CHAPTER 26

1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

Once Festus had presented Paul to Agrippa, he told Paul he could "speak" for himself.

Perhaps the stretched out hand Paul extended was a gratuity to the King.
Perhaps it was only a beckoning for genuine attention.

Remember, Paul is a very skilled orator.
He knew all the WORD of God, and he knew all the people in the area.
He had been reared a Jew AND a Roman citizen.
So, he KNEW who Agrippa was.

He knew Agrippa was quite familiar with Juadaism and all it's teachings.

4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

As a youth, Paul had been sent to Jerusalem to learn under the greatest teachers.
He had been a promising and rising person.
All the prominent Jews knew him.

And, they knew that he lived an exemplory life as a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

And THIS is the main reason he was called into question by the chief priests and council:
He BELIEVED in the ultimate resurrection!
God WILL RAISE all people and place their spirits back in their bodies and cause them to be IMMORTAL:
EXISTING ETERNALLY!
WHERE they exist is dependent upon their surrender to God when they were MORTAL!

Paul challenges Agrippa!
Knowing Agrippa is familiar with the teachings of God, and that God created all from nothing with just His Word;
why would Agrippa think it impossible for God to raise the dead?
He did it in the Old Testament! (1Kings 17:21, 2Kings 4:34)
And, Jesus did it while He was here on earth! (Matt. 8:13, Mark 5:41-42, Lk 8:54-55, John 11:43-43)
Paul knew Agrippa was familiar with these testimonies!

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Paul admitted that at first he didn't believe either.
And, he persecuted Christians severely, even to assenting to their death.
He even chased them down in far away cities.

HOWEVER!

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Paul relates his testimony as to what happened to him on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9)
He was going there with letters to arrest Christians.
But something HAPPENED!

Jesus met him there! (vs 15)
((See the commentary on Acts 9 here: http://www.linktojesus.org/devotions/44_Acts/CHAPTER_9.html ))

Paul relates this event changed his life completely.
Now he lives to share the Gospel with EVERYONE and ANYONE, WHEREVER and WHENEVER he is given opportunity!
((THAT'S the life of a Christian!!))

The last part of vs 18 is very stimulating!
ANYONE can be "sanctified by" the same faith that was in Paul!
That faith is BELIEVING and CLINGING to Christ!

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

Paul became totally obedient to his interaction with Jesus on the Damascus road.
He preached the Gospel of repentance to Christ in Damascus, Jerusalem, and all through Judaea, and even to the Gentiles!

Then he says it was because of THIS that he was captured in the temple, and about to be murdered!
He who had been renowned and acclaimed by them was now despised by them because of his conversion.

22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Only by the grace of God had Paul been able to "continue" sharing the Gospel with any who would listen.

And, Paul appeals to Agrippa's understanding of Scripture:
That the "prophets and Moses" said Christ would come, suffer, rise from the dead, and be the "LIGHT" to the people for salvation!

The Old Testament abounds with prophecies of Christ which avow Him being Jehovah in flesh, suffering for mankind, and rising from the dead.
(Deut. 18:15, Ps. 16:10, Is. 12:2, Is. 43:11, Is. 53:2-12, Hos. 13:4, and more.)

24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Festus interrupted the conversation.
He claimed Paul was so educated he had lost his mind!

The world claims Christians are either:
too educated and thus crazy, or
uneducated and ignorant.
This is the manner in which they attempt to dismiss the conviction of God's Holy Spirit upon a valid testimony.

When a heart is convicted by God's Holy Spirit, there is realization of gross sin, and shame!
Either the heart will repent and surrender to Christ, or
the heart will rebel and try to dismiss the truth!

Festus was trying to dismiss the truth!

Paul turned to Agrippa.
"Believest thou the prophets? I KNOW that thou believest!"

Paul knew Agrippa knew of the Scriptures, and that he also knew he was in an incestuos relationship with his sister.
He probably was feeling great conviction about it!

But what did he say and do?

28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
29 And Paul said, 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.

"ALMOST!" But not quite!
OH! How horrible that is!
To be almost persuaded, but to let the heart REBEL!
To LIVE under the constant conviction!
It's like a FIRE in the bones!!

Paul stated every Christian's desire!
His desire, and our desire, is that EVERY one who hears the Gospel would be SAVED, washed in the blood of Jesus, sealed by the Spirit of God, have his/her name written in the Book of Life, and KNOW they are bound for eternal glory with Christ!!!

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

Everyone got up, gathered in a circle, and talked about the situation.
No one repented!
ALL rebelled!!

As a result, Paul was not set free.
He had appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar he would go.

They COULD HAVE released him!
But, they DIDN'T!

Oh! What awful sins heardened hearts commit!!

Now Paul will have to suffer many things before he is finally granted a hearing in Rome.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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