Acts 25:1-12
English Standard
Version (ESV)
25 Now three days after Festus had arrived in (A)the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And
the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews (B)laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking
as a favor against Paul[a] that he summon him to Jerusalem—because (C)they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus
replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go
there shortly.5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with
me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges
against him.”
6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he
went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on (D)the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When
he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him,
bringing many and serious charges against him (E)that they could not prove. 8 Paul
argued in his defense, “Neither (F)against (G)the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor(H)against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But
Festus, (I)wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go
up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But
Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's (J)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no
wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 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. (K)I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his
council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Politics, I don’t like it! All people do in politics is try to please other
people when in actuality they should be pleasing God. Politics is well at play here in the
passage. The Jews talked to Festus
first, wined and dined him and got him to think that he owed them a favor. Does that not sound like politics? People are more concerned in politics about
what the other person thinks that they disregard what is right in God’s eyes and
merely look at how they can please man.
Many politicians start out with
good intentions but when they get bombarded with views of others and are
offered support through financial means they are easily swayed to the other
side. Felix wanted that from Paul and
did not get it. Paul was more interested
in defending his faith than he was about getting out of prison. Politicians don’t really like this type of
person because they offer them nothing that will gain them clout and power. But what Paul had to offer was worth much
more than gold and silver.
We too can fall into this trap
that politicians fall in to, it is the politics we find in the workplace. Often times we are swayed to one corner or
the next because of wanting to be accepted.
It can be with a circle of friends, we bend a little just to please our
friends, and yes, it can even be found in the churches we attend. We go with the status quo because we don’t
want to stir the pot. Well Paul didn’t
settle for the status quo, he stood his ground, and he appealed to the ultimate
leader, in the eyes of the people, Caesar.
What he really wanted was to go to Rome and spread the Gospel, he wasn’t
all that concerned about defending himself. Do you notice his defense, he
simply says, I didn’t do it and they can’t prove it. He doesn’t bring in any witnesses or hire a
fancy lawyer he simply told them he was innocent of the charges. Politics often times works against us but
when we allow God to be in control we will find that He always works for us.
As you seek Him remember that He
is the One that you should please. Man’s promises are fleeting and shallow but
God’s promises are steadfast and deep.
Seeking Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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