“1 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed, 3 asking him to do them a favor against Paul, that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4 However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. 5 ‘Therefore,’ he said, ‘let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if there is any wrong in this man.’

6 When he had spent not more than eight or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judges bench, he commanded Paul to be brought in. 7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove, 8 while Paul made the defense that, ‘Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all.’

9 Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews, replied to Paul, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?’

10 But Paul said: ‘I am standing at Caesars tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well. 11 If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!’

12 After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, ‘You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!’

Acts 25:1-12

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Paul has been through the wringer, it would be easy to just give up and be done. But, as a Christian, he knows that his integrity matters and that any charges against him, even false ones, would bring a bad reputation to Christ and His Church. Paul stands as a representative of the Gospel at the highest levels of their society, and if he admits to wrongdoing that he was not a part of, just to settle things out, then he would be guilty of defaming Christ. 

As Christians, our moral integrity matters. It matters every day in every situation. How we conduct ourselves, what reputation we build, all of it matters because we stand as the representatives of Christ. Whether that is before the President, Governors or our co-workers, family & neighbors, it makes no difference. We are Christ’s ambassadors, created in Him to do good works. Our actions and reputations point toward the Gospel, and that can either be for good or for bad. We are each responsible, we will each be held accountable. 

Paul was being persecuted because of his allegiance to Jesus Christ & His Gospel. The Jews who were seeking to kill him could not be satiated by anything but his blood. The world is not going to compromise when it comes to us either. We cannot hope to ‘make things work’ or seek to compromise just so we can all get along. We cannot afford to compromise our Christian principles, to compromise the Gospel message or the authority that comes inherent in the Word of God. Paul couldn’t back down here, so he appealed to the world’s authority in the face of his accusers. We must do the same. Paul knew the systems and arguments and philosophies of his opponents. We should do likewise. 

If we are going to be good ambassadors, we must know whom it is we are dealing with. We must understand to what lengths they will go to accomplish their agendas. We have to understand that every inch of ground we give up they will occupy and keep on pressing. Paul knew that the Gospel’s reputation mattered. He knew that he couldn’t just fold. This was the moment to stand firm in the truth, to trust in the will of God and to see justice done. For us today, as Christians, we have the Great Commission that compells us to GoLove anyone and everyone for the sake of the Gospel through service & the ministry of the message of the Gospel. We cannot forget that great hope that we have been given simply because the sinful and fallen world tells us to be quiet, to keep our faith to ourselves. A sinful world doesn’t want to be confronted. A sinful heart doesn’t want to be exposed. Truth is its enemy, and that is what we bring when we bring the Gospel. 

Paul had to stand firm, even at the cost of his own life, to see Christ honored in it. We have the same call on our hearts, the call to lay down our life, our own ambitions, in order to see Christ honored. Even if the world hates us, rallies against us, we stand firm & in doing so, we bear witness to the faithfulness of God. He gives us the strength we need for the day, for the moment, so that we can continue to be faithful witnesses for Him, to His glory. 

“7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we were encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience before our God because of you, 10 as we pray very earnestly night and day to see you face to face and to complete what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we also do for you. 13 May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.”
1 Thessalonians 3:7-13