PEOPLE WILL TRY TO DISCREDIT BELIEVERS BY LYING ON US

PROCLAMATION

“You can easily verify … I went up to Jerusalem to worship.  My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.  And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.  However, I admit that I worship The God of our ancestors as a follower of The Way …”  Acts 24:11-14 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

The apostle Paul was arrested and escorted to the governor for a hearing.  After the elders and their lawyer, Tertullus, had presented their case against him to Felix, the governor, Paul was allowed to speak. (Acts 24:1-10)  Paul basically said that the charges against him were false.  He said that he was in the temple when they seized him but that he had done nothing wrong.  He said that he was on trial because he publicly declared that he believed in the resurrection of the dead. (Acts 24:17-21)  When Felix had heard Paul, he sent him back to prison.  Felix called for Paul frequently and talked with him, and yet still kept him in prison for two years as a favor to the Jews. (Acts 24:25-27)

 

APPLICATION

As believers we are encouraged to share The Word of God with others and tell them about Jesus, The Christ.  However, when we tell some non-believers about The Lord Jesus, we will offend or upset some of them.  In an effort to keep us quiet and to keep others from believing us, some people will lie on us or about us in order to discredit us.  The Bible says when men persecute us and say all manner of evil against us falsely that we should rejoice because great will be our reward in heaven. (Matthew 5:11-12)  So, let us keep on spreading the gospel in spite of what they say.