God's Story Is Our Story: From Acts to New Creationنموونە

After Paul's arrest at the temple in Jerusalem, the rest of the book of Acts details his ministry to those in power and his travels on the way to Rome where he will go on trial. Paul's speech before the Roman governor Festus and King Agrippa is a good example of what he said and how people regarded him. 

Paul was neither afraid of those in power nor disrespectful. He recognizes that they have a legitimate power, but that he answers to and serves a higher power. He doesn't idolize those in power thinking how much God could do if only those in power were on his side. Nor, does he stick it to the man. He treats them as people who are in need of the very thing he is in need of: God's grace in Christ. His appeal is driven by love.

Also, we see that there was a logic to his appeal. Festus is wowed by his great learning but cannot accept what the logic leads to. It seems like madness that a man would rise from the dead in Israel in order to save people from the whole world. Paul makes two follow-ups to Festus' shock. One, there were real historical events that can be confirmed by others including Agrippa. Two, that what happened was what Old Testament figures had been prophesying for centuries would happen.

We too are to appeal to all kinds of people, whether in power or not, out of our love and concern for them. We are to treat people with respect. But, our appeal is not just telling people to take a leap of faith. Christianity offers a logic. It is based in what the real person Jesus did in real space and time history and that fulfilled prophecies from centuries before.