A promised hope Acts 25:23-26:8

Introduction

Paul went on trial before the chief captain in Jerusalem, then to the Sanhedrin, back to the chief captain, who sent him to Felix, who left him for Festus. When Festus was ready to send him back to the sanhedrin, when Paul asked to go to Caesar, which was his right, because of his dual citizenship.

Festus is unsure what to do with Paul, but King Agrippa came to check in with Festus and now will hear Pauls case.

This morning we are going to look at Festus’ predicament and Paul’s defence.

Festus’ Predicament 25:23-26:1

In verse 23 we find the setting of the hearing, which is called the place of hearing which was the Great Hall their in Caesarea.

Notice we also get the audience in the same verse.

We have Agrippa, Bernice, the chief captains, and principle men of the city.

The principle men would be prominent citizens their in Caesarea

When they had all gathered they brought Paul in as well.

In verses 24-25 we see Festus letting the audience know his findings from the trial he had

All of the Jews in Jerusalem and Caesarea wanted to put Paul to death

Festus found that he had done nothing worthy of death, but Paul had appealed to Caesar

This is a half truth by Festus, it is true that he found that Paul unworthy of death, but he wasn’t going to let him go, he was going to send him back to Jerusalem which is why Paul appealed to Caesar.

Because Paul had appealed to Caesar, Festus had to send him

In verse 26-27 Festus announces his predicament

He doesn’t have any charges to write to Augustus for Paul

There was really no reason to send him to Augustus, but because Paul asked him to he had to oblige.

Notice the reason he wants Agrippa to here the case is so he might find something to write Augustus about Paul.

His main predicament was that it would be unreasonable to send Paul to Augustus without any charges against

Chapter 26 begins with Agrippa asking Paul to speak for himself

Paul’s Defense vs 2-8

Paul begins his defence by acknowledging Agrippa’s knowledge on the Customs and questions of the Jews. vs. 2-3

He asks Agrippa to hear him patiently

Paul switches to his early life vs. 4-7

Everybody knew who Paul was even as a teenager.

He came from a prestigious family

He was taught by Gamaliel at the most prestigious rabbinical colleges in the world of his day.

He had evidently made a name for himself.

In verse 6-7 he brings up God’s promise to their fathers

From the fall of man, even unto today, we have hope, and that hope is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who took away the sins of the world.

This hope was intended to make the Jews Missionaries to every nation, but because they rejected the Messiah, God is using the church during the church age.

The coming Messiah was promised in Genesis 3:15 where God promised the seed of the woman would crush the serpents head and bruise His heel.

The seed of the woman was to be Abraham’s seed, so Abraham and Sarah being so old it was not humanly possible for them to have a child, the bible tells us in Romans 4:18–21 “18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

Every godly Hebrew woman hoped that she might be the chosen mother of the Messiah

That hope was narrowed when the seed was narrowed to the tribe of Judah in Genesis 49.

It narrowed even further to the seed of David in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chron. 17.

Phillips wrote this in his commentary “David understood full well that the covenant established with his house pointed directly to Christ, and he comprehended to some degree the meaning of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This is evident in Psalm 16, 29, 69, and elsewhere in the scriptures.”

Israel’s hope was found in the promise of the coming messiah who would die for their sins, be buried and rise from the dead three days later, and all throughout the old testament we find Satan trying to destroy the seed of the coming Messiah. Satan always thought he was one step ahead of God, and while Satan is intelligent, God is all knowing, He is Sovereign, He is the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, and if he promised a coming messiah, nothing could stop that.

Our hope today is found in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the new testament the word hope is picked up, magnified, and centered in the Lord Jesus Christ. We now look forward to the blessed hope, which is the return of Christ for His Church.

Titus 2:13 “13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

While the world around us has no hope, we have the blessed hope which is the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ!

May I remind you this morning their is no hope of heaven outside of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:12–22 KJV 1900

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The point Paul is making is that the great hope of Israel had come, but they had missed it.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem as foretold.

He had fulfilled the Scriptures.

He had been betrayed, crucified and buried.

He had risen again — all as foretold in the law and the prophets.

Jesus was fully God and fully man, and he indeed was the Messiah!

Paul appealed to King Agrippa by name, knowing he would understand the hope he was speaking as he knew the customs and traditions of the Jews.

This would show that Paul was arrested and arraigned by the Jews of all people for proclaiming the fulfillment of their national hope was absurd.

Look at Pauls question in verse

Why do you guys think its so incredible for God to raise the dead

Incredible-too extraordinary and improbable to admit of belief.

If they didn’t believe God could raise the dead, then their view of God was too small.

One commentator wrote this “A God can bind a hundred billion stars into a galaxy and who can create a hundred million galaxies and hurl them into intangible space can certainly raise the dead.”

The God we serve is able to do anything, including raising the dead.

Conclusion

Paul spoke of the hope of Jesus Christ, we have that same hope today. That hope drove Paul’s gospel centered life, as a church on mission, our mission is to share the good news of the gospel with every tribe, tongue, and nation! Does the hope of the Gospel and Christs return drive you to share the Gospel with the world around you?

Maybe this morning you’re here and you have never placed your faith in Christ, come this morning and we can show you from God’s word how you can be saved.