Jesus, who was dead, but now is alive
.
Acts 25:13-19
13. Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14. And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man left prisoner by Felix; 15. and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews gave information about him, asking for sentence against him. 16. I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any one before the accused met the accusers face to face, and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17. When therefore they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18. When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed; 19. but they had certain points of dispute with him about their own superstition and about one Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.
Felix was the governor of Caesarea before whom the chief priests and legal scholars presented Paul. Felix couldn’t find any justification to execute Paul, as requested, so he threw him in prison and held him there. And when he left office, as a favor to the Jews, he left Paul imprisoned. That’s where the story picks up.
Festus was so shocked that Paul had committed no actual crime—he really couldn’t even find his preaching offensive, even if it seemed crazy to declare a man all knew was dead and buried to be alive! What was the crime in that? Did merely offending the Jewish leaders make Paul a criminal? A blasphemer? Yes, he was a bit nutty! Probably even out of his mind. Yet . . . he spoke with such conviction. . . I think that’s why Felix couldn’t act against him. That plus the fact that Paul was divinely protected—because he had so much more to do!
The world today has many superstitions about one Jesus. Many don’t believe everything we believe about the power of a risen Christ. Some in this world can’t comprehend a love so strong that it held him up on the cross. Many can’t understand why God would make such a profound and painful sacrifice for such as us. The earth spins round and round without embracing the ebb and flow of a world created by and watched over by and saved by a God of mercy and love and grace.
Who is this Jesus the Jews so feared? Who was this mad man declaring Jesus had risen from the dead? Paul was unafraid to be called a fool—and more—he did not fear death! He was willing to be put to death for what he believed: Jesus was not only the fulfillment of the scriptures, he was so much more than even the prophets could have imagined!
The world still needs this Jesus. We need a Jesus for whom we are not afraid to testify. We need a Jesus who takes away our sins and soothes our sorrows and heals our brokenness. We need a risen Christ who fulfills the prophecies of history. We need a Jesus who changed the history of the world for all time. I need this Jesus, who was dead, but now is alive and living in each of us through the Holy Spirit!
I hope you spend today unafraid to be called a fool for Jesus as you help others to see the power and the beauty of the risen Lord.
Mary
