Acts 26:24-32 :

As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”

Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”

The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them. When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.” Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Festus clearly didn’t get it. Perhaps he was embarrassed about what Paul was saying concerning the Jews and the resurrection of the dead, but things were different for King Agrippa.

Evidently, King Agrippa believed in the Bible to some extent and Paul knew it. It appears that Jesus was speaking to his mind, causing him to really consider what Paul was saying. Even in such a dark place as a courtroom and prison, Jesus was bringing his light to the leadership of the people.

Paul, with the heart of a missionary, freely expressed his desire that everyone would “become such as I am.” I think it is important to notice that Paul didn’t want people to be persecuted like he was. Although Christians are persecuted, it is not right and we shouldn’t put up with it. Just like any other sin, persecution is wrong.

King Agrippa saw the truth that Paul didn’t deserve to be in jail at all, but it was God’s will that Paul go before Caesar.

Acts 26:19-23 :

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul’s testimony makes sense. He only did what God told him to do. Not only that, he actually told the Gentiles to “repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.” Paul knew, based on his study and knowledge of the Bible, that everything he was preaching was “what the prophets and Moses said would happen.”

Paul’s conversation with these non-Christian leaders, demonstrates the problem we all have as believers when we try to communicate God’s truth with unbelievers. Paul’s arguments, no matter how excellent and logical they may be, will always be rejected by people who hold false assumptions about life and what is true. Preaching to the unbelieving requires Jesus to be actively speaking to the hearts of those who hear because they are already believing lies that must be put aside before the simple truth about Jesus can be accepted.

As sinful, self-righteous people, we tend to think that we are neutral and others are not. In reality, neutrality is a myth. We all live with a set of beliefs about life that we defend. We are all dogmatic and we are all fundamentalists according to what we hold to be true. If someone attempts to respond to this by saying, “I am not dogmatic!” it reveals that their dogma is to not believe in dogma, which is self-refuting. When leaders or media declare a “neutral” position, it demonstrates that they are ignorant, hypocritical, or worse. Unfortunately, this kind of deception continues to persist in our day. Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, must influence us enough to hear the truth of what Paul is saying.

Acts 26:9-18 :

“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

“I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Paul was very qualified to explain what the Jews were doing to him because he had done same thing to other Christians. It would have been difficult for King Agrippa to find a better expert witness! Paul said about his persecution of Christians that he “tried to make them blaspheme” and that he was “exceedingly enraged against them.” Paul confessed before the court that he wrongfully imprisoned Christians and voted for their deaths. I think that Paul knew that if there were any reason for him to be killed, one of those reasons would be better than that he claimed to be a believer in the resurrection of the dead.

The Bible is amazingly accurate and has built-in copies of things said. This is the third time in this book that we have heard Paul’s conversion story.

Notice how clear God’s instructions were to Paul. He was to tell them about the things he had already seen and “of the things which I will reveal to you.” Notice that Jesus Himself speaks of the things that some claim that Paul wrote differently from Jesus. Jesus speaks of “remission of sins” and “those who are sanctified by faith in” Him. These are Jesus’ ideas not Paul’s and it is very wrong to try to say that Paul didn’t write down what Jesus wanted us to know. Notice that Jesus clearly states that the Gentiles are to be brought to Him. Also, Jesus tells us that people are both ignorant and under the power of Satan. Before we believe, we think that things are fine and under our control, when actually we are ignorant and under the control of an evil person every day. Jesus’ revelation that He gave to Paul can free us from this tyranny. Paul ended up writing many books in the New Testament and all of them are important for us to read in order to learn what Jesus wants us to know. Romans is the first book, as you read through the Bible, that Paul wrote. It is a great book to learn about the fundamentals of Christianity. It’s important to remember that Jesus Himself is the source of this teaching and that He wanted us to know and live by what Paul said.

Acts 25:13-22 :

Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus. As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him. To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed; but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”

Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”

“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

It is clear in this passage that Festus understood the injustice going on as well as the fact that what Paul spoke of was based on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is also clear that Festus didn’t believe because he flatly stated (without any evidence) that Jesus “was dead.”

Festus represents the state of all of us at one point or another. We naturally assume that lies are the truth based on our own, tainted, worldview. A mysterious thing about the truth is that it must be interpreted from a truthful worldview in order to be understood. You can’t stand outside of truth and consider it because the act of standing outside, taints it. This is another way of saying that we cannot understand the truth unless God allows us to enter into it first. Without His help, we will continue to travel down our own paths of lies and inconsistencies as Festus did here. As a result, Festus remained “perplexed how to inquire concerning these things.”

Notice how many leaders Paul was able to speak to about the resurrection of Jesus as Paul continues to fulfill the prophesy of Jesus in Luke 12:11-12.

Acts 25:1-12 :

Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way. However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. “Let them therefore,” said he, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”

But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”

Jesus was appointed to die for our sins and because that is why He came, He was quiet before those who arrested Him, beat Him, mocked Him, and killed Him. We should be careful not to think that allowing people to misuse us is the way that God intends for us to live. Paul didn’t act the same way here. I think it is important for us to think about how Paul reacted when he was being mistreated.

Rather than simply “turning the other cheek,” Paul makes it very clear that he was willing to die if it was for something that he deserved. He was not willing to die if he was innocent. The concept of “turning the other cheek” can become a convenient thing for those who wish to harm Christians. Paul demonstrates that there are limitations to “turning the other cheek” for those of us who live in this age of Grace.

Notice how injustice can thrive in a self-focused, political setting. Instead of making sure that he judged correctly, Festus wanted to impress the Jews. A courageous leader is willing to risk himself in order to do what is right as both Jesus and Paul showed us. Paul was well aware of the injustice taking place at this point because he accuses Festus of it directly. Christians are not passive. They take action and they do what is right even though it isn’t popular because that is what they really believe. We are to fear God not mankind. Clearly, Paul’s courage was much greater than all of the others in this passage because he wasn’t afraid to face the governor and appeal to the emperor! That’s the kind of courage the Holy Spirit can give us too if we trust in Him.

Acts 24:24-27 :

But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him. But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

Felix and his wife must have known that Paul was already well known for the things that he had preached throughout the territory. I would doubt that many of those in jail at that time were privileged to be visited by the governor and his wife for a chat. Paul didn’t shy away from them, but “reasoned about righteousness, self-control and” yes even “the judgment to come.” It appears that the coming judgment was a bit much for Felix as he was terrified as we all should be.

It appears that Felix didn’t respond well to the realization that he was in trouble with God. He kept Paul in jail and on top of that, continued to be more concerned with his own political situation than he was with bringing justice or with securing his own salvation from the judgment to come.

The worries and cares of this life can keep a person from being saved from the wrath of God to come. So can the deceitfulness of wealth. Even though this life is short, it is easy to get distracted like Felix and fail to come to God on his terms. Heaven is not a democracy. Even though God is loving and wise, he is also just. Now is the day of salvation for us because now is the time that God has given us the ability to understand His will, so that we see that He has provided a way out of punishment through Jesus who already paid the price.

Acts 24:17-23 :

Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’”

But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.” He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.

We find out here that Paul was bringing gifts for the needy in Jerusalem. These gifts probably came from the Gentile Christians! A significant injustice was taking place and it may have been so large that it was shocking to the governor.

Christians are being persecuted in shocking ways to this day. It is so very important for a good governments to hear the case of these Christians so that they have some protection against those who abuse them. Christians want to give and help those in need. They are not the ones who want to stir up trouble.

In this case, Paul, although he was kept under custody, was given the freedom to have visitors come and provide things that he needed. Evidently, Governor Felix was aware of Christianity enough to understand that Paul wasn’t a dangerous person, but Felix wanted to talk to Lysias more about the case before he made a decision.