Fly High Acts part 22
Thesis: The scenario of Paul and Felix helps us to understand the importance of being a ring leader for the Lord, the importance of keeping a clear conscience with God and others, the importance of being a Christian witness and the importance of possessing the quality of integrity.
Scripture Text: Acts 24
The Holy Bible, New International Version.
Ac 24:1 Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.
Ac 24:2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation.
Ac 24:3 Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude.
Ac 24:4 But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.
Ac 24:5 “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect
Ac 24:6 and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.
Ac 24:8 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
Ac 24:9 The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.
Ac 24:10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense.
Ac 24:11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
Ac 24:12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.
Ac 24:13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. j
Ac 24:14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,
Ac 24:15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
Ac 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
Ac 24:17 “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.
Ac 24:18 I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.
Ac 24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.
Ac 24:20 Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin—
Ac 24:21 unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’ ”
Ac 24:22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.”
Ac 24:23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
Ac 24:24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.
Ac 24:25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”
Ac 24:26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
Ac 24:27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
Introduction:
Most Christians have no idea today what it means to be imprisoned for their faith in Jesus. They have no idea what it is like to be accused of things that you never did just because people hate what you are saying about Jesus Christ and the Truth. We as Christians are totally protected from the persecution millions have endured for their faith in Jesus Christ throughout the centuries. We even don’t have a clue what the early Christians in this country endured to help found a Christian Nation with religious liberty and a nation that trusted in God.
History lesson from the Revolutionary War – the persecution of the Truth in America by the British during the Revolutionary War.
Marshall notes, “(When the American army took control of Boston at the withdrawal of the British Army to the Sea they were shocked to discover what the British had done to their churches). He states, “As the Americans had poured into Boston, and citizens cheered their welcome, they discovered to their shock something which confirmed a point their ministers had been emphasizing all along: that the battle which they were fighting was basically a spiritual one. The Old South Church had been desecrated, wantonly and calculatedly. “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne had turned it into a riding academy for the cavalry of his regiment! The pulpit and all the pews had been taken away and burned for fuel, and many hundred loads of dirt and gravel were carted in and spread upon the floor. The south door was closed, and a bar was fixed, over which the cavalry were taught to leap their horses at full speed. A grog shop was erected in the gallery….” Nor was this an isolated incident: throughout the northern Colonies, dissident (i.e. non-Anglican) churches were systematically abused, in spontaneous manifestation of anti-Christian feeling. The Presbyterian church at Newton, Long Island, had it’s steeple and sawed off, and was used as a prison and guardhouse. Later, it was torn down completely, and its boards used for the construction of soldier huts. In New Jersey, the church at Princeton was stripped of its pews and gallery for fuel, and the churches at Elizabeth and Mount Holly were burned. In New York City, the Presbyterian churches were made into prisons, or used by the British officers for stabling their horses. All told, more than fifty churches throughout the country were totally destroyed, and dozens of others were damaged or otherwise misused” (301).
Show pictures of the Old South Church from our recent visit to Boston:
As I have been reading about the influence of the Gospel in the history of the United States I am amazed at the price many Christians paid for your and my freedom. Many people paid with their lives and with great sacrifice so that I could believe in Jesus today and enjoy the freedoms that you and I benefit from in our society today. Here is another story to reveal what it means to be persecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ and to pay the price for the freedom to worship Him openly.
Marshall states, “…One episode surpasses all the rest. Early in June of 1780, in support of a British advance, Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen crossed from Staten Island to New Jersey with five thousand men. At the little village of Springfield, just west of Union, he encountered unexpected resistance and was forced to withdraw. In the course of this action, the wife of the Reverend James Caldwell, a mother of nine, was shot in her home, while her husband was away. Whether or not it was intentional (Caldwell had a price on his head and later that same day his house was burnt to the ground), the incident inflamed the towns people. When Knyphausen’s force returned two weeks later, even though reinforced by British General Clinton himself, he was again stopped, this time in furious action. At the height of the shooting, the Patriots, taking cover behind a fence that was adjacent to Caldwell’s church, ran out of the paper wadding needed to hold powder and ball in place in their muskets. Caldwell gathered up all the copies of Watts Psalms and Hymns he could carry, and rushed out to the crouching riflemen. Tearing pages out of the hymnals, he passed them out, shouting, ‘Putt Watts into em, boys! Give em Watts!’ ” (290).
T.S. - As I read this passage about Paul and as my mind reflected on the sacrifice he paid for obedience to the truth I could not help but ask myself some questions which were racing through my mind. I asked myself these questions and I answered them honestly and I will now propose them to you so that you can answer them for yourself today:
I. Are you a ring leader for the Way in your community?
a. Paul was a ring leader and he never denied it.
i. Paul went around preaching that a person will face the judgment of God if he is not found righteous in God’s sight.
ii. The only way a person could escape the judgment is by following Jesus command to repent of their sin, ask for forgiveness from God and then accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
1. He was the only way into heaven according John 3:16 and he is still the only way into Heaven today.
a. John 3:16
iii. Paul was ring leader for the Nazarene sect and proud of it! He made no bones about his position on how one is saved.
1. You see Paul lived what he preached and believed it with whole heart.
iv. I want you to think about this scenario today – Paul was arrested and brought before the Governor for sentencing and He never wavered on the message of Truth.
1. He even preached the truth to the Governor who did not like what he heard!
2. Remember Paul even preached the truth the Jews and it’s leadership and they did not like it either.
3. Paul many times throughout his ministry heard the words “Stop – shut up!” but he just kept on telling people the truth whether they wanted to hear it or not.
b. Paul never stopped being a ring leader for Jesus and as I have been reading about the founding of this nation in America neither did the Colonial pastor’s in America and the majority of its government leaders.
i. These ring leaders for Jesus paid the price for their faithfulness to the Gospel and the freedom to proclaim it openly and individually. These faithful pastors and leaders gave their very own lives and made many sacrificial commitments to the cause of religious freedom. England’s King did not like what he heard being preached in the pulpits of America and the public statements of her leadership. These men and women risked it all for the sake of the Gospel and for religious freedom in Christ.
ii. These ring leaders for Jesus were not afraid to preach about living the truth but they even put their own lives into action and on the line to show that what they preached they wholeheartedly believed and lived.
1. Marshall and Manuel stated in their book The Light and the Glory the following, “…Were the exhortations of their ministers confined to words. These men did not hesitate to put their own lives on the line. During the battles of Lexington and Concord, Chelsea’s minister, Philips Payson, captured two British supply wagons single handedly. John Craighead raised a company of militia from his parish and led them off to join Washington in New Jersey, where it was recorded that he “Fought and preached alternately,” So numerous, in fact, were the fighting pastors that the Tories referred to them as “the black regiment,” and blamed much of the resurging zeal of the Colonial troops. One of the most colorful examples is what happened in a staid Lutheran church in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia, one Sunday morning in 1775, the thirty-year-old pastor, Peter Muhlenberg, delivered a stirring sermon on the text, ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven’ (Ecc. 3:1) He reached the end of his sermon and said a solemn prayer-and then continued to speak. ‘In language of the Holy Writ, there is a time for all things. There is a time to preach and a time to fight” he paused, and then threw off his pulpit robe to reveal to the startled congregation the uniform of a colonel in the Continental Army, ‘And now is the time to fight!’ The drums rolled, and that same afternoon he marched off at the head of the column of three hundred men. His regiment was to earn fame as the 8th Virginia, and Muhlenberg was to distinguish himself in a number of battles, rising to the rank of brigadier general, in charge of Washington’s first light infantry brigade” (290-291).
c. Paul and many of the our early church fathers and government fathers were ring leaders for the cause of Jesus Christ and nothing deterred them from their commitment to make difference with the truth.
d. Let me ask you a question: “Are you a ring leader for Jesus with your life or are you a wimp who is afraid to proclaim the truth to lost world?”
T.S. - Not only do we need to be determined and proud of being a ring leader for the Gospel we must also be committed to keep a clear conscience with God and with others.
II. Do you strive to keep your conscience clear with God and with others?
a. What is a clear conscience?
i. A clear conscience means that you seek to live a life that is worthy of the calling Jesus has placed on your life.
1. Ephesians 4: 1- 6: 1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.
2. 2 Thessalonians 1:11- 12: 11So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 12Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee writes, "The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience."
b. Paul had a clear conscience because Jesus cleaned it up for him on the Damascus road and Paul committed to keep his heart and life pure in his service to the Lord.
c. Once again as I was reading this week it occurred to me that the early colonialist had a clear conscience with God and with others even when it came time for war with England.
i. The truth is even the pastor’s in Colonial America went to war with the British because they felt that the ruling power was forcing them away from their divine callings and divine paths.
1. They quoted the verse in Acts 5:29: 29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”
a. When they we told by the Jewish rulers to quit preaching Jesus they said they must obey God not men.
b. The Colonialists said the same to England and it’s king.
2. In many sermons across this young country was a call to repentance before God and a clear call to take up arms against the enemy of their souls and to renew their covenant commitment with each other for religious freedom.
3. Listen to the common message among the ministers of the Colonies:
a. Jonathan Mayhew of Boston preached, “It is blasphemy to call tyrants and oppressors God’s ministers…When (magistrates) rob and ruin public, instead of being guardians of its peace and welfare, they immediately cease to be the ordinance and ministers of God, and no more deserve that glorious character than common pirates and highway men” (264).
b. Josiah Quincy’s sermon 1767, “In defense of our civil and religious rights, with the God of armies on our side, we fear not the hour or trial; though the hosts of our enemies should cover the field like locusts, yet the sword of the Lord and Gideon shall prevail” (265).
c. The common text used in hundreds of sermons in that day was Galatians 5:1 “For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand fast, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
d. Marshall and Manuel add, “One nation under God-this was the political as well as the spiritual legacy of the Great Awakening: All America had now in some measure experienced the Scriptural truth that. In Christ all men are brothers. Highborn or commoner, great merchant or poor farmer, magistrate or soldier-all were equal at the foot of the Cross. Eternal heaven was open to all who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and it mattered not what their station in life was or how wealthy they were, or who their parents were…Thus, as the equality of believers was emphasized more than ever in American churches, it was only natural that it would extend to civil government as well. Here then, was the seed of democracy which would be embodied in the Constitution of the United States: of the political understanding that all men were equally entitled to the vote, and that in the sight of God, a farmer was as good as King George, For God was no respecter of persons; His laws applied equally to all men” (254-255).
e. The battle cry which was birthed from the messages across the Colonies and even in England was, “No King but King Jesus!”
d. Paul lived the kind of life that made God proud and it pleases the Lord. He kept his life in align with the Word of God and the result was he made a difference for the Kingdom.
e. The Colonialist listened to God in their own words and followed His leading and “One Nation Under God” was formed as a beacon of light to this lost world.
f. A man’s judgment is best when he can forget himself and any reputation he may have acquired and can concentrate wholly on making the right decisions.--Adm. Raymond A. Spruance
T.S. – We need to make sure that we keep a clear conscience with God and with others and in turn be the witness that Jesus has called us to be.
III. Are you willing to share about the importance of having faith in Jesus Christ with others even those who are secular judges and leaders?
a. Paul was bold and it created a fear in Festus!
i. He told him you have to be right with God or you will face his judgment.
ii. You have to have self-control or your self will destroy you in this world.
1. Self-control is a Biblical truth that many don’t like to talk about today.
2. We want selfish freedoms – the unleashing of my self onto others and their submission to my self and my ways.
3. But we will talk more about his in our last point today.
iii. Paul’s witness of the truth made the governor yell “Stop for fear” but he kept calling him back to talk and you wonder what ever became of this governor and the seeds of truth that Paul planted in his mind.
b. So were the original leaders of this great nation.
i. Listen to some of their statements about faith in Jesus to other leaders:
1. When the liberated colonies came together after the war to seek a unified constitution. It turned into a bickering battle between the states about everyone’s own sovereignty. Tempers flared and they were unable to come to an agreement on unifying the Colonies and the assembly started to split apart. To stop the disunity and dissension a 81 year old man who was a close friend of George Whitefield got up and addressed the assembly and made this statement to the group of leaders from all the states:
a. In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor…and have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, along time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: “That God governs in the affairs of man.” And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little, partial local interests; our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, or conquest. I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business” (342, 343).
i. The result was all delegates repented prayed and put aside their self-centered interests and crafted a new Constitution and a Bill of Rights. What was the difference? Because they prayed first before working on it. The result was the Constitution of the United States of America!
T.S. – We must share the faith with all people especially when necessary so as to expose them to the truth and to the way which will bring the blessings of God. But we must commit to living a life of integrity in their eyes or we will lose our witness to them.
IV. Are you willing to let go of your integrity to get what you want?
a. Are you willing to take bribes to get your freedom?
i. Are you willing to be a Benedict Arnold?
1. Are you willing to betray what you love for immediate personal gain because you lack self-control?
a. Quote from Politics: When San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown was asked how he could authorize a lawsuit by the city against tobacco companies which had donated to his campaign, he replied, "Hey, if you can’t take people’s money and then "take advantage of" them, then you’ve got no business being in the business."
2. Benedict Arnold was caught in his betrayal of America by trying to surrender West Point.
a. Marshall notes that he went off in exile to England but when he was on his death bed he asked to be buried in his Colonialist Uniform.
b. He betrayed what he loved and it cost him a fulfilling life.
c. When you lose control of self then you lose control.
b. Are you willing to compromise your ethics and values so you can be deceived? The way of truth is be willing to die to yourself and it’s selfish ways.
i. Matthew 16:24 -27: 24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
c. Are you willing to sin so that you can get what you want?
i. If you lack self-control then sin will control your life not God.
1. Proverbs 5:23: He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.
2. Proverbs 16:32: Better to be patient than powerful;
better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
3. Proverbs 25:28: A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.
4. Galatians 5: 22-25: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
a. Self-control is essential in the Christian life if you want to be successful in the kingdom of God.
d. One key component of self-control is the character trait of integrity. Integrity is defined by(http://www.angelfire.com/il/rkoliver/integrty.html):
i. A quality of state of being complete; unbroken condition; wholeness; entirety.
ii. The quality of state of being unimpaired; perfect condition; soundness.
iii. The quality or state of being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity.
1. Examples of Integrity:
a. Nelson Mandela: Through years of hardship, imprisonment and even success in leading a country. This man has stayed committed to his principles.
b. Moses and Jethro - He gives Moses some advice on his divine role, and on the need for appointing others to share in the work and in the responsibility of leading this new nation. (Ex 18:17-23) Moses needed a person to be honest with him and Jethro was because he had integrity.
c. Job – Job 1:1 “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.”
i. Job 2:3 “Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”
ii. Job 4:6 “Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?”
d. Nehemiah - delegated the work involved with rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem - but he is also prepared to be honest and open with the people when they have sinned and he is willing to correct them.
i. His willingness to delegate to the people demonstrates his trust in others, but he is also prepared to speak the truth in love so that they can grow in faith.
1. This is an act of integrity.
e. Daniel - Read through Daniel Chapters 1 through 3. You will see Daniel and his friends staying with their principles, despite pressure to the contrary from the king and others - a theme which occurs throughout the book of Daniel.
i. This is the act of integrity!
f. Jesus - sends out the twelve disciples, and later He sends out the seventy two in order that they may gain experience in ministry and in witnessing for the faith (Luke 9,10)
i. Jesus rejoices when they return seeing the spreading of ministry (Luke 10:21).
ii. He is not threatened by their success or because they are being used by the Holy Spirit. He supports them and encourages them to keep it up. This is integrity.
iii. Time after time he teaches the disciples so that they are equipped and can reach more people for the Faith.
g. Paul - is delighted when the young churches are growing in faith (2 Thessalonians 1:3, 4) which shows his character trait of integrity.
i. The alternative attitude which lacks integrity could have been to become threatened by the spiritual growth in others as they are lead by others and the Holy Spirit and not by Paul.
ii. Paul shows the attribute of integrity by not bribing Festus to get out of jail but instead chooses to do the right thing even though he remains in jail Acts 24:26.
e. Illustration: Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of NYNEX, got his first job as janitor of an office building in Manhattan. The building superintendent was an older man named Mike. He said little but watched everything very carefully. One day he asked about a book Ivan was reading. Ivan explained he was putting himself through college at night. Mike said "Okay," and walked away. Four months later he came up to Ivan and remarked, "You know, there are companies that will help you pay for school." Ivan asked which ones, and Mike told him about the electric and phone companies’ continuing education programs for their employees. Ivan filled out the applications and took the employment tests. He heard back first from the telephone company, so he took a job as a splicer’s helper. Except for 22 months in the Army, he has worked at NYNEX ever since. Today, Ivan says, "In the year I worked for Mike he didn’t say much, but those few words spoke volumes. He gave me a helping hand. If you take pride in your work and do a good job, you never know who might be watching and one day provide a boost. Now when I talk to janitors and other employees, I ask, ’What’s happening?’ Invariably they tell me something I didn’t know. It doesn’t matter if you’re the janitor or the CEO, values and performance count--people are watching."
i. Quote: “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do." --Henry Ford
1. What people see in your life is what you have done and are doing.
f. Will Rogers said, "Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."
Conclusion:
Paul role modeled in this passage the importance of being a Christian leader in our community and even before secular leadership. It is vitally important that we be a people demonstrating a lifestyle filled with integrity and with a commitment to the ways of Jesus. Our witness will cause even secular leaders to evaluate their lifestyles and the truth will cause them to fear God and the life hereafter if they are not in right relationship to Jesus. Paul used this opportunity to be a witness for Jesus and he never compromised His Christian values to get what he wanted. His freedom came from being committed to his core Jesus values not from being released from prison. Even though he was under arrest he was free because the Spirit of the Lord lived in him and even used him while he was under arrest.
Paul during His imprisonment wrote the prison Epistles and ministered to many people even while under arrest. He did not waste his time or compromise his integrity to get what he wanted He honored God and God in return honored him.
