The Apostle Paul knew exactly what would happen if he gave in to the request of Festus, to be tried in Jerusalem. The chief priests had asked Festus to bring Paul from Caesarea so that they could kill him. He had been locked away for two years with no conviction because of the corruption of local leaders, but in spite of the peril he faced, he still had one recourse:
Every Roman citizen could, when a local governor or authority seemed unjust, appeal their case to the highest authority in the Roman government... to Caesar himself.
Standing before Festus, Paul used his last maneuver:
"Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar." (Acts 25:10-11)
As corrupt as the local governors were, they still had to honor this fundamental Roman right. There was only one possible reply that Festus could give, and he gave it:
"Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go."
Of course, the logistics of having one high authority hear every case make this a difficult right to honor. Caesar might not have had any time for any other matters of state had he needed to immediately honor every appeal. The obvious solution is to have the accused wait until such time that Caesar could hear there case... time which Paul used to communicate with the church and preach Jesus as he was able.
Similar systems of appeal have been employed by other organizations and governments. A notable example is the Supreme Court of the United States. Each year, thousands of applications are made for Writ of Certiorari, which allows the case to be heard before the Supreme Court. Only small number of these applications are granted. Between the years 2014-2017, the year with the highest percentage of granted applications was 2015, with only 4.2% of applications submitted being granted. (https://supremecourtpress.com/chance_of_success.html)
The logistics of hearing numerous cases may be daunting, but compounding the difficulty, the final judgment may not be just. In the United States, cases such as Dred Scott v Sanford, which ruled against an escaped slave, demonstrate the potential for bad decisions by the Supreme Court.
Though we do not know the result of Paul's case from the New Testament, there are traditions that suggest Paul was beheaded by Nero. Whether or not this is true, most sources seem to agree that Paul never left Rome.
While a system of appeals may be able to mitigate problems with unfair treatment, and encourage justice, the costs of such a system are significant, and it is clear that a system run by corruptible people can be corrupted.
Perhaps this is the reason that human beings have been given one last recourse... an appeal to the Highest Authority.
This is not just an application for Writ of Certiorari. It is not a queue into which a person enters and waits for years to be heard. It does not require a lengthy journey or a complex scheduling algorithm. It does not even require a specific type of case; the appeal can be used for any reason.
Does this appeal seem too good to be true? It should.
Right now, at this very minute, whether you are bearing a difficult burden or just need a little comfort... whether you have endured awful abuse, or you're just not getting along with someone... whether you need answers to serious questions about life, love, and purpose, or you have misplaced your keys... You can appeal immediately to the Highest Authority!
The name of this appeal is prayer.
While, on the surface, this may seem to be a simple thing, consider how ludicrous it would be to file a Writ of Certiorari because of an argument about what to have for dinner. You might not want to stand before a King or Emperor asking for help remembering where you put your phone down, or to do well on an exam. You probably don't expect Oprah and Dr. Phil to personally come and help you sort out your relationship issues.
Yet the Eternal God who knows all and forged the plan that put billions and billions of people into mortality sends all his prophets and apostles to remind you to come to him with all of these things because he is eager to hear and help you!
The volume of requests cannot exceed his capacity to hear and answer... the triviality of your worries will not exclude you from approaching his throne... he will not weary of hearing genuine the genuine pleas of his beloved children... and in spite of how insignificant we are in comparison to him, he invites you to call him Father.
Only a fool would neglect such a ridiculously generous gift. Don't be a fool... however long it has been since you have appealed to the Highest Authority, do it again. Call upon God in prayer. Even if you have made mistakes... even if they have been serious mistakes... all you need is a sincere heart and faith that he can hear and answer. Mercy and love abounds among all those who kneel before him and call upon his name.
Showing posts with label #appeal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #appeal. Show all posts
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Monday, July 16, 2012
Keep hands, feet, and personal experiences to yourself!
While many people fear public speaking, there is one huge advantage over a more interactive teaching approach: the public speaker controls every word. A person giving a talk or a speech never has to worry about someone raising their hand in the congregation and interjecting unpredictable content.
In Mormon worship services, the first hour is devoted to the observance of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and to the presentation of public speakers on various religious subjects. The subsequent hours feature a more interactive style of instruction where teachers present material, and frequently invite class members to answer questions or offer comments and insight to complement the main subjects. While this method can provide value to what might otherwise be a monotonous lecture, there is a risk in audience participation.
There are various offenses that occur when class members contribute:
1. The stupid question - There are some who believe there is no such thing as a stupid question. They are wrong. The off topic question may only be a distraction, but it can be much worse. An instructor teaching about faith is not likely to be able to assist a class member decipher the mysteries of facsimile number 2.
2. Deep doctrine diving - Maybe Adam and Eve had belly buttons. Maybe women will have hairy legs in heaven. Maybe the class member that brings up subjects like these should have kept their mouth shut.
3. Redundant, repetitious statements that have already been said - Faith is important, but everyone understood that the first time it was mentioned. It is OK to say 'never mind' if you had your hand raised and someone else gave your answer.
4. The Filibuster - It is not always easy to be concise, but the class member that takes ten minutes to get to a point can probably shorten their comment. There may be on the rare occasion a person that is able to present a complicated and well-thought out point that takes some time to explain properly... but when class members are actively comparing their Angry Birds scores on their phones, take a hint and wrap it up.
5. What the? I Don't Even - Albuquerque; snorkel; lasers; tofu; steam rollers; concrete; purple; Sherlock Holmes. See? I can do it too!
As bad as all of these things are, perhaps the most annoying crime against humanity that occurs in the classroom is:
6. The personal experience - Perhaps somewhere in the personal experience, there may be a nugget of worth. Finding it can be similar to finding the good chunk of meat in a slab that is crawling with maggots. They are always filled with completely unnecessary details. Here is an example of a hypothetical personal experience that represents the typical (perhaps slightly exaggerated) recitation with commentary in parenthesis:
So I actually have an experience with sharing the gospel. (Please be short, please be short)
There's this guy I met who is actually from Minnesota... (Hold the phone!!! Minnesota!?! I'm sure that is pertinent to sharing the gospel.)
...and he came here to go to school... (Perhaps you could also tell us about his application process. What were his SAT scores? How does the cost of tuition and living compare to those found in Minnesota?)
...and he's actually going to the University of Utah... (Yes, but where does he park his car? I'm not sure I have enough details here.)
He's majoring in liberal arts... (Because major affects his eligibility for salvation apparently...)
...and he's really athletic, you know kind of a jock type? Ha ha ha ha! (I'm sorry, was that supposed to be funny?)
So I started talking to him about two weeks ago. Well actually it was more like two and a half weeks. Well, two weeks and three days... (I'm not sure I can appreciate this personal experience unless you tell me what time it was.)
Yeah, we work at the same place doing sales. So he's really outgoing like me! (Is he really outgoing? We don't really know unless you give us his the results of his personality test, his horoscope, and the last three messages he had in his fortune cookies...)
So anyways, he saw me being all righteous, you know... not drinking Dr. Pepper... and he was like, "I want to be like you man, you're always so happy!" (Yeah... who wouldn't want to be like you?)
So I didn't really think about it for a while, but a few days later I was eating lunch and I ran into him. I was like "Hey what's up?" Then we started talking about the weather and his school... (I wonder if there's something more enlightening on Facebook. Good thing I have a smart phone!)
And we were talking about how hard it is to go to school and work, and I told him about one way I deal with stress... you know... drinking Coke and listening to Godsmack or actually hip hop, which is my favorite... (That is a great tweet! I'm glad I follow Adam Baldwin on Twitter...)
But the other thing I do to deal with stress is to read the Ensign magazine... because the prophets give me comfort and peace. I don't mean they make me fall asleep though... Ha ha ha ha ha!! (Unlike your personal experience... I really wish I had a pillow...)
And anyway, it was a good talk, and I felt like I was being a good example to him, and I followed the promptings I received. (Please be wrapping up, please be wrapping up)
So I haven't talked to him since, so I don't know what he thought about it. So anyway, I'm still trying to do missionary work by my example... (So the story has almost no point? Well at least he's done now...)
And so that's an important lesson I learned. I learned that even in Utah County there are still people that need to learn about the Savior. I learned that we can be examples everywhere we go. I learned that... (Are you seriously still going on!?!?! Unbelievable!!!)
...you've got to have that faith and that example. You've got to have that spirit of missionary work. You can't be afraid to open your mouth... (I really wish you would shut your mouth.)
You can make a difference, because you never know when you'll meet someone from Minnesota who needs to hear the gospel. (As opposed to people from other states who I guess are OK?)
So anyway, I'll keep working with him, and who knows? Ha ha ha ha! (.............)
All hyperboles aside, it may actually be possible to share a personal experience in a manner that is concise, appropriate, and positive. This takes a degree of skill that few have achieved. For the vast majority of class members, the following tips can help prevent you from ruining a lesson:
1. Be concise - Unless you have an accent or otherwise entertaining voice, most people probably do not want to hear the sound of you talking.
2. Stay on topic - Details that you think are important such as schools, occupations, hobbies, carpet colors... they aren't actually important. Reinforcing universal general principals closely associated with the lesson topic should be the goal of all participants.
3. Think before you speak - In class, look to your left and right. Realize that there are people there. Would they be enlightened, uplifted, or edified by what you're thinking of saying? Does your comment or question provoke thought, provide clarity, or enhance context? Consider keeping your hand down and your mouth shut if in doubt. (Proverbs 17:28)
In Mormon worship services, the first hour is devoted to the observance of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and to the presentation of public speakers on various religious subjects. The subsequent hours feature a more interactive style of instruction where teachers present material, and frequently invite class members to answer questions or offer comments and insight to complement the main subjects. While this method can provide value to what might otherwise be a monotonous lecture, there is a risk in audience participation.
There are various offenses that occur when class members contribute:
1. The stupid question - There are some who believe there is no such thing as a stupid question. They are wrong. The off topic question may only be a distraction, but it can be much worse. An instructor teaching about faith is not likely to be able to assist a class member decipher the mysteries of facsimile number 2.
2. Deep doctrine diving - Maybe Adam and Eve had belly buttons. Maybe women will have hairy legs in heaven. Maybe the class member that brings up subjects like these should have kept their mouth shut.
3. Redundant, repetitious statements that have already been said - Faith is important, but everyone understood that the first time it was mentioned. It is OK to say 'never mind' if you had your hand raised and someone else gave your answer.
4. The Filibuster - It is not always easy to be concise, but the class member that takes ten minutes to get to a point can probably shorten their comment. There may be on the rare occasion a person that is able to present a complicated and well-thought out point that takes some time to explain properly... but when class members are actively comparing their Angry Birds scores on their phones, take a hint and wrap it up.
5. What the? I Don't Even - Albuquerque; snorkel; lasers; tofu; steam rollers; concrete; purple; Sherlock Holmes. See? I can do it too!
As bad as all of these things are, perhaps the most annoying crime against humanity that occurs in the classroom is:
6. The personal experience - Perhaps somewhere in the personal experience, there may be a nugget of worth. Finding it can be similar to finding the good chunk of meat in a slab that is crawling with maggots. They are always filled with completely unnecessary details. Here is an example of a hypothetical personal experience that represents the typical (perhaps slightly exaggerated) recitation with commentary in parenthesis:
So I actually have an experience with sharing the gospel. (Please be short, please be short)
There's this guy I met who is actually from Minnesota... (Hold the phone!!! Minnesota!?! I'm sure that is pertinent to sharing the gospel.)
...and he came here to go to school... (Perhaps you could also tell us about his application process. What were his SAT scores? How does the cost of tuition and living compare to those found in Minnesota?)
...and he's actually going to the University of Utah... (Yes, but where does he park his car? I'm not sure I have enough details here.)
He's majoring in liberal arts... (Because major affects his eligibility for salvation apparently...)
...and he's really athletic, you know kind of a jock type? Ha ha ha ha! (I'm sorry, was that supposed to be funny?)
So I started talking to him about two weeks ago. Well actually it was more like two and a half weeks. Well, two weeks and three days... (I'm not sure I can appreciate this personal experience unless you tell me what time it was.)
Yeah, we work at the same place doing sales. So he's really outgoing like me! (Is he really outgoing? We don't really know unless you give us his the results of his personality test, his horoscope, and the last three messages he had in his fortune cookies...)
So anyways, he saw me being all righteous, you know... not drinking Dr. Pepper... and he was like, "I want to be like you man, you're always so happy!" (Yeah... who wouldn't want to be like you?)
So I didn't really think about it for a while, but a few days later I was eating lunch and I ran into him. I was like "Hey what's up?" Then we started talking about the weather and his school... (I wonder if there's something more enlightening on Facebook. Good thing I have a smart phone!)
And we were talking about how hard it is to go to school and work, and I told him about one way I deal with stress... you know... drinking Coke and listening to Godsmack or actually hip hop, which is my favorite... (That is a great tweet! I'm glad I follow Adam Baldwin on Twitter...)
But the other thing I do to deal with stress is to read the Ensign magazine... because the prophets give me comfort and peace. I don't mean they make me fall asleep though... Ha ha ha ha ha!! (Unlike your personal experience... I really wish I had a pillow...)
And anyway, it was a good talk, and I felt like I was being a good example to him, and I followed the promptings I received. (Please be wrapping up, please be wrapping up)
So I haven't talked to him since, so I don't know what he thought about it. So anyway, I'm still trying to do missionary work by my example... (So the story has almost no point? Well at least he's done now...)
And so that's an important lesson I learned. I learned that even in Utah County there are still people that need to learn about the Savior. I learned that we can be examples everywhere we go. I learned that... (Are you seriously still going on!?!?! Unbelievable!!!)
...you've got to have that faith and that example. You've got to have that spirit of missionary work. You can't be afraid to open your mouth... (I really wish you would shut your mouth.)
You can make a difference, because you never know when you'll meet someone from Minnesota who needs to hear the gospel. (As opposed to people from other states who I guess are OK?)
So anyway, I'll keep working with him, and who knows? Ha ha ha ha! (.............)
All hyperboles aside, it may actually be possible to share a personal experience in a manner that is concise, appropriate, and positive. This takes a degree of skill that few have achieved. For the vast majority of class members, the following tips can help prevent you from ruining a lesson:
1. Be concise - Unless you have an accent or otherwise entertaining voice, most people probably do not want to hear the sound of you talking.
2. Stay on topic - Details that you think are important such as schools, occupations, hobbies, carpet colors... they aren't actually important. Reinforcing universal general principals closely associated with the lesson topic should be the goal of all participants.
3. Think before you speak - In class, look to your left and right. Realize that there are people there. Would they be enlightened, uplifted, or edified by what you're thinking of saying? Does your comment or question provoke thought, provide clarity, or enhance context? Consider keeping your hand down and your mouth shut if in doubt. (Proverbs 17:28)
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Highest Appeal
After being put before kings and rulers in various places for his supposed crimes against the empire, the Apostle Paul was asked whether he would go to Jerusalem to be tried by Festus. Paul knew there was no chance of a fair trial in the place where all the enemies of Christianity had purposed to murder him. Although he was a prisoner, he was also a Roman citizen. As such, he had a right to bypass the requests of the local rulers' political posturing and have his case heard before the one who was supposed to look out for all Romans... Caesar himself.
In answer to Festus, Paul invoked this right. He declared "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar." (Acts 25:10-11)
Although Festus had hoped to win political favor with the Jews by bringing him to Jerusalem, there was only one response he could give. After he conferred with the council he replied "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go." (Acts 25:12)
Although Paul was eventually killed in spite of his Roman citizenship and appeal to the greatest defender of Rome, there is an important principle that can be seen here. The concept of the highest appeal is one of the most valuable rights of any citizenship. The ideal of having the ultimate defender of citizenship judge a case is meant to remove the impact of ambitions. Judges in the highest court can advance no higher, and have only the law and the precedent set by judges in the same position.
While the legal implications of this policy are important, there is a spiritual application that is far more important.
The sons of men are as citizens in a great kingdom. Most Christians believe that we are the children of God. Paul suggested that we are not only children, but heirs. (Romans 8:17) Elsewhere he equates sainthood as citizenship. (Ephesians 2:19)
As in earthly kingdoms and empires of old, citizenship in the Kingdom of God implies certain rights. Perhaps one of the greatest of these is the highest appeal. If at any time, you feel you are treated unfairly, you require counsel, you lack wisdom, or you have nowhere else to turn, it is your right as a human being to call upon and be heard by the highest judge: God himself.
There is no complicated appeals process. There is no need for legal counsel. There is no lengthy wait before your case can be heard. The method is surprisingly simple given the great power it represents. It is called prayer.
To think that at any time, any one can simply call upon the Most High God that forged the great plan of salvation, and sacrificed his only begotten son can be accessed for matters as trivial as lost keys, requests for food nourishment, and petitions for help remembering studied materials during examinations. Of course, he also hears prayers for matters such as healing a loved one of a grievous illness, answers and comfort for those that have lost loved ones, pleading for help to overcome regretted acts, or requests on behalf of those that are in distress or despair. No request is too large, or too small.
Not only are men able to do this, but they are encouraged to do so. Jesus Christ taught "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:7-11)
Let no man neglect or attempt to diminish the value of this gift of Heaven... Prayer can be more than a repetitive vocal wish list... it is the power to talk to God... it is the highest appeal.
In answer to Festus, Paul invoked this right. He declared "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar." (Acts 25:10-11)
Although Festus had hoped to win political favor with the Jews by bringing him to Jerusalem, there was only one response he could give. After he conferred with the council he replied "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go." (Acts 25:12)
Although Paul was eventually killed in spite of his Roman citizenship and appeal to the greatest defender of Rome, there is an important principle that can be seen here. The concept of the highest appeal is one of the most valuable rights of any citizenship. The ideal of having the ultimate defender of citizenship judge a case is meant to remove the impact of ambitions. Judges in the highest court can advance no higher, and have only the law and the precedent set by judges in the same position.
While the legal implications of this policy are important, there is a spiritual application that is far more important.
The sons of men are as citizens in a great kingdom. Most Christians believe that we are the children of God. Paul suggested that we are not only children, but heirs. (Romans 8:17) Elsewhere he equates sainthood as citizenship. (Ephesians 2:19)
As in earthly kingdoms and empires of old, citizenship in the Kingdom of God implies certain rights. Perhaps one of the greatest of these is the highest appeal. If at any time, you feel you are treated unfairly, you require counsel, you lack wisdom, or you have nowhere else to turn, it is your right as a human being to call upon and be heard by the highest judge: God himself.
There is no complicated appeals process. There is no need for legal counsel. There is no lengthy wait before your case can be heard. The method is surprisingly simple given the great power it represents. It is called prayer.
To think that at any time, any one can simply call upon the Most High God that forged the great plan of salvation, and sacrificed his only begotten son can be accessed for matters as trivial as lost keys, requests for food nourishment, and petitions for help remembering studied materials during examinations. Of course, he also hears prayers for matters such as healing a loved one of a grievous illness, answers and comfort for those that have lost loved ones, pleading for help to overcome regretted acts, or requests on behalf of those that are in distress or despair. No request is too large, or too small.
Not only are men able to do this, but they are encouraged to do so. Jesus Christ taught "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:7-11)
Let no man neglect or attempt to diminish the value of this gift of Heaven... Prayer can be more than a repetitive vocal wish list... it is the power to talk to God... it is the highest appeal.
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