Paul weighed his options, neither of which looked good. Return to Jerusalem, where the religious officials hoped to kill him, or ask for a trial before the leading court in the empire. Paul invoked his privilege as a Roman citizen and appealed to Caesar.

This set Paul on the road to Rome, where he hoped to go anyway. Ironically, Paul died at the hands of the caesar Nero, but only after preaching the gospel in that great city.

If I appealed to the highest authority today, where might I go? In the United States, the Supreme Court stands at the top of our judicial system. The International Criminal Court at the The Hague, Netherlands, hears cases involving genocide and crimes against humanity. Every nation offers some sort of supreme authority, be it a set of courts, or an enlightened individual, or a powerful despot.

As I think of Paul and his decision, I sit amazed and humbled, knowing that the supreme authority in the universe pauses, available to hear my appeal.

Thanks to Jesus, our great High Priest, we may approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we my receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Way better than Caesar.

Acts 25 in week twenty of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by iam_os