New Year, New You, Same God

Songs:

527 I Know Whom I Have Believed

680 All the Way My Savior Leads Me

562 Be Thou My Vision

139 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

God was There, God is Here, God will be There

Acts 26:1-23

Acts 26:1–23 CSB

Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: “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, especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 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. And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors, 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. Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 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. 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. “I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 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. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 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. I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 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 share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 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. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. 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—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.”

1) God Was There

- Paul Had a Past.

When we look to our rear-view mirror to remember where we have come from, we often see something unfavorable. And as when operating a vehicle, those objects might be closer than they appear. They might not be very long ago. For some, the troubles and challenges of the past may very well be way in the distant, but they are still there.

I think all of us have something in our past that we are not proud of, something we wish we could forget, or better yet, wish that it never happened to begin with. We wish we wouldn’t have done it.

But a Biblical character who knows this just as well as anyone is The Apostle Paul, or as his “rearview mirror” would say, Saul of Tarsus. Saul, a devout jew and Pharisee saw Christianity as a delusion and thought Christ to be contrary to the beliefs and teachings of the Old Testament.

Though after his conversion, Paul recognized that the things he hated Jesus for, were actually the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law and prophecies. Paul recognized that he had been so very wrong, and felt great remorse and guilt for his actions and beliefs.

But seeing his past from a Christ-centered, radically changed perspective, instead of living in shame and shutting down, Paul used this as a springboard to motivate him to do the work that Christ has instructed him to do. 

- You have a testimony like Paul’s

God met you where you were; the good, the bad and the ugly.

God Changed Your Life

God has gotten you through a hard time or two

You are a New Creation in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

2) God is Here

When you are made new in Christ, you have a connection with the Father, if you have accepted the free gift of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives within you and will guide your steps if you let him.

- God hears you when you pray

Paul knew the power of prayer. Through his walk with Christ as an Apostle and a Christian, Paul prayed in times of trouble, pain, and joy. He prayed for those he was ministering to, and asks for prayers as he ministers.

Paul, in writing to the Christians of Ephesus, asked them to pray for him.

Ephesians 6:18–20 CSB

Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

I think of praying at all times as living in continual God-consciousness, where everything we see and experience becomes a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to our Heavenly Father. John F. MacArthur

- God is working through you and in those around you.

You are a witness!

Acts 26:16–18 CSB

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. I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 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 share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Acts 26:19, 22

Acts 26:19 CSB

“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

Acts 26:22 CSB

To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great…

If anyone was to be too “unworthy” to be a servant of Christ, it was Paul. He was a celebrated persecuter, and if anyone had an excuse to question Jesus’ command to be his minister and witness for him, but instead, he cheerfully accepted the mission and “was not disobedient” to Christ’s instruction.

Even though we may have an unsavory season in our past, as a new creation in Christ, we have a job to do. We did not earn this job by our own effort, nor do we deserve the privilege to carry the message of the gospel, but we are ordained by God to carry his message.

In the words of an 18th Century hymn,

Christ, the Son of God, hath sent me Through the midnight lands; Mine the mighty ordination Of the pierced hands.

3) God will be there

- Remain Faithful

Let’s not forget that this testimony from Paul was not necessarily to a friendly crowd, but instead he is on Trial in front of Agrippa, who was raised a Jew, and Festus, a gentile.

Paul was charged, imprisoned and had to defend himself and his beliefs. He gave testimony that Christ had fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy and that he had once defended the Jews, but had been changed. He now defends Christ and lives for him, even when it’s difficult and unpopular.

- Hold on to and Rely on the Gospel, Daily

Paul’s life was radically changed by the gospel, and that is his wish for all people. Paul not only feels an obligation to God due to the direct command from Christ, but he also is intrinsically motivated to share the joy found in the saving grace of Jesus.

Acts 26:28-29

Acts 26:28–29 CSB

Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.”

Paul lives a life remembering the work of Christ in his life, and wants to share it with everyone he interacts with. That should be our mission, that we remember our live before salvation, remember the times God has helped us, and remember the grace that he gives freely every day.

Maybe you’ve never understood your need for the gospel, or maybe you’ve thought you are too undeserving of the gospel. Christ has paid the price for your sins, he will forgive your wrongs and set you on the right path. He will transform your life from a murderous to life-giving. All you must do is accept the gift of salvation, believe that the work of Jesus is all you need to receive everlasting life.

John 3:16–17 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Conclusion Remember, God was There, God is Here, and God will be There. In this New Year, a lot may change, but find peace in knowing that God remains the same.

Invitation: 571 Trust and Obey