A Positive Defense - Acts 24:10-21
By David Woods
Recently, I heard about a man had been released after spending about twenty years in jail for a crime he had not committed. For several years, this man had sought to have his DNA compared to DNA from the crime scene, only to be told that the DNA could not be found. After a final appeal, the DNA was found exactly where it should be. His DNA was compared and he was exonerated.
Discussion: Think back to a time in which you were accused of doing something wrong. If you were guilty, did you have much confidence that you could escape the blame? If you were innocent, did you have confidence that you would be proved innocent?
The whole court case against Paul was quite egregious. The Jews’ charge that Paul had brought a Gentile into the Temple was obviously false. You might think they could have been sued for defamation. You might think that the Roman tribune who almost beat Paul, a Roman citizen who had not been proven guilty of some crime, should have faced a court martial. You would think the fact that Jews were trying to kill Paul would have caused the Romans to investigate them and to release Paul. But that is life as a Christian. God’s people have been falsely imprisoned and/or convicted of crime more than once throughout history.
Discussion: What are some of the motivations that cause people to falsely charge Christians with wrongdoing? How should Christians react to such false charges?
In Acts 24:16 Paul indicated that he worked hard to make sure that he always had a clear conscience before God and man. We are able to see in Paul’s defense and later dealings with Felix how important it is to maintain a clear conscience.
Big Idea: A clear conscience will greatly help you witness for Christ.
1. God uses your clear conscience to give you confidence in sharing your testimony, vv. 10-21.
Discussion: What evidence can you find of Paul’s confidence in his testimony before Felix?
(Answers may include: He “cheerfully” spoke in his defense, he knew the facts, which would exonerate him from blame could be easily learned, he knew the Jews’ accusations could not be proved, etc.)
Hopefully, we will never be brought to court for our faith. Yet any time the Christian shares the Gospel with others he/she is giving a defense of the faith. And many Christians act like sharing the testimony is as bad or worse than being charged in a court of law!
Discussion: How will a clear conscience give you confidence with sharing the Gospel with others?
Discussion: Could one of the reasons why more Christians do not witness be that they are not truly maintaining integrity in all areas of their lives?
2. God uses your clear conscience to provide corroboration of your testimony, vv. 22, 23, 26.
It seems fairly obvious that Felix did not keep Paul in prison because he really felt like Paul was guilty of wrongdoing. Instead, he appeared to hope Paul would give him a bribe and/or hope to keep the Jews happy with his job as a governor.
Discussion: Is it necessary to be a person of impeccable integrity in order to accomplish great things for God?
(While the answer to this question might seem like an easy “yes”, consider the life of Samson. Samson did mighty exploits for God’s people, but his lack of integrity was appalling.)
Discussion: While some who have lacked integrity have accomplished some amazing things for God, why is it so important that we strive to be people of integrity?
(It is important that one be in a right relationship with Christ. It is also important because it would seem that person of integrity would produce a greater quality work for God than the other. Furthermore, when those who greatly revered the morally unfaithful person realized who he/she was, their faith in God might be shaken or even destroyed.)
3. God uses your clear conscience to produce conviction through your testimony, v. 25.
One day, hoping that Paul would give him a bribe, Felix invited the apostle to come and speak of faith in Christ. So Paul preached of righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment. Felix was overcome with conviction! Felix knew Paul was innocent and God used that to convict Felix of his sinfulness.
Discussion: If we fail to maintain a clear conscience before God, should we expect God to use our testimony to convict the lost of sin?
Reflection: Can you testify of a clear conscience before God and man right now?