Jews
00:38:34.11\00:38:37.25
especially because you
are an expert in all customs
00:38:37.28\00:38:41.92
(because he was himself Jewish,
I mean, he was of Arab descent,
00:38:41.95\00:38:48.39
but he was a practicing
Jew, let's put it that way)
00:38:48.42\00:38:51.93
especially because
you're an expert in all customs
00:38:51.96\00:38:54.76
and questions which
have to do with the Jews.
00:38:54.83\00:38:57.43
Therefore, I beg you
to hear me patiently."
00:38:57.47\00:39:01.17
So Paul is acknowledging his
gratitude to present his case
00:39:01.20\00:39:05.91
before such an eminent
person and I think he was really
00:39:05.94\00:39:09.18
happy because Agrippa
was familiar with the customs
00:39:09.21\00:39:12.08
and the questions
pertaining to the Jews.
00:39:12.11\00:39:14.35
Now, it's interesting,
Agrippa was responsible for the
00:39:14.38\00:39:19.09
temple - he was responsible
for appointing the high priest,
00:39:19.12\00:39:24.36
and so he had great
interest in hearing the charges
00:39:24.39\00:39:28.66
leveled against Paul
because Paul has been
00:39:28.70\00:39:33.34
accused of violating the temple.
00:39:33.37\00:39:35.44
And the reason that Festus
wanted Agrippa to hear him
00:39:35.47\00:39:40.08
is because Festus has
got to send Paul on now
00:39:40.11\00:39:43.55
to Augustus Caesar and
he didn't know what charges
00:39:43.58\00:39:48.48
shall I even send him
forward to Caesar with.
00:39:48.52\00:39:52.32
So, he had hoped that Agrippa
could help him understand,
00:39:52.35\00:39:56.93
and maybe give him some charges.
00:39:56.96\00:39:59.03
So Paul gives this powerful
autobiographical report now
00:39:59.06\00:40:04.03
to Agrippa - before
and after his conversion.
00:40:04.07\00:40:07.10
And I imagine all
of the listeners there
00:40:07.14\00:40:10.21
must have been spellbound.
00:40:10.27\00:40:11.67
Alright, the speech is in three
parts and I've got to hurry.
00:40:11.71\00:40:16.28
Part 1 is verses 4-11
and this is where he is
00:40:16.31\00:40:19.85
describing his
former, dare I say, piety.
00:40:19.88\00:40:22.92
"My manner of life from my
life, verse 4, from my youth
00:40:22.95\00:40:26.35
which was spent from
my beginning among my
00:40:26.39\00:40:28.36
own nation at
Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
00:40:28.39\00:40:31.76
They knew me from the first,
even if they were willing to
00:40:31.79\00:40:35.00
testify that according
to the strictest sect of our
00:40:35.03\00:40:38.17
religion I lived as a Pharisee.
00:40:38.20\00:40:40.87
And now I stand and am judged
for the hope of the promise
00:40:40.90\00:40:43.94
made by God to our fathers.
00:40:43.97\00:40:45.61
To this promise our twelve
tribes earnestly serving God
00:40:45.64\00:40:49.34
night and day, hope to attain.
00:40:49.38\00:40:51.71
For this hope's
sake, King Agrippa,
00:40:51.75\00:40:54.08
I am accused by the Jews.
00:40:54.15\00:40:56.65
Why should it be
thought incredible by you
00:40:56.72\00:40:59.32
that God raises the dead?"
00:40:59.35\00:41:02.99
So he distills the
entire conversation down to
00:41:03.02\00:41:07.30
God's promise of a resurrection
that the Pharisees believed
00:41:07.30\00:41:11.37
and the Sadducees did not.
00:41:11.40\00:41:13.20
But this complaint
that the Jews had made
00:41:13.23\00:41:17.11
against the Christians
was that they believed
00:41:17.17\00:41:19.54
that Christ was
raised from the dead.
00:41:19.57\00:41:21.41
They believed and
taught that faith in Him...
00:41:21.44\00:41:24.31
The Christians believed
and taught that faith in Him
00:41:24.35\00:41:27.22
gave them eternal life.
00:41:27.28\00:41:28.68
Now verse 9...
"Indeed I myself thought
00:41:28.72\00:41:31.72
I must do many things
contrary to the name of
00:41:31.75\00:41:34.12
Jesus of Nazareth.
00:41:34.16\00:41:35.49
This I also did in
Jerusalem and many of the saints
00:41:35.52\00:41:38.99
I shut up in prison,
having received authority from
00:41:39.03\00:41:41.86
the chief priest and
when they were put to death,
00:41:41.90\00:41:44.40
I cast my vote against them.
00:41:44.43\00:41:46.87
And I punished them
often in every synagogue and I
00:41:46.90\00:41:50.67
compelled them to
blaspheme and being exceedingly
00:41:50.74\00:41:54.88
enraged against them,
I persecuted them even
00:41:54.91\00:41:59.15
to the foreign cities."
00:41:59.18\00:42:01.22
All of these activities
were widely known by the
00:42:01.25\00:42:04.02
contemporaries of
Paul in Jerusalem.
00:42:04.09\00:42:08.29
And so, as a Pharisee, he
believed in the resurrection
00:42:08.32\00:42:11.66
of the dead, but he's
saying, "Hey, this is essential
00:42:11.69\00:42:15.00
to Israel's ancestral
hope," and so his teaching was
00:42:15.03\00:42:20.50
fundamentally Jewish.
00:42:20.54\00:42:22.30
The Jews were
opposing him, but he understood
00:42:22.34\00:42:29.21
that saying, "Hey y'all I
understand why they did it,
00:42:29.24\00:42:31.45
because I did it too
until I learned further truth."
00:42:31.48\00:42:34.32
Now part 2, Acts
26, he's going to give
00:42:34.35\00:42:39.12
part of his conversion, we
will begin with verse 12...
00:42:39.15\00:42:42.76
"While thus occupied, as
I journeyed to Damascus with
00:42:42.79\00:42:47.03
authority and commission
from the chief priests,
00:42:47.10\00:42:49.16
at midday, O king, along the
road I saw a light from heaven,
00:42:49.20\00:42:54.80
brighter than the
sun, shining around me
00:42:54.84\00:42:57.67
and those who journeyed with me.
00:42:57.71\00:42:59.14
And when we all had
fallen to the ground, I heard a
00:42:59.17\00:43:01.41
voice speaking to me and
saying in the Hebrew language,
00:43:01.44\00:43:05.48
"Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me?
00:43:05.51\00:43:08.42
It is hard for you to
kick against the goads?"
00:43:08.45\00:43:11.02
And this is something
we've already studied,
00:43:11.05\00:43:13.02
so I won't go over that...
00:43:13.05\00:43:15.56
"So I said, "Who are
you Lord?" And He said,
00:43:15.59\00:43:19.56
"I am Jesus whom
you are persecuting.
00:43:19.59\00:43:22.20
But rise and stand on
your feet; for I have appeared
00:43:22.23\00:43:25.03
to you for this
purpose, to make you a minister
00:43:25.07\00:43:29.57
and a witness both of the
things which you have seen
00:43:29.60\00:43:33.94
and of the things which
I will yet reveal to you.
00:43:33.98\00:43:37.45
I will deliver you from
the Jewish people as well as
00:43:37.51\00:43:40.58
from the Gentiles
to whom I now send you.
00:43:40.62\00:43:43.95
He is sending Paul to open
their eyes in order to turn
00:43:43.99\00:43:49.26
them from darkness
to light, from the power
00:43:49.29\00:43:52.23
of Satan to God that they
may receive forgiveness of sins,
00:43:52.26\00:43:57.50
and an inheritance
among those who are sanctified
00:43:57.53\00:44:00.64
by faith in Me."
Ooo! What a Scripture!
00:44:00.67\00:44:04.57
This is 26:18...
This was Christ's purpose.
00:44:04.61\00:44:08.71
So, here Paul is reporting
to Agrippa this life-changing
00:44:08.74\00:44:15.28
encounter that he had
on the road to Damascus,
00:44:15.32\00:44:18.39
when he had a personal
encounter with Jesus Christ.
00:44:18.42\00:44:21.52
And he's telling all of
the audience... Hey, Gentiles
00:44:21.56\00:44:25.03
have an equal share in God's
inheritance - this is part of
00:44:25.06\00:44:28.56
the covenant blessing of
the covenant with Abraham.
00:44:28.60\00:44:31.70
But now let's look quickly
at verse 19 because this is
00:44:31.73\00:44:35.14
where part 3 starts...
00:44:35.17\00:44:37.11
"Therefore King Agrippa,
I was not disobedient to the
00:44:37.17\00:44:40.34
heavenly vision. (he
was compelled to obey)
00:44:40.38\00:44:42.88
but declared first to those
in Damascus and in Jerusalem
00:44:42.91\00:44:46.31
throughout all the regions of
Judea, and then to the Gentiles,
00:44:46.35\00:44:50.35
that they should repent
and turn to God and do works
00:44:50.39\00:44:53.92
befitting repentance.
00:44:53.96\00:44:57.59
For these reasons the
Jews seized me in the temple
00:44:57.63\00:45:01.43
and tried to kill me.
00:45:01.46\00:45:05.03
Therefore, having
obtained help from God,
00:45:05.07\00:45:06.94
to this day I stand,
witnessing both to small
00:45:06.97\00:45:10.31
and great, saying no
other things than those which
00:45:10.34\00:45:13.48
the prophets and
Moses said would come...
00:45:13.51\00:45:16.48
that the Christ would suffer
that He would be the first
00:45:16.51\00:45:19.85
to rise from the dead and
would proclaim light to the
00:45:19.88\00:45:23.32
Jewish people
and to the Gentiles."
00:45:23.39\00:45:26.69
Amen! Amen! Amen!
I love that chapter!
00:45:26.76\00:45:31.19
It's been a
blessing to hear all of you.
00:45:32.89\00:45:34.46
You know, this is one of
the... I don't know what you can
00:45:34.46\00:45:37.80
call this - the gripping
scenes of the Bible, dramatic,
00:45:37.83\00:45:41.44
full of great lessons,
very powerful as you see Paul
00:45:41.47\00:45:47.08
defending himself
before all these people.
00:45:47.14\00:45:49.94
The list of
people, they were prominent
00:45:50.01\00:45:52.15
people from the city. Yes
00:45:52.18\00:45:53.62
He is standing there
before King Agrippa and Festus,
00:45:53.68\00:45:58.02
it's a moment where...
I mean it's just intensely
00:45:58.05\00:46:03.69
interesting, you know,
I'm surprised they haven't
00:46:03.76\00:46:06.19
made - I don't know if
they have made TV or movie
00:46:06.23\00:46:10.00
about this because it
is just a tremendous moment
00:46:10.07\00:46:13.94
in the life of Paul. Amen!
00:46:13.97\00:46:15.64
Appearing before
King Agrippa and Festus,
00:46:15.67\00:46:17.77
he was making his defense.
00:46:17.81\00:46:19.47
You know, when we face things
like these, and we go to the
00:46:19.51\00:46:25.45
Lord in prayer and
place ourselves in His hands,
00:46:25.48\00:46:27.65
the Lord will give us
a calmness, a serenity
00:46:27.68\00:46:33.09
and as Sister Jill read,
the Holy Spirit will give
00:46:33.12\00:46:40.30
you the words to
speak, so that is what
00:46:40.33\00:46:43.93
Paul was speaking
and I pick up here in
00:46:43.97\00:46:47.20
Acts 26:24... Now
as he thus made his
00:46:47.24\00:46:52.34
defense, Festus
said with a loud voice,
00:46:52.37\00:46:55.74
(interrupted him) "Paul
you are beside yourself!
00:46:55.78\00:46:59.08
Much learning is
driving you mad!"
00:46:59.11\00:47:01.22
(and interrupted his message)
00:47:01.25\00:47:05.22
Verse 25... But he
said, "I am not mad,
00:47:05.25\00:47:07.89
most noble Festus, but speak
the words of truth and reason.
00:47:07.92\00:47:12.53
For the king, (now he
goes back to King Agrippa),
00:47:12.56\00:47:15.46
for the king, before
whom I also speak freely,
00:47:15.50\00:47:18.10
knows these things; for
I am convinced that none
00:47:18.13\00:47:21.97
of these things escapes his
attention, since this thing was
00:47:22.00\00:47:25.67
not done in a corner.
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.74
King Agrippa, do you
believe the prophets? Amen!
00:47:27.78\00:47:32.75
(and I don't know what
King Agrippa did at that moment,
00:47:32.78\00:47:35.12
"Do YOU believe the prophets?"
00:47:35.15\00:47:36.48
(but Paul answered for him)
00:47:37.89\00:47:39.72
I know you
believe." I know you believe.
00:47:39.75\00:47:44.46
(and this is the moment
when King Agrippa answers,
00:47:44.49\00:47:48.86
this is the moment, you
know when you ask yourself,
00:47:48.90\00:47:51.20
"did he forget where he
was, did he forget the position
00:47:51.23\00:47:55.97
he held as king... because
the statement he makes is
00:47:56.00\00:47:59.74
one that is showing what's
going on inside - that the
00:47:59.77\00:48:03.48
Holy Spirit was
touching his heart)
00:48:03.51\00:48:05.91
Then Agrippa said to
Paul, "You almost persuade me
00:48:05.95\00:48:11.42
to become a Christian."
00:48:11.45\00:48:14.62
Wow! These are powerful
words and also very sad words
00:48:14.66\00:48:18.96
when you think that he
was THIS CLOSE, you know,
00:48:18.99\00:48:22.33
THIS CLOSE to saying, "I'm
going to give my life to Jesus
00:48:22.36\00:48:26.03
just like Paul did."
00:48:26.07\00:48:27.44
But he did not and this is
one of the saddest episodes
00:48:27.47\00:48:31.77
in history of somebody's
life that when they say,
00:48:31.81\00:48:34.41
"You almost persuaded
me to be a Christian."
00:48:34.44\00:48:36.44
Now the lesson brings out that
another translation could be
00:48:36.48\00:48:41.88
"Paul you are so
quickly persuading
00:48:41.92\00:48:44.59
me to be a Christian."
00:48:44.62\00:48:45.95
Now this is a moment that he
is having to make a decision,
00:48:45.99\00:48:52.56
and unfortunately, he does
not make the right one. Yes
00:48:52.59\00:48:56.13
Unfortunately.
00:48:56.16\00:48:57.53
I want to read what Paul said.
00:48:57.57\00:48:59.20
Now in verse 29...
"And Paul said, "I would
00:48:59.23\00:49:02.80
to God that not only you,
but also all who hear me today,
00:49:02.84\00:49:08.64
might become both almost
and altogether such as I am
00:49:08.68\00:49:12.81
except for these chains." Amen!
00:49:12.85\00:49:15.28
I want to stop here for a
moment because there are people
00:49:15.32\00:49:18.29
that are listening to
the words that we're reading,
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.92
and they've been watching
3ABN, they've been listening
00:49:21.96\00:49:24.86
to 3ABN radio and the
Holy Spirit is working in their
00:49:24.89\00:49:29.13
hearts and they're almost
deciding to be a Christian...
00:49:29.16\00:49:32.70
They're almost
there but for some reason,
00:49:32.73\00:49:35.20
the attractions of the
world, something is pulling them
00:49:35.24\00:49:39.44
to not making the decision
for Christ and I want to
00:49:39.47\00:49:41.94
urge you and I am asking
the Lord for the Holy Spirit
00:49:41.98\00:49:46.38
to urge you to consider
that this could be a "moment"
00:49:46.41\00:49:49.95
that you may not have again. Yes
00:49:49.98\00:49:51.42
An opportunity to
decide for Jesus Christ,
00:49:51.45\00:49:54.92
to give your life to Jesus
and your life will be changed
00:49:54.96\00:49:58.66
for the better!
00:49:58.69\00:50:00.13
And that's what
happened to Paul - his life was
00:50:00.20\00:50:02.10
changed for the better!
00:50:02.13\00:50:03.83
And I encourage you to make
a decision to give your heart
00:50:03.87\00:50:06.60
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
00:50:06.63\00:50:08.44
Now there's another group
of people that I would like to
00:50:08.47\00:50:10.41
appeal to and they are those
that have been watching 3ABN,
00:50:10.47\00:50:13.84
perhaps you're of
another Christian persuasion,
00:50:13.88\00:50:16.08
and you're learning new
things, new truth, new light,
00:50:16.11\00:50:19.08
and you've heard things...
"The Sabbath - why I've never
00:50:19.11\00:50:21.52
seen this before,"
the state of the dead,
00:50:21.55\00:50:23.55
I've never
understood this before."
00:50:23.59\00:50:25.25
And I want to
encourage you to understand that
00:50:25.29\00:50:27.96
God is showing you light;
00:50:27.99\00:50:29.32
TRUTH that is
in the word of God,
00:50:29.36\00:50:32.86
and if this truth is in the
word of God and you know it is,
00:50:32.89\00:50:35.83
as Paul said to King
Agrippa, "I know you believe,"
00:50:35.86\00:50:39.63
what is stopping you
from making the decision...
00:50:39.67\00:50:42.64
To make the decision to keep
the Sabbath; to follow the Lord
00:50:42.67\00:50:46.94
ALL the way that He is
showing you, accept these truths
00:50:47.01\00:50:50.01
and join those that
have already accepted the
00:50:50.08\00:50:53.85
truth of the Sabbath.
00:50:53.88\00:50:55.22
You know, God is showing
you light, why would you expect
00:50:55.25\00:50:58.82
God to show you more light,
if you don't accept the light
00:50:58.85\00:51:01.26
that He has already showing you,
and to live according to them.
00:51:01.29\00:51:04.76
I know of pastors that
have heard about the Sabbath
00:51:04.79\00:51:07.50
and they struggle - "Should
I make this change or not?"
00:51:07.60\00:51:10.23
I urge you to consider that
God is calling you into greater
00:51:10.27\00:51:13.94
light and greater things!
00:51:14.00\00:51:15.64
And consider that this
is a call from the Lord.
00:51:15.67\00:51:20.14
Now we have to
continue with our story because
00:51:20.18\00:51:23.18
there is more to share.
00:51:23.21\00:51:25.05
Now in verse 30 we pick up...
"When he had said these things,
00:51:25.08\00:51:30.65
(that is King
Agrippa) the king stood up
00:51:30.69\00:51:32.85
as well as the
governor and Bernice
00:51:32.89\00:51:34.72
and those who sat with
them; and when they had gone
00:51:34.76\00:51:37.43
aside, (they discussed
what was going on - they really
00:51:37.49\00:51:41.46
didn't ask him any
questions, they didn't accuse
00:51:41.50\00:51:43.73
him of anything) and
when they had gone aside,
00:51:43.80\00:51:46.17
they talked among themselves
saying, "This man is doing
00:51:46.20\00:51:48.94
nothing deserving
of death or chains."
00:51:48.97\00:51:52.91
Then Agrippa said to Festus,
"This man might have been
00:51:52.94\00:51:56.78
set free if he had
not appealed to Caesar."
00:51:56.81\00:52:00.98
And that... that is
where basically this part of
00:52:01.02\00:52:06.22
the lesson stops.
00:52:06.25\00:52:07.59
If he had not appealed to
Caesar, we would set him free.
00:52:07.66\00:52:11.66
Basically they were able
to set him free because they
00:52:11.69\00:52:14.36
found nothing to accuse him of.
00:52:14.36\00:52:16.83
You know, I am reminded of
a time - you see when you are
00:52:16.87\00:52:21.44
brought before people,
you may either have to be
00:52:21.47\00:52:24.57
respectful as Paul was -
speak with the serenity that the
00:52:24.61\00:52:28.04
Holy Spirit gives you
or you may have to be BOLD
00:52:28.08\00:52:30.98
and speak the truth!
00:52:31.01\00:52:33.25
And I want to take you to
another place in the Scripture
00:52:33.28\00:52:35.55
when there was a prophet
of the Lord before a king...
00:52:35.58\00:52:39.55
And, you know, kings
sometimes they command respect
00:52:39.59\00:52:44.46
because as Jesus was
told, "You know, I can
00:52:44.49\00:52:49.36
have you killed."
00:52:49.83\00:52:51.43
And this is the
scene in 1 Kings 18 and I'm
00:52:51.47\00:52:57.44
taking you to verse
17, 1 Kings 18:17...
00:52:57.47\00:53:00.38
"Then it happened
when Ahab saw Elijah,
00:53:00.41\00:53:04.58
that Ahab said to him,
"Is that you, O troubler
00:53:04.61\00:53:07.65
of Israel?" (I
like the King James...
00:53:07.68\00:53:10.09
"Are you he that
troubleth Israel?"
00:53:10.12\00:53:12.79
And he wasn't a
coward, he didn't speak softly.
00:53:12.82\00:53:16.73
And he answered, "I
have not troubled Israel,
00:53:16.76\00:53:19.86
but you and your father's
house have in that you have
00:53:19.89\00:53:22.66
forsaken the commandments
of the Lord and you have
00:53:22.70\00:53:25.10
followed the Baals.
00:53:25.13\00:53:26.63
Now therefore, (now he's giving
him an order - to the king)
00:53:26.70\00:53:30.77
Now therefore, send
and gather all Israel to me
00:53:30.81\00:53:33.48
on Mount Carmel, the
450 prophets of Baal and the
00:53:33.54\00:53:36.81
450 prophets of Asherah
who eat at Jezebel's table."
00:53:36.85\00:53:41.25
You know, he didn't tell
him why, but notice what happens
00:53:41.28\00:53:44.39
in the following verse.
00:53:44.42\00:53:45.75
And it came to pass
that he did exactly what
00:53:45.79\00:53:52.33
Elijah said - he gathered
all the people and there they
00:53:52.36\00:53:55.83
went to Mount Carmel...
00:53:55.86\00:53:57.20
So sometimes you have to
speak boldly for the Lord
00:53:57.23\00:54:01.37
under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
00:54:01.40\00:54:04.01
The cutting truth
sometimes must be spoken because
00:54:04.04\00:54:07.61
that is what is
required at the time.
00:54:07.64\00:54:09.74
In this particular
time, when Paul is speaking
00:54:09.78\00:54:12.61
to Agrippa and
Festus, he is with serenity
00:54:12.65\00:54:16.35
calmness and respect
speaking to them the Holy Truth
00:54:16.38\00:54:21.42
of the Lord and it was
impacting... I mean I don't
00:54:21.46\00:54:27.00
know, I would even think
that King Agrippa was shaking
00:54:27.03\00:54:29.73
... this is a moment and
his heart was pounding...
00:54:29.76\00:54:32.87
"Do I decide to be a
Christian or not, how will this
00:54:32.90\00:54:35.87
affect my life?"
because this is a serious
00:54:35.90\00:54:38.37
decision for some
people to become Christians.
00:54:38.41\00:54:41.78
Consider Moses - I
mean he was going to be in
00:54:41.81\00:54:45.78
high honor, but when you
make decisions for Christ,
00:54:45.81\00:54:49.68
your life is improved for the
better - you will feel better!
00:54:49.72\00:54:52.49
You will feel at peace,
you will have great joy,
00:54:52.52\00:54:55.82
and so, again, I call
upon those that are listening
00:54:55.86\00:54:58.93
to what we spoke in
here in the Book of Acts,
00:54:58.96\00:55:01.46
and find that there's
a message for you here,
00:55:01.50\00:55:04.40
a message that
God is calling you to.
00:55:04.43\00:55:07.04
Continue to study
these Scriptures because
00:55:07.07\00:55:10.51
they draw us to the
Lord; they lead us in the path
00:55:10.54\00:55:13.48
of righteousness and we
prepare ourselves for the
00:55:13.51\00:55:17.05
Second Coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
00:55:17.08\00:55:18.71
I turn it over to Sister Mollie.
00:55:18.75\00:55:20.85
Praise the Lord!
Johnny Dinzey, that was just
00:55:20.92\00:55:23.72
beautiful and you know,
I feel moved in my heart
00:55:23.79\00:55:26.62
that there are
people, Pastor C.A. I am going
00:55:26.65\00:55:29.06
to ask you to pray
for them in just a moment,
00:55:29.09\00:55:30.93
who are standing in
the valley of decision.
00:55:30.96\00:55:34.00
Right now, the Lord
is touching your heart...
00:55:34.00\00:55:36.93
And I want to just
go back over Felix...
00:55:36.97\00:55:40.20
Did he have an opportunity
to accept the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:55:40.24\00:55:43.24
but what did he say?
00:55:43.27\00:55:44.61
He said, "Come
on another day." Yes
00:55:44.64\00:55:48.54
And then Festus had the same
opportunity and King Agrippa,
00:55:48.58\00:55:52.91
Johnny that you just
covered so beautifully,
00:55:52.95\00:55:55.78
"ALMOST thou persuadest me."
00:55:55.82\00:55:58.89
Almost being persuaded
means that you are not in the
00:55:58.92\00:56:03.59
right
relationship with the Lord.
00:56:03.66\00:56:05.23
You must make that decision.
00:56:05.26\00:56:07.23
I want to read one Scripture
to you, then Pastor C.A.
00:56:07.23\00:56:10.37
I'm going to give it to
you and ask you close it out.
00:56:10.40\00:56:12.60
And that is 2 Corinthians
6:2, And the Scripture says,
00:56:12.63\00:56:19.41
"Behold, now is the
accepted time, behold now is
00:56:19.44\00:56:25.15
the day of salvation."
00:56:25.18\00:56:26.85
So for you, the hearts
are pricked and you're in that
00:56:26.92\00:56:30.09
valley of decision, I'm going
to ask C.A. to pray for you.
00:56:30.12\00:56:33.66
Father God, This
is somewhat of a sad
00:56:33.69\00:56:36.93
chapter - to see these
three notable men who had
00:56:36.96\00:56:40.80
an opportunity to accept Christ,
who had a great evangelist
00:56:40.83\00:56:44.83
full of the power of the
Spirit before them, but who
00:56:44.87\00:56:47.67
chose to turn their backs
on the Lord and on his Way.
00:56:47.70\00:56:52.01
Father, that same call
from that same Holy Spirit
00:56:52.04\00:56:55.28
calls each of us today. Amen
00:56:55.31\00:56:57.81
For those who do not know
Him, Christ knocks at the door
00:56:57.85\00:57:00.98
of your heart saying,
"Please let Me in and I will
00:57:01.02\00:57:04.49
come and sup with
you, you shall be my people
00:57:04.52\00:57:07.29
and I will be your God."
00:57:07.32\00:57:08.79
To those who may be
growing cold, He is saying,
00:57:08.82\00:57:11.09
"Come, learn of Me
and refresh yourself,
00:57:11.13\00:57:14.40
renew yourself in My power. Amen
00:57:14.46\00:57:16.53
And for those who are
walking with Him, He says,
00:57:16.56\00:57:19.20
"Keep on walking until
the day we walk through the
00:57:19.23\00:57:21.27
gates and into the City."
00:57:21.30\00:57:22.84
Oh, dear Father,
may we accept You.
00:57:22.87\00:57:25.61
May we open up our
hearts, may we turn our backs
00:57:25.64\00:57:28.78
on sin and turn
our face towards Jesus,
00:57:28.81\00:57:32.18
and take a hold of His hand
00:57:32.21\00:57:34.12
in the promise that
He will never let us go.
00:57:34.15\00:57:36.18
And we thank you
Father. In Jesus name... Amen
00:57:36.22\00:57:39.42