1 00:00:00,540 --> 00:00:02,910 Steve Webb: These people felt that they had the moral 2 00:00:02,910 --> 00:00:04,560 authority to commit murder! 3 00:00:05,550 --> 00:00:08,220 This is the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from 4 00:00:08,220 --> 00:00:12,060 Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I'm your 5 00:00:12,150 --> 00:00:15,930 hopefully-on-the-mend OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. It's 6 00:00:15,930 --> 00:00:20,580 Gospels Saturday, and we'll read Acts 23 and 24. The website is 7 00:00:20,580 --> 00:00:24,090 lifespringmedia.com, and I'll have contact information at the 8 00:00:24,090 --> 00:00:28,140 end of the show. Before we read, let's pray. Our gracious 9 00:00:28,140 --> 00:00:30,630 heavenly Father, how we love you, and thank you so much for 10 00:00:30,630 --> 00:00:33,540 your Word. Thank you for revealing yourself to us through 11 00:00:33,540 --> 00:00:36,480 it. I pray that as we read today, you would teach us. I 12 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:39,630 pray that you would touch our hearts. I pray this in Jesus' 13 00:00:39,630 --> 00:00:43,410 name. Amen. Okay, are you ready? Let's get started. 14 00:00:46,060 --> 00:00:50,590 Acts, chapter 23. Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and 15 00:00:50,590 --> 00:00:54,610 said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all 16 00:00:54,610 --> 00:00:59,590 good conscience to this day.” At this the high priest Ananias 17 00:00:59,590 --> 00:01:03,340 ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then 18 00:01:03,340 --> 00:01:06,730 Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed 19 00:01:06,730 --> 00:01:10,900 wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you 20 00:01:10,900 --> 00:01:14,290 yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” 21 00:01:15,070 --> 00:01:18,460 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult 22 00:01:18,490 --> 00:01:22,870 God’s high priest!” Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not 23 00:01:22,870 --> 00:01:26,290 realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do 24 00:01:26,290 --> 00:01:30,400 not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’” Then Paul, 25 00:01:30,430 --> 00:01:33,100 knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others 26 00:01:33,130 --> 00:01:37,210 Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a 27 00:01:37,210 --> 00:01:41,260 Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial 28 00:01:41,260 --> 00:01:44,920 because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” When 29 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,980 he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and 30 00:01:47,980 --> 00:01:52,390 the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say 31 00:01:52,390 --> 00:01:55,180 that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither 32 00:01:55,180 --> 00:01:58,420 angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these 33 00:01:58,420 --> 00:02:01,930 things.) There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers 34 00:02:01,930 --> 00:02:05,320 of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. 35 00:02:05,620 --> 00:02:08,860 “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a 36 00:02:08,860 --> 00:02:12,640 spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute became so 37 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:15,670 violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to 38 00:02:15,670 --> 00:02:19,000 pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him 39 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,050 away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. The 40 00:02:23,050 --> 00:02:26,290 following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take 41 00:02:26,290 --> 00:02:29,890 courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you 42 00:02:29,890 --> 00:02:34,120 must also testify in Rome.” The next morning some Jews formed a 43 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,870 conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink 44 00:02:37,900 --> 00:02:41,800 until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in 45 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,580 this plot. They went to the chief priests and the elders and 46 00:02:45,580 --> 00:02:49,240 said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until 47 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,020 we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition 48 00:02:53,020 --> 00:02:55,720 the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of 49 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,870 wanting more accurate information about his case. We 50 00:02:58,870 --> 00:03:02,440 are ready to kill him before he gets here.” But when the son of 51 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:05,620 Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks 52 00:03:05,620 --> 00:03:09,550 and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, 53 00:03:09,940 --> 00:03:12,730 “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to 54 00:03:12,730 --> 00:03:17,050 tell him.” So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, 55 00:03:17,410 --> 00:03:20,320 “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young 56 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,470 man to you because he has something to tell you.” The 57 00:03:23,470 --> 00:03:26,650 commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and 58 00:03:26,650 --> 00:03:30,490 asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” He said: “Some Jews 59 00:03:30,490 --> 00:03:33,490 have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin 60 00:03:33,490 --> 00:03:35,860 tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate 61 00:03:35,860 --> 00:03:39,100 information about him. Don’t give it to them, because more 62 00:03:39,100 --> 00:03:42,220 than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have 63 00:03:42,220 --> 00:03:44,980 taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed 64 00:03:44,980 --> 00:03:47,980 him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their 65 00:03:47,980 --> 00:03:51,220 request.” The commander dismissed the young man with 66 00:03:51,220 --> 00:03:54,280 this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to 67 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,730 me.” Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, 68 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,270 “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy 69 00:04:01,270 --> 00:04:04,330 horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at 70 00:04:04,330 --> 00:04:08,110 nine tonight. Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken 71 00:04:08,110 --> 00:04:12,250 safely to Governor Felix.” He wrote a letter as follows: 72 00:04:12,610 --> 00:04:16,210 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: 73 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,350 Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and they were about 74 00:04:20,350 --> 00:04:23,560 to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I 75 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,490 had learned that he is a Roman citizen. I wanted to know why 76 00:04:27,490 --> 00:04:30,760 they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 77 00:04:31,270 --> 00:04:34,420 I found that the execution had to do with questions about their 78 00:04:34,420 --> 00:04:37,570 law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death 79 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,170 or imprisonment. When I was informed of a plot to be carried 80 00:04:41,170 --> 00:04:45,550 out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered 81 00:04:45,550 --> 00:04:49,690 his accusers to present to you their case against him. So the 82 00:04:49,690 --> 00:04:52,600 soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them 83 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,080 during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. The next 84 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,230 day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to 85 00:04:59,230 --> 00:05:03,070 the barracks. When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they 86 00:05:03,070 --> 00:05:05,920 delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to 87 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,100 him. The governor read the letter and asked what province 88 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:13,150 he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I 89 00:05:13,150 --> 00:05:16,660 will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he 90 00:05:16,660 --> 00:05:19,780 ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. 91 00:05:20,050 --> 00:05:25,810 Acts chapter 24. Five days later Ananias, the high priest, 92 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:29,110 arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, 93 00:05:29,170 --> 00:05:32,830 to present their case against Paul to the governor. When Paul 94 00:05:32,830 --> 00:05:35,590 was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against 95 00:05:35,590 --> 00:05:39,190 Paul in the following address to the governor: “You have provided 96 00:05:39,190 --> 00:05:42,610 a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have 97 00:05:42,610 --> 00:05:46,570 enacted reforms for us. For all of this, Your Excellency, we are 98 00:05:46,570 --> 00:05:49,810 very grateful to you. But I don’t want to bore you, so 99 00:05:49,810 --> 00:05:53,800 please give me your attention for only a moment. We have found 100 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,100 this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up 101 00:05:57,100 --> 00:06:01,180 riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of 102 00:06:01,180 --> 00:06:05,260 the cult known as the Nazarenes. Furthermore, he was trying to 103 00:06:05,260 --> 00:06:08,860 desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. You can find out 104 00:06:08,860 --> 00:06:12,790 the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” Then 105 00:06:12,790 --> 00:06:15,220 the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything 106 00:06:15,250 --> 00:06:18,940 Tertullus said was true. The governor then motioned for Paul 107 00:06:18,940 --> 00:06:23,260 to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge 108 00:06:23,260 --> 00:06:26,650 of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my 109 00:06:26,650 --> 00:06:30,580 defense before you. You can quickly discover that I arrived 110 00:06:30,580 --> 00:06:33,580 in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the 111 00:06:33,580 --> 00:06:37,180 Temple. My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the 112 00:06:37,180 --> 00:06:40,660 Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the 113 00:06:40,660 --> 00:06:44,200 streets of the city. These men cannot prove the things they 114 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,920 accuse me of doing. “But I admit that I follow the Way, which 115 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:52,120 they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I 116 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,090 firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the 117 00:06:55,090 --> 00:06:59,710 prophets. I have the same hope in God that these men have, that 118 00:06:59,710 --> 00:07:03,280 he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. Because of 119 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:07,030 this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and 120 00:07:07,030 --> 00:07:11,680 all people. “After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem 121 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,270 with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. My 122 00:07:16,270 --> 00:07:19,690 accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification 123 00:07:19,690 --> 00:07:23,770 ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. But 124 00:07:23,770 --> 00:07:26,710 some Jews from the province of Asia were there—and they ought 125 00:07:26,710 --> 00:07:29,740 to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 126 00:07:30,220 --> 00:07:33,250 Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me 127 00:07:33,250 --> 00:07:36,610 guilty of, except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on 128 00:07:36,610 --> 00:07:39,640 trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of 129 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,780 the dead!’” At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the 130 00:07:43,780 --> 00:07:47,380 Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the 131 00:07:47,380 --> 00:07:52,030 garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.” He 132 00:07:52,030 --> 00:07:55,120 ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some 133 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,330 freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his 134 00:07:58,330 --> 00:08:02,080 needs. A few days later Felix came back with his wife, 135 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,220 Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened 136 00:08:06,220 --> 00:08:09,760 as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned 137 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,030 with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming 138 00:08:13,030 --> 00:08:17,020 day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” 139 00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:20,200 he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you 140 00:08:20,230 --> 00:08:24,250 again.” He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for 141 00:08:24,250 --> 00:08:28,270 him quite often and talked with him. After two years went by in 142 00:08:28,270 --> 00:08:32,350 this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because 143 00:08:32,350 --> 00:08:35,800 Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul 144 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:36,430 in prison. 145 00:08:38,290 --> 00:08:41,320 Let's think for a moment about the conspiracy to kill Paul that 146 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:45,910 we read about in chapter 23, verses 12 through 22. We read 147 00:08:45,910 --> 00:08:48,760 that it was a group of Jews and they bound themselves with an 148 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,840 oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. So here, 149 00:08:52,870 --> 00:08:56,320 these people felt that they had the moral authority to commit 150 00:08:56,320 --> 00:09:01,390 murder! What? How can this be? The Mosaic law clearly states 151 00:09:01,390 --> 00:09:04,540 that murder is forbidden. It's even in the 10 commandments, 152 00:09:04,540 --> 00:09:08,980 right? Thou shalt not murder. (Sidenote: the 10 commandments 153 00:09:08,980 --> 00:09:12,850 does not say thou shalt not kill. Killing and murder are two 154 00:09:12,850 --> 00:09:16,660 completely different things.) So what's going on here is an 155 00:09:16,660 --> 00:09:20,230 excellent example of what can happen when a group of people 156 00:09:20,230 --> 00:09:24,580 have such an extreme and rigid view of an agenda or ideology, 157 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,130 that they're willing to do anything to defend that 158 00:09:27,130 --> 00:09:31,210 ideology. My goodness, that sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't 159 00:09:31,210 --> 00:09:36,250 it? The more things change, the more they remain the same. These 160 00:09:36,250 --> 00:09:40,270 Jews thought that Paul's message contradicted the law, and they 161 00:09:40,270 --> 00:09:43,330 were so extremely incensed that he would dare to preach a 162 00:09:43,330 --> 00:09:46,570 different message that they would not and could not accept 163 00:09:46,570 --> 00:09:51,220 his reasoned response to them. They were so rigidly adhering to 164 00:09:51,220 --> 00:09:54,700 the letter of the law that they could no longer hear God's voice 165 00:09:54,730 --> 00:10:00,010 in the intent of the law, which Jesus came to fulfill. And so 166 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,060 they conjured up this scheme to silence Paul. You might call it 167 00:10:04,060 --> 00:10:08,770 a permanent cancellation. When a group is so passionately affixed 168 00:10:08,770 --> 00:10:13,180 on an ideology that any opposing idea results in invectives and 169 00:10:13,180 --> 00:10:17,080 violence. There's a problem, folks. If we can't agree to 170 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,050 disagree and discuss our differences in a calm and 171 00:10:20,110 --> 00:10:24,220 reasoned fashion, we know that something's wrong. Listen, just 172 00:10:24,220 --> 00:10:27,670 because I disagree with you does not mean that I hate you, nor 173 00:10:27,670 --> 00:10:31,060 does it give you the right to call me names or strike me or 174 00:10:31,060 --> 00:10:34,480 destroy my property or do some other kinds of violence against 175 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,800 me. This is true in matters of religion, in matters of culture, 176 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:43,060 in matters of politics. Civilized people don't behave 177 00:10:43,060 --> 00:10:46,210 this way. But then there does seem to be a shortage of 178 00:10:46,210 --> 00:10:53,320 civilized people today, doesn't there? I'd love to hear from 179 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,560 you. If you have thoughts or questions, send a boostagram or 180 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:59,050 call the Lifespring Family Hotline or go to the comments 181 00:10:59,050 --> 00:11:01,330 page or write an email. I'll tell you how to do all that 182 00:11:01,330 --> 00:11:05,080 stuff at the end of the show. Tomorrow will be Epistles Sunday 183 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,090 and our reading will be 3 John. 184 00:11:10,900 --> 00:11:13,510 We have a couple of Executive Producers to thank today. 185 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,080 There's Jason Paschall who came in with his monthly $50 186 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:21,370 donation. Thank you, Jason. God bless you. And Anonymous came in 187 00:11:21,370 --> 00:11:25,420 with their weekly $33.33 donation. Thank you. And God 188 00:11:25,420 --> 00:11:28,420 bless you as well, Anonymous. And we have an Associate 189 00:11:28,420 --> 00:11:33,400 Producer today. Michael Haner came in with his weekly $7.77 190 00:11:33,430 --> 00:11:37,660 Stryper donation. Thank you, Michael. God bless you. Beloved, 191 00:11:37,660 --> 00:11:43,780 this is episode 350 of the 364-episode 13th and last season 192 00:11:44,140 --> 00:11:47,200 of the Lifespring! One Year Bible. That means there's just 193 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:52,240 14 episodes left, two weeks. Can I ask you a question? Has this 194 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,150 show brought something good to your life? I certainly hope and 195 00:11:55,150 --> 00:11:58,180 pray that it has. Could I ask you to please prayerfully, 196 00:11:58,180 --> 00:12:01,780 consider sending a gift to show your appreciation? Once the 197 00:12:01,780 --> 00:12:05,260 show's over my plan is to keep every episode I've ever produced 198 00:12:05,260 --> 00:12:08,980 online at lifespringmedia.com, and that's well over 3000 199 00:12:08,980 --> 00:12:12,460 episodes that will be there for you as far into the future as 200 00:12:12,460 --> 00:12:15,970 I'm able to do that. But once I stop producing episodes, 201 00:12:15,970 --> 00:12:19,300 expenses will still need to be paid for the website, for the 202 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:22,690 bandwidth needed for episode downloads, for software 203 00:12:22,690 --> 00:12:26,080 licenses, and a myriad of other things. So I'd like to humbly 204 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,290 ask your help with those bills if you've benefited from the 205 00:12:29,290 --> 00:12:32,500 show. Please pray about it. Would you partner with me to 206 00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:35,200 keep all those episodes available into the future for 207 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,500 others who want to hear the reading of God's Word? If you 208 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:40,330 would, here's where you can do that. 209 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:42,730 Jingle: Lifespringmedia.com/support 210 00:12:44,740 --> 00:12:47,320 Steve Webb: I'll thank you. Those who hear these episodes in 211 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,380 the future will thank you. And I believe that God will bless you. 212 00:12:53,620 --> 00:12:56,830 Our next time of prayer together will be tomorrow. If you have a 213 00:12:56,830 --> 00:12:59,650 praise report or a prayer request, send it to me, would 214 00:12:59,650 --> 00:13:02,500 ya? I'll pray for you in my quiet time, and I'll share it on 215 00:13:02,500 --> 00:13:02,950 the show. 216 00:13:09,130 --> 00:13:12,100 As always, I invite your comments and your questions. 217 00:13:12,130 --> 00:13:15,340 There are several ways to get in touch with me. Send a boostagram 218 00:13:15,370 --> 00:13:19,600 using a modern podcast app from podcastapps.com, or call the 219 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:26,020 Lifespring Family Hotline at +1-951-732-8511. Or if you have 220 00:13:26,020 --> 00:13:28,330 a prayer request or a praise report, go to 221 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,150 prayer.lifespringmedia.com. You'll find an easy-to-fill-out 222 00:13:31,450 --> 00:13:34,360 form there, and if you want to remain anonymous, there's a 223 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,690 place you can tell me that on the form as well. If you have a 224 00:13:37,690 --> 00:13:42,400 question or a comment, go to comment.lifespringmedia.com. Or 225 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,550 you can send an email to me at steve.lifespringmedia.com. 226 00:13:53,980 --> 00:13:56,800 Thanks to the team Sister Denise, Michael Haner, Scott 227 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,560 Snider, Jason Paschall, and Sister Brittaney for their 228 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:02,830 generous donations of time and talent. Scott Snider did today's 229 00:14:02,830 --> 00:14:06,280 show art. And thanks to Jason Paschall, Anonymous, and Michael 230 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,280 Haner for helping to make this episode possible. Beloved, thank 231 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,620 you for inviting me into your day. If you missed yesterday's 232 00:14:11,620 --> 00:14:14,920 show on Revelation 7 through 11 because it was published late, 233 00:14:14,950 --> 00:14:17,950 be sure to go back and listen to it. Until tomorrow, may God 234 00:14:17,950 --> 00:14:20,740 bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. 235 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,100 James Cooper: All the programs in the Lifespring! Media family 236 00:14:27,190 --> 00:14:30,100 are made possible by the generous gifts of people like 237 00:14:30,100 --> 00:14:30,310 you.