Category: Devotions

VAR

Acts 25: 8 “Then Paul made his defence: ‘I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.’”

I have done nothing wrong …

Against what makes a Jew a Jew: Paul followed the law of Moses, in fact that is why he was in the temple in the first place, keeping the ceremonial laws.

Against the worship life: Paul had not taken a Gentile into the temple.

Against the ruler of the land: Paul had not formed a gang to rise and challenge the Roman leaders.

It is easy looking back to see how this could be so black and white. But at the time it was very grey. These lies were hard to disprove as well as prove.

Here in the UK we have a new abbreviated word called VAR, it stands for Video Assisted Referee and we are starting to have to use it in our games of football because on the football pitch in the heat of the action it is difficult to know who has done something wrong or who hasn’t.

The VAR shows it from a birds eye-view of who was wrong and who was right. It is what we can see from our television screens and from the stadiums as we sit and watch the action.

Since a child I was always told that one day there would be a big VAR when we get to heaven. I have always hoped I would be the only one who could see the VAR on my life as I would find it very embarrassing indeed!

But on the pitch of life, though we seem to have surveillance cameras everywhere, much of our life is spent battling the condemnatory attacks against our mind: “you have failed, you are not what you should be, you are not a true Christian, you are not an example, you have broken the rules.’

Maybe we should start speaking up a bit louder to these condemnatory voices like Paul and say ‘I have done nothing wrong’ and if there are times when I have done wrong then the heavenly VAR will spot it and make a judgment. Thankfully that judgment is filtered by the cleansing blood of Jesus over my life.

 

A barking dog that’s all

Acts 25: 7 “When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.”

When the enemy presses in hard do not fear … !

They came down with determination.
They stood around him.
They began to speak against him.
But they had no hold over him.

It is the same with you.

The Stand

Acts 25:6 “After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. “

It has been 2 years of waiting and then it begins all over again. Paul is brought before Festus and he is back on trial standing before those who have not changed their accusation all this time.

There are those today who will stand before the authority of man. They will stand before those who slander and bring lies against them. But the people of God not only stand before men we stand before God, always.

We do not quiver at man’s authority. We stand in awe of God.

We do not panic at what will come from the mouths of man. We stand on every word of God.

We do not worry if the lies of man are taken as true. We stand with the One who says ‘I am the truth’.

Man can bind you, contain you, bring you to a place you would rather not be. But man can never remove you from the presence of God.

I’ll stand

With arms high and heart abandoned

In awe of the One who gave it all

I’ll stand

My Lord to you surrendered

All I am is yours.

Hillsong United ‘The Stand’

You need to get the right people to follow you.

Acts 25: 6 “Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.’

The Amplified says, “So, said he, let those who are in a position of authority and are influential among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss or criminal about the man, let them so charge him.”

The NKJV says ““Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.”

Who are you taking with you on your journey?

Let some come. Not everyone will follow you, but you don’t need everyone, you need some.

Let those who possess leadership follow you.

Let those who have positions of authority follow you.

Let those who are influential follow you.

Let those who are able and who understand where you are going and what you are going to do follow you.

They may not be your friends, you may be very different to them who follow, but sometimes what is ahead of you needs the right people behind you in order to clear up what has been left to you.

 

Change isn’t everything.

Acts 25: 4 “Festus answered, ‘Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.”

Sometimes it is wise not to make changes. Change doesn’t necessarily mean development. Change can mean insecurity.

The reply of Festus was this:

“I have just come into leadership …

The previous leader, Felix had Paul held in Caesarea.

Paul is a Roman citizen and needs to be tried in Caesarea.

My predecessor was right, he is under guard and it is right for him to stay there.

I am going there to finish what my predecessor started.”

Wisdom knows what to leave in place.

Wisdom knows when to honour the past.

Wisdom knows what to finish.

 

Can you do me a favour?

Acts 25: 3 “They requested Festus, as a favour to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.”

Festus the new ruler wanted to start off well. He wanted to gain favour and if that meant he had to curry favour he would. This group of Jewish leaders are wanting Paul dead, it was obviously the 40 men who originally went for him plus by now many more. They used the situation of having a new leader to try and bend him towards their desires.

Can you do me a favour?

It made sense: It is easier to get one man to Jerusalem then everyone to go to Caesarea.

It was fair: They have already been down to Caesarea ???

It was good for relationships: When someone receives a favour then they are going to be supportive from thereon.

But hold on, there was something that Luke tells us that Festus wasn’t aware of that time. Along the road from Caesarea to Jerusalem they would have Paul killed.

Can you do me a favour?

Not everything that makes sense, is fair and is based on friendship is right.

Favours without questioning may end up causing you to be an accomplice to something you not only are unaware of but disapprove of.

Don’t be swayed by numbers

Acts 25: 2 “Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.”

We do not know how many, but this is a group of the present high priest and previous ones no doubt and other religious leaders of all persuasions.

As with any group there would be differences of opinion about a whole realm of things. However, they are united over the charges against Paul.

A united front doesn’t mean they are right.

“I am right and you can ask such and such. Hey will you back me up here and tell them what I’ve told them?” And yet even with such displays they can be miles from the truth.

Don’t let the weight of opinion persuade you to believe something is true no matter how many ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ there are!

It is possible that the large group is wrong and the one person is innocent. It takes strength to slow the situation down and discover yourself the truth.

Numbers isn’t everything especially when there is no evidence or fruit.

A leader in the heat of the battle – that could be you!

Acts 25:1 “Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem”

There isn’t a lot known about Festus except that he ruled for 3 years (AD 59-62) until his death. Josephus writes of him being an honourable man but he had major challenges ranging from the Jews and Greeks fighting in Caesarea to a group of Jewish zealots called Sicarii who carried very small daggers (that’s the meaning of their name) and who opposed the Roman occupation of their land. In Jerusalem the Jews had erected a very high temple wall so that no one could see what was happening in the inner courts especially any Roman officials and there was also at that time a Messiah pretender leading people into the desert. So, welcome to your new role Festus!

After 3 days he is on his way to the centre of the divide, the hub of activity of the major problems, to Jerusalem.

In the first year of taking office, President Trump visited Saudi Arabia (to address terrorism), Israel (for peace with the Palestinians), Vatican City (to meet the Pope), Brussels (NATO allies) and then Italy (G7 leaders). I don’t want to get into any thoughts of Trump except every major world leader’s first visits become headline news, as these did.

The headline news for Festus was that his first visit after arriving into office in Caesarea was to go to Jerusalem. For him he not only needed to meet the main religious and political leaders but he also wanted to get into the heart of one of his major challenges.

A leader is not afraid to go into the heat of the battle.

So today, go and face it, don’t make it a side issue. What needs to be sorted out? How long are you going to be in this position/place to make a difference? You don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but today you know that in ‘Jerusalem’ lies the centre of the problems. Get ‘Jerusalem’ solved and the effect will be far-reaching. Go and speak to the right people, have the right conversation, don’t be afraid.

Jerusalem could not be solved by staying in Caesarea. It could not be solved by thinking about it and talking to friends and discussing the different opinions. Jerusalem had to be visited. So go and make some headline news today.

 

 

Leadership Change

Acts 24:27 “When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favour to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.”

A change of leadership can often mean everything changes.

It changed for Felix. Josephus writes of this change as being more of a recalling by Nero than any retirement or voluntary stepping aside. Felix carried defeat in his heart, perhaps he was too angry and twisted to feel regret, but whoever stepped in as successor would be assured of not being able to lead as badly as him.

It changed for Festus. Following a bad leader can be difficult to adjust to the cynicism and anger within the society, so much so that without applied wisdom it can appear that it was better with a bad leader than a weak leader. Festus didn’t last long probably only 2 years.

It changed for the Jews. Felix did something for them for once. Most probably connected to him trying to stop their continued complaints to Nero he tried to placate them by not ending the trial of Paul and so keeping him in prison. Deals done at the last minute by those exiting are often bad deals. But with Festus they would find a greater listening ear.

It changed for Paul. He had waited in limbo for 2 years. Now with the change of leader there was a new appetite to get the problem (him) sorted. He must have been very frustrated to not be able to be mobilised for the gospel.

It changed for Luke. Luke had stayed with Paul and had used the 2 years to most probably get the information to write his gospel and the majority of Acts. It is believed Paul also wrote to the Philippians in prison. Luke was facing a new chapter and a new page. The story continued.

Now look back to see the underlined words.

In the time of leadership change (whether that leader or the people want change or not) there are always:

Assurances: a perceived belief that life will be better.

Acumen: the need for this is crucial for all, the leader and the led, early good judgments and small victories brought about by some quick decisions are essential.

Arrangement: a jostling, moving into position, trying to make gains in the short vacuum of leadership, people arranging themselves sometimes with further discord.

Appetite: new ones, to deal with complexities left undone.

Advancement: of the story, the excitement of action

We shall see how the new leader gets on in the next few days!

Bribes, Corners and the Gospel

Acts 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.”

Not everyone who wants to talk wants to talk for the reason you think.

Maybe Felix thought that Paul had collected such a large amount of money that he could be bribed within this trial.

Luke records it so how did he know? Paul must have known about the hidden agenda of Felix and later told Luke.

This shows that given an opportunity to share the gospel you should take it even if you know the listener would prefer something else.

We can imagine the suggestive hints, the nods of the head of Felix and winks to Paul, promises and threats. Yet at the same time this steadfast refusal by Paul to give way and to cut a corner, to give some money so that he could be free. When you are free you never have to pay for your freedom. We don’t peddle the gospel for gain. We lose our life for the gospel.