moving up the line

Good morning brothers and sisters,
We've read about Paul's appeal to the Roman Emperor. Today we see the beginnings of how that's going to happen. Felix here is a classic official. He knows he needs to send Paul to the emperor, but he doesn't know what to say to his superiors about why he's sending him. That's not surprising, since over and over again Roman officials have agreed that Paul isn't breaking any Roman rules. They don't care, so it's hard for Felix to explain why he's sending Paul on for trial. So they examine Paul again, this time along side the Jewish king Agrippa and his sister Bernice. On the other hand, we'll see that Paul has something to say too, so he doesn't mind having another opportunity to speak.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 25:23-27, 26:1-8

²³So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then Festus gave the order and Paul was brought in. ²⁴And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵But I found that he had done nothing deserving death; and when he appealed to his Imperial Majesty, I decided to send him. ²⁶But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write— ²⁷for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”

Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself.’ Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself: 2 ‘I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defence today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently.

4 ‘All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. ⁵They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ⁷a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

A king and a governor

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
Today we remember the men and women who lost their lives 12 years ago. I bet we all remember where we were when we heard the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. It was truly a painful moment and we still grieve the lives lost. I pray that out of that suffering can grow new compassion for others.

Our reading today brings us Governor Festus talking with King Agrippa. Agrippa was the last king in Herod's dynasty. He ruled with Roman approval, but was Jewish. Like Paul, he bridges two worlds, Jewish and Roman, so he is very interested in what Paul has to say. We'll see how he and Paul get along tomorrow.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 25:13-22

13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. ¹⁴Since they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, ‘There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix. ¹⁵When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him and asked for a sentence against him. ¹⁶I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defence against the charge. ¹⁷So when they met here, I lost no time, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought.

¹⁸When the accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the crimes that I was expecting. ¹⁹Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰Since I was at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. ²¹But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of his Imperial Majesty, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to the emperor.’ ²²Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear the man myself.’ ‘Tomorrow’, he said, ‘you will hear him.’

transition

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,
Our reading today brings us a new governor in Caesarea, so Paul will have a different person to work with.

Blessings,
Sam

 Acts 24:22-25:5

22 But Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, ‘When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.’ ²³Then he ordered the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some liberty and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.

24 Some days later when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵And as he discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgement, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.’ ²⁶At the same time he hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, and for that reason he used to send for him very often and converse with him.

27 After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favour, Felix left Paul in prison. Three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem ²where the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews gave him a report against Paul. They appealed to him ³and requested, as a favour to them against Paul, to have him transferred to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, planning an ambush to kill him along the way. ⁴Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself intended to go there shortly. ⁵‘So’, he said, ‘let those of you who have the authority come down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him.’

defending his life

Good morning sisters and brothers,
In today's reading we see Paul making his case to the Roman Governor Felix. The heart of his argument is that the Christians faith he shares is actually a continuation of the Judaism he has always believed. He also argues that he has lived his faith in a way that respects others. Not a bad guideline for us either.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 24:10-21

10 When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied:

‘I cheerfully make my defence, knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation. ¹¹As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. ¹²They did not find me disputing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city. ¹³Neither can they prove to you the charge that they now bring against me.

¹⁴But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to the law or written in the prophets. ¹⁵I have a hope in God—a hope that they themselves also accept—that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. ¹⁶Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience towards God and all people.

¹⁷Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation and to offer sacrifices. ¹⁸While I was doing this, they found me in the temple, completing the rite of purification, without any crowd or disturbance. ¹⁹But there were some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you to make an accusation, if they have anything against me. ²⁰Or let these men here tell what crime they had found when I stood before the council, ²¹unless it was this one sentence that I called out while standing before them, “It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” ’

back in court

Good morning friends,
With Paul in custody, the Jewish leaders come to make their accusation against him in front of the Roman Governor. It's interesting to see how they make their case.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 24:1-9

Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul to the governor. ²When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

‘Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. ³We welcome this in every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude. ⁴But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. ⁵We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶He even tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him. ⁸By examining him yourself you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse him.’ 9 The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true.

on the road again

Good morning friends,
Yesterday we read about how some of the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Paul, but the plot was overheard by Paul's nephew. He told the Tribune what was happening and our story continues from there today. Paul is sent under heavy guard to Caesarea, which was the seat of Roman authority for the region. He went with a letter from the Tribune to the Roman Governor explaining the situation. We often think of the Roman Empire as persecutors of the church, and certainly that was the case later. At this point, we'll see that the Empire was also an important source of protection for Paul and others, and Paul will use that protection to continue his mission of preaching the gospel. May we also always use the power and opportunities we have to live and share our faith.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 23:23-35

23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, ‘Get ready to leave by nine o’clock tonight for Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. ²⁴Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Felix the governor.’ ²⁵He wrote a letter to this effect:

26 ‘Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. ²⁷This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him. ²⁸Since I wanted to know the charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council. ²⁹I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. ³⁰When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.’

31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris. ³²The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. ³³When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. ³⁴On reading the letter, he asked what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵he said, ‘I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.’ Then he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod’s headquarters.

contradiction and call

Good morning friends,
Today we learn that Paul's speech isn't the first time Governor Felix has heard about Christianity. Felix sends him away but calls him back from time to time. Luke tells us that Felix hoped Paul would bribe him. He also says that when Paul talked about faith and Jesus and the coming judgment, Felix was afraid. It's interesting that Felix was afraid and wanted to send Paul away, and he wanted to talk to him at different times and get money from him.

We can probably relate to Felix here a little bit. We want to hear more about Jesus and we find that story compelling. At the same time, the gospel frightens us sometimes, maybe because we worry about measuring up to our calling or because God's love is overwhelming. Often too, there's part of us that wants to get something out of our faith: good feelings about ourselves, security, fellowship. It's OK to have these conflicting feelings about faith in Christ; in some ways being human means living in contradiction. Our goal is not to banish contradiction or to obsess about pure motives, but to seek to hear Christ's call in the midst of all those complications and to open ourselves to the transformation that the gospel offers.

Blessings,
Sam

Acts 24:22-27

22But Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.” 23Then he ordered the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some liberty and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.

24Some days later when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ Jesus. 25And as he discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.” 26At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul, and for that reason he used to send for him very often and converse with him. 27After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.