You’re out of your mind!”
Acts 26:24-32
24 Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”
25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”
28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”
30 Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. 31 As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”
I find great encouragement in Paul’s story. He is a man transformed by the actions and teaching of Jesus; he lives a life empowered by the Holy Spirit.
When Festus tells Paul he is out of his mind for the gospel he is sharing, Paul responds confidently that his words are truth and can be believed.
This reminds me of Jesus words to his disciples in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Paul was being transformed into the likeness of Christ and was willing to lay everything on the line so that “all who are listening to me today may become what I am” – forgiven, adopted into sonship, and transformed by Christ!
Might we all live empowered by the Spirit.
Thank you, Lord that the Gospel is true, that it brings us freedom, and that by your Holy Spirit we can live empowered to share your good news with others. Help us to take a mindset similar to Paul, that we would desire that all would experience your truth. Amen.
Written by Ps. Andrea Molteno
I read tis a few days ago but have returned to make a comment. The passage starts with Festus shouting: “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”
It sounds like Festus has some prior relationship with Paul, like he knows him?
Who has ever been accused of “too much study “. I get the impression that Paul may have been known to have a brain the size of a small planet?
And we are so privileged that God chose this articulate, brain giant, with solid Pharisaic Jewish teaching, Roman citizen and gifted public speaker to deliver a big chunk of the New Testament to us.
Thanks God.