Today's Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 24 verses 1 through 8:
Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul to the governor. 2 When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:
“Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. 3 We welcome this in every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude. 4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. 5 We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse him."
They came with the lawyers and all kinds of spuriousness and sycophancy aimed at St. Paul. The truth was that Paul was never responsible for any of the outrage which was cast upon him; but the truth didn't matter to these guys. The truth was on trial. The truth was guilty.
And then there was the abdication of law. Paul's accusers were vying for a change of venue. Having been moved to Caesarea after being rescued from a lynching in Jerusalem, they wanted to bring him back to Jerusalem, where no doubt he would be killed before even being tried. So Paul appealed to the Emperor in Rome. But then when King Agrippa came down and heard his case and said, "This man would be free if he had not appealed to the Emperor." A snide, and cynical lie, because Paul would not have been free if he had not appealed; he would have been dead.
Nevertheless, Paul made the most of his opportunities. He testified before governors, and magistrates, and kings. And he bore witness to the resurrection of the dead. He talked about life, and death, and resurrection, and the judgement to follow. He talked about justice and righteousness and the judge above all judges.
Paul would not be set free. He would not be spared. But the gospel would be proclaimed. Some would mock him. Others would ignore him. Still others would seethe at him. But a few in the court would hear his words and be filled with the fear of the Lord; for they knew, in William Cullen Bryant's words:
"Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again."
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow's Lesson comes from Acts chapters 27 and 28.
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