Acts 23: Do You Have A Good Conscience?
Verse of the Day: (V1) “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
1. Conscience (V1-10)
V1 “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
Though Apostle Paul sincerely shared that he had a good conscience before God, the high priest commanded his people to strike Paul’s mouth. The high priest already judged Paul to be guilty even before the trial because Paul was a threat to their religious power and influence. However, there was a great dispute among the people as some were for Paul as they believed he was from God, while others were against him and plotted to kill him.
V9 “And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
2. Cheer (V11-15)
V11 “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.”
The Lord stood with Paul, and cheered and encouraged him, when almost everyone was against him. However, there was a group of Jews who were secretly plotting to kill Paul in order to stop him from hindering their religious power and influence over the people.
V12 “And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.”
3. Captain (V16-35)
V16 “And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.”
God led Paul’s nephew to hear of the plot, and he went to the prison to tell Paul. Paul then told his nephew to inform Claudius, the chief captain, about it. Claudius believed Paul’s nephew, and wrote to Felix, the governor, about it. As Paul was a Roman citizen, Felix agreed with Claudius that Paul should be sent to Caesarea to be tried by the Romans.
V35 “I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to have a good conscience before You now and forever.
