Passage of the Day - February 13, 2011

Acts 24:1-9

 ¹After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul.

 ²After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, "Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation,

 ³we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

 ⁴"But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.

 ⁵"For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

 ⁶"And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law.

 ⁷"But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands,

 ⁸ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him."

 ⁹The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

Writing Passage of the Day on Acts has been difficult.  I prefer to not repeat myself so much, but I always seem to have to write about false accusations and persecution.  It is a somewhat draining endeavor and I am only writing about it. I can't really imagine living it.  However, it does make the Pauline letters regarding faithfulness and endurance come alive.  Hardship is part of life, especially for those who sacrifice their goals for the sake of Christ.  We aren't all called to the same kind of special ministry that Paul was called to, but we ARE called to have the same kind of faithfulness.  The kind of faithfulness only God can provide.  Let us be mindful that the passages on endurance not only apply to the persecuted early Church, but also to the ordinary tasks God has laid out before us - family, job/school, church, etc.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)