Almost
Notes
Transcript
INTRO
INTRO
Thomas Edison (inventor of the light bulb) said, “I never allow myself to become discouraged under any circumstances.
I recall that after we had conducted thousands of experiments on a certain project without solving the problem, one of my associates, after we had conducted the crowning experiment and it had proved a failure, expressed discouragement and disgust over our having failed ‘to find out anything.’
I cheerily assured him that we had learned something, for we had learned for a certainty that the thing couldn’t be done that way and that we would have to try some other way.”
Strong-willed children can be inflexible, stubborn and tend to get emotionally stuck in frustration and anger if they don’t get their way.
They can be opinionated and hyper-focused on doing things their way (“the right way”). They can seem relentless in pursuit of power and control.
Have you ever pictured the apostle Paul as a strong-willed child during his early years? Have you ever wondered how his parents corrected, guided and helped shape his strong convictions? God confronted and later used Paul’s high-spirited nature to spread the gospel across the known world in the Book of Acts.
We get to glimpse into Paul’s drive and courage as we read about his various missionary journeys and imprisonments. Paul learned to relentlessly follow Christ for an intimate relationship with God while listening carefully to the Holy Spirit. He learned how to base his strength on love.
I imagine Paul’s parents had many exhausting days raising him because parenting a strong-willed child can be exhausting, challenging and also rewarding. These “high spirited” children typically have a stubborn, independent mentality. However, they can also be overflowing with confidence, determination, drive and focus.
1. Be calm
2. Be clear
3. Be consistent
4. Follow through
5. Delegate some control
6. Teach and reinforce empathy and humility
When taught with patience and firm, loving guidance, strong-willed children can become life-changing leaders like Paul, Peter, Esther and Daniel in the Bible or the Thomas Edisons of the world.
TODAY WE OURSELVES LOOKING AT CHAPTER 26 OFTHE BOOKS OF ACTS. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
HISTORY OF AGRIPPA
FESTUS SUCCEEDED FELIX, HE WAS THE GOVERNOR - HE HAD MORE AUTHORITY THAN KING AGRIPPA. KING AGRIPPA WAS THE KING OVER ISREAL BUT CEASAR WAS THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY.
AGRIPPA WAS USEFUL TO FESTUS BECAUSE HE AND HIS SISTER BERNICE (WHOM WERE IN RELATIONSHIP) KNEW A LOT ABOUT THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND THEIR SYSTEMS.
FESTUS TOOK OVER FROM FELIX AND AS HE WAS EXAMINING HIS PRISONERS HE CAME ACROSS PAULS CASE.
KING HEROD AGRIPPA II -(GREAT GRANDSON OF KING HEROD)
AGRIPPA HOWEVER HAD BEEN GIVEN CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE TEMPLE AND THE AUTHORITY TO APPOINT THE HIGH PRIEST.
(The son of Agrippa I was King Herod Agrippa II, also known as Julius Marcus Agrippa; he was the brother of Bernice and Drusilla and heard Paul's defense of the gospel in Acts 26. Agrippa II had quite a lot of power in Jewish religious affairs, for he had been given custodianship of the temple and the authority to appoint the high priest.)
The Message BIBLE Reads as follows:
Paul took the stand and told his story. “I can’t think of anyone, King Agrippa, before whom I’d rather be answering all these Jewish accusations than you, knowing how well you are acquainted with Jewish ways and all our family quarrels.
4-8 “From the time of my youth, my life has been lived among my own people in Jerusalem. Practically every Jew in town who watched me grow up—and if they were willing to stick their necks out they’d tell you in person—knows that I lived as a strict Pharisee, the most demanding branch of our religion. It’s because I believed it and took it seriously, committed myself heart and soul to what God promised my ancestors—the identical hope, mind you, that the twelve tribes have lived for night and day all these centuries—it’s because I have held on to this tested and tried hope that I’m being called on the carpet by the Jews. They should be the ones standing trial here, not me! For the life of me, I can’t see why it’s a criminal offense to believe that God raises the dead.
9-11 “I admit that I didn’t always hold to this position. For a time I thought it was my duty to oppose this Jesus of Nazareth with all my might. Backed with the full authority of the high priests, I threw these believers—I had no idea they were God’s people!—into the Jerusalem jail right and left, and whenever it came to a vote, I voted for their execution. I stormed through their meeting places, bullying them into cursing Jesus, a one-man terror obsessed with obliterating these people. And then I started on the towns outside Jerusalem.
12-14 “One day on my way to Damascus, armed as always with papers from the high priests authorizing my action, right in the middle of the day a blaze of light, light outshining the sun, poured out of the sky on me and my companions. Oh, King, it was so bright! We fell flat on our faces. Then I heard a voice in Hebrew: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me? Why do you insist on going against the grain?’
15-16 “I said, ‘Who are you, Master?’
“The voice answered, ‘I am Jesus, the One you’re hunting down like an animal. But now, up on your feet—I have a job for you. I’ve handpicked you to be a servant and witness to what’s happened today, and to what I am going to show you.
17-18 “‘I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.’
19-20 “What could I do, King Agrippa? I couldn’t just walk away from a vision like that! I became an obedient believer on the spot. I started preaching this life-change—this radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life—right there in Damascus, went on to Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside, and from there to the whole world.
21-23 “It’s because of this ‘whole world’ dimension that the Jews grabbed me in the Temple that day and tried to kill me. They want to keep God for themselves. But God has stood by me, just as he promised, and I’m standing here saying what I’ve been saying to anyone, whether king or child, who will listen. And everything I’m saying is completely in line with what the prophets and Moses said would happen: One, the Messiah must die; two, raised from the dead, he would be the first rays of God’s daylight shining on people far and near, people both godless and God-fearing.”
24 That was too much for Festus. He interrupted with a shout: “Paul, you’re crazy! You’ve read too many books, spent too much time staring off into space! Get a grip on yourself, get back in the real world!”
25-27 But Paul stood his ground. “With all respect, Festus, Your Honor, I’m not crazy. I’m both accurate and sane in what I’m saying. The king knows what I’m talking about. I’m sure that nothing of what I’ve said sounds crazy to him. He’s known all about it for a long time. You must realize that this wasn’t done behind the scenes. You believe the prophets, don’t you, King Agrippa? Don’t answer that—I know you believe.”
28 But Agrippa did answer: “Keep this up much longer and you’ll make a Christian out of me!”
29 Paul, still in chains, said, “That’s what I’m praying for, whether now or later, and not only you but everyone listening today, to become like me—except, of course, for this prison jewelry!”
30-31 The king and the governor, along with Bernice and their advisors, got up and went into the next room to talk over what they had heard. They quickly agreed on Paul’s innocence, saying, “There’s nothing in this man deserving prison, let alone death.”
32 Agrippa told Festus, “He could be set free right now if he hadn’t requested the hearing before Caesar.”
TO BE NOTED:
When God brings a person to faith in Jesus Christ, he already knows how he wants to use that person in service to his kingdom. Sometimes we are slow to understand God's plan and may even resist it.
16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,
17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you
18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.
26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
29 And Paul said, “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.”
THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW KNEW SO MUCH ABOUT JESUS YET WERE SO FROM HIM.
Think of all that the teachers of the law knew about the coming of the Messiah:
· He would be born of the Seed of the woman. That’s in Genesis 3:15
· He would be a descendant of Shem. That’s in Genesis 9:26
· He would be of the seed of Abraham. That’s in Genesis 12:1-3
· He would be a descendant of Isaac. That’s in Genesis 22:18
· He would be a descendant of Jacob. That’s in Genesis 28:14
· He would be of the tribe of Judah. That’s in Genesis 49:10
· He would be a “son of David." That’s in 2 Samuel 7:11
He would be born of a virgin. That’s in Isaiah 7:14
· He would be born in Bethlehem. That’s in Micah 5:2
We can summarize in five simple statements what the Jewish scholars knew about the Messiah:
1. He will be a Jew.
2. He will come from the tribe of Judah.
3. He will be a descendant of David.
4. He will be born in Bethlehem.
5. He will be born of a virgin.
WHEN HEROD ASKED THE JEWISH LEADERS WHERE THE MESSIAH WAS TO BE BORN, THEY ANSWERED IMMEDIATELY. THEY KNEW THE ANSWER, THEY HAD STUDIED IT WELL.
11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
WE HAVE GOT IT ALL WRONG - WE ARE NOT HERE TO CONDEMN THE WORLD BUT TO BRING THE MESSAGE OF HOPE.
IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WE SEE THE ACCOUNT OF PAULS STORY TOLD 3 TIMES.
THE NARRATIVE- HIS TELLING OF HOW IT HAPPENED - CHAPTER 9
THEN PAUL TELLS OF HIS ENOUNTER WITH JESUS IN THE MIDST OF THE ROMAN SOLDIERS AND AN ANGRY MOB.
THE THIRD TIME HE IS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GOVERNOR FESTUS AND KING AGRIPPA AND HIS SISTER.
PAUL KEEPS BEING PLACED IN THE PRESENCE OF MORE AND MORE INFLUENCIAL PEOPLE. HE GETS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL STORY JUST AS GOD HAD INTENDED.
WHAT DO I WANT THEM TO KNOW?
EVERY TIME YOU TELL YOUR STORY - YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT AUDIENCE, THEY ARE WATCHING YOU.
PAUL STOOD IN FRONT OF A KING AND A GOVERNOR -
23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
THERE WAS NO POMP FOR PAUL - IN FACT HE WAS PROBABLY DISHEVELLED. AND AS WE KNOW IN CHAINS.
I KNOW YOU WILL SAY HE WAS DEFENDING HIMSELF - BUT EVERY TIME WE TESTIFY THAT WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND OUR FAITH.
MAYBE PAUL DID NOT HAVE AN ALTAR CALL AND ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS - BUT HE WAS BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD AND THE CALLING THAT HE HAD ON HIS LIFE.
Having a stubborn will can get us through discouragement, obstacles and moments of failure.
YOU KNOW WHERE PAUL WAS HEADED NEXT?
TO ROME WHERE HE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL MANY MORE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT GOD HAD DONE AND THE SALVATION THAT JESUS BRINGS TO US. EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WE CAN ALSO SHARE OUR STORY.
THIS WEEK I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU. ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU WHAT PART OF YOUR STORY HE WANTS YOU TO SHARE AND THEN ASK HIM TO SHOW YOU WHO HE WANTS YOU TO SHARE IT WITH.