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Acts 26:1-32 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Good morning, church. It's good to be with you on this Lord's Day, away from the doldrums of work and regular life to come together to sing and proclaim the glories of the Lord and the truths of the Lord.
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What an encouragement it is to be with you. Today, our text for this morning is Acts 26. So as you get there, you will see that this chapter is right in the middle of an ongoing story.
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To better understand what's happening with the three main characters, speaking characters in chapter 26, they are Paul, the apostle of Jesus, Festus, a Roman governor, and Agrippa, a Rome-appointed king.
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We'll back up to Acts 21 and do a quick flyover up to Acts 26.
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So, you can flip through and follow along if you'd like to.
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So, in chapter 21, Paul goes to Jerusalem, meets with the church elders there, and tells them about the great work that the Lord is doing among the Gentiles.
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After about a week of this, of Paul being in Jerusalem, some influential Jews stir up a crowd against Paul based on some assumptions of his actions that actually were not true.
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So, this crowd that they stir up brutally beat Paul to the point where he has to be carried away by the soldiers back to the barracks.
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And then on the doorsteps of the barracks, Paul turns back and he asks to address the crowd that has just beat him.
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That address starts in chapter 22.
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Paul tells them about his former life and about how God dramatically transformed his life by the righteous one, that is, Jesus.
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He started to share about his commission to the Gentiles.
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But the crowd erupted again at that idea and the soldiers take him back into the barracks.
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And the tribune, whose name was Claudius Lysias, who was in charge of the soldiers, continues his assessment of the situation.
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His assessment and plan drastically change when he learns of Paul's Roman citizenship at the end of chapter 22.
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That piece of status that Paul possessed made a lot of what had been done illegal as well as what the tribune was planning.
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Either way, the tribune wanted to further understand why this ruckus happened in the first place.
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So, he takes Paul to before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin.
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And that's, we get to chapter 23.
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So, after being unjustly struck by the servant of the high priest of the Sanhedrin, Paul tactfully makes the issue before the council about the broader concept of resurrection.
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This causes a big disagreement between the two parties of the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
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And that disagreement gets chaotic enough that the soldiers pull Paul out of there altogether.
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And so, right after that chaotic scene, we get Acts 23, verse 11.
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The following night, the Lord stood by him, Paul, and said,
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Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.
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After this command and inherent promise, Luke tells us about a group of 40 Jews that plan to assassinate Paul.
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Thankfully, the Lord ordained for Paul's nephew to hear about the plot and notify Lysias.
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Lysias regarded the threat as credible and then dispatched about half, or likely half, of the Roman soldiers in all of Jerusalem to ensure Paul's safety.
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Lysias sends Paul to Felix, who is the governor at the time and the predecessor of Festus that we'll see in chapter 26.
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Paul presented his case first before Felix, and they conversed regularly for about two years.
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Luke tells us some detail about their conversation in verse 25 of chapter 24.
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And as Paul reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said,
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Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity, I will summon you.
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These certainly would be alarming topics for anyone to discuss if they were not secure in Jesus Christ.
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Felix did not hand Paul over to the Jews, but he did keep him in prison for two years in Caesarea.
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Felix was then succeeded in the governorship by one of our characters today, Portius Festus, or just Festus.
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This brings us to chapter 25, getting the final pieces in place for our events in chapter 26.
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So there's this new governor, Festus, and the Jews petition him to bring Paul back to Jerusalem from Caesarea
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so that they could kill him on the way, as was their original plot.
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Festus agrees to renew the trial, but the Jews would have to come with him to Caesarea.
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He would not send Paul back to Jerusalem.
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The Jews allege and do not prove serious charges.
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Then Festus asks Paul if he wants to finish the trial in Jerusalem.
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Paul declined and appealed to Caesar for judgment, as was his right as a Roman citizen.
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Then we are introduced to our other character, Agrippa.
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In chapter 25, Festus is seeking Agrippa's counsel,
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admitting that Agrippa has a better understanding of Jewish culture.
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Festus lays out the case, and Agrippa says that he wants to hear from Paul directly.
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So they set it up.
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Everyone comes into this new audience hall to hear what Paul has to say.
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Chapter 25 ends with Festus giving an opening summary,
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essentially saying that he wants to know what to write as he sends Paul along to Caesar.
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So that's our quick flyover.
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So with all that context, we will finally have our characters, Agrippa, Festus, and Paul, all together.
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And that brings us to today's text in chapter 26.
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Before we start into chapter 26, please join me in a word of prayer.
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Dear Lord, thank you for this recorded testimony of your faithful followers,
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that we can see the testimony of Paul and his faithfulness,
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that we can be encouraged to go and do likewise,
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that we would be bold in the face of trials of various kinds,
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whether that's legal, like as Paul is going through here,
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that's familial or personal.
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But Father, whatever it may be,
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may those trials help us to spread your gospel, your truth for your glory.
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Please bless this time.
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And it's in your Son, Jesus' name that I pray.
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Amen.
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So our first section, verse 1 through 11,
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we're going to be looking at Paul's ancient hope and deadly ambition.
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But first, we're going to start with verse 1 through 3 with his initial address.
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So Agrippa said to Paul,
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You have permission to speak for yourself.
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Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense.
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I consider myself fortunate, that is before you, King Agrippa,
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that I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,
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especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews.
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Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
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So first, Agrippa opens the floor and gives Paul formally the floor to make his defense.
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Then Paul addressed Agrippa before beginning some of his own personal history in the subsequent verses.
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Paul's tactful word selection about Agrippa is well worth noting.
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Agrippa was known to be a sly politician, as the Jews were his to politically oversee.
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He would know the culture and current events very well.
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Paul is not affirming in any way a genuine faithfulness within Agrippa,
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but Paul is grateful that the Lord has put him before a man familiar with the situation and the Jewish culture than Festus.
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For a little extra context, Agrippa is the great-grandson of Herod the Great.
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So he is in that chain.
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His full name is Herod Agrippa II.
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So we've seen other Herods throughout the gospel,
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first that sought to kill Jesus,
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and then actually with Herod and Pilate oversaw his trial for his crucifixion.
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So this is now a descendant of those Herods.
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So next we see Paul's pharisaical foundation starting in verse 4.
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My manner of life from my youth spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem is known by all the Jews.
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They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify,
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that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.
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So Paul describes the pertinent information of his upbringing.
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He grew up in the most strict party of Judaism as a Pharisee.
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Not only is Paul describing his upbringing in these terms,
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he is saying that it is a known fact that the Pharisees are the strictest,
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by anyone that would be willing to tell the truth.
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In Acts 25, 7, just right before this,
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Luke tells us that many false charges were brought against him by the Jews.
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Verse 7 says this,
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When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him,
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bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove.
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Paul's implication here in verse 5,
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that these Jews may not be the most honest and truth-telling,
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certainly has some support.
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So Paul tells Agrippa that he was taught about something beautiful within that strict upbringing,
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the hope of resurrection.
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Let's continue in verse 6.
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This is not the only time in Acts that Paul references this promise made to the Jewish people.
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This is not the only time in Acts that Paul references this promise made to the Jewish fathers.
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In Acts 13, 32 through 35,
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Paul says to those in the synagogue of Pisidia,
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And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,
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this he has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising Jesus.
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As also it is written in the second psalm,
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You are my son, today I have begotten you.
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And as for the fact that he has raised him from the dead,
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no more to return to corruption,
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he has spoken in this way,
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I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.
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Therefore, he says also in another psalm,
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You will not let your holy ones see corruption.
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So in rapid succession,
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Paul quotes Psalm 2, 7,
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Isaiah 55, 3,
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and Psalm 16, 10
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to support his claim to the Jews of Pisidia.
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Paul's claim to Agrippa is that this hope of the resurrection
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is a central point of the Jewish faith.
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It is what all 12 tribes hope to attain,
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worshiping earnestly night and day.
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Paul also makes it the central point of the conflict in the trial.
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He says at the end of verse 7 into verse 8,
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And for this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king.
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Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
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The force of this rhetorical question
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is why so many faithful Christians argue,
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formulate, and defend the existence of God.
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If an all-powerful, eternal, all-knowing, perfect creator God exists,
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what could possibly prevent him from raising the dead?
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The boulder in front of Jesus' tomb was clearly not enough.
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There are many philosophical arguments to dispel disbelief in God,
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that they are seeking to answer fundamental questions.
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The cosmological argument,
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how do we get here in the first place?
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The fine-tuning argument,
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even if all this stuff was here,
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how did it get so precisely arranged to allow our lives?
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The teleological argument,
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what is the purpose of everything?
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Where are we going?
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The moral argument,
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what is the foundation for objective moral values and duties?
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And there are more than that.
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The argument from contingency,
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the ontological argument.
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And then there are specific formulations of these arguments,
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more than the mere questions that I have just raised.
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And then beyond the philosophical,
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there is historical, prophetic, and archaeological evidence
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that build cases as well.
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And then in addition to the individual persuasiveness of any of these arguments,
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there is also the cumulative case,
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each argument building on top of the other,
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further proving the foolishness of our sinful hearts that say there is no God.
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Psalm 10.4 says,
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In the pride of his face,
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the wicked does not seek him.
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All his thoughts are,
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there is no God.
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Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10, verses 3 through 5,
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In Romans 1, 19 through 20,
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Paul writes,
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Christians should know very well how to point to creation
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and show these attributes,
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God's eternal power and divine nature,
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which God has made plain.
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Now, it's certainly impossible for all of us
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to know every detail of creation
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that showcases God's power and nature.
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For example,
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Katie Dome would most likely be far more equipped
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to describe to you
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God's wise design for beautiful flowers than I would.
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But we all have our focuses
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and those things that we can point to
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to show and tell others
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about God's wise creation and perfect power.
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Through Christ,
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God has rescued us from our sin and darkness.
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Now, God has chosen that the church
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would continue to be his vessel
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to tell the world that he is real,
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they are hopelessly dead in their sin,
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and that Christ's life, death, and resurrection
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are sufficient to restore them
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to new and unending life.
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So this hope of resurrection Paul has
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was not God's promise
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that his people had possessed
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for hundreds and hundreds of years.
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Paul tells Agrippa
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that this ancient hope's true fulfillment
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is why the Jews have sought this trial against him.
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This brings us, continuing now,
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to verse 9,
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seeing Paul's deadly ambition.
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I myself was convinced
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that I ought to do many things
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in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth,
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and I did so in Jerusalem.
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I not only locked up many of the saints in prison
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after receiving authority from the chief priests,
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but when they were put to death,
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I cast my vote against them,
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and I punished them often in all the synagogues,
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and I tried to make them blaspheme,
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and in raging fury against them,
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I persecuted them,
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even to foreign cities.
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Paul will be the first to tell us
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that earnestness,
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that convincing,
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that convinced that he was doing the right thing,
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is not the litmus test for truth.
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There are plenty of examples in our present day,
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and all throughout human history,
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of people being zealous for undeserved,
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to even horrific causes.
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Celebrities, sports teams, politicians,
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climate alarmism, false religions,
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cults, and abortion
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are all reasons
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people will get very worked up
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to defend their position
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and attack the other.
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wholly convinced
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that their side of the issue
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is the correct one.
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Now please hear me clearly,
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I am not advocating
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that the correct position on any topic
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is whatever is in the exact middle
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of the extremes.
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It's always a grievous evil
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if a human baby is killed
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no matter its stage of development.
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Cult leaders that twist scripture
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and abuse their followers
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in the name of Jesus
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need to be stopped,
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and the Lord will judge them
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and hold them to account.
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But here,
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in this section of verses 9-11,
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Paul does not spit upon his accusers.
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He sympathizes with them.
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He very clearly says
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that he did what they are now doing,
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zealously persecuting the church,
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chasing them from town to town.
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And from this place
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of telling his accusers
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that he stood where they stood
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and did what they are doing,
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he tells them
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of God's miraculous mercy
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towards him.
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So that goes into our next section,
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Paul's empowered obedience.
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We'll go from 12-23,
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reading first,
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just 12-18,
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where we'll see that Paul
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was transformed for a purpose.
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In this connection,
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I journeyed to Damascus
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with the authority
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and the commission
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of the chief priests.
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At midday, O King,
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I saw on the way
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a light from heaven
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brighter than the sun
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that shone around me
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and those who journeyed with me.
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And when we had all fallen
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to the ground,
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I heard a voice saying to me
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in the Hebrew language,
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Saul, Saul,
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why are you persecuting me?
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It is hard for you
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to kick against the goads.
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And I said,
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who are you, Lord?
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And the Lord said,
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I am Jesus,
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whom you are persecuting,
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but rise and stand up
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on your feet,
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for I have appeared to you
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for this purpose,
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to appoint you
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as a servant and witness
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to the things
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in which you have seen me
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and to those in which
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I will appear to you,
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delivering you
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from your people
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and from the Gentiles
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to whom I am sending you
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to open their eyes
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that they may turn
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from darkness to light,
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from the power of Satan
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to God,
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that they may receive
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forgiveness of sins
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and a place among those
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who are sanctified
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by faith in me.
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You may have noticed
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that this account
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that Paul gives
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of his encounter
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with Jesus
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on the road to Damascus
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is a bit different
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than the account
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Luke narrates
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in Acts 9.
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After reading
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some different opinions
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as to why
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I am most persuaded
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by the position
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that Paul is giving
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a truncated account
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to King Agrippa
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to focus on his mission
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to the Gentiles
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and the gospel itself.
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Paul focusing in
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on these two aspects
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would have the most relevance
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in the case
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that Agrippa was hearing
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in relation to the charges
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that were being brought
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against Paul.
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Another view
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that can be complementary
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to that,
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to what I just said,
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is that Paul here
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is recalling specific details
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that did occur
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in the original events
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but they were just not
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duplicatively recorded.
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So coming back
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to verses 12 and 8,
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12 through 18,
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excuse me,
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Paul opens this section
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by connecting it
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to the previous,
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in this connection.
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That pharisaical zeal
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that he had
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in persecuting the church
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is what fueled him
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to travel to Damascus.
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He was doing so
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with the authority
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and commission
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of the chief priests
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and he had a distinct purpose
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that he firmly held.
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He carried this banner
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of purpose and zeal
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with white knuckles
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on his way to Damascus
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to root out more followers
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of Jesus
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that he thought
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were blasphemous
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and dangerous.
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And there,
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in the midst of his enmity
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toward Jesus Christ,
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Jesus meets him.
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Jesus asks him
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why he was persecuting.
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Who are you, Lord?
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Paul says in response,
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the white knuckles
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released.
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And then Jesus tells Paul
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his divinely appointed purpose.
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I'll read again.
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This is in verse 16.
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And the Lord said,
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I am Jesus
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whom you are persecuting,
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but rise and stand up
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on your feet.
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For I have appeared
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to you for this purpose
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to appoint you
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as a servant and witness
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to the things
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in which you have seen me
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and to those in which
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I will appear to you,
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delivering you
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from your people
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and from the Gentiles
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to whom I am sending you
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to open their eyes
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so that they may turn
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from darkness to light,
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from the power of Satan
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to God,
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that they may receive
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forgiveness of sins
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and a place among those
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who are sanctified
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by faith in me.
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So let's pull out
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some specifics
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of Paul's purpose
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that is being spelled out
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to him.
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Part one,
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get up.
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You got to get ready
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to go somewhere.
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Part two,
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Paul will be a servant
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of Christ
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and a witness
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to what Jesus has done
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and what Jesus will do.
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Part three,
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Jesus is sending Paul
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to the Gentiles specifically.
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And I'll answer it here
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kind of a part two and a half.
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Jesus tells Paul
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that he's going to need
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to rescue him
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from the Gentiles
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who are his specific
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mission field.
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I think to many of us
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that would be a
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not super encouraging note
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that, hey,
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you're going to these people
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and I'm going to have to
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save you from them
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because they're going
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to try to kill you.
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But that is part
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of the testimony
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of Jesus
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caring for his missionaries,
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his disciples.
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And then part four,
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Paul is going
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to the Gentiles
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so that they may turn
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from darkness and Satan
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to light and God
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and receive forgiveness
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of their sins
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and receive a place
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and inheritance
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among God's people.
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This is the radical idea
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that by faith in Christ,
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the Gentiles will be grafted
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into the people of God
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and receive an inheritance
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with the rest of God's people.
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That by faith in Christ,
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the promises given
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to the faithful in God
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can be expanded out
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to include the formerly
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faithless Gentiles.
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Agrippa would have known
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that Paul was ministering
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with Gentiles.
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That was one of the core
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accusations against him.
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And Paul's focus
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in this account
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is that his purpose
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was directly given him
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by the Lord.
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It is this divine appointment
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that Paul has in mind
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as the hinge
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to go into verse 19
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where he says,
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therefore.
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So now we'll see him,
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Paul being supernaturally
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empowered for that purpose.
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Let's start in verse 19.
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Therefore, O King Agrippa,
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I was not disobedient
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to the heavenly vision,
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but declared first
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to those in Damascus,
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then in Jerusalem,
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and then throughout
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all the region of Judea,
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and also to the Gentiles
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that they should repent
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and turn to God,
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performing deeds
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in keeping with their repentance.
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For this reason,
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the Jews seized me
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in the temple
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and tried to kill me.
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To this day,
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I have had the help
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that comes from God.
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And so I stand here
23:06
testifying both
23:06
to small and great,
23:08
saying nothing
23:08
but what the prophets
23:10
and Moses said
23:11
would come to pass,
23:12
that the Christ
23:13
must suffer,
23:14
and that by being
23:15
the first to rise
23:16
from the dead,
23:17
he would proclaim light
23:19
both to our people
23:20
and to the Gentiles.
23:23
So Paul says,
23:24
he did it.
23:25
I was commanded
23:26
to go to the Gentiles
23:27
and I did it.
23:28
It was divinely commanded
23:29
to him
23:30
and he was obedient
23:30
to that.
23:31
And he did what
23:32
Jesus commanded him to do.
23:33
He went to those
23:34
in Damascus,
23:34
Jerusalem,
23:35
Judea,
23:35
and the Gentiles
23:36
to tell them to repent
23:37
and turn to God,
23:39
followed by faithful works
23:40
that follow true repentance.
23:43
And it is because
23:44
he was faithful
23:45
to this divine injunction
23:47
that the Jews
23:48
first seized him
23:49
and tried to kill him
23:50
and have brought him now
23:51
through this trial process
23:52
spanning over two years.
23:55
Verse 22 and 23
23:56
are so beautiful.
23:57
I'd like to read them again.
24:00
To this day,
24:01
I have had the help
24:02
that comes from God.
24:03
And so I stand here
24:05
testifying both
24:06
to small and to great,
24:07
saying nothing
24:08
but what the prophets
24:09
and Moses said
24:10
would come to pass,
24:11
that the Christ
24:12
must suffer
24:13
and that by being
24:14
the first to rise
24:15
from the dead,
24:16
he would proclaim light
24:17
both to our people
24:18
and to the Gentiles.
24:20
So Paul gives
24:21
all the credit
24:22
to the Lord
24:23
for bringing him
24:23
to this point
24:24
that he could testify
24:25
before such a group
24:26
of people.
24:27
This section ends
24:29
with Paul saying
24:30
that he is not saying
24:30
anything new.
24:32
Again,
24:32
this is the ancient hope.
24:36
It is only the fulfillment
24:37
of what Moses
24:38
and the prophets said.
24:40
And the Christ did suffer,
24:41
he did die,
24:42
and he did rise
24:43
from the dead
24:44
to proclaim light
24:46
to the whole world.
24:47
The uninterrupted
24:49
and unchallenged reign
24:50
of death
24:51
since Adam
24:52
came toppling down.
24:55
This is the greatest news.
24:57
Paul had to say it.
24:59
We must feel
25:00
not just the same command,
25:02
but the same need.
25:06
So our last section,
25:07
starting in verse 24,
25:09
we see Paul's
25:10
faithful invitation.
25:11
And sadly,
25:14
the first response
25:16
we see
25:17
is an immediate dismissal.
25:19
Verse 24,
25:21
And as he was saying
25:23
these things
25:23
in his defense,
25:24
Festus said
25:25
with a loud voice,
25:27
Paul,
25:27
you are out of your mind.
25:29
Your great learning
25:30
is driving you
25:30
out of your mind.
25:32
So the Roman governor,
25:33
Festus,
25:34
interrupts Paul
25:35
to tell him
25:36
and everyone present
25:37
that Paul
25:38
has gone insane.
25:39
He has read
25:40
and studied too much
25:40
and has broke his brain.
25:42
He's lost it.
25:43
But Paul does not turn back.
25:45
He calmly doubles down
25:46
on the claims
25:47
that he has made.
25:48
Let's look at verse 25.
25:51
But Paul said,
25:52
I am not out of my mind,
25:53
most excellent Festus,
25:55
but I am speaking
25:56
true and rational words.
25:59
This is an excellent example
26:01
for us to learn from.
26:02
When we share
26:03
the truth of Christ,
26:04
the gospel,
26:05
we will often be
26:06
dismissed,
26:07
reviled,
26:07
and persecuted.
26:09
This should be
26:10
no surprise.
26:10
This is the example
26:11
that we see
26:12
in the prophets,
26:13
Jesus,
26:14
and the apostles.
26:15
And all of those
26:16
instructed us
26:17
to expect dismissal,
26:18
revilement,
26:19
and persecution
26:20
and to endure it.
26:22
So what we see
26:23
here from Paul
26:24
is exactly how
26:25
Peter instructed
26:26
the church
26:26
to conduct ourselves
26:28
in 1 Peter 3,
26:29
14-17.
26:31
But even if you should
26:33
suffer for righteousness
26:34
sake,
26:35
you will be blessed.
26:37
Have no fear of them,
26:38
nor be troubled,
26:39
but in your hearts
26:40
honor Christ the Lord
26:41
as holy,
26:42
always being prepared
26:43
to make a defense
26:44
to anyone who asks you
26:46
for a reason
26:46
for the hope
26:47
that is in you.
26:49
Yet do it with
26:50
gentleness and respect,
26:51
having a good conscience,
26:53
so that when you are
26:54
slandered,
26:55
those who revile
26:56
your good behavior
26:57
in Christ
26:57
may be put to shame.
26:58
For it is better
27:00
to suffer for doing good
27:01
if that should be
27:02
God's will
27:02
than for doing evil.
27:04
When we look at Acts 26,
27:07
we can see every aspect
27:08
of this instruction
27:09
being lived out by Paul.
27:12
He is not scared
27:13
of his accusers.
27:14
He is honoring Christ,
27:15
and he is giving
27:16
a defense
27:17
for his hope
27:18
of resurrection
27:19
with gentleness
27:20
and respect,
27:21
even after being called
27:23
insane.
27:25
Next we see
27:25
the direct question.
27:27
So Paul
27:28
transitions his address
27:29
back toward Agrippa
27:30
in verse 26.
27:32
For the king knows
27:33
about these things,
27:34
and to him
27:36
I speak boldly.
27:37
For I am persuaded
27:38
that none of these things
27:39
has escaped his notice,
27:41
for this has not been done
27:42
in a quarter.
27:43
So he made
27:44
the transition
27:45
back to Agrippa,
27:46
and he asked him
27:47
this direct question
27:47
in verse 27.
27:50
King Agrippa,
27:51
do you believe
27:52
the prophets?
27:54
I know that you believe.
27:55
It is worth the time
27:57
to make clear
27:58
exactly what Paul
27:59
is asking Agrippa,
28:00
because the interjection
28:02
of Festus
28:02
could make us lose
28:03
some of the precision
28:04
of the question.
28:06
So back in verse 22
28:07
and 23,
28:08
Paul says that
28:09
the prophets and Moses
28:10
said that the Christ
28:11
would come,
28:12
suffer,
28:13
and rise from the dead.
28:14
This was the last thing
28:16
Paul said before
28:17
Festus' interjection.
28:19
And now,
28:20
following up on that statement,
28:22
Paul asks Agrippa
28:22
if he believes
28:24
what the prophets said.
28:25
Does he believe
28:26
that the Christ
28:26
has come,
28:27
suffered,
28:28
and has now risen
28:29
from the dead?
28:31
I know that you believe,
28:33
is the follow-up
28:34
on the question
28:36
in verse 27.
28:38
Agrippa was known
28:39
to put his Jewishness
28:40
on display
28:41
for the people.
28:43
He oversaw them
28:44
and wanted to be sure
28:45
that he was seen
28:46
as,
28:47
or at least thought of
28:48
as a faithful Jew.
28:50
However,
28:52
if we see
28:53
some of his grandparents
28:53
and his fathers
28:55
before him,
28:55
there is not a chain
28:56
of faithfulness there
28:58
and that does not change
28:59
with the life
29:00
of Herod Agrippa II.
29:04
Agrippa was known
29:04
to be in an ungodly
29:06
relationship
29:07
with his sister Bernice
29:08
who is attending
29:09
this council
29:09
as Luke records.
29:11
It would be likely
29:12
for a man
29:13
in Agrippa's
29:13
political position
29:14
to live a life
29:15
of moral compromise
29:16
as well.
29:17
You scratch my back,
29:18
I scratch yours,
29:19
regardless of
29:20
any kind of justice.
29:23
Those points aside,
29:24
Agrippa likely
29:25
would have liked
29:26
to say that he
29:26
followed the Torah.
29:28
Yeah, no problem.
29:28
I follow the law,
29:29
no problem.
29:30
But as we know,
29:32
when it came down to it,
29:33
he refused to submit
29:34
his life
29:35
to the wisdom
29:36
and righteousness
29:36
of God.
29:38
So we read
29:39
in verse 28
29:40
his answer to Paul.
29:43
And Agrippa said to Paul,
29:45
in a short time,
29:46
would you persuade me
29:47
to be a Christian?
29:49
So I understand
29:50
from the ESV study note,
29:52
footnote,
29:52
and others
29:53
that the original Greek
29:54
of this verse
29:55
is complicated.
29:56
Maybe TJ or Zach
29:57
could explain better
29:58
why it is so complicated.
30:00
Regardless,
30:00
it's debated
30:01
whether Agrippa
30:02
was truthfully
30:03
or earnestly
30:03
saying something
30:04
to Paul like,
30:05
you almost persuaded me
30:07
to be a Christian
30:07
in this short time,
30:08
or something more
30:10
sarcastic reading as,
30:12
did you really think
30:13
that you could persuade me
30:14
to be such a Christian
30:14
in a short time?
30:17
Either translation
30:18
is ultimately
30:19
a rejection
30:20
of Paul's
30:21
question and invitation.
30:23
Personally,
30:23
I do favor
30:24
the sarcastic reading
30:26
in light of Paul's
30:27
wordplay
30:28
and punny answer
30:28
in verse 29.
30:30
And Paul said,
30:31
whether short or long,
30:33
I would to God
30:34
that not only you,
30:35
but also all
30:36
who hear me this day
30:37
might become
30:38
such as I am
30:39
except for these chains.
30:41
Instead of returning
30:42
any sarcasm,
30:44
I picture Paul here
30:45
saying this
30:45
with an honest smile.
30:46
Whether it's short or long,
30:48
I want everybody
30:49
to be as I am
30:50
except for these chains.
30:53
So next we see
30:54
a cold departure.
30:58
Luke records
30:58
a short epilogue
30:59
to our primary drama
31:00
in these last few verses,
31:02
starting in verse 30.
31:03
Then the king rose
31:04
and the governor
31:05
and Bernice
31:06
and those who were
31:07
sitting with them.
31:08
And when they had withdrawn,
31:09
they said to one another,
31:11
this man is doing nothing
31:12
to deserve death
31:13
or imprisonment.
31:14
And Agrippa said to Festus,
31:16
this man could have been set free
31:18
if he had not appealed
31:19
to Caesar.
31:21
So the council,
31:21
primarily Festus and Agrippa,
31:24
agreed that Paul
31:25
had done nothing
31:25
to deserve further imprisonment.
31:27
So they show some pity
31:29
that he should have taken
31:30
an option
31:30
that would prolong
31:31
this process
31:32
and now he has to go
31:33
to Caesar
31:34
and be imprisoned
31:35
any longer.
31:35
They're saying,
31:36
well, that's too bad
31:37
for this guy.
31:39
But these men
31:40
think that they should
31:40
pity Paul for this
31:41
but they do not know
31:43
what God told Paul
31:45
in Acts 23, 11.
31:47
I read it earlier,
31:47
I'll read it again.
31:49
The following night
31:51
the Lord stood by him
31:52
and said,
31:53
take courage
31:53
for as you have testified
31:55
about me in Jerusalem
31:56
so you must testify
31:58
also in Rome.
32:00
The Lord is still working
32:02
but these men
32:03
are blind to it.
32:05
They've rejected
32:06
the clear gospel
32:06
and they do not know
32:08
the plan and will
32:09
of God.
32:10
So what should we make
32:13
of all of this
32:14
in light
32:15
of the rejection
32:16
of the gospel
32:17
that we see here?
32:19
I think there are
32:20
three truths
32:20
that those in Christ
32:22
can apply from this text.
32:23
Before we walk through
32:24
those points of application
32:25
for the believers,
32:27
I think there are
32:27
a couple points of application
32:28
for non-believers
32:29
to first consider.
32:31
Number one,
32:32
do not dismiss
32:34
the gospel
32:34
without consideration
32:36
like Festus.
32:37
every part
32:38
of our sinful flesh
32:40
wants to see
32:41
and hear the gospel
32:42
and dismiss it
32:43
as crazy talk.
32:46
Second,
32:48
do not give
32:48
lip service,
32:50
mere talk
32:50
to God's kingdom
32:52
like Agrippa.
32:55
Genuinely
32:56
and fully
32:57
commit your life
32:58
to the Lord.
32:59
God's kingdom
33:01
and the first
33:02
of the three
33:02
aforementioned truths.
33:05
It brings God glory
33:07
for the gospel
33:08
to be proclaimed.
33:11
Oftentimes,
33:12
we can get caught up
33:13
on results
33:14
and numbers.
33:16
Now,
33:16
of course,
33:17
results and numbers
33:18
in this case
33:18
refer to,
33:20
they certainly matter
33:21
because they refer
33:22
to humans
33:23
which God loves.
33:24
But as we go,
33:26
as we share
33:26
the gospel
33:27
with coworkers,
33:28
neighbors,
33:29
family members,
33:30
children,
33:30
anyone which
33:31
the Lord brings,
33:33
we should know
33:34
and believe
33:34
that God is glorified
33:36
in the proclamation
33:37
of the gospel
33:38
because we are telling
33:40
others
33:41
of his holiness,
33:43
his mercy,
33:44
goodness,
33:45
justice,
33:45
and love.
33:46
The proclamation
33:47
of the gospel
33:48
as Paul has done here
33:50
in Acts 26
33:51
also demonstrates
33:52
for the hearers
33:53
God's ancient plan
33:56
for salvation,
33:58
thereby showing
33:59
his wisdom,
34:00
power,
34:00
and faithfulness
34:01
to accomplish
34:02
that plan.
34:04
What great
34:06
aspects of the Lord
34:08
that we can proclaim
34:10
as we share
34:11
the gospel faithfully
34:12
and that brings
34:13
him glory.
34:14
The second truth
34:15
that we can know
34:16
and apply
34:17
is that we ought
34:18
to desire
34:19
for all people
34:20
to become faithful
34:21
disciples of Jesus Christ.
34:23
When Paul responds
34:25
to Agrippa's
34:25
rejection and dismissal
34:27
by saying that he wishes
34:28
that Agrippa
34:29
and all others present
34:30
would become as he is,
34:32
I would put forth
34:33
to you
34:33
that he does not
34:34
merely mean
34:35
that people would
34:36
make professions
34:36
of faith,
34:37
but rather
34:38
that they would
34:39
all become
34:40
fervent,
34:41
determined,
34:43
sharers of the gospel
34:44
of Jesus,
34:44
that they would
34:45
become faithful,
34:46
fruitful members
34:48
of Jesus' church,
34:49
as he is,
34:50
except for the chains.
34:53
Lastly,
34:53
we must prepare
34:55
to share the gospel
34:56
well.
34:57
We must know
34:59
who God is,
35:00
what we have done
35:01
to separate ourselves
35:02
from him,
35:03
and what Christ
35:04
has done
35:04
to restore us
35:05
to him forever.
35:08
Last week,
35:09
we sang a song
35:10
together,
35:11
The Horse That Draws
35:12
the Plow.
35:13
It is a sweet
35:14
and faithful prayer
35:15
to our Lord.
35:16
This is its final verse.
35:19
Lord,
35:20
make your servant
35:20
hopeful
35:21
as the horse
35:22
that draws the plow.
35:24
He bends his shoulders
35:25
to the ropes
35:26
and churns
35:26
the stubborn ground.
35:28
His toil will yield
35:30
a harvest rich,
35:31
although he knows
35:32
not how.
35:34
Lord,
35:34
make your servant
35:35
steadfast
35:36
as the horse
35:37
that draws the plow.
35:39
We ought to work
35:40
diligently
35:41
in this preparation.
35:43
We ought to make
35:44
the time
35:44
to study God's word
35:46
well,
35:46
individually,
35:47
and communally.
35:49
We ought to make
35:50
the time
35:50
to pray
35:51
fervently
35:52
for the lost
35:53
in our lives,
35:54
for our focus,
35:55
for our boldness.
35:57
We ought to be
35:58
steadfast
35:59
in our ministry
36:00
to those in our lives,
36:01
our family,
36:02
friends,
36:03
and children.
36:05
And we can know
36:06
that we do not
36:07
labor in vain.
36:08
we trust
36:10
in a rich harvest,
36:12
though we may not know
36:13
how.
36:15
Join me in prayer.
36:16
Let's go.