Let's turn in our Bibles to Acts chapter 27. Acts chapter 27 is where we're going to be today in our Bible study. If you're new to Cornerstone, we go straight through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. We are presently in the book of Acts. If you didn't happen to bring a Bible, I'm sure you could find it on your phone if you pull up Acts chapter 27 we left off last week with

Paul in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea being transported as a prisoner from

Cesarea in Israel to Rome, Italy where he will stand trial before Caesar Augustus. This particular Caesar is

Nero. The year is roughly AD 60 to 61. The Roman Empire is the world power at this time.

The Apostle Paul has been accused by his fellow Jews of speaking against Jewish law because

Paul has rightfully been proclaiming that salvation is found through faith in Jesus Christ,

his sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

Salvation is not found by just simply obeying the letter of the law. The law was put in

place to expose our need for a Savior, because when we measure our lives up against the commandments

of God, we realize how woefully short we fall of obeying all of the commandments. Nobody can live up to

that, so we need a savior,

and we need his grace. That isn't to say we do away with the law. The moral code of God is still

intact, but the moral code exposes our need for grace that is found through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul's going around preaching this, and the Jews take issue. They say, well, that sounds like heresy.

All our lives we've been told to obey the letter of the law. say, well, that sounds like heresy. All our lives,

we've been told to obey the letter of the law. We're trying to strive our way to heaven.

And Paul says, no, you can't work your way to heaven. Try as hard as you might. How heaven is open

to those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus. He's the mediator between God and man.

He's the only sacrifice acceptable for our salvation.

But because the Jews object to Paul's message, they think it's heretical, they try to kill

him. Paul has to go through a trial before a Jewish council. Then he's relocated up to

Sessaria from Jerusalem, where he will face two more trials before a Roman civil

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