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Why Is Everyone in Conflict About a Man Named Jesus Who Is Dead?
Because some people think He is alive
Holy wars. That is what many have called them. When religious beliefs spill over into everyday life and cause friction, sometimes that friction leads to confrontation, arrests, and war.
The book of Acts has an exciting story where the Jewish leaders arrested the Apostle Paul. His crime? Inviting Gentiles to accept God’s plan of salvation. Paul was once a Gentile-hating individual who came to know Jesus as His personal Savior.
After God transformed him, he spent the rest of his days seeking to tell as many people as possible about the Good News.
When the Jewish leaders tried to kill Paul, the Roman authorities stepped in and protected him. They placed him in protective custody to determine how to handle the situation. Festus was the Roman in charge and had no idea what the Jewish religion was about. Another Roman leader, Agrippa, happened to be in town, and he wanted to stick his nose in the case.
Festus tried explaining the situation to him, but he did a horrible job. Or did he?
“But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is…
