Sermon for 9/25/2005
Three Snapshots
Introduction:
A. I hate pictures. Crystal loves them. I had a great problem when we made our pictorial directory.
B. What bothers me is that someone takes a camera and says, “Smile.”
C. When I was a child I hated it more than I do now. It has come to backfire on me. I would always make faces, put bunny ears over someone’s head, and generally be a goof. Now when Crystal sees pictures of me when I was a child I am either restrained in some way or in a goofy pose.
D. I love action shots where we get people caught off guard. I love pictures of people where they are natural, as they normally are.
E. Now we have video cameras that can capture it in moving pictures. Crystal and I have one of these. I don’t mind the idea of seeing the happy and joyful moments in moving pictures; after all it is more natural. However, someone has to run the camera and many times it is me. I don’t want to run the camera, I want to be part of the action, live in the moment and not have to worry about capturing it on tape.
F. From our Scriptures this morning, if someone were to take a picture of this audience room, in the front would be three people and everyone else would be behind them. If we had a video camera these three would do all of the talking and we would see that they are the main characters, the movers and shakers.
G. In our Scriptures this morning, we have the Apostle Paul making a defense of himself before the Roman governor Festus and the Jewish king Agrippa. We have here a picture of three very different men.
H. These three represent three classes of men who are still among us today. In spite of all the changes through time, man is basically the same.
Thesis: Let’s look at these three characters and see what we can learn.
For instances:
1. Festus, the Roman Governor.
A. Festus has just come on the scene and he is a typical high class Roman of his day.
B. He was in the good graces of the Emperor Nero and he has become Governor of Syria and Palestine to try to clean up a bad situation.
E. In these Scriptures Festus is dealing with some of predecessor Felix’s bad decisions, mainly the case of Paul. In Acts 21 and 22 Paul goes to Jerusalem and goes into the temple where a mob of Jews are going to tear him apart. The Roman soldiers, fearing a riot, come and arrest Paul and put him in prison. In Acts 24, there is a trial about Paul’s case before the then Governor Felix. Felix finds Paul innocent but keeps him in custody hoping that Paul would offer him a bride to let him go. Paul would not do something like this so Felix kept him in custody for two years. When Felix was recalled to Rome, Felix left Paul in prison as a favor to the Jews.
F. When the now governor Festus comes on the scene in Acts 25, after a few days, he has a trial about Paul’s case, and he again finds Paul’s innocent based on Roman law, but since much of this was based on Jewish law, Festus suggests that Paul stand trial in Jerusalem before the Sanhedrin. Paul is against this and he appeals to Caesar. (Acts 25:12 NIV) After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!"
G. Festus, being a wise politician and being new to the region, asked the advice of King Herod Agrippa on Paul’s case. Festus did not want to send Paul to the Emperor without explaining the charges against Paul. Festus was in a sticky situation. If he released Paul, this would cause the Jews to riot. If he sent Paul to Rome without any Roman charges, he would look bad to the Emperor.
H. King Agrippa wants to investigate this matter so they have a hearing to hear what Paul has to say. Paul addresses his speech to King Agrippa but here in vs. 24 we have Festus interrupting because he can take it no longer.
I. (1 Cor 1:18 NIV) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor 1:23 NIV) but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.
J. This was foolishness to Festus. Festus was a typical Roman in his day. He knew a little bit about his own faith in the gods but even his own faith did not concern him that much. Like many in his day, he regarded all faiths, all religions with contempt, as all equally false, or equally true. All of them unworthy of the time and attention of a great man like Festus.
K. What was important to Festus was to keep in touch with the world, to have the favor of men especially those in places of power like the Emperor. This is what was important to him. As for a Jew talking of showing “light to the Gentiles”, the very idea was ridiculous! What light did the Romans need, they controlled the world and they had all of the light they needed.
L. We have many Festus’ in our society. They are good in their business and know it well. They are responsible in their duties and leave a good name behind them. Festus was a man who was making a difference. If he had not died two years later from natural causes, some say he could have stopped the Jewish/ Roman war. But no faith!
M. All that concerned Festus was the here and now. All that concerned Festus was his job and his money and his status in society. He lived as if he had no soul.
N. The Festus’ of our day care nothing for prayer, or Bible-reading, or communing with God. These things are fine for some folks but not for them! If they ever attend a place of worship, it is only to appear respectable; and too often they never attend except on the occasion of some great public ceremony, or at a wedding, or a funeral.
O. They do not understand faith. Those who are staunch in their faith they do not understand. They look at them as weak fools, not of a strong mind. If they are brought to task about their faith, they brush all remarks aside with some satirical remark. They think such people are crazy! They have spent too much time thinking about things that really don’t matter and it is dangerous! People rising from the dead, what a crazy thought!
P. These are kind people, moral people, good natured people, easy to get along with, unless ones gets on the subject of religion? They desire to be independent and think for themselves. Don’t bore them with the things of faith.
Q. On Sundays or special days like Christmas he visits friends or goes on a journey or goes to the movies or something else besides going to some religious observance.
R. What do we do with people like Festus? Are they beyond hope? No, when sickness and disappointments, deaths of loved ones, come upon them they can turn to God and begin to seek. With Christ nothing is impossible. Keep praying for them. Keep them in your company. One day they might come out of the darkness and into the light!
2. King Agrippa
A. This King Agrippa was a Herod. Really he was King Herod Agrippa II.
1. His great grandfather, Herod the Great, ruled all of Palestine. He was the Herod who killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem.
2. His great uncle, King Herod Antipas, ruled in Galilee. He beheaded John the Baptist. This same uncle was the Herod that was in Jerusalem on the Passover when Jesus was crucified. He interviewed Jesus before sending him back to Pilate.
3. His father, King Herod Agrippa I, is found in Acts 12. He ruled all of Palestine. He was the one who had James the Apostle executed. He was the one who put Peter into prison. After Peter escaped, he was the one who was eaten by worms because he did not give the glory to God.
B. Compared to the rest of his well known family, this Herod was a good one. He ruled over Galilee from AD 52 to AD 70. He tried to be a peacemaker between the Romans and the Jews. He knew a great deal about the Jews, about their opinions, their religion, and about what had been going on during the last half century in Palestine. He was faithful as a Jew in worshipping at the Temple. He spent time and money in repairs on the Temple in Jerusalem even though he didn’t rule there, the Roman governors did. He was so well favored by the Romans that many times the Romans would go to this King and this King would talk to the Chief Priests for the Romans. King Agrippa was authorized to remove Annas from being High Priest and this King was given authority to appoint a new one.
D. In our Scriptures here, Paul is backing Agrippa into a trap. Agrippa was familiar with what Paul was talking about. He and his family had dealings with Christ and with Christians for many years. It was also known that Agrippa was a faithful Jew. If Agrippa says, No, I don’t believe the prophets, and then he has problems with his friends in Jerusalem. If Agrippa says, “Yes, I believe the prophets,” then Paul is going to bring up Scriptures from the Prophets that clearly speak about Jesus Christ. Agrippa doesn’t want to get involved in any of this so he gives this answer in vs. 28.
E. The King James and New King James give his answer as if he is seriously considering it. However, here in the NIV and NASB, it is a sarcastic answer. It is difficult to translate what his answer was, but considering that he didn’t want to hear anymore (He rose and left in vs. 30), it probably was sarcastic.
F. Agrippa didn’t want to hear anymore because he knew just enough. You and I met people all of the time who say that they went to church when they were young and they learned this and that and now they don’t want to have any part of it. They know bits and pieces and that is all they want to know. Agrippa was this way with Christianity.
I. Agrippa did not like the gospel because it places everybody on the same level. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Agrippa was a king and he refused to mingle with the common people. But this is what the gospel does. The ground is level at Calvary. Everyone sins and everyone comes in the same way. Everyone comes into the church and worships with the rich, poor, slave, free. Everyone. No class distinctions.
J. Agrippa also did not like the Christian message because they are saved by faith and not by works. Agrippa was one who liked his works. He flaunted his works to advance his political standing.
H. Agrippa also was a proud man who did not want to submit to Christ’s authority. Agrippa was the authority and he could not submit to a humble carpenter from Nazareth. That was beneath him. He was a King and would never stoop so low as to surrender to a poor prophet.
K. Notice that Agrippa is more than willing to listen to Paul preach but when Paul starts to get personal; Agrippa gets up and leaves the room. Preach about those head hunters in Africa. Preach about those Chinese communists. You’ve gone from preaching to meddling.
L. Agrippa knows a great deal about religion. He knows a great deal even about the Christian faith. He is able to converse about these things all day. However, when things get personal and he is asked about his faith that is when he gets up and leaves the room. We have many like this in our society.
3. Paul, the Apostle
A. Paul was a man of strong faith. He threw away all doubts and hesitations. (2 Tim 1:12 NIV) Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
B. Paul was convinced of the truth of the facts of Christianity.
C. Paul was convinced of the truth of the doctrines of Christ.
D. Paul was convinced that he himself had been changed by the power of Christ.
E. Paul was convinced of the reality of a world to come. He was not concerned about this life but the life to come. He had no doubt or fear about the future state of his soul.
F. Festus’ and Agrippa’s are everywhere; they meet us at every turn. There are few like the Apostle Paul. But one thing is certain. These few are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world.
H. Strong faith gives inward peace, which makes us independent of earthly troubles, and compels our enemies to wonder.
So what?
A. Agrippa listens to Paul; Festus listens. And what comes of it? They agree that Paul is still innocent. But what are they saying when they get outside of room? It was a good sermon. It was a terrible sermon and that is all.
B. Agrippa and Festus were so close to the light. They were called to a personal decision.
C. I pray that our answer will not be, Almost. Paul, Davon, whoever, you almost …
D. Let us sing our invitation hymn, Almost Persuaded.
