Day 350 – Paul – Journey #4 (Caesarea)

• The story continues today directly after yesterday’s account, with Paul’s trial continuing after his two years in prison. A man named Festus had, by then, replaced Felix as the governor. Despite this lengthy delay, were the chief priests able to show anything that proved their charges against Paul?
• What did Festus ask Paul in Acts 25:9? Why did Paul refuse? Who did Paul appeal to in verse 11? This was something Roman citizens – of which Paul was one – were legally entitled to do.
• You might have wondered why Paul would seek to extend these rather long legal proceedings even further by asking to take his case all the way to Caesar. There was very good reason! Paul was determined to bring the gospel to Rome (remember that from our readings a week or so ago?). This was the perfect opportunity to get there. Paul might not imagined he would be sent there in chains, but he trusted in God’s providence to work through this difficult situation.
• Festus went to King Agrippa (he’s one of the Herod family). How did Festus explain the situation to the king? Acts 25:18-20 show Festus’ confusion!
• In chapter 26, Paul defended himself in front of the king. He began, like he has done before, by explaining how he was transformed from a Christian-hater to an apostle. What did he say?
• What was Paul’s question to the assembly in Acts 25:8? Paul’s aim was to convince his audience that the resurrection is the central pillar of the Christian faith, and that God has always brought life from death.
• Acts 26:22-23 show the climax of Paul’s speech, firmly claiming Christ’s suffering,death and resurrection as God’s plan for bringing “light to the Jews and to the Gentiles”. What was Festus’ response, and what was Paul’s reply?
• In verse 28, the king seemed to be mocking Paul by laughing when he suggested that he could be converted to Christianity. What was Paul’s response to this in verse 29?
• Did you smile at the confusion of Agrippa in Acts 26:30-32, knowing what you do about Paul’s plans to get taken to Rome?
• Our third reading in 1 Peter links in to the Acts story in two ways: Paul’s conduct amongst the gentiles, and his submission to both God’s authority (in his faithful preaching) and the authority of the Roman rulers (as he accepted the prison and trails he endured). In nearly all situations, submitting to both God and the government is right for us too, even if the government is antagonistic towards Christians.

Paul has now explained himself to many people: the Jewish leaders, Felix, Festus and now even King Agrippa. The responses have ranged from anger to confusion to mocking indifference. But in all situations Paul accepted the process that the officials went though, even when it meant staying in jail for two years. His responses to  seemed to be fair to all who heard them, as he lovingly, and with a bold conviction, told them the truth of the gospel. He was never uncontrolled or angry in his responses, even when he could have rightly been frustrated at the situations he found himself in.

That’s been challenging to me. I often find myself quick to become frustrated when things don’t happen as and when I hope. I can write a talk for the youth club, and be annoyed when the people who I hoped would hear it don’t turn up that week, for example. I’m tempted to be frustrated at the time I spent writing the talk, and I can sometimes catch myself asking God why He would not bring many people along to hear it.

This is a sinful attitude, of course. It’s right to be disappointed that someone doesn’t hear a gospel message, perhaps, but when the root of that is a desire to impress people with time and effort I put in, or the quality of my jokes, then that, of course, is a really selfish attitude. Paul could have had a self-centred attitude about his treatment in the recent readings, but it seems that isn’t the case. Proclaiming Jesus with his words and his humility came first. That’s something we all, me especially, can probably learn a great deal from.