Paul Before Festus Series

Acts 25 v 1 - 12 Paul Before Festus

1. The Change -

A Different Person - 1 Now when Festus

A Different Plan - was come into the province,

A Different Program - after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2. The Chance -

The Source - 2 Then the high priest (2 yrs Later)

The Substance - and the chief of the Jews

The Subject - informed him against Paul,

The Search - 2 and besought him, 3 And desired favour against him,

The Strategy - 3 that he would send for him to Jerusalem

The Subtlety - laying wait in the way to kill him. (Plotting His Death)

3. The Check -

The Person - 4 But Festus answered,

The Place - that Paul should be kept at Caesarea,

The Plan - and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

The Proposition - 5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able

The Invitation - go down with me,

The Accusation - and accuse this man,

The Remonstration - if there be any wickedness in him.

The Hesitation - 6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea;

The Examination - and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

4. The Charge -

A Speedy One - 7 And when he was come,

A Sinister One - the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, (Threatening and Intimidating)

A Serious One - and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul,

A Spurious One - which they could not prove.

5. The Chide - It was -

Personal - 8 While he answered for himself,

Plentiful - Covers -

His Walk - Neither against the law of the Jews,

His Worship - neither against the temple,

His Warfare - nor yet against Caesar,

Powerful - have I offended any thing at all.

Not Partially Innocent, But Completely Innocent of all charges.

As had already been established under Felix.

6. The Challenge -

The Root - 9 But Festus,

The Reason - willing to do the Jews a pleasure,

The Risk - answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem,

and there be judged of these things before me?

The Response - 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat,

where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong,

as thou very well knowest.

His Approach - 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged:

His Approval - to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

His Appraisal - 11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die:

His Appeal - but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

7. The Choice -

A Deliberate Choice - I appeal unto Caesar.

A Defiant Choice - I appeal unto Caesar. (Going over Festus' Head)

A Determined Choice - 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar?

A Delivered Choice - unto Caesar shalt thou go. Acts 9: speaks of -

8. The Channel -

Paul's Reputation - 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

Paul's Revolution - 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

Paul's Recognition - 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way:

for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles,

and kings, and the children of Israel:

Paul's Regulation - 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.