EACH OF US WAS MADE FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

PROCLAMATION

“Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?”  Romans 9:21 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  In this chapter Paul discusses God’s sovereign choice to do as He pleases.  He begins by expressing his great sorrow and anguish for his people and his country, Israel. (Romans 9:1-5)  Paul states that it is not all of the descendants of Israel that will be considered the children of Abraham, only those who are children of the promise, only those who believe. (Romans 9:6-9)  Just as Rebecca’s twin sons were treated differently, before they were born it was said that the oldest son would serve the youngest son. (Romans 9:10-14)  God said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (Romans 9:15)  God raised Pharaoh up and hardened his heart for the purpose of displaying His power. (Romans 9:17-18)  Who is the pot to ask the potter, “Why did you make me like this?” (Romans 9:20)  The potter can make the pots for whatever purpose he chooses. (Romans 9:21)  The Lord God is the potter, and we are the clay. (Isaiah 64:8)  As the potter, He has the power over the clay.  God has the power to choose and grant favor to whomever He pleases. (Romans 9:22-29)  Because of Israel’s unbelief, some Gentiles have obtained righteousness and will be considered children of God. (Romans 9:30-33)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God is our creator and our maker.  It is He who determines the purpose for each of our lives.  Some people come into our lives for a reason, and some for a season.  Some people are a blessing to us, and others are a lesson.  Those who are not believers come into our lives to test us or to bless us.  We all have a purpose for being here, and that purpose is according to God’s plan.  We each have a unique God given purpose for our existence.  Let us choose to be a blessing to those that we encounter.  Let us choose to live our lives so that we give God glory.

ALL THINGS TURN OUT FOR OUR GOOD

PROCLAMATION

“And we know that all things works together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  In this chapter Paul begins by stating the privilege that believers have in Christ by virtue of their union with Him. (Romans 8:1)  Through Christ Jesus, The Spirit has made us free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do, God sent His Son, wrapped in flesh, to be a sin offering and condemn sin. (Romans 8:2-3)  So that the requirement of righteousness might be fulfilled for those of us who live according to The Spirit and not according to the flesh.  Those who live by the flesh have their minds set on the desires of the flesh.  But those who live by The Spirit have their minds set on the things of The Spirit. (Romans 8:4-5)  To be carnally minded and governed by the flesh leads to death.  To be spiritually minded leads to life and peace.  The carnal mind is hostile towards God and those who follow the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:6-8)  If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.  The Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the dead is living within believers. (Romans 8:10-11)  For as many as are led by The Holy Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)  They are joint heirs with Christ, and if they walk with Him, they will be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:17)  For we are saved by hope, by the hope for things unseen which we patiently wait for. (Romans 8:24-25)   We know that whatever happens in this life, that God works things out for the good of them who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose from darkness into His marvelous light. (Romans 8:28 and 1 Peter 2:9)

 

APPLICATION

We may not see it when we want it, or right away, but even during or following every storm there is a blessing.  Things which appear to us to be bad, God will work them out for our benefit.  However, this verse applies only to those believers who truly love The Lord.  There are, unfortunately, many people claim to love Him but their actions say otherwise.  They say the words but do not live by them and in the end, He will say that He never knew those people. (Matthew 7:23 and 25:41)  Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)  If you love The Lord, then you will believe in and obey His Holy Word.

 

THE GOOD THAT I WOULD DO I DO NOT

PROCLAMATION

“For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. … For I delight in the law of God after the inward man;  But I see another law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”  Romans 7:19-23 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Paul began this chapter describing how the law has dominion over men and women. (Romans 7:1-3)  Then he tells them that once they are saved they become dead to the law by the body of Christ, and they should serve in the newness of The Spirit. (Romans 7:4-6)  Paul stated that he was at war with himself, a constant inner struggle between his sinful nature and his knowledge of The Word of God.  (Romans 7:15 and 7:19)  He stated that he delighted in God’s law, but he still found himself at times doing the things which were wrong.  He knew that he was a wretched man and that only Jesus, The Christ, could deliver him. (Romans 7:24-25)

 

APPLICATION

When we become believers and accept Jesus, The Christ, as our personal savior, we do not become perfect sin-free people.  Unfortunately, our old sinful nature is still within us.  We need to understand that on our own we do not have the power to defeat our sinful nature.  We need God’s help in order to resist the temptation to do wrong.  Sin no longer has complete control over our behavior, but we need God’s help to fight off the urge so that we do not yield to influence of sinful temptation.  The more committed we are to walking God’s way, the more attacks we can expect to get from the devil.  That is why we need to put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand the attacks of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11-13)  The more wrapped up we are in the whole armor of God, (Ephesians 6:14-18) and in The Word of God, the more likely we are to resist the temptation to fall into sinful behavior.  We cannot win this war on our own, we need His help.

 

WE ARE SLAVES TO WHOM AND WHAT WE OBEY

PROCLAMATION

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”  Romans 6:16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Paul begins this chapter by asking, and then answering the question, shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?  His answer was, “God forbid.” (Romans 6:1-2)  He states that when we were baptized into Jesus Christ, we were baptized into His death.  As Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of The Father, so we were buried by baptism and raised up to walk in the newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)  Having been planted together in the likeness of death, we shall be also in the likeness of the resurrection.  Our old sinful self was crucified with Him, and we were raised in baptism no longer a servant of sin.  Paul’s point here was that believers should be dead to sin and alive in Christ. (Romans 6:5-11)  He said that every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yields himself to. (Romans 6:16)  He ends this chapter by saying that the result of sin is death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:21-23)

 

APPLICATION

If we frequently give in to sin, then we are slaves of sin and the devil.  However, if we frequently obey The Word of God, then we belong to Christ.  If we love The Lord God, then we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15)  Believers are not perfect, we are ashamed of the times in our past when we used to sin, and ashamed presently when we slip and fall back into it. (Romans 6:21)  We should not use our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness and sin.  We should be instruments of righteousness, doing those things which are pleasing to The Lord and that give Him glory. (Romans 6:13 and 12:1)

 

 

ONE MAN'S SIN CONDEMNED US AND ONE MAN'S DEATH JUSTIFIED US

PROCLAMATION

“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”  Romans 5:18-19 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  After stating that we are justified by faith, (Romans 5:1) he said that we should glory in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, which produces hope. (Romans 5:3-5)  Then Paul said that sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin. (Romans 5:12)  He also said that God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)  He summed it up by saying that one man’s sin condemned all people and that one man’s righteous act justified all people. (Romans 5:18-19)  The law was given so that man could see that sin abounded.  But where sin increased, the grace of God increased even more. (Romans 5:20-21)

 

APPLICATION

Through the disobedience of one man, Adam, all of us were made sinners, and through the obedience of one man, Jesus The Christ, all of us were given the opportunity to be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)  Sin leads to death, but through the grace of God, righteousness leads to eternal life through belief in Jesus, The Christ. (Romans 5:21)  Jesus came into this world so that all people might be saved, but only those who believe in Him will be saved.  Adam’s sin led to all of us being born into sin. (Psalm 51:5)  However, belief in Jesus, The Christ, will lead us to salvation and eternal life. (John 3:16 and Romans 10:9)

 

 

 

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT EARNED

PROCLAMATION

“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”  Romans 4:22-25 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  In this chapter Paul was telling them about Abraham, the father of the faithful.  He reminded them that the scripture says that Abraham believed that God would keep His promise and because of his faith in God he was credited with righteousness. (Romans 4:1-3 and 4:18-25)  Paul told them that all of the people who had faith in God would also be credited with righteousness and their sins would be forgiven just as King David had said. (Romans 4:6-8 and Psalm 32:1-2)  Paul goes on to talk about Abraham as the father of circumcision stating that he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. (Romans 4:9-12)  

 

APPLICATION

Because of our sinful human nature, alone at our best, our “righteousness” is but as filthy rags in His sight. (Isaiah 64:6)  It is by the grace of God that we are saved, it is His gift to us, and we did not do anything to earn it. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  If we believe and have faith in God, then we too will be credited with righteousness.  Our faith will be tested, but if we hold on to our belief we will be rewarded.  The testing of our faith leads to the development of perseverance, which helps us mature as Christians. (James 1:2-4)  Because Christ died for our sins, as believers we can live and be credited with righteousness. (Romans 4:25 and 1 Peter 2:24)

 

 

FOR ALL HAVE SINNED

PROCLAMATION

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe;  for there is no difference;  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 3:22-24 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul.  He begins this chapter by continuing the discussion regarding Jews and Gentiles that he began in the previous chapter.  He states that the Jews were given The Word of God (Roman 3:2) and they were God’s chosen people.  However, after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, all who believe in Him are justified, and through faith in Him there is no difference between Jew and Gentile.  Because all people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all of us need redemption through Christ. (Romans 3:22-24)  God sent Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of His blood.  Paul asked, what if some were unfaithful, would their unfaithfulness  nullify God’s faithfulness?  Then he answered his own question by saying, no, not at all.  “God forbid; yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written …” (Romans 3:3-4)  He also said, “… There is none righteous, no, not one … there is none that seeketh after God … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12)  Paul describes the sins of man including speaking evil and killing others.  He states that man behaves as if he has not fear of God. (Romans 3:12-18)  The righteousness of God is given through faith to all who believe in Jesus, The Christ, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:21-23)  God is The God of the Jews and of the Gentiles.  There is only one true God. (Romans 3:29-30)

 

APPLICATION

All of us, each and every one of us, have sinned. (Romans 3:10 and 3:23)  The penalty for our sin is death and eternal separation from The Lord God. (Romans 6:23 and Revelation 20:12-15)  However, Jesus, The Christ, who was without sin, paid the penalty for our sins with His death on the cross and all who believe in Him and His birth, life, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection will be deemed righteous and be given eternal life. (John 3:16)  By His sacrificial atonement on Calvary and the shedding of His blood, Christ died in our place so that we might have the opportunity for salvation.  If we confess Him with our mouth and believe in Him in our heart, we will be saved (Romans 10:9-10) and our ethnicity or nationality will not matter. 

OUR HEART NEEDS TO BE CIRCUMCISED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

PROCLAMATION

“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh;  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in The Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”  Romans 2:28-29 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Apostle Paul wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  He begins this chapter by stating that is unacceptable and inexcusable for those who do the things which they condemn others for doing.  Those who pass judgment, on others for doing something and yet they do the same thing, will not escape the judgment of God. (Romans 2:1-3)  The Lord God will repay each person according to what they have done.  To those who consistently do good will be glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life.  To those who contentious, reject the truth, and follow evil will be God’s anger and wrath. (Romans 2:6-10)  Then Paul speaks out against those who teach or preach against a sin and then they commit the sin themselves. (Romans 2:21-24)  After this he goes on to describe who is a Jew.  He clearly states that being a Jew is not a birthright but a behavior.  One can be a Jew outwardly or physically, but if they do not obey the law of God then they are not a Jew inwardly or in their heart.  And, conversely, one who is not a Jew by birth but who keeps the law of God, he then is a Jew by his behavior, and he will receive God’s praise. Romans 2:25-29)

 

APPLICATION

Some people will say, “Do as I say do, not as I do” but that is not Christ-like.  Our actions speak much louder about us than do our words.  It is our behavior which defines us and not our words.  When Judgment Day comes, we will all be judged on our actions, (Revelation 20:12) our words, (Matthew 12:36) and our thoughts (Hebrews 4:12) by The Lord God who sees and knows our hearts. (Proverbs 21:2)  Let us pray that The Holy Spirit of God will make us real Christians, not just outwardly appearing to be one, but inwardly, in our heart and spirit.  We want to truly be God’s people.

 

 

BE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

 

BE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

PROCLAMATION

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’ ”  Romans 1:16-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Paul begins this epistle by explaining who he is, why he is writing this letter, and to whom he is writing it. (Romans 1:1-7)  After that he states that he longs to see them in person, (Romans 1:8-13) and to preach to them. (Romans 1:15)  He then states that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus, The Christ. (Romans 1:16-17)  Then Paul goes on to explain why mankind needs the gospel and he proceeds to list all the sinful behaviors of mankind. (Romans 1:18-32)

 

APPLICATION

The Bible Book of Romans is frequently referred to as “The Roman road to salvation” because it clearly presents what it takes for a person to be saved.  Believers are encouraged to first read this book and The Bible Book of John as they begin Christian walk.  Here, Paul makes it clear that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus, The Christ.  He explains that in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed.  This is something that we should know and that we should tell others.  We should also be aware of the fact that Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33)  We do not want Him to say to us, “… I never knew you; Depart from me …” (Matthew 7:23)  Wherever we are, we should also be able to boldly state, “I am a believer in Jesus, The Christ, and I am not ashamed of the gospel.”  The gospel has the power of God unto salvation. 

WHEN TROUBLE STRIKES

PROCLAMATION

“And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.”  Acts 28:3 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Paul was arrested by the Roman commander, (Acts 21:33) and ordered taken to the barracks, (Acts 22:24) he underwent a series of trials.  Paul testified in his own defense before the Sanhedrin council, (Acts 23:1-10) before Governor Felix, (Acts 24:10-21) before Governor Festus, (Acts 25:6-11) and before King Agrippa. (Acts 26:1-31)  As a Roman citizen, Paul requested an appeal before Caesar, and it was granted. (Acts 26:32)  As they sailed to Rome, the winds were not in their favor. (Acts 27:4)  Paul warned them not to continue sailing but they did not listen to him. (Acts 27:9-11)  The winds turned into a violent storm. (Acts 27:13-20)  After two weeks at sea in the storm, they struck a sandbar, and the ship was broken into pieces. (Acts 27:27-41)  The crew and the prisoners all made it safely to shore. (Acts 27:44)  Altogether there were 276 people on board the ship. (Acts 27:37)  The people on the island of Malta welcomed them, and helped them to build a fire because it was raining and cold. (Acts 28:1-3)  The Apostle Paul was gathering wood for the fire when he was bitten by a poisonous snake.  However, he did not die; he just shook the snake off, and kept on working. (Acts 28:5-6)  The people on the island initially thought that gods were against Paul because even though he survived the shipwreck, he was bitten by a poisonous snake.  After he did not die, they thought that he must be a god. (Acts 4-6)  Eventually, Paul healed Chief Publius’ father and then healed every sick person on the island before continuing on to Rome. (Acts 28:7-9)

 

APPLICATION

We all go through various trials and tribulations along this journey called life.  At times bad storms will occur and disrupt everyone’s life, even the lives of good people.  We just need to keep the faith, speak the truth, and keep on doing the right thing.  When trouble strikes, first, don’t panic because that will only make things worse.  Second, just shake it off and count it all as joy (James 1:2) because God can use it for our good. (Romans 8:28)  Third, keep on working for The Lord.  He did not say that we would not have any troubles in our life.  He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  There will be storms in our life, but He will be with us during the storms, and He has the power to control the storms. (Mark 4:39)  So, when trouble strikes, don’t panic, keep the faith, shake it off, and keep on doing what thus says The Lord.

 

 

LISTEN TO THE WARNINGS FROM THE MAN OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“… Paul admonished them, and said unto them, ‘Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.’  Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.”  Acts 27:9-11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke recorded the events surrounding Paul’s journey to Rome, including the storm that was encountered on the voyage.  Because Paul had requested an appeal from Caesar, Governor Festus handed Paul over to a centurion named Julius and they boarded a ship for the voyage to Italy. (Acts 26:32 to 27:2)  The beginning of the voyage was uneventful.  When they reached Myra in Lycia, they boarded an Alexandrian ship which was sailing for Italy. (Acts 27:4-6)  The voyage from that point was difficult.  When they reached Fair Havens near the town of Lasea, Paul warned them not to continue the voyage. (Acts 27:7-11)  They did not listen to Paul, they sailed on and got caught in a violent storm.  After days of violent battering from the storm, they threw everything overboard and were planning to jump ship. (Acts 27:13-20)  Paul spoke to them again and warned them not to leave the ship.  He said that the ship would be destroyed but they would all live if they stayed with the ship. (Acts 27:21-26)  After two weeks at sea in the storm, they began to approach land.  Some of the sailors, fearing that they would be dashed against the rocks, attempted to escape the ship in lifeboats.  Paul told the centurion that unless they all stayed with the ship, they would not be saved.  This time they listened to Paul’s warning. (Acts 27:27-32)  They cut loose the lifeboats, stayed on the ship, and they were all made it safely to the island even though the ship was broken into pieces. (Acts 27:39-44)

 

APPLICATION

We should listen to the advice from the man of God and heed his warnings.  We could avoid some of the bad things and situations in our lives if we would obey The Word of God.  Not heeding The Word can be bad, but we do not have to continue down that path.  It does not matter how much bad we have done, with the help of The Lord, we can turn our life around.  If we believe and ask Him to forgive us, He is faithful and just, and He will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

 

 

ALMOST PERSUADED THEM

PROCLAMATION

“ ‘King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?  I know that thou believest.’  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘Almost thou persuaded me to be a Christian.’ ”  Acts 26:27-28 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke recorded Paul’s self-defense to King Agrippa against the charges the Jews had brought against him. (Acts 26:1-32)  At the end of Paul’s presentation, King Agrippa said to him: “Almost thou persuaded me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)  Afterwards, King Agrippa told Governor Festus: “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”  Then Agrippa also said: “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” (Acts 26:30-32)

 

APPLICATION

When we tell our story and witness to others about Jesus, The Christ, and what He has done for us, it is possible that some of them may be persuaded, or almost persuaded, to also become believers.  In this text, King Agrippa was almost persuaded by Paul’s story.  Today, we are to tell our story, to witness for Christ.  However, it is not our job to convince or convert them.   That is the responsibility of The Holy Spirit of God.  Our job is to tell them about Christ.  What they do with the information we give them is out of our control.  All we are to do is to plant the seed.  The germination of the seed, the watering of it, and its growth and development is in God’s hands. 

 

 

ON TRIAL

PROCLAMATION

“… Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea … And when he had tarried … ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and the next day, sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.  And when he was come, the Jews … laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.  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.’ ”  Acts 25:4-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke recorded that when Paul was arrested, Felix was governor.  After two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. (Acts 24:27)  Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went from Caesarea to Jerusalem where he met with the chief priests and the Jewish leaders. (Acts 25:1-2)  They wanted Festus to transfer Paul to Jerusalem because they were preparing to ambush and kill him along the way. (Acts 25:3-5)  After he had spent about ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea.  Soon after he go there, he convened court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. (Acts 25:6-7)  The Jews who had come down from Jerusalem brought charges against Paul but could not prove them.  In his own defense before Festus, Paul said that he had done nothing wrong against the Jews or Caesar. (Acts 25:7-8)  Paul appealed to Caesar and, after conferring with his council, Festus declared that Paul be taken to Caesar. (Acts 25:9-12)  King Agrippa came to Caesarea to pay his respects to Festus.  When Festus told the king about Paul, he wanted to hear from Paul for his self. (Acts 25:13-22)   Paul was brought before Festus  and King Agrippa with great pomp and fanfare.  Festus told Agrippa that Paul had appealed to Caesar but Festus said that he did not know to say in his letter to Caesar to explain why he was sending Paul to him.  He hoped that Agrippa might tell him what to say since he could not find any crimes to charge him with. (Acts 25:23-27)

 

APPLICATION

The apostle Paul was on trial by Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and King Agrippa for false accusations against him by the Jews.  Today, Christians are on trial by the non-believing people of the world.  They don’t share our beliefs and they don’t believe us.  They say that our actions and our words are not consistent.  We need to do a better job with our Christian walk.

 

PEOPLE WILL TRY TO DISCREDIT BELIEVERS BY LYING ON US

PROCLAMATION

“And they neither found me in any temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city; Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.  But this I confess unto thee, that after The Way which they call heresy, so worship I The God of my fathers …’ ”  Acts 24:12-14 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The apostle Paul was arrested and escorted to the governor for a hearing.  The elders and their lawyer, Tertullus, had presented their case against him to Felix, the governor, before Paul was allowed to speak. (Acts 24:1-9)  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 was not arguing with anyone nor was he trying to incite a riot.  He said that he was on trial because he publicly declared that he believed in the resurrection of the dead. (Acts 24:10-21)  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 24:22-27)

 

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 the people say.

 

 

SOME PEOPLE WILL NOT LIKE YOU IF YOU BELIEVE

PROCLAMATION

“But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; of the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am called in question.’  And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.”  Acts 23:6-7 (KJV) 

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here Luke recorded that after Paul was arrested he was brought before the Sanhedrin council.  Paul noted that some of them were Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, angels, or spirits, and some of them were Pharisees, who believed in all these things. (Acts 23:6-8)  This created a great disturbance among the Sanhedrin which spilled over into the city.  Some of the Jews took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. (Acts 23:9-15)  But the commander of the Roman army found out about the plot and had Paul taken out of town at night under heavy guard. (Acts 23:16-24)  The commander wrote a letter to Governor Felix and explained what had happened and why Paul was being sent to him. (Acts 23:25-32)  After he read the letter, and learned that Paul was from Cilicia, Felix ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s judgment hall. (Acts 23:33-35)

 

APPLICATION

The Christian faith is based upon belief in the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  There are many people in this world who do not believe in these things, and there are some that hate those who do believe in them.  Some people even want to kill all Christian because of their religious beliefs.  Jesus said that the world would hate believers because the world hated Him. (John 15:18)  Not everybody believes that Jesus is The Christ and the promised Messiah.  However unpopular it may be, as believers we need to stand by our beliefs and hold on to them.  Jesus said if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before His Heavenly Father. (Matthew 10:33)

 

 

MAN'S JUDGMENT IS BIASED GOD IS ALWAYS JUST

PROCLAMATION

“The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging … And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, ‘Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?’ ”  Acts 22:24-25 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke recorded that after Paul was arrested, he spoke to the crowd in their native language. (Acts 21:39-40)  He told them his story including that he was born a Jew, educated by Greek scholars, and that he was a zealous persecutor of the followers of Christ until his conversion on the road to Damascus. (Acts 22:1-15)  He continued with his story and things were going well until he said that The Lord had sent him to preach to the Gentiles.  When he said that the crowd turned on him. (Acts 22:16-23)  That was when the captain ordered that he be scourged.  They bound him and as the soldiers were about to flog him, Paul told them that he was a Roman citizen.  They were alarmed and concerned because they knew that Roman citizens were to be treated differently as prisoners than other people. (Acts 22:24-30)

 

APPLICATION

With The Lord God there is no respect of persons. (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, and Ephesians 6:9)  He does not play favorites.  A person’s position, title, rank, or riches does not matter to God, for He sees the heart of man. (Jeremiah 11:20 and 20:12)  We tend to judge people by what they have or by what they have done.  Today, the law appears to be applied differently to the rich and famous than it is to the average person and the poor people.  As believers we are to love all of our brothers and sisters, (John 13:34, 15:12, and 15:17) and our enemies, (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, and Luke 6:35) and we are not to judge anyone. (Matthew 7:1 and Luke 6:37)  We are not to use a double standard for how we treat people.  We should speak to, treat, and respect the CEO and the janitor, the rich and the poor, in the same manner.  We should treat all people the way that we want to be treated. (Luke 6:31)

SPEAK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“But Paul said, ‘I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. … Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people.  And when there was a great silence, he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, …”  Acts 21:39-40 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke records that the apostle Paul, after making several stops along the way while travelling to Jerusalem, finally arrived there.  When he arrived, the people there warmly received him. (Acts 21:1-17)  The next day, he met with the elders and gave them a detailed report regarding what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. (Acts 21:18-20)  They told Paul that they had heard that he was teaching the Gentiles to turn away from the teachings of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children.  They were concerned, knowing that the Jews would soon learn that he was in Jerusalem, so the advised Paul to go with four men who had just taken their vows and were on their way to undergo purification. (Acts 21:21-26)  After seven days, some of the Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple.  They stirred up a crowd and the people seized Paul. (Acts 21:27-29)  They dragged him out of the temple and began beating him in order to kill him but they were stopped by the Roman soldiers. (Acts 21:30-32)  Paul was arrested, for his own protection, and taken to the soldiers’ barracks, but he still wanted to speak to the people.  After being given permission to speak, Paul addressed the crowd in their language. (Acts 21:33-40)

 

APPLICATION

Even though the people had dragged him out of the temple and beaten him, the apostle Paul still wanted to tell his story about Christ to the people who had just tried to kill him.  During good times, and in difficult times, in bad situations, and to non-receptive crowds, believers should not shy away from speaking up for The Lord God.  Believers are called to witness for The Lord, (Isaiah 43:12) to tell others about His goodness towards us.  No one can tell our individual and personal story, regarding what The Lord has done for us, better than we can.  We need not be ashamed or afraid to speak, even to people that we do not know.  Jesus said that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before His Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:33)

LET US COMPLETE OUR GOD GIVEN TASKS

PROCLAMATION

“And now, behold, I go bound in The Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there;  Save that The Holy Spirit witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of The Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”  Acts 20:22-24 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke records that the apostle Paul, after travelling through Macedonia and Greece, (Acts 20:1-6) raising the dead boy in Troas, (Acts 20:7-12) and after arriving in Miletus, sent for the elders of the church. (Acts 20:17)  He told them that he had been compelled by The Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem.  He also said that The Holy Spirit had warned him that prison and hardships lay ahead of him, (Acts 20:23) and that they would not see him again. (Acts 20:25)  He advised them to keep watch over themselves and the people of God.  He said that wolves would rise up among them to devour the sheep. (Acts 20:28-31)  Then he commended them to God.  He said that he never wanted any man’s silver, or gold, or clothing.  He said that he worked to provide for himself and for others, especially the weak.  Paul tell them, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (John 20:35)  Then they all knelt down and prayed.  They wept and kissed him because knew that after he left they would never see him again. (John 20:36-38)

 

APPLICATION

None of us are going to live forever.  Our physical death is a part of living, the end of it.  Some people know or can feel when the end of life is near.  Paul knew that the end of his life was near.  He told them that his life was worth nothing to him. (Acts 20:24)  What was important was finishing the task which The Lord Jesus had given to him.  Some of the apostles and the early disciples considered it an honor to suffer in the name of The Lord or for doing His work.  The Bible says blessed are you when men shall persecute you for His sake. (Exodus 20:11)  We need to get to that point where doing the work of The Lord is more important than anything else, even more important than life itself.  The Lord said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  Our primary goal is, or should be, to finish the race and complete the task which The Lord God has given to us.  If it be His will that we die while doing His work, then so be it.  In the end, we want to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant …” (Matthew 25:21)