Read Acts 25.
When we left Paul in Chapter 24 he was being held in jail for two years. The Roman Governor Felix was a wimp of a man and despite knowing that Paul was innocent he kept Paul in prison to appease the Jews. Well, in Chapter 25 Felix gets replaced by a fair man named Festus. Festus wasted no time dealing with Paul fairly.
Paul stood trial before Festus and Festus rightly declared him innocent. Festus still wanted to appease the Jews so he asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem on trial. Paul refused and appealed to Caesar, which is like appealing to the Supreme Court. Festus granted him his wish but Festus still didn't know what to tell Caesar Paul was on trial for.
Festus said that the Jews hadn't charged Paul in the manor he had expected.
Verse 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."
Festus knew nothing about Christianity. He had only been in the region as Governor for maybe two weeks. Despite this Festus recognized the key claim of Christianity: Christ died and rose again.
In Paul's message he kept the main thing the main thing. Paul's message was clear and to the point. Jesus lived, died and rose again. Even an outsider named Festus understood this much.
Do we keep the main thing the main thing? If we asked people who've heard us talk about Christianity what our message was about what would they say? I'd bet they'd speak of morality, church attendance, living like Jesus, the dos and do nots, etc. But would they say our message was chiefly about Jesus' life, death and resurrection?
I'm not saying that all the other tenants of Christianity are unnecessary. Not at all! What I am saying is the fact that Jesus died for me and then rose again conquering sin and death should be the chief message of my life... especially when sharing with non-believers.
Don't miss the point. Don't let others miss the point in your message. Keep the main thing the main thing today.
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