With these words Paul addressed King Agrippa shortly before his journey to Rome. Paul was well accustomed to discussing the resurrection of Christ as he did here. After all, it is a bold claim! When Paul was in Athens, it was the resurrection of Jesus that not only caught the attention of those in the marketplace (17:18), but also divided his audience on Mars Hill: “When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter’” (v. 32). Before Agrippa heard Paul, the king had been told that the complaints against him centered on “a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive” (25:19).

In any conversation about the gospel message, it is good to make some reference to the resurrection of the Lord if possible. It is this which distinguishes Christianity from any other belief, and it is a resting place for our own faith. But notice, too, the power of asking Paul’s question. Rather than debating reasons to believe in the resurrection—of which there are many!—this question not only makes a claim but also demands a response from the doubter.

Perhaps we have had similar conversations with unbelieving friends. Some say things like, “The teachings of Jesus are attractive, but how could anyone believe that He came back to life?” Here in Acts 26 is an excellent response! We might reply, “Well, do you even believe there is a God? And if you do, what kind of God is He? Is He so weak that He cannot overcome biology or physics? Is nature greater than your God? Why should it seem incredible that a powerful God can raise the dead?” To be sure, the gospel message goes farther than this, but it is an excellent place to begin. And if He can raise the dead, can He not address every other challenge to faith?