OVERVIEW: Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa (chapter 26); Paul’s journey to and arrival in Rome (chapters 27 and 28).
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
As we move into chapter 26 today, we find Paul giving his testimony before king Agrippa. Agrippa is the great grandson of Herod the Great who sought to kill Jesus at his birth. (Matthew 2:1-16) We will observe two key features of Paul’s message before King Agrippa: 1) The SINCERE CONCERN of Paul’s Message; and 2) The SIMPLE CONTENT of Paul’s Message.
- THE SINCERE CONCERN OF PAUL’S MESSAGE.
It would have been easy for Paul to despise the corrupt and wicked rulers before whom he had been on trial. Clearly, none of them were willing to take a stand for the truth and declare Paul’s innocence. (23:27-29; 24:12-13; 26:31) The Jews falsely accused Paul and wanted to kill him. (21:28-29; 23:12-15) Felix kept Paul in prison in hopes of a bribe (24:26), and to please the wicked Jews. (24:27) Festus also kept Paul bound in an attempt to keep the Jews happy. (25:9) It seems that “justice” was going to the highest bidder, or to the best liar. But despite all of this injustice and corruption causing him to become bitter or angry, Paul simply did what Paul always did: he passionately declared the gospel of Jesus Christ, sincerely longing for the salvation of these wicked men! Even when king Agrippa, one of the most perverted and corrupt men imaginable, sarcastically commented to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian,” (26:28) Paul sincerely responded, “I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” (26:29) Paul’s compassion for the souls of these corrupt men allowed him to see past their wickedness to the cross where Christ died for their sins. With all of the love in his heart, Paul longed to see the salvation of every man, even his persecutors! Oh, may God fill us with the sincere passion and compassion of this faithful servant and follower of Christ! Remember, Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:44: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
- THE SIMPLE CONTENT OF PAUL’S MESSAGE.
It’s important for us to pay close attention to the content of Paul’s message each time he stood before a government official. Had it been me, I probably would have been up all night, wracking my brain, trying to craft the most moving, thought-provoking and powerful sermon imaginable. But not Paul! Each time he stands before a world ruler, he simply gives his testimony, with a very simple presentation of the gospel. He didn’t get stressed, nor did he concern himself with brilliance or eloquence. His message was essentially this: “I once was lost, but now I’m found!” Paul’s simple approach gives evidence that he had truly taken to heart the words Jesus had spoken concerning him, that he would “be his witness unto all men of what thou hast SEEN and HEARD.” (Acts 22:15) Paul understood that he was only responsible for declaring that! Again, may we learn from this choice servant and follower of Christ! May we genuinely understand that God doesn’t need us to be intellectual elitists, eloquent preachers, or Bible experts! We simply need to declare boldly what we have SEEN and HEARD!
The great evangelist H.A. Ironside’s preaching was once interrupted by an atheist shouting, “There is no God! Jesus is a myth!” After continuous interruptions, the man finally said, “I challenge you to a debate!” Ironside responded, “I accept your challenge, sir, but on one condition! When you come, bring with you 10 men and women whose lives have been changed for the better by the message of atheism. Bring former prostitutes and criminals whose lives have been changed, who are now moral and responsible individuals. Bring outcasts who had no hope and have them tell us how becoming atheists has lifted them out of the pit! And sir,” he concluded, “if you can find 10 such men and women, I will be happy to debate you. And when I come, I will gladly bring with me 200 men and women from this very city whose lives have been transformed in just those ways by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Oh, may we never forget that the simple testimony of a changed life is a powerful witness to the transforming power of Christ! Ask God to open a door for you today, to simply tell someone what you’ve SEEN and HEARD.
After a difficult journey, Paul finally landed at Rome (28:16) around 60 A.D., where he was permitted to live in a rented house, in which he received guests, and constantly preached the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. For the next two years, Acts 28:31 says Paul continued “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” It is believed that Paul also wrote his epistles to Philemon, Timothy, Titus, the Ephesians, the Colossians and the Philippians during this Roman “imprisonment”. According to the record of history, Paul was beheaded sometime after 64 A.D. during Nero’s severe persecution of Christians. During this same persecution, Peter was also crucified. (History records that Peter requested that he be crucified upside-down because he didn’t consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same manner as our Lord.)
But before we complete our discussion of the Book of Acts today, let’s consider what may be the most important lesson of this incredible book. It is very simply this: God takes full responsibility for accomplishing His own mission!
Actually, the Book of Acts is rather comical when you consider how confused these “great men and women of God” in the early church were for the first 27 years of their ministry. The believers in Acts 1- 7 had no idea whether or not Christ would immediately return to restore the kingdom to Israel, so they had sold their houses and all of their possessions, then camped out in Jerusalem so they didn’t miss His Second Coming. (Acts 1:6-7; 2:44-47; 4:34-35; Zechariah 14:1-9) The Apostles were startled and confused when the Samaritans and Gentiles started getting saved. (Acts 11:1-3, 18) The Jewish believers had an extremely difficult time letting go of circumcision, and other components of the law of Moses, so they could be free to simply trust the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for their salvation and/or their sanctification. (Acts 15:1-2) The Apostles were most certainly shocked when God postponed His dealings with Israel in order to begin working with a new institution, the Church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. (Rom. 11:25; Eph. 3:1-13)
When you put it all together, you begin to realize, that from a human standpoint, living in the time of the early church could have been frustrating and confusing IF you were attempting to analyze and formulize God. If, however, you “walked by faith and not by sight,” then every day would have been a tremendous adventure! Consider some of the incredible “acts” we have seen the Lord Jesus Christ carry out through the Apostles in this Book.
First, consider how God’s ancient arrangement of the Jewish holy feasts “just happened” to bring the Jews at “just the right time” and to “just the right place” to be able to witness the crucifixion of their Messiah at Passover. Then, 50 days later at Pentecost, to bring them together again, to have the opportunity to repent of their fatal error of crucifying their own Messiah! (Acts 2) Do you remember how we saw God intervene on behalf of Peter and John, freeing them from prison to continue preaching to the people in Acts 5:17-20? Don’t forget how God used the persecution that arose after the stoning of Stephen to serve His purposes in motivating the obstinate Jewish believers to get out of Jerusalem and carry out the rest of His mission to Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth! (Acts 1:8; 8:1) How about how God supernaturally arranged Philip’s meeting with the Ethiopian eunuch? (Acts 8:26-30) What about the perfectly timed salvation of Saul (Paul), the Apostle to the Gentiles in Acts 9, and Peter’s visit to Cornelius’ house in Acts 10? We could go on and on with all of the supernatural “acts” God was orchestrating on behalf of the Apostles!
So, again, what’s the main “take-away” from this key Book of the Bible?
That God will accomplish His own mission despite our cluelessness, and despite our human inabilities and frailties. If we surrender ourselves to Him daily, we will have the amazing honor of joining God where He is already working. Have a great adventure with God today!