Acts 26:4-8

Find Hope in Jesus!

Be open to understanding, be open to comprehending God’s word. Get somewhere in the relationships around you by listening.

Don’t settle with being familiar with God, but know Him personally through a thriving relationship with Jesus.

Paul now shares his testimony, this time with more detail, making it a little more personal.

Acts 26:4–8 ““My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?”

Paul’s life, since he was young, is well known throughout the nation, it is documented and verifiable through honest testimony of the ones accusing him.

Paul loved Israel, and loved being Jewish…from an early age Paul was pursuing more.

Take advantage of your child’s early interest in God. Pray with them, read with them. Lead with them. Encourage them in the Lord! Go deeper into faith together.

The Jews, the Nation, the very people accusing Paul knew him to be a good Pharisee…if they would testify to it.

Jesus has an honest, a very real take on these local Pharisees in Matt 23. Go and read the chapter and you will get an idea… “They say, and do not do”.

Out of the many points Jesus makes, lets look at this one…

Matthew 23:25–26 ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”

Paul was once someone who looked clean, who thought themself to be clean…from an outwardly perspective. But was the very opposite on the inside.

Paul was like you and I before we encountered Jesus! Trying to save ourselves, trying to make sure we looked clean, in an effort to be a better person…tried to do it our way! Corrupted on the inside, we are unable to get to the areas in our own hearts that housed the sin and hurt and shame…we are unable to help ourselves.

Paul Starts his testimony with how he lived before He encountered Jesus.

There is a significant change in us when Jesus steps into our hearts and lives…

Jesus cleans what we couldn't, He purifies us from the sin within our hearts, sin that was once corrupting us, enslaving us…and from the cleansing power of His blood, we are washed as white as snow! The stain of Sin is gone, and our outward expression is revealed from an inward revelation. More importantly….Jesus gives us hope!

Paul is on trial for Hope! For holding onto the promise of God! This promise was made to the whole nation of Israel!

To Paul, Agrippa, Drusilla, Bernice, The Judean Jews…any Jewish person was made this promise!

Paul is holding onto Hope!

Hope in this context means: Joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation!

Are you Joyful and confident? Do you want to be? It starts with first knowing those promises…

God always keeps His word…God sent us His son, who John Describes as the Word….God is keeping you in Jesus Name, by His blood….God sent His son to you! To everyone! Everyone was called to listen! Only few choose to respond…

God sent His Word to us…our hope is in Jesus, God’s word!

For the Jewish fathers the hope was told by prophets, the messiah is coming, through God’s word…and now Hope is realized to you and I through Jesus Christ!

BPM#1: Hold Onto Jesus!

To Hold onto Jesus is to have Joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation! Are you confident in Jesus?! Are you Joyful in Jesus?! Hold onto Jesus!

Are you going through a difficult season? Hold onto Jesus…are you in a new season? Hold onto Jesus! Jesus is coming back to those who choose to listen! To those holding onto Him…

God made a promise to Abraham and kept it! Hundreds of years!

you should leave here knowing that God keeps His word. Do you believe that? Then indeed, you have Hope!

You can be joyful in the condition of our world, because Jesus is Alive and is actively fulfilling God’s promises!

Christian, dont be sad! Don’t be feel hopeless! Hold onto Jesus.

Paul, and all the Jewish people there come from one of the 12 tribes, all a part of the promise of God. Thats why they worshipped day and night…

God’s promise inspires us to worship. Our Hope in Jesus is the song we sing….Holding onto Jesus is living our lives as an offering, a sacrifice to the Author of our Hope. Living out Hope is how we WorshipGod. Worship is hope expressed and lived.

Day and Night…This hope doesn’t go away…it doesn’t end with the day. Our worship will not end, how we live for God is all day, all night. Dont stop praising! Praise in the darkest time, and in the brightest time. Sing, Live, Obey, Listen…

24/7 God is on the Throne! Lets worship day and night! Our thoughts, our speech, your reactions, your attitude are avenues of praise!

Its a good thing Jesus offers His yoke right? That isnt a burden, its a chance to let the Holy Spirit fill you and help you as you learn from Him. As you live out Hope!

The issue reveals itself again: Jesus is alive, Jesus is the Christ, our Savior.

Paul is on trial because he believes that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, that He died and in three days rose from the grave, rebuilding the temple, making our worship whole…our worship In His presence…where He fills, and empowers and brings Joyful confidence in eternal salvation.

Jesus beat death, and He made away out of your grave dug by sin…its time to get out and live!

The biggest theological difference between Christianity and everything else Is what Paul believes. Jesus was dead, then rose from death to life and offers that same thing to any who Hold fast to Him.

Do you feel dead? Do you feel stuck, worn out, whats the point? Even though you’ve tried and tried to get your life around, scrubbed and scrubbed but still cant seem to turn your life around? Then you need Jesus.

Not just knowing his name, but experiencing His nature! A personal relationship with the King!

He changes you, you are no longer dead inside…Jesus gets to the places in your heart you can’t get to and purifies you.

You dont know how bad you need Jesus until you understand that you need Him.

Listen with open hearts and ears…

If you feel hopeless, or stuck, or tired…remember that Jesus is your Hope! He changes you, and re writes you, helping you feel the life that He brings. Experience the real Jesus!

Jesus does incredible things! He does incredible works in your life.

He can move the mountain of a bad mindset, a toxic mindset…He can free you from the captivity of sin! Is it so ridiculous to believe that God can move those mountains in your life? To raise Someone from the dead?

It doesn't sound crazy to the person holding onto Jesus! To that person, is their story!

Look what Jesus did with my life, look how He showed up and saved me…I was dead, I was lost and the Great I AM fought for me, and saved me.

So what is your story? How is God trying to write Hope into it? Are you holding the pen? Are you open? Are you ready to understand? To comprehend? To get somewhere?

Are you giving God a chance to do something incredible in your life? Are you coming empty to be filled? Wounded to be healed? Broken to be mended? Guilty to be pardoned? Just come to Jesus, find the answer you need.

Jesus is alive, God is real, and Jesus is coming back again! How incredible! What incredible Hope we have in King Jesus!

Do you need God to raise you to life today? A dead relationship? a toxic mindset? a misplaced Hope?

Hold onto Jesus! The King! He will do incredible things in your heart, in your home, in your family, in your workplace, in HIs church! He is here…and He loves you! Open yourself to His healing, helping power. Respond!