Happy Friday,
Read Acts 24
Today’s passage gives us Paul before the Roman governor Felix and his defense against the accusations leveled by the high priest.
Paul is charged with being a pestilent agitator throughout the world, ringleader of the Nazarenes. The high priest, Ananias, is trying to have Paul be seen as someone who is a threat to Roman way of life, order and peace.
Paul hears the charge and cheerfully responds that this is not an accurate representation of who he is, and that in fact, he is still quite a good Jew believing everything laid down in the law and prophets. In other words, Paul is not a threat because Jewish belief and practice was allowed in the Roman empire.
Paul then makes it clear that the charges keep changing, and in fact the Jews from Asia who had the original grievance against him aren’t even around to make the accusation. Felix is apparently familiar with Christianity, the Way, and decides he will keep Paul around to talk with about it, and to also hopefully get some sort of bribe out of him so he make some money and justify letting him go. And yet, two years pass and Paul is still under watch in Caesarea among the Roman officials of the province.
Do you notice the importance of resurrection in this passage? All through Acts the main preaching point of the apostles and disciples has been God raising Jesus from the dead. The hope that they profess, and live out and into is rooted most certainly in the resurrection. Here Paul names that he has a hope that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous (24.15). He also names that the whole reason he is before Felix is because of the resurrection of the dead (24.21).
For the early church, and hopefully for the church in any age, the resurrection is our primary focus. It roots us in hope, it grounds us in a kingdom of God reality, and encourages us to live in boldness. Often in our more evangelistic circles we get stuck focusing on the crucifixion and how the death of Jesus saves us. All good! But, we miss the importance of the resurrection and the new life it provides each day for us as followers of Jesus empowering us to live as people who are victorious over sin and death. Resurrection—new life, this was the main hope of the early church and of Paul.
Which side of the crucifixion, resurrection coin do you find yourself focusing on more often? Today as you pray and reflect think about the importance of resurrection in your life. How does it provide you with hope? Where do you see new life and resurrection hope springing up around you?
Grace and Peace,
Matt