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.
