God at work on His plan pt. 4

Introduction

Scripture

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can more like You, and more made into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much, that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all to often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possible can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

In today’s text, we see the final scene before Paul sets sail for Rome. This has been a process that is long in the making, lasting several years in fact and began at least some 5 chapters back, when Paul arrived in Jerusalem. Now in prison still in Caesarea, awaiting his opportunity, stands on trial and examination again; which at this point has happened oh so many time. What’s so astounding about this, is that no person with authority to give a verdict, had found Paul guilty of anything, in fact, even now when Paul is about be sent to Caesar for a final appeal, no one had been so much able to bring a charge against Paul that an evidence that could stand or even be heard in the courtroom proceedings. So, Paul, an innocent man of any wrongdoing, is stuck in the state of limbo, but not without purpose, as the Lord Jesus had directly told Paul that he was going to witness his faith, that Jesus Christ is Lord, Savior, Messiah, in Rome just as he had done in Jerusalem.

In today’s text, Paul is standing in a hearing in front of a very esteemed audience in the town Caesarea, which included military commanders, important leaders in the community, and importantly the new Roman Governor Fesus and the Roman appointed King of the area King Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice. Still, Festus had no charge to send along with Paul in his appeal to Caesar, and it was his hope that as a friend of the empire, King Agrippa could identify some kind of charge in this curious man Paul that all Jerusalem seemed to cry out death against. This hearing is what we are reading about today.

In this hearing, Paul shares with agrippa every detail he can, as the king had a good knowledge of Jewish law and custom, even though he was not a good practicing Jew, still he, his father, and grandfather had ruled this land for some-time and had a Jewish family background as well, so that would have some knowledge and understanding. It’s clear from Paul’s sharing of his defense and testimony that Jesus calls even the worst sinners to a glorious work. Paul himself under the authority of the high priests was a violent killer, someone that you would not suppose that Jesus would use to spread the faith. Still, this is often our God chooses to work, as it gets our attention, because it seems so unlikely. The same thing is true for you believer, that no matter how bad of a sinner you are or were, still God calls you, no matter who you are as follower of Christ, to a glorious work that only you can do and He is working on to do through you. So, let’s see Paul’s example today and look deep into the book where From the text, I want you to see and do these actions that Paul shows us as God is at work on His plan in your life.

Message

The first action I want you to see and do as God is at work on His plan in your life is to: Hope in God’s Promise 1-11

26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors, 7 the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. 8 Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. 11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

Paul begins his speech after the pomp and grandeur of the king entering ends and is told simply, you have permission to speak for yourself, and so he begins. Paul begins words describing how he felt, that he was fortunate/lucky that he could stand before King Agrippa, someone who had both the knowledge and know-how about Jewish laws, customs, and controversies; and Paul asks him to listen closely and patiently, that is, Paul was saying that this will not be a speech that promises to be short but is not (as Paul’s accusers often did against him). Paul begins by telling about his background and pedigree, that he was well known in Jerusalem for following their religion to the strictest sect and was widely considered a very good Pharisee. His trials, why he has been accused all has to do with his belief (one that is held by all the Pharisee’s) that we have a hope in the resurrection, a hope that the scriptures had made, and a hope that the 12 tribes of Israel had long held onto. He says, I am on trial for this. A commonly accepted among our people. And, if it is so commonly accepted, isn’t it strange that I am standing accused because I believe God raises the dead? I have a hope that not only will this happen, but it has begun as the first of the resurrection (Jesus Christ, our messiah) has come and been resurrected Himself. I once thought that this was absurd and untrue myself (until I learned otherwise). In fact, I was religiously fanatic that I locked up saints (christians) in prison, had them put to death in Jerusalem. But that’s not all, under the authority of the chief priests I pursued christians in far away places to bring harm to them hiding there as well.

You see, Jesus had his point very clear about the truth of the resurrection to the Sadducees, the ruling liberal sect of Judaism who doubted the Resurrection. We can read about this in Matthew chapter 22:23-33. In this section, the Saddcuees tried to stump Jesus, though they did not succeed, asking him an honestly silly question that went roughly like, “If a man died, had, no children, and no brothers, and so his wife is forced remarry, and then that husband died, and then it happened again, until in her life she had 7 husbands before she died, in the resurrection, who’s husband would she be?” His answer was this as read from the scripture: “ 29 Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like[i] angels in heaven. 31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: 32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?[j] He[k] is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”33 And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

For Paul, to teach and talk about the resurrection was little different than teaching about Jesus, because Jesus Himself was resurrected and met all of the prophets of old descriptions of what the Messiah would be like and what would happen to Him. Here is a profound truth for you believer, that you too one day will know a beautiful, painless, and wonderful resurrection (raising from the dead). Yes, the truth is that everyone one day will die (If Jesus doesn’t return before you die). Life doesn’t just end their though, no. The bible tells us in the book of Revelation that one day, the sea and the graves will give up their dead, and one by one all will come before the Great White Throne, and our God the God of Justice will give a final judgement to everyone. Guilty or innocent. Those fallen into sin and unrepented non-believers of Jesus will be thrown away for eternity, but the Christian, those that have put their faith in Christ and submitted to His Lordship, will know nothing but beauty and peace forever. Finally, justice will be once and for all done in all the Earth. You have this promise, you can look expectantly, hope in this promise, because God has made it clear that the day is coming. So hope in it, hope in it when things are hard, bad, wrong, and any other time, knowing that in the end God will triumph over it all, know that in that triumph, if you are a follower of His you know Jesus calls even the worst sinners (including you) to a glorious work. Until that He returns, you won’t know the full extent of that glorious work, but none the less it is glorious indeed, so do not shy from the call the commands God has given you believer as God is at work on His plan in your life.

The next action I want you to see and do as God is at work on His plan in your life is to: Proclaim the Good News 12-23

12 “I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic,[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn[b] from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take place— 23 that the Messiah would suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Notice, that Paul’s address was primarily to King Agrippa here, he tells him about his experience on the way to damascus road, that is, his salvation experience. He was, as you know, on his way to the city of Damascus with authority given to him by the chief priests to go and get the Christians their and bring them (by any means he thought needed) back to Jerusalem. On his way there, he was over taken by a bright and blinding light that was all around him, he and everyone fell to the ground, and he heard a voice speaking to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” That is, Saul (Paul’s old name) why are you working so hard against the inevitable? In desperation Saul cries out, who are Lord? To which he hears the reply, I am Jesus in whom you are persecuting. That is, why are you working so hard against the almighty and perfect God, the messiah, Jesus Christ the righteous?

Jesus told him, get up, for I come to you today to appoint you as a servant of me and witness of what you seen and will see of me (God). I Jesus will you from the bad that will come to you, I am sending you out the lost to open their eyes that they may turn away from the darkness of Satan to the light of God. Paul tells Agrippa, I had this vision, and I was not and will not be disobedient to the vision I saw. It is for my obedience to God, that I was seized by the Jews in the temple, and despite their evil as you can see all the way through I had help from God, and all I ever shared was the the truth that Moses and the prophets would teach about the Messiah, that he would suffer, rise from the dead, and proclaim the truth and light to both our people and the gentiles. So, all of that to say, Paul shared his testimony, he proclaimed the good news, and always did so.

What good is good news, if noone shares it?........ Imagine, having a family member, who either through addiction, anger, or anxiety separated themself from the whole family. Imagine years and years and years and years go by. And you never heard about that beloved family member again, until one day you see their name in the obituaries. Imagine yet again, as you read it you are shocked, as you read clear evidence that your family member had gotten clean, or worked on their problems, and had a productive and successful life and a family all their own to be proud off. Wouldn’t it seem wrong to not have that good news shared with you somewhere along the lane? Wouldn’t almost seem criminal to have all those years robbed from you with that family member you still, even though you hadn’t seen them for years, loved and cared for very much? Well, it should, because it wouldn’t be fair and it wouldn’t be right. Believer, not sharing your faith in Jesus is much the same to the people in your life. It is not fair that you are not sharing Him, and it is certainly disobedient to your call and commission to go make disciples. To not do so, has a certain word for it. It’s called sin, as sin is going against anything that God wants you to do, and sin separates you from God. So, don’t let sin abound in your life, repent believer, Jesus calls even the worst sinners to a glorious work. So, do just like Paul did, even in the most serious of situations with life on the line, Proclaim/share the good news that Jesus saves us from sin when you put your faith and hope in Him. Doing so, takes submitting yourself to God’s plan in your life. So, do just that and be a part of God’s glorious work.

Another action I want you to see and do as God is at work on His plan in your life is to: Give chances for response 24-32

24 As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You’re out of your mind, Paul! Too much study is driving you mad.”25 But Paul replied, “I’m not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I’m speaking words of truth and good judgment. 26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak boldly to him. For I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe.”28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” [c]29 “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty,[d] not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.”30 The king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, 31 and when they had left they talked with each other and said, “This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

With the address given primarily to Agrippa, suddenly the Governor Festus cries out, Paul you are out of your mind, your learning is driving you crazy. We might expect this from the Governor, as he was new to the region, he did not know the thoughts and beliefs of the Jews, so everything he was saying sounded like the sayings of a mad man through his Roman mind. Agrippa, would have thought some differently, as he of course would been well aware of everything Paul was saying, as it was a tale widely shared and pondered about. All of the events that happened to Paul were very much public knowledge. Paul replies to Festus, I am not crazy, I am very much sane, and many people know these things, including the King. Paul then addresses the king, getting right at the heart of the matter, as Paul always endeavored to have others not only hear about Jesus, but to also give them opportunities to respond. In a clever move, Paul gave the King 2 options to respond to his testimony. 1, you agree with the prophets and thus must believe that Jesus is Messiah and must submit to Him, or 2, you do not believe (something the king of the Jews could never say). Instead of these, he sidesteps the question, and tries to laugh off Paul’s opportunity to respond, asking, are you trying to make me become a Christaian. To which says, an empathic, Yes! I wish that everyone would become a Christian! Showing them that Paul was truly resolved in his purpose to serve Jesus in his call on his life. The group gathered, and decided that Paul had no charges that should be against him, and, in fact, he could have been released if had not requested an appeal to Caesar.

One thing that everyone must learn, be it as a teacher, a lesson planner, or even just someone who talks to another person, is that if you want to ask a question or you want to have dialogue in conversation (that is the back and forth), you must the other opportunity to hear you and respond. Think about it, i’m sure we all know people who always seem to dominate any conversation they have, that is, they are not having a conversation, so much as they are talking AT you. In the same vain, a teacher must give adequate time for a student to both think on and respond to the question. Not waiting, even if the silence is awkward for a few seconds, is always fruitless, and never allows the pupil/student to grow, but rather remain spoon fed by the teacher or disengaged/uninterested during the lesson.

The same is true to you believer, when you are either receiving an instructive word about God from His Holy word (your bible), when you are confronted with sin, and when you sharing The Gospel (the good news that Jesus saves) to others, you must give chances for a response. Paul did it here with Agrippa, though he chose to side step it. Non-the-less, he did very well at allowing others to respond to the truth that Jesus saves and He changes you when you put your faith in Him. Jesus calls even the worst sinners to a glorious work. In that glorious work, it requires that we give opportunities to respond, yes, no, maybe, perhaps later, I need to think on it, whatever it may be, because without the confession and the profession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, so give others and yourself opportunities to respond.

Conclusion

Beloved, how amazing is it, that in spite of our great sins, inspite of my great sin, in spite of your great sin, still God loves you if you are in Christ and chooses us to further His glory in this world? I’m sure if each of us in this room thought about who we were before we met Jesus, and even what we have done afterwards, we would think of ourselves (yourself, myself) as the last person God should choose to use. And yet He does, because you are His beloved child. So, child of God, as you go and live out your part of God’s plan in your life remember toHope in God’s Promise 1-11

Proclaim the Good News 12-23, and Give chances for response 24-32. Jesus calls even the worst sinners to a glorious work.So, make your life less about yourself, and more about Him.

With all of that being said, I would be remised if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.

With that, Let’s conclude. Brothers and Sisters, I love you all. During our last song together, if you need prayer, or want to talk more about Jesus, or have something you want to talk about, I’ll be here, don’t be afraid to come on down. Let’s pray. Father God, we thank You for who You are and what You are doing to us here in this place. May whatever it is that You are doing in each of heart here, continue as we leave go out into the world this week. Change us, mold us, make us, re-arrange us, that we can be both better lovers of You and better showers of You. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.