True and Reasonable

  

DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

TRUE AND REASONABLE

Acts 26:24-32

24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane." 25 "I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" 29 Paul replied, "Short time or long — I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." 30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment." 32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

NIV

To those who do not truly believe, our faith in Jesus seems as though it is insanity.  Festus could not wrap his mind around that type of faith in Jesus who was killed by the Romans at the persuading of the Jews and was resurrected back to life and now sits at the right had of Yahweh. This is just way too unbelievable to fathom. However, the facts are the facts, as Paul tells Festus that his testimony about Jesus is true and reasonable. What is crazy about having faith in Jesus? What is insane to believe that which is true and reasonable? In this world that we live in today, it seems so many people believe in their own truth and considers their truth reasonable, however, it is simply their own concocted truth which is a perversion of any semblance of sanity. Even King Agrippa, a Jewish leader, could not understand or believe in this truth that Paul was testifying to. It is interesting that King Agrippa used the term, Christian. We would have to go back to the twelfth  chapter when the believers in Antioch were first called Christians, or followers of Christ. Today, we are still called Christians, which can be a problem because there are many people who call themselves that, but still consider that our type of faith is a form of insanity. However, the greatest tragedy is the denigration of any moral compass in our current culture. We do not know if everyone has developed their own brand of truth, or if so many have been lead astray by the dark forces of evil in their world. Certainly, our youth have been indoctrinated by those who despise the truth about Jesus Christ because of their hatred of the truth or light that would expose them for who they truly are, enemies of Christ. Nevertheless, we may well be looked upon as insane for believing in the word of God, which they refute as truth, claiming it is only written by man and has many contradictions and therefore is invalid to base our lives on. Some have come to a point of total ignorance of the scriptures or that God exists. We have to face the fact that we are not going to win the battle against such evil in this world. In fact, it is not our calling or responsibility to win the battle, but only to testify to what is true and reasonable. Paul stood his ground, even in chains against the insinuation that he was insane by Festus. We have been given many encouragements and exhortations within the word of God to take our stand, to stand our ground, to stand firm, not to be moved from the truth and not to retreat in our churches to remain isolated from the world’s view of what is true, although it is not either true or reasonable. Our sanity is in the truth, and they are the ones who are insane for they rather live in their darkness even within their insistence they are living enlightened. But we know what is true and reasonable and we will not be moved.