Acts 25:13-22
Festus Consults King Agrippa
13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16 “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges. 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21 When Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
Acts 24:10-21
On Trial for the Resurrection
10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
17 “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. 18 I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. 19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. 20 Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin— 21 unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”
John 11:21-26
Jesus is The Life After Death
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 2:19-22
Jesus Tells the Crowd He Will Resurrect
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Acts 2:22-24
God Raised Jesus from the Dead
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
Philippians 1:20-23
To Die is Gain and Be with Jesus
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.
John 16:33
Jesus Has Overcome Death
33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
St. Paul was on trial in front of the Governor Festus...Festus said Paul had really done nothing wrong...Paul believe a dead man named Jesus was alive...Was that against any law?...Or was this a religious belief?...Or was all these things True?...
The Jews opposing Paul and wanting him in prison did not have any charges against Him...Festus said that when the Jews came here with me, I did not delay the case of Paul, but convened the court the next day and ordered Paul to be brought in...When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected...Instead, they had some points of dispute with him and about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive...I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges...
Festus says that St. Paul was on trial for claiming a dead Man named Jesus was alive...St. Paul had specifically said what he was on trial for: "It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today."...St. Paul was on trial for believing that Jesus' body had been raised from the dead on the third day, just as He had told His disciples -that this would happen...Jesus after His resurrection was the new temple of worship...He had returned from the dead on the third day -and St. Paul believed that He had...St. Paul believed, in fact, that a dead Man named Jesus did die and had come back to life...
Jesus told Martha the He is the resurrection...Those who believe in Him will live, even though they die...And if you believe in Him, you will never die...St. Paul believed as Martha believed...St. Peter verifies the resurrection story to a crowd of fellow Israelites that Jesus was put to death by nailing Him to a cross...But God raised Him from the dead, because it is impossible for death to keep its hold on Him...
Death to us is still a mystery...We lose family and friends and it does not quite seem right...It does seem like something we ought to do...But death happens to all of us...But we must believe like the followers of Jesus and know that "a dead Man Jesus is still alive."...The mystery of death seems to be abnormal and unnatural to me...To see one we know one day, and then to see and know the next day they are gone and have passed...But for those who believe like St. Paul, Martha, and St. Peter -believers can take heart...Jesus overcame this world...He is the resurrection and the key to eternal life...
St. Paul was so strong in his belief in Jesus and His resurrection that he was actually torn between living longer or dying and going to heaven...He said I desire to depart in death and be with Christ, which is far better than living a life on earth... Now that is great faith...
I think that we are all on trial, in a sense, for believing in the resurrection...We are all on trial for believing that a Man named Jesus has died and is still alive...This is all about faith...The resurrection means there is more to life for us -and death is but a door...Death for the unbeliever can only be a shallow grave and forever emptiness...But the real meaning of the resurrection means that God does exist and He is the God of the Living....It means that His Son did die and return as He said He would and is still alive...God and His Son give us great hope...They are the anchor to our soul...