Paul before Agrippa, by Nikolai Bodarevsky
Acts 26
26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But God has helped me to this very day; 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 Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of 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.”
25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Jesus Christ is the same
Yesterday
and
Today
and
Forever
And this is Good News. Because?
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world"
Acts 26
The mud and accusations fly
like Today
The patterns of life repeat and repeat in the Scriptures. Paul discusses eternal truths. Agrippa isn't moved, he is set for life in the repeat patterns of his decades. Agrippa knows Scripture. Pharisees and Saducees. Time in and time out. Easy to decide.
Agrippa has listened to many teachers interpret the Bible. AI interprets the Bible. Social Media interprets the Bible verses into vague niceties. Verses interpret the Bible. I interpret the Bible
In Relationship with the Lord God Almighty giving us His Son.
We must read all the Scriptures for ourselves.
The Scriptures says God gives Gifts. And only Jesus can fulfill every dot and iota in His Word.
Know the Scripture, Know the Power of God.
When one set of people bare the burden for seasons and cultures. This nation..... blah, blah, blah. These sets of "American comforts" blah, blah, blah. The repeat of Leningrad. Nazis with their new morality and USSR with throwing out the Church. This isn't a problem of this generation! It is a problem of the pendulum of the world! Kings and Chronicles show us cultural problems and generational problems exist. The Seed Parables explain problems. ETERNAL.
The Clarity of God's Word is ETERNAL.
Jesus Christ is the same
Yesterday
and
Today
and
Forever
Usually, we all have the same complaints in life.
And some days we feel angry.
And want to blame and jump all over the next person.
But the main category for overcoming anger? Faith the Lord sorts all the the things beyond us. Hope the Lord will sort us out. Love God has for us and one another.
And overcoming?
Finding real reasons to find Gratitude.
Today Edward and I walked and in the early spring, we could see the grass was responding to the warmth and light of springtime. And in the grass, were the pine needles the winter had shed. To see the colors and textures was beautiful. We stopped our walk and looked at the beauty of earth God brings us. To have eyesight. To appreciate the warmer weather.
I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today
And back to Acts 26. Agrippa doesn't like Paul having a clear vision of God. Agrippa likes the comfort of Pharisee not appreciating Sadducees. Paul hopes to give Agrippa more of God. And Agrippa doesn't want another idea of God.
How will this turn out?
Not the way Agrippa thinks. Agrippa is headed off to Rome in war as a prisoner of war. And his sister is going to run after Caesar. Not what Agrippa thinks. Agrippa is actually going to write letters about meeting Paul. Paul isn't going to write about letters and letters of meeting Agrippa. Correspondence with Josephus the Judean general turned Roman historian.
How will this turn out?
Perfectly. God's Plan for History, for today and for tomorrow will work out perfectly.
How?
God is bringing more of His good will to His good creation and more Heaven will be seen upon earth.
And who will be happiest?
Eternally, this is a big set of problems. Oh no, who is happiest.
Does God want us to be
Happy.
Yes, Virginia. God wants life to offer us happiness.
God of Love. God of encouragment. Isn't out to make us ashamed or miserable or alone.
How would we know? MOSES. Moses spoke Directly to God.
JESUS. Jesus said we are to know this trouble is Overcome.
DAVID. David was so impressed with Moses wanting happiness, David included Moses prayer in Psalm 90.
Psalm 90
Prayer of Moses
So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice
and
be glad
all
our days.
15 Make us glad
for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen
in JESUS CHRIST!
as the Scriptures wrote.
c. 2005 A.D.
Psalm 16:11:
In Your Presence is fullness of joy
And the architects and archaeologists
drew David's Palace
used until Jeremiah and Nebuchadnezzar
lived the Plan of God
c. 1843 Queen Victoria
wanted to make sure the forests
holding the
Cedars of Lebanon
Cedars of Lebanon
(having build the Temple of Jerusalem twice)
would be part of God's Good Creation again
and
she replanted Lebanon with these giants.
c. 1843 Prince Albert wanted his family
to be godly and love one another
and
he built them their own family home.
And Prince Albert's home
looked remarkably like the Palace of David
(not found at the time)
Queen Victoria, not realizing this, added on.
Psalm 144
May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace;
13 may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
14 may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
Psalm 37:37
Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future
for the man of peace.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and
on His Law he meditates day and night
Abba, Father!
John 15:3
Abide in
God's Love
I consider myself fortunate
to stand before you today
Dwell in me,
Dwell in us,
Dwell in those we Love,
Help us to seek You first.
And we will finish well,
in
Jesus Christ.
Father,
Help us
to speak sincerely,
mercifully
Lovingly
Help us seek and find
and bring,
to become,
more Heaven
to this earth.
Thank You
for
our first grandbaby
Arriving this summer,
All Your Love
Blessings upon
this little one.
And in Jesus - This Hope.
Faith and Love - we will rise up Believing Jesus.
Thank You, Father.
Amen!
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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