MONDAY January 29, 2024
Unfounded Complaints
And when he [Festus] had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”
Acts 25:6-8
The Jews brought many complaints against Paul. As I mentioned before, he knew many of these Jewish men on the council. They used to regard him because, like them, he was taught by Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee and teacher of the Law. Paul’s peers graduated with him and became involved in their own professions. They heard how Paul was zealously arresting and persecuting Christians. Then, in a shocking turn of events, the Jews heard a completely different account.
On his way to Damascus, Jesus Christ had appeared to Paul. He was converted to Christ and joined the very people he had been persecuting. Paul was saved, and he received the power of the Holy Spirit. He became a child of the light and would bring glory and honor to Christ’s name.
Remember, Paul’s encounter with Christ left him helpless––blind. He had to be led by hand into the city of Damascus. A brother in Christ, Ananias, prayed for Paul, and he received his sight. God began to use his life. Paul knew the Scriptures and proved Jesus was the Christ! Now the Jews hated him vehemently. They had come down from Jerusalem ready to give to Festus some very unfounded and serious complaints.
Think about the people who saw your conversion to Christ. What were their responses? Those who knew your prior life before your conversion witnessed a changed life. They now hear you speaking about Jesus. Some may have thought you had flipped out, fried your brain through drugs, or that you had joined some weird kind of cult. Hopefully, over time, God used the genuineness of your faith to help bring them to Christ. May your life also bring glory to Christ’s holy name.
Our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God in the power of God for the glory of God.
~J. I. Packer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
