PAUL’S DEFENSE

TODAY’S PASSAGE: 

Acts 24:10-21 (NLT) – 10 The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. 11 You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. 12 My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 13 These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. 14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. 17 “After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. 18 My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. 19 But some Jews from the province of Asia were there—and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 20 Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, 21 except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’

• Paul was always ready to give a defense of His faith in Jesus.

1 Peter 3:15-16 (AMPC) – 15 But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully. 16 [And see to it that] your conscience is entirely clear (unimpaired), so that, when you are falsely accused as evildoers, those who threaten you abusively and revile your right behavior in Christ may come to be ashamed [of slandering your good lives].

• Paul was falsely accused of stirring up riots and defiling the Temple, but his conscience was entirely clear. He knew that those accusations were completely false and he could stand before the people as a bold witness for Christ as a result.
• Paul lived a life above reproach, a life of integrity and good character, that no one could justly accuse or criticize.
• Living a life above reproach is a requirement for leaders in the church, and should be the goal of all Christians.

1 Timothy 3:2 (NLT) – So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.

• Living a life “above reproach” is not about perfection, but about living our lives in a way that honors Christ and gives us a place of influence to speak to others about Him.

• Paul boldly agreed that he was a follower of the Way! He didn’t cower when his faith was challenged and insulted.
• Jesus made it clear that He was “the Way.”

John 14:6 (NLT) – Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

• Paul willingly declared that he was a follower of Jesus, as every believer should!
• We need to tell everyone that He is the one and only Way to the Father!

• Paul refused to make his defense anything other than a bold statement about who Jesus really was.
• The hope of Paul’s salvation hinged on this one miracle, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• It is the same with us. The reason we have hope is because Jesus resurrected from the dead, defeating sin, death, and our past once and for all.
• Because Jesus resurrected from the dead, we can be resurrected to new life in Christ.
• Not only that, but we will live forever with God in eternity.

1 Thessalonians 4: 14 (NLT) – 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.