Pam Padgett ... teacher
When Jews from Asia stirred up the
Jews in the temple at Jerusalem against Paul, soldiers and centurions
intervened, keeping him from being killed. While Paul was kept in the
castle, he was told in the night that he would bear witness of Jesus in Rome as he had in Jerusalem ...
Acts 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and
said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in
Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Paul was taken to the governor in Caesarea when some of the Jews took an
oath to kill him in Jerusalem. When Festus was the governor, he told
the Jews who accused Paul to go to Caesarea and present their case
against him. Although the Jews proved nothing against Paul, Festus
wanted to please the Jews by sending Paul back to Jerusalem. Rather
than going to Jerusalem, Paul appealed to Caesar ...
Acts 25:9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure,
answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be
judged of these things before me? 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's
judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no
wrong, as thou very well knowest. 11 For if I be an offender, or have
committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there
be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me
unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred
with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar
shalt thou go.
As Paul waited to be sent to Caesar, king Agrippa and Bernice came to
Caesarea. Festus told king Agrippa about Paul, and king Agrippa wanted
to hear what Paul would say. Paul told him how Jesus appeared to him on
the road to Damascus and told that Jesus is Christ spoken of by the
prophets and Moses. The king, governor, and Bernice discussed Paul's situation and concluded that he could be set free ... had he not appealed to Caesar ...
Acts 26:30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and
the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: 31 And when they
were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth
nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus,
This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto
Caesar.
To the natural eye it might look as though Paul should not have appealed to Caesar, for then he could have been freed. But having
appealed to Caesar, Paul was taken to Rome where he taught about Jesus
to the Jews and to all who came to him, fulfilling what Jesus spoke to
him in the night while in Jerusalem ....
Acts 28:16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the
prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by
himself with a soldier that kept him. 17 And it came to pass, that
after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when
they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I
have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers,
yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the
Romans. 18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because
there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Jews spake against
it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to
accuse my nation of. 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you,
to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I
am bound with this chain. 21 And they said unto him, We neither
received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the
brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. 22 But we desire to
hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know
that every where it is spoken against.
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into
his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God,
persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out
of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the
things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed
not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one
word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For
the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of
hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with
their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart,
and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known
therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles,
and that they will hear it. 29 And when he had said these words, the
Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired
house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom
of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ,
with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
What we do can look wrong to the natural eye. But if we have been led by the Holy Spirit, the will of God will be fulfilled.