Here’s the audio and notes from my sermon preached in Naperville, Illinois at Cross of Christ Fellowship on 2/25/24.
“Faithfulness Amid Suffering” ACTS 24
INTRO: UNJUST SUFFERING: Steals your package; Excludes you; Gossip; Unfairly passed by at work.
-Good to seek justice…But how do we live as faithful Christians in the midst of unjust suffering?
-We will experience unfair, unjust treatment in this life. How do we not sin and choose to live as faithful Christians in it?
-Tempted w/bitterness and self-righteousness, and evil thoughts, how do we walk in the light & continue to do what is right?
–ANSWER: We learn from Paul and we look to Jesus!
*We live as faithful Christians amid unjust suffering by learning from Paul and looking to Jesus.
CONTEXT: Near the end of Acts and the focus is on the apostle Paul who is trying to get to Rome to preach the gospel.
-Paul has returned to Jerusalem, now experiencing unjust, unfair treatment at hands of Jewish leaders
-He was nearly killed, but has been delivered by Roman soldiers
-After unfair trial by Sanhedrin (& near death), Jesus appears to Paul & reassures him: he will get to Rome! -Soldiers deliver Paul to Caesarea where his case will be viewed by Felix the governor
TODAY: Paul’s trial before Felix the governor
1. Prosecution; 2 Defense; 3 Felix’s Decision
-Paul experiences an unfair treatment at hands of Felix and the Jews who want to kill him.
-Paul responds in a way that is full of integrity and godliness: àINSTRUCTIVE for us.
We live as faithful Christians amid unjust suffering by learning from Paul and looking to Jesus.
OUTLINE: 1. Learn from Paul; 2 Look to Jesus.
1 Let’s LEARN from Paul how we to respond to UNJUST Suffering (24)
Paul is a great example for us as a faithful Christian who endures unjust suffering.
*NOTICE: Godly Speech and Godly Actions.
I. PROSECUTION (1-9)
-Tertullus the Prosecutor (1-2a)
-Note: Ananias and elders joined him.
-Remember: unfair and unjust treatment of Paul earlier and murderous plot to kill him.
-Tertullus’ Speech (2b-9)
-Flattery of Felix (2b-4)
-Commentators note how untrue much of what Tertullus spoke here
-Accusation of Felix (5-8): 3 PARTS
1. Paul is a plague and starts up riots—intentionally seditious and creates division (5a)
2. Paul is a ringleader among the Christians (5b)
3. Paul tried to profane the temple (6-8)
-Accompanying Jews Affirmed the Charge (9)
How will Paul respond to these charges?
II. PAUL’S DEFENSE (10-21)
-Paul’s Opening Words: Respectful but not flattery (10)
-Example of Paul’s integrity in speech
-Paul’s Defense (11-21)
1 Paul is not a riot-starting, seditious trouble maker (11-13)
-He did not start a riot in Jerusalem (11-12)
-Was not even there long enough to make it happen!
-His opponents cannot prove he has done this elsewhere (13)
2 Paul is a Christian and Came to Jerusalem with Good Intentions (14-17)
-Paul is a worshipper of God, same God of the OT (14)
-Emphasis on hope of the resurrection (15)
NOTE: Resurrection of Just and Unjust
-Paul came to Jerusalem out a clear conscience with good intentions (16-17)
3 Paul did NOT try to Profane the Temple (18-21)
-Paul was purified when he went into the temple (18a)
-Those who were supposed witness of Paul’s act [bringing Gentile in] are not present! (18b-19)
-Paul’s accusers have no real charges against Paul (20)
-It really is a theology issue about resurrection [for Paul, resurrection of Jesus] (21)
NOTE: Paul’s godly speech & Paul’s godly action.
*How would Felix the governor respond?
III. FELIX’S INDECISION (22-27)
Felix really ought to have released Paul, but instead we see his response in a selfish, sinful way and mistreatment of Paul.
-Initial Delay (22-23)
-Not necessarily sinful delay, but also unnecessary as Lysias already sent a letter explaining (22)
-Paul’s situation gave him some freedom (23)
-Paul’s Visit with Felix and Drusilla (24-25)
–COMMENATRY: Felix’s 3rd marriage and Drusilla’s 2nd marriage
-Felix persuaded her as young woman to leave her husband and marry him!
-Paul’s Speech (24b-25a)
-Spoke “about faith in Christ Jesus” (24b)
-Central, core to being a Christian: placing our faith in Jesus.
-SAVED by faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9)
-Reasoned about righteousness and self-control and coming judgment (25a)
-Righteousness: God’s call for us to live uprightly;
-Probably also righteousness that is ours as gift in Christ (Rom 3:21-22)
-Self-Control: God calls us to be self-controlled
-CONTRARY to modern culture: you should give way to every feeling or impulse
-This would have been convicting to Felix, with his history
-Coming Judgment: A day coming where God will judge everyone
-No one will be exempt before God
-Sobering reality, we must not forget
-Our only hope is we have Christ’s righteousness
-Felix’s Response (25b-27)
-Alarmed (25b)
-Sends Paul away but has him frequently return for hope of money (26)
-Paul could have tried to bribe, but refused.
-John Bunyan in jail for 12 years, could have been released if promised not to preach
-Motivated by self-interest, leaves Paul in jail (27)
-Paul suffers unjustly at the hands of corrupt, self-centered Felix.
LEARN FROM PAUL:
-Integrity in his speech: truthful, respectful, and doggedly committed to preaching the gospel
-Integrity in action: did not flatter, did not attempt a bribe
-Let us learn from Paul and be helped by his example: this is how we too should endure unjust suffering!
2. Let’s LOOK to Jesus as we encounter UNJUST SUFFERING.
1 Peter 2:18-24
-Christ ‘suffered for you’ (21)
-Christ ‘left you an example, so that you might follow in his footsteps’ (21)
-GOSPEL truths (22-25)
LOOK TO JESUS:
1. He suffered unjustly for you, that you might be right with God: HE LOVES YOU!
2. He is sovereign over your suffering (Eph 1:11 “works all things according to counsel of his will”): in CONTROL!
3. Uses our suffering to make us more like Jesus: depend on him; wean off world; grow your love. GOOD PURPOSE!
*SOME SCRIPTURES TO INSTRUCT US:
1. Matt 5:38-47
2. Romans 12:17-21
*We live as faithful Christians amid unjust suffering by learning from Paul and looking to Jesus.
