LISTEN
WATCH
Main Idea
Christ is both a stumbling block and the power of God.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—The search for the holy grail leads Indiana to a room full of grails guarded by an ancient knight. He can only choose one. Dozens of fake grails are stunningly beautiful, made of gold and silver, and some adorned with jewels, all surrounding the one ordinary cup of a carpenter that was the real deal. Even though this was a secular movie, Christ was at the center of that room in the form of a humble carpenter’s cup.
Believe it or not, today’s passage resembles this scene.
Passage
Acts 25:13–27 ESV
Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 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. Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
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. And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, 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. But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
Two dynamics at play
1. Two Roman Leaders are discussing what to do with Paul, which serves to prime the pump for the gospel.
2. Two drastically different social classes are juxtaposed. You have the rich & elite with the poor & imprisoned, which gives a powerful message to us today.
I – The Arrival of the King
The lineage of the Herods. Herod the Great wanted baby Jesus found and killed. Herod Antipas wanted to hear from Jesus after Pilate’s trial. Herod Agrippa I had James (John’s brother) killed and tried to have Peter killed. Now, we have…
King Herod Agrippa II – Called Marcus Julius Agrippa. Great grandson of Herod the Great (self-proclaimed king of the Jews), Son of Herod Agrippa I from Acts 12. Emperor Claudius put Agrippa in charge of the temple, including the ability to appoint the High Priest. He is part Jewish and deeply understands Jewish religion and culture. Nero also trusted Agrippa II by expanding his domain, so he carried a high level of clout wherever he went. His sister, Drusilla, was married to Felix, the previous failed governor.
Bernice – This is Agrippa’s sister. Bernice has an interesting story. She was initially married to her uncle, was the mistress to at least two emperors (Vespasian and Titus), and was a current hot gossip in the Roman world for having an incestuous relationship with Agrippa because she lived in the palace with him was frequently presented as the queen at his side.
Purpose for travel – Arrive to greet and welcome Festus to the region and the new role.
II – Private Recap
Festus Explains the Situation vv.14-15
• Felix left behind a prisoner.
• I immediately met with the Chief Priests and Elders in Jerusalem.
• The Jewish leadership presented their case and called for his execution. This is serious!
Festus Explains His Reaction vv.16-17
• I stood on Roman law – due process, He must be able to face his accusers.
• I didn’t waste any time but opened the cold case the day after returning to Caesarea.
Festus Explains the Trial vv.18-21
• I anticipated terrible accusations. There were none.
• Their accusations were about Jewish matters
• Their core complaint was about a man named Jesus who was killed, yet Paul claims has been resurrected.
• The case had been appealed to the emperor: Σεβαστοῦ, Sebastou in Greek, meaning “revered one or his majesty.” The revered term would continue to progress toward the deification of the emperor, especially since the term is the Latin equivalent of Augustus, which means “worthy of being worshiped,” and a title that an emperor would use. What’s important to notice here is that Festus had to report to his revered majestic head, ruler, and lord, just as Paul had to report to his majestic head, ruler, and Lord.
Agrippa is intrigued v.22
• Agrippa was knowledgeable about Jewish law and culture, so he was intrigued and wanted to hear the case for himself.
• He had no authority to judge the case, but his knowledge would be helpful to Festus as he decided what to write concerning this perplexing case.
• Like Herod Antipas with Jesus, Herod Agrippa II wants to see and hear about this strange man.
Christ is at the center of it all. This was not lost on Paul. He knew what effect the gospel would have on certain people. He had already explained as much to the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 1:22–24
“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
Jews have been stumbling over Christ all over the Roman Empire, especially in Jerusalem. He is folly to the Romans. They don’t know what to do with it. Their own mythologies allow for noble and noteworthy humans to obtain deity status (Hercules & Romulus, even Caesar), but not one who died a criminal’s death. Not someone crucified on a Roman cross. There is nothing noble or worthy of exaltation in such a death in their eyes. That is absolute foolishness!
And yet, for Paul and us, that message is God’s very power and wisdom.
So, we have two powerful Roman leaders (and four in total) who are utterly vexed about what to do, and this confusion primes the pump for the gospel that Paul will proclaim in the next chapter.
III – The Fantastical Procession Assembles
1. Festus the Governor
2. King Agrippa II
3. Bernice
4. Military Tribunes (5 of them)
5. Prominent men of the city
Great pomp – phantasia (φαντασία) – fantastical, ostentatious luxury, show of magnificence. Clearly, Agrippa II didn’t fall too far from the tree!
They filled the hall with an outward appearance of splendor, like a room full of golden goblets adorned with fake jewels. They were fantastical to look at, yet none of them were the real deal.
We are supposed to take notice of this dichotomy… this juxtaposition of an outward display of glory with inward filth and an outwardly filthy prisoner who was inwardly glorious and brilliant with the light of Christ. Do you see it? There aren’t many places in scripture where such a contrast is presented.
Why do you think scripture makes such a big deal about minimizing our outward appearances, whether that be the way we present ourselves in social situations (like the many condemnations given to the Pharisees or the rugged handsomeness of Israel’s first King) or the way women tried to gain attention with all their bling and fancy hairstyles. Scripture’s exhortation has always been the cultivation of the inward life. God doesn’t look to the external; he looks inwardly at the heart.
You can be appalling by worldly standards and yet shine with beauty and splendor that is far above anyone at that procession because you radiate the light of Christ from the inside out.
Which would you rather be?
Before our very eyes is a portrait of two worlds: one with a broken foundation adorned with artificial elegance and the other built on an eternal rock; outwardly ordinary but inwardly… beaming with supernatural light.
IV – The Public Recap
Festus Addresses Agrippa vv.24-26a
This was an even more summarized version than the private summary.
Three Key statements were made:
a. All of the Jewish people wanted Paul dead.
b. Festus finds no fault in Paul.
c. I can’t even find a single sentence to write to Nero.
Festus asks for Agrippa’s help vv.26b-27
Festus makes this request in front of everyone!
He hopes that Agrippa will hear something noteworthy from Paul.
He realizes he can’t go to Nero empty-handed. That would be career suicide.
Imagine going into the office of the president of your organization after he summons you to give a report, and you come empty-handed. How do you think that will end for you?
Indeed, the pump is now fully primed for the gospel.
Takeaway
What is the purpose of the Book of Acts? Is it not the unfolding of Jesus’ command in 1:8?
This command came from Christ, so even at a high level, Christ is at the core. He always has been.
He is a vexing stumbling block to some and foolishness to others, but in reality, he is the power and wisdom of God.
We live in a world that is overlaid with a beautiful, elegant veneer, but just underneath the surface, it is faulty, dark, and broken. We broke it. But Christ is at the core of the solution. He came to fix the problems of sin, suffering, and death.
And when we experience confusion about eternal matters, it is Christ at the core of it. And when we experience that confusion, it can go one of two ways:
- The confusion leads to seeking… and seeking leads to finding.
- The confusion leads to rejection… and rejection leads to judgment.
Don’t follow in the footsteps of Lysias, Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. Don’t reject the light of life. Seek, and you will find true life. And though you may not live life in a way that is defined by the worldly definition of success and pleasure, you will be filled with an inward spring of living water that will be a perpetual source of joy, life, and light. You will be the real deal because Christ will be at the core.
Questions to Consider
- Why do you think King Agrippa II, despite not having the authority to judge Paul’s case, was intrigued and wanted to hear about Jesus and the resurrection?
- What is the core purpose of the Book of Acts and how does it relate to the overarching presence of Christ in the Bible?
- How does the sermon illustrate the contrast between worldly standards of beauty and splendor versus the inner radiance of Christ?
- In what ways can we emulate Christ’s power and wisdom in our lives, especially when faced with societal norms and expectations that contradict the message of the gospel?
- Reflecting on the sermon, how can we ensure that we are not stumbling over Christ like the Jews in the Roman Empire, but rather embracing Him as the power and wisdom of God?
- How can we navigate moments of confusion about eternal matters in our lives, ensuring that our response leads to seeking the truth and finding true life in Christ rather than rejecting Him and facing judgment?