Come and See!

Friday, July 24, 2015

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (7/26/15)


  • Tomorrow Morning (Saturday July 25th) at 8:00 AM a group of us are going to cut up and haul off the tree that has fallen by the main parking lot. If you would like to help please come.
  • Vacation Bible School is July 28-30 6-8 PM each evening, please Contact Zee Wootan if you are willing to help.
  • The family of Thelma Kinnard would like to invite you to celebrate her 90th birthday on August 1, 2015 from 2:00-5:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall at the First Baptist Church.  ALL ARE WELCOME!
  • We will have Men's Breakfast Saturday August 1st 8:00am
Scripture

Acts 25:1-12 (ESV)  
Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. [2] And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, [3] asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. [4] Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. [5] "So," said he, "let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him." 
[6] After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. [7] When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. [8] Paul argued in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense." [9] But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?" [10] But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourselves know very well. [11] If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." [12] Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go." 

Questions for Reflection
1. What did the Jewish leaders want? (25:2)
2. Why did the leaders want Paul transferred from Caesarea to Jerusalem? (25:3)
3. How did Festus reply to the request to transfer Paul? (25:4-5)
4. In what way did Paul’s enemies try to manipulate circumstances to serve their own ends?
5. What made Festus appear to be a fair ruler?
6. When have you been called on to defend yourself?
7. What was Paul’s style in communicating to the court?
8. How do you express yourself when you are on the defensive?