The Terminator! Acts 25:1-22
Time line:
- New governor Festus
- Jews appeal to Festus against Paul
- They wanted Paul to be taken to Jerusalem – but not really, they just want to kill him on the way there
- Festus refuses to send Paul to Jerusalem
- He requests the Jews (accusers) to come with him and state their case
- Paul makes his defense and is not afraid to die
- Paul appeals to Caesar
- King Agrippa and his sister Bernice request to hear him
This evening, I want to speak to you about Sin and the nature of Sin.
- Acts 23 – we saw the Jews plotting to kill Paul …but their plan was frustrated by a small boy – Paul nephew
- It’s been 2 years and the Jews still want to Kill Paul. With the new King, they are not using a new line,
Acts 25:1-3 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the [a]high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.”
- The enemy does not create – but uses the same trick over and over. he just gets better at it as we fall prey to his schemes.
- I know that in my life, the struggles I have are the same, they are just dressed in a different way.
- I think I have overcome them and as soon as I let my guard down, boom! There it is again.
- We ought to be aware how our enemy -sin – works in order to guard ourselves
Who here has ever seen the movies sequels – The Terminator?
- Dark future – an AI has destroyed the earth but in 2029 the humans lead by John Connor destroys Skynet (brain) and wins but the machines have a secret plan – the machine send a lone robot agent to kill John Connors mother before he is even born.
- Disguised as a human, to fit in (Sin)
- Look normal (Sin)
- To the outside it looks really good but on the inside it’s a soulless metal
- The enemy knows what you are capable of, and just like the terminator, he will try and destroy your dreams before you can even get started. (Steal, Kill and destroy)
- John 10:10 – The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
- The terminator does not give up, no matter how much you think you have killed or destroyed it, it will find a way to regroup and come after you. Folks, that is how sin is.
- Sin is relentless
- oppressively constant; incessant ((of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption)
We see it clearly here, that no matter what Paul does, how long he stays away from the Jews, they still want to destroy him. They want to kill him.
Acts 25:4 -5 – But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.”
Gills commentary:
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, Who are at leisure, can spare time, and to whom it will be convenient, without interrupting other business, to take such a journey; ( 24hr by foot – 110Km) and who are able to bear the expenses of it, without hurting their families, and whose health and age will admit of it; and above all, who are masters of this affair, and are capable of forming charges, and of supporting them with proper proofs and evidences: let such go down with me; from Jerusalem to Caesarea: and accuse this man: in proper form, according to the rules of law, of what he is guilty, and can be proved upon him: if there is any wickedness in him; or committed by him, anything that is absurd and unreasonable, notoriously flagitious and criminal; that is, contrary to the rules of reason, the common sense of mankind, and the laws of God and men; and especially of the Roman empire, or that is blasphemous or seditious.
- These right here is sin. It will put everything on hold to pursue you!
- The crazy thing is that they did take this journey and they didn’t prove their case because their motive was not for a trial but to kill Paul
- Sin is the same way – If you are going in the right direction, it will find a way to stop you from getting out of your bed – A way to stall you from what God has called you to do.
- I see people flirting with sin in various cases and I get worried because, sin does not need an invitation.
- Eva and I folding clothes story “- Sin will engineer offence from no where.
Sin is relentless
We are called to stay alert at all time to keep our armor on and not to give up
Ephesians 6:10-18 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- Keep your hands up – Simone
- Sin will keep you imprisoned
- The thought of imprisonment is not just for Paul being help captive, which is bad in its self for an innocent man, it’s the annoying nature of getting you to focus on things that steal your time and energy.
- If I can keep you focusing on these things, then you have no time to really focus on what God has called you.
- You can’t wait to get home to watch that tv show that you and I know that it’s not Godly – You get annoyed is anything comes in between you and your program
- You can’t concentrate at work waiting to go and be involved in ________
- The enemy will find a way to waste your time – As a Christian, we are called to do an audit of our activities and investments. And that a weekly event if it’s not a daily one.
- Where are you wasting time? What’s the driving force behind what you do. Is this causing you to be useless in the Kingdom of God?
- Sin will have you hang up on Revenge – plot of getting back (Obsessed with sin) – For 2 years and beyond, they were only thinking of how to Kill Paul. He is not even in the same Area Code, yet they are imprisoned by the thoughts of murder.
- We ought to check our obsession, put our “intentions” to the light and see what they reveal.
Exodus 20:19 – 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
- Moses prepares people to come and Speak with God but they were afraid. They had been imprisoned by Sin. – The prisoner mindset
- Our biggest battle ground is the mind… We have to train our minds to fight, fight, fight!
- We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
- Appeal to Cesar
How do we make sure that we don’t fall into sin?
- Live a blameless life –
Acts 25:10-11- So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
- Examine your motive why you do the things you do. And for whom do you do these things?
- Psalm 139:23-24 -Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
- Appeal to Christ
Paul knew that if he was delivered to the Jews, he would die un-just death, so he says “No one can deliver me to them!
Do you have the same confidence? That no one can separate you from the Love and protection Christ?
Our God is fighting for us
Deuteronomy 3:22 – You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you.
Deuteronomy 20:4 – for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalms 44:5 – Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
Tonight, I am asking you to stop seeing yourself as one who is being chased by the terminator, but be the terminator
What do I mean – Child of God, – No weapon formed against you shall prevail for those who are called for His purpose
You are already the terminator, – NO WEAPON formed against you shall prevail.
The enemy will try to destroy but you will keep on coming back!
James 4:7 – Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
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