September 18, 2023 | Be On Mission
Festus Consults King Agrippa & Bernice
Scripture: Acts 25:13-22(NIV)
13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16 “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21 But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
Devotional
King Agrippa (Herod Agrippa II) was the great-grandson of Herod the Great, who killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. He was also the grand-nephew of Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist and mocked Jesus before sending him back to Pontius Pilate. Herod Agrippa II was also the son of Agrippa I, who executed the apostle James and imprisoned Peter, before dying of a worm infestation in this same city of Caesarea.
As the last member of the Herodian dynasty, Agrippa II ruled over territories to the north of Judea, but never over Judea itself. Still, he had some influence because of his family legacy. He came from a long line of Herods who had murderous encounters with Jesus and those around Him.
Just a few weeks into the appointment of Festus as governor of Judea, Herod Agrippa II arrived with his sister Bernice in the capital city of Caesarea for a courtesy call to pay his respects. Festus told Agrippa all about Paul, who was in dispute with the Jerusalem religious authorities “about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.” Again, we see that Paul was staking his life on the resurrection of Jesus.
Agrippa had probably heard family stories about all the problems his ancestors had with Jesus and His followers. He wanted to see and hear Paul himself. Four generations of Herods would encounter Jesus and His followers. None of them could stop the Christian movement from spreading throughout the world.
Pray for the spread of the Christian faith today. Pray that God can use you to share the faith among those where you live, work, learn and play. Pray that the gospel takes root in your city and region. Ask the Lord to make the good news of the faith spread throughout the land of your entire nation. Finally, pray that the message of Jesus would cover the entire globe.
Poem
Hear For Yourself
Gossip, slander, bunch of lies
Truth be told? Lord of the Flies
At a loss? Go to the Source
Justice track must run full course
Pray to God, Hear for yourself
Lest Truth be hid on cluttered shelf
