you here tonight. Turn with me in your Bibles if you would to the book of Acts chapter 25. We pick up there tonight in verse 1. Acts 25 and verse 1. It is one of the fascinating things as we continue to study Paul's journey here as he is in between his appearance before Felix and now before Festus. And in doing so, we are reminded as we follow Paul through this incredible, enduring trial. And each time we have seen the fact that what has Paul been accused of? Nothing that violates the law. We certainly have seen the trumped-up charges that will be repeated again here tonight that were brought before Claudius Lysias in Jerusalem, brought before Felix in Caesarea, and now will be brought again before Festus in Caesarea. And it brings us to mind the idea of what it means to live a life of Christ and suffer in what appears to be an absolute unjust and unfair way. So it is sometimes maybe good to be reminded tonight as we look into this passage of Paul to recognize that what's happening to him is absolutely familiar practically with the Word of God itself. No less confounding for us at times, yet familiar. When we go back and we look at such passages as we find in the book of Genesis, for instance, and we have to ask ourselves the question of what sense it makes to us when we think of the events that have taken place through the course of time. How is it that Jacob, arguably a liar and a thief, Father and of God instead of Esau. We look at the life of a man named Joseph and we're reminded of his false imprisonment and how he sat there for years waiting for an opportunity to be released. And yet God cared for him and certainly brought him to a place of great distinction, but yet he was falsely accused, falsely incarcerated. His own family, of course, had been a party to this betrayal. And there is Daniel. Daniel was deemed a criminal, thrown into the pit of lions, we're told, in chapter 6. And what was his crime? His crime was worshipping the one true and living God, and not worshipping the king. So we see it again here tonight. that we find in the Apostle Paul. And if we make the distinction between the Old Testament and the New Testament, has anything changed? Well, obviously not. We'll give reference again to a passage of Scripture that is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 15, where we have been now for the past several weeks on Sunday morning, where Christ is telling His disciples exactly what awaits them. And part of that being persecution and suffering, and that it will be unjust, and that it will come from those claiming that they are enforcing the law. And it will come from those who are claiming to do so in the name of God. In point of fact, in the name of the institution of religion and the church, really. We see that coupled with Paul's own instructions by his own life experience, telling us as he taught those whom he was responsible for discipling, that anyone who endeavors, who intends to live a godly life, shall suffer. Shall suffer persecution, shall suffer tribulation, shall suffer these things. And the advice that is given by the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter is, if you are to indeed suffer, Make certain that you are suffering wrongly. Meaning the accusations being brought against you, make certain they are false. Otherwise, recognize that though you do not desire it, you do not necessarily welcome it, but you certainly do embrace it and are willing to endure it. If you remember it as Paul, who as he was talking to his friends, who recognized that him going to Jerusalem could end in nothing less than his being arrested and falsely charged, and they were correct. And it's the Apostle Paul who told them while they continued to speak to him about this, he said, listen, you're breaking my heart. He said, why are we going to keep having this conversation? Don't you know that I'm willing to give up my life if that's what it takes? Now we hear that statement. And we are struck by it. There are times when people make that statement in their lives as believers, make that commitment to Christ, but rarely if ever, even if we say it, I would argue, rarely if ever do many of us truly contemplate what it would mean to give our life for the sake of Christ. We read harrowing stories of missionaries. We read and hear of tales of pastors being kidnapped and imprisoned, and as we've seen even in these past few months and these past years, there have been headlining stories regarding this. But the fact of the matter is, most of us, as we sit in these comfortable chairs tonight, rejoicing in the truth of God's Word, rejoicing in the truth of God's love, Chances are most all of us will go home to a very comfortable home tonight, and in spite of it being brutally cold outside, most of us will be fairly comfortable. Even if you have to put another blanket on the bed, you'll be fairly comfortable. Most of us have no idea in reality what it means to even contemplate giving your life physically for the sake of Christ. I would advise all of us, it might do us well sometimes to examine ourselves a bit and really honestly ask ourselves if the situation were to change. I do sometimes. I sit and I contemplate what's going to happen in this country in a number of years. Will it turn? Will it get to the point where you and I will actually be threatened physically for the sake of our faith in Christ? Now there are some of us that cannot imagine it ever happening in their lifetime. While I hope you're right, I find that a very convenient fallback for us. I'm certain it's coming. Thank goodness I don't think it's going to happen in my lifetime. Well, what kind of encouragement of that is to those following you? I'm sorry for you guys. What are we to do? I believe if we look at the Apostle Paul tonight, we find a wonderful example of how we are to endure, how we are to navigate these waters here. I think there's some things that we can learn with regard to this, even as we follow the narrative. What else are we to apply to our lives? This is certainly history, what is happening to the Apostle Paul. There's no doubt about that. But it's also teaching. It's also teaching by example. God has given us an illustration in the Apostle Paul that is, in some respects, the human expression of what Christ did perfectly. Paul won't do it perfectly, can't do it perfectly as Christ did, but what does He give us? He gives us an incredible example of a man called by God to suffer, called by God to stand firm in the gospel, called by God. Even Paul himself said, I've got nothing to glory in because I must preach the gospel. He doesn't want you to look at Him as somebody who got up one morning and said, you know what? Man, I want to be a great. I want to be a great preacher. I want to be a great apostle of Christ. I want to go do all these things. Paul would tell you, I've got nothing to glory in but the cross. I didn't come to Christ. Christ came to me. Christ summoned me, called me on the Damascus road, got my attention by taking away my sight for a few days, bringing a man to me that otherwise should have been scared of me to minister to me, a man otherwise I would have been arresting on any other day to take care of me. And then the Lord told me, not only am I going to send you out, but I'm going to send you out to suffer for my name's sake. Well, who can resist an inspirational call like that? Paul said, I must. I must. And so here he is in the midst of a time of imprisonment here, considering, no doubt, in the many hours that he has in the palace of Caesarea, what the future is to be, probably remembering what the past has been, and contemplating what the Lord has in store for him now. So let's join our story here. Chapter 25, beginning in verse 1. Now, when Pestis was coming to the province, after three days, he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him, and desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. Bethesda answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself should depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea, and the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. And while he answered for himself, neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended anything at all. Bethesda, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul and said, Will thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 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. For if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things, whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? Unto Caesar shalt thou go. All right. Well, we said that the position has changed, Felix Tephestes. How has that come about? We told you last week that historically we are told that Felix showed his hand once again. We told you a little bit about his background. He was, in fact, once a slave that had been granted his freedom and his citizenship and was elevated to a position that one could argue that he was not qualified for. but in fact was put in place because of his family connections and protected by that same family in Rome. We're told historically there are more than one occasion when Felix should have been pulled back to Rome and or punished and imprisoned himself because of his brutality. And yet he was spared time and time again. Finally, He had put down a rebellion and a revolt and did so in an incredibly bloody and cruel manner. This apparently was the last straw from Rome. They did in fact recall him and apparently, as we understand it, he was barely saved from a death sentence himself or at least imprisonment once again by influential family members. He is replaced by a man by the name of Festus. We know very little about Festus except that he was from Roman nobility, which means he was himself a true-born Roman citizen and had a rich history of understanding that from the city of Rome itself. However, being in charge in such an authority, he did not have much experience. But apparently he understood where the problem lies. He understood the main issues that he had to get a hold of and get a hold of in a hurry. And that was the issue of the Jewish people of Judea. Judea apparently at this time in history may have been one of the hotter spots in the Roman Empire. As we well know, even at the time of Christ's crucifixion, there was a swelling movement among the Jewish people, understood and known with a title such as Zionist, that they were absolutely waiting for the opportunity to overthrow the tyranny of the Roman Empire and once again be the independent, godly-blessed Kingdom of Israel. And so they were constantly looking for an opportunity for a revolt, for a rebellion, probably in their mind a revolution. This is the reason why that they were so accepting of Jesus Christ early on. This is what explains the incredible reception that Jesus was given when He first entered into Jerusalem only a matter of days away from His actual crucifixion because they believed Him to be the great revolutionary Messiah, the anointed one that would overthrow the earthly government. They could never perceive the fact that this Jesus Christ, this anointed one, the Messiah, must first die on the cross and be the absolute atonement for their sin, in spite of the fact that we could look in the Word of God, the writing of the prophets such as Isaiah and others who address this most specifically. And had the rabbis and the Pharisees taught the Word of God accurately, they would affirm this, but they didn't. Now, as this time comes, the problems in Judea have not gone away, thus the reason why we said something about Felix getting in trouble, because of the way he put down the rebellion. Remember the philosophy, the oversimplified philosophy of the Roman Empire was, is they were determined to keep this incredible vast empire of theirs calm and pleasant. The key to it was politics. The key to it was placating. The key to it was applying force when you had to, but seeking ways of keeping everybody at least happy, quote unquote. So for Festus, what he knew was is that the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and the high priest, they were his chief problem. As they went, so did the people go. So immediately he understands and has enough sense to make his way to Jerusalem. So as he early on goes to Jerusalem, as we open up our narrative here tonight in chapter 25, It says that he is meeting with a high priest and the Jewish leadership. And what is it that they wanted to talk to him about? Now understand this. Paul's been incarcerated with some level of freedom in the Caesarean Palace as a Roman citizen for now two years. Now this is an interesting statement with regard to sin, with regard to hatred because these men after two years when a new leader comes into play, what is the first thing they want to talk to him about? They approach him about the Apostle Paul. They haven't forgotten about the Apostle Paul. I'm sure in their minds they're relieved that he's been taken off the trail of evangelism geographically and that they're hoping still to settle this matter and seek their revenge, seek their measure of grudge, being satisfied, their idea of justice in their mind. And so the first thing they want to do is they desired favor with regard against Him, as Luke writes in verse 3, that He would send for Him to Jerusalem. And, of course, Luke writes, what is their intent? Their intent is not justice. Their intent is not a day in court. But Luke puts it plainly, they hope to once again kindle the plot to kill Paul. Now, may I remind you, do you remember the great story here, the great drama that unfolded in how Paul was rescued from Jerusalem and taken to Caesarea? It happened as a result of a group of men who plotted to vow never to eat again until they had killed Paul. Now sadly enough, I guess those fellows aren't around to do the job now with the knives. I mean, they may be strong, but two years without food, I don't think anybody makes it. Wouldn't you agree? Or maybe they're the people too that make statements without truly thinking them through. So regardless of that, it appears the Pharisees can find somebody else to carry out this plot because Luke says they are absolutely determined not to try Paul. They intend to kill him. They intend to assassinate him. So we see the intent here, and therefore we recognize hindsight being 20-20. We may not understand the purpose and the actions of God, but He often shows us in Scripture how that in spite of the great tragedies that surround it, that there is a will, there is a plan, there is a purpose that brings His work to conclusion. So when we rejoin the narrative here, it says that Festus answered in verse 4, and he said, Paul will be kept at Caesarea. And he says, in point of fact, I'll be returning there soon. He says, and when I do, you can go down with me. And if you want to bring charges against this man and bring him before a legal hearing, then that's exactly what we'll do. We'll be glad to hear him there. Well, in point of fact, that's exactly what they do. But when they come to hear him there, notice what they have to bring. It says, And when he had tarried among them for more than ten days, he went down into Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, commanded Paul to be brought. Verse 7 says, When he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about. And Luke says, They laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. All right, let's stop right there for a moment. So what have they brought? Well, by virtue of what Paul has written for us here, it is obvious that the charges that they bring against Paul have not changed. They intended to bring charges of sedition. They have brought this idea of his rebellion against their authority, the desecration of the temple, all these things that they're bringing about before the Roman government. The problem is, is they didn't have any eyewitnesses then. They didn't have any evidence then, therefore they couldn't prove the charges and it appears that nothing has changed. That all they can do is kind of rant and rave in the Roman hallway there and say, this guy's dangerous, he's a danger to you, he's a danger to us, he deserves to die and that's all there is to it. Now, when we read this, I have to admit to you, That as I have read these passages in Acts, it's hard to understand, it's hard to really appreciate exactly what the Jews thought they could accomplish. Because I realize that we're reading this from the perspective of God's Word and God's people and God's will and God's Word. And I'm sure the opposing force would have their own explanation for what they're doing. But I don't doubt the account that God's Word gives me. It appears that they have rant and raved and made a grave list of charges, but have absolutely no evidence and no proof to do this. So at the end of the day, it would seem to me that the only thing that the Jewish leaders hope to accomplish was to bring political pressure to bear on Festus and somehow bully him or intimidate him into giving them the decision they desire in order to keep the peace. If we go back and examine the scene in Jerusalem, what is it that happened there? Well, the Pharisees and the scribes skillfully among the people, even if it is the Asian Jews who were the starters of it, but they absolutely coordinated an attack, an attack that was a swelling, a grassroots movement of an absolute positioned mob to carry out the very task that they wanted them to and to act in the way they wanted them to. with regard as enemies of the Apostle Paul and level these incredible charges. So that's what they do. When they come to Felix, what is it they're hoping for? Well, they make again all these outlandish charges. What is their hope? Their hope is that Felix is going to see this as a grand opportunity to make a gesture toward the Jewish people and keep them in line. But even Felix could not do this. Why? Because these men had a central fear and respect in them with regard to the idea and the principle of Roman citizenship. And regardless of what political expediency would be, they couldn't bring themselves to put their own lives and their own places at risk by taking such actions against a Roman citizen without justification. The only person who was going to be able to do that was going to be who? Caesar. You know, this is the way it works. When you're working up the chain, you know, Felix is saying to himself, Hey, maybe this guy's going to die, but I'm not going to be the one to do it. Festus may be saying, Hey, this guy may be the one to die as a Roman citizen, but I'm not going to take responsibility for it. And so we'll find this the case here because what's going to happen here as this story continues on, Paul begins to answer for himself. And he simply refutes the charge. He said, I didn't do it. Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended anything at all. Well, when we read that from Luke, and I realize that Luke is repetitive here because the defense is basically the same as what he gave with Felix. And so Luke doesn't go to the trouble, no doubt, of writing all this out, whether Paul said it or not. But at the end of the day, it basically said, hey, where's the evidence? Where's the proof? You've got nothing. I have done nothing of which I have been charged. In other words, Paul is very honestly saying that this is a sham. Luke writes, "...but Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul and said..." Now he goes to the next step. "...Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?" All right. We cannot look into the mind of Festus and know what motivates him to ask this question. There are some who suppose that Festus, being an inexperienced governor of sorts, not having a lot of experience dealing with the Jews, thought this was a fairly innocent question to ask of the Apostle Paul. Luke says, willing to do them a favor doesn't mean that he's willing to do something terrible to them. It may be that Festus imagines in his mind that maybe we can put this thing to rest completely by simply having the same hearing in Jerusalem that's going to grant us the same result. What he doesn't understand is what Luke has already informed us, right? We've peeled behind the curtain here. Luke knows that, and no doubt Paul instinctively knows, that the Jews have no intention of giving him some fair hearing in Jerusalem. They have to be seeking to kill him because they knew from day one they didn't have a case they could win. in any court, unless it be their own corrupt one in the Sanhedrin, of which, by the way, they couldn't have cast a death sentence. Now, so here's their problem. They've got to get rid of Paul and they're manipulating in every way possible the system. Is Festus that gullible? Is he simply naive? Does he not understand? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it is that Festus is so wise that all along he recognizes this will be the moment that Paul's going to need to exercise his right as a Roman citizen and appeal this thing to a higher office. Is that what's going on? We cannot be certain. We can only judge and know what the outcome is and recognize God's hand in it because Festus has been protecting the Apostle Paul up into this now as surely as Felix was, whether they intended to or not, by keeping him in Caesarea in a place that is safely removed from the city of Jerusalem. So Festus asked the question. 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? For if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things, whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. All right? So Paul makes his defense, and he also makes his appeal. Well, he refused the charge. Festus proposes the compromise, and Paul's appeal truly offers Festus a way out. Now, I have read by some people's opinions, and it's a respectable opinion, that maybe Festus didn't want it to happen this way. It appears that at least Festus, unlike Felix, is willing to act on this thing and try to resolve it and not just let Paul waste away there in the palace for a couple of years as he has up until this point. Is that what's going on? Can't be certain. All we can be certain of is the outcome and the fact of this. Festus consults with his counsel, comes back with the answer to the apostle Paul, you appeal unto Caesar, fine, Caesar you will go. What Paul invoked was a legal right of a Roman citizen. And he invoked that right based on the fact that Felix, excuse me, Festus, as sitting in that place of authority, in truth, represented Caesar. was, in effect, Caesar in that place, in that locale. And therefore, he wanted to be judged completely by Caesar and made his appeal, almost the effect, I suppose, of us appealing to a higher court, appealing to the Supreme Court, I suppose, when we consider the Roman Empire and the way it was governed. So this is Paul's appeal. It's also Festus' way out because Festus does take advantage of it and says, fine, that's where you'll go. Now, of course, when we proceed from verse 12, we're going to find that this is not all completely settled, that there's going to be another conversation to be had for Agrippa is going to be brought in. But we're going to take on that and much more next week. What I'd like to do here, Lord willing, next week, what I'd like to do here now, though, is once again go back to where we began, considering the idea of God's purpose and God's path that He puts us on as His people. The unpredictability of knowing where we're going to end up, what we're going to face, and how are we going to face it. There are some lessons to be learned here with regard to what Paul has shown us already, some that we touched on before, but I'd like to go back and examine them once again. First of all, when we think of this as an example of the Jewish hostility to the gospel, we're also mindful of the fact that it's not only one that Christ predicted for His disciples, but in turn predicted for all of us. To do that, we go back to a passage such as that which is found in John chapter 15, beginning in verse 18. Now in verse 18, Jesus told His disciples, if the world hate you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you are of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you from my name's sake, because they know not Him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hateth me without a cause. Did you notice the last verse where John writes, as Jesus says, this might be fulfilled that is written in whose law? Their law. Hated me without a cause. There's almost a sarcastic statement with regard to the Jewish people. Whose law was it? It was God's law. But they had made it their law. quite a statement ironically. There is an irony here, and this is the case, that we see in the Jews what they accused the Apostle Paul of as one who was rebelling against them, desecrating the temple, rebelling against the Roman government. Isn't it quite ironic that the very thing they were accusing him of were the things that they would be guilty of in only a matter of years? They were the ones who would rebel. against the Roman tyranny. It began around AD 66. So the hypocrisy here, the contradiction in terms, this is the example, this is the lesson we are to learn with regard to this hostility. And the irony that it is that people will be attacking the true message of the gospel and they will be doing it in the name of God and in the name of the church, in the name of unity, harmony, and the idea of living peaceably. Now if you look carefully, you can see this taking place in our own culture today. There is a strong movement afoot even under the auspices of the church to diminish and dilute the truth of God's Word in order to pacify and to somehow make acceptable those things that the Word of God has always declared and always presented as an absolute sin. And practices within the church that are now wanting to be accepted based on the idea of a dream that we would all once again have a unified church. The idea that all churches, all finding their own way to God, are seeking the same God, simply in different ways. Now, I recognize that division can be very painful, there's no question. And there's no doubt that there is nothing to brag about knowing what the church is today in its denominational divide. We've got tons of churches out there, tons of groups of churches, all claiming that they have the truth and have the answer. There's nothing to boast of with regard to that. It is, in fact, the product of the immaturity and the failure of God's people and the calling of the church that He made before us. So if we're to recognize a lesson from this, we need to see the symptoms and understand the characteristics of this kind of hostility and accept it for what it is. What did Jesus say it was? Jesus said, you're going to see this come about and you'll need to know something. Number one, the attribute of this is the people who are so angry and so hostile against the gospel, it is evidence of the fact that they don't know the God who has given it. They don't know the God who has given it. He says, remember this, I chose you out of the world. And he says, if you were of the world, the world wouldn't hate you so much, they'd love you. Because they would consider you the same as they are, and the same self-centered, self-serving, self-congratulating idea that says that they love their own things, they love their own system. One that is determined simply to satisfy their cravings, their lusts, their desires, and even better, if they can call it some kind of virtue. as they do today. We've seen here tonight what I pointed out when we were reading the narrative here, what is the incredible, incredible power of sin to hold us. Because these men, having gotten Paul out of Jerusalem, he's been in prison for two years, and yet they cannot get him out of their head. They want him dead. They're willing to carry a grudge. This is what sin can do to you as well. We see people who today in our culture that are obsessed with some sense of revenge, some sense of justice in their heart and mind to be carried out, not satisfied that things may die down or go away, but simply pursuing it for all it's worth. There's something else though. And here is where I think that there is hope. Number one is that we see something here with regard to what's happening in Paul's life. You and I get to watch this play out like a drama, like an incredible timeline. And what is the unequivocal thing that Luke is showing us time after time after time after time? It is the sovereignty of God in the affairs of men because we see these people in their own right. trying to stop Paul, trying to kill Paul. What is it God does? God protects Paul, and He protects him in the most unique and unusual ways that none of us would typically script had we given the opportunity. Who would imagine that the captain or the commander of the Roman unit of soldiers in Jerusalem would be the Savior of Paul? Who imagines and who thought about Paul even having siblings and a family there in Jerusalem, let alone imagining his sister's son would be the one to tip off everybody of the plot against his life. Who could have ever thought out the idea that the Apostle Paul, who basically walked with great humility into the city of Jerusalem in tow, no less, with a bunch of Gentile Christians, it would seem, that everybody was looking down upon, being accused of being a criminal, beaten and bloodied, taken out to the barracks. And then the next thing you know, he's got an armed military escort on horseback to the city of Caesarea and the palace there before Felix. When we start putting all these things together, it's just unreal. Festus comes on board, and there Paul still is in the palace. He's incarcerated, but probably in the best of circumstances for being in prison because the Luke goes to the point of telling us that he was given some measure of freedom. He was not denied anyone who wished to come and minister to him. So all these things unfolding before our eyes. It's incredible. In fact, one could argue for a moment that when Paul understood that his appeal to Caesar would be honored. Most of us cannot begin to appreciate this, but one would have to speculate, and I think Paul basically says this much in his other writings. There had to be a moment not only of great relief, but great joy. You know why? Paul always wanted to go to Rome. He was determined to get to Rome. He desired to be in Rome because he wanted to meet and minister to the believers in Rome that had already gotten there. This was one of the great determinations that he had with regard to his service to God. And now, at least in this moment, there had to be a moment of relief. Yes, I'm going to go. There's something else to be seen here. And it's not without some discussion. And that is, if we are to suffer for the sake of Christ, and if we understand that this suffering and this persecution is very likely not simply to come from religious, but in fact even if it is religious people, they will utilize government authority and law enforcement to carry this out. In this case, that's exactly what we see in the Apostle Paul. He now finds himself in the justice system of his day, right? He begins being arrested on the streets of Jerusalem. He's now taken into one level of the justice system of the Roman government, where he's now been wrongfully accused, wrongfully incarcerated, even if somehow it has been for his protection by virtue of God's grace. And now he finds himself appealing to Caesar, where once again, He will hope to get judged fairly, but that will indeed not happen still. And why? Because of political pressure, because of political concerns more than anything else. What is the believer to do? How are we to respond? Now this really hits us in the modern day era. In chapter 13 and verse 1, Paul writes in the book of Romans, let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. not be afraid of the power, do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute, wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. If we look at the Apostle Paul's experience here, what we see is a combination of things. We see a combination of the Apostle Paul rendering himself under the authorities of the day, allowing them to do what they will with him within the system itself. However, you also see a resourceful Paul who has once again used what God has blessed him with as a Roman citizen, his rights under the law. He's not seeking out a lawyer to file a lawsuit against the leaders of Philippi for that incredible time that he spent in jail with Silas and the stocks. But instead, he has accounted for his citizenship and asked for and received, if you will, an apology and a formal declaration by virtue of the way he departed the city that he was innocent and wrongly accused. We see him coming before the Roman government with regard to Felix Infestus. He defends himself legally. He does not, again, scream and yell and say, you know, you're going to pay for this. But instead, he calmly goes through the process, defends himself, and leads himself to the judgment of the authority, good and or bad. He remains under that authority until such time that he sees once again a circumstance with Festus. The circumstance with Festus is that he can easily see that he wants to do the Jews a favor and he's trying to find a way to do it and get this thing off his plate. Paul now believes and instinctively understands the time is right. The time is right now to appeal to Caesar. He's not fussing. He's not fighting. He's saying, listen, I'm a Roman citizen. I believe I'm in a Roman court. This is where my case needs to be heard. And if it cannot be heard here, then I appeal to Caesar so that it may be I deserve it as a Roman citizen and have the right to appeal to a higher court. And that's what he did. Now, let me ask you, do you understand what happens to the Apostle Paul? He will be executed. And he will be executed by the Roman government. I want to remind you of what Paul said here even now. He said, if you desire to convict me, if you have the case to be brought about me, he said, I am not refusing to die. If you have reason to sentence me to death, do so. Isn't that very similar to what Peter and John told the Sanhedrin in the book of Acts early on? After the day of Pentecost when they were preaching the gospel and preaching Christ crucified and they threatened them, told them to shut up, stop doing this, as if something bad was going to happen to them. In effect, they told them and said, listen, you are in a place of authority. You have a certain measure of legal right to rule as God has given it to you. Do what you must. But he said, we're not trying to transgress the law, but we cannot help but preach the gospel of Christ. Period. And we're willing to suffer and die for it if you choose to believe that's our sentence. If we understand those things, then there is a tension here for us in the relationship that we have with the government still today because there are many of us who ask this. We talk about, in a sense, justification of rebellion, justification of this, justification of that, and certainly we have legal processes and ways in this country that we are blessed with that are almost unrivaled on the face of this earth. And that's great. We're blessed. But let's remember. Let's remember the relationship that we have with the government. Let's remember what can happen, how things can change, and ask ourselves, how will we react? How will we operate in a more hostile world to Christianity? How will we operate in a time and place where it may be that men can be locked up for preaching the truth of the gospel? I've already warned you before, this is not a fairy tale. There have been ministers already who have been questioned in years past by the FBI. in the process of their responsibilities of pursuing charges or accusations of hate speech, simply because they spoke bluntly from the Word of God in the pulpit. Now, to my knowledge, there's not any recorded arrest or indictment that's been made of any minister, but I do know that they have come in, they've asked for transcripts and recordings of messages to be reviewed. Now, that's old. That's not new. We may face a very uneasy time in the years ahead as the culture continues to, in their words, evolve. From a biblical point of view, we would say deteriorate as those before us have. You and I are going to have some personal decisions to make if the Lord carries His coming and we live long enough. Now some of you who imagine this won't happen in your lifetime, I would encourage you to pray. I would encourage you to search God's Word and I would encourage you to trim the lamp and be as bright as you can on the way out for those who are falling behind you. You do no one any service by sitting back in your own personal indulgence because you don't have to weather the storm and somebody else will. We need to raise our voice, raise the Word of God. encourage and challenge those who may face it when we're gone. Does anyone have any questions on these verses tonight? Yes, sir.