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by Sandy Shaw
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. When reading the account of the Cross we come across these words - Luke 23 verse 41 - "We are punished justly for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." And Jesus spoke, but not to say that this matter of capital punishment would all be sorted out when He arose, and that governmental systems and values would then change.
On this subject God does not give you or me the choice, and when we move away from God's Word we are in real trouble. Oh, but people say - "We are civilised now!" Are we? "Surely we can move away from and progress on from these outdated primitive ideas?" Can we? Can we improve upon what God has said and done and introduced? Woe to that society which thinks it can. Oh, we are told, "you are too old fashioned!" YES - and we came into this world in an old fashioned way - and we will go out of this world in an old fashioned way! We are not to be moulded and influenced by fashionable philosophy, but by God's Holy Word. I have no desire to attempt to improve upon what God has said in His Word.
A few months ago, the press was filled with news of hospitals stripping children's bodies of organs without parental permission - very serious - but what concerns me is Church Leaders - Preachers - Theologians - stripping the Scriptures of their authority and authenticity!
Jesus had said to Paul, on the day he was baptised in water and in the Holy Spirit - three days after he met Jesus on the road outside Damascus - Jesus said through Ananias - "This is my chosen instrument, to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings. I will show him how much he must suffer for My Name" - and 25 years later, it is all coming true in such detail. (When I was Padre to the Air Training Corps Cadets I would teach that this Book is more reliable and accurate than any flying manual, which always requires to be updated and altered.)
Here is Paul with the opportunity of preaching before royalty, and in front of people of influence and authority. What will he say? How will he preach? What does he do? He gives his testimony! The man with a real spiritual experience is never at the mercy of a man with a philosophical argument. Remember that. Sharpen up your testimony.
So often the Bible repeats things which are important, and when something like this dramatic change in the life of a man who had been so religious happens, we would be wise to listen to what God is saying. He makes no attempt to be entertaining and say things which might almost guarantee his release. Paul gives his testimony to the grace and mercy and calling of almighty God. Now there's a lesson for us all.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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