Three Quick Notes – Acts 24-26

Quick Note – Acts 24:16 – A Clear Conscience

Acts 24:16 – 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

When Paul was giving a defense of his faith before Governor Felix after being accused by the Jews, he spoke these words in our passage today, “So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.”  By saying this, Paul was assuring Felix and the others at the trial that he had done nothing wrong.  The Jewish people were accusing him of inciting a riot and breaking the laws of the Jews, but they could not prove any of their accusations.  Paul had lived in a way and manner that proved that he had done nothing wrong, so they could do nothing but bring up false accusations.  This is similar to what happened to Jesus with the Pharisees, who falsely accused Him.  This passage should be a reminder to all Christians to live in a way where we can have a clear conscience toward both God and man.  We must avoid sin and temptation.  We must avoid any appearance of being misunderstood that we might be doing what is wrong.  We must avoid unnecessary arguments and quarrels.  It is by living with a clear conscience, following God, that we will be a light to this world.  It is by having a clear conscience toward man that we can avoid bringing shame to the name of Christ. 

Quick Note – Acts 26:16-18 – The Purpose of the Message

Acts 26:16-18 – 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

When Paul was going to Damascus to persecute the Jews, he was met by Jesus Christ on the way.  At this meeting Jesus rebuked Paul for persecuting him and called him to become a servant of His.  It was then that Paul was given his assignment.  He was told that he would be a witness for the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.  His purpose was to share the Good News – the Message of Jesus Christ.  And the purpose of that Message was to open their eyes, to turn the people from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, from a place of sin and shame and punishment to a place of glorious rejoicing with those who are sanctified by faith in Christ.  The Gospel’s purpose is to save. 

There are three contrasting conditions that the Gospel changes in a person when they receive Christ into their hearts as Lord and Savior.  First, the Gospel changes a person’s eyes.  It opens them so that they no longer live in darkness but live in the Light of life.  Before becoming a Christian, a person can only wander blindly through this world.  There is no true purpose, there is no eternal home.  But when a person hears and receives the Gospel, his or her eyes are opened, they see Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, and now have direction and guidance in this life.  They no longer walk in the darkness, sin, and evil of this world but in the Light of Jesus Christ.  Our eyes are changed.  Second, the Gospel changes a person’s master.  Before becoming Christians, we are slaves to sin and the Devil.  He has full control of us and how we live.  We can only do what is wrong.  We can only live in sin.  But when Jesus Christ comes into our hearts, we are set free and given a new life under a new Master – the one and only true God.  We are no longer under the power of a wrathful false pretender but under the power of a true King.  Our Master is changed.  Finally, the Gospel changes a person’s final resting place. Before coming to Christ, because of our sin, we owed a great debt.  We owed our lives.  According to Romans 6:23, the wages of our sin is death.  We deserved to die because we were in the wrong state with God.  He had every right and every reason to send us to hell.  And that was our destination after our life here on earth.  But when God saved us, He paid the debt that we owed on the cross (Jesus Christ died for us), forgave us of our sins, and sanctified us to live a new life with Him.  We no longer owed Him anything.  All our sins and all our debts were paid.  No longer were we heading to Hell, a place of eternal punishment, but we are heading to Heaven, a new home, a new place that was especially prepared for us where we will be surrounded by those who are also sanctified by faith in Christ.  Our eternal home is changed. 

The Gospel is powerful.  It changes hearts.  It changes lives.  It changes us.  That is the purpose of the Gospel. 

Quick Note – Acts 24-26 – What Is Your Response to the Gospel

After Paul was accused by the Jews of causing a riot and breaking the laws of Moses, he was put on trial before three important leaders in Israel at the time – Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and King Agrippa.  All three men were given the opportunity to hear Paul’s defense and even hear the Gospel.  But unfortunately, none of them were recorded in the Bible to have received Christ into their hearts.  Instead, we hear of how they made some excuse as to why they were not ready.  If you have yet to receive Christ into your hearts, I encourage you to do so today.  Read these passages and ask yourself, what is the excuse I am giving?  And before it is too late, like it might have been for them, give your life to Jesus today.  

Acts 24:24-25 – 24 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. 25 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.”

Governor Felix was the first of the leaders to hear of the Gospel from Paul.  He was already well-informed of Christianity, because according to vs. 22, he had “a rather accurate knowledge of the Way.”  But wanting to know more, he would invite Paul to come speak with him and his wife personally about Jesus Christ.  However, after hearing the Gospel, after knowing about sin, after learning about the coming judgment, rather than letting the fear of God push him towards repentance, he let that fear push him away.  He told Paul, “Go away for the present.  When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”  Instead of turning to God, when the Holy Spirit moved in his heart, he ran away, looking for a “better time.”  He likely wanted to continue living in his sin, because one of the things he heard about was righteousness and self-control.  He must have heard that as a Christian, he needed to turn away from his sin and to follow God.  And he wasn’t ready to give them up.  So he pushed it off.  We never hear if Felix ever came to Christ, but eventually, he was removed from his office and replaced, so it could be that he never got the chance.  Are you like Felix holding onto your sin?  Are you like Felix waiting for a “better time”?  Stop waiting.  You never know if you will have tomorrow.  Now is the day of salvation.

Acts 26:24-25 – 24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.

Governor Festus was the person that replaced Felix.  So when Paul was placed under his supervision for trial, he also heard the Gospel.  He heard it at the same time that King Agrippa did.  But after hearing Paul share the Gospel, he yelled to Paul, “You are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”  Unlike Felix who understood but was not ready to receive the Gospel, Festus just outright rejected it.  He thought that the idea of a man rising from the dead was ludicrous, so he told Paul, “Your learning has made you mad.”  Most people would agree with Festus that it is quite crazy to believe a person could rise from the dead, but like Paul said in vs. 8, “Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?”  Is it surprising that God is capable of doing that?  Of course not.  If God is truly God, then He can do anything, even raise a person from the dead.  It isn’t out of the question.  Festus’ excuse was that it didn’t make sense, but he was only thinking about what man could do, not what God could.  Is that what is keeping you from receiving the Gospel?  Is it because it doesn’t make sense to you?  Not everything can be answered by science.  Some things are a matter of faith.  And if you truly think about it, it does make logical sense to consider that God is capable of doing anything, even raising a person from the dead.  So don’t let the things you don’t understand keep you from turning to God.  Instead place your faith in Him and let Him answer those questions for you.

Acts 26:27-28 – 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

The last important official Paul witnessed to while he was on trial was to King Agrippa.  King Agrippa had been a ruler in this area for some time, so he knew the Jewish law and the prophecies about the Messiah.  He also knew what had happened with Jesus Christ.  So when Paul was sharing the Gospel with him, Agrippa understood the background knowledge and the context.  However, after hearing the Gospel, rather than placing his faith in Christ, he told Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”  Although Agrippa knew the prophecies, believed in them, and knew that Christ was the only one that fulfilled them, he still came up with an excuse to accept it.  King Agrippa’s excuse was that he just hadn’t heard enough about it yet.  He wanted to know more.  He wanted to have more information.  He wanted more time to mull over what he had heard.  Now, there is nothing wrong with considering whether you want to become a disciple of Jesus.  It is an important decision that will change your life completely.  Even Jesus told His disciples to count the cost of following Him.  But when the Holy Spirit works in your life and urges you to come to Him, it is time.  It is not a time for you to reconsider.  It is not a time for you to look for more information.  It is the time to accept Him.  Agrippa must have been moved by Paul’s message but was not ready cause he wanted more.  Maybe like Felix he didn’t want to let go of his sin.  Maybe like Festus he didn’t want to give up on what sounded logical.  Whatever the case, he wanted more time.  But unfortunately, we don’t know if he ever got that time.  

The Gospel has been presented to you today.  What is your excuse for rejecting it?  Stop making excuses and instead give your life to Him today.  Now is the day of salvation.