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We move on to Acts Chapter 27 - and to what turns out to be an exciting sea story - a Mediterranean adventure – and much more than a cruise.

The two years imprisonment for Paul in Caesarea are over. Nobody has been able to prove any of the charges against him, and nobody had the necessary courage to set him free. How very strange.

At every opportunity Paul has given his testimony - as to how he met Jesus Christ - and how Jesus Christ saved him from his sins - how God called him, anointed him, and appointed him - and how God used him over these past 20 years to…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 26:27, Paul having been invited to defend the accusations against him, gives his testimony with confidence and courage, and then he challenges King Agrippa. "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." Paul had done his homework. As soon as you become excited about Jesus some people think you are mad. Paul's career had gone. His life was at stake. Anything could happen, and yet, he continues to speak about Jesus.

The Romans and the Greeks had many gods, but religion was to be kept in its proper place, and there are many people like that…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 26:19, Paul speaks about how God gave him a vision, and he had NOT been disobedient. What Jesus told me to do I have done. What I am doing and saying now in this courtroom is simply my being obedient to Jesus.

Verse 20. I have gone everywhere calling men to repent, and to behave as though they have repented. This is why the Jews caught me in the Temple, and tried to kill me. Today I stand here and testify to small and great.

Paul was approaching the end of his life, although still with much work to do. Seek to approach the end of your life knowing that…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 26, we have the various trials of a man of God. They can be different - repetitive - changing - always the same to some degree - stemming from the same source through people - and strength from Jesus Christ through a variety of sources - and occasionally direct. We are reading of Paul being on trial for his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ - but in particular for his belief in the resurrection from the dead. There is no other faith in the world where a man could be put on trial for such a belief. Once you have met the risen Jesus - there is no doubt - no question -…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 26, when Paul is brought into that courtroom before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, he is invited to speak in his defence, and what does he do? He gives his testimony. What was the biggest change in Paul's life? The big change was this - he had been delivered from an exclusive religion - and brought into an inclusive faith - a faith that was open to all who believe in Jesus Christ. He had been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, and only Jesus Christ can bring about that transfer.

The sort of religion he had been involved in cut…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 25:23 Paul is brought into that courtroom in Caesarea where King Agrippa and Governor Festus have arrived with all their pomp to hear what this man of God has to say for himself. Festus spells out and delivers an abbreviated summary of these past two years.

There is a highly significant phrase in verse 25 - "I found he had done nothing deserving death". From this and various other passages, on the topic of capital punishment, we have no choice. It was God Who first introduced capital punishment. We see it referred to right through the New Testament.…  ( Click for more )

We are in Acts 25, where the setting is Paul, the servant and slave and apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he has been in prison in Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast. He has now been in prison for two years without a single charge against him being proved. How would we react if we were to find ourselves in that situation?

He has been a puzzle to Governor Felix, causing him fear and upsetting him spiritually, as the demands of Christ were presented so clearly and challengingly. Now he is a puzzle to Felix's successor - Governor Festus. Yes, committed disciples…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 25:6, Festus returns to Caesarea, having been in Jerusalem, and the trial of Paul begins all over again, after having been left to languish in prison for two years. I have been in Caesarea many times and it would not be a nice place to be left imprisoned and particularly when you had no idea how long this was going to last.

Some Jews come down from Jerusalem, making serious accusations against Paul, but unable to produce proof. Time does NOT change people. Time does not transform people. So often we have been tempted to think that time will soften people, and cool…  ( Click for more )

Acts 25:1. Paul, who has been so used to travelling, is now confined to Caesarea. This servant of Jesus Christ, who has been so used to the wide open spaces is now cooped up in a cage - a man who wanted with his every breath to tell the world about Jesus Christ and His Love and Mercy, yet, God allows people to keep him languishing in prison for two years - forgotten - out of sight - two years in prison without a single charge against him being proved.

Didn't that prophet Agabus prophesy this would happen? Ah but didn't Jesus also say something to His man? God will get…  ( Click for more )

We have swept through Acts 24 quite quickly to get the gist of what was happening to Paul in Caesarea - to sense something of the movement - and activity - and atmosphere - and the attitudes of various people. Let's take time to review what happened, remembering that recapitulation is an essential part of teaching. Paul the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ had been placed on trial yet again, this time in Caesarea. Tertullus is the Prosecuting Counsel - Governor Felix is the judge.

Prisoner Paul is in the dock - falsely accused - and Felix the judge knows it. Paul speaks…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 24:10, Paul, on trial in Caesarea is invited to reply to the accusations which have been made against him. Here we see a man of God who has a clear conscience in the presence of God, and before his accusers. There is no trace of bitterness - no trace of ranker - no self-pity. He does not appeal to feelings. He certainly avoids flattery. Paul keeps to the facts - declares the truth - and demolishes the charges.

He is specific - verse 11 - It was only 12 days ago, when I went up to Jerusalem to the Temple - to WORSHIP! Nobody found me arguing in the Temple, nor was…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 24 verse 23, when Paul has given his defence in court and humanly speaking ought to have been released and set free, he is kept under guard, but permitted a degree of freedom, and allowed to receive visitors who would look after him. He is what we call in Scotland, "remanded in custody", but there is some compassion here at the heart of the Roman Empire. A few days later, Felix sends for Paul, and Felix and his Jewish wife Drusilla listen to Paul, as he spoke about faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul speaks about righteousness - Self-control - and the judgement…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 23 verse 33, Paul is handed over to Governor Felix in Caesarea, having been safely escorted from Jerusalem to the comparative security on the Mediterranean coast.

After fifteen years or so of faithful loyal obedient exciting ministry, Paul is now a permanent prisoner. You might think - what a shame - how disappointing - this man is being so limited. But our God can use, and does use these imprisoning situations - these times and seasons when we are physically limited and restricted in some way.

Jesus never looks for what man might regard as "success".…  ( Click for more )

We are studying Acts 23, slowly, taking our time, and we are reading of a whole series of troubles coming upon Paul the servant of Jesus Christ. All he set out to do was report to the Church in Jerusalem as to how God had used him during these past five years of travelling, preaching, teaching and ministering.

Then, he made that visit to the Temple, sparking off a furious uproar. He was rescued, but managed to give his very personal testimony to Jesus before he was finally imprisoned. He was about to be tortured - then he was put on trial before the Sanhedrin - where he…  ( Click for more )

Acts 23:23. What an upheaval in the middle of the night - to rouse 470 soldiers so quickly - and the horses - all to keep safe a servant of the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ. God is going to protect this man, Paul, because he had work to do elsewhere - this time in Rome.

The servant of the Lord Jesus Christ is a very important person. He is regarded by the Father and by the Holy Spirit as someone very precious. For that man or woman the blood of Jesus Christ has been shed.

Paul had been under considerable pressure. He was in a highly vulnerable situation,…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 23:12 - While the risen living Lord Jesus Christ is ministering to His chosen servant, Paul, in that Jerusalem cell, something sinister was going on elsewhere. Forty men were planning a conspiracy to kill Paul. Forty men vowed that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. This is becoming even more serious.

We have to be very careful as to the vows we might ever make or take. See how easily evil can enter the hearts of men - even religious men - and even when the risen Jesus is not all that far away - and note how serious evil men can be…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 23, Paul is on trial for his belief in the resurrection from the dead. This is what is at stake. This is what has been causing trouble everywhere he preached and taught, and as he speaks the Jerusalem Courtroom is divided. Paul brings to the surface the underlying divisions. Some Pharisees arose and flew their flag - "We find nothing wrong with this man." - and the dispute within the Sanhedrin deepened. Paul was on the verge of being torn to pieces, as the violence increased. The Roman Commander issued orders for Paul to be rescued once again - for his own safety.…  ( Click for more )

We are in Acts 23 - the scene is Paul - the man of God - the apostle - the servant and slave of the Risen and Living Lord Jesus Christ - on trial for his faith in Jesus Christ. Paul had only been in the city for around 10 days - when he is falsely accused of polluting, contaminating and desecrating the Temple. There is a rumpus and a near riot. He is hustled away by the Roman soldiers for his own safety.

They were going to beat him, flog him, torture him, but when he informs them that he is a Roman citizen, this illegal activity ceases.

The Roman Commanding Officer…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 23, Paul is on trial in Jerusalem and as he looked around that courtroom he saw two groups - we could regard them as two denominations - and he sided with one of them. There were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees were the conservatives who believed in the Resurrection - they believed in angels - they believed in the spirit of God. The Sadducees were the liberals - who did not believe in miracles - who did not believe in the supernatural - and they said there was no resurrection and no Holy Spirit.

Paul said, "I am a Pharisee - and my father…  ( Click for more )

Acts 23 and verse 1. Paul is on trial as a consequence of his ministry in Jerusalem and he looked straight at these 70 lawyers and said, "My brothers". He is so generous in his use of words. "I have fulfilled my duty to God - my conscience is clear - in the sight of God I am innocent and blameless." Ananias, the High Priest, commands those other so-called religious men to slap his face." What disgraceful behaviour.

Spiritual warfare is real. Many people just do not realise how real spiritual warfare is until warfare erupts and breaks out, and…  ( Click for more )

In our recent studies in Acts 22 this matter of being 'born again' arises, as Paul gives his testimony. It is crucially and vitally important. Jesus Christ said that a man must be 'born again' and as we see in the book of Acts that involves, Repenting, Believing in Jesus Christ, Being Baptised in water, and receiving the Holy Spirit. This is how we come into the Church of Jesus Christ. I know of no other way - do you?

Let us not give people only part of the Gospel, because that will only have them struggling for years, in areas of their lives where there is no…  ( Click for more )

We have reached that point at the end of Acts Chapter 22, where Paul has been arrested for his own safety - in Jerusalem - adjacent to The Temple. Because of his intense and zealous desire to speak about Jesus Christ to those who have been falsely accusing him, he gives his testimony as to how he personally met the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ.

He shares these highly intimate spiritual details with those men accusing him. It is a very Jewish account, but as soon as he mentions Gentiles, he lost his audience. The Roman soldiers have to bustle him into the barracks…  ( Click for more )

When Paul gave his powerful testimony to Jesus Christ in Acts 22 the reaction was quite astonishing and a little surprising. Those who heard him were hurt and what had hurt them was the truth of God.

This glorious testimony is so personal - so Jesus centered - so real - so Jewish.

It points to Jesus - showing what the risen living Jesus can do - and did do in this man's life. Paul indicated how Jesus Christ can change and transform one of the most violent religious rebels around, but it does not necessarily mean that everyone will want what you share, and that…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 22 when Paul takes time to relate his testimony, as to what happened when he first met the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ. He remembers how Ananias ministered to him and befriended him and did what had to be done to ensure that he was fully and adequately born again. Then Ananias drops out of the picture. Ananias was so willing to be used by Jesus when Jesus explained the exact situation as Saul of Tarsus is being called and chosen, and Ananias plays a highly significant role.

What a calling. If it had been left to human choice Paul would never have been…  ( Click for more )