Questioner 2 has the microphone. As we turn to chapters 25 and 26, we must realise that from chapter 22 to 26, as we look at the narrative of Paul's arrest and his imprisonment and trials, there is inevitably a lot of repetition. There will be times when we get the feeling of déjà vu, that we've been there before, that we've heard things before, that situations seem very similar. Themes concerning Paul recur time and again of Paul's suffering, of Paul's patience, of Paul's courage in witnessing for Christ even before those in authority. We see the themes recurring of the opposition of authorities and their dues to the gospel and indeed Paul himself. the theme of injustice and political expediency and self-centered actions. We see also in these chapters the recurring themes, truths of Christ and of hope and of resurrection, of judgment, etc. And indeed, even in these few chapters, the testimony of Paul's conversion and commission is brought to us a couple of times. We might ask, well, why this repetition? Obviously, God has brought his word to us and he's organised it as it is. Why this repetition? Well, we might realise a number of different reasons. First of all, it will show the importance of these things. they're very very important for us. Paul's mission was important, the gospel is important and suffering for Christ is an important theme of the Word of God and perseverance under trial is something necessary for us. But also we must see in this passage that there are different reactions recorded for us concerning the message of the gospel. And that's something which comes through. Chapter 22, for example, we have the rejection of the gospel and of Paul with great violence by the Jewish mob. In chapter 23 we have the outcry of the Sanhedrin over the resurrection, the division that came right between them and the violence that then was brought towards Paul. We saw in chapter 24 the procrastination of Felix. He put off responding to the gospel to another day, another day, another day. And then we come to chapters 25 and 26. and we have the reactions of Festus and Agrippa brought before us. So there are different reactions to the Gospel as we go through chapters 22 to 26. Now just as an aside before we get to grips with chapters 25 and 26, it must have been so difficult for the Apostle Paul at this stage in his ministry. We've gone through the book of Acts, we've seen people converted time and time again, individuals converted, a number of people converted, churches built and it's been fantastic to see the way that the Apostle Paul was used by God. But here in this stage of his ministry There isn't a wholesale acceptance of the gospel. There is very little fruit for his witness. Indeed, there is suffering, difficulty and rejection. And yet Paul, in this situation, perseveres in making Christ known. He doesn't give up, doesn't throw in the towel and say, well, stuff it, I can't be bothered anymore, no, but he's listening. No, he keeps on going, serving the Lord and making Jesus known. And of course we might know that as a church or as individuals. There might be seasons when there is little or no response to the gospel. There might be times when there is opposition against us. But through such times we need to keep faithful in proclaiming this good news for the glory of our Saviour Jesus Christ. But this morning I want us to focus on the reaction of Festus to the gospel. Festus took over as governor of Judea in approximately AD 59, replacing Felix who we thought of last week. Felix had been recorned by Emperor Nero following his poor actions and raw but Festus seems to be of a different order to Felix. Festus displays a more integrity and a desire to rule rightly, particularly according to the law of Rome. As he came to Judea, he began his rule by seeking to get to know the Jewish council. So he made his way from Caesarea, the seat of his power, to Jerusalem. So in verses 1 to 2 we read now, when festers had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul and they petitioned him. So he came to get to know the Jewish council, to see what was going on and to establish his rule in their midst. Now the Jewish council took the opportunity to try and bend Festus to their will by getting him to bring Paul to Jerusalem. Of course the whole plan was similar to what we've seen before. Bring him to Jerusalem and on the quiet we're going to bump him off. Ambush him on the way. Now they wouldn't have told Festus that but that was their plan. But Festus wanted to assert his power. He didn't want to come and be at the back and call of the Jewish council, so he said to them, look, you come to Caesarea. I'm the ruler, you come where I am, where my throne is, and you come and present your accusations in that situation. I'm in charge here. So he's establishing that right at the outset. But in his dealings with Paul, we read in this chapter that he sought to do things by the Roman book. When Paul asked to be sent to Caesar, to appeal to Caesar in verse 11, Hephaestus, we read, when he conferred with the council, answered, you have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go. He did things by the book. He conferred with others. Yeah, this was right. You can go to Caesar. But like many in his position, he acted also out of political expediency. He wanted to ingratiate himself to the Jews and so he behaved in a manner which promoted his own political ends. So when the Jewish Council came to Caesarea and they presented their case before Paul and Festus and Paul replied, then Festus bent a bit to the Jewish Council and said in verse 9 to Paul, are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things? He's given an opportunity then to please the Jewish council. Okay, if Paul's willing then I'm willing for him to go to Jerusalem and be tried there. So is a man of In many ways, integrity, doing what's right, but he couldn't help himself, like many of the politicians, to do that which promoted his own ends. But what is notable here in chapters 25 and 26 is how Festus reacted to Christ and messenger of his gospel. And that's what I want us to spend the rest of our time doing. How did he react to Christ? I want us to first of all see that he just gave a cursory look at Christ. A cursory look at Christ. Obviously what we have before us in this chapter is a summary of proceedings. In verses 7 and 8 it is a very concise summary of the charges given by the Sanhedrin in the defence of Paul. So we read, when he had come down, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul which they could not prove. While he answered for himself, neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended you in anything at all. But then as Festus comes and meets with Agrippa and describes the situation to the king of the region, he just expands it slightly. And so in verses 18 to 20, Festus says, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but asked him questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died and who Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. Now this is just a summary and we must think through this and consider that probably what Paul said here before Festus was similar to what he said before Felix. And there, before Felix, we saw that he spoke of the worship of the one true God, he spoke of the truth of the scriptures, he spoke of hoping God, he spoke of the resurrection, and we can guess in all this, the Lord Jesus Christ is central. So, in this trial before Festus, again, the Gospel of Christ would have been clearly taught. Jesus Christ was clearly made known concerning his death and his resurrection. But presented with this gospel, presented with the truth of who Jesus is, Festus practically dismisses the person of Christ. Verse 19, a certain Jesus who died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive, but he wasn't right bothered about it, was he? Just a bit of information. There you are, Ripper, that's what he talked about, but He doesn't seem bothered to investigate the matter more. He doesn't seem bothered to get to know who Jesus is. All he cares about is giving an accurate report to Caesar about the matter. That's all he's worried about. He just wants to bring the charges related to Paul to Caesar. He couldn't care less about the gospel and about Jesus. He's so different to Felix, isn't he? I mean give Felix his due at least having heard the gospel and having a more accurate knowledge of the way we read in verse 24 of chapter 24 that after some days when Felix came with his wife Drusilla who was Jewish he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ at least he took opportunity gave effort to hear more of the gospel but not so fastus he was just satisfied with a superficial view of Jesus he wasn't interested in hearing more just a cursory look would do and sadly Hephaestus reflects the attitude of many today just happy with a little view of Jesus and nothing more. I wonder if that's you this morning Are you just satisfied with just some little view of Jesus? And you can't be bothered to seek to know more. We need to be clear that we have much information about who the Lord Jesus Christ is. There is so much that we can learn of him. Ultimately and wonderfully we have been given the completed Word of God, the Bible. This is His truth and this is the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ to us. From cover to cover it speaks of the Saviour of the world. So through the Old Testament we have Jesus pointed to by types and shadows, through the system of sacrifice, through men of God, through Psalms and prophecies, so that Jesus himself was able to show two confused and downcast disciples after his resurrection the things of himself from the Old Testament. These two folk are walking on the road to Emmaus, they were struggling with the death of Jesus and they'd heard reports that he'd risen from the dead but they just couldn't work it out. And then Jesus drew alongside and he said to them, O foolish ones of slow heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." So, all the Old Testament, it speaks of Jesus. In the New Testament, we have the Gospels given to us by God, written by four different authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, like the rest of the Scriptures. Though of course they are not a biography of his life as such, yet they bring us much material to show us the wonder of his person, his character, and his work. And so John writes towards the end of his gospel. Jesus did many other things, signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. and then of course we've got the rest of the New Testament which explains in even more detail what the work of Jesus is telling us the wonderful truths of what he's accomplished through his finished work and causing us to look forward to his coming again so that in the last book of the Bible in Revelation We read concerning Jesus that he is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, even they who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so, amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. It speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we have the Word of God and there are many, many opportunities to learn of Jesus through this Word. We have the witness of churches up and down our land and throughout the world. There are individual Christians who are seeking to make Jesus Christ known. There is the preaching of the Gospel. There is literature that is given out. Many resources and courses that people can go on to learn of Jesus Christ. Yet many, and is it you? Are you one of the many? who are just happy to have a cursory view of him. We see that this is true in terms of our evangelism here. There are times when we knock on the doors, when we have a mission, when we speak to family, we speak of Jesus and the face goes blank. And it's clear They don't really want to hear any more. They are not bothered about Jesus. Speak of him and the next piece of the conversation, they want to come along as quick as possible and turn the thinking and the way things are going to something else. People are just satisfied with the cursory look. We see others who have some knowledge of Jesus, whether it be at school or whether it be from Christmas story or the Easter story, and that would do. We don't need to see any more. In fact, it's too much effort to really get to know Him. And to those of us who are believers, to whom Christ is precious, it's so sad, isn't it? The people think so little of our Lord, the King of glory, the Saviour of the world, and just give Him a cursory look. but is it the case in your life that you have only given Jesus a cursory look so far? my friends don't be satisfied with that Find out who Jesus really is. Find out about his life, his death, his resurrection and the salvation that he brings. Read the Bible. You know a previous pastor here, Ray Gregory, many of you will know, he read John's Gospel and in his words he fell in love with Jesus. He really got to know him through reading John's Gospel. Take literature, speak to Christians, listen to preaching, go on the Christianity Explore, whatever, whatever you do, don't be satisfied with a cursory look. Keep on seeking, keep on desiring to know more and more and more of Jesus. Of course that goes for not only unbelievers, but believers too. Sure we all should want to know more of Him. Let us not be satisfied with just a little look at Him, but let us seek Him all the more. So Festus, as he was faced with the Gospel, he just had a cursory look at Christ. But secondly, as he was presented with the Gospel, he had an incredulous look at Paul. having seen that he needed more information to send to Caesar and having had King Agrippa II come and visit him, he decided to take the opportunity to get Paul to share with an august gathering what the issue at heart was. And we read of that account in chapter 26. And having permitted Paul to answer for himself, at the end of Paul's discourse, Festus reacts with intradulity. He just couldn't believe what he was hearing. And so he said in verses 24 to 25, Paul, you are beside yourself. Much learning is driving you mad. You're mad Paul. I can't believe that a man of such education could say such things a man who could speak Greek so well could believe such things that a man like you could have such an all-consuming zeal for this Jesus I can't believe it you must be mad What exactly was it that was beyond belief for Festus? Of course, we don't know exactly what was in Festus' mind, but it was perhaps a mention of the following, mention of resurrection. Then in verses eight and nine of chapter 26, Paul's speaking, he said, why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Why do you think it's incredible that God raises the dead? There's a resurrection Paul is preaching and probably Festus was one of those who thought it was incredible that God would raise the dead and of course later on Paul would affirm that Jesus is alive, that Jesus has risen and Festus and his mind know this is madness, this is foolish teaching. What are you saying? God raises the dead? Jesus has risen from the dead? You can't believe it. Then Paul was to go on in chapter 26 and verses 12 to 15 to describe that this Jesus had appeared to him. And so we read, while thus occupied as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O King, along the road I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun shining around me, and those who journeyed with me And when we all have fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to kick against the goats. So I said, who are you, Lord? And he said, I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Paul, what are you doing? You're speaking about this one who'd been crucified by us Romans 30 years earlier. I know all about that. But he's appeared to you. How bright light! This one has risen from the dead and actually met you on the road to Damascus? Paul you're out of your mind! What are you saying? How on earth can you believe this? You are beside yourself. And of course Paul was to say that this Jesus, a Jew by natural birth, was telling Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews, to take the message of the gospel to Gentiles. So in verses 16 to 18 we read, The words of Jesus, he says, but rise and stand on your feet for I have appeared to you for this purpose to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you've seen and the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among those who've been sanctified by faith in me. Paul, what are you saying? That you are to take, a Jew are to take this message to Gentiles? Don't you Jews hate us Gentiles? Don't you despise us Gentiles? Don't you think us Gentiles to be unclean? Hephaestus knew what these people were like. He must have been warned about the Jews and how they thought of the Romans. So to him, it gets worse that a Jew would take this message to Gentiles. Well, what planet are you on, Paul? what planet are you on? but then Paul actually affirms that he actually did it okay, he believed in resurrection, he believed that Jesus had appeared to him take this message to the Gentiles and he says I actually did it so verses 19 to 23 Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those who in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent, turn to God and do works befitting for repentance. For these reasons, the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. therefore having obtained help from God to this day I stand witnessing to both small and to great saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come that Christ would suffer that he would first be the first to rise from the dead and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles Paul says I did it And we can imagine Festus saying, what? You actually did it? It's one thing to be taught to do something, perhaps in your imagination to say that you ought to do something, but it's another thing to do it. And even another thing to do it in the midst of suffering and opposition. And yet, Paul gave up everything for the sake of making Jesus known. To Festus, surely, Paul must have been a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Nothing less. You must be mad. He was incredulous. He couldn't believe his ears. Paul had lost it. But isn't that exactly how some in our society view us as Christians? We're mad. We're beside ourselves. We're foolish. We're stupid. Crazy because of what we believe. And we could relate some of these to our own society, but there are other things, aren't there? People just think, whoa, what are you doing? What do you want? The person of Jesus is God. You tell someone that, and as such, he is the saviour of the world. And they look you in the eye, or probably try and turn their eyes away from your eyes and think, where have they got that from? many can cope with Jesus just being a man that's fine, he was a pretty good guy I suppose some of the things that he said, yeah not so bad I could follow those some snappy little things that he said I can cope with him being a baby at Christmas cute and cuddly stuck in a manger with hay yeah that's fine I can just about cope with him on the cross, it's some big injustice really, a good man like that, treated in that way, but I can understand that. But to say he's God, well that's of a different order. Hang on, no, you're way off there. I cannot cope with that. But though many might give us a weird look by saying that Jesus is God, and it doesn't alter the truth, that He is. For in John's Gospel we are reminded, aren't we, that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God and all things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made. He's God. But people will think we're mad by believing and teaching that. People also think we're mad because we say that there is only one way to God. We live in a very pluralistic, intolerant age. And you must be off your rocker to say that there is only one way. That society says surely all roads lead to God. Everyone is welcome to his own view. You can't beat your magic. You can't be sure, can you? You're mad to say so. The truth is that Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. Must be ready to stick our neck out and thought us stupid. saying that there is only one way. And perhaps the corker that really gets people going today is to say that God created the universe in six days. Well then you're totally gone aren't you? If you say that to believe that you're way off the loopy scale, you've left your brain at home and it's gone through the mincer, you've lost the plot. Our TV and radio programs, what do they do? They sneer and anyone who dares to think that can hear the laughter the mockery at school, at college, university, in the workplace you say that God created the heavens and the earth in six days you're going to be laughed out of court how on earth can you say that? Although people may mock, they may laugh, it's true that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Full stop. Let them laugh, let them mock. This is the truth. But also some Christians are viewed as mad in terms of their zeal for Christ. Ever had the question on the doors or in the mission, why are you doing this? You know when we open up the doors at the war weekend and people come in, free tea and coffee. Huh? Why are you doing this? I want to share the love of Christ. Oh dear, they can't quite cross that one. As it is a bit big, you've been nice and good, but to say, well, you're doing it for the sake of Christ, well, you must have a bit of a screw loose. People really struggle to understand that, don't they? Do we really want people to know Jesus? It's unbelievable. You see the coals going round. You must be mad. You might see it in terms of ministry. There are many pastors and missionaries that have had this. Thought mad by friends and family and their work colleagues. Going into ministry, what are you doing? You know, me, a number of years ago, going into ministry. What are you doing? Giving up that education that you had. Giving up that training as an accountant. Having that great career and you've just thrown it away, all that money, everything. What are you doing? You're stupid. Maybe in your work at that moment you're committed to the kids work, you're committed to do things in the church and to other people they have a nice relaxing evening and they think, what are you doing? Giving up all this time, wasting your time as they see it to tell people about Jesus. What do you want? People just can't grasp it. And you can easily be viewed as mad. I think it's true, isn't it, that people can cope with people being Christian but to be a committed one who knows what they believe and is seeking to live out their Christian life in a zealous life, that's different. You've got to be mad then. I guess it's an easy way, isn't it, for an unbeliever to deal with the issue, maybe it's you actually, an easy way to dismiss Christians and their message by saying that they must be mad because then you haven't got to think you can just be satisfied with the cursory look of Christ because well they're mad anyway so why bother? that's it, that's the end game, that's finished is that what you're doing? You think all this teaching, all the zeal of Christians is totally mad? It's foolish? Are you hiding behind this beyond reach of the gospel challenge by ascribing foolishness to the messengers? The solemn truth is that eternity will reveal who was mad and who wasn't. Eternity will reveal who was right and who was wrong? Eternity will reveal who was saved and who was not who was blessed and who wasn't and ask yourself the question can you be sure that the Christian is crazy? Can you be sure of that? What evidence is there to prove it? Or has the madness of sin and unbelief clouded your mind? Don't be like Festus, who thought Paul was mad because of his zeal and his belief. But as we come to conclusion, I just want to deal with more matter, particularly for Christians, in the line of what we're thinking. for actually this thinking of madness can creep into Christian circles where people with zeal, devotion and commitment to the Lord are thought of as strange, odd and eccentric even mad see it can creep into Christian circles that the norm of the Christian life is just to live the Christian life very quietly, maybe do a little bit here and there that fits comfortably with the lifestyle, but don't be too zealous. Don't be too zealous. But what is the truth? What does the Lord Jesus Christ call us to and declare is the norm, the biblical norm for the Christian life? with a biblical norm, is to live a zealous life for Christ. A life of sacrifice in following Him. A life of commitment to His Word and to His will, leaving all to follow Him. That is the norm. As Jesus said in Luke chapter 9, He said, if anyone desires to come after me, Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. That's the norm. To take up his cross, to deny himself and to follow him. Let us each, Christian, examine our own hearts and lives and consider how zealous we are for the Lord. Think long and hard because it's the norm and it must be the norm in our lives to give ourselves to the worship of God, to the service of God and to witness for the glory of Christ. Amen.