A Gospel Focus in all Things

Acts 26:19–23 NKJV

19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul was obedient (19-20)

“I was not disobedient”

Acts 26:19 NKJV

19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

Acts 26:

Paul takes time to tell his hearers he was obedient to the Lord.

Listen for a minute to what Paul is saying he was obedient.

We have a tendency to take about good things, but many times not the right thing.

Let’s look quickly at how Paul was obedient:

Acts 9:6 NKJV

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Acts 9:19 NKJV

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Acts 9:20 NKJV

20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Friends, he was obedient in going because he first heard the Good News of the gospel, repented, and believed.

Brothers and sisters, this is what obedience to the gospel looks like.

“but declared”

Acts 26:20 NKJV

20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

Acts 19:20 NKJV

20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

He was obedient in his response to the gospel, and then he went to share.

Verse 20 says he, “declared.”

Friends, to whom did he “declare?”

He declared to those in Damascus, Jerusalem, in Judea, and then to the Gentiles.

Notice what he declared:

They need to repent.

Turn to God.

Do works befitting repentance.

I’ll break this down next...

Paul engages their conscience (20)

Engage the conscience by discussing sin and repentance

“that they should repent” v20

Ray Comfort does a fabulous job of first engaging the conscience;

Engage the conscience by showing God’s standards

that they should repent

Listen to a basic gospel presentation from Comfort. (read a Living Waters tract.)

When you have time, I’d like you to go to https://www.livingwaters.com/hells-best-kept-secret/

You can also find it by going to tobydehay.com/sermons

Here you can listen to or read the sermon Ray uses to teach people the importance of first engaging the conscience with the seriousness of sin.

Engage the conscience by showing God’s standards

Engage the conscience by showing God’s standards

“Turn to God” v20

Turning to God means more than simply saying, “I love Jesus,” or “I’m a follower of God.”

Turning to God implies that many things:

It means He is perfect and we are not.

Romans 7:14–25 NKJV

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Turning to God means:

We are turning from our former way of life and turning to Him.

Mark 1:15 NKJV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Acts 16:31–34 NKJV

31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

Turning to God means:

Following Him as a disciple.

2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

…which brings us to the next truth.

Engage the conscience by showing evidence of what a believer looks like

Engage the conscience by showing evidence of what a believer looks like

“do works befitting repentance” v20

2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

James 2:14–18 NKJV

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Paul shares the Gospel (22-23)

Shared with “great and small”

Paul witnessed to all people.

Remember, Pau is talking to King Agrippa and Festus here. Rich and poor. Young and old. Men and women. All who would listen.

Friends, can we relate to others for the sake of the gospel?

If we are older, do we talk to younger people?

If we are younger, do we talk to older people?

Are we ready to share with people of different ethnicities?

In Livingston Co there are around 9-10k people living here.

Only around 2K, or 20% attend church on a given Sunday.

This means there are around 8k neighbors with which you are able to share the Good News of the Gospel.

Most of them will say they are a Christian and belong to a church; which is only half true because 50% of Livingston are church members.

Said, “no other things”

Tells the Gospel only.

Paul reminds his listeners that this isn’t a new thing; Moses and the Prophets foretold it.

Acts 3:22–26 NKJV

22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

The problem with these things is that they aren’t the Gospel. Lost friends and neighbors aren’t going to come to Christ through us inviting them to church, but can when we share the Good News.

Stated salvation comes through Christ alone

Acts 26:23 NKJV

23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Salvation comes from Jesus alone.

Friends, sharing about our church is fine. Letting people know about our SS class or Bible study is a good thing.

The problem with these things is that they aren’t the Gospel. Lost friends and neighbors aren’t going to come to Christ through us inviting them to church, but can when we share the Good News.

Brothers and sisters let me encourage you to keep a gospel focus in all things.

Share the good news as you go.

Invite people to attend church with you AND share the gospel.

The Good News of the gospel starts with some bad news:

You and I have sinned and are because of this sin we are separated from God.

There is nothing you or I can do fix ourselves.

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

God knows this and supplies the only solution. It comes in the form of a gift only He can give.

God sent His Son 2,000 years ago to live a perfect life and be sacrificed on your behalf.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We need to receive Him and Him alone.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Baptism doesn’t save you, church membership doesn’t save, and neither does the fact that you serve the church body in any particular way.

Mark 1:15 NKJV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”