Good Friday May Twenty second as we come before the throne of grace by the word.
Who is missing?
Paul is testifying before Felix the governor against the charges made against him by Tertullus the Jewish lawyer brought from Jerusalem to represent the high priest. The main charges were, Paul was a threat to Rome he being a ringleader of a mob wanting to overthrow Rome and that he desecrated the Jewish temple. When Paul begins his testimony he acknowledges Felix for his position then testifies that nobody in the temple where he was had not objected to him being there nor did anyone see him with gentiles as he was with four men who were taking their vows. Paul says if any charge makes sense, then the charge that I am a follower of the way is true. Understand how the enemy works even today, Paul is one who reasons and he reasons with God’s word John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Paul is saying all of us, looking at the high priest, are wanting to be right before the Father and obey the laws of Moses, we all do and so do I and I do, so Felix I may be a part of the followers of the Nazarene but we obey and follow the same God and Father. Let’s continue to listen to Paul testify and read together from Acts 24:17-21 “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 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.’ ” Paul continues and says Felix you may want to know how I came to Jerusalem well I came bringing offerings collected from churches in Asia to the Jerusalem church, now look who is missing, James and the leaders of the Christian movement from Jerusalem, they are hiding. 1Kings 19:14c &18“I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” Just like the prophet Elijah who God says Elijah you are not alone there are thousands as you, Paul understands how Elijah must have felt standing alone before the Roman authorities and the Jewish following. Who else is missing anyone who witnessed the crimes Paul is being accused of? Deuteronomy19:15 “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” Anyone who saw firsthand the crimes made against Paul, are missing. So Paul standing alone being accused of crimes against Rome and the temple ask Felix, where are my accusers? Then Paul says, “Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day”. This is where the Sanhedrin were divided, now Paul says these here are ones who disagree with me that there is no resurrection, but there is. Paul is an eyewitness as the apostles before, do you believe in the resurrection? Remnant
