Only One Point to Settle

Scripture: When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Acts 25:18-19

Observation: The Jews are accusing Paul of crimes before the judge from Rome, Festus. In describing this event to the king of Judah, Festus says that the Jews originally had all kinds of claims, and we previously in this chapter we saw them accuse him of many things but without proof, and even before that wish to plan for Paul's assassination without any hearing at all. However, in the end, the Jews cannot prove anything, and instead all that was really at odds was this one issue of faith ... whether or not Jesus was alive.

Paul has now been imprisoned for years. The Jews don't like that he preaches a message that the promised Messiah has come, and that faith in the Messiah - completely independent from Jewish practices, temple worship, and sacrificial rites - is all that is needed for salvation. Even through all this rhetoric, the ultimately rises only one issue, and that is the person of Messiah ... that Jesus is the son of God, who has died for all sins and been resurrected, so that anyone who believes may be saved. Through it all, this is the one and only point of debate that must be settled.

Application: In all our lives, there is only one point that must be settled ... who is Jesus? Every other element of the world is just earthly issues.

What is going on in the world right now that SEEMS amazingly important and requires our attention and decisions? Among others ... race relations, equity, social justice, economic policy, police violence, monument status, global health, interpersonal safeguards, community gathers, social norms ... and these are just the current items, beyond 'normal' issues like child protection, violent crime, environmental concerns, etc.

For everyone, while these things seem important in our daily lives, they don't truly matter. The only question that matters who ... who is Jesus? And the only follow-up question that then matters is ... what are you going to do with your decision about that?

If you believe Jesus is the son of God, then it makes logical sense that what a person would do with that decision is to confess this, place faith in him, obey his teaching, serve others, and love his community. Most who make this decision so some version of this, though with varying degrees along the continuum.

If you believe Jesus is inconsequential, then what you are doing about that decision may range from nothing, to actively accusing Christians of disrupting society and sedition against governments, up to and including active persecutions. This is where the Jews were in relation to Paul, and the real issue with our current society, I believe, is that this is where more and more Americans are heading. It is this general motion that is causing other elements of society to crack.

Prayer: Lord, every day I will confess that Jesus Christ is Messiah, and my Lord and savior. I seek to continue to move further and further toward a model of loving and serving all others. You know this is becoming more and more difficult in this place and time. If I am to be persecuted, directly or indirectly, for my faith, so be it, but may I find a way to advance your kingdom in all coming circumstances. Amen.