WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.040 So, Jeff, you've heard of Felix the Cat. 2 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:03.399 Yes, and if you've. 3 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:06.280 Seen record Ralph, you've heard of fixing Felix. Yes, But 4 00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:09.320 have you heard of Felix the Bible Guy? 5 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:10.919 Felix the Bible Guy. 6 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.199 Well, well he's not a Bible guy, he's the Bible. 7 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:15.240 Yes. Well that's what we're talking about today. He's Chris 8 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:17.519 and I'm Jeff. Where the Bible guy is? And apparently 9 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:31.679 so it's Felix And apparently so is Felix because I 10 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:32.960 think they kind of had to get it in there 11 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:34.359 to get it in there. Yeah. 12 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:37.000 Hey, so today we're doing a dad joke competition. 13 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:38.320 These are great. I love these. 14 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:41.640 I love dad jokes too. So we each have four jokes. 15 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.439 Each of u have four. 16 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:44.679 I have four years. Yes, yes, okay, So. 17 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:48.000 About this, I'll read mine first and then you just 18 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:51.560 respond okay, ready, yes, okay. I told my daughter that 19 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.159 I saw a deer on the way to work this morning. 20 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:57.840 She said, how do you know it was on its 21 00:00:57.880 --> 00:00:58.560 way to work? 22 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:05.840 That's really good. Yeah. 23 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:09.319 Hey, I had my pastor growing up when I was 24 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:12.120 a teenager. His wife was just like that, and one 25 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:13.760 day they were driving down the road and there was 26 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:17.040 a sign in Michigan, we have deer crossing signs. It's 27 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:18.400 just warning you that there's a lot of deer in 28 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:20.799 that area. And she saw that sign and it said 29 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:22.799 deer crossing, and she said, how do they know across 30 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:26.400 right there? Yeah, she really meant it. 31 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:27.799 Yeah, yeah, funny. 32 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.840 Oh she was great. I loved her so much. Okay, 33 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.079 here we go, here's mine. The urge to sing the 34 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:36.280 lion sleeps tonight is always just a whim away, a 35 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:38.159 whim away, a whim away away. 36 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:43.840 Wimwa. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. All right about 37 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:46.159 this one. You think gas prices are expensive? Have you 38 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:48.920 seen chimneys? They're through the roof. 39 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:53.200 No, that's terrible. No, I'm going to ban that one. 40 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:58.239 Yeah that ConA. The Egyptians claim there are no crocodiles 41 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:02.879 in their country. I think the in denial denial. The 42 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:05.040 crocodiles are in the nial. Yeah. 43 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:06.040 Yeah, that's really good. 44 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:07.760 Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was a good one. 45 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:11.120 Yeah, that's really good. That's really good. How about this one? 46 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:15.599 Uh, don't worry about your smartphone and TV spying on you. Your 47 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.800 vacuum cleaner has been gathering dirt on you for years. 48 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:22.400 Okay, yeah, yeah, that's pretty good. That's not you worried 49 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:24.120 about your smartphone listening to you. 50 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:26.280 I'm not worried about it, but I know it does. 51 00:02:26.439 --> 00:02:28.520 Yeah. Yeah, for sure. You talk with Liz and then 52 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:31.439 later on something that you talked about shows up in 53 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:31.960 your feed. 54 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:33.919 Oh and every every other day. 55 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:35.680 So is that just like a coincidence. 56 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:37.919 No, this is proven. 57 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:40.319 This is not is not they know what you're saying. 58 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:43.159 Oh yeah for sure. Wow, yeah, there's there's an algorithm. 59 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:46.439 You know, Zuckerberg went online and talked about all. 60 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:49.520 Of this, and that they just it's I just said what. 61 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:51.639 I said online, I met like on the stand. 62 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:54.000 On the stand, I didn't, So you can anticipate what 63 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:56.960 you're probably going to be wanting, right, Well, yeah, okay, 64 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:59.479 well there's that. Here's an important one. I thought this 65 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:01.280 is good. I saw an old man fall into a 66 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:04.840 well today. I guess he couldn't see that. Well, oh 67 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:07.120 that's the les. 68 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:09.879 I guess he couldn't see that. 69 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:11.599 Well, that's why I fell in it. 70 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:14.120 That's really good. 71 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:17.159 Okay, But this one, I've spent eighty dollars on a 72 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:18.560 belt that doesn't fit. 73 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:26.360 My wife said, it's a huge waste. Really, I'm sure. 74 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:27.479 She said it with love though. 75 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:30.159 Yes, that's really funny. 76 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:34.159 To the person who stole my place in the line. 77 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:35.879 I'm after you now. 78 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:40.879 Oh that's great, that's great. 79 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:43.280 I'm after you now, yah, because I was in front 80 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:44.319 of them and now I'm after that. 81 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:44.879 I get it. 82 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:47.680 I was before you get that Christmas because I was 83 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:50.080 before them and now I'm after them. That's because they 84 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:50.919 stle my spot. 85 00:03:51.080 --> 00:03:52.439 You know, I didn't get into you said that. 86 00:03:54.360 --> 00:04:00.439 Thanks Jeff, Okay, thanks Jeff for breaking it down. 87 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:01.400 That's great. 88 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:03.319 You know it's a bad joke. If you got explained 89 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:07.199 like that, I know. Yeah. All right, Well we're transitioning 90 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:09.039 with and that was it. 91 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:12.280 People are like, thank goodness. I had one guy told 92 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:14.240 me he said, I really like your Bible guys stuff. 93 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:17.079 But he said I always skipped the first five minutes really, 94 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:18.879 and I'm like, really, that's the only reason I tune in. 95 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:23.199 Oh that's sad. 96 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:24.800 I can't believe he doesn't care about that. 97 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:26.639 But you know what, it's really nuts because he doesn't 98 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:28.480 like the bad jokes. He likes the good ones, just 99 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:29.199 not the bad ones. 100 00:04:29.240 --> 00:04:30.720 Oh there they're all bad. 101 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:35.959 Yeah that was you, shiit? I think so? Am I boring? You, Chris, Yes, wow, 102 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:36.839 let's get on with it. 103 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:38.279 But let's get on with it. Man. 104 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:39.959 So we're in Romans No. 105 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:40.759 X twenty four. 106 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:43.240 I'm sorry and acts I think yep, I'm on the 107 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:46.199 wrong agenda here. I'm sorry. I'm just reading what's in 108 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:46.600 front of me. 109 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:48.160 Yeah. X twenty four. 110 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:50.600 We're gonna read the whole chapter. And this is Paul 111 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:52.279 appearing before Felix. 112 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:54.120 So if if. 113 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:59.240 Our listeners remember he was just escorted uh to Felix 114 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:05.040 ro with Roman guards on horses and chariots and everything else. Yeah, 115 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:07.319 and now he's really really awaiting a trial. 116 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:15.079 Right right, So we are reading chapter twenty What are 117 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:19.600 the verses Christmas Old chapter versus one through twenty seven? 118 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:21.879 Very good, thank you. I got confused because I was 119 00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:25.279 reading off of a different list earlier. Okay, So he 120 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:27.680 says this. Five days later, Ann and I, as the 121 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:29.839 High Priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and 122 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:33.160 the lawyer Totulus to present their case against Paul to 123 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:37.160 the Governor. When Paul was called in, Tortullis presented the 124 00:05:37.240 --> 00:05:39.360 charges against Paul. In the following address of the Governor, 125 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:42.279 you have provided a long period of peace for us Jews, 126 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:45.839 and with foresight, have enacted reforms for us. For all 127 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:48.279 of this, your excellency, we are very grateful to you, 128 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:52.319 but I don't want to bore you, so please give 129 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:57.360 me your attention for only a moment. We have found 130 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:00.360 this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring 131 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:02.839 up riots among the Jews all over the world. He's 132 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:06.279 a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. Furthermore, 133 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:09.160 he was trying to desecrate the temple when we arrested him. 134 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:11.800 You can find out the truth of our accusations by 135 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:14.240 examining him yourself, and then the other Jews chimed in, 136 00:06:14.279 --> 00:06:17.120 declaring that everything Cartulas said was true. The governor then 137 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:20.759 motioned to Paul to speak. Paul said, I know, sir, 138 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:22.720 that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for 139 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:25.600 many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. 140 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:27.519 You can quickly discover that I wrived in Jerusalem no 141 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:29.480 more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. 142 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:32.000 My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the 143 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.399 temple or stirring up a riot in any synagogue or 144 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:36.399 in the streets of the city. These men cannot prove 145 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:38.319 the things they accused me of doing, but I admit 146 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:40.839 that I do follow the way which they call a cult. 147 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:43.000 I worshiped the God of our ancestors, and I firmly 148 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:45.600 believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 149 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:48.160 I have the same hope in God that these men have, 150 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:52.199 but He will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 151 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:54.959 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear 152 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:57.879 conscience before God and all people. After several years away, 153 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:00.639 I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people 154 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:04.399 and to offer sacrifices to God. My accusers saw me 155 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:07.120 in the temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. 156 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:09.399 There was no crowd on me and no rioting, but 157 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:11.759 some Jews from the province of Asia were there, and 158 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:14.920 they ought to be here to bring charges. If they 159 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:19.240 have anything against me, Ask these men here what crime 160 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.879 the Jewish High Council found me guilty of, except for 161 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.399 the one time I shouted out, I'm on trial before 162 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:26.600 you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead. 163 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:30.120 At that point, Felix, who was quite familiar with the way, 164 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:33.160 adjourned the hearing and said wait until Lysius, the garrison 165 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:35.639 commander arrives, and then I'll decide the case. He ordered 166 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:37.959 an officer to keep Paul in custody, but to give 167 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:39.839 him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him 168 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:41.839 and take care of his needs. A few days later, 169 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:45.160 Felix came back with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, 170 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:47.839 sending for Paul. They listened as he told them about 171 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:50.720 faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned with them about 172 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:53.439 righteousness and self control and the coming day of judgment, 173 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:57.120 Felix became frightened. Go away for now, he replied, when 174 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.800 it's more convenient, I'll call for you again. He also 175 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:01.800 hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for 176 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:06.360 him quite often and talked with him. Is that where 177 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:09.720 we end? One more verse? After two years went by 178 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:13.560 In this way, Felix was succeeded by portious Festus, and 179 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.480 because Felix wanted to gain favor of the Jewish people, 180 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:17.879 he left Paul in prison. 181 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:20.600 The heck of reverse to almost leave out big. 182 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.360 One almost left it. Yeah, yeah, two years he was 183 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:26.600 in two years. This child just drug on and drugging gravy. 184 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.800 So Paul is in prison for two years for something 185 00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:32.080 that he did not do. He laid out his clase 186 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:36.120 case very clearly. And uh, and he even says that 187 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.000 number One, nobody can prove it. Number two, the two 188 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.840 people that were from Asia that were there that originally accused. 189 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:43.039 Me aren't even here here. 190 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.600 And and uh and yet uh, these people here can 191 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:49.879 testify everything I'm saying is completely true. 192 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:50.200 Yeah. 193 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:53.320 So, and yet Felix leaves him in there, and he 194 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:57.320 says he often brought him back out because he wanted 195 00:08:57.679 --> 00:08:59.120 to Paul. 196 00:08:58.879 --> 00:08:59.679 To bribe them. 197 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:04.840 Have you ever gone to a foreign country and you know, 198 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:09.679 they they withhold your luggage or your supplies. Yes, and 199 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:10.840 and they're just wanting a. 200 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:13.200 Bribe, waiting for reb Yeah, I've had it many times. 201 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:13.519 Yeah. 202 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:15.919 And when that happens, first of all, it's it's not 203 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:19.480 very common for people to experience that. So US, you know, 204 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.600 you and I talking about it, people are like, oh, yeah, 205 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:24.679 I've experienced that. Most people haven't, right, But but it's 206 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:28.039 pretty amazing, isn't how bribes are such a big part 207 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:30.879 of and a normal part of traveling. 208 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:34.039 Yeah? And so yeah, I had a police officer one time, 209 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:36.519 not in the US, but say, you know, I think 210 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:38.799 we could just resolve this if I could figure out 211 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:42.120 how to pay for lunch for my and buy some 212 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:47.000 tea from my uncle's well. And I was like, oh, 213 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:48.600 I don't know how that has anything to do with 214 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.639 solving this, And I started to turn away. The guy 215 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:52.759 I was with was saying he's asking for a bribe. 216 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.360 I was like, what, I'm not paying a bribe. And 217 00:09:55.480 --> 00:09:57.000 so I don't know how it all got resolved. That 218 00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:59.159 is left. I wasn't going to do it. Yeah, but 219 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:01.919 that's what he was saying, was, Hey, if it could 220 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:03.360 all be resolved, if I just had enough money for 221 00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:04.879 lunch today, That's what he was saying. 222 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:06.080 Right, right, isn't that crazy? 223 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:07.519 Yeah? Yeah, I couldn't believe it. 224 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.840 Yeah. So I've been on many trips with. 225 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:15.000 A friend of mine named down who was it but 226 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:18.080 identify They wanted to bribe And in fact, did you 227 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.480 know this, The old church I used to work for 228 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:26.039 bought an actual oil, no no water, a rig to 229 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:27.320 drill for wells. 230 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:27.600 Right. 231 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:29.519 Yeah, I'm not saying it correctly, you know what I mean? 232 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:31.799 Just a massive piece of machinery. 233 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:34.000 A well drill, Yeah, hundreds. 234 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:36.639 Of thousands of dollars, right, choes rig and it actually stayed. 235 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:39.679 I believe they impounded it and it stayed there for 236 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:40.440 like two years. 237 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:42.639 Import Yeah, yeah, they wouldn't release it. 238 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.200 Yeah, they wouldn't release it because they wanted to bribe. 239 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:48.919 So the only thing stopping that well from or that 240 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:51.240 that rig from getting there and drilling wells was the 241 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:53.600 fact that they wanted to bribe, but our church refused 242 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:55.960 to pay it, and then eventually they finally released it. 243 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:57.919 I was on a bus one time and we were 244 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:03.360 going across the border and the again it was another country. 245 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:06.039 The border guards got on the bus, took his hat 246 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.879 off and said, we always love to receive a love 247 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:12.840 offering before we entered the before we let you enter 248 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.600 the country. So he just walked down the aisle with 249 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:17.360 his hat and accepted people to put money in his hat. 250 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:19.240 And he's like, okay, go ahead, and he didn't do 251 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:21.480 any inspecting anything, just send us across. So I asked 252 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:23.360 the guys with I said, what just happened? He said, 253 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:25.519 everybody dropped money there. That was a bribe to let him. 254 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:29.360 Just have him let us go. What it just it's 255 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.000 so foreign, you know, because you just don't expect that. 256 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:33.879 But that's what was happening, is Felix was kept bringing 257 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:35.559 Paul back over and over and over again, hoping that 258 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:39.000 Paul would give him a bribe, and Paul didn't do it. So, yeah, 259 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:40.240 that's what's happening there. 260 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:43.120 I love how it's still called the Way. It's not 261 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:44.039 called Christianity. 262 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:45.799 Yeah, it's still. 263 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:48.559 Called the Way with capitol w And every time that 264 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:51.799 Paul has mentioned, you know, the movement and the following 265 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:54.159 of Christ up to this point, it's always been referred 266 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:55.039 to as the Way. 267 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:57.240 Right, and it's actually mentioned quite a bit, Yeah, as 268 00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:57.600 the Way. 269 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:03.480 Yeah. So this guy Tortullus comes in, So the Felix decides, 270 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:05.639 all right, we're going to have a genuine trial. So 271 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:09.480 you know, Anonius, you need to bring your people. And 272 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:13.679 so Anonius hires this attorney that is a Jewish law expert, 273 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.600 and he comes in. He's a speechmaker, Tortullis, and he 274 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:20.320 was well known, and he makes three accusations that Paul 275 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:23.440 was a troublemaker, sturn up riots among the Jews, he 276 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:26.320 was a ring leader of an unrecognized religious cult, and 277 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:28.840 he had he had tried to desecrate the temple. And 278 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:32.519 what they were hoping was sometimes you know, life was 279 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:36.279 so cheap to Romans, especially with non Roman citizen's life 280 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:38.559 was so cheap that what they were hoping was that 281 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:41.200 they could get Felix just to execute Paul, just to 282 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:45.039 avoid having political trouble with the rest of the Jewish leaders, right, 283 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:47.960 that's what they were hoping for. But then Paul is like, 284 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:51.480 what are you talking about right now? Well, it was 285 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:55.360 it was offensive maybe to Paul to call him a troublemaker. 286 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:59.480 That's not a substantive legal charge. You know, there's nothing right, 287 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:04.159 so that's kind of a goofy one. And Paul refuted 288 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.720 their accusations point by point by point, and he was 289 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:10.720 also able to present his good present, the good news Paul, 290 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:14.000 This whole process is not about freedom. For Paul, the 291 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.919 whole process is to be able to get the Gospel 292 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:19.120 to powerful people. And so he pauses again and explains, 293 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:21.879 you know that he put faith in Jesus Christ. And 294 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:26.440 then he sits there on many days with not only Felix, 295 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:29.399 but Felix's wife who is Jewish and unpacks the idea 296 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.759 of salvation, of the coming judgment, and these kinds of 297 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:34.039 things disturbed Felix. 298 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:36.879 Yeah, So one of the notes here in the Life 299 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:39.519 Application study. Bible says Felix had been the governor for 300 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:43.000 six years and would have known about the Christians known 301 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:46.440 as the Way, a topic of conversation among the Roman leaders. 302 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:49.919 The Christians peaceful way of life had already proven the 303 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:53.120 Romans that the Christians didn't go around starting. 304 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:54.960 Riots, right, and it said he was very familiar with 305 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:56.519 the Way. Yes, yeah, yeah. 306 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:57.240 Yeah, that's amazing. 307 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:00.000 Yeah, so Felix, by the way, here's a little side. 308 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:03.679 Felix was the governor of Judea for about what seven 309 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:06.159 years or something like that. That's the same job Conscious 310 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:10.759 Pilot had, So he was Conscious Pilot's successor. So Ponscious 311 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:13.879 Pilot's the one who executed Jesus. Felix comes in after 312 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:16.200 or maybe not the successor, but the guy who came 313 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:18.840 in after a Pilot had left. 314 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:22.279 So that so everybody takes that office is pretty wishy washing. 315 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.600 Yeah apparently, yeah, yeah, yeah. It took him two years 316 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:26.360 to decide what he's going to do with Paul on 317 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:29.039 a trumped up charge. I mean, this is pretty silly. 318 00:14:29.240 --> 00:14:33.000 He's a troublemaker, he leads a cult, and he tried 319 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:35.200 to get somebody to come into the temple. None of 320 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:38.879 those things mattered to the Romans because he, you know, 321 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:43.200 Felix knew that the Christians didn't cause riots, the idea 322 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:45.200 of leading a cult. He was familiar with the way, 323 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:48.480 and it didn't bother him. And then who cares if 324 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.240 he tried to bring somebody into the temple? Right, that's 325 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:53.679 to a Roman. And yet he keeps him in prison 326 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:56.360 for two years. I think partly because he was intrigued 327 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:59.039 by the message he kept bringing him, and partly because 328 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:00.279 he was hoping for that bribe. 329 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.440 You know that last verse that we almost admitted, where 330 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:08.120 it says Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. It says 331 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:10.399 the Jews were in the majority and the Roman political 332 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:15.159 leaders often deferred to them to help keep peace. Paul 333 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:18.600 seemed to incite problems among the Jews wherever he went 334 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:22.639 by keeping him in prison. Felix left good office, or 335 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.320 excuse me, left office on good terms with the Jews. 336 00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:28.679 Felix lost his job as governor and was called back 337 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:31.960 to Rome. Porcus Festus took over as governor in late 338 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.919 fifty nine or early sixty a d. And he immediately 339 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.440 ordered Paul's trial to resume. Is that and then we're 340 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:44.840 going to see that in the next chapter. But interesting, so. 341 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:51.559 Here Paul is not trying to escape, he's not fighting, 342 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:54.879 he's not arguing, He's just taking every opportunity to share 343 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:58.759 the gospel with the people that he's you know, being 344 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.360 held by held captive. I think this is a good 345 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.360 a good thing for us. Maybe we find ourselves in 346 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:07.320 a circumstance it's not our favorite circumstance. Maybe we feel 347 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:09.919 like we're just biting time. Maybe we feel like we're 348 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.159 you know, just treading water, and that what we're doing 349 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:15.600 is not ultimately the thing we're supposed to spend our 350 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:19.480 whole life on. Paul shows a tremendous amount of patience here, which, 351 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.879 by the way, is a virtue, right. Patience is a 352 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.759 godly virtue. It's one of the fruits of the spirit. 353 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:28.039 And Paul is just like, Okay, hey, if this is 354 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:30.399 a circumstance God has me in, I'm not gonna fight it. 355 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:32.799 I'm just gonna stay in it. And every time I 356 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.759 wind up going in front of Felix, I'm just gonna 357 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:37.159 share the gospel, Share the gospel, share the gospel. And hey, 358 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:40.440 by the way, Felix, judgment is coming. It's not so much. 359 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:42.559 What you're kind of your judgment is we're all going 360 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:45.559 to stand before God. And it became very personal for Felix, 361 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:48.080 to the point that he was frightened by it by 362 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:51.080 this idea. Not always so, I think it's a good 363 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:54.399 idea to use fear as a way to share the gospel, 364 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.600 but that is an effective elements. It's a thing to 365 00:16:57.639 --> 00:17:00.159 be aware of that there is a day we all 366 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:02.279 have an appointment. We're going to stand before the judge. 367 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:05.160 And I think that it's important for people who are 368 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:07.559 just living footloose and fancy free doing whatever they want 369 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:10.559 to do go live in, you know, their own life 370 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:13.000 and no care about God at all. It is I 371 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:17.559 think an effective witnessing tool to remind people judgment days coming. 372 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:19.960 We're all going to stand before the judge. And especially 373 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.160 when he's speaking to a person of power, he's doing 374 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:23.960 it in a respectful way, but he's speaking to a 375 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:26.279 man of power who gives judgment, saying there's a day 376 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:27.920 we're all going to stand in front of the judge. 377 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:31.720 And I think that there's there's some value in learning 378 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:34.319 that side of what it means to stand in front 379 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:37.119 of the judge and how to be prepared right that 380 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:39.000 either you're going to have to stand and give account 381 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:41.160 for your own sins, or you're going to have to 382 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:43.119 have Jesus be your advocates, step in front of you 383 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:44.759 and say it's all paid in full. 384 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:46.480 Yeah, that's great. Hey. 385 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:48.799 Another thing that stands out in this passage that we 386 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:52.359 can learn from, as you mentioned earlier, Paul's patience. And 387 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:56.960 I was thinking about, you know, there's a there's a 388 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:00.279 tremendous amount of peace that comes when you you just 389 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.960 recognize that it's God's timing, not. 390 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.119 Hours, you know. 391 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:05.519 So Paul is just saying like, hey, man, I know 392 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:06.880 that it was God who were for me to be 393 00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:07.359 in Rome. 394 00:18:07.880 --> 00:18:13.440 I know that, you know, you know it's Incesarea was 395 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.279 supposed to be in Jerusalem. 396 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.440 He's supposed to be Jerusalem. Yeah, yeah, he's going to Rome. 397 00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:20.519 Jesus told him that eventually, right, But sorry I got confused. 398 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.440 But anyway, so yeah, he goes from and by the way, 399 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.319 Cesarea is just sort of south of the Galilee region 400 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:29.559 and it's on the coast right, so it's north here. 401 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:34.079