The Cost of Following Christ

WELCOME TO COMPASSIONS MORNING MEDITATION

Scripture

Acts 26:19 “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven

Intro

OUR TEXT THIS MORNING IS A VERY INTERESTING TEXT FOUND IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES IN CHAPTER 26

IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE IT INVOLVES ONE OF THE PREMIERE CHARACTERS IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTL ( THE APOSTLE PAUL )

TIME EXCAPE’S ME TO GIVE YOU HIS FULL RESUME

BUT COINCIDENTLY PART OF IT IS FOUND IN THIS CHAPTER

CONTEXTUALLY SPEAKING, AT THE TIME OF THIS TEXT,… THE APOSTLE PAUL IS PLEADING HIS CASE IN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE ROMAN COURT BEFORE AT THE TIME KING AGRIPPA

KING AGRIPPA WAS THE LAST RULER FROM THE HERODIAN DYNASTY

AGRIPPA’S GREAT - GRANDFATHER TRIED TO KILL BABY JESUS ( MATHEW 2;16-18 )

AND HIS GRANDFATHER HAD JOHN THE BAPTIST BEHEADED ( MATHEW 14:1-12 )

AND HIS FATHER MARTYRED THE FIRST APOSTLE, JAMES ( ACTS 12:1-2 )

AND AT THE TIME OF OUR TEXT, THE APOSTLE PAUL STANDS BEFORE HIM TO PLEAD HIS CASE

WHAT’S AMAZING IS GIVEN AGRIPPA’S FAMILY HISTORY WITH PERSONS SUCH AS PAUL,

PAUL SAYS IN VS # 2 THAT HE’S SOMEWHAT EXCITED TO NOT ONLY STAND BEFORE HIM BUT ALSO DO WHAT HE’S BEEN DOING

AND WHAT GOT HIM IN THIS PERDICAMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE ( SHARE THE GOSPEL )

BECAUSE CAN I SUGGEST THAT PAUL UNDERSTAND’S THAT ACCORDING TO ( ACT’S 9:15 ) THAT THIS WAS TIED TO HIS CALLING

GOD HAD PRONOUNCED THAT HE HAD SET PAUL APART TO CARRY THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES

SO ALTHOUGH HE’S STANDING TRIAL

HE’S WHERE HE’S CALLED TO BE

DOING WHAT HE WAS CALLED TO DO

CAN I RAISE THE QUESTION TO YOU THIS MORNING

WHAT TROUBLE HAVE YOU GOTTEN INTO BECAUSE OF YOUR TRUST IN GOD

WHAT BATTLES HAVE YOU HAD TO FIGHT BECAUSE OF YOUR BELIEF

WHO’S INFURIATED BY YOUR FAITH

BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS TEXT IF YOU READ THE BACKGROUND

PAUL’S..

FAITH

BELIEF

AND TRUST IN GOD HAS GOTTEN HIM IN TROUBLE

AND HUMANLY SPEAKING PAULS FATE IS IN THE HANDS OF MAN

BUT THE REASON WHY PAUL APPROACHES THIS WOULD BE WORRISOME SITUATION WITH JOY ACCORDING TO VS. #2 ,

IS BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS NO MATTER WHAT COMES OR GOES,

MY FATE IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD

CAN I ENCOURAGE YOU THIS MORNING ....

THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR UP AGAINST

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR FACING

WHOEVER YOU HAVE TO STAND BEFOR ...

YOUR FATE.... IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD

YOU OUGHT TO DECLARE PSALM 20:7 OVER YOUR LIFE

SOME TRUST IN HORSES SOME TRUST IN RIDER … BUT I WILL TRUST IN THE LORD

YOU OUGHT TO DECLARE PSALM 121:12 OVER YOUR LIFE

I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES TO THE HILL FROM WHICH COMETH MY HELP

MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

YOU OUGHT TO DECLARE I KNOW WHERE MY HELP COMES FROM

WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE,

I KNOW WHERE YOUR HELP COMES FROM

SO PAUL APPROACHES THIS SITUATION WITH EASE BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE HIS HELP COMES FROM

BUT HE ALSO KNOWS THAT THIS IS WHAT HE WAS CALLED TO

PAUL UNDERSTANDS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CALLING

7- WEEK SPIRITUAL RENUAL

LUKE 9:23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

PREFERENCE - ( ACTS 16:6-10 ) solidifies this.... PAUL WANTED TO GO TO ASIA JONAH DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO NINEVAH JESUS ASKED TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME ( WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE ) EXPOUND

PEACE PEACE - IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF TROUBLE - 2 TIMOTHY 3:12 YOU AND ALL WHO LIVE GODLY

PRIORITY - MATHEW 6:33

THE BED IS THE MOST COMFORTABLE IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD BE UP SEEKING THE LORD

BUT MY DAY AND WEEK IS A LITTLE SMOOTHER WHEN YOU DO ( PRIORITIZE GOD )

PRIORITIZE GOD

MIGHT BRING YOU SOME BATTLES

MIGHT BRING SOME TROUBLES

MINGHT INFURIATE SOMEONE TO THE POINT WHEREBY THEY OPPOSE YOU

IT’S TIED TO THE COST ..

LIKE PAUL

KNOW WHERE YOUR HELP C OMES FROM

LIKE PAUL

MAKE UP YOUR MIND THAT MY FATE IS IN GODS HAND

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN TO COMPASSION MORNING MEDITATION

WE ARE HERE EVERYDAY AT 7:00AM BE BLESSED!