Acts 25

Acts 25:1-27

70. JESUS TO BE ALIVE Acts 25:1-27 The Jews were not at all happy about the way Felix had handled Paul. So, shortly after Festus took the governor’s seat at Caesarea, they tried to get him to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial, or so they intimated. Actually, they intended to assassinate him along the way. Read Acts 25:1-12. The respected religious leaders of the day were so savage in their hatred toward Paul, the gospel he preached, and the God he represented that in the name of God they were determined to murder him (John 16:2). But Paul, being a Roman citizen, took advantage of his legal rights. Refusing to be tried by a lower court at Jerusalem, he said, “I appeal to Caesar” (Acts 25:11). Festus had no choice under Roman law. He said, “Unto Caesar shall thou go” (Acts 25:12). Now read Acts 25:13-27. When Agrippa, who was reputed to be a specialist in Jewish matters, came to Caesarea, Festus welcomed the opportunity to discuss Paul’s case with him. Agrippa expressed a desire to hear Paul for himself. Arrangements were made. Agrippa and his sister, Bernice, came to “the place of hearing” in great pomp. And Festus displayed the customary flattery and false adulation of one politician to another (Acts 25:22-27). The fact of the matter was that Festus was fearful of sending Paul to Rome with no legitimate charges against him (Acts 25:19; Acts 25:27). By involving Agrippa in the matter he had something to fall back on, were his actions questioned by his superiors at Rome. TWO THINGS WERE TO FESTUS. Remember, he was a pagan politician. He had no regard for Paul or the Jews. He did not even know what the controversy was about. Yet, he quickly perceived two things that distinguished Paul from his enemies. First, the Jews, the religious skeptics, the unbelieving religionists, raised “certain questions”; but Paul made bold affirmations (Acts 25:18-19). That is ever the case. Those who oppose the gospel and take offense at the preaching of the cross of Christ assert nothing, but question everything. Where they cannot prove evil, they hope to cast a shadow of doubt by raising questions. In doctrinal matters, their questions are almost always foolish carpings about meaningless things. It is pointless and futile to answer such. We are repeatedly warned not to do so (1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9). We do not need to defend the truth, but simply declare it. That was Paul’s method. He boldly, dogmatically affirmed the truth as God revealed it. Believing men and women are God’s witnesses (Isaiah 44:8; Acts 1:8). A witness is one who simply tells what he knows. He cares nothing for the questions, speculations, and objections of others. Even so, we simply affirm certain, definite, revealed facts, facts plainly laid down in the Word of God and experienced in our own hearts. Here we stand, oblivious to the science, wisdom, and reason of educated fools. The basis of our faith is the Word of God alone (Isaiah 8:20; 2 Timothy 3:16).

The Jews were full of questions. But Paul affirmed that Jesus, who was dead, is alive. He made no attempt to answer their questions or prove his doctrine. He simply affirmed that it was so upon the basis of Holy Scripture and his own experience. He had seen, spoken to, heard from, and felt the power of the risen, exalted, living Christ. He affirmed what he knew to be the truth.

That is what we must do as God’s witnesses in this world today. Secondly, Festus observed that the Jews were concerned about their own religion (superstition); but Paul was concerned with a living Person (Acts 25:19). Paul’s religion was not a religion of books and creeds. His religion was a Person. He found all his treasure in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew, trusted, loved, worshipped, served, walked with, and preached a Person. Christ is more than the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the Sum and Substance of it. We glory not in our creed or denomination, but in the Lord Jesus Christ himself (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; Galatians 6:14; Philippians 3:3). Christianity is a living union with a living Person. It is Christ in you and you in Christ. , TO THE PATTERN AND PRECEPT OF THE NEW , IS THE AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. The thing that so greatly disturbed the Jews was not that Paul did any of the things they accused him of doing. They knew he was innocent of their charges. But he went everywhere preaching that Christ, whom they had crucified, is alive. This was such an obvious thing that Fetus himself declared it (Acts 25:19). Paul spoke so much of the risen, exalted, reigning, saving Christ that even this pagan magistrate knew that his message was “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

In those early days of Christianity, God’s preachers, as often as they could get an ear to bend, preached Christ to men. Indeed, to this day, God’s preachers go everywhere preaching the Lord Jesus Christ. Any sermon that is not full of Christ, does not point sinners to Christ, and cause men to think upon him, that does not send men away with Christ on their minds ought never to have been preached (1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 9:16). A Christless sermon is a useless sermon! “Jesus Christ and him crucified” is the message of Holy Scripture (Luke 24:27; Luke 24:44-45). The only hope of perishing sinners (John 12:32), and the believer’s motive, inspiration, and guide in all things (2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 Peter 2:21-24). Paul laid great stress upon and particularly emphasized Christ’s death upon the cross as the sinner’s Substitute. He preached, as Festus said, “one Jesus, which was dead.” That which was thought to be the most obnoxious, offensive, and ridiculous point of his theology was the very thing which Paul preached most (1 Corinthians 1:17-23). That which the Jews most despised and the Gentiles most ridiculed, Paul most constantly affirmed (Galatians 6:14). He preached life by Christ’s death, salvation by the crucified Substitute, blood atonement and justification by the penal death of Christ in the place of God’s elect as their all-sufficient and effectual Redeemer (Romans 3:24-26). Because of his faithful, dogmatism in preaching Christ to men, Paul was hounded to death by lost religious men who, being ignorant of God’s righteousness in Christ, went about to establish their own righteousness (Acts 24:5; Romans 10:1-4). And you may be assured of this fact - That man who faithfully preaches the gospel of Christ as Paul did, and the congregation which hears and follows him, will have to bear the scandalous reproach and bitter wrath of lost religious people today. The offence of the cross has not ceased (Galatians 5:11). In preaching the gospel, Paul affirmed that Jesus Christ who died at Calvary, is alive! He had seen the risen Savior, heard his voice, and experienced the transforming power of his grace. Every believer has affirmed this fact in his own soul. Jesus is alive! He lives to claim heaven for his redeemed ones (Psalms 68:18-19), to bestow his Spirit upon God’s elect in regenerating grace (Zechariah 12:9-10; Galatians 3:13-14), to prepare heaven for the homecoming of his saints (John 14:1-3), to make intercession for his people (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2), to rule all things on behalf of chosen, redeemed sinners (John 17:2), and to come again in power and great glory to consummate his great work of saving his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Acts 25:19

71. THE OF CHRIST - AN FACT Acts 25:19 Festus summed up the dispute between the Apostle Paul and his Jewish accusers in one issue. The whole controversy was “about one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” The object of this study is just that - To affirm that Christ Jesus is alive. The incarnation of Christ is a source of great comfort and joy to every believer. How blessed it is for us to know that God assumed our nature! God in human flesh is able to redeem us, understands and sympathizes with us, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Matthew 1:21; Matthew 1:23; Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:15). The righteous life of Christ as a man is the righteousness he wrought out for his people. His life of obedience is a moral example of faith, love, holiness, and devotion which every believer strives to follow (John 13:15; Ephesians 4:32-32; 1 Peter 2:21). But it is much more than a moral example!

Christ’s righteous obedience to God as our Representative and Substitute is that “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). His righteous obedience is the robe of pure white, the garment of salvation in which every believer is clothed.

It is the righteousness performed by Christ which God imputes to his elect in justification, by which we are made righteous, perfectly holy, and accepted with the holy Lord God (Jeremiah 23:6; Romans 5:18-21; Romans 10:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The blood of Christ is our redemption. His death as our vicarious, sin-atoning, substitutionary sacrifice is the basis of our hope before God. He paid our debt, satisfied divine justice, and put away the sins of God’s elect. He obtained eternal redemption for us! “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13). He did not try to redeem us. He redeemed us! He died.

Therefore, we shall never die (Romans 3:24-26; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:33-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18-20; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18). We rejoice in and give thanks to God for the accomplishments of our dear Savior. He came into the world as a man for us. He lived in righteousness for us. He died on the cursed tree for us. But had he not risen from the grave, ascended into heaven, and sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high, his obedience, life, and death would have been as meaningless and useless to us as that of any other man.

The fact is, the whole truth of God, the whole gospel, the whole of our faith, the whole of our salvation, and the whole glory of the triune God stands or falls with the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:14-18). Therefore, it is needful that the fact of it be established clearly in every believer’s heart and mind. THE FACT STATED - The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, died upon a Roman cross 2000 years ago. He died at the hands of wicked men by the will of God as a Substitute for sinners (Isaiah 53:9-12; Acts 2:23). Having died, he was taken down from the cross, wrapped in grave clothes, and buried in a borrowed tomb. That tomb was covered with a large rock, sealed by the Roman government, and guarded by two experienced soldiers (Matthew 27:57-66). But on the morning of the third day, he arose from the dead. Christ really did die upon the cross.

When the soldiers came to break his legs, to finish him off, they realized that he was already dead and did not bother. Yet, with malicious spite, one of them shoved a spear through Immanuel’s heart (John 19:31-37). That very same Jesus who died arose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 14:9). Yes, our Lord’s resurrection was a literal, physical, bodily resurrection. It was not the resurrection of his divine nature. His divine nature could not and did not die!

It was not the resurrection of his human soul. The soul of man is immortal! His soul, like every believer’s, departed immediately to Paradise upon the death of his body (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:1-9). It was his physical body that was raised from the dead (John 2:19-21; Luke 24:39-40; John 20:25; John 20:27). Though now immortal and glorified, our Lord’s human body in heaven is the same in appearance, size, form, and substance as it was when he walked upon the earth. He is a real man, even today! THE FACT - The fact of our Lord’s resurrection is so clearly and undeniably affirmed that it cannot be denied by any honest person. Those who are determined, in their obstinate rebellion against God, may suppress the truth and loudly denounce it; but they know in their hearts that it is so, even as the heathen know in their hearts that the wrath of God is upon them (Romans 1:18). But the clear affirmations of Christ’s resurrection are given for the comfort and edification of God’s saints. First, the Old Testament prophets declared that Messiah would be one who would arise from the dead (Isaiah 53:10-12). It was clearly revealed in the Old Testament that Christ would both die to redeem and arise to rule over all things to save his elect. Compare Scripture with Scripture and you will see how that the New Testament is the fulfilment and explanation of the Old (Psalms 2:7 & Hebrews 1:5; Psalms 16:10 & Acts 2:31; Psalms 68:18 & Ephesians 4:18; Psalms 110:1 & Hebrews 1:13; Psalms 110:4 & Hebrews 7:17; Isaiah 26:19 & Matthew 27:52-53; Hosea 6:2 & Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1). Second, in addition to the many direct prophecies, there were many types and pictures of our Lord’s resurrection in the Old Testament: (1) Adam awakening out of a deep sleep to behold and receive the bride formed from his side (Genesis 2:21-23); (2) Isaac’s resurrection from the sacrificial altar three days after the sentence of death was passed upon him (Genesis 22; Hebrews 11:17-19); (3) The bush that was burned with fire but was not consumed, out of which God spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2-6); (4) Aaron’s rod that budded and blossomed with life (Numbers 17:5-9); (5) The living bird that was set free after it was dipped in the blood of the bird that was slain for the purification of the leper (Leviticus 14:6); (6) The scapegoat that was set free after the other goat was slain for atonement (Leviticus 16:8-10; Leviticus 16:15-17; Leviticus 16:20-22); (7) The deliverance of Jonah from the belly of the whale after three days (Matthew 12:40). Third, the witnesses of our Lord’s resurrection are of such number and credibility that no court in the world could deny their testimony. He was seen of angels (Matthew 28:2; Matthew 28:5-6; Luke 24:5-6; John 20:12). Holy women saw the risen Christ and declared it (Matthew 28:9; Mark 16:4; Luke 24:2-3). The soldiers who guarded the tomb themselves testified of the resurrection (Matthew 28:4; Matthew 28:11-15). More than 500 disciples saw the risen Christ at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). The risen Savior was seen by Peter, then by the rest of the apostles, and last of all by Paul, both before and after he was converted (1 Corinthians 15:5-8; Acts 22:17-18; Acts 26:16; Acts 26:19).

These men were witnesses chosen of God for the purpose of declaring the resurrection to men (Acts 10:34-43). All who reject their testimony willfully shut their eyes to the most well attested fact in history. Fourth, the Holy Spirit is himself the witness of Christ’s resurrection (Acts 5:30-32; Hebrews 2:4). God the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost and wrought miracles in the apostolic age as a confirmation of the fact that Christ, having accomplished the redemption of his people, is risen and exalted. THE FACT - The fact of our Lord’s resurrection is vital. Without it, there is no salvation for any sinner. But since Christ is risen from the dead, exalted to the throne of God, and makes intercession for his people, three things are guaranteed by it. (1) The Redemption of God’s Elect - Justice being satisfied, our sins have been purged from the record of heaven, and sin can never be imputed to a believer (Hebrews 9:12; Romans 4:8; 1 John 2:2). (2) The Regeneration of God’s Elect - (Ephesians 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3). All for whom atonement was made and who were raised with Christ representatively shall be raised by his Spirit from death to life in the new birth. (3) The Resurrection of God’s Elect - (1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Every believer, every chosen, redeemed, regenerate soul, shall be completely conformed to the image of Christ, body, soul, and spirit in resurrection glory (Romans 8:28-30).