March Madness

“While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” (Acts 26:24)

March is not the only month for madness if it is caused by believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a twelve month a year madness. I believe with Paul that this is not madness but “words of sober truth.” The world is full of Festus’s, unbelievers to the point of scorn. One, Stephen Hawkins, recently passed away. This is one of his many comments on the resurrection of believers. He referred to humans as computers who would eventually stop working.

“There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”

I feel sure he didn’t mean that as a compliment but he got part of it right. The part he got wrong was the fairy story. The part he got right is that it is a message of hope for people who are afraid of outer darkness. The resurrection of the saints is not made up to provide life a happy ever after ending. If that were true then it would be the happy ending for everyone. It isn’t. It’s for the Christian.

Agrippa was almost persuaded to become a Christian. He evidently did not think Paul was out of his mind but neither could he bring himself to accept what seemed such an unlikely truth. King Agrippa, Festus, and Stephen Hawkins may deny the truth of the resurrection but it will not change the sober truth. There is God and God will judge the world. Everyone will come out of the grave. Those who have feared the dark side will be raised to eternal light. Those who loved the dark will be raised to eternal darkness. Each will get what they wanted in this life.

Task for Today: Are you a Paul or a Festus? Fear the dark. Walk in the light every moment of the day and night of your life. Your reward will be eternal light.