Sabbath: Confinement in Caesarea
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 24, Acts 25, Acts 26, 1 Cor. 1:23.
Memory Text: “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains“ (Acts 26:29, NRSV).
Paul’s transfer to Caesarea began a two-year imprisonment in that city (Acts 24:27), more precisely in Herod’s praetorium (Acts 23:35), which was the official residence of the Roman governor. During those years, he had several hearings in which he would appear before two Roman governors (Felix and Festus) and a king (Agrippa II), thus further fulfilling the ministry that God gave him (Acts 9:15).
In all the hearings, Paul always claimed innocence, alleging that no evidence could be produced against him, as the absence of witnesses demonstrated. In fact, the whole narrative is intended to show that Paul had done nothing worthy of arrest and that he could be released had he not appealed to Caesar (Acts 26:32). These hearings, though, did offer him opportunities to witness about Jesus and the great hope found in the promise of the resurrection.
Yet, those were still years of deep anxiety, as well as of tedious confinement in which the apostle seems to have had no support of any kind from the church in Jerusalem, whose leaders “still cherished a feeling that Paul should be held largely responsible for the existing prejudice.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 403.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 22.
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Confinement does not stop Paul
Paul bound by chain earnestly seeking the redemption of Agrippa.
But also ALL who are listening to me today.
His desire is not only for Agrippa but also everyone listening to become free in Christ.
"In calling God our Father, we recognize all His children as our brethren. We are all a part of the great web of humanity, all members of one family. In our petitions we are to include our neighbors as well as ourselves."
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing Page 105
Do you believe we are ALL members of one family?
“O that men were wise enough to see that suffering for Christ is honour, that loss for truth is gain, that the truest dignity rests in wearing the chain upon the arm rather than endure the chain upon the soul.” (Spurgeon)
What kind of chains are binding you today?
If we are not carrying the message of Chriist to the world, we are in chains of the soul.
All we need to be freed from THE CHAINS OF THE SOUL is to follow what the Apostle John said in 1 John 1:8-10 especially verse 9. Once we do that, the message of CHRIST TO THE WORLD will take care of itself.
Yes you are right Pete. If we find ourselves in a cloud of despair, the devil gnawing on our brain, it is time to spend a thoughtful hour on 1John 1:9, and 1John 2:1-3. John 3:16, John 3:5, Psalms 16:8, Psalms 42:11, and a multiple of other Bible promises that bring us encouragement. God does not want us be cloudy. As ambassadors of Christ we has a genuine smile on our face. We rejoice in the Lord always. Philippians 4:4.
Amen, John! King David via God's Holy Spirit in Psalm 51:12,13 is very clear that it is when GOD restores the JOY OF HIS SALVATION in us that it is then that we are in the right frame of mind to TEACH TRANSGRESSORS OF GOD'S WAYS and then SINNERS are converted to HIM. And it is when we come fully in line with 1 John 1:8,9, and 10 that God then restores THE JOY OF HIS SALVATION in our hearts and lives. And it is also then that the message of CHRIST TO THE WORLD takes care of itself too.