SCRIPTURE
But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. Instead, it was something about their religions and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. Acts 25:18-19
OBSERVATION
In reading this passage I realized what the resurrection sounds like to those who haven’t met Jesus personally. Festus couldn’t make any sense of it. Why would a learned man such as Paul stake his life on a downright certifiable claim? How could a dead man still be alive? Instead of using the Greek verb lego, “to say”, Festus describes Paul using the Greek verb phemi, “to affirm by way of professing”. Paul wasn’t just talking about the resurrected Jesus as a possibility or an idea, but as an irrefutable fact. He had determined that in both life and death he would show, not just say, that Jesus was alive and well. Any time he had a chance to speak, whether to crowds or Kings, he shares of his first time meeting the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul wasn’t just talking about Jesus as a concept, an idea, or a historical figure which would leave room for people to accept or dismiss the resurrection. Paul was convinced this man, once dead, was now alive and there’s nothing so convicting as a man convinced. He was so convincing that King Agrippa asked for an audience with the man who was friends with a dead man walking.
APPLICATION
No one is ever going to get argued into God's Kingdom. No one is ever going to get forced into facing the fact that Jesus is alive. An angry Christian with a chip on their shoulder and a defensive posture becomes a lousy proof for a living Savior. The talk is cheap. There’s a whole lotta noise these days, both religious and secular. According to a recent UC San Diego report the average American consumes 100,000 words each day from all channels: TV, newspapers, online, music, and more. This is so many words that it almost adds up to the content of an entire King James. Bible each week. Yet, instead of living out His Word and introducing the living Word am I just adding to the words? What can cut through the chatter? What can capture the heart and attention of a cynical generation that is on information overload? A man or woman who insists that Jesus is alive because they spend time with Him every day. People don’t need more information or inspiration. They are downloading terabytes of it and nothing is changing. What they need is transformation and the only way they are going to find it is by coming across a person who has been transformed and isn’t ashamed to talk about it. We need to abandon the desire to just fit in, look cool, slip through and get by without rocking the boat. In a world drowning in empty words, we need to share the fresh words JESUS is speaking to us and through us in every conversation. Talk is cheap but a life transformed by a resurrected Lord is a treasure people will take the time to check out.
PRAYER
Lord, I pray for more boldness in my witness of You! Like Paul, I want to be on the lookout for open doors to share my story and prophetic words You want to speak at the moment. Want an exciting prospect to not add to the noise, but to share the joy of knowing the Savior. Everyone is walking around like Jesus is a dead man. Use my life as proof that You are alive and well.
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