Acts 25 & Acts 26:1-14

Please read Acts 25 and Acts 26:1-14

Paul is spending this long ordeal in house arrest. Not fun but much better than being in a dungeon! As he is waiting for God's next part of the plan, we know from Chapter 24 that he is using the time wisely, testifying to Felix and the court. Now, as we go into Ch. 25, Felix has been recalled to Rome. Apparently, the imprisonment of Paul did not calm the situation down enough...he has to answer for the further riots and fights between the Jews and the Syrians. I do not think I would want to be Felix in front of Caesar.

Enter Festus, and man that other historians say is more wise than his predecessor in his few short years in office. Festus is making a tour of his territory and meets with the Temple leaders as part of the tour. They decide that it is a good time to take advantage of the situation: a man in office for only three days can surely not understand the whole picture, so they ask for Paul to be sent to Jerusalem for trial. This is to put in place exactly the same situation as we saw in Chapter 23. The plan was to ambush Paul on the way and get rid of this thorn once and for all.

Festus (did we mention that he was wise?) decides immediately to ask them to send representatives to him in Caesarea for a trial, so two weeks after he takes office the trial is held. Again, unproven charges are brought against Paul but no evidence. Paul simply answers with a statement: I have done nothing wrong against the Jews, the Temple or against Caesar. So Festus asks, "Will you go to Jerusalem to stand trial?" Paul sees the trap that Festus does not and merely points out his standing as a Roman citizen. He appeals to Caesar...

Wow. This is a big move in those days. A Roman citizen has rights, as we have discussed but this was a huge step with many repercussions. Imagine appealing to the Supreme Court but that the appeal went to a single man (or his appointed judge). There perspective would not be "what is truth?" but would more likely be "what is good for the empire?" Dangerous thing, this appeal. If you are wrong, you are likely dead. If you are right, you may still be dead if it gives an advantage to the empire.

So why would Paul do this? Remember that he was told in Acts 23 that he was going to Rome. In my opinion, God had a plan for this and Paul merely listened to the spirit. He knew it was likely to be his downfall but he knew that he was in God's hands...and had been for many years. Festus prepares to send him to Rome.

As we are awaiting Paul's departure, King Agrippa arrives. Agrippa is the latest in a long line of Kings over the land. This can be confusing but follow it a bit here. The King is the ruler under the Governor, who is under Caesar. That is a rough idea of the form of government. Agrippa is in the line of the Herods we read about in the Gospels. Remember, Jesus was almost killed at birth by Herod I and later during his final days met with Herod Antipas (who had also beheaded John the Baptist). In some ways, these Kings had become more like Mayors than anything else and were in some ways only figureheads.

Festus discusses the Paul situation with him and tells him how he cannot find any charges to send to Rome. This is a real problem: if you were Caesar and some yahoo from a podunk land sends you a prisoner to judge with no charges, would you keep him in office there? I think not. Thus, we see Festus' problem. Luckily, Agrippa agrees to listen as well.

As we start Chapter 26, Paul gets his chance to speak and what does he do? He tells his testimony...sensing a theme here? Paul NEVER misses an opportunity. But Paul's testimony IS different here. In Acts 13, Paul tells the story of the Jewish people in his testimony. In Acts 22, Paul gives his bonifides on being a "Jew's Jew"" and his study. Here Paul lays out a little of that but only to touch on his reason for being persecuted: He believes in life after death. But here Paul goes in a different direction. These ears are not Jewish. The same testimony is not effective for them. And Paul is trying to get them to open up their ears. Not to save his skin...no, it is to save their souls! We could learn a lot from Paul here. Maybe when we are telling our story to non-believers, we need to connect with their lives. Not a pat story (although we often struggle just getting though one story!) but one that they can relate to. Not deceiving or lying but just leaving out the details that would not connect and adding in those that would. Just maybe, we need to listen to the spirit more during those times. Just a thought...

In verse 14 we hear a new detail... "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." WHAT? I never read that in his other testimonies. And, what is the world is a goad? In modern vernacular (OK, maybe a little dated but still used), a goad is what someone does to incite someone to do something. It is often negative, like peer pressure, to force someone to do something they would not normally do. In these days, a goad was a device used on the front of a wagon, or placed behind a oxen, that had a series of spikes on it. It forced the animal to move forward only. It could not back up, it would hit the sharp spikes. It could not abruptly stop, the goads would hit it when the cart rolled up on the animal. Thus, the oxen went where they were led. If an animal got mad, it would kick back against it, only causing more pain...

So, what did this mean to Paul? Why would Jesus use this term with him? Well, it all has to do with Grace. You see, God was calling, prompting, seeking Saul well before the road to Damascus. Saul had to hear it, even as he sought and killed those believers in the Way. John Wesley explained it best. He said that God's grace presented itself in three forms: Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace and Sanctifying Grace. Not that there is not one Grace, only that our limited brains can only understand Grace in such a way. So what are these big, fancy theological terms:

Prevenient Grace: This is Grace that precedes our understanding and our relationship with Christ. You see, God is seeking to find us, even you dear reader, before we "find Him" God sets the stage and draws us to Him. We still can refuse but He still calls. This is Grace that leads only to Him. Prevenient Grace follows us though our lives.

Justifying Grace: When we find and accept God, this is the forgiving Grace. This grace is the new life that is found in Christ. We are forgiven and made new. It is the culmination of the Prevenient Grace. In this moment of Grace, we freely choose to let God cleanse us. It is only by this Grace that we may stand in the presence of a Holy and Righteous God. It is only through our repentance and acceptance of our Lord and Savior that grace can free us. Justifying Grace is instantaneous. We come, He makes new.

Santifying Grace: This is the grace that actively works in our life to produce holiness. This grace is the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us so that our lives are fruitful. It is both instantaneous and a process. We are driven to build a deeper relationship with Christ through this grace. It is not about us becoming perfect; it is about God working in us to move us closer to it. His power alone...and our accepting of it.

These graces are not a once and done thing. We are all moving through all of these steps. I have seen God set the stages for me to come to Him, I have accepted Him as my savior and I have been made new and I am being actively worked on to go deeper with Him...but He is still working behind the scenes to set the stage for what is next in my life. I am still in need of repentance for new things and still need to accept his Lordship over my life... And He will continue to make me holy...because I can't do it. You see...it really is one grace...it is just hard for us to get our little brains around the concepts. This was Wesley's attempt to help us understand and it has been accepted by many denominations, not just Methodists. It may be tweaked here and there but the core is the same...

Saul was being called before, prepared for his future through his study and other events in his life. This is Prevenient Grace. He found Christ and was reborn as Paul (Justifying Grace). He spent the rest of his days watching the spirit move in and through him. That, dear reader, is Santification. What does this mean for each of us. If a killer and persecutor like Paul is not beyond God's Grace, then how can we be? Nothing we have done or will do will take us beyond God's mercy and grace. Nothing. We just need to accept it and let Him heal us. Cleansed by the blood of Jesus....

Today should be the day. If you have not accepted the love of God, talk to Him to day. Don't kick against your own goads. Come, repent and accept. The words are not important...only the heart seeking Him the way He is seeking you. Let Him show His love to you today.

God is good...

D