November 30, 2025 • 18 mins
In this Bible Story, Paul stands before King Agrippa, telling his story and facing trial. Agrippa is pleased with Paul, but does not set him free. Instead, Paul is sent to Rome where he will face the judgement of Caesar. This story is inspired by Acts 24-26. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is Acts 26:29 from the King James Version.
Episode 239: In the hall of Governor Felix, Jewish representatives and lawyers were making their accusations against Paul. Paul was silent, waiting for his turn to make a defense. Because he had done no wrong, Felix postponed judgment until a later date and retained him as a prisoner. It was during this time that Paul would write his letters to the various churches. After two years had passed a new Governor was appointed, yet Paul was still captive. So Paul appealed to the new governor, Festus, to be sent to Rome and tried by Caesar. God was opening up doors for him to speak life into the most powerful people in the known world.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray, and Paul said, I would to God
that not only thou, but also all that hear me
this day were both almost and altogether such as I am,
except these bonds. Acts twenty six twenty nine. Dear Lord,
as I study the life of Paul in Acts twenty
(00:23):
four through twenty six, I am reminded that through his
life he teaches me about the power of vision. Through
your vision for my life, God, I see that vision
allows me to see myself. It allows me to see
things not as they are, but as I am. I
(00:45):
thank you that vision allows me to see others and
moves me in a compelling way to act. Through your vision, God,
you've strengthened me and enabled me to continue despite struggle
and lack of resources. I thank you through your vision
(01:07):
that you have given me. You are stretching me and
giving me conviction to stand and to speak with confidence,
and to give me the compassion to share with others. However,
through your vision, it shows me that as I move
in compliant obedience, my vision will motivate me to act,
(01:28):
which will ultimately bring fulfillment to my life. In all
of these things, I remain grateful that you sent men
like Paul before me, to help guide me to the
best days of my life. In Jesus name, Amen, thank
(01:52):
you for praying with me to day. Continue listening for
an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in
a Year dot com.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Paul on Trial. In our last story, Paul was saved
from certain death by the Judge of Jerusalem. The Jews
spat and spited Paul, planning to take his life, yet
Paul remained protected by God through the Roman legal system.
Now Paul has brought to the Governor Felix for trial. However,
(02:32):
the Jews are continuing to plot against him, so Paul
declares his right as a Roman citizen to be taken
before Caesar, inspired by the Book of Acts.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
in a Year podcast. But before we began, I want
to let you know about a unique ebook that's yours
to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress,
and my prayer is that it will help you conquer
the daily task and pressures and burdens that bring stress
(03:05):
in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
from Stress today by visiting Jack Graham dot org. Slash stress.
That's Jack Graham dot org slash stress. In our previous
time together, we heard how Paul appeared before the leaders
in Jerusalem and how they did not want to hear
him speak. Paul used their own lack of unity against
(03:28):
them and frustrated their attempts to have him condemned. Ultimately,
Paul was sent away to Caesareah to stand trial before Felix,
the Governor. God was working, even through the opposition, to
accomplish his purposes in Paul's ministry and in the advancement
of the Gospel the Kingdom of God. Today we'll hear
(03:49):
as Paul stands trial before Felix, the Roman governor of
the region. Though the leaders in Jerusalem were frustrated in
their attempts to silence and even kill Paul, they will
not relent and will continue to oppose Paul and bring
false accusations against him before this governor. Well, here as
Paul remains bold, calm, cool and collected and continues to
(04:11):
use his rights as Roman citizens, even the right to
be tried by the supreme Roman ruler. Let's listen now
to this reading from the Book of Acts.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It was evening and the Hall of Felix. The governor
was dimly lit by torches and lanterns. The governor sat
at his throne like desk, listening intently to the Jewish testimony.
Paul remained silent as the Jews testified against him. His
knee was throbbing and his eyesight was leaving him due
to all the beatings. Even in his broken state, Paul
(04:43):
stood tall with the confidence of Christ. He knew that
he should not stoop to their level. He would not curse, interrupt,
or lie. He would tell the truth at all costs,
and he would love his enemies best he could. Anonaius,
the High Priest, stood forward and bowed to Felix. We
have enjoyed much peace under your leadership, Oh great Felix.
(05:05):
The reforms you have made for this nation have brought
about a new age of prosperity. Anonius said. His demeanor
was that of a humble priest and a man of peace.
He played the part like an actor on stage. We
do not want to take up any more of your time.
We beg your kindness as you consider our case. This
man Paul has been a plague to our people. He
(05:27):
stirs up riots among the Jews and is the ring
leader to a rebel group known as the Christians. He
was trying to profane the temple when we seized him.
After Anoneus made his case, he bowed and stepped back.
Felix's face was impassive. He did not smile, frown, or
show any sort of bias. He simply nodded towards Paul
(05:49):
to give his defense. Paul stood upright and smiled. You
have been a judge over this nation for many years,
Lord Felix. I cheerfully make my defense, knowing you are
a rational man. You yourself can verify that I was
in Jerusalem for twelve days before I was detained. During
that time, there was no stirring or violence. They are
(06:12):
accusing me because of my choice to follow the way
the christ Yet I still worshiped the God of our fathers.
I believe all that was written down in the law
and prophets. I have a clear conscience before God and man.
In fact, when these men took me and beat me,
I was in the temple finishing the purification ceremony. There
(06:34):
was no violence on my part, only the mob that
beat me endlessly until the judge rescued me. Paul finished
pleased with his statement. He had studied the art of
law when he was a pharisee, so he knew that
they could not punish him. However, they could keep him captive,
so Paul waited for Felix's response. Felix rose up from
(06:56):
his seat and walked towards the door. When Lys, the judge,
comes down, I will decide your case. Until then, Paul
will be kept under house arrest with the centurion. I
will allow you to be cared for by your loved
ones and to write to them, But make no mistake,
you are my prisoner, and I will not hesitate to
judge you. So Felix left and Paul was chained to
(07:20):
a centurion for weeks. It was during this time that
Paul wrote many letters to the churches he started. Inspired
by the Holy Spirit. He wrote prayers and points of
wisdom for each church to live by. Occasionally, Felix would
invite Paul to dine with him and his wife. His
wife was a Jew and curious about the way of Jesus.
(07:41):
Felix would listen and ask questions. Two years under, Felix
had passed and he was eventually replaced by Festus. Paul's
body had begun to heal, but as eyesight had left
him dependent on the centurion who held him. Paul stumbled
into the court room of Festus, meeting him for the
first time. Festus was a fat and greedy man. He
(08:02):
did not hold the same nobility and respect his Felix.
He had been bribed by the Jews to send him
back to Jerusalem, and he fully planned on doing so.
Paul sensed this and did the only thing he knew
to do. If I have done something worth killing me for,
then strike me down. Now. I do not fear death,
but if I am innocent, then I have been terribly
(08:24):
mistreated as a Roman citizen. Paul looked Festus intensely in
the eyes and said, this has gone on long enough.
I appeal to Caesar. Every person in the room gasped
at Paul's statement. The council of judges stood there in
the room mumbling to themselves. Festus, growing uncomfortable with Paul's confidence,
(08:44):
rose to his feet and said to Caesar, you have
appealed to Caesar. You will go. King Agrippa was already
scheduled to visit Festus in a few weeks, so Paul
waited until then. He waited and prayed for he was
about to speak before the most powerful man in the world.
Paul could hear the trumpets from inside his room. Cheers
(09:08):
and music echoed throughout the entire city. Paul looked out
his window to see a great procession of soldiers marching
through the streets. Their armor glistened in the sun and
reflected back in a thousand different directions. Centurions on pure
white horses pranced around the streets making way for the king.
Paul's eyesight was poor, but there was no mistaking who
(09:28):
he saw next. There was a man at the center
of it all, a man standing with regality in pomp,
King Herod Agrippa, a man who had a direct relationship
with Caesar himself. Paul was shoved into the halls where
Agrippa stood. He stood with an intense amount of power.
Festus spoke, saying, before I send this man to Caesar,
(09:51):
I must know beyond any doubt that his case is
worth his hearing. That is why I have asked you, Agrippa,
to hear this man and give wisdom. Agrippa looked down
at Paul. His face was impassive and gave nothing away.
Paul felt his stomach titan, but he held his head high.
Agrippa nodded towards Paul and said, you may speak. Paul
(10:15):
stretched out his hands. He knew that only God could
perfectly judge him, so he stood with confidence, knowing that
the maker of heaven and earth stood behind him. He
made his defense, saying, my whole youth was spent among
the people in Jerusalem. They have known me for a
long time. I lived among them as a pharisee. I
(10:35):
myself was convinced that Jesus of Nazareth was a plague
and a stink to our religion. I locked up his
followers and played a role in their death. I was wrong.
Paul paused for a moment, doing his best to hold
back the choking sensation of oncoming tears. He cleared his
throat and looked up to Agrippa with watery eyes. I
(10:56):
was met by Christ and have now dedicated my life
to seeing all people, Jews and Gentiles, come to know
the love of God and the resurrection from the dead.
Festus interrupted Paul with a loud voice, saying, are you mad?
Stop speaking nonsense to the king. You know I am
not out of my mind. Paul retorted. He nodded to
(11:18):
King Agrippa. My king, I know these things have not
escaped your eyes. You have seen great things done by
Jesus's followers. I know you believe Agrippa gave a short smile.
In such a short time, you nearly persuade me to
be a Christian. He responded with a playful voice. Paul
bowed his head and grinned. The king stepped down from
(11:40):
his platform and began to exit. This man has done
nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. In fact, if he
did not appeal to Caesar, I would just let him go.
But since he has appealed to our Emperor, he must
go to Rome. So Agrippa left, and Paul was bound
and chained to sail off to Rome. In all this case,
house God was on the move. The God of all
(12:02):
nations was going to be presented before the most powerful
man in the known world. The Gospel was going to
be spoken to Caesar.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
In today's scripture, Paul had journeyed with Roman protection to
the city of Caesarea, where he would stand trial before Felix,
the Governor. He had narrowly escaped death at the hands
of the Jews there, but his troubles were far from over.
The Jewish leaders had come too, ready to stomp out
this man, whom they hated so much. They'd even employed
a lawyer named Turtullius to bring their case against Paul.
(12:38):
Of course, they did not have a real case, so
they resorted to flattery in falsehoods. They began by stating
how grateful they were to Felix for all that he
had done for the nation, the nation of Israel. They
knew he didn't really have time for this trivial matter,
so they hoped this would be resolved quickly. Then came
(12:58):
the lies, supported by the testimony of the Jewish leaders.
Totullius argued that Paul was a plague who stirred up
riots among the Jews throughout the world. He was nothing
more than a troublemaker, and on top of that, they
accused him of profaning their temple. This was said so
that Felix would just hand Paul back over to them
(13:19):
to be tried in Jerusalem, where they were certain to
condemn Paul to death. Paul stood and listened patiently. When
it was his time to speak, he calmly and plainly
made his defense he knew that Felix was fair and
a reasonable man, and a very powerful one. He spoke
truthfully and candidly, demonstrating how the claims against him could
(13:42):
not be true. He did not deny being a follower
of Jesus the way as he referred to Christians at
that time. Instead, he gave his confession as a follower
of Jesus, a worshiper of God who sought to live
with a clear conscience before God and man. Paul concluded
with a restatement of his hope in the resurrection of
the dead, then waited for Felix to respond. We discovered
(14:07):
that Felix was not ready to rule yet, but Paul
was not going to rot in a prison cell either.
He would be under house arrests. During this time, Paul
was able to share the Gospel with many, including Felix
and his wife Drusilla. For two years, Paul awaited a
decision from Felix. We're told that Felix was really hoping
(14:28):
for a bride from Paul, one that never came. But
in those two years, Paul wrote letters to the churches
that he had planted throughout Asia, and he continued to
share Christ with all who would listen. Surely these weren't
the circumstances Paul would imagine when the Lord told him
that he would take his witness to Rome. Yet he persevered,
(14:50):
even in chains. It is a reminder that our circumstances
should not determine our convictions. Rather, our convictions should carry
us through our circumstance with faith and courage. And there
were still some twists and turns ahead, as we heard.
Felix was eventually replaced by Festus, a much less sympathetic governor.
(15:11):
He was paid off by the Jews and was about
to send Paul back to Jerusalem when Paul pulled out
his trump card and appealed to Caesar. Festus had no
choice and told him that if he wanted to go
to Caesar, that's where he would go. But first Paul
would have to appear before Herod Agrippa, the Jewish king
of Judea, who was soon to visit Festus in saysarea.
(15:34):
As he stood before Agrippa, we heard a beautiful testimony
from Paul. He laid out his story how he had
been a devout jew who had once opposed Jesus, but
God appeared to him on the roads to Damascus. Paul
shared the Gospel powerfully before the king, and his words
had a great impact. Agrippa could feel the passion in
(15:54):
Paul's words, the persuasion in Paul's life, and he asked
if he thought in such a short time that he
could convince him, persuade him to become a Christian. Paul's
response revealed his heart for his Jewish brethren. We find
it in Acts twenty six twenty nine. Whether short or long,
I would to God that not only you, but also
(16:16):
all who hear me this day might become such as
I am. Except for these chains, Agrippa was ready to rule.
Paul had done nothing to deserve the change he wore,
and certainly not death. If it were up to him,
he would release Paul then and there. But Paul had
appealed to Caesar, and that is where he would go.
(16:37):
Though God could have spared Paul this long and arduous
voyage and journey ahead as he traveled to Rome, God
had a purpose in mind even in all of this pain.
Paul understood that and willingly submitted, joyfully carrying the message
of Jesus and his salvation along the way. The next
time we'll hear how his journey continues right into the
(17:00):
face of a storm. Let's pray together. Dear God, we
ask that you give us a loving heart for people
who do not know you. May we be faithful and
fervent in our desire to tell others who Jesus is
and how He has changed our lives. We thank you
for the Apostle Paul, for the testimony of his faith
(17:21):
that change the world and God. Even in change and
circumstances that are adverse. May we always be courageous and
full of character as we share the love of Jesus. Amen.
Thank you for listening to today's Bible into Year podcast.
Before we go, I want to let you know about
a unique ebook that's yours to download absolutely free today.
(17:46):
It's called Breaking Free from Stress, and my prayer is
that it will help you conquer the daily task and
pressures and burdens that bring stress into your life. Download
your free copy of Breaking Free from Stress today by
visiting jagram dot org slash stress. That's jagram dot org
slash stress
Let us pray, and Paul said, I would to God
that not only thou, but also all that hear me
this day were both almost and altogether such as I am,
except these bonds. Acts twenty six twenty nine. Dear Lord,
as I study the life of Paul in Acts twenty
(00:23):
four through twenty six, I am reminded that through his
life he teaches me about the power of vision. Through
your vision for my life, God, I see that vision
allows me to see myself. It allows me to see
things not as they are, but as I am. I
(00:45):
thank you that vision allows me to see others and
moves me in a compelling way to act. Through your vision, God,
you've strengthened me and enabled me to continue despite struggle
and lack of resources. I thank you through your vision
(01:07):
that you have given me. You are stretching me and
giving me conviction to stand and to speak with confidence,
and to give me the compassion to share with others. However,
through your vision, it shows me that as I move
in compliant obedience, my vision will motivate me to act,
(01:28):
which will ultimately bring fulfillment to my life. In all
of these things, I remain grateful that you sent men
like Paul before me, to help guide me to the
best days of my life. In Jesus name, Amen, thank
(01:52):
you for praying with me to day. Continue listening for
an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in
a Year dot com.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Paul on Trial. In our last story, Paul was saved
from certain death by the Judge of Jerusalem. The Jews
spat and spited Paul, planning to take his life, yet
Paul remained protected by God through the Roman legal system.
Now Paul has brought to the Governor Felix for trial. However,
(02:32):
the Jews are continuing to plot against him, so Paul
declares his right as a Roman citizen to be taken
before Caesar, inspired by the Book of Acts.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
in a Year podcast. But before we began, I want
to let you know about a unique ebook that's yours
to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress,
and my prayer is that it will help you conquer
the daily task and pressures and burdens that bring stress
(03:05):
in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
from Stress today by visiting Jack Graham dot org. Slash stress.
That's Jack Graham dot org slash stress. In our previous
time together, we heard how Paul appeared before the leaders
in Jerusalem and how they did not want to hear
him speak. Paul used their own lack of unity against
(03:28):
them and frustrated their attempts to have him condemned. Ultimately,
Paul was sent away to Caesareah to stand trial before Felix,
the Governor. God was working, even through the opposition, to
accomplish his purposes in Paul's ministry and in the advancement
of the Gospel the Kingdom of God. Today we'll hear
(03:49):
as Paul stands trial before Felix, the Roman governor of
the region. Though the leaders in Jerusalem were frustrated in
their attempts to silence and even kill Paul, they will
not relent and will continue to oppose Paul and bring
false accusations against him before this governor. Well, here as
Paul remains bold, calm, cool and collected and continues to
(04:11):
use his rights as Roman citizens, even the right to
be tried by the supreme Roman ruler. Let's listen now
to this reading from the Book of Acts.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It was evening and the Hall of Felix. The governor
was dimly lit by torches and lanterns. The governor sat
at his throne like desk, listening intently to the Jewish testimony.
Paul remained silent as the Jews testified against him. His
knee was throbbing and his eyesight was leaving him due
to all the beatings. Even in his broken state, Paul
(04:43):
stood tall with the confidence of Christ. He knew that
he should not stoop to their level. He would not curse, interrupt,
or lie. He would tell the truth at all costs,
and he would love his enemies best he could. Anonaius,
the High Priest, stood forward and bowed to Felix. We
have enjoyed much peace under your leadership, Oh great Felix.
(05:05):
The reforms you have made for this nation have brought
about a new age of prosperity. Anonius said. His demeanor
was that of a humble priest and a man of peace.
He played the part like an actor on stage. We
do not want to take up any more of your time.
We beg your kindness as you consider our case. This
man Paul has been a plague to our people. He
(05:27):
stirs up riots among the Jews and is the ring
leader to a rebel group known as the Christians. He
was trying to profane the temple when we seized him.
After Anoneus made his case, he bowed and stepped back.
Felix's face was impassive. He did not smile, frown, or
show any sort of bias. He simply nodded towards Paul
(05:49):
to give his defense. Paul stood upright and smiled. You
have been a judge over this nation for many years,
Lord Felix. I cheerfully make my defense, knowing you are
a rational man. You yourself can verify that I was
in Jerusalem for twelve days before I was detained. During
that time, there was no stirring or violence. They are
(06:12):
accusing me because of my choice to follow the way
the christ Yet I still worshiped the God of our fathers.
I believe all that was written down in the law
and prophets. I have a clear conscience before God and man.
In fact, when these men took me and beat me,
I was in the temple finishing the purification ceremony. There
(06:34):
was no violence on my part, only the mob that
beat me endlessly until the judge rescued me. Paul finished
pleased with his statement. He had studied the art of
law when he was a pharisee, so he knew that
they could not punish him. However, they could keep him captive,
so Paul waited for Felix's response. Felix rose up from
(06:56):
his seat and walked towards the door. When Lys, the judge,
comes down, I will decide your case. Until then, Paul
will be kept under house arrest with the centurion. I
will allow you to be cared for by your loved
ones and to write to them, But make no mistake,
you are my prisoner, and I will not hesitate to
judge you. So Felix left and Paul was chained to
(07:20):
a centurion for weeks. It was during this time that
Paul wrote many letters to the churches he started. Inspired
by the Holy Spirit. He wrote prayers and points of
wisdom for each church to live by. Occasionally, Felix would
invite Paul to dine with him and his wife. His
wife was a Jew and curious about the way of Jesus.
(07:41):
Felix would listen and ask questions. Two years under, Felix
had passed and he was eventually replaced by Festus. Paul's
body had begun to heal, but as eyesight had left
him dependent on the centurion who held him. Paul stumbled
into the court room of Festus, meeting him for the
first time. Festus was a fat and greedy man. He
(08:02):
did not hold the same nobility and respect his Felix.
He had been bribed by the Jews to send him
back to Jerusalem, and he fully planned on doing so.
Paul sensed this and did the only thing he knew
to do. If I have done something worth killing me for,
then strike me down. Now. I do not fear death,
but if I am innocent, then I have been terribly
(08:24):
mistreated as a Roman citizen. Paul looked Festus intensely in
the eyes and said, this has gone on long enough.
I appeal to Caesar. Every person in the room gasped
at Paul's statement. The council of judges stood there in
the room mumbling to themselves. Festus, growing uncomfortable with Paul's confidence,
(08:44):
rose to his feet and said to Caesar, you have
appealed to Caesar. You will go. King Agrippa was already
scheduled to visit Festus in a few weeks, so Paul
waited until then. He waited and prayed for he was
about to speak before the most powerful man in the world.
Paul could hear the trumpets from inside his room. Cheers
(09:08):
and music echoed throughout the entire city. Paul looked out
his window to see a great procession of soldiers marching
through the streets. Their armor glistened in the sun and
reflected back in a thousand different directions. Centurions on pure
white horses pranced around the streets making way for the king.
Paul's eyesight was poor, but there was no mistaking who
(09:28):
he saw next. There was a man at the center
of it all, a man standing with regality in pomp,
King Herod Agrippa, a man who had a direct relationship
with Caesar himself. Paul was shoved into the halls where
Agrippa stood. He stood with an intense amount of power.
Festus spoke, saying, before I send this man to Caesar,
(09:51):
I must know beyond any doubt that his case is
worth his hearing. That is why I have asked you, Agrippa,
to hear this man and give wisdom. Agrippa looked down
at Paul. His face was impassive and gave nothing away.
Paul felt his stomach titan, but he held his head high.
Agrippa nodded towards Paul and said, you may speak. Paul
(10:15):
stretched out his hands. He knew that only God could
perfectly judge him, so he stood with confidence, knowing that
the maker of heaven and earth stood behind him. He
made his defense, saying, my whole youth was spent among
the people in Jerusalem. They have known me for a
long time. I lived among them as a pharisee. I
(10:35):
myself was convinced that Jesus of Nazareth was a plague
and a stink to our religion. I locked up his
followers and played a role in their death. I was wrong.
Paul paused for a moment, doing his best to hold
back the choking sensation of oncoming tears. He cleared his
throat and looked up to Agrippa with watery eyes. I
(10:56):
was met by Christ and have now dedicated my life
to seeing all people, Jews and Gentiles, come to know
the love of God and the resurrection from the dead.
Festus interrupted Paul with a loud voice, saying, are you mad?
Stop speaking nonsense to the king. You know I am
not out of my mind. Paul retorted. He nodded to
(11:18):
King Agrippa. My king, I know these things have not
escaped your eyes. You have seen great things done by
Jesus's followers. I know you believe Agrippa gave a short smile.
In such a short time, you nearly persuade me to
be a Christian. He responded with a playful voice. Paul
bowed his head and grinned. The king stepped down from
(11:40):
his platform and began to exit. This man has done
nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. In fact, if he
did not appeal to Caesar, I would just let him go.
But since he has appealed to our Emperor, he must
go to Rome. So Agrippa left, and Paul was bound
and chained to sail off to Rome. In all this case,
house God was on the move. The God of all
(12:02):
nations was going to be presented before the most powerful
man in the known world. The Gospel was going to
be spoken to Caesar.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
In today's scripture, Paul had journeyed with Roman protection to
the city of Caesarea, where he would stand trial before Felix,
the Governor. He had narrowly escaped death at the hands
of the Jews there, but his troubles were far from over.
The Jewish leaders had come too, ready to stomp out
this man, whom they hated so much. They'd even employed
a lawyer named Turtullius to bring their case against Paul.
(12:38):
Of course, they did not have a real case, so
they resorted to flattery in falsehoods. They began by stating
how grateful they were to Felix for all that he
had done for the nation, the nation of Israel. They
knew he didn't really have time for this trivial matter,
so they hoped this would be resolved quickly. Then came
(12:58):
the lies, supported by the testimony of the Jewish leaders.
Totullius argued that Paul was a plague who stirred up
riots among the Jews throughout the world. He was nothing
more than a troublemaker, and on top of that, they
accused him of profaning their temple. This was said so
that Felix would just hand Paul back over to them
(13:19):
to be tried in Jerusalem, where they were certain to
condemn Paul to death. Paul stood and listened patiently. When
it was his time to speak, he calmly and plainly
made his defense he knew that Felix was fair and
a reasonable man, and a very powerful one. He spoke
truthfully and candidly, demonstrating how the claims against him could
(13:42):
not be true. He did not deny being a follower
of Jesus the way as he referred to Christians at
that time. Instead, he gave his confession as a follower
of Jesus, a worshiper of God who sought to live
with a clear conscience before God and man. Paul concluded
with a restatement of his hope in the resurrection of
the dead, then waited for Felix to respond. We discovered
(14:07):
that Felix was not ready to rule yet, but Paul
was not going to rot in a prison cell either.
He would be under house arrests. During this time, Paul
was able to share the Gospel with many, including Felix
and his wife Drusilla. For two years, Paul awaited a
decision from Felix. We're told that Felix was really hoping
(14:28):
for a bride from Paul, one that never came. But
in those two years, Paul wrote letters to the churches
that he had planted throughout Asia, and he continued to
share Christ with all who would listen. Surely these weren't
the circumstances Paul would imagine when the Lord told him
that he would take his witness to Rome. Yet he persevered,
(14:50):
even in chains. It is a reminder that our circumstances
should not determine our convictions. Rather, our convictions should carry
us through our circumstance with faith and courage. And there
were still some twists and turns ahead, as we heard.
Felix was eventually replaced by Festus, a much less sympathetic governor.
(15:11):
He was paid off by the Jews and was about
to send Paul back to Jerusalem when Paul pulled out
his trump card and appealed to Caesar. Festus had no
choice and told him that if he wanted to go
to Caesar, that's where he would go. But first Paul
would have to appear before Herod Agrippa, the Jewish king
of Judea, who was soon to visit Festus in saysarea.
(15:34):
As he stood before Agrippa, we heard a beautiful testimony
from Paul. He laid out his story how he had
been a devout jew who had once opposed Jesus, but
God appeared to him on the roads to Damascus. Paul
shared the Gospel powerfully before the king, and his words
had a great impact. Agrippa could feel the passion in
(15:54):
Paul's words, the persuasion in Paul's life, and he asked
if he thought in such a short time that he
could convince him, persuade him to become a Christian. Paul's
response revealed his heart for his Jewish brethren. We find
it in Acts twenty six twenty nine. Whether short or long,
I would to God that not only you, but also
(16:16):
all who hear me this day might become such as
I am. Except for these chains, Agrippa was ready to rule.
Paul had done nothing to deserve the change he wore,
and certainly not death. If it were up to him,
he would release Paul then and there. But Paul had
appealed to Caesar, and that is where he would go.
(16:37):
Though God could have spared Paul this long and arduous
voyage and journey ahead as he traveled to Rome, God
had a purpose in mind even in all of this pain.
Paul understood that and willingly submitted, joyfully carrying the message
of Jesus and his salvation along the way. The next
time we'll hear how his journey continues right into the
(17:00):
face of a storm. Let's pray together. Dear God, we
ask that you give us a loving heart for people
who do not know you. May we be faithful and
fervent in our desire to tell others who Jesus is
and how He has changed our lives. We thank you
for the Apostle Paul, for the testimony of his faith
(17:21):
that change the world and God. Even in change and
circumstances that are adverse. May we always be courageous and
full of character as we share the love of Jesus. Amen.
Thank you for listening to today's Bible into Year podcast.
Before we go, I want to let you know about
a unique ebook that's yours to download absolutely free today.
(17:46):
It's called Breaking Free from Stress, and my prayer is
that it will help you conquer the daily task and
pressures and burdens that bring stress into your life. Download
your free copy of Breaking Free from Stress today by
visiting jagram dot org slash stress. That's jagram dot org
slash stress
Host
Jack Graham
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