Passage of the Day

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Passage of the Day - February 19, 2011

Acts 26:1-3

¹Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

²"In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;

³especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

Agrippa was a Hellenistic Jew. He knew what it meant to be Jewish and all that goes with it. However, being Hellenist, his life didn't match his beliefs. Paul knew that Agrippa was knowledgeable about Judaism, so he spoke to that to win the heart of Agrippa. Knowing one's audience is important. There may not be anything "Christian" about that fact except that it is wise. Also speaking kindly with respect is also very wise. How we start conversations or case pleadings can greatly affect the outcome.

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/)

Friday, February 18, 2011

Passage of the Day - February 18, 2011

Acts 25:23-27

²³So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

²⁴Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵"But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.

²⁶"Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write.

²⁷"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him."

Nothing like a good ole' fashioned fishing expedition! Poor Festus feared being embarrassed. Paul was to go to Caesar, but without a serious crime to accompany him. In a desperate attempt to trump up a charge, Festus offered King Agrippa a chance to investigate. Festus is attempting to cover up a lack of wisdom with an act of injustice. Covering up things to save our pride is a root of all sorts of evil.

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/)

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Passage of the Day - February 17, 2011

Acts 25:13-22

¹³Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.

¹⁴While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix;

¹⁵and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.

¹⁶"I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.

¹⁷"So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.

¹⁸"When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting,

¹⁹but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.

²⁰"Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.

²¹"But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar."

²²Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."

Festus, not having a strong religious background was shocked at what the Jews were making such a brew-ha-ha about. It is interesting how blood has been spilled over two fingers versus three for making the sign of the cross in Christianity. I think we simply need to be aware of how odd those of us who are passionate about our faith look to those who have very little interest in theology. That is why it can be difficult to debate them because they don't understand the passion.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Passage of the Day - February 16, 2011

Acts 25:1-12

¹Festus then, having arrived in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

²And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging him,

³requesting a concession against Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an ambush to kill him on the way).

⁴Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly.

⁵"Therefore," he said, "let the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him."

⁶After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

⁷After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not prove,

⁸while Paul said in his own defense, "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."

⁹But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?"

¹⁰But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.

¹¹"If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."

¹²Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go."

A piece of wisdom, if someone holding your fate is crooked, try to appeal to someone else. Festus didn’t care about justice or the rule of law, he just cared about making the Jews happy here. Fortunately Paul appealed to Caesar and Festus agreed. Even if Paul made a great case, the power of people pleasing could have consumed Festus. How often do we suffer from people pleasing and how much does it affect our decision making?

Passage of the Day - February 15, 2011

Acts 24:22-27

²²But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case."

²³Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.

²⁴But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁵But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."

²⁶At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him.

²⁷But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

What an interesting way of handling things! Felix didn’t want to allow Paul to be executed, but also wanted to make the Jews happy all the while trying to exact funds from Paul. Even when he was leaving power he wouldn’t let Paul go. A government official is delaying a difficult choice unless someone fills his coffers? You mean that problem is 2,000 years old or more?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Passage of the Day - February 14, 2011

Acts 24:10-21

¹⁰When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: "Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,

¹¹since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

¹²"Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot.

¹³"Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me.

¹⁴"But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;

¹⁵having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

¹⁶"In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.

¹⁷"Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings;

¹⁸in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar But there were some Jews from Asia--

¹⁹who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me.

²⁰"Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council,

²¹other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, 'For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'"

Verse 16 is so important. Very convicting. Do we have a blameless conscience? If we were falsely accused, could we respond to all charges without tripping all over ourselves due to some accusations actually being true? Do we give people reasons to attack Christianity or hold a grudge against it? Have we taken the extra effort to be blameless according to the codes of others? Paul was able to dodge all of these land mines. It didn't get him out of trouble with Man, but he was able to blameless before God and never damaged the cause of Christ.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

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.