This is a picture of Anatoly, a 26-year-old member of Irpin Bible Church in Ukraine. His last act on earth was carrying the suitcase of a young mother and her two children, as they raced across a collapsed bridge. All four died when a bomb landed nearby.
After evacuating his wife Diana and other family members to safety, Anatoly returned to help his church minister to people.
His pastor said, “Anatoly was deeply spiritual, with a good Christian character. When he saw a need, he tried to help...we miss him very much, it is a tragedy for his family and the church. God has a plan beyond our understanding, but it is difficult.”
On Tuesday, after our pastoral team prayed for churches and ministries in the Ukraine, I asked this question: “Would we stay and serve our church and our community if we were being bombed?” None of us said anything as the weight of that question settled on our souls. We all wanted to say yes but didn’t want to do so flippantly.
Pastor Romanuk added, “The most important task for the church right now is to continue preaching. Churches have become a lighthouse of hope.”
We will keep preaching, praying, and providing help so churches in Ukraine can continue to be lighthouses of hope. If you’re looking for a way to help, we recommend directing your generosity to Samaritan’s Purse. They have already set up a field hospital and have been partnering with 3,200 churches inside Ukraine. As conflict erupted, they were in the process of distributing 600,000 Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes. I wonder if some of those were filled by Team Edgewood! They are in contact with ministry partners and meeting needs as they are able. Simply go to samaritanspurse.org to donate.
We’ve been praying for a family from Ukraine by name the last couple weeks. We just received word they miraculously received their visas to come to the United States and resettle in the Quad Cities! We rejoice with Sasha and Sophia, along with their children: Lucas (4) and Emma (1). As we hear of their needs, we’ll share them with you.
We’re nearing the end of our journey through the Book of Acts. Last week, in Acts 24 we discovered this truth: When your faith is challenged, defend it cheerfully.
One of the keys to understanding the Bible, as Jason Crosby has been teaching in his Growth Group elective, is to identify the literary genre a book or section of Scripture is written in. The different genres include apocalyptic, biography, exposition, parable, poetry, prophecy, and narrative.
When I began studying Acts 25, I wondered what kind of message God wanted me to preach from this passage. Since this section of Scripture is story, I struggled to find a preaching outline. BTW, over 40% of the Bible is made up of narrative. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us how every word of God’s Word is inspired, important, and instructive: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” God wants us to learn and live out this passage so we can grow in doing good work and bringing Him glory.
Here’s our main idea for today: God providentially accomplishes His purposes through people.
Since narratives by their nature contain characters, let’s approach this section through the perspective of the individuals we come across. I decided to give them nicknames to help us remember and relate to them.
• Festus: the people-pleaser.
• The religious: status-keepers.
• Paul: the gospel-preacher.
• Agrippa and Bernice: the pleasure-seekers.
• Jesus: the life-changer.
1. Festus: the people-pleaser. In verses 1-6, we’re introduced to a new governor named Festus: “Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 ‘So,’ said he, ‘let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.’ 6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.”
Festus became governor after Felix flamed out. If Felix was a procrastinator, Festus was a proactive people-pleaser. He quickly realized the mood was tense in the country, in large part because of Paul, who was a prisoner in Caesarea. Wanting to get on the good side of the Jewish leaders, after being in office just three days, he traveled 70 miles from Caesarea, the political center, to Jerusalem, the religious center. When Festus arrived, the religious leaders brought up charges against Felix’s leftover, Paul.
After hearing the charges against Paul, Festus was urged to send him to Jerusalem, so they could ambush and kill him on the way. Two years earlier, a rogue group of 40 men tried to assassinate Paul, but now the Jewish leaders wanted to do it themselves. Instead, Festus told them they could travel to Caesarea and bring their charges against Paul there. We see his penchant for people-pleasing in verse 9: “But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul…”
Here are some questions to ponder. Are you a people pleaser? Do you fear man, or do you fear God? Paul settled this in Galatians 1:10: “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” He summarized who he served in 1 Thessalonians 2:4: “So we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”
Even people-pleasers can’t stop God from working His way and His will, but it’s much better to settle whose approval we are seeking.
God providentially accomplishes His purposes through people.
2. The religious: status-keepers. The religious leaders were more interested in keeping the spiritual status quo than they were in discovering the truth. Let’s pick up the narrative in verse 7: “When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove.” The phrase, “stood around him” means, “to surround in a menacing way,” like a pack of ravenous wolves. They accused Paul of very serious crimes. This is similar to what was done to Jesus in Luke 23:10: “The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.” This time they didn’t hire an orator but instead attacked Paul themselves.
Drop down to verse 24 where we read what Festus said about these religious status-keepers: “…you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.” The phrase “this man” reminds us of what Pilate said about Jesus in John 19:5: “Behold the man!” The word “shouting” means they were “crying out, yelling, and demanding” Paul be put to death, using a double negative to intensify their demands: “that he ought not to live any longer.”
This shows the implacable hardness of the human heart. When people refuse to submit to the Lord, they often seek to attack or eliminate Christianity so they can keep living like they want. We see this in John 3:19-20: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”
When you think about it, often those who oppose Christ and Christians are religious people. I appreciate one commentator’s insight:
“…the most volatile hostility in the world toward Christianity comes from religion. And the reason for that is because who is the master of all religion? Satan…and since Satan is the one who developed all systems of religion outside of Christianity, all counterfeit systems are spawned by the angel of light, then you better believe that all false religion is going to fight the truth. Historically, the greatest persecutors of Christianity have been religionists…don’t expect religious people to be tolerant, they’re not; because Satan is the head religionist, and he’s absolutely and totally intolerant toward Christ and Christianity.”
Are you more interested in the status quo than you are in seeking truth? Have you become spiritually sleepy? Has ritual replaced relationship? Do you get threatened when someone brings up spiritual matters?
God providentially accomplishes His purposes through people.
3. Paul: the gospel-preacher. How many of you have felt these last two years with Covid have been difficult? This week, I saw a post on Facebook which read, “Two years ago this was our last normal week…and nobody knew it.” While some have felt imprisoned and isolated, others have become defeated and depressed, or angry and agitated.
After spending two years in prison, Paul presented his defense in verse 8. He didn’t appear to be bitter or angry as he simply stated: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”
Paul holds firm in verses 10-11: “But Paul said, ‘I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.’” This appeal to Caesar marks the rest of the Book of Acts as Paul, as we’ll see, makes his journey to Rome in the final chapters.
Here are some reasons why Paul doesn’t want to be tried in Jerusalem:
• He’s already been before a Roman court and is committed to share the gospel with Roman leaders. This is now his fourth defense of Christianity in the last two years.
• He’s done nothing wrong.
• He knows they want to ambush him.
• He knows he won’t get a fair trial.
• He wants to go to Rome to share the gospel.
Paul is so committed to taking the gospel to Rome, he appeals to have his case heard by Caesar. Every Roman citizen had the right to appeal to Rome, especially if he felt he wasn’t getting a fair hearing. Once the appeal was made, he would be sent to Rome, accompanied by Roman protection, along with a statement of facts in the case. Once an appeal was made, it was irrevocable.
As we’ve seen in Acts, Paul was laser focused on fulfilling God’s mission for him. Acts 19:21: “Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’” The Lord confirmed this calling on Paul in Acts 23:11: “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.’”
Paul saw his problems as a platform for ministry. This week Beth and I talked to someone going through some significant struggles. She shared how God led her to Joel 2:25-26: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. ‘You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.’” Then she made this stunning statement of faith: “God will work everything out for His glory and my ultimate good.” Right on, sister.
Q: As you process your problems, are you seeking to glorify God and look for gospel opportunities? Are you living on mission by striving to reach your neighbors and the nations for Christ? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be a witness for Christ? Are you willing to go, or send others who are ready to go?
God providentially accomplishes His purposes through people.
4. Agrippa and Bernice: the pleasure-seekers. Next, verse 13 tells us Felix received some important dignitaries who came to celebrate his installation as governor: “Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.” BTW, King Agrippa’s great-grandfather was Herod the Great, also known as the Butcher of Bethlehem. His father was Herod Agrippa the First, who murdered James and put Peter in jail. He died because of his pride; his body turned into worm food.
I’ll try to keep this PG rated but Bernice was his sister, with whom he was in an incestuous relationship. Her first husband was her uncle. Bernice became the mistress of Emperor Vespasian and was also immorally involved with his son Titus, the Emperor who destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. If you’re following the family tree, this also means “Drusilla de Vil,” who we were introduced to last weekend, was their sister.
Here we see the decadence and depravity of the human heart. The Roman culture was filled with unmitigated idolatry, extreme promiscuity, unbridled anger, pervasive abuse, and an onslaught of abortions. I fear we’re headed down the same slippery slope today. Once a nation leaves it moral moorings, it goes adrift on the sea of relativism before it implodes under the accumulated weight of iniquity.
More than 200 years ago, Edward Gibbon wrote a six-volume series called, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He spent 20 years studying the Roman Empire to find out how a nation which was so great suddenly imploded.
Interestingly, the first volume was published in 1776, the year our country was born. Gibbon listed five primary reasons for the collapse.
1. The undermining of the sanctity of the home, which is the basis of society.
2. Higher and higher taxes; and the spending of public money on bread and circuses.
3. The mad craze for pleasure, with sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal.
4. The building of gigantic armies to fight external enemies, while the deadliest enemy, the decadence of the people, lay within.
5. The decay of religion; faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life, and becoming impotent to guide it.
This should be a sober warning because we are cycling through the same patterns which wrecked the Roman Empire.
Festus sought the council of King Agrippa and laid out the details of the case against Paul. Agrippa was intrigued, so in verse 22 he asked if Paul could be brought before him. Let’s pick up the narrative in verse 23: “So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.”
Agrippa and Bernice found great pleasure in all the pomp because they were narcissistic hedonists. They loved being on display, like many who parade on the red carpet in our culture. As they marched in wearing royal purple robes, they were joined by all the military leaders, along with the rich and famous. The Greek word for “pomp” is the root of our word “fantasy,” meaning all this adulation would soon evaporate.
Amidst this procession of self-centered adulation, Paul the prisoner was brought in wearing a tattered tunic. With his hands chained, he walked slowly but his eyes flashed with power. Incidentally, this was the fulfillment of prophecy given right after Paul’s conversion in Acts 9:15-16: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Here we see Paul before Gentile authorities, a king, and the leaders of Israel. Next weekend, we’ll celebrate how Paul took advantage of this gospel opportunity in Acts 26.
Are you a pleasure seeker? Are you all about pomp and partying? Are you living just for yourself? Be careful because sin is a slippery slope.
God providentially accomplishes His purposes through people.
5. Jesus: the life-changer. While there are countless characters in the storyline of Scripture, the main character is Jesus Christ, the resurrected Lord. He is the main Person, the plot, and the purpose of the Scriptures.
Check out how Festus referred to Jesus in verse 19: “Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.” The word “religion” can refer to superstition or reverence, depending on the context. These leaders believed Christianity was superstitious while those of us who know Christ get to experience a reverent relationship with the resurrected Lord of the universe. The phrase, “a certain Jesus” means, “one specific Jesus.”
This certain Jesus, “was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.” To “assert” means “to promise, declare, and affirm.” The tense indicates Paul kept on asserting and affirming the resurrection repeatedly. This is a convictional truth of Christianity and a personal conviction of Paul since he saw Jesus alive when he was converted on the road to Damascus in Acts 9.
Some time ago I sat down and read through the Book of Acts to see how often the Resurrection was celebrated – 27 times in 28 chapters! I was struck by how central the resurrection is to the gospel message. Here are just two verses from the opening chapters:
Acts 1:3: “After his suffering, He [Jesus] showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive…”
Acts 4:33: “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.”
Wherever Paul went, he told people the certainty of Jesus and the reality of the resurrection. And when he did, he often encountered opposition. Paul summarized the charges leveled against him in Acts 24:21: “Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.”
In Acts 25:20, we read Festus called Caesar by the title “Emperor,” which is literally “Augustus,” which means, “the revered or worshipped one.” He was also “at a loss how to investigate these questions.” To Festus, the resurrection didn’t make sense. He had been taught how to handle an insurrection but didn’t have a clue what to do with a resurrection.
In verse 26, Festus called the emperor, “my lord,” which shows he didn’t understand the resurrection and reign of the one specific Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There is only one Lord. Missionary Hudson Taylor was fond of saying, “Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.”
The Easter message in five weeks will be based on 1 Corinthians 15:14-19 where we read, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain…and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” I hope you make plans to invite someone to one of our four services.
Parents and grandparents, please stop by the table in the south lobby and pick up a free resource called, A Jesus Easter: Explore God’s Amazing Rescue Plan for your family! This 30-day devotional and activity book will help your children celebrate the life-changing events of Easter. This resource is free to families with children 6th grade and under. One book per family.
We’ve been introduced to some characters today. Which one most represents you?
• Festus: the people-pleaser.
• The religious: status-keepers.
• Paul: the gospel-preacher.
• Agrippa and Bernice: the pleasure-seekers.
If you are not yet saved, will you repent and receive the resurrected Jesus Christ and live under His reign? When you do, He will change your life!
God is continuing to write His story through us as we live on mission for His glory. He is looking for people who are surrendered to His Lordship. He longs for us to believe in the resurrection and to live under His reign. As a church, we are committed to gathering with God’s people, growing in our faith, giving what He has given to us, and going with the gospel.
