Acts 26
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[PRAYER]
[READING - Acts 26:1]
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
Since his arrest in Jerusalem two years earlier, Paul had made a defense like this one in Acts 26 on a few previous occasions.
When he was first arrested, he tried to make a defense like this one before his words were cutoff by the angry mob that wanted him dead.
Then he tried to make a defense like this one before the Jewish Council, but that defense also descended into chaos.
Then once he was transferred Caesarea, Paul made his defense before the Roman Governor, Felix.
Fast-forward about two years and Festus has replaced Felix, and Paul now makes another defense before another Roman Governor and the Jewish King, Agrippa.
The whole reason this is happening is because Paul has appealed his case to Caesar and Governor Festus doesn’t know what to write down as the charges against Paul.
He’s hoping that this hearing will help him come up with a reason for sending Paul to Caesar.
[CIT] But Paul used this defense before Festus and King Agrippa as an opportunity to give a defense for the hope within him.
In First Peter 3:15 we are commanded…
15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
[PROP] That’s what Paul is doing in Acts 26, and we ought to learn from our brother Paul how to do the same.
Agrippa permits Paul to speak <v. 1a>
Paul’s opening remarks <vv. 1b-3>
2 “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; 3 especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
It was customary to compliment the one hearing your case as Paul complimented Agrippa on this occasion.
But then in v. 4, Paul begins to make his defense.
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
PART #1: Past (Acts 26:4-11)
PART #1: Past (Acts 26:4-11)
4 “So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. 6 “And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. 8 “Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead? 9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
Paul’s manner of life from his youth up <v. 4>
Paul’s life as a Pharisee, the sect of Judaism <v. 5>
Paul’s understanding of the reason for his trial <vv. 6-8> Paul says that he was a good Jew, strictly faithful to Judaism, and it’s for holding a Jewish belief that he was on trial—the belief in resurrection.
The resurrection—the promise made by God to our fathers (6)
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.
12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
The resurrection—the promise to which the twelve tribes hope to attain (7)
28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The resurrection—considered incredible among Paul’s accusers (8)
But Paul wonders why they find it incredible if it is the promise made to the fathers and the hope of the 12 tribes.
Paul returns to the subject of his past, speaking of his former hostility toward the name of Jesus of Nazareth <vv. 9-11>
9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
[APP] Everyone has a past. Paul’s past included hatred of Jesus and persecution of his followers.
It’s interesting to think that those who heard about Paul’s past on this occasion would’ve likely thought, “His past is not so bad; it’s actually pretty good.”
But they would’ve thought that because they didn’t understand who Jesus truly is.
Paul himself didn’t understand who Jesus truly is when he hated him and persecuted his followers, but as Paul spoke to King Agrippa, he knew who Jesus truly is, and he knew that his past was bad.
But he also knew that no one had a past so bad that it couldn’t be forgiven by Jesus.
[ILLUS] If you’ve been in church for a minute, you’ve heard about Jesus saving someone with a depraved past. The thieves, the prostitutes, the murderers, they’ve all been rescued by Jesus. But maybe you don’t have a depraved testimony; maybe your testimony is like that of a girl named Brinley.
Brinley was a teenager in the youth group I served back in Mississippi. In the Summer, the group would go on a one-week mission trip out of state, but one of the requirements to go was sharing your testimony in front of the group.
There were no prostitutes or murderers among the teenagers who shared, but they all had a past; they all understood that they were sinners, and at some point they met Jesus, the Savior, and trusted in him for forgiveness.
But Brinley’s testimony was different. Brinley didn’t remember a past without Jesus. As she put it when she shared with our group, “I don’t remember not knowing Jesus.”
That’s a great testimony!
Brinley was raised in a home that loved Jesus, and I wish every child was.
Then maybe all children would group up not remembering not knowing Jesus.
But to be clear, there was a time when Brinley didn’t know Jesus. She had a past without him, and that past was, in a sense, as equally bad as Paul’s past because every past without Jesus is bad.
Your past without Jesus was bad even if you weren’t a murder of Christians or even if you were.
Your past without Jesus was bad even if you had a great life, humanly speaking, before you met Jesus.
Your past without Jesus was no worse than Paul’s and no better.
Every past without Jesus is bad.
But the power of the resurrected Savior that rescued Paul and rescued Brinley can rescue you too.
Jesus promises to save you from the sins of your past, present, and future if you call on him in faith.
[TS]…
PART #2: Conversion (Acts 26:12-18)
PART #2: Conversion (Acts 26:12-18)
12 “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish 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 dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
Paul’s journey to Damascus to persecute more Christians was interrupted by the sudden shining of a light from heaven, brighter than the sun <vv. 12-13>
Jesus revealed himself to Paul and called Paul to minister and witness for him <vv. 14-18>
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (14) “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (15)
Paul had been persecuting the body of Christ as he persecuted the church.
“for this purpose I have appeared to you...” (16-18)
to appoint you - “to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the thing in which I will appear to you” <16>
With these words, Paul said before Festus and Agrippa that his appointment and message were supernaturally received from the resurrected Christ.
to send you - “(to) rescue you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you” <17>
Paul said that the risen Jesus sent him to proclaim the Gospel message not to the Jews only but also to the Gentiles.
to open their eyes - “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me” <18>
Paul said that he was sent so that the dead in sin might be raised to life through faith in Jesus.
“so that they may turn from darkness to light”
darkness — Unbelievers are in the darkness of spiritual blindness.
light — The Bible uses light to picture salvation.
“so that they may turn from the domain of Satan to God”
Satan — Unbelievers are under the rule of Satan, the devil, the accuser, the adversary, the most diabolical evil who has set himself up in opposition to God and his purposes
God — Those who believe in Jesus live under the kind rule of God who created them in his image and made them new creations through faith in Jesus.
“so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in me.”
forgiveness — All our sins have been pardoned, and we have been restored to right relationship with God through faith in Jesus crucified and resurrected.
inheritance — We will inherit the Kingdom of God.
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Although the story of Paul’s conversion ends with him as a minister and witness for Jesus, we should note carefully the places where the story of his conversion began.
Paul’s conversion began in the goading. (14)
When a stubborn animal refused to be directed by the sticks his handlers used as prods, they were kicking against the goads.
That Jesus used this figure of speech with Paul means that Jesus had been prodding Paul toward salvation, and that before Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul had been ignoring that prodding; he had been kicking against the goads.
[APP] This morning if Jesus is prodding you, do not ignore him. He is trying to direct you to light, to God, to forgiveness, to an eternal inheritance in heaven, to spiritual cleansing through faith in Jesus.
Yes, when Paul ignored the initial prodding of Jesus, Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light on the road to Damascus, but Jesus is under no obligation to do the same thing with you.
If you kick against the goads, he may stop goading you.
Paul’s conversion began in the dirt. (14)
When Paul saw the light brighter the sun, he knew he was seeing the glorious light of heaven, the glorious light of God’s glory, and he responded appropriately—he fell prostrate before Jesus; he put his face in the dirt.
He only rose when Jesus said to him, “Get up and stand on your feet,” (v. 16).
[APP] This is where we must all begin with Jesus. We don’t come to him with a handshake as if we are his peers. He is Lord, and when his lordship is made known to us, we bow before him.
And we only rise when he graciously tells us to get up and stand.
If he goading you toward salvation this morning, respond to him by bowing before him as Savior and Lord.
[TS]…
PART #3: Ministry (Acts 26:19-23)
PART #3: Ministry (Acts 26:19-23)
19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. 21 “For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. 22 “So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 23 that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Paul obeyed Jesus and persisted in declaring the gospel to Jews and Gentiles alike <vv. 20-21>
“that they should repent and turn to God” (20b)
Repentance is changing one’s mind about sin, to turn away from it by turning toward obedience to God.
“(that they should) perform deeds appropriate to repentance.” (20c)
True repentance is accompanied by deeds of repentance.
8 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;
“For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.” (21)
Paul said that he endured, even before his accusers on that day, in proclaiming the gospel (the good news) <vv. 22-23>
“what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place” (22)
“that the Christ was to suffer” (23a)
“and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (23b)
What was Paul referring to when he said that the Prophets and Moses foretold what would take place with Jesus? Was it…
*Genesis 3:15?
*Psalm 22?
*Isaiah 7:14?
*Isaiah 9:6?
*Isaiah 52:13-53:12?
*Daniel 7:14?
*Micah 5:2?
It may have been all of the above and more, but because the Prophets and Moses foretold it and Paul saw it with his own eyes, he had to persevere in declaring it; he couldn’t stop.
[ILLUS] “Why don’t you just stop?” Perhaps someone asked Paul that question.
“Why don’t you just stop preaching?”
“Why don’t you just stop telling others about Jesus?”
“Why don’t you just stop saying that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah?”
“Why don’t you just stop saying that he rose from the dead?”
“Why don’t you just stop saying that he’s coming again?”
“Why don’t you just stop saying that he’s the only way of salvation?”
“Paul, tell us why you won’t just stop!”
“We’ve threatened you!”
“We’ve beaten you!”
“We’ve tried to kill you!”
“Why won’t you just stop?”
Because what had been promised in the Prophets and Moses had been delivered in Jesus crucified and resurrected.
Paul had seen it, experienced it; he had been saved by it himself.
He couldn’t help but declare it.
[TS]…
PART #4: Appeal & Response (Acts 26:24-32)
PART #4: Appeal & Response (Acts 26:24-32)
24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. 26 “For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. 27 “King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” 29 And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” 30 The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Festus’ response <v. 24>
mad — Because the truths of Jesus’ death and resurrection sounded strange to Festus, he thought Paul was going mad, insane, or as we might say—Festus thought Paul was going nuts.
Paul’s reply to Festus and turn to Agrippa <vv. 25-27>
Paul said he wasn’t insane but spoke words of sober truth, and he said that King Agrippa should’ve recognized this because the things concerning Jesus didn’t happen in a corner.
The death and resurrection of Jesus was very public, so Agrippa should’ve recognized what Paul was talking about.
Agrippa’s response <v. 28>
“In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”
Was this sarcastic anger, a jest, or a sign that Paul’s logic was close to converting Agrippa?
We don’t know.
Paul’s reply and plea to all <v. 29>
29 And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”
[APP] We can’t determine how people will respond to our gospel appeal.
Some may think we’re crazy.
Some may be angry.
Some may dismiss us with sarcasm.
Some may listen and come close to trusting in Jesus only to turn away in the end.
Whatever their response, our commitment should be to persevere in sharing Jesus—telling them of our past without him, our conversion to him, and our service to him afterward.
We must appeal to them, that they all may be as we are—saved by grace through faith in the crucified and resurrected Jesus.
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]
