More Trials for Paul

The Book of Acts:  More Trials for Paul

After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus. But because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. (Ac 24:27)

1. Another ___________ and another ___________ to kill Paul.

¹ Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ² Then the high priests and the leaders of the Jews brought formal charges against Paul ³ and asked Festus for the favor of transferring Paul’s case to Jerusalem. Their plan was to ambush and kill Paul along the way. ⁴ However, Festus replied that Paul was being held in custody at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there soon. ⁵ “Therefore,” he said, “let some of your leaders go down with me and press charges against him, if there is anything evil about the man.” (Ac 25:1–5)

⁶ After spending no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, he sat on the judicial bench and ordered Paul to be brought in. ⁷ When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they could not prove. ⁸ Paul said in his defense, “I have not committed any offense against the Jewish law, against the temple, or against Caesar.” ⁹ But since Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor, he said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” (Ac 25:6–9)

¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judicial bench, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as also you yourself know very well. ¹¹ If I am guilty and have done something worthy of death, I am not trying to escape death. But if there is nothing to the charges they are making against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (Ac 25:10–11)

... the first five years … (A. D. 54-59), when the imperial administration was carried on under the influence of his tutor Seneca, the Stoic philosopher, and Afranius Burrus, prefect of the praetorian guard, were looked back to as a miniature golden age. There was little in a. d. 59 that gave warning of the events of a. d. 64 and 65.

After Festus conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” (Ac 25:12)

Take courage! As you have solemnly testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome. (Ac 23:11b)

God is _________________________. He is above and beyond all that is created.

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity you are God. (Ps 90:2)

But who is able to build a house for him? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain him. Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to send incense and sacrifices up in smoke before him? (2 Ch 2:6)

God is _______________________. God is always present everywhere and where he is, he is there completely.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your Presence? ⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell—there you are! ⁹ I rise on the wings of dawn. I settle on the far side of the sea. ¹⁰ Even there your hand guides me, and your right hand holds on to me. (Ps 139:7–10)

God is _______________________. God knows all things at all times intuitively. This knowledge does not come from outside him.

¹ Lord, you have investigated me, and you know. ² You know when I sit down and when I get up. You understand my thoughts from far off. ³ You keep track of when I travel and when I stay, and you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴ Before there is a word on my tongue, you, Lord, already know it completely. (Ps 139:1–4)

²⁹ “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father. ³⁰ And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (Mt 10:29–30)

God is _____________________. God is all powerful.

[The Lord said] Indeed, from the first day, I am he. There is no one who can deliver anyone from my hand. I act, and who can reverse it? (Is 43:13)

God is _________. Wisdom is the ability not just to know but to understand and to apply or use profitably what is known.

God is absolutely _______________________; “I am who I am” (Ge 3:14). He alone is free from need or limit.

God is _________. To be just is to have an absolute perfect standard of right and wrong, and to be the standard of right and wrong. To act justly is to judge perfectly according to that standard, to condemn and punish all sin and imperfection, and to praise and reward all perfection.

The law of the Lord is perfect. It revives the soul. The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy. It gives wisdom to the inexperienced. (Ps 19:7)

^10b For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. ¹¹ Indeed, it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will acknowledge God. (Ro 14:10b–11)

God is _________, that is he is separate from sin “I am who I am” (Ge 3:14).

⁴ For you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil. With you the wicked cannot dwell. ⁵ The arrogant cannot stand before your eyes. You hate all evildoers. (Ps 5:4–5)

God is a _________________ God. He is not a magnetic field or some kind of force. He is not nameless and aimless spirit that is somehow in all of nature. No, he is personally involved in his creation.

God is _________________. Grace is undeserved love. It is not a quality that can be measured; for nothing in God is capable of measure or limitation. It is rooted and grounded in his will, a will that yearns for and longs for our ultimate good: our salvation.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16)

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46)

God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. (2 Co 5:21)

God is _________________. Mercy is unexpected love. Mercy is the kind of love that is provoked by the need and misery of someone.

¹⁰ When God saw their actions, that they had turned from their evil way, God relented from the disaster which he said he would bring on them, and he did not carry it out. ...  ² He prayed to the Lord, “Lord, wasn’t this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I previously fled to Tarshish, because I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and you relent from sending disaster. (Jon 3:10, 4:2)

⁴ But God, because he is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses. (Eph 2:4–5a)

But God shows his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Ro 5:8)

‘It is finished!’ Then, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. (Jn 19:30b)

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Ro 8:28)

Points to Ponder

1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this week's message?

2. Which attributes/characteristics do you think show God immeasurable love for sinful human beings? Explain your answer.

Homework: Acts 25