Acts 25:13

Acts 25:13 says, After certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.  While still in Caesarea, King Agrippa and his wife Bernice came there.  Verse fourteen adds, And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: Festus wanted to meet with Agrippa for one reason in particular.  He was to send Paul to the judgment of Caesar, and he didn't know what to charge him with.  He told Agrippa that Paul had been left bound by Felix, Verse fifteen continues, About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. Verse sixteen states, To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.  While he was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews wanted to have a judgment against Paul.  Festus told them that it wasn’t the manner of Romans to sentence a man to die without facing his accusers.  In some countries today, Christians do not have that opportunity.  Verse seventeen adds, Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.  Festus said he commanded that Paul be brought before him the next day at the judgment seat.  The only judgment seat that people should really be concerned about is the judgment seat of Christ, and as Christians, we don’t have to be concerned about that.  Verse eighteen continues, Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:  When they presented their case, Festus said that it wasn't anything he supposed.  He was expecting some accusation of Paul breaking some law or speaking out against the Roman government.  If we are accused of anything today, may it be that we are proclaiming Jesus Christ to be crucified, buried, resurrected, and Lord.  Verse nineteen concludes, But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.  Festus said they had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.  We often hear people today speak of Christianity as a superstition, a fable, or a myth.  This is done today to discredit Christians, and even though Festus was using this belief that Christianity was nothing more than a superstition to show that even if Paul had done nothing to justify death, Festus still viewed the gospel as a superstition.  He did not say that it concerned Jesus Who was dead and now lived again, but only stated that was Paul's claim.  Until a person accepts the truth of the gospel in faith, then the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus will remain a superstition to them. We should never be astonished when we hear people of the world calling Christianity a made-up story and Christians naive.  We cannot become Christians through intellectual means, but only by simple childlike faith. Verse twenty says, And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.  Festus said he asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem to answer charges against him.  I don’t believe he had the authority to demand Paul do so.  We as followers of Christ should always be ready to answer questions about our faith.  Verse twenty-one adds, But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.  Festus said Paul appealed to Caesar. Now,   Festus was wondering what to charge Paul with.  It is not our calling to make things easy for those who falsely accuse us.  Verse twenty-two continues, Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.  Agrippa said that he would hear Paul, and Festus said he would hear him tomorrow.  We can never afford to wait until tomorrow to hear about Jesus Christ if we haven’t already.