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Intro:
Tonight, as we continue to pray through the book of Acts, we will focus on chapter 26.
I love verse number three— I think myself happy.
I looked at that passage in other verses.
The NLT says, I am fortunate.
The NASB, NIV, and ESV write, I consider myself fortunate
I prefer I think myself happy, but all of these translations come up with the same conclusion:
Followers of Christ should think and act different than those who do not know the Lord.
When we remember and look back on God’s faithfulness, we should feel happy, fortunate, and honored that God would save us.
Our thoughts are important for they help determine our actions.
Furthermore, Paul encouraged the church in Philippi,
We should pay attention to our thoughts, for our thoughts become actions, and actions become habits, and our habits tell a lot about our lifestyle.
Do we constantly think negatively?
Do we constantly think judgmentally?
Do we constantly think positively?
Do we constantly think constructively?
The Early Church had a lot to think about by the time we get to Acts 26.
I do not know the process of writing the book of Acts.
However, it was written by Luke and he was not present for much of what happened.
Which means he had to interview people to develop his book.
Imagine how Peter, James, John, and Paul felt remembering:
Acts 1 - promise of power
Acts 2 - received power
Acts 3- exercised power
Acts 4 - prayed for more power
Acts 5- people lied and God displayed His power
Acts 6- conflict arose and God used people of power to help the church
Acts 7- Stephen reminded them of God’s power in history
Acts 8- walked in power to spread Gospel in Samaria
Acts 9- Saul was converted through an encounter with God’s power
Acts 10- the power of God fell on the Gentiles as Peter preached
Acts 11- Peter defended Gentiles receiving power
Acts 12- the church prayed and Peter was released from prison
Acts 13- God sent Barnabas and Paul as a result of prayer
Acts 14- Paul and Barnabas took the gospel to new regions proclaiming God’s message with power
Acts 15- they prayed and God gave powerful discernment
Acts 16- Paul and Silas prayed and praised in prison, and God set them free
Acts 17- Paul stayed consistent in the face of hardships because of his prayer life
Acts 18- Paul prayed and God helped him reach the city of Corinth.
Acts 19- Paul put what he prayed for and believed into practice and God answered
Acts 20- Paul prayed as he headed to Jerusalem, knowing difficulties laid ahead
Acts 21- Paul Told everyone he was ready to go to Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit led him there
Acts 22- Paul took time to witness to those who hated him
Acts 23 closes with Paul waiting for his accusers and for the governor, Felix to determine his fate.
Acts 24- Paul shared the truth of the Gospel with His accusers and enemies
Acts 25- Paul awaits an audience with King Agrippa after speaking to Festus
Paul could not wait to share with another person what Jesus did for him.
He took King Agrippa on a stroll down memory lane, reviewing his life— the good, the bad, and the ugly.
We should learn from Paul and begin: [Remembering our Roots], [Remembering our Redemption], and [Remembering our Responsibility].
Let’s begin
1.
Remembering our Roots
One of the problems Paul faced with the Jews is that they KNEW him.
It was not as though Paul just showed up on the scene as an Apostle.
Like most of the leaders of the Early Church, Paul was a Jewish man who accepted Jesus Christ as his Messiah and Savior.
But Paul wanted King Agrippa to know, I was raised in a strict Jewish home.
I was given thorough training in our faith since my earliest memory.
They also know that I was a Pharisee.
I knew all of the laws, the rules, the regulations within our religion.
Then he attempted to explain why he was on trial, it all had to do with his belief in the fulfillment of the prophets, which the Pharisees also knew.
It was as though the Pharisees could see that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy, yet they chose to turn a blind eye.
Why?
In part they wanted to keep their political power.
Paul understood this because he too was like them.
First Paul outlined the positive side of his roots.
Then he laid bare the negative side of his past.
He, at one time, HATED Christians and anything to do with Jesus of Nazareth.
He had legal permission to send followers of Jesus to prison and he even cast a vote in favor of their death.
Why wouldn’t Paul hide this part of his past?
Because he knew that his roots helped shape him into the person God wanted him to become.
He used his roots as a testimony and a way to identify with those who also did not know Jesus.
Whether we have Godly or ungodly roots, the Lord takes us as we are, makes us more like him, and uses our past to help reach others.
2. Remembering our Redemption
This is the third time Paul told his salvation story.
He never grew tired of sharing how God redeemed him.
Redemption is an amazing word.
When we think redeemed, we should not think of forgiveness.
Instead we should imagine a purchase.
We owed a debt to God, and the Lord canceled that debt to God.
Imagine how deep Paul’s debt to God was.
He had a hand in the deep persecution against the followers of Christ.
Yet the Lord, took Paul and changed his life.
Some of what we’ve read is repeated information, but Paul includes aspects of his redemption account that are new to us in the book of Acts.
The Lord promised Paul that he would tell people about Jesus.
He also had this promise that God would send him to the Gentiles to tell them about Christ.
Imagine how excited Paul was.
He had lived out this prophetic word for over twenty-five years.
Now, he is speaking to the highest ranking Gentile of his ministry.
He wanted God to turn King Agrippa from the power of Satan to the power of forgiveness.
So Paul told him, I HAVE OBEYED THAT VISION FROM GOD.
Four vision surrounded Paul’s redemption.
Paul watched as Stephen shared his vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father.
He had a vision of a bright light shining around him.
Ananias had a vision of Paul coming to his house
and Paul knew how to get to his house through a vision
No wonder Paul was willing to do whatever God wanted him.
He never forgot how supernatural his redemption was.
While we were in sin, God had a vision of us finding Him and living a redeemed life.
3. Remembering our Responsibility
Paul obeyed God’s vision for his life, but that does not mean it was always easy.
He began preaching Jesus to both Jew and Gentile, calling on them to repent of their sins.
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