It’s Time to Lawyer Up!

Today’s passage is Acts 24:1-16.  Let’s go!

Acts 24:1-9  

1  Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.
2  When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation.
3  Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude.
4  But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.
5  “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect
6  and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.
7
8  By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
9  The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true. 

 Acts 24:1-9:  “It’s Time to Lawyer Up!”

The trial of the apostle Paul in Governor Felix’s court is about to get under way.  The high priest and the Jewish elders decide to lawyer up and retain the attorney Tertullus to bring their case against Paul.  But Paul had an even better lawyer on his side to defend him against these false charges: the Lord Jesus.  His judge and his accusers couldn’t see him, but Jesus was there.

Similarly, the Bible says that we have an accuser.  His name is Satan.  Because Satan’s agenda is to steal, kill and destroy our lives, Satan loves to accuse us of sins we have committed and even sins we have not committed.  Who stands in our defense?  Jesus Christ.   You might not have realized it, but heaven paid for you to have the greatest defense attorney who ever lived to stand on your side: His name is Jesus.  As 1 John 2:1 says, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”

Like the most outstanding defense attorney, you can confess your mistakes to Jesus, and Jesus will still make sure you get His best defense.  He is committed to standing before the judge and before your accuser and fighting for your cause.  In fact, when we were guilty of sin and when the just punishment for our sins was death and separation from God, Jesus went above and beyond what any defense attorney will ever do: Jesus stepped into our shoes and died in our place.  That’s because Jesus’ commitment to defend you is not based on how much you pay him (indeed you can’t afford his invaluable services), but rather Jesus’ commitment to defend you is based on His immense love for you.

So on this day, thank God that though our sins were great, Jesus’ love and mercy on our lives are greater.  Thank God that whenever we sin, we have one who stands in our defense.  His name is Jesus.

Acts 24:10-16 

10  When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense.
11  You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
12  My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.
13  And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.
14  However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,
15  and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
16  So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. Follow your conscience.

 Acts 24:10-16:  “Follow Your Conscience”

Notice what Paul says in verse 16: “So I always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and man”.  What is conscience?  Conscience is an inner feeling that what you are doing is right or wrong, like a moral compass that tells you when you’re on the right path and when you’ve gone off it.

No one in the Bible talked more about conscience than Paul.  Paul was sensitive to what his conscience was telling him and it would bother him a great deal if he did anything against his conscience.  We’re the same way.  Your conscience is God’s gift to you.  It’s an important instrument God has installed inside you to lead you back to Him.

Is there something on your conscience that you need to confess to God?  What sins do you need to confess to God today?  I encourage you to take a few moments now to search your conscience.  Ask God to help you do so, since He knows you better than you know yourself.  If there are things you’ve done, decisions you’ve made, words you’ve spoken which cause you today to have a guilty conscience, I encourage you to confess them to God.  Confess them to your personal defense attorney Jesus Christ, knowing that (as 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

You don’t need to keep living with a guilty conscience.  You can finish this day and go into tomorrow with a clean conscience when you confess your sins to God, knowing that He has forgiven you through Jesus Christ.

Exercise:  Take time to confess your sins to God, knowing that not only will you be assured of God’s forgiveness through Jesus, but even more knowing that you’re giving God new room to work in your life.  If you’re not sure how to confess your sins, you can follow say:

Dear Jesus, I confess that I have acted, spoken and thought in ways that are not pleasing to You, such as [name specific sins]. Lord Jesus, I was wrong and I’m sorry for acting this way. I ask You to forgive me for sinning against You and sinning against others. I turn from my sins now and commit my whole life – body, soul and spirit – to You. Be Lord over my entire life, and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!