When freedom looks like a prisoner in chains

November 7, 2024

Paul, bound and bruised, looked beyond his earthly situation to eternal realities. He didn’t plead for his own freedom but for the freedom of his listeners.

In the account of Acts 26, we find the apostle Paul standing trial, not unlike Christ before him, resolute and unswerving. Here is a man who knows exactly why he stands in chains. He is on trial not for crimes against Rome or Jewish law but because of his devotion to proclaiming the gospel. Paul’s story is one of unbreakable faith, an unwavering mission, and a heart fully surrendered to Christ. In his testimony before King Agrippa, we see not only a legal defense but a passionate declaration of truth and grace delivered to all who would hear. Through Paul’s example, we glimpse what it means to have a mind set on things above and a heart fully committed to the kingdom of God.

Paul’s story offers a striking portrait of faith on trial. Despite the stakes, his purpose remains clear: to proclaim the gospel. Just as he wrote to the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ,” Paul’s life, words, and resolve in the face of hostility call us to follow Christ without compromise (1Co 11:1). As we examine Paul’s defense before Agrippa, we see how Paul’s life demonstrates that a heart set on Christ will boldly witness to him, regardless of the cost.

Paul’s mission in the face of danger

By the time we find Paul in Caesarea, he has been in custody for two years. His journey to this point began in Jerusalem, where he knew the dangers that awaited him. From the outset of Acts 21, we see believers warning Paul against going to Jerusalem. The disciples at Tyre, through the Spirit, were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem (Ac 21:4). Then, when Paul arrived in Caesarea, the prophet Agabus delivered a striking warning. He took Paul’s belt, bound his hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles’” (Ac 21:11).

Paul, however, was bound by an even greater call. As he had told the Ephesian elders, “I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me” (Ac 20:22-23). Paul knew he had to go. He understood the Spirit was not warning him to flee but preparing him for what lay ahead. His response? “Let the will of the Lord be done” (Ac 21:14).

This is not a story of stubbornness or reckless courage. It is one of obedience. Paul was resolved to go wherever God would lead him, regardless of personal risk. His faithfulness encouraged those around him, and it testifies to us as well. When God called, Paul didn’t hesitate. He would go to Jerusalem. He would go to prison. He would stand before kings and governors if it meant he could share the gospel. Through Paul, we see what it looks like to follow Christ wherever he leads and trust God’s purpose, even in the face of suffering.

A portrait of selfless commitment

Once in custody, Paul never lost sight of his mission. When he was brought before Governor Felix, he could have appealed for freedom. Instead, he made a case for Christ. Felix and his wife, Drusilla, summoned Paul to hear him speak about his faith in Jesus, and Paul seized the moment. He reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment (Ac 24:25). Paul knew his words would make Felix uncomfortable, and they did. Felix sent him away, saying, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity, I will summon you” (Ac 24:25). But Paul didn’t hesitate to preach the gospel, knowing his message had the power to confront, convict, and save even if it wasn’t welcome.

Paul’s commitment was unwavering, even under Felix’s replacement, Festus. When Festus suggested he return to Jerusalem to stand trial, Paul understood the risk. Knowing the hostility of his accusers, he exercised his right as a Roman citizen and appealed to Caesar. This move would bring him to Rome and grant him an opportunity to proclaim the gospel in the very heart of the Empire. Paul knew this was his divine mission. Years earlier, the Lord had told him, “As you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome” (Ac 23:11). Paul’s appeal to Caesar wasn’t a bid for personal safety but a decision to follow the path God had set before him, trusting that every step was guided by divine purpose.

Gospel over defense

When Paul finally stood before King Agrippa, he had every reason to focus on his defense. Yet Paul didn’t use this moment to seek vindication. Instead, he used it to share the gospel. He began by acknowledging Agrippa’s knowledge of Jewish customs and law, setting a respectful foundation for what he would say. Then, he launched into his testimony—not just his story, but the story of the gospel. He recounted how, as a zealous Pharisee, he once persecuted followers of Jesus. He described his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus when a blinding light stopped him in his tracks, and the voice of Jesus transformed his life.

Paul’s testimony wasn’t merely about what had happened to him but about the person of Christ and the truth of the resurrection. He told Agrippa that he preached nothing but “what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles” (Ac 26:22-23). Paul’s focus was never on proving his innocence but on proclaiming the truth of Jesus, the very reason he was on trial.

The gospel and the question of freedom

At the climax of his testimony, Paul declared the resurrection, the heart of the Christian faith, and the hope for all believers. At this point, Festus interrupted, exclaiming, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind” (Ac 26:24). Festus couldn’t understand why Paul, a prisoner in chains, would endure hardship for what seemed like an absurd message. But Paul, calm and undeterred, replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words” (Ac 26:25). Then, he turned his attention to Agrippa, challenging him directly: “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe” (Ac 26:27).

Agrippa, confronted with the truth, deflected, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” (Ac 26:28). Yet Paul’s reply reveals his true purpose. “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains” (Ac 26:29). Here was a man, bound and bruised, looking beyond his earthly situation to eternal realities. He wasn’t pleading for his own freedom but for the freedom of his listeners. Paul knew the freedom Christ had given him, a freedom that transcended any earthly chain or human judgment.

Agrippa sat in royal robes and power, but Paul’s words pointed to a higher kingdom, a true freedom that comes from knowing Christ. In that courtroom, it was Paul, the prisoner, who was truly free, while Agrippa, the king, was bound by unbelief.

Embracing Paul’s heart for Christ

Paul’s trial before Agrippa and Festus is more than a historical account. It’s a call to each of us to consider our own commitment to Christ. Are we willing to lay down our pride, comfort, and freedom for the sake of the gospel? Paul’s life demonstrates that true freedom is found in Christ alone. It reminds us that even in chains, we can be truly free, liberated by the truth of the gospel.

Paul’s wish that Agrippa and everyone else would be as he is extends beyond that courtroom. It reaches us today, calling us to emulate his heart for Christ, to share the gospel wherever we are, and to trust God’s purpose even in the face of difficulty. As Paul stood in chains yet boldly proclaimed Christ, I pray we, too, find our freedom and joy in him, living as faithful witnesses to the world, no matter the cost.