Guilty, but not as Charged

 By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 24:1-27

 

Acts 24:18-21.

While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— ¹⁹ they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, ²¹ other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

(ESV)

 

Fake news, false accusations, lies, and distortion of truth are sadly becoming normal in our culture.  Churches have a divine mission to share the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  The question we must ask is if the Church were on trial and accused of giving Glory to God, would the court find it guilty?

 

The high priest and elders present a set of false accusations against Paul.  Let us take a moment to act as a juror to assess the validity of the charges. 

 

1)      A plague – Paul performed extraordinary miracles with even handkerchiefs and aprons touching his skin providing healing for the sick and driving out evil spirits (Acts 19:11-12).  This hardly sounds like one who is a plague and instead one bringing healing from diseases, plaguing people.  If Paul were guilty of being a plague, it could be his plaguing the Pharisees and Sadducees with the truth about Jesus as Messiah. 

2)      Rioter – While riots followed Paul, he was not the instigator of these riots with those plagued by the truth of Paul’s teaching exposing their hypocrisy usually instigating the riots.  The instigator of the riot in Ephesus was not Paul but Demetrius, a silversmith whose saw his business of making silver shrines to Artemis, threatened by Paul’s teaching (Acts 19:21-42).  The only riot Paul is guilty of is a righteous invasion of truth that freed people from placing their faith in gods made by the hands of men who could not save them. 

3)      A leader of a sect – If Paul was guilty of leading a sect, it was a sect of teaching that plagued the religious leaders of his time by exposing their hypocrisy and failure to realize Jesus was the Messiah from scripture (Acts 24:14).  While the Pharisees in the group agree with Paul’s teaching about a resurrection from the dead (Acts 23:6-10), this is not enough to persuade them that Paul is not leading a sect but instead teaching the truth that Jesus is Messiah. 

 

If the Apostle Paul is guilty of anything, it is obedience to Jesus’ calling to the church to spread the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  If I were a member of the jury in the hearing of Paul in Acts 24:1-27, I would find Paul innocent of the charges brought upon him by his accusers and guilty of giving glory to God by pointing people to Jesus.  This is something all believers in Christ and Churches should be guilty of. 

 

With their plan to kill Paul foiled and Paul in protective custody in Caesarea, the High Priest, and some elders journey to Caesarea to make their accusations against Paul to Governor Felix.  Their accusations against Paul are personal attacks calling Paul a plague, rioter, and leader of the sect of the Nazarenes (Acts 24:2-5).  They then levy a false accusation of attempting to profane the Temple when all Paul was doing in the Temple was fulfilling a vow (Acts 21:23-24, 27).  This is a weak case and since Governor Felix is knowledgeable in the Way (Christianity), he does not fall for their scheme.  Felix shows a desire to know more about Jesus by bringing his Jewish wife with him to reason with Paul but when confronted by Paul’s teaching on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment (Acts 24:24-25), Felix is alarmed and convicted sending Paul away.  However, looking for money, Felix would often call for Paul and after the replacement of Felix as governor, Felix keeps Paul in prison as a favor to the Jews. 

 

This trial of Paul is similar to the trial of Jesus except, it is not Paul’s time to die for he has not testified in Rome (Acts 23:11).  Any persecution, rejection, legal proceedings, or physical harm occurring, occurs because God allows it.  Like the troubles incurred by Paul in this passage that are paving the path for Paul to speak in Rome, our struggles are part of God’s plan.  The shutting down of Churches due to Covid 19 was a struggle for many Churches and as Churches begin to gather again, my prayer is they understand the need to make the purpose of their times of gathering together to glorify God and spread the Gospel. 

 

It is time for the Church to be guilty of pointing people to Jesus Christ.  While the Church should speak out at cultural sins like abortion and gay marriage, it should do so not to score political points but in the context of lifting up Christ so people are drawn to him (John 12:32).  May God bless and challenge those reading this post.