Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 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. 16 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 defence concerning the charge laid against him. 17 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.18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed.19 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. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 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.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”

23 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. 24 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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” (ESV)

Last night I had a dream. In it I was leading a service. There were only a few people at the meeting, and I sensed that they were perhaps unenthusiastic about standing to sing one further song. Then, in what felt like a moment of inspiration, I found myself saying something like this: ‘If what we believe is true, we are dealing with the most astounding realities. Yet often we just want to go home and watch television.’

How wonderfully God gave Paul a platform to preach to the elites of his day! Whatever Festus actually believed, he did grasp the basic and revolutionary message Paul preached and the Jews opposed (19). Many of us in churches are sleepwalking through this resurrection reality. We are not fully awake to the alive-ness of Christ and all that it means. But there was nothing dopey or dozy about Paul.

Once again we can see that the echoes of Jesus’ trial (when He was on His way to death) reverberate through the later chapters of Acts.

But He did not stay dead! The grave could not hold Him.

‘Mark the difference with which these two men regarded our Lord. To the one, He was the supreme object of his affection and his life; to the other, He was “one Jesus.” Notice also that Paul had made clear his belief that Jesus was alive. Evidently the risen Christ had been the burden of Paul’s preaching. Even Festus had come to understand that, although he would not accept it as true.

The Apostle’s audience on the morrow was the most dignified and influential that he had addressed up to this point. As the Lord told Ananias that Saul had been chosen to bear His name before Gentiles and kings and the Children of Israel, so it came to pass. See Acts 9:15 . There is no doubt that Paul was lifted far above the thought or fear of man by the consciousness that the Lord was standing by to strengthen him, so that through him the gospel might be fully known. Let us view every circumstance in our experience as the lamp-stand on which to place the lamp of testimony. It is a good thing to ask, “How far will this promote my Lord’s business?” ‘ F.B. Meyer

Prayer: Lord grant that the truth of your resurrection will captivate my heart and thrill my soul and open my lips