Jesus Said, "Be Of Good Cheer, For As thou Hast Testified Of Me In Jerusalem, So Must thou Bear Witness Also Of Me At Rome" - Part 1721

"For we have found this man a pestilent [plague] [fellow] and a mover [creator] of sedition [dissension] among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes." (Acts 24:5)

" ... whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds!" (Acts 23:29; Acts 18:15; Acts 25:19, 25; Acts 26:31)

"Let them therefore," said Festus, "which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him." (Acts 25:5)

Herein, in Acts 25, we see a case being made against apostle Paul -- because he preached Jesus and His Kingdom everywhere he went. As the scripture states, Festus had just come into the province and after three days, he travels from Caesarea to Jerusalem. The high priest and the chief of the Jews inform him against Paul, and besought him, "and desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him."

But Festus instead said that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.  And he adds -- "Let them therefore, which among you are able, to go down with me, and accuse this man -- if -- there be any wickedness in him." (Acts 25:1-5)

Note the word -- if - herein. If there be any wickedness in apostle Paul, then let us accuse him. (Acts 24:5; I Peter 2:12, 15) We see a similar wickedness in the world from the beginning -- "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5) Certainly, Job had a similar testimony and we know how he overcame his circumstance -- "Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same." (Job 4:8)

The point to remember here is that Jesus never leaves or forsakes those who believe in Him by faith, and He knows the hearts and mindset of their accusers -- every imagination of the thoughts that seek to destroy those who preach the gospel. But I digress somewhat.

So, after tarrying among them for ten days, Festus goes down to Caesarea: and the next day sitting on the judgment seat, commands that Paul be brought down. And when he was come, Jews which came down also from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which, ironically, THEY COULD NOT PROVE.

Nevertheless, Paul answered these accusations for himself, confirming that -- "Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all."

But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, "With 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 know ... for if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse [do not object to dying] 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." (Acts 25:11)

When Festus had conferred with the council, he said, "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go."

And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, "There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix, about whom when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, "It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him."

Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow, I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought NONE accusation of such things as I supposed: but had certain questions against him of their own superstition [religion] and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar." (Acts 25:13-21)

Then Agrippa said unto Festus, "I would also hear the man myself. Tomorrow," said he, "thou shalt hear him." And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

And Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death -- and that, he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him, of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that after examination had, I might have somewhat to write ... for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him." (Acts 25:1-27)

As we know from other scriptures, Paul had oft been in a place of persecution before. And indeed, in one place, when the Sadducees and Pharisees and the other had come against him, Paul cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead am I called in question." And when he had said so, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor s/Spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

And there arose a great cry; and the scribes that were part of the Pharisees part arose and strove, saying, "We find no evil in this man: but if a Spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God." But when there arose great dissension, so much so that the chief captain feared lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and take him by force and bring him into the castle [barracks]." (Acts 23:6-11)

Once again, accusations were being made but there was no verified/validated testimony that could be held against him, except that they "had certain questions against [Paul] of their own superstition [religion] and of one Jesus" whom these had crucified. It is important to note that not everyone was against Paul. (Acts 23:9) There were still those who believed that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or of bonds, and this counter is evident also within the scriptures. (Acts 23:29; Acts 26:31; Acts 25:11-12)

However, the point that I am trying to make this day is that believers in Jesus by faith are going to face trials and tribulations in this life. Jesus confirmed this would happen because --as He stated -- before they hated the Jesus in us, they hated Jesus first, and had Him crucified. And Paul was at the behest of these people, who in their effort to protect their established religion, determined to rid the world of Paul, and his profession of faith -- of this same Jesus who is both Lord and Christ.

Paul writes: "But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: BUT OUT OF THEM ALL THE LORD DELIVERED ME. Yea [still] and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (II Timothy 3:10-13)

But as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge that our hope is not of this world. Indeed, as persecuted Paul states, intending to edify and encourage those who are believers in Jesus by faith, who have grown in their faith, and been water baptized in His precious Name -- the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ -- those of us who are persecuted by the powers that be, we are to -- " ... continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them]; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus ... that the man of God may be made perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3: 14-17; I Timothy 6:11; III Timothy 2:21; Romans 4:23; II Timothy 1:13; John 5:39; II Peter 1:20)

As Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Why? Because we have a higher purpose than the world, and as such, "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God ordained that we should walk in them  ... now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Jesus!" (Ephesians 2:10-13; Isaiah 19:25; Galatians 6:15) 

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors though Him that loved us, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God -- which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

Thus, in everything that we do, do in the Name of the Lord Jesus, having our conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Throughout it all, regardless of what the world throws at us, we can rest knowing that there is nothing that the world can throw at us that Jesus does not already have covered. Therefore, fight the good fight, and finish your course knowing that you have kept the faith, ad will receive that crown of righteousness which the Lord has laid up for us. (II Timothy 4:7-8)

Stand in the offering plate.