The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
July 6
Acts 24:1-27
Commentary by Nick Boork
July 6
Acts 24:1-27
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July 6 – Acts 24:1-27
Now after five days Ananias the hight priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. 2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, 3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. 5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. 7 But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” 9 And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.
10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. 17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’”
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. 24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
What a great opportunity to preach the gospel! Paul knew that the Lord was with him and that his hand was upon him guiding him to fulfill his purpose to preach the Gospel while on planet earth.
When the Roman governor Felix called for Paul he specifically wanted to hear him expound the meaning of the Christian faith. This was a golden opportunity that Paul was going to take full advantage of!
The Bible teaches us that Paul began to reason with Felix and all present concerning three things; righteousness, self-control and judgment to come.
Jesus taught us that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction of sin upon humanity.
John 16:8-10 And when He (The Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Could it be that the apostle Paul had heard of Jesus teaching on what the Holy Spirit would do by convicting sinners of their need of Christ and that’s why he preached on these topics?
Self-control: This could be a general appeal to the conscience of man because no one has lived a perfect life of total self-control but all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. So as Paul preached on our lack of self-control and how people are under the bondage of sin he knew conviction would cut into the hearts of those listing because everyone knows this is true.
Righteousness: Paul could’ve been pointing people to the sinless life of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and how that he lay down his life to redeem us from our sins and give us the gift of righteousness. The gospel is unique because it exclusively provides a sinless savior to die for sinful humanity. The Holy Spirit would definitely be working through Paul’s message to convict everybody of their need of Jesus Christ to be saved because no one has the power to make themselves righteous before God.
Judgement to come: The gospel brings good news to sinner’s but it also brings bad news to those who refuse to repent and receive Jesus as Savior. When Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of judgment to come it means that through the preaching of the gospel unsaved people would realize that without Christ their eternal destiny is to face the judgment of God for their sins and spend eternity suffering the torments of hell. This why Jesus said of the prince of this world is already judged. Those that do not repent will follow Satan to his rebellious destiny suffering the judgement of hell.
Right about this time while Paul was preaching Felix raised up his voice and said; OK that’s enough Paul! Why do you think Felix stopped Paul from preaching? I’ll tell you why, because he was coming under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and he knew he was a sinner but he wasn’t willing to yield to the message of Paul and believe on Christ to be saved.
That’s why he also tried to get money from Paul to pay him a bribe to release him because he thought Paul must have a lot of money available to him because he was connected all these Christians and was in charge of raising offerings for the poor in Jerusalem. So, the Roman Governor Felix heard the gospel, came under conviction by the Holy Spirit but blew it off and pursued his evil ways.
God will go out of his way to pour out his love and show his mercy and call sinners to repent and be saved but individuals can resist the Holy Spirit and blow off the conviction coming up on them and harden their hearts and go their own ways rejecting Christ.
Important question for us today; Does the gospel that we hear preached bring conviction by the Holy Spirit of sin that leads people to repent and be born again?
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The Holy Spirit will work with us as we preach and testify to bring conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment to come upon people revealing their need to be saved.
2) Some resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit and stop listening to anointed preaching.
3) Does the church you attend preach messages that make people feel “UNCOMFORTABLE” in their sins through the conviction of the Holy Spirit?
4) We are not to preach a message condemning people because Jesus came not to condemn but to save but in order for someone to be saved they first must come under conviction of their sins and realize that only Jesus saves and that the alternative is the eternal judgement of hell.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
Now after five days Ananias the hight priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. 2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, 3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. 5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. 7 But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” 9 And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.
10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. 17 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’”
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. 24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
What a great opportunity to preach the gospel! Paul knew that the Lord was with him and that his hand was upon him guiding him to fulfill his purpose to preach the Gospel while on planet earth.
When the Roman governor Felix called for Paul he specifically wanted to hear him expound the meaning of the Christian faith. This was a golden opportunity that Paul was going to take full advantage of!
The Bible teaches us that Paul began to reason with Felix and all present concerning three things; righteousness, self-control and judgment to come.
Jesus taught us that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction of sin upon humanity.
John 16:8-10 And when He (The Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Could it be that the apostle Paul had heard of Jesus teaching on what the Holy Spirit would do by convicting sinners of their need of Christ and that’s why he preached on these topics?
Self-control: This could be a general appeal to the conscience of man because no one has lived a perfect life of total self-control but all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. So as Paul preached on our lack of self-control and how people are under the bondage of sin he knew conviction would cut into the hearts of those listing because everyone knows this is true.
Righteousness: Paul could’ve been pointing people to the sinless life of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and how that he lay down his life to redeem us from our sins and give us the gift of righteousness. The gospel is unique because it exclusively provides a sinless savior to die for sinful humanity. The Holy Spirit would definitely be working through Paul’s message to convict everybody of their need of Jesus Christ to be saved because no one has the power to make themselves righteous before God.
Judgement to come: The gospel brings good news to sinner’s but it also brings bad news to those who refuse to repent and receive Jesus as Savior. When Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of judgment to come it means that through the preaching of the gospel unsaved people would realize that without Christ their eternal destiny is to face the judgment of God for their sins and spend eternity suffering the torments of hell. This why Jesus said of the prince of this world is already judged. Those that do not repent will follow Satan to his rebellious destiny suffering the judgement of hell.
Right about this time while Paul was preaching Felix raised up his voice and said; OK that’s enough Paul! Why do you think Felix stopped Paul from preaching? I’ll tell you why, because he was coming under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and he knew he was a sinner but he wasn’t willing to yield to the message of Paul and believe on Christ to be saved.
That’s why he also tried to get money from Paul to pay him a bribe to release him because he thought Paul must have a lot of money available to him because he was connected all these Christians and was in charge of raising offerings for the poor in Jerusalem. So, the Roman Governor Felix heard the gospel, came under conviction by the Holy Spirit but blew it off and pursued his evil ways.
God will go out of his way to pour out his love and show his mercy and call sinners to repent and be saved but individuals can resist the Holy Spirit and blow off the conviction coming up on them and harden their hearts and go their own ways rejecting Christ.
Important question for us today; Does the gospel that we hear preached bring conviction by the Holy Spirit of sin that leads people to repent and be born again?
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The Holy Spirit will work with us as we preach and testify to bring conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment to come upon people revealing their need to be saved.
2) Some resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit and stop listening to anointed preaching.
3) Does the church you attend preach messages that make people feel “UNCOMFORTABLE” in their sins through the conviction of the Holy Spirit?
4) We are not to preach a message condemning people because Jesus came not to condemn but to save but in order for someone to be saved they first must come under conviction of their sins and realize that only Jesus saves and that the alternative is the eternal judgement of hell.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
