Not Crazy, Just Faithful

We are nearing the end of our study in the book of Acts. As we do, we continue to see the hand of God in the life of Paul through what most would call unpleasant circumstances, and yet Paul would call them necessary and helpful and even the WILL OF GOD.

This section of Narrative really began in Acts 20:16 “16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.”

Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem to celebrate The feast of Pentecost. He left Miletus after speaking with the Ephesian Elders and headed toward Jerusalem. He was warned twice, by two different groups of people, that persecution and imprisonment faced him in Jerusalem.

Nonetheless, he went to Jerusalem and was arrested and falsely accused.

He was on trial before Lysius, Felix, Festus and now Herod Agrippa II.

We must keep in mind that Paul’s calling, given to him by Jesus himself, was to take the gospel to Gentiles and to Jews and to kings:

Acts 9:15 CSB

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.

In Acts chapter 26 we read that Paul was talking to King Agrippa. This is King Herod Agrippa II – great grandson of Herod the Great. So Paul can certainly say that he has fulfilled his calling of taking Jesus to kings.

However, we are confident that this is not the end of Paul’s ministry, because Jesus appeared to Paul on a different occasion and reminded him that he must also go to Rome.

Acts 23:11 CSB

11 The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”

In all of these events, we are reminded of:

• the faithfulness of God,
• the plan of God, and
• the fact that God will accomplish his work regardless of men.

COMFORT: I find those truths to be comfort and stability when thing do not go as planned in my life. God is faithful. He has a plan. God will accomplish his plan. Amen?

We also see a beautiful picture of obedience and acceptance by Paul even when God’s plan seems to be less than comfortable or desirable.

In the beginning of October, David brought us through the First part of Paul’s trial before Festus and King Agrippa. This morning will continue and finish up that trial.

Acts 26:24–32 CSB

24 As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You’re out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad.” 25 But Paul replied, “I’m not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I’m speaking words of truth and good judgment. 26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak boldly to him. For I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe.” 28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” 29 “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.” 30 The king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, 31 and when they had left they talked with each other and said, “This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

WE are going to unpack this passage a few verses at a time. Let’s go back and read 24-25 again:

Acts 26:24–25 CSB

24 As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You’re out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad.” 25 But Paul replied, “I’m not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I’m speaking words of truth and good judgment.

When Paul spoke of the resurrection of the dead and the hope that he has in life in Jesus Christ he was accused of being a madman.

ask: can any of you remember the reaction your friends and family had when you first told them you were a Jesus-follower? Without incriminating others, would anyone like to share their experience?

Perceptions vs. Reality

While our society may say that we are ignorant by believing in such things, it’s interesting that Festus actually accused Paul of having studied too much and that being so smart has driven him crazy. Whether perceived as ignorance or extreme intelligence, the gospel will sound like insanity to some.

Paul reassured Festus that he was speaking soundly and that he was not crazy.

These few verses really highlight one of the beautiful pictures of the upside down Kingdom of God. What do I mean by that? There is a way that seems right to us as men and women that is not the same way that God sees things. Sometimes our perception is not God’s reality. Often the way of God is the opposite, or the inverse of what we would consider “normal”.

Jesus taught this principle when he said the least are the greatest. Or when he taught that the most important person is the servant of all. Or when he taught that the smallest things we do to the “least significant” people are the very things that mean the most to God. The sermon on the mount that we studied in Matthew Chapter 5 is the quintessential teaching on the upside down kingdom.

Our passage in Acts illustrates the conflict between worldly perception and divine truth.

Paul says that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who do not know it.

1 Corinthians 1:18 CSB

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.

Those words were penned by Paul. Yet, even though he knew that people would not accept the gospel or would think that he was crazy, it never kept him from sharing his testimony. This is the 3rd time we have it recorded in the book of Acts.

You and I have the privilege of sharing the power of God and what it does in people. We should never allow people’s perception, or our concern that they would not accept our message, to keep us from sharing it.

At the same time, we should not insult or to put down people who do not understand. Paul did not call Festus a fool or say that he was mad. Paul referred to him as “Most excellent Festus”.

We are reminded that we are to be ready always to give an answer for the hope that we have within us and to do it with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15 CSB

15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

Always be ready to share the hope. The easiest way to share is by sharing your testimony like Paul did.

Part of the process of becoming a member at North Country Fellowship Church includes sharing your testimony with your church family. Why do we do this? Sharing our testimony should be a very natural thing. It should be a very common thing. Sharing in front of a group of other Christ followers is a very safe and encouraging experience.

ANY TIME we share the good news of Jesus we are sharing truth and sound judgement.

OK, let’s look at the next 2 verses:

Acts 26:26–27 CSB

26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak boldly to him. For I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe.”

As we continue in this response, we see that Paul changes his focus from Festus to King Agrippa. Festus was a Gentile. Agrippa was a Jew. Paul’s response to King Agrippa is regarding the prophets.

Prophetic Consistency

The Herods were familiar with prophets. Herod the Great (the great grandfather of this Herod Agrippa) was king when Jesus was born. The visit of the Wise Men caused him to look up prophecies about the Messiah.

Matthew 2:1–7 CSB

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared.

As the narrative continues… the wise men avoid Herod after that, and Herod the Great got mad.

Matthew 2:16–18 CSB

16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.

Paul would have heard what Herod the Great had done. He would be correct in assuming that the Herods were very familiar with the prophets. However, the Herods were more interested in learning from the prophets so they could protect their own best interests. They were not interested in learning who the Messiah was so they could follow him.

Similarly to day, there are many who use the scriptures and the church just for ways to protect their own best interests or to make a profit. Not to listen to the prophets, but to make a profit. Those who follow a prosperity gospel theology are very much that way. In some Bible belt regions people attend church like a networking club so they can get business from others in the church. We have modern day Herods for sure.

Paul knew the history of the Herod’s. He knew that Herod Agrippa II was not a man who had been following God closely. Though a Jew, he had abandoned many of the Jewish teachings.

However, Paul knew that ANY Jew would have known the prophets and could not refute the word of god as revealed through the prophets. So, Paul appealed to a greater power, the Words of Yahweh, to make his case and to cause Agrippa to contemplate the message of the gospel in light of the prophets.

Herod’s ungodly lifestyle did not dissuade Paul from sharing the good news of the Messiah with him. And even to invite him to believe. Let’s read on:

Acts 26:28–29 CSB

28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” 29 “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.”

I’m not really sure how to read Agrippa’s as response. Have Paul’s words fallen on deaf ears and Agrippa is being very sarcastic and looking down on Paul? is Agrippa questioning whether or not he should believe in Jesus?

Proclaimed Boldly

I really love Paul’s response. He didn’t say:

• I know you won’t, but I had to say it anyway.
• Why, have you been thinking about it?
• If you did, would you let me go?

Instead, Paul just shared the desire of his heart and his true motivation. He is in chains to share the good news of Jesus to all who will listen. He will soon be heading to Rome so he can share the good news of Jesus to all who will listen. He is hated by the Jews in Jerusalem because he was willing to share the good news of Jesus to all the will listen.

We should be careful not to dismiss people. We should not think that someone is too far gone. Each person has the right to hear the good news, and each has to respond. Each WILL respond – that is the challenge of the good news. People will either reject it or accept it, but they need to hear it if they are ever going to have a chance to accept it. Romans 10 is a great passage about this conviction that Paul puts into words.

Paul also acknowledged that it’s not his responsibility to persuade people. It is the work of God to draw people to himself.

Jesus said, John 6:44 “44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Our mission, like Paul’s, is to just be faithful to share about Jesus. We are not responsible for how people react to it. We are not given a quota of the number of people that have to accept it. We are not burdened with the responsibility of making people believe.

1 Corinthians 3:5–9 NLT

5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

We are servants and workers. God is the author and sustainer of life, both physical and spiritual.

1 Corinthians Explanation of the Text

Paul thus offers a wonderful and humbling reminder to all that God’s work continues with or without us. Yet his words also offer great encouragement that, in his grace, God does use his people to further his work. On the one hand, ministries in God’s church are not what make it all “happen”; on the other hand, God has given each person the enormous privilege of taking part in the work of the master farmer.

Might become like I am

There is a loaded statement in the Paul’s response. What did he mean by “Might become like I am?”. Perhaps this was another iteration of the famous:

1 Corinthians 11:1 CSB

1 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

Just like Christ, Paul was willing to be obedient, even to the point of suffering and even to the point of death if that’s what it took for people to believe in the Messiah. That is what is means to seek first God’s kingdom. While we love to embrace the simple concept of seeking first the Kingdom of God, but we seem to stumble over the complexity of what it means to live that out every day.

In the immediate context of our narrative in the Book of Acts, it might include:

• accepting unpleasant circumstances as the direction of God
• patiently waiting for God to do his work, even if it seems like vanity from our perspective
• always being ready to share the hope that we have with anyone with whom we can get an audience
• placing other people’s salvation ahead of our own comfort
• valuing God’s Kingdom more than our own

But obviously, first and foremost, it would mean being willing to look at what I’ve been taught and what I think I know and reassessing it in light of what Jesus actually has demonstrated. That is what Paul is inviting Herod to do.

I think many people are more interested in being right in their own eyes or not being wrong than they are about understanding the truth and accepting a new truth. Paul had to be blinded in order to be able to see. Paul knew the prophets, but did not recognize the Messiah. Jesus revealed himself to Paul and Paul was willing to accept and believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

If there’s one thing that we can pray for those who do not know Jesus, even those who are the most stubborn and rebellious against God, it’s that they might be willing to see the truth and follow it.

At the conclusion of Paul’s address we read:

Acts 26:30–32 CSB

30 The king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, 31 and when they had left they talked with each other and said, “This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

There is a private pow-wow after Paul’s defense where Agrippa, Festus, Bernice, and the others talk about what should be done.

Persist in Integrity

There is nothing negative that they can say about Paul. Paul did not attack them. Paul did not belittle them. Paul simply stood firm on his convictions and his beliefs and was willing to share that with them.

This passage reminds us that faithful proclamation does not always lead to acceptance but remains a witness to God’s truth. While Paul’s boldness does not land him in deeper water, it also does not grant his freedom.

It’s important that we are careful the way that we share the gospel. We must always have integrity. Our motives must be pure. And we must be careful not to disqualify ourselves by the way that we act. We must remember why we are in this race in the first place:

Hebrews 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Paul faced this trial, shared his faith, and was found innocent. But because he had appealed to Caesar, he will go to Caesar, in Rome. It was the right of a Roman citizen. Chapter 27 will take us on that journey.

This entire passage seems to be about the trial of Paul before King Agrippa.

1. Perception vs Reality
2. Prophetic Consistency
3. Proclaimed Boldly
4. Persist in Integrity

However, this passage is really about the gospel.

If we were to take the four main points of this message, we could rephrase them as a reminder as to how you and I should handle this stewardship we have of the gospel. In our passage this morning we looked at: We can reshape them to apply to you and me:

• View others and the gospel through a Kingdom lens
• Study and learn the Scriptures – old and new testaments
• Unashamedly share the good news of Jesus with others
• Live in a way consistent with the life & teachings of Jesus

As David has shared so faithfully the last couple of messages, the resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of Christian faith, embodying victory over sin and death. Last week, Justin shared how the grace of God embraces anyone who will repent and return to the Father.

This morning I want you to recognize the legitimacy of your faith in a skeptical world, and encouraging you to boldly share your belief in the resurrection as a foundation for hope, purpose, and meaning amidst challenges.

Faith in Jesus and the truth of His resurrection is not only rational but essential for a fulfilled life – and for eternal life.