Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - What's God Doing in My Life? | New Testament | Acts 25

Episode Date: September 6, 2023

There are times in your life when you might wonder why God has you there. How do you respond in those times? You might not understand what God is doing in your life, but in today's episode, Jensen shares encouragement from Acts 25 for moments of uncertainty. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Join the TMBT community in reading the entire New Testament in one year. Get your FREE reading plan here. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Acts 25

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life and the time it takes to get to work. I'm Jensen Holt McNair. We're jumping back into the Book of Acts today in Chapter 25. Now, if you're reading along with us, then you may have read Chapter 25, and like I did, thought, I'm a little confused about who all of these people are, and I really don't feel all that inspired by this passage of scripture today. And that's fair, because this passage is entirely necessary. narrative. Luke is recounting a time in Paul's life. He's sharing a bigger story that points us towards big truths about God and his work in the lives of followers. And in order to see how exactly Luke is

doing that in this passage, we have to remember the larger story going on. You see, this chapter falls right in the middle of the larger narrative of Paul's wrongful imprisonment and the trial before the Jewish and Roman leaders of his day. It's been a bit since we've read through the previous chapters detailing what led up to this point, and I'd encourage you, if you have time today, to refresh this story and read chapters 21 to 25. But for now, let's remember what has happened to Paul. So Paul has been preaching to the Gentiles, going on missionary journeys, and in chapter 21, he makes the decision to return to Jerusalem, despite the warnings from others that he received, receives that returning to Jerusalem would lead to his imprisonment. See, the Lord had called him to

Jerusalem, and he faithfully followed that call whatever would come. And when he got to Jerusalem, sure enough, the Jewish leader stirred up trouble and spread false accusations against Paul, leading to a riot where Paul was dragged out of the city and almost beaten to death. But before the crowds could kill Paul, the Roman tribune stepped in and arrested him. Upon learning that Paul was a Roman citizen, this man knew that Paul had certain rights to be heard at a trial. So he kept Paul in his care to protect him from the angry Jewish crowds that sought his life. Shortly after this, Paul was then transferred into the care of the current governor, Felix. Now, Felix, wanting to appease the Jewish leaders, heard the case they had against Paul and realized that Paul had done no wrong according to the

Roman law. This was merely a religious dispute. But despite realizing his innocence, Felix keeps Paul imprisoned for two years to gain favor with the religious leaders. And Paul is still imprisoned when Felix is replaced by Festus, the new governor. And that is where we enter into our passage today. So since returning to Jerusalem, Paul has been falsely accused and wrongfully imprisoned for two years despite those in charge knowing of his innocence. And now there's a new ruler in charge, Festus, who has been. power over Paul. Acts 25, verse 1. Now, three days after Festus had arrived in the province,

he went up to Jerusalem from Cessaria, 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 summoned him to Jerusalem, because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Cessaria 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's anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him. So, Festus begins his time as governor in Jerusalem, where he's immediately confronted with the issue of Paul. And so he invites those who have charges against Paul to come to Sessaria to bring them against the accused. And so they do just that.

Verse 7. 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 of favor, said to Paul, do you wish to go 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 wrong as you yourself very well know. 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 counsel, answered, to Caesar you have appealed, to Caesar, you shall go. So we learn here that despite Paul being imprisoned for two years, the Jewish leaders still cannot prove any charges against him. Despite Festus realizing this, we learned that, like Felix, he wants to gain the favor of the Jews, so he attempts to trick Paul into going back to Jerusalem to be tried there by their religious leaders. But because Paul is a Roman citizen, he is able to appeal to Caesar instead. knowing of his innocence he asked to be tried before Caesar rather than be sent back to Jerusalem, where he is clearly unlikely to have a fair trial, and we see that Festus must honor his appeal.

Verse 13 brings a shift in the narrative. Paul is still imprisoned, having requested to be brought to Rome before Caesar. Festus is still in a predicament, wanting to appease the Jewish leaders, but also seeing no real crime set before Paul. And it's in this period that Festus is visited by King Agrippa and his sister Bernice. Now, King Agrippa is the great grandson of Herod the Great. He ruled mostly over Gentile territories. But he also has rule over the temple in Jerusalem. And he appoints the high priest. And so we know that he's familiar with the Jewish religion.

And so Festus uses this opportunity to seek counsel on what exactly to do with Paul. Verse 14, and as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, there's a man left prisoner by Felix, and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face, and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. So, when they came, together here, I made no delay. But on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man

to be brought. When the accuser stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. Rather, they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. Being at a loss of how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said to Festus, I would like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow he said, you will hear him. So here, we learn for the first time of the specific charges that the Jewish leaders have against Paul. Festus tells Agrippa that the Jewish leaders

accused Paul of nothing evil like he had assumed, but only of religious matters, specifically that Jesus, who had died, Paul believed to be alive. While clearly this belief and Paul's determination to tell it to as many people as possible angered the Jewish leaders, Festus knew it was not a condemnable offense. Agrippa clearly intrigued asked to hear from Paul himself. And so, the final verses of chapter 25, we learn that Festus has brought Paul yet again before the rulers and authorities to defend himself. And as Festus introduces Paul to Agrippa, we learn of his intentions for this hearing. King Agrippa and all who are present with us. You see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not live any longer. But I found that

he had done nothing deserving of death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after we have examined him, I may have something to write, for it seems to me unreasonable in sending a prisoner not to indicate the charges against him. You see, Festus is hoping to find something, anything that he can possibly write to Caesar about why the man before him should be on trial. He clearly understands Paul to be innocent, and yet he continues to have him imprisoned with the intentions of sending him to stand trial before Caesar despite his innocence. And in the following chapters, we will hear yet again

Paul give his defense. Now, I know that was a lot of story, a lot of narrative. But as you heard it, as I read it, I couldn't help but notice the repetition. Paul is imprisoned. The ruler with power over him hears the charges against him and believes his innocence. Yet, passes him along to the next person to do the exact same thing. Justice never wins out. Now, if I were Paul, I may be wondering why I had been sent to Jerusalem. Why had God made his life turn out this way? But again and again, instead of despair, Paul stands up before those in power, before crowds of people and shares his testimony. He shares of all God has done, and he teaches all who are listening of the resurrection of King Jesus. See, the gospel is still being preached, even if in an unusual way. God is at work

through Paul while he is incarcerated just as clearly as when he was freely moving from city to city. Now there may be times in our lives that we don't always understand why God has placed us where we are, why we are facing injustice, why we keep ending up back in the same spot, asking God, why isn't he moving? He isn't changing circumstances. If Chapter 25 can encourage us in any way, I hope it is this, that in those moments and seasons of life, that we would take a step back and look at the big picture that God is telling through our lives, how might God be using this time, this place, this difficulty you are facing to bring Him glory? How can you partner with Him in that? I hope that as we finish the Book of Acts and continue to hear more about Paul's story, that we will be encouraged

that God is at work. He doesn't always call us to easy places, but his hand is at work in every area of our lives. And no matter where he places us, we can always be a light for the gospel and faithfully follow our resurrected king.