Full Transcript

If you’re a Christian, do you think you’re timid or bold about sharing your faith? The apostle Paul was nothing if not bold. And in chapter 25 and 26, we’ll follow a running narrative describing his trial in Caesarea, and with his life on the line, what does he do? Let’s find out. Acts chapter 25 and 26. Boldness.

Let’s pick up where we left off the narrative, and in today’s podcast cover the stories that run through both chapters 25 and 26. Where we last saw Paul, he was stuck in a legal limbo, jailed in Caesarea with his case on an indefinite hold. Months and even years passed. Do you think his faith was wavering? The Roman governor Felix, who was holding him, was very unpopular with the Jews. His misconduct in office had been brought to Rome’s attention more than once.

Although Felix knew Paul had broken no Roman laws, because he wanted to keep his job, apparently, he would not anger the Jewish leaders by releasing him. They hated him too much. So Paul’s case lingered on and on and on with no resolution in sight. Felix himself was finally recalled from office in Israel by the Emperor Nero in the year 59 A.D. And when he left office, he left Paul. He left his case for whoever his successor would be to handle.

Let him deal with it. The next governor we read about in Acts, sent from Rome to Israel, is a man named Porcius Festus. We know from Roman historians that Festus was only governor in Israel from 59 A.D. to 62 A.D., three years. So that confirms when this was happening with him. The year we are in now is 59 A.D., when Porcius Festus arrives. Only three days after the new governor got to Caesarea, he decided to go up to Jerusalem to pay a courtesy call on the Jewish leaders, the Sanhedrin.

These are the people he too is going to have to work with if he’s going to have a successful administration. Off the bat, they raised the question of Paul’s case. The Sanhedrin leaders pressured Festus to have Paul transferred back to Caesarea in Jerusalem, ostensibly to stand trial there. But actually, because they once again had assassins ready to kill him en route. You have to wonder how many of these would-be assassins were among those who two years before had sworn they wouldn’t eat or drink anything until Paul was dead, remember? If some of them were the same guys, they must have been pretty skinny by now.

But Felix didn’t succumb to the Jewish leaders’ pressure. He said, in effect, I’m not going to bring the man down to Jerusalem, but if you have evidence to support charges against him, you’re welcome to come up to Caesarea when I return there, and I will hear your case against him then. Well, the very day after Governor Festus got back to Caesarea, a delegation from the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem was waiting for him. And the day after that, he convened an official inquest. Festus, who was a Roman nobleman, was brand new to this scene and, as far as we know, was totally unfamiliar with the controversy surrounding Judaism’s connection with emerging Christianity. So at his hearing, the Jewish leaders once again began making these serious accusations against Paul, accusations they could not prove.

The two most serious charges were that he desecrated the temple in Jerusalem and, as before, that Paul disturbed the peace of the empire everywhere he went. That second one was designed to get the Roman governor’s attention because Rome took keeping the peace, law and order, very seriously, as we’ve learned. Sedition, stirring up riots, these things were crimes in the Roman penal system that could execute you. After listening to the Jews’ charges and Paul’s categorical denials, the governor asked Paul if he was willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial there. Festus no doubt felt that he could better understand the stuff if he was in Jerusalem where the local witnesses could be called. But Paul was not about to have his case decided on his enemies’ turf.

It actually worked in his favor that some of the charges alleged were offenses against Rome. That opened a door for Paul to exert his special privilege as a Roman citizen and appeal to a higher court. So his reply to Governor Festus here was, If I’m guilty of doing anything deserving of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar. That was a very bold move.

Have any idea why Paul would have done that? At this point, after three hearings now and so much time in prison, he must have badly wanted a resolution to his case for one thing. But here’s something less obvious that may well have factored into his thinking. Do you remember from chapter 18 what we saw happen at Corinth several years earlier when Paul was on trial there? An important ex-Roman senator named Gallio, who was proconsul of Achaia at the time, heard that case against Paul on similar charges about, you know, being a troublemaker in the empire, and he ruled in that case in Paul’s favor. That legal precedent may very well have been in Paul’s mind now.

Why do I think that? Follow me here. Gallio, who decided that case in Corinth, was the brother of the famous Roman writer and philosopher Seneca. Seneca just happened to have been the tutor of the young man who was now the new Roman emperor, a person we know from history as Nero. Paul may well have realized this and realized that if he got before this young man Nero, who had connections to people who had already acquitted him, he stood a good chance of being acquitted in Rome as well. So, to escape the grasp of his determined Jewish enemies in Jerusalem and likely feeling better about his chances in Rome, Paul appealed to Caesar.

After conferring with his advisors for a few moments, Governor Festus made his ruling. You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you shall go. Paul’s Roman citizenship provided this special protection. As he told Festus, I’m not trying to avoid justice. If I’ve done wrong, I’m willing to be punished. But what I’m not willing to do is let these determined enemies of mine from Jerusalem, Christianity’s enemies, decide my fate.

As strategic as he was, I am certain Paul also understood there was a lot more at stake here than just his personal freedom now. When in court in Caesarea that day, I bet his mind was going off on the thought, What could happen if I have the opportunity to present the case for Christianity to the highest court in the empire? What could happen if I had the chance to share the gospel of Christ with the most powerful person in the world, the Roman emperor? What could happen if he became a Christian? These were extremely, extremely exciting thoughts to Paul, and he was not afraid to think that big. Back at the hearing room, Governor Festus had a problem.

He could not forward a case of this magnitude to the court of the empire without sending along a detailed history, a brief, we would say, a legal summary of exactly what it was all about. And in this situation, that was a real challenge since Festus, frankly, didn’t understand what it was all about. Clearly, there was a serious dispute between the Jews and the early Christians. He sensed that much. That was really what was at the core of Paul’s case, he sensed. Just a couple days after this, fortuitously, some important people arrived in Caesarea who could help him.

Herod Agrippa II and his sister Julia Bernice. They came to pay their respects to this newly installed Roman governor. Agrippa, who was a young man in his early thirties at this point, was from the line of the Herods, who had been client kings under the Roman occupation in Israel for almost a century now. Listen to how Luke describes the conversation between the new governor Festus, the Roman, and the Jewish client king Agrippa II. A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king.

He said, There’s a man here who was left as a prisoner. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. I told them that is not the Roman custom to hand over a man before he faced his accusers. That was not something I was going to do. When they came here with me, I didn’t delay the case but convened a court the next day and ordered this man Paul to be brought in. When his accusers got up to speak, they didn’t charge him with any of the crimes I expected.

Instead, they had these points of disputes with their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus, who Paul said was alive. I was at a loss of how to investigate such a thing, so I asked that he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there. Paul then made an appeal to be held over to the emperor’s decision, so I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar. You can tell the new governor Festus was feeling a little over his head in this situation, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. The local ruler, Herod Agrippa, was probably thinking, Well, welcome to Israel, buddy. But he said instead, I’d like to hear out this man myself.

Festus answered him, Then tomorrow you will. Festus was more than anxious for any help he could get in understanding Paul’s case. We are now at Acts chapter 25, starting at verse 23. Court was convened the very next day, and it was an impressive event. Gathered there in the judgment hall in Caesarea was not only the Roman governor Porcius Festus and his staff, but also military leaders of the province, many important citizens of the capital. This was a very notorious case.

And then, arriving just late enough to make a grand entrance was King Agrippa II and Bernice. Luke says they arrived with great pomp. King Agrippa and the Lady Bernice. Finally, when everyone who was anyone had filled the hall, Governor Festus called for Paul to be brought into the courtroom. I wonder what was going through his mind as he came before this grand assembly after now two years in prison. I can tell, just by the way Luke writes here, the account presents to him an irony.

The imposing judgment hall of the Romans was filled with kings and governors and military officers and other assorted bigwigs from the capital of Israel. But there was really only one great man in the room, a short, little, bandy-legged Jewish man, scarred, a little stoop from years of hardships, but vigorous, alert, and eager. People today who know anything about Agrippa and Bernice and Festus only know about them as bit players in the consequential historical drama that played out here. They’re extras in the movie, only remembered at all because they just happened to cross paths with the Apostle Paul at this point in history. When things commenced, after Governor Festus explained why he had convened this hearing, he turned the floor over to King Agrippa, who said to Paul, You have permission. Speak for yourself.

The floor is yours, we might say. Now, without looking into chapter 26 yet, just knowing what you already know about Paul as we followed his career over the last couple decades, do you have any doubt what he, in what for anyone else would be the most intimidating situation imaginable, what he is going to do next? I don’t. Paul began his defense before this great assembly like this. The Jews here all know very well I was raised and trained both in my home country and in Jerusalem according to the strictest sect of our religion. I did everything I could possibly do to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

On the authority of the chief priests, I put many Christians in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my votes against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished. In my obsession, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. It was on one of those journeys, as I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, about noon, O King, as I was on that road, I saw a light from heaven. It was brighter than the sun. It was blazing around me and my companions.

I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speak to me out of that light, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Paul told this assembly of his country’s most powerful people his dramatic testimony, the story he loved to tell the most about how he was confronted by the risen Christ, how he was forced to realize that the early Christians were actually right. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead had happened. Paul went on to say, So I stand here testifying to you, both small and great alike. I’m saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen, that the Messiah would suffer and be first to rise from the dead, bringing a message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles. I didn’t quote the entirety of the speech, but that was about the third time in his testimony that Paul mentioned Jesus’ resurrection.

It finally dawned on the new Roman governor what he was saying. Festus abruptly interrupted him at that point and said, You’re out of your mind, Paul. Your learning is driving you insane. Up until now, I think the governor’s impression had been the dispute between he and the Jews over this person question, Jesus of Nazareth, was actually whether or not the man was still alive somewhere. You know, he was in hiding somewhere. But now, as he listened to Paul’s testimony, it dawns on him what he’s actually claiming, that this Jesus, who had been executed, had risen from the dead.

That’s when he blurted out, Paul, you’re out of your mind. You’ve gone mad. Paul was not offended. He was not rattled. He confidently replied to them, With all due respect, Your Excellency, no, I am not mad. What I am saying is true and it’s reasonable.

To Paul, the claim of Jesus’ resurrection was true and reasonable because, first, the Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would rise from the dead, and second, the evidence for such a resurrection was overwhelming to anybody who would honestly inquire. There were hundreds of people still alive at that point in Israel who physically had interacted with the resurrected Christ. Paul then turned directly to Agrippa, the Jewish king, and said, The king knows what I’m talking about. He’s aware of all this. You believe what the prophets wrote, don’t you, King Agrippa? But Agrippa sought to deflect the question before Paul got any further.

He said, I’m imagining with a chuckle in his voice, Huh, in such a short time, Paul, you think you can persuade me to become a Christian? That no doubt produced ripples of laughter throughout the judgment hall. But Christ’s ambassador boldly replied without skipping a beat, In short time or long, I pray to God that not only you, but all of those who are listening to me here today would become what I am, except for these chains, he said, raising his shackled wrists. Whether now or sometime down the road, Paul meant, I hope all of you become believers and followers of Jesus Christ, just as I have. Wow. Take in that scene.

What do you see there in that judgment hall? In one word, if I could capture it in one word, I’d have to say boldness. Paul was just not intimidated, or he was not hesitant, was he? I used the term Christ’s ambassador a moment ago. That’s really how he saw himself. He was speaking on behalf of Jesus Christ, the King of the universe, and he delivered the message of the gospel fearlessly, even when his own safety and future were on the line.

I mean, how? What made the guy so bold? What enabled him, in a situation that for most of us would be extremely intimidating, to speak what he believed with such power and confidence? Paul wasn’t a superhuman. He was a regular human like the rest of us. So where did he find this boldness?

That’s a question that I’ve thought about quite a bit over the years. I’ve given it some serious thought, and I’ve come up with a few, I think, likely answers. Briefly, here they are. First, Paul was completely convinced of the truth of the gospel. He was fully convinced. In the last letter we have from him written to his protege Timothy, he said, I know the one in whom I trust.

I am sure that he’s able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. Paul had become 100% convinced that Jesus Christ was who he claimed to be, God on earth in human form who died for our sins and rose on the third day. He had no doubts about that. He was fully convinced that Jesus was coming back again and that judgment for men would follow and that therefore the message of the gospel was crucial to share. For us to be as bold as Paul was, this is where it starts: an encounter with Christ that we know is real. To know for sure down deep in our hearts that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that the gospel message is the message for every sinner, the hope for every sinner.

If you’re not fully convinced of these things, you’ll never be as bold about sharing your faith. So be fully convinced. Second, Paul knew what he was talking about. He knew his stuff. It’s hard to be confident to be bold when you really don’t know very much about what you’re talking about. Paul also urged Timothy, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, who can accurately handle the word of truth.

Paul was a student of God’s word and had ingrafted a lot of it into his heart and mind. Many of us are not bold about sharing our faith because we are afraid someone will question us about something and we’re not prepared to answer them. Keep reading. Keep studying. Keep listening to Share the Word, where the Bible is clearly and honestly taught. You don’t need to be able to answer every obscure question in the world that somebody might raise, but you should be able to answer questions confidently about the basis of your faith.

So know your stuff. Thirdly, Paul maintained a clear conscience before God and men. He kept a clear conscience. Listen to this challenge and warning again to Timothy: Fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and shipwrecked their faith. On another time, Paul said, I always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and man. A clear conscience, someone defined for me once as the ability to look any other person in the eye and know that I’ve done my best to be in a right relationship with them.

What does that have to do with boldness? A lot. Probably nothing shuts down a Christian’s willingness to share their faith and the awareness that they are a hypocrite, that they have lots of broken relationships they’ve never tried to heal. That’s the good conscience toward man part, and serious problems in their own behavior and character that they’re not addressing. That’s the good conscience toward God part. Keeping a clear conscience is a life-transforming principle.

Once we decide it’s a priority for us to maintain a clear conscience and take steps to achieve and maintain it, then we have the personal confidence as a Christian to be bold. So, maintain a clear conscience. And fourth, finally, we have to mention that Paul operated not only in his own strength, but certainly in the power of the Holy Spirit. He relied on the power of the Holy Spirit. I’m sure he was aware of Jesus’ own promises when he spoke of times like this coming for his followers. On account of me, Jesus once said, you will stand before governors and kings and witness to them.

The gospel must be preached to all nations. If you are arrested and brought to trial, don’t worry beforehand about what to say. Say whatever is given to you at that time, for it is not you, just you, speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Paul wasn’t argumentative on this day. He wasn’t trying to be clever as he stood before the court in Caesarea. He was bold in the power of the Holy Spirit.

His audience sensed that and were affected by that. Ultimately, it’s not our cleverness, our rhetoric that persuades people the gospel is true. It is the Holy Spirit. And when you share your testimony or share the gospel, rely on the Holy Spirit, whose role it is to convict and to convince those who hear it. I am probably way out of time for this installment, and Margie is going to come pick up the narrative next time as we move forward toward the conclusion of the Book of Acts. Thanks for listening, and be bold enough to share your faith.

Paul, thank you for such incredible insight. With the Apostle Paul’s life on the line, it’s incredible how he turned that moment into an opportunity to share the gospel with those trying to do him harm. Are you following Paul’s example? This is exactly what Share the Word podcast is all about: sharing the gospel with the world, and you can help. It’s as easy as sharing episodes with family and friends. Send a link to ShareTheWord.org.

Help us share the good news. From all of us at Share the Word, our blessings and prayers go out to all of you.