Acts 24:1-27

Paul States His Defense 1-4 Within five days, the Chief Priest Ananias arrived with a contingent of leaders, along with Tertullus, a trial lawyer. They presented the governor with their case against Paul. When Paul was called before the court, Tertullus spoke for the prosecution: "Most Honorable Felix, we are most grateful in all times and places for your wise and gentle rule. We are much aware that it is because of you and you alone that we enjoy all this peace and gain daily profit from your reforms. I’m not going to tire you out with a long speech. I beg your kind indulgence in listening to me. I’ll be quite brief.
5-8"We’ve found this man time and again disturbing the peace, stirring up riots against Jews all over the world, the ringleader of a seditious sect called Nazarenes. He’s a real bad apple, I must say. We caught him trying to defile our holy Temple and arrested him. You’ll be able to verify all these accusations when you examine him yourself." 9The Jews joined in: "Hear, hear! That’s right!" 10-13The governor motioned to Paul that it was now his turn. Paul said, "I count myself fortunate to be defending myself before you, Governor, knowing how fair-minded you’ve been in judging us all these years. I’ve been back in the country only twelve days—you can check out these dates easily enough. I came with the express purpose of worshiping in Jerusalem on Pentecost, and I’ve been minding my own business the whole time. Nobody can say they saw me arguing in the Temple or working up a crowd in the streets. Not one of their charges can be backed up with evidence or witnesses. 14-15"But I do freely admit this: In regard to the Way, which they malign as a dead-end street, I serve and worship the very same God served and worshiped by all our ancestors and embrace everything written in all our Scriptures. And I admit to living in hopeful anticipation that God will raise the dead, both the good and the bad. If that’s my crime, my accusers are just as guilty as I am. 16-19"Believe me, I do my level best to keep a clear conscience before God and my neighbors in everything I do. I’ve been out of the country for a number of years and now I’m back. While I was away, I took up a collection for the poor and brought that with me, along with offerings for the Temple. It was while making those offerings that they found me quietly at my prayers in the Temple. There was no crowd, there was no disturbance. It was some Jews from around Ephesus who started all this trouble. And you’ll notice they’re not here today. They’re cowards, too cowardly to accuse me in front of you. 20-21"So ask these others what crime they’ve caught me in. Don’t let them hide behind this smooth-talking Tertullus. The only thing they have on me is that one sentence I shouted out in the council: ‘It’s because I believe in the resurrection that I’ve been hauled into this court!’ Does that sound to you like grounds for a criminal case?" 22-23Felix shilly-shallied. He knew far more about the Way than he let on, and could have settled the case then and there. But uncertain of his best move politically, he played for time. "When Captain Lysias comes down, I’ll decide your case." He gave orders to the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to more or less give him the run of the place and not prevent his friends from helping him. 24-26A few days later Felix and his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, sent for Paul and listened to him talk about a life of believing in Jesus Christ. As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment, Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him. "That’s enough for today. I’ll call you back when it’s convenient." At the same time he was secretly hoping that Paul would offer him a substantial bribe. These conversations were repeated frequently. 27After two years of this, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. Still playing up to the Jews and ignoring justice, Felix left Paul in prison.
Devotional (by Emily Alsobrook): The polar opposite personalities in this Scripture really grabbed my attention: Paul’s dedication and Felix’s complacency.
After reading up to this point in the Bible, we know full well that Paul is a devoted servant of Christ. And what is the result? He’s been flogged (whipped), ship wrecked, stoned close to death, put on trial, etc. His dedication led others to falsely accuse him and put him on trial.
Sometimes, because of our commitment to Christ, people will become uncomfortable and make up stories and accuse us of things we never did, as they did with Paul. I hope that when this happens to me I can respond like Paul, "Believe me, I do my level best to keep a clear conscience before God and my neighbors in everything I do." Paul stands firm for what he believes and lives with conviction.
Felix, on the other hand, wavers with the public’s opinion and his only conviction is his ego. Felix, a governor of the area, is praised by the prosecution and he soaks up every word. The first four verses are the monologue of the prosecution buttering up the governor. I don’t know about you, but I was thinking, "Oh please! Get on with it and ‘be brief.’"
When it comes to making a decision, Felix hesitates. He wavers on making a political call for Paul’s verdict, and he wavers in making a personal decision about Christ. Talking about Christ was getting uncomfortable for him, and he was hoping Jesus would come at a more "convenient time." But the thing is, Jesus isn’t about convenience. When he comes into your life, He turns things upside down and everything changes, as we’ve see with Paul. I am sad for Felix and his attempt to fit Jesus in with everything else in life. Jesus needs to come first, then everything else in life fits in.

Prayer: Jesus, in this busy time of the year, with traveling, gatherings, gift giving, and barely hanging on, help me to be dedicated to You, like Paul was. I don’t want to be complacent like Felix. Help me to put You first, by reading Your teachings, living them out, and loving others, and then fitting everything else in. Thanks for coming downstairs to this earth, and showing us how it’s done. Help me to follow in your footsteps. I love You. Amen.