Dwell in the Word: Acts 24:1-27

Consider these questions as you dwell in Acts 24:1-27:

1. In Paul's defense, he emphasizes his belief in the resurrection of both the just and the unjust, aligning with the core teachings of the gospel. How can believers today ensure that they remain focused on essential biblical truths in the face of challenges or accusations, both within the church and in the broader world?

2. Paul mentions that he takes pains to maintain a clear conscience both before God and man. How can Christians actively cultivate a clear conscience in their daily lives, especially when facing ethical dilemmas, temptations, or challenging situations, to reflect the values of the gospel?

3. Despite being in challenging circumstances, Paul seizes the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. How can believers view difficulties or trials as potential platforms for sharing the message of Christ? In what ways can a clear conscience contribute to effective witness and testimony in various life situations?

Transcript:

 Well, this is really a rather interesting story because here we have all these people coming and making charges. Paul is sort of on trial here, right? He has the high priest come, they have Tertullus,  they have the Jews testifying against him, and Paul is saying, hey, look, everything was fine. And you'll remember this from a few days back.

Everything was fine until the Sadducees and the Pharisees got into a dispute over the resurrection of the dead. It wasn't about necessarily what I was saying. It was about something that these people who are here say they believe too. We don't have that much in dispute amongst us. Now, I'm going to skip over what I've highlighted for today to sort of finish the story and then I'll get back.

To the point I want to make for today, but we see here that that Felix has some knowledge of the way is some knowledge of the Christian faith. And he hears the gospel and so God is using What we uh what we've seen in the life of Paul here for an opportunity to proclaim the gospel now We don't get any indication.

We don't think that Felix came to faith here We're not told that but he had the opportunity to proclaim Jesus and speak about faith and we also find out that Felix here kept him in prison.  And why was that?  Well, it was because he was, he was wanting money. He was greedy. He is not a good ruler, right?

Uh, he left them in because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, probably because he was wanting some sort of kickback. And he brought Paul in because he was wanting some sort of financial thing to happen for him, right? And now I doubt Paul had too much money to give, but he was looking for whatever he could get.

This is an interesting situation that Paul is in, and we're going to see how it develops as we go forward. But I really want to focus on verses 13 through 16 today. I'm going to read them again, because it's something important for you and I today. To see in how Paul handles these accusations. So, he says, neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me, but this, I confess to you that according to the way which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers believing everything laid down by the law and written in the prophets.

Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So, I always take pain to have a clear conscience.  Both God and man. So what is Paul doing? Paul is spelling out the gospel that he has been Proclaiming and he's saying hey, I believe the same thing.

I believe the law. I believe the prophets I believe in the God of our fathers We have some disputes here. I mean, he's obviously not saying the Pharisees and I agree with everything. But he's saying, I'm not that far off base from what they're saying. Why am I on trial? And notice what he says. He says that he believes there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

He's saying that he believes that all people will be resurrected from the dead and they will be judged. And so, what does he do? He says, so I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. In the midst of all these circumstances, he understands that there is a judgment and so he is concerned to always have a clear conscience, to always within the best of his power, obviously, do the best possible thing that he can.

And this is where the application for us today comes out of. There are many circumstances that we can find ourselves in.  Now we're not going to probably end up, uh, before a tribunal or before, uh, a governor and having to make our case. I mentioned that the other day. But we're going to be in situations where maybe we have some difficulties, or maybe we're confronting a temptation.

But the best thing that you and I can do is to remember the truth of who God is, and to do our best to have a clear conscience between both God and man. Now, Paul did this, and it put him in some interesting circumstances. But what did God do with those circumstances? He gave Paul the opportunity to proclaim the truth.

He gave Paul the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. And so, we should desire to live with a clear conscience for both God and man, just as Paul did, that we might bring glory to God, that we might have a clear conscience and also have the opportunity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.