You're listening to the teaching ministry of Harvest Fellowship Church in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. You can find out more about us on the web at www.harvestfellowshipchurch.org. We pray that through our teaching we may present everyone mature in Christ. Lord, we thank you so much for this evening. We thank you that we could come together to hear and to study and to understand your word. Lord, we ask that you would enlighten us this evening, that you would impress upon us even just a little bit of the resolve that Paul has been displaying throughout these last months or so. Lord, we ask that you would that you would put these truths deep into our hearts. Lord that they would change and affect the way that we live and we pray all of this in your name. Amen. All right. So let's go over last week really quickly. It feels like Groundhog Day. Paul was before another. Another hearing. Who was his hearing in front of last time? Felix. Yes, Felix. Was Felix a good governor? Was he a peaceful governor? A wise governor? So then was anything that this man, Tertullus, said accurate? I was gonna ask what part of it, maybe there was a part. No, in all the flattery that Tertullus was aiming towards Felix was not accurate, but it was customary, we learned, to flatter a ruler before a legal proceeding. What was the main offense, though, that they were coming after Paul for? The main offense. Starts with an S. Andrew has said this, I think, on multiple occasions. Sedition, yes. That was the main offense, and sedition was a capital offense if he was found guilty. So this is the main issue they were accusing Paul of, although there were other ones. And they also were disparaging Christianity, saying that this thing, the way, or they said the Nazarenes, were essentially an illegitimate and deviant form of Judaism in all of these accusations that they were lobbing at Paul. And Paul makes his rebuttal. And does he address all of these accusations? In a manner of speaking he does to his satisfaction. But in that rebuttal that Paul makes he does actually confess that he was guilty of something. What does Paul confess he's guilty of? He makes a confession. Yes, that he worships the same God that they worship. Essentially, he gives a confession of faith, that he has faith, faith in the same God, the true worship of their same ancestral Jewish God, Yahweh, the God of our fathers, he says. What is Felix's response to all of this? It's kind of a non-response, isn't it? Let's just wait. There's this tactic I like to use called stalling. He just wants to put it off a little bit more. And technically, why does he want to put this off? That is probably one of the biggest reasons, is that he wants some sort of monetary gain I think the other that you can see in hindsight and as we go into this evening is that there was a lot of politics at play and they did not want to fall out of this tenuous relationship that they had with the Jews. Either way Felix was an unjust ruler but we did hear a little bit of application last week and that application was that we in our day and age need to be competent and steadfast in our ability to make a defense against the accusations of this world. All of these things the world is challenging with regards to our biblical beliefs. We need to be able to make a defense and how do we make that defense. with the Word of God, not in harsh, aggressive, argumentative ways, empty words, but with the Word of God. And we need to be anchored in that truth of God's Word in order to defend our faith. So, that is the recap of last week. Let's head into Acts 24, beginning at verse 24. and we'll read through 25 verse 12. After some days, Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. And he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ, Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, go away for the present. When I get an opportunity, I will summon you. At the same time, he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porteous Festus, and desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, asking as a favor against Paul, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. So, he said, let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him. After he stayed among them, not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. Paul argued in his defense, neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense. but Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried on these charges before me? But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, To Caesar you have appealed, to Caesar you shall go. So, what sort of questions come up from this section? None. All right. You read my notes. Yeah. Good question. Very good question. Any other ones? I have one along those same lines, Scott. Why does Festus go almost immediately to Jerusalem? And then on top of that, yours, why does he insist that they try Paul in Caesarea? Hmm. Which one, Felix or Festus? Technically. Right. Yeah. Right. Why were they deserving of that? That's a good one. One of the super obvious ones that I had was, why does Paul appeal to Caesar? Why didn't he do it earlier? Why is he doing it now? What has changed? This seems like a regurgitation of sorts of just another trial that's the same thing that they've said, he's said, why does he appeal to Caesar? All right, going once, going twice. Well, let's start in 24 then. So we left off with Felix and now we're back with Felix again after some days, after this original trial and the keeping of Paul in custody. Now he comes back and he comes back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. And he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, go away for the present. When I get an opportunity, I will summon you. So this gives us a glimpse into, a little bit, into the private conversations that Paul and Felix has, or that they have. And we do read in here that they have these often, these discussions. But none of the other ones are mentioned, other than the fact that he did send for him often. But this little glimpse that we get is that he clearly, speaks about faith in Christ Jesus. So in whatever way Paul does this probably the same way that he's done with so many other people before this he preaches the gospel to him. He talks about faith in Christ Jesus. And why did he bring his wife along with him. Any ideas. Why would he bring her. To some extent, the answer is in that first sentence, because she was Jewish. And so you could argue then that there was some sort of curiosity with Felix and his wife to understand what the way, what Christianity was all about. So if she was Jewish, she was familiar with the Jewish ways. Maybe that means Felix was also familiar, at least. What was different? between that and what Paul is saying. How is this any different? So there's a curiosity, so to speak, and probably driven a little bit by her Jewish heritage to understand this. But if that's their aim in having these discussions with Paul, curiosity, let's just say, what is Paul's aim in having these conversations? I think that that's what it turns into. I think originally there's a curiosity, and they continue to have those conversations because he is seeking for monetary gain in the long term. that's what he wants. But originally why would why would even have these conversations with Paul. He had already heard in the trial the case against him and he heard Paul's responses back. I think there was an original curiosity and it may have even been spurred on by his wife to have those conversations to understand more about Christianity in general. But yes I think you're right it turns into more of that political gain and lining of the pockets as time goes on. And I think that you also see that because Luke doesn't mention that it ever had an effect on Felix or Drusilla, these conversations. He didn't repent, turn from his ways, become converted. But ultimately, Paul's aim in having these conversations is the same aim that Paul has with every conversation that Paul has with anybody. It's to tell them about Christ. That's his goal. He has an opportunity to tell them about faith in Christ Jesus, it says. And we know that he was to take this message even to the highest levels of society and government. But when it goes on then to say what it is that he reasoned about with them. Righteousness, self-control, and coming judgment. Righteousness being proper behavior in an ethical sense. And even to some extent the justice in a forensic or legal sense. This idea of living upright. Self-control being mastery of one's own selfish pleasures and desires. And then hopefully the coming judgment is obvious. It is not a reference to Felix rendering judgment on Paul, but rather what kind of judgment? The coming judgment, what's Paul referring to there? Yeah, the final day of judgment. And, as Andrew alluded to in his question, Titus 2, 11 and 12 says, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age. That can be your synopsis for what it was that they discussed, what it was that Paul is instructing them on. But what is the disturbing part about this interaction? Why does Felix become alarmed? That's the question, essentially, that we may all have. What alarmed him about this conversation that he's having with Paul? If we learned anything else about Paul, is that he had a knack for catering his presentations and interactions with people to their context, to what it is that they had, I would say, to some extent, their baggage and all the things that were going on in the lives of the people he was interacting with. And because we know that that is a pattern that has occurred over and over with Paul in his presentation, in his words that he has with people, You could assume to some extent he knows the reputation that Felix has. He knows that this man is dishonest. He knows that this man is of ill repute. But technically, so was his wife. Whether Paul knew that or did not know that, these two had a very storied past, so to speak. So as Paul lays out righteous living, practicing self-control, and then tells them of the coming judgment, what would that judgment be on? The way that they were living, essentially. He's confronting them in these ways with these three topics. When they hear that there is judgment to come, there's alarm. He becomes alarmed that at this future judgment, because he hadn't been practicing justice, he was a corrupt ruler. The irony in all of this, though, is that Felix is technically the judge of Paul. But Paul is informing Felix that he's going to have to appear before a judge. And that scares Felix. Why would that scare him? Why would he want to stop this conversation in its tracks and say, I'll come back another time and we'll talk? What if Paul's right? Yeah. Yeah, if people aren't guilty of things of that nature, are they gonna run from the conversation? Let's just say, right? So I think as we go on, you see in these interactions that there's not, from what Luke documents, any turn or repentance to Christ. But he was being confronted in his activity. So in their marriage, their history was tainted by promiscuity. The Roman historian, Suetonius, relates that Drusilla was Felix's third wife. Technically, I believe Felix was her third husband as well. When she was six years old, she was promised a marriage to the son of King Antiochus of Commagene. wherever that was. But at six years old she was promised to this prince. And then later in life when she was 14 her own brother Agrippa II gave her in marriage to Azizus who was the king in northern Syria. And then Drusilla left Azizus to become the wife of Felix. And all of this in the historians they say that Felix lusted after her when she was a teenager. And that's how she became his wife, and all of the saga of all of that, three spouses later, leads to these two being married. And so, with all of that history, whether Paul does or doesn't know the specifics of all of that, knowing the kind of people that they are, the governor and his spouse must see themselves in light of what Paul's confronting them in. righteousness, self-control, and then a judgment that will come for those things. So he's confronting them about moral and ethical conduct. And that leads to alarm, like it should lead to alarm. If you think about in the next year as we go into evangelism and teaching in here on evangelism, What are the first things that you should do when interacting with someone? What do you use to show them their need for a savior? The law. Yeah, the law. So if the law of God says this, and everyone falls short of that, that's your starting ground. That's what Paul was essentially doing with them, holding that up as a standard and saying, we will all be judged according to this. So their lack of moral and ethical conduct leads to this alarm, which I think leads to the desire to just get some money from the guy, because they're probably living their cushy life in corruption. But what does that mean for us? I would ask this question rhetorically, how often do our lives become disconnected from the demands of Scripture. How often do we go about our life and don't have in mind the standards of Scripture? Now these two were unbelievers living in their unbelief and their sin in that way, but we have a tendency at times to begin to not see what God's Word is holding as the standard in front of us. and we kind of live these double lives. And so in this same confrontation that Paul has with them, with the truth of scripture, that should confront us as well in our living. Because there is a standard of righteousness, self-control, all of what we read in Titus and continue to read in Titus each week. And there is a judgment that is coming and so we have to keep all of these things in mind. It should alarm us but as Christians it should alarm us. It should keep those things in check and that should be ever before us that this standard of godly living is before us to be followed after. And in this occasion you could say that it hardened them because it alarmed them and they sort of moved on with their life in a way. But the gospel can do that it can harden or it can soften. And so may it be true that it softens our lives and pricks our consciences when confronted with the truth of God's word and how we should live as we think about how they were living and Paul's confrontation of that. But in verse 26 we get to At the same time, so he has this conversation and is going to have more, but at the same time he really just hoped that money would be given him by Paul. And do you remember why he would think that Paul had some sort of money? Right. Earlier in chapter 24 it mentioned that what he was coming to Jerusalem for was to bring alms to the nation to present offerings to them. So where did he get this money? Does he have more of it? There's potential, some commentators say, that Paul actually did have a decent, I don't want to call it a decent living, but had resources of sorts. But that's not necessarily confirmed. Either way, this man, like you could say most politicians, were greedy for selfish gain. He wants money. And so he sent for him often and conversed with him, just waiting, holding his breath. Maybe he has some money now. But while their original intent in these conversations may have been curiosity, it turned to personal gain and it never amounted to spiritual fruit from what we see before us. So we can assume then in this narrative that Felix never received any money from Paul and that he never repented and turned from his ways according to what we have before us. But in verse 27 now we see a time frame, two years elapse. So this goes on, Paul is held in captivity of sorts, loose captivity. He can have visitors and whatnot. But after two years of all of that, Felix is finally succeeded by Festus, Porteous Festus. And then it adds on that desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. So Felix was desiring to do the Jews a favor. We'll see later on, Festus says the same thing, that he was desiring to do a favor. Here's a tiny little question that popped up in my reading that none of you had, and technically I didn't have either, but we have not often asked this. What is going on with Luke, the writer? Because now we get to this part where it says that two years elapsed. Paul's imprisoned for these two years. What is Luke doing? Presumably he could have been one of the friends that ministers to Paul in his captivity along with plenty of others. But interesting a commentator that I read suggested that it's possible that Luke at this time and being in Israel had access to people and knowledge about the time of Jesus. So it said from like A.D. 35 to 57 Paul couldn't have filled Luke in on all that information. And so it's possible that he is interviewing and going and gathering information during that time, potentially even laying out the structure and or scope of these works known as Luke and Acts. Two years is a long time to just wait while Paul is in prison. So it's possible that our writer here was busy at work. Regardless though, We read here that the emperor calls Felix back. He has a successor, Festus, but Emperor Nero recalled Felix back all the way to Rome. And this occurred because of the political conditions all around Israel. There was an understanding then that Felix was unable to properly deal with all of the upheaval, all of the things that were going on. He couldn't handle that and so he was essentially relieved of duty and called back to Rome. Technically Felix intervened with military might when Jewish and Syrian inhabitants of Caesarea started throwing rocks at each other in a dispute over some civil rights. He sends in the military and the soldiers actually kill a number of Jews. They imprisoned other ones and then they went in and looted the houses of these Jews who in this occasion they looted them because they had hoarded substantial sums of money in their houses. So all of this was happening under Felix's watch. Military intervention and just unrest around the region. And so he couldn't deal properly and he was recalled. Josephus even writes that when Festus was sent by Nero as the successor to Felix, the leaders of the Jewish community from Caesarea went all the way to Rome to accuse Felix of being a bad leader. So those people that were in Caesarea stirring up trouble and all of that went to even plead their case against Felix in Rome. In Rome, though, Felix had a brother named Pallas, P-A-L-L-A-S, not to be confused with the building. But Pallas pleaded for him in the presence of Nero and was able to get him exonerated. So Felix didn't have to face any punishment, but he was relieved of duty. And that's how we get to this guy named Festus. So Festus shows up here in verse 27 as the relief for Felix. Not a lot is known about Festus and technically his tenure as governor was likely only two or three years at most. So Festus did not serve in this office for long. It's presumed that he died in office. He was born a member of one of the noble families from Rome and so he was familiar with with the Roman ways and he was familiar with politics in general and all of the ways that these people ruled. So if you think about Felix, do you remember he was a freed slave who had climbed up the political ladder to become the governor Festus was more kind of born into that as a status in general. But different from Felix, Festus was prepared for this. Festus was more wise and honorable in his status and his dealings. He was equipped for the task of governing. Now technically, Festus had some trouble as well. And the trouble, Andrew, I think you mentioned this last week, were the daggermen. So there was a group of people within Israel that would go around and they would, in the festival days when there was a whole bunch of things going on, they would sort of covertly get themselves in position to assassinate a person and do that in the hubbub of the festival and they would never get caught. Festus put an end to that. Festus was able to wrangle in the daggermen who were murdering opponents and disappearing into the crowds. So he was able to handle a little bit more of this unrest that was occurring than Felix was. But that's just a little bit about what we know about Festus. Now let's get into chapter 25, verse 1. So Festus is appointed and three days after Festus arrives in the province, He went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way." It really is Groundhog Day. A lot of this is very similar to things that their plans have not really changed all that much it seems. But three days after Festus arrives, so very quickly, he gathers himself together and heads to Jerusalem. Why would he go to Jerusalem so quickly? Well, if his task was to do a better job than Felix and to improve the relations that did and did not exist with the Jews. He would have to go there and he would have to meet with them. He lacked experience with their religious matters and their law and customs and so he needed to go there. Like a quote unquote, I'll just say, a good ruler, maybe just a better ruler, he was going to go and try to make peace with them, get to know them, Along this way, though, he inherits this stagnant case with Paul. The Jews knew that it was possible that this new leader could release Paul. And so what do they pressure Festus to do? He arrives there, he meets and greets everyone, and they start pressuring him, asking for this favor. Favor seems to be a theme with both Felix and Festus and the Jews. Earlier Felix wanted to do a favor for the Jews. The Jews are requesting a favor now from Festus. Later it'll say that he wanted to do them a favor. What is with all of this favor talk? It's manipulation, really, that's the plainest way that you could say. It's a quid pro quo, if anybody knows what that means. Something for something. I'll give you something, you give me something. You could just also call it politics or politicking. It's constant manipulation. Favors for this, I'll give you a favor for that. But why do they want a favor? Why do they want the ruler to look on them with favor and bring Paul to Jerusalem? What's their motivation? Murder again. Yeah. Nothing has changed other than two years went by. But they obviously didn't forget that Paul was still there in Caesarea and they obviously still wanted him dead. They were not going to relent. Why did they hate Paul so much? Yeah. In the same way that they saw Jesus in a way is the same way that they're seeing Paul. He is a menace to their Judaism. He teaches things that are contrary to how we live. And it has to be stopped. And whatever little bits of power they may have had, they were always angling to keep it. And the same with these governors. They're all just angling to keep power. But technically this is nothing new, this plot to kill Paul, because we've seen that they wanted to do that previously. If you rewind all the way back to Acts chapter 9, Paul is still called Saul. And it says in Acts chapter 9 verse 23, when many days had passed the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him. But his disciples took him by night and led him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. And he escaped in that occasion. But this is a constant theme Everyone wants to get rid of Paul. Now the interesting thing here is that Festus coming into this as a new job, we're assuming, has to know something about the situation. It can't just be that he's thrown into this and he doesn't know what he has there in his location. You could also, a lot of people are assuming that what's his name, Lysias, Lysias, however you want to say it, that he may have still been the commander in Jerusalem. It's only two years later. And so Festus may have even received information from him about what had happened with Paul and the earlier Jewish plots. So it's possible because Luke is writing and informing us that there was another plot to kill Paul. It's possible other people knew about this plot. Just like Paul's nephew knew earlier, other people likely knew. And if they were planning this ambush, we can presume that news of that plot may have already come to the attention of Festus. So as we think about their plea for Festus to move the location to Jerusalem, have Paul come here? Festus may be in tune with what they're trying to do here. He may have some additional information about this plot, about their selfish ways that they are trying to manipulate him. And as a new ruler, he could just be manipulated, or he could see this as them trying to undermine his authority and weaken his authority already, new to this role. which is likely why he refused to bring Paul to Jerusalem. So that in a way he could kindly and gently say, I'm not going to be persuaded by you. I am the governor of this area and you can come back with me and there we will hear your case. Regardless, Festus' move here in this chess game, so to speak, providentially saves Paul's life yet again. His refusal to bring Paul down to or up to Jerusalem saves Paul's life because they were going to murder him yet again. Whether Festus did or did not know about this, it is assumed that he was not going to relinquish his role. He was trying to make nice with the Jews of Jerusalem, but he wasn't going to automatically let them have all this authority. He was going to assert a little bit of authority in the gentlest way that he could. And so in verse 4, Festus replies that Paul is being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intends to go there shortly. So he says to these ruling Jews, let the men of authority among you go down with me. And if there's anything wrong about the man let them bring charges against him. So he's refusing their manipulative pleading and insisting that they can come with him. I would gladly hear this case. Come there with me. In verse six It says that he stayed there among them not more than eight or ten days. Don't let that confuse you. It's possible that Luke technically didn't know the exact amount of time that Festus stayed there, but it was just over a week, let's just say, that he stayed there in Jerusalem, continued to try to understand their ways and how he could rule well, and then he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, after he arrives back there, he takes his seat on the tribunal and orders Paul to be brought. The assumption here and the way that this whole narrative flows is that they did go back with Festus. because if he starts this tribunal back up the day after he arrives they were there and they brought they bring these charges right away when he takes his seat. So it's assumed that they did listen to his suggestion. Come along with me and they go to Caesarea along with Festus and the trial can take place. So it says in verse 7 when he that is Paul because they summon Paul When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove." It doesn't even waste any time on this page saying that these charges are the same charges, but they are. The same charges they brought before, they're bringing those same charges, many and serious charges against him. But could they prove them? They couldn't prove them the first time with Felix and they can't prove them this time either. Do you remember some witnesses were missing at the last trial? Who was missing the last time? Paul made a little exception to that. Where are those Asian Jews? The ones from, where would they have been from potentially? Ephesus. Where are they at? And now he could probably say this again two years later. Now they're not here. Where are the people that are bringing these charges? Where are all the witnesses at what had happened? Again, it's Groundhog Day over and over again. The same thing again, but now it's a different governor. Will the results be better for Paul this time? After all, Festus, he seems like a better governor. And these people can't prove any of their charges. So in verse 8, Paul argues his defense. and very succinctly wraps it up similar to the last trial, neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense. So he's denying these same charges again, but this time before Festus. Now I think here in the next set of verses is where things sort of take a turn. And they take a turn as we go back to all this favor stuff. In verse 9, Festus wishing to do the Jews a favor. Now he says to Paul, do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me? Why in the world would he want to do that? And one of the questions that I didn't ask earlier is, why did Festus seem so opposed to calling Paul to come to Jerusalem for this trial? And now he's saying, well, why don't we all just go back to Jerusalem then? Do you want to go back to Jerusalem, Paul? I could try you there on all of these charges that were brought before me. Now, whether Paul sees this politicking, whether Paul sees the manipulating that's happening between him, between Festus and the Jews, or whether he even has knowledge at this point again about another plot to kill him, or even just has in the back of his mind, last time they were taking me somewhere, people wanted to kill me. I think this is essentially the What do they call it? The crisis of conscience. What is he going to do now? It's the same thing over and over again with no different results. And now this new governor Festus is asking, do you want to go to Jerusalem to be tried? Well, Paul isn't having it. Paul says, I am standing before Caesar's tribunal where I ought to be tried. Why should he ought to have been tried in a Roman trial? He's a Roman citizen. So he's bringing up his citizenship again without directly saying it. But this is where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. I like to picture when I read this every time that he points at Festus. You know very well that I have done nothing wrong according to what they're levying against me. But if then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. Ironically he does escape death by not going back to Jerusalem where they want to kill him anyway. But he's he's not seeking to escape death in pleading his case. He just wants a fair trial. But if there is nothing to their charges against me no one can give me up to them. He's appealing to Festus and saying I am not guilty. Essentially I have not done what they say that I have done. against them, against Caesar. I'm not guilty of sedition. I'm in the right place to be tried. But I think at this point, it's possible that Paul knows that there are only a couple options that Festus has. And those options that Festus has aren't very good for Paul. Paul knows if if this goes back to Jerusalem then it's going to be it will lack objectivity. They're going to sentence him because the people of the Sanhedrin and the council they want him dead anyway. So it's not going to be an objective trial. The governor wants to gain favor with these Jews to bring peace and to bring the level of all the crazy down more so that he could succeed as a governor. So he's not going to be partial in his judgments either. Technically, while Paul is in custody, he is safe. He's safe from death. He's safe from all the Jews that want to kill him. He's safe with all of these soldiers. This military is protecting Paul. And so this plot to assassinate him would not be able to continue if he doesn't go back to Jerusalem. If they don't try to move him again or do any of that stuff and he's still under protection from that military. Right. I think I mean it seems as though between Festus and Felix they just want to try to wrangle all of the upheavals that are continuing to happen and they will almost do anything to gain favor with these Jewish people for whatever reason they are willing to do whatever. And so seeing all the charges levied against Paul Festus is between a rock and a hard place, because if he lets him go, they're going to kill Paul. He could set him free, and I don't want to spoil, I guess we won't be back at it until January, so I guess I could spoil it a little, but he's going to confer with Agrippa in the next section and say, I know that he's not guilty, essentially. So this stuff with all these favors is not taking the actual case into account. It's not at all. So I think Paul to some extent realizes his future is becoming very precarious more and more with each of these trials and things that are going to happen. And I think that's why he's using his Roman citizenship here and why he says, I appeal to Caesar. It's his last resort. What else is he going to do? If they let me go, I'm dead. If they keep me, I'm protected. but I'm not gonna get a fair trial here because Festus is basically following in similar footsteps to Felix, so I appeal to Caesar. And with those, technically it's two words that he would have spoken, but with those words, that stops the whole entire thing in its tracks. It's like the brakes were just jammed on. This is his last option. And I'm sure if you could be in Festus' head, he's thinking, oh, great. All right, let's stop this. Let's just stop it. Because it gives him an out. He can just transfer him away and it's not his problem. Although technically it's his problem a little bit because he could have been looked down upon because he couldn't resolve a simple case. But regardless, it's not his problem then. In verse 12, Festus confers with his council, other people who were of the ruling class within Caesarea, not the Jewish people, but his people. And he confers with them, is this right? Can he do this? Appeal to Caesar? Well, he's a citizen. Of course he can appeal to Caesar. Any citizen can do that and take their case all the way up the chain. And so after this, counsel confers with him, to Caesar you've appealed and to Caesar you shall go. The one thing that this screams out to me, and especially here at the end, in his appeal, while it seems like Paul has I'll just say he's lost all hope. This is his last resort. I appeal to Caesar. There is nothing but providence in all of this. God's providence is taking him to Rome. There is no way that Paul is not going to Rome and this is the mechanism by which Paul gets there. And then even the fact that he would speak before rulers and all kinds of high social people. Now he's going to talk to this king Agrippa when we come back in January. Agrippa is going to come and he's going to be able to speak to him and present quite a long It's not even a case. He tells him his whole entire conversion story and all of this. He gets a chance to really speak to this man Agrippa. But all that I see in this is God's providence in Paul's life. And I think that we have to be reminded of that often because although Paul is in these circumstances, real circumstances with these real governors and he's really under lock and key, God is having his way and he's working it out through these means and these methods. I think that that's one thing that we have to take from this. as desperate as it seems that this situation is for Paul, Paul is going to be allowed a lot of freedom throughout all of the remaining time of his life. He's going to be allowed to speak to so many people as a result of this. A few interesting things. In the book of Philippians, in chapter 1, Paul writes, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ." He's talking about the guard in Rome, the imperial guard. They all know that he's imprisoned for Christ. And then later in Philippians it says, all the saints greet you in chapter four, especially those of Caesar's household. When I read those, it almost brings chills because this man ends up where he is bound to go by God's will and all of those people that he encounters, even Caesar's household, must have converts because it says all the saints greet you, especially those in Caesar's household. The gospel goes to Rome regardless of all of these sticky situations that Paul finds himself in with these governors. When we come back in January, the next section, it just keeps getting better and better, just as Paul's testimony, each step of this way, is so resolute in ways that I don't think that we can even comprehend, but that the Spirit gives him so that he can endure all this, for us to be able to read this and take heart as well. With that, why don't we pray? Lord, we thank you so much for just every little bit of your word. We thank you for how it just, it screams out to us to see your hand at work. Not only here in Paul's life, but Lord, in all of the lives that had gone before Paul and all the lives that come after Paul. Lord your hand is always at work and we thank you for the solace that we can take through understanding your providence and your sovereignty being your will at work here on this earth. So Lord we do pray that your will would be done and your kingdom would come. So Lord we ask that you would be with us as we go from here and that our hearts would be warmed regardless of whether our feet and hands are cold outside. Lord we just pray that we would just continue steadfastly in the truth of your word in this lost and dying world we pray in your name. Amen.