Acts 26:24-32 Agrippa - so close but no decision

Acts 26:24-29 In this interchange between Paul and his judges, we begin to see who is really on trial here. Festus thinks Paul insane. This shows how little he understood of what Paul had been saying. From the viewpoint of the world, perhaps. But only from that viewpoint that ignores the creation of the world by a God not subject to the law of cause and effect, and a priori rules out God's continuing supernatural intervention in the world. Verse 26 speaks specifically to the idea that there can be knowledge about these things. Paul says that none of these things (presumably Jesus' death and resurrection) could have escaped his notice for this was not done in a corner. And then Paul turned to Agrippa as to whether he believed the Jewish prophets. Agrippa, clearly under conviction, indicated that he was a short distance from becoming a Christian. And yet, from the later text, there is no record that he ever did.

          What are the factors that keep most of the rich and powerful from receiving the gospel and walking with Jesus?  Jesus identified several in His ministry. In Luke 8:14 He said that riches and pleasures choke out the word of God. In Luke 12:16-21 He told the parable of a rich man who focused on his treasure and ignored God. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of Lazarus and the rich man, in which it appears that the rich man lived well and ignored Lazarus who begged at his doorstep. In Luke 6:22-34, Jesus summarized His teaching by saying that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And that seems to be the bottom line. The rich and powerful put their heart in their earthly possessions or position. And that leaves no place for a commitment to Jesus. Because if Jesus is not the top priority in a person's life then that person is not truly committed. If Jesus is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord.

          It is not just the rich and powerful who struggle with the dominance of worldly stuff over the spiritual. A person at any level of income, or in any position, can still fall into the trap of valuing those things over a relationship with Jesus. Perhaps this is why the letter to the church in Ephesus, Jesus holds against them that they had lost their first love. (Rev 2:4)

Acts 26:30-32 And so the three rulers conferred, evidently not completely privately since Luke records their comments. The charges of the Jews could have been dismissed, but since Paul had appealed to Caesar, they apparently could not make this decision themselves. Festus had set up the hearing in order to determine what the charges were that were to be referred to Caesar. It does not look as though he had accomplished his purpose.