“…but they had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.” (Acts 25:19)
Acts 25:19 is one of those understated gems hidden in the New Testament. During Paul’s trials, the conclusion the Romans came to was that Paul just had some “points of disagreement” over “religion” and whether or not Jesus was dead. What the world sees as trivial, Christians view as monumental.
If Jesus is dead, we are the most pitiable of creatures… but if that tomb is empty, it changes everything. If His tomb is empty, ours will be, too.
The world doesn’t get it. It’s all religion, spiritual talk, and philosophy to them. Don’t be discouraged – it’s all theory until we die, and then everyone cares about the empty tomb.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
Today’s Reading: Acts 25:13-20
Questions to ask:
- How does this show the continuation of Jesus’ work now going on in the church?
- How is the gospel, Paul’s preaching, and/or Paul’s defense received?
- What is the Holy Spirit doing in this text?
- What in our reading shows how Paul handled adversity and difficulty?
This year, #Biblebites are following the life and writings of Paul. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2023-vision