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ACTS 24:14-15

Intro: Paul had been rescued from the angry mob by the Roman soldiers. When the plot  to
       assassinate him was discovered, he was transferred to Caesarea.

I. THE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.
        A. Pestilent fellow.
        B. Move of sedition.
        C. Ringleader of the sect of the Nazarene.
        D. Profaned the Temple.

II. PAUL'S CONFESSION.
        A. First, he denied all charges but one.
                1. He declared they couldn't prove them.
        B. After the Way, I worship God.
                1. "The Way" was a much more common term for a follower of Jesus  than
                   Christian.
                        a. "Christian" used only twice in Acts and three times in whole  Bible.
                                1. Antioch where disciples first called Christians.
                                2. Agrippa said to Paul , "Almost..."
                        b. The Way used six times in Acts to describe followers of Jesus 
                           Christ.
                2. The term probably originated from John 14:6, "I AM the Way, the truth  and
                   the life. No man cometh to the Father but by Me."
                        a. The Way to God.
                        b. The only way to God.
                3. Paul acknowledging His faith in Jesus Christ.
        C. "He believed all things that were written in the law and the prophets."
                1. Paul was no doubt making reference to the many prophecies
                        concerning Jesus.
                        a. He always spoke to Jews from their own scriptures.
                        b. He could prove that Jesus was the Messiah from the scriptures.
                2. Jesus with disciples on road to Emmaus.
                3. Within law and prophets some 300 prophesies
                        concerning Jesus, fulfilled by Him.
        D. Hope toward God, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the  just
           and the unjust.
                1. . The Old Testament scriptures do not say much on this subject.
                        a. Job 14:14, "If a man die, will he live again?"
                        b. Job 19:25-26,  "I know that my Redeemer liveth and shall stand  in
                           the latter days on the earth, and the worms should destroy  His
                           body..." 
                        c. II Samuel I2:23, David at death of his baby.
                        d. Daniel 12.2, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the  earth
                           shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame  and
                           everlasting contempt."
                2. The New Testament has much to say on the subject.
                        a. Jesus made constant references to it.
                                1. Warned of judgment to come upon sinners and rewards  for
                                   the saints.
                                2. Spoke of dead as continuing in conscious state.
                                3. "I am the resurrection and the life..."
                        b. Paul devotes the whole 15th chapter of I Corinthians to the
                                subject.
                        c. The Book of Revelation is devoted from the 4th chapter on to  the 
                           subject.
                3. Too many live as though there were no tomorrow.
                        a. No final day of reckoning.
                        b. No future accounting.
                4. Paul asserted that this hope kept him straight.