The Adult in the Room

“And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.”  Acts 26:24

Once again, the Apostle Paul had been taken into custody for preaching the gospel.  This time he was in Caesarea, and the people accused him of preaching against the law.  A riot ensued, and Paul was nearly killed.  The Roman military intervened, bound Paul in chains, but allowed him to speak to the people.  He gave his testimony of how he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, but his message was rejected by his audience.  Prior to his surrender to Christ, Paul was like those who were against him now–anyone saying anything against the law, specifically that Jesus died to forgive sins, the one and final sacrifice, because the law could never save anyone.  When the chief captain discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen, he took Paul to the Jewish Sanhedrin where the members couldn’t agree as to Paul’s guilt.

The chief captain then took him back into custody and heard of a plot to kill Paul.  (This just goes to show us that there have been and still are plenty of folks who desire to eradicate Christianity and all those who follow Christ).  He was transported to Felix, the Roman governor over Jerusalem, for arraignment.  Paul told Felix of God’s judgment that would eventually come on all those who chose to reject Christ and the gospel, but Felix did not want to hear any more.  (Some folks think that ignorance is bliss, but not when it comes to eternity).  After about two years of imprisonment, Paul appeared before Festus, Felix’s successor, who desired to send him to Jerusalem to be tried, but Paul, knowing the danger that he would be in on the road, informed Festus that he desired to appeal to Caesar.  Apparently Paul felt safer among Roman idol worshippers than he did among his own countrymen.  A few days later, Israel’s King Agrippa, Herod the Great’s grandson, and his wife, Bernice, came to visit Festus in Caesarea.  They discussed Paul’s case, and King Agrippa requested to hear him out.  Paul appeared before him, giving his testimony, and including the fact that Jesus rose from the dead in order to make the way for Jews and Gentiles to see the light of salvation.

Festus spoke up and accused Paul of having so much education that it made him crazy.  Festus was a Gentile, a Roman governor who knew absolutely nothing about Judaism, the life of Christ, His death and resurrection, nor the gospel message of repentance and forgiveness.  To him, Paul’s speech was nothing more than a fairy tale, a story made up by one who had a very active imagination.  In those days it was believed that extreme study and learning could drive one insane.  Today there are those whose IQ is so “off the chart” that they appear to be rather strange or eccentric.  They don’t seem to fit into a society made up of folks with “normal” or average intelligence and thus are seen as different or fanatical.  Of course, Christians have been called fanatics because they don’t fit into the societal “box” of world views.  If you ask me, those who believe humans came from some primordial ooze or that it’s perfectly fine to kill unborn babies or that men can be women and women can be men are the fanatics!

Of course Paul denied that he was insane.  He was actually the one who was the adult in the room.  He was the one who had the truth of life and had obeyed the call of the Lord to share the truth with all who would listen and even those who would not.  Paul was obedient to live a life of soberness, a life characterized by reason, sanity, and seriousness in order to be a true witness to the gospel of Christ.  I don’t really know, but I think that Paul was not into frivolity but rather took his mission seriously:  it was not “just a job”, it was his life.

My daughter and I were talking on the phone recently and discussing all the crazy stuff that is going on in our country today.  Everyday something is broadcast that tops the preceding day as to insanity.  If it was possible for folks who passed away even ten years ago to come back to earth, they would not believe what is going on these days.  My daughter and I  talked about being thankful for common sense.  I am grateful that I was brought up in a Christian home, taken to a Bible preaching church every Sunday, and most of all for my relationship with Christ.  My husband and I reared our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).  Living for Christ allows folks to withstand the onslaught of all this evil and craziness in the world, to be among others at times, the only adults in the room.