Acts the Final
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Intro - We cannot experience Christ and walk away unaffected, but rather we must submit to his work in us and for us.
In Chapter 24 we saw that Paul was brought before Governor Felix, but Paul being innocent Felix could not pass judgement violating Paul’s rights as a citizen nor could he release him and angering the Jews. So Felix imprisoned Paul for a period of about 2 years expecting a bribe, and at the end of that time Felix was succeeded by Festus.
Acts The Final
Acts The Final
Chapter 25
we see that Governor Festus inherits this issue that is really a religious issue and not a state issue. However Festus too is trying to appease the Jews and so Paul appeals to Caesar (Think of this as going through our appellate system, not the same, but it give us a better understanding) this means that he will go to Rome to eventually go before Caesar. Yet before he can go King Agrippa and Bernice call on Festus, and Festus lets them hear and have a say on this particular case.
Chapter 26
we see Paul giving a defence before Agrippa (this is where we will return for a lesson tonight)
Chapter 27
Sail to Rome Paul and other prisoners are escorted by a kind centurion named Julius. Paul is accompanied by Luke and Aristarchus, this is indicated by the “we” in Luke’s writing. Paul warns the men not to sail but they have a case of “get-there-itis”. That is its not good here, it wont be good on our way there, and we will be better off at home. (This has been the cause of many of crashes in Army Aviation.) So they leave and are hit by a storm, throwing cargo and equipment overboard Paul is leading spiritually and promising them they will wreck but all with survive.
Chapter 28
When they are ship-wrecked Paul is bit by a viper, but does not suffer, and this is a sign of his innocence to the local inhabitants. Paul ministers in Malta and then in spring he begins his journey to Rome with Paul. Paul then ministers to those of the Way that come and see him. Paul then testifies to the Jewish leaders of his innocence before them. They tell him they have not heard, but desire to hear his beliefs. Paul testifies and expounded about the Kingdom of God and persuade from the scriptures about Christ. The Jews were divided and Paul tells them their unbelief is prophesied from Isaiah 6:9-10, and so this salvation must be carried to the gentiles.
Acts ends with Paul in his own rented home for two years without hinderance.
Pauls Testimony Before King Agrippa
Pauls Testimony Before King Agrippa
1-3 Paul states that he will make defense against all the accusations and that he know that King Agrippa is knowledgeable of the jewish culture.
(Speaks very well before the king and crowds)
4-5 Paul attests that he was a very devout Jew, he was among those of the strictest sect, the Pharisees.
6-8 Paul is now on trial for the belief that lives out. That the hope that God had promised to the Israelite people, is now the source of Paul’s persecution at the hands of the very people that he belongs to which paul asks
Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
The Pharisees believed in the resurrection, they believed that there would be a life after death.
9-11 Paul says that he too believed so strongly the same as these people that he was convinced that he needed to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. He opposed them by jailing them, and voting to kill them. Paul would punish them the word he uses here is “to take vengeance upon them” and he tried to make them blaspheme. He was so enraged he says at the end of verse eleven that he pursued them to foreign cities.
Then for Paul something Changed.... Paul encountered Jesus
12-15 Paul was traveling to Damascus and the middle of the day encountered a light from heaven brighter than the sun.
“I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.
16 Jesus tells Paul his purpose and plan
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.
Jesus tells Paul that he will rescue from the Jews and from the Gentiles, but it is Paul that Jesus is sending. Paul is being sent by Jesus so that their eyes will be opened. They will turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan and turn to God and receive forgiveness and enjoy the inheritance
I want to say here that there in not an equality of the power of Satan and God, that God somehow cannot over come the power of Satan, as a sort of Good vs. Evil or yin and yang idea. Rather there is a reality that man’s natural condition as it is, we come into the world not as saved and then fall to be saved, but rather we arrive corrupted to be saved so that we may fully realize and experience the love of God and his grace and mercy.
He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
Then with this experience of forgiveness Paul is then to share this to the both the Jew and the Gentiles.
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
Paul preached in Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea and then to the Gentiles.
He preached Repentance and that their lives reflect that repentance.
Paul was siezed by the Jews for this, and Paul concludes that
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.”
Paul was seized by the Jews for this, and Paul states that
Response to Paul
Response to Paul
Festus “ Your out of your mind, Paul! Too much studying is driving you mad.”
Dismissal to all belief
Paul I am not out of my mind this is is from the word of truth and good judgment- the King will agree, which is why I can speak boldly and this is nothing secret
Paul appeals to King Agrippa
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe.”
Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?”
Almost- not so fast Paul, convincing, but not quite
I love Paul’s response
“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.”
With the conclusion of Paul’s testimony, these leaders concluded that Paul was indeed innocent, and could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.
What is your Testimony?
What is your Testimony?
Application
Who we were Before we encountered Christ
1. What we believed
We all have beliefs, just look at the world around us. Everybody has an opinion for just about anything. Yet these often cause us to reject
I am good enough, I can earn salvation, I have time, I will miss out on what life offers
2. How what we believe affects our actions-
How many times do we do things in our lives that we feel strongly about whether we are really conscience about them or not.
Our Encounter with Christ
1. Identification (Who God is and who we are in that reality)
Methods (lets not get lost in this) Always significant, but not always severe
Always a recognition of who God is and a revelation “Who are you Lord?” “I am Jesus...” who you are (persecuting, rebelling, running away from, ignoring, or are just meeting for the first time)
How many times do we do things in our lives that we feel strongly about whether they
2. What His plans for us are
Servant - We are to serve one another
Love one another, consider one another
Witness
Our response to that encounter
1. Repentance
2. Obedience
Reaction from unbelievers.
1. Dismissal
2. Apathy of Governments toward religious freedom. It is not the government we put our hope in nor is religious freedom guaranteed, we must enjoy and flourish during this time.
3. Hostility
Submssion to one another in the church how we live our lives as a testimony to Christ.