Text: Acts 26
Aim: to present the evidence for the resurrection.
Thesis: the resurrection of Jesus is the unique cornerstone of the Christian faith.
Introduction:
Suppose you were in a foreign land – far from home – and you were arrested for being a Christian. And suppose you were put on trial for your faith – and the interrogator asked you: “What is it that makes your religion unique? Name one thing about this Christianity that is distinctive!” What would you say?
You might say, “We have the Bible.” The interrogator might snap, “Other religions have their sacred writings. What does yours have that is different?”
You might say, “We have all these rules for good living – guidelines on how to be good people.” The interrogator would reply – “Other religions have good people in them – What does your religion have that they don’t?”
You might say, “We follow a guy named Jesus of Nazareth” (“Other religions have leaders!”); “Yes, but ours performed miracles” (“Other groups claim to have miraculous powers”); “Well, our leader was the Son of God” (“Lots of folks have claimed that”); “Yes, but ours died on the Cross for our sins” (“Other religious leaders have died for their cause.”)
Obviously this biased interrogator isn’t going to be impressed, no matter what you say – every time you try to point out the uniqueness of Christianity, he counters with a parallel of some sort. What can you say, what evidence can you produce, to show the distinctiveness of your faith? What would you talk about if Christianity were on trial?
In the closing chapters of the book of Acts the apostle Paul is in this predicament. We see him arrested, imprisoned, and forced to defend his faith not once but four times in a row.
• Acts 23 – BEFORE the COMMANDER OF ROMAN TROOPS IN JERUSALEM (and the SANHEDRIN)
• Acts 24 – BEFORE FELIX, THE GOVERNOR
• Acts 25 – BEFORE PORCIUS FESTUS, the new governor
• Acts 26 – BEFORE KING AGRIPPA
What does he talk about on every occasion? The RESURRECTION! READ 23:6, 24:14-16 (cf. 20-21), 25:19. (And note how it always provokes a reaction!)
This is the absolutely unique, utterly essential, cornerstone of our faith! Our faith is built upon the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that belief is built upon the Resurrection! He “was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:4).
This is what we have to offer people – our leader isn’t dead. He’s alive! The apostle Paul came back to this theme over and over. In Chapter 26, where he is presenting his case to King Agrippa, he makes four arguments for the Resurrection.
Body:
I. A PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENT.
26:8 “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”
The doctrine of the resurrection answers to our deepest human longing, but it goes against all human experience. When Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher, was forced to drink the poison hemlock, his friends asked “Shall we live again?” As the old man lay down to die, Socrates could only reply “I hope so, but no man can know.” Death has always been a mystery – that’s why humans fear it. They’d like to think it’s not the end, but they cannot know for sure what lies beyond.
A rancher out west left an unusual request with the funeral director when he made arrangements for his interment: “I want to be buried in my trusty old pick-up truck.” The undertaker tried to talk him out of the bizarre request but to no avail. “It’s like this,” said the rancher. I ain’t ever seen a hole that old truck couldn’t get me out of.” We appreciate that farmer’s sentiment. There is such a thing as putting too much faith in a truck, but life is so beautiful, so rich, so wonderful. Only a deeply troubled person wants to die. We all want to live. Still death is one reality in life that confronts us all.
Several years ago the newspapers carried a story about a small town hospital that received a bomb threat. Officials decided that they had to take it seriously and evacuate the hospital. Some patients were slipped to the local rescue squad building and some, due to a shortage of space, had to go to a local funeral home.
One woman, who had been in surgery when the bomb threat was first received, came out from under her anesthesia and realized that she was staring at the surroundings of a funeral home. She was quite concerned until she saw other patients and had the situation explained to her.
Although the awakened woman initially misunderstood her situation, she was only premature – not wrong – in her conclusion. Each of us will face a day when our life on earth is over. Realizing the certainty of that fact gives us proper perspective on the years that we do have here.
Christine Fodera of Louisville, Kentucky wrote in READER’S DIGEST about an amusing experience she and her husband had. Their priest had asked her husband, Sam, to do some rewiring in the confessionals.
The only way to reach the wiring was to enter the attic above the altar and crawl over the ceiling by balancing on the rafters. Concerned for her husband’s safety, Christine waited in a pew.
Unbeknown to Christine, some other parishioners were congregating in the vestibule. They paid little attention to her, probably assuming she was praying. Worried about her husband, she looked up toward the ceiling and yelled, “Sam, Sam — Are you up there? Did you make it okay?”
There was quite an outburst from the vestibule when Sam’s hearty voice echoed down, “Yes, I made it up here just fine!”
Paul argues that we can know we can “make it up there just fine”! If there is a God – why would we consider it incredible that there is more to life than this life? If He gave us life – couldn’t He give us eternal life? Does it seem reasonable that He would go to the trouble of creation, only to lose interest in us? Knowing God and all the trouble he’s taken to care for and provide for His children – it would be incredible if there wasn’t a resurrection!
II. A PROPHETIC ARGUMENT
26:22b-23 “I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen – that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
Someone might argue “Ordinarily dead men don’t rise.” Paul would agree! Ordinarily they don’t! BUT – this one did! And not only that – it was predicted that he would! Right from the beginning, in the very first gospel sermon – on the Day of Pentecost, in Acts 2 – the apostles were preaching the resurrection and using as their text Psalm 16: “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay” (Acts 2:27). The Old Testament foretold the Resurrection of the Messiah!
Paul really drove home this point: Verse 27 “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” Agrippa was a member of the ruling family of the Herods – he knew the Old Testament! He was the last of the Herod’s to come into contact with Christ and the gospel:
• His great-grandfather was Herod the Great, the King who had feared the birth of the Christ-child and reacted to the visit of the wise men by slaughtering the babes in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).
• His great-uncle, Herod Antipas, was the one who murdered John the Baptist and first tried to interview Jesus, then ridiculed and mocked him, after his arrest and just before his crucifixion. (Luke 23:8-12).
• His father, Agrippa I, was the ruler who executed the apostle James, imprisoned the apostle Peter, and eventually died a horrible death as judgment from God (Acts 12).
Oh yes, this king knew about the prophets – and he knew about Jesus! And that brings us to the third argument:
III. AN HISTORICAL ARGUMENT
26:25-26 “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The King is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.”
Paul doesn’t hesitate to affirm the historicity of the resurrection before someone who could have disputed it – if it could have been disputed. After all, Agrippa made it his business to know everything and anything that could cause a disturbance among the Jewish leaders – if you read the Roman annals of the time you learn quickly that the Herods were kept in power by the Roman emperors to keep Palestine quiet. That was their only utility – and if they allowed the unruly and troublesome Jews, who were always quick to revolt, to get out of hand the Herods knew they would lose their cro3wn and possibly their head!
Paul’s statement is a powerful argument – as he says, “It was not done in a corner.” There were witnesses – there was an official investigation – there was an empty tomb. No one ever said, “Here’s the body of Jesus.” Paul challenged Agrippa directly – and that brings us to the last argument:
IV. A PERSONAL APPEAL:
26:28-29 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul replied – “Short time or long – I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
This reminds us of the life-changing power of the resurrection! How can you explain the transformation of Saul, the persecutor of Christians, into Paul, the preacher of Christ – except through an encounter with the resurrected Lord? And that power is still available today:
It was Easter Sunday, 1973. Uganda was still under the control of absolute dictator Idi Amin. Kefa Sempangi was a minister in that tortured land. Under the growing shadow of Amin, Uganda was becoming a land of terror. Still fresh in Sempangi’s memory was a face burned beyond recognition, the sight of soldiers cruelly beating a man, and the horrible sound of boots crushing bones. Sempangi was exhausted and wondered what difference his sermon that morning could make. He prayed for wisdom and strength and then delivered his sermon to seven thousand people.
Afterward he made his way to the vestry, tired but joyful. Five men followed him into the small building and closed the door behind them. Sempangi turned around to find five rifles pointed at his face. He had never seen any of them before, but immediately recognized them as the secret police of the State Research Bureau – Idi Amin’s assassins. Their faces were full of pure hate and rage.
“We are going to kill you,” said the leader. “If you have something to say, say it before you die.”
Sempangi stood there feeling himself lose control. He thought of his wife and child and began to shake. Then, somehow, he managed to speak.
“I do not need to plead my own cause,” he said. “I am a dead man already. My life is dead and hidden in Christ. It is your lives that are in danger, you are dead in your sins. I will pray to God that after you have killed me, He will spare you from eternal destruction.”
The leader looked at him with curiosity. Then he lowered his gun and ordered the others to do the same.
Will you pray for us now?” the leader of the assassins asked.
Though fearing it was a trick, Sempangi asked them all to bow their heads and close their eyes.
“Father in heaven,” he prayed, “You who have forgiven men in the past, forgive these men also. Do not let them perish in their sins but bring them unto yourself.”
Sempangi lifted his head, waiting for the men to pull the triggers. But then he noticed their faces. Gone was the hate and rage, and when the leader spoke again, it was without contempt.
“You have helped us,” he said, “and we will help you. We will speak to the rest of our company and they will leave you alone. Do not fear for your life. It is in our hands and you will be protected.”
Relief and joy flooded through Sempangi’s heart. God’s love had given him the strength to say a simple prayer – one that changed the lives of those five men forever. (4)
When a man knows that nothing can take away his hope in Christ – not even death – he can be courageous! Kefa Sempangi knew what the apostle Paul knew – because of the resurrection, we cannot lose!
One other thing – Agrippa understood the implications of the resurrection! Look at verse 28: “Do you think that in such a short time you can make me a Christian?” He knew that if it’s true – if Jesus of Nazareth did in fact rise from the dead, come out of the tomb on that Sunday morning some 2000 years ago – then everything’s changed! And we must, also!
The Resurrection demands a personal response! It is not a matter of opinion – but of obedience! The message of the resurrection is inherently evangelistic!
Agrippa had his chance – he came so close to salvation – and he missed it! He fades into history – and with him the ruling line of the Herods died out. Never again would a believer stand before a Herod. But one day Agrippa will stand before Christ!
Because ultimately, it’s not the resurrection that’s on trial – it’s us!
Dan Williams