God Running is a place for anyone who wants to (or even anyone who wants to want to) love Jesus more deeply, follow Jesus more closely, and love people the way Jesus wants us to.

In our last post from the book of Acts we saw the motivations behind Governor Felix’s treatment of his prisoner, Paul. And we learned about Felix’s consequentialist approach to life. And, in stark contrast to Felix’s consequentialism, we saw a beautiful example of virtue. If you’re interested you can read more here: “Virtuism and the Jesus Follower vs. Consequentialism (and the dark places it leads to)–Acts 23-24”.

In today’s post we’ll look at Paul’s remarkable soft tender loving heart toward the people who held his life in their hands.

Read Acts, chapters 25-26

Acts Chapters 25-26

In our last post we left Paul in prison, under the authority of Governor Felix. (Acts 24) But at the very end of chapter 24, we see Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Unlike Felix, who was portrayed as corrupt and violent by ancient historians, Festus had a reputation for being somewhat more fair and just in his leadership. Early in his term, Festus travelled to Jerusalem where the chief priests and other Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. Paul’s accusers requested that Paul be moved from Caesarea to Jerusalem, so they could ambush Paul and kill him. But Festus replied that Paul would remain in Caesarea, and the Jewish men in authority could travel there to present their case against Paul.

Eight to ten days later, Festus travelled to Caesarea, took his seat on the tribunal, and ordered Paul to be brought before him. Once again the Jewish leaders brought many serious charges against Paul, but they could prove none of them. And once again Paul offered his defense.

And once again politics and consequentialism make an appearance. Festus wanted to do the Jews a political favor so he asked Paul if he wished to go up to Jerusalem.

Paul said, “If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

In a way, this solved a problem for Festus, because Paul was a political liability. If Festus were to find Paul innocent, the Jewish leadership would take offence. But because Paul appealed to Caesar, the decision has been taken out of his hands. Festus is off the hook.

However, Festus still has a problem. He needs to send Paul and Paul’s case to the court in Rome But because of the somewhat esoteric religious nature of the situation, Festus didn’t know how to write up the charges against Paul.

Concerning this problem, Festus catches a lucky break. King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice happened to come for a visit, and they stayed with Festus for an extended period of time. Agrippa II was himself a Jew. He ruled over a small part of Palestine, and he took his position seriously. He had extensive knowledge of the Jewish community and customs, including a good knowledge and understanding of the Jewish religion. Ancient historians characterize Agrippa II as a king who advocated for his subjects, but was also loyal to Rome.

During their stay, Festus shares about Paul’s case with King Agrippa. Agrippa is intrigued and asks to hear Paul himself. So Festus sets up a hearing.

Agrippa and Bernice come with great pomp (as was the custom in that time). And they entered the hall with military tribunes and prominent men of the city.

Festus shares about how he’s heard Paul’s case and finds nothing deserving of death, but that he’s also at a loss about how to describe the charges against Paul to the Emperor. Festus says, in so many words: Please, give me something to write to the emperor describing Paul’s case.

Chapter 26 begins with Agrippa saying to Paul, “You have permission to speak.”

And Paul shares about how he considers himself fortunate to make his defense before king Agrippa because of Agrippa’s familiarity with the customs and controversies of the Jews.

Paul goes on to describe how he was a Pharisee of Pharisees, and that he’s on trial because of his hope in the resurrection. “Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?” (Paul has a point: If you think it through, raising one person from the dead would be a very small easy thing for God, compared to creating the universe and all that’s in it.)

Paul then goes on to describe how he once persecuted Jesus followers: “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.”

Paul was “in raging fury against” anyone who followed Jesus.

And then he encountered Jesus.

“At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

Paul then shares how he obeyed Jesus: “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.”

As he was sharing, Festus cried out with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you our of your mind.”

Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”

Then Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

Then Paul said,

“Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am–except for these chains.”

Paul’s Transformation

Paul’s transformation is what interests me about this passage. We saw how he responded to people with a different worldview than his own, before Christ. When Paul considered Jesus followers to be heretics, he indulged his own rage. Paul was “in raging fury against” anyone who followed Jesus.

Aldous Huxley has a couple of instructive quotes about indulging our rage.

“There are many people for whom hate and rage pay a higher dividend of immediate satisfaction than love. Congenitally aggressive, they soon become adrenaline addicts, deliberately indulging psychically stimulated endocrines. Knowing that on self-assertion always ends by evoking other and hostile self-assertions, they sedulously cultivate their truculence. And, sure enough, very soon they find themselves in the thick of a fight. But a fight is what they most enjoy; for it is while they are fighting that their blood chemistry makes them feel most intensely themselves. “Feeling good”, they naturally assume that they *are good. Adrenalin addiction is rationalized as Righteous Indignation and finally, like the prophet Jonah, they are convinced, unshakably, that they do well to be angry.”

― Aldous Huxley, The Devils of Loudun

In another book, Huxley writes:

“. . . to be able to behave badly and call your bad behavior ‘righteous indignation’ — this is the height of psychological luxury, the most delicious of moral treats.”

― Huxley, Crome Yellow

Right now you might be thinking, “Yeah, that’s how it is for some people, but, that’s just not who I am.” May I say, it could happen to any of us? Just think about it, it happened to Saint Paul!

And not only that, but it’s election season.

We must guard our hearts! (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)

Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.

So now, back to Saint Paul. We see, after Paul met with Jesus, he was transformed.

I don’t think most of us appreciate Paul’s situation. The politics of his day were far more volatile than our politics in our time. Five to seven years after Paul’s hearing, the Jews revolted against Rome, and they went to war against each other. It was the first of three Roman-Jewish Wars. And Agrippa took the side of the Romans. Paul was at the mercy of the foreign power that occupied his country, the Romans. And he was at the mercy of his Roman captors.

And yet, after his encounter with Jesus, Paul’s heart is soft toward his captors and those who occupy his country.

Paul says, “I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” (Acts 26:29)

Paul is obedient to the heavenly vision of Jesus. Paul loves his enemies, as Jesus commanded. (Acts 26:19, Matthew 5:43-48)

Paul’s rage is gone.

And in its place is the love of Christ, even for his enemies.

This is the goal of the Jesus follower. To be filled with the love of Jesus, for everyone, even our enemies.

“Lord God, have mercy on us. Please transform us as You transformed Paul. Take away our outrage, and in its place, fill us with the love of Jesus.

“Transform us as You transformed Paul.

“Make us into the likeness of Your Son.

“It’s in his name we ask this of You.

“Amen.”

Notes:

Image of the Love Your Enemies sign via Katy Kildee — Creative Commons

Available on Google Play Books and on Amazon!

Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus)

Love Like Jesus begins with the story of how after a life of regular church attendance and Bible study, Bennett was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus’ every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus’ words than he was following Jesus’ words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett’s own moral failures affirm he wrote this book for himself as much as for others. Love Like Jesus examines a variety of stories, examples, and research, including:

• Specific examples of how Jesus communicated God’s love to others.
• How Jesus demonstrated all five of Gary Chapman’s love languages (and how you can too).
• The story of how Billy Graham extended Christ’s extraordinary love and grace toward a man who misrepresented Jesus to millions.
• How to respond to critics the way Jesus did.
• How to love unlovable people the way Jesus did.
• How to survive a life of loving like Jesus (or how not to become a Christian doormat).
• How Jesus didn’t love everyone the same (and why you shouldn’t either).
• How Jesus guarded his heart by taking care of himself–he even napped–and why you should do the same.
• How Jesus loved his betrayer Judas, even to the very end.

With genuine unfiltered honesty, Love Like Jesus, shows you how to live a life according to God’s definition of success: A life of loving God well, and loving the people around you well too.

A life of loving like Jesus. (Kindle, hardcover, and paperback now available on Amazon and the ebook is now available on Google Play Books.)