Turning The World Upside Down: Almost Persuaded: Acts 25:13-26:32

I. Paul’s life Before Christ: 25:13-26:11

A. Felix and Festus as well as the Sanhedrin met Paul without pomp. King Agrippa II was self important. Maybe he hoped he could do this, and he hoped that he could do this, and render some kind of verdict and look good to the Jews and to Rome.

B. Paul is finally speaking to kings as Jesus said he would.

C. Paul didn’t waste this opportunity as he had with the Sanhedrin.

II. Paul’s Conversion vs. 12-18

A. Paul speaks of his conversion with a little added detail.

B. Our conversion leads to our calling.

III. Paul’s Life After Christ vs. 19-32

A. Paul talks of carrying out that calling.

B. Festus thought Paul was crazy for saying that Jesus was resurrected.

C. “King Agrippa II was the latest of the Herod Dynasty, the last of the Herods to meddle with Christ or his followers. His great-grandfather was the King Herod who had feared the birth of the Christ-child and murdered the male children in the vicinity of Bethlehem. The grand-uncle of Agrippa II had murdered John the Baptist, and his father, Agrippa I, had executed James and imprisoned Peter and was eaten with worms as punishment for allowing people to worship him as a god right there in Caesarea. To make matters even more outrageous, Rome considered Agrippa an authority on the Jewish religion. Because he was a Herod, he was appointed curator of the temple and thus had the power to appoint the high priest and to administer the temple treasury. Festus was elated at the appearance of Agrippa and his willingness to interview Paul, because Festus could now receive expert advice on what to write to Rome about his prisoner.”- R. Kent Hughes

D. “With Agrippa was Bernice, his sister, who was one year younger. She had once been engaged to Marcus, a nephew of the philosopher Philo. Then she married her uncle—Herod, King of Chalcis. But now she was living incestuously with her full blood brother Agrippa. So notorious was her conduct that when she later became the Emperor Titus’ mistress, he had to send her away because of the moral outcry of pagan Rome. Agrippa and Bernice were a sick, sin-infested couple.” -R. Kent Hughes

E. Paul speaks hopefully to his audience.