Acts 25 v 13 - 27 Festus Before Paul
The Players -
13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
Agrippa II was the son of the Herod of Acts 12, Herod Agrippa I.
He had become king of Galilee and other northern regions
He had no authority over Festus. Each governed his own realm.
Bernice was Not Agrippa’s wife, but his incestuous sister and consort.
Their sister, Drusilla, was married to the former governor, Felix.
Festus was Roman governor of Judea from approximately 58 to 62 AD
The Prisoner -
The Time - 14 and when they had been there many days,
The Test - Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying,
There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
The Task - 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
The Practice -
The Request - 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
The Response - 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die,
The Rights - before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
The Result - 17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
The Perplexity in -
Accusation - 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
Affirmation - 19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Affirming the Deity, the Death, the Deliverance and Demands of Jesus.
Application -
The Procrastination - 20 because I doubted of such manner of questions
The Proposition - 20 I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem,
and there be judged of these matters.
The Protestation - 21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
The Participation -
The Desire - 22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
The Display - 23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city,
The Defendant - at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.
The Presentation
The Company - 24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us,
The Controversy - ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here,
crying that he ought not to live any longer.
The Compulsory - 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus,
I have determined to send him.
The Complexity - 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee,
O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
The Compliancy - 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.
Acts 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance,
and judgment to come, Felix trembled,
Victory Over Death Through Christ. 1 Cor. 15:
A Change - 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
A Challenge - 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
A Chain - 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law
A Champion - 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne Steele
I. When death appears before my sighs, In all his dire array,
Unequal to the dreadful fight, My courage dies away.
II. How shall I meet this potent foe, Whose frown my soul alarms?
Dark horror sits upon his brow, And victory waits his arms.
III. But see my glorious Leader nigh, My Lord, my Saviour lives;
Before him death's pale terrors fly, And my faint heart revives.
IV. Jesus, be thou my sure defence, My guard for ever near;
And faith shall triumph over sense, And never yield to fear.
V. O may I meet the dreadful hour, With sortitude divine;
Sustain'd by thy almighty power, The conquest must be mine.
VI. What though subdu'd this body lies, Slain in the mortal strife,
My spirit shall unconquer'd rise, To a diviner life.
VII. Lord, I commit my soul to thee, Accept the sacred trust,
Receive this nobler part of me, And watch my sleeping dust:
VIII. Till that illustrious morning come, When all thy saints shall rise,
And cloath'd in full, immortal bloom, Attend thee to the skies.
IX. When thy triumphant armies sing, The honours of thy name,
And heaven's eternal arches ring, With glory to the Lamb:
X. O let me join the raptur'd lays, And with the blissful throng,
Resound salvation, power and praise, In everlasting song.
