In The Word
Read Acts 24:22—25:12
22 But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” 23 Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.
24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” 26 At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him.27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.
Paul before Festus
25 Festus then, having arrived in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging him, 3 requesting a concession against Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “let the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him.”
6 After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The world that Paul lived in was not much different from our world today. He was surrounded by people who called good evil and evil good. He lived around those who had seared hearts. Felix’s heart was seared by greed and lust. He listened to Paul preach of righteousness, self-control, and judgment for two years and never gave his life to Jesus. Ananias’ heart was seared by religion, maybe the most dangerous way to be seared. He was unable to see the stench of his own hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Ananias even justified his desire to kill Paul in the name of God. Festus was seared by politics; his desire to be popular caused him to deny justice for Paul. And in the midst of all of this, the church was silent.
What a clear picture of the modern world: while some seek to proclaim the love and salvation of God, others seek to suppress it. Some in the name of self-fulfillment, some in the name of religion, and others in the name of politics. They all have seared their hearts by the desires of this world.
This should not be for those of the Way. We are called out of this world and its desires. We are called to guard our hearts. God has turned our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. We must keep our hearts open and soft before God daily. Resist the temptations of this life, they will turn your heart from God.