What have you done with the people God sent you? Or the life you have been given? Or the opportunities granted to you? When we think about judgment day, think about answering for your interaction with those who needed help or were lost on this journey of life…
2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor:
“You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. 3 For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you. 4 But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. 5 We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. 6 Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. 8 You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” 9 Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.
10 The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. 11 You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. 12 My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 13 These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.
14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.
Acts 24:2-16 NLT
In Caesarea, where Paul was sent to be trialed by the Roman Governor, he was accused of stirring crowds and inciting rioting against Jewish religious leadership and also against Rome. In Paul’s defense, he proclaimed allegiance to his Jewish heritage and beliefs, having the same hope in God as his accusers.
He admits shouting at a previous hearing that he was trial because he believes in the resurrection of the dead. Other than that outburst, Paul affirmed his innocence. Felix the Governor and his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish (vs. 24), spent time with Paul over the coming days listening to his reasoning about Jesus. This made Felix frightened (vs. 25), which says something about Felix’s own conscience.
Paul focused (vs. 25) on righteousness, self-control, and the coming day of judgment. Paul’s belief, according to the teachings of the prophets and then of Jesus, was that God will raise the righteous and the unrighteous. And because of this (vs. 15), “I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.”
Felix’s conscience likely wasn’t as clear as Paul’s before God and all people. How about yours? How about mine? We have beliefs and we have hope, and in Paul’s world that should have consequences for how we live in light of that hope.
He had integrity with his neighbours and always told the truth about his faith and hope. He pursued that which he spoke of: righteousness, self-control, and readiness for coming judgment. How ready are we?
A new friend of mine shared that God inspired him to consider for his own business, “What have you done with the people I sent you?” This fellow wants everything about his business and his life to point to God’s grace in Jesus. When we think about judgment day, we should think about answering for what we did with people we met, those who needed help, and people who are seeking for answers.
If we can say our conscience is clear, we are likely living a very purposeful life for the Lord Jesus!
Amen.
Marc Kinna
marckinna 