Acts Chapter Twenty Six
Paul was brought in before King Agrippa who had entered the room with great pomp and ceremony. He entered along with other leaders who showed how important Agrippa was. As Paul was given opportunity to speak, he gave another account of his conversion and ministry, a history of his life and beliefs.
I assume you have read or plan to read this chapter. Instead of any more specific review of the details, I want to take the opportunity to direct your thinking to a few specific verses in this chapter. Chew on some thoughts. Maybe you will have a few of your own you will want to post them on the blog. Please feel free to do so.
V. 19 So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
Here is an important statement for all believers. I did what God called me to do. I was obedient to God. Please grasp how important obedience is to God. The Bible reveals that God fully expects obedience from His children. Think about what God has revealed in the Bible and what He has spoken to your heart. Then live your life so that you, too, can say, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
V. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Proclaiming repentance. Turn to God and prove that you are the genuine article by the life and lifestyle you live. Repentance. Turning around and going the other way. Repentance is not only sorry that you got caught, but sorry that you did “it” and don’t plan to do it again. Paul preached repentance, get your life turned around. I am convinced that our modern world desperately needs to be challenged with repentance. People need to know that their lives are going in the wrong direction and they need to turn to Jesus. Like Paul, the church today needs to not be afraid of declaring the CHANGE THAT JESUS WILL MAKE.
V. 22 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
In his speech, defense before Agrippa, Paul again declared the resurrection of Jesus. Agrippa was very familiar with everything Paul was saying, Festus was not. Festus said that Paul was crazy because of all his education. Who would believe the resurrection? There are those who would say the idea of the resurrection is insane. Paul defended it. The king knew Paul’s background and education. Paul’s continual reference to the resurrection shows how important it was. It is still important. Never doubt it and never be afraid to proclaim it.
V. 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
As I read this I don’t see anything that is specifically saying, “King, you need to get saved”. Because of the king’s background, Paul stated to him he believed the prophets, he was sure of it. The power of Paul’s speech and the convicting power of the Holy Sprit, caused the king to respond this way. Some translations have Agrippa saying that Paul almost persuaded him to be a Christian. While it is not up to us to convince someone to believe, we must have strong convictions that we will do all we can to persuade, point people to a personal relationship with Jesus.
V. 29 Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
Paul boldly spoke that, yes, he really did want Agrippa and all who were there to be just like him, simply not in the chains. He wanted them all to know the joy of having Jesus. He wanted them all to get past the spiritual blindness and bondage and know Jesus. Nothing was more necessary and important.
Do you believe that? Do you believe that the most important ingredient and decision in life is to make Jesus Lord and Savior of your life? Do you believe that is true for EVERYONE IN THE WORLD? Think about that.
Paul was brought in before King Agrippa who had entered the room with great pomp and ceremony. He entered along with other leaders who showed how important Agrippa was. As Paul was given opportunity to speak, he gave another account of his conversion and ministry, a history of his life and beliefs.
I assume you have read or plan to read this chapter. Instead of any more specific review of the details, I want to take the opportunity to direct your thinking to a few specific verses in this chapter. Chew on some thoughts. Maybe you will have a few of your own you will want to post them on the blog. Please feel free to do so.
V. 19 So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
Here is an important statement for all believers. I did what God called me to do. I was obedient to God. Please grasp how important obedience is to God. The Bible reveals that God fully expects obedience from His children. Think about what God has revealed in the Bible and what He has spoken to your heart. Then live your life so that you, too, can say, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
V. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Proclaiming repentance. Turn to God and prove that you are the genuine article by the life and lifestyle you live. Repentance. Turning around and going the other way. Repentance is not only sorry that you got caught, but sorry that you did “it” and don’t plan to do it again. Paul preached repentance, get your life turned around. I am convinced that our modern world desperately needs to be challenged with repentance. People need to know that their lives are going in the wrong direction and they need to turn to Jesus. Like Paul, the church today needs to not be afraid of declaring the CHANGE THAT JESUS WILL MAKE.
V. 22 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
In his speech, defense before Agrippa, Paul again declared the resurrection of Jesus. Agrippa was very familiar with everything Paul was saying, Festus was not. Festus said that Paul was crazy because of all his education. Who would believe the resurrection? There are those who would say the idea of the resurrection is insane. Paul defended it. The king knew Paul’s background and education. Paul’s continual reference to the resurrection shows how important it was. It is still important. Never doubt it and never be afraid to proclaim it.
V. 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
As I read this I don’t see anything that is specifically saying, “King, you need to get saved”. Because of the king’s background, Paul stated to him he believed the prophets, he was sure of it. The power of Paul’s speech and the convicting power of the Holy Sprit, caused the king to respond this way. Some translations have Agrippa saying that Paul almost persuaded him to be a Christian. While it is not up to us to convince someone to believe, we must have strong convictions that we will do all we can to persuade, point people to a personal relationship with Jesus.
V. 29 Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
Paul boldly spoke that, yes, he really did want Agrippa and all who were there to be just like him, simply not in the chains. He wanted them all to know the joy of having Jesus. He wanted them all to get past the spiritual blindness and bondage and know Jesus. Nothing was more necessary and important.
Do you believe that? Do you believe that the most important ingredient and decision in life is to make Jesus Lord and Savior of your life? Do you believe that is true for EVERYONE IN THE WORLD? Think about that.
