Jesus Saves and We Proclaim (Acts 26)
We find Paul now, headed to Rome. But remember, he is about to make his case before Agrippa. This is an interesting scenario. For, as far as Roman law is concerned, it is virtually meaningless. Paul decided to use his rights as a Roman citizen to appeal to Rome. Really, this hearing had one purpose. It was to figure out what Festus was going to put in his letter to Caesar.
Because Festus had known already that Paul was innocent, the need to appeal was a strange one. But Festus had not acted on that because he was afraid of the reaction of the Sanhedrin.
This is not an uncommon scenario. Leaders of organizations and families often acquiesce to the loudest voices and do the wrong thing. That seems to be what happened here. This time it wasn’t unhappy family members throwing a fit and swaying Dad into doing something he shouldn’t. It was an unhappy sect, the leaders of the Jews, that was causing injustice to fall upon Paul. So, he did what he had to do and appealed to Caesar.
We are not told what Paul was thinking, only what Paul did. And it seems to me that Paul used this as an opportunity to preach the gospel to these leaders. There was no real chance of Paul to be cleared in this moment, he had already appealed to Caesar. In fact, this is uttered by Agrippa toward the end of Paul’s speech.
“And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”” (Acts 26:32 ESV)
It seems to me that this is similar to what happens when a Defensive Linemen jumps off sides before the play begins. It’s a low risk time to take a shot down the field. If you fail, you can accept the penalty and advance five yards. If you succeed then you’ve just thrown a 50 yard bomb down the field and your team has made some major gains.
Paul is already headed to Rome. That has already been determined and there is no changing course now. Paul is hurling a bomb down the field in hopes of converting Festus and Agrippa to the faith. He’s not all that concerned with defending himself in this moment. His concern seems to be with proclaiming the gospel.
As you will see, Festus didn’t understand the Old Testament Scriptures, but Agrippa did. And Paul used this knowledge to proclaim the gospel to him.
As Christians, commissioned to proclaim the gospel, the way in which Paul delivers this message to Festus and Agrippa is informative. A lot of people in our culture have some understanding of the Scriptures. But most don’t have much. So we can sometimes connect with people in the way that Paul did here.
Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament promises and brought us forgiveness of sins. The response to this message is repentance and faith.
This is the message we proclaim and the response we proclaim as well. Now let’s look at Paul’s defense before Agrippa an see how he delivers this message.
Jesus Fulfilled The Promises (Acts 26:4-11)
Paul’s argument is that he is a Pharisee. He believes in the Resurrection, as did a large portion of the Sanhedrin. So there really is no reason they should be mad at him over this. But, he does admit there is one difference between him and the Pharisees. He believes that the promises given have already been fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Paul has the same hope that they do. And if we are going to talk about strength of devotion to that position, Paul believed it strongly. There was a time when he did not believe in Jesus. And in that time he persecuted Christians. Some of them he killed. Some of them he tried to get to blaspheme, that is deny the faith.
Paul sums this up by saying that he cast his vote. Now, we are not entirely sure of what this means. It is very likely that he was employed by the Sanhedrin to round up Christians. The only time we see him in action is when Stephen was martyred and Paul seems to be in charge of that affair.
We can make some assumptions about Paul here. He had a great pedigree apparently. He was a young Pharisee, but too young to be on the Sanhedrin. It looks like that was possibly where he was headed if Christ had not intervened. So, it is very likely that they employed him until the time he could be in the Sanhedrin.
But God intervened. Paul was radically converted on the road to Damascus where he met the risen Christ. His life was radically changed at that point. And it was at this point that Paul believed the message of the gospel. He now believed the very message that he had tried to wipe off the face of the Earth.
And this means that he believed that God kept His promises in Jesus Christ. He believes in the resurrection. But he also believes that the promises were kept in Jesus. And he admits that this is why he is in the position he is in.
Agrippa was well acquainted with the teachings of the Jews. And so, Agrippa would understand well what Paul was getting at here. Agrippa himself knew of the promises made to the Jews. Agrippa seems to have paid superficial lip service to the Jews and so garnered some of their favor. But this superficial lip service means that he knew something of the beliefs and activities of the Jews. In fact, Agrippa had his sister’s non-Jewish husbands be circumcised. But, his allegiance to Judaism didn’t run deep. He had an incestuous relationship with his sister, Bernice that caused many Jews to be upset with him.
But Paul’s point is not difficult to figure out. He and the Pharisees both believed in the resurrection. Paul just believes that God has kept His promises to the Jews in the person of Jesus Christ. He has the same hope that they do. He just believes God has already fulfilled it.
There is a real sense in which Christians make the same argument today concerning Jews. And I think we should understand that our relationship to the Jews is very similar to that of Paul’s who was standing on trial that day. We believe the same Scriptures and have the hope of resurrection. But we believe that God has kept His promises in Jesus Christ.
And the country that we live in is one that I would call “formerly Christian”. America was never fully declared a “Christian nation”. But the American Revolution was a thoroughly Protestant affair. It was called the Presbyterian Revolt by the British. Nine out of the original 13 colonies required a religious test for public office. So, you had to be a Christian to hold these offices, or at least outwardly appear so. And these tests continued long past the writing of the Constitution. In fact, the Bill of Rights stated that there would be no tests at the federal level, but the states could have them if they wanted. And most of them did.
But this sort of thing is long past. But because that is our heritage, there is often some understanding or misunderstanding of Christianity. Everyone has heard of it, even if all they’ve heard of it is wrong. So it is often the case that we are attempting to meet people where they are and explain gaps in the information.
It is often the case that we run into people that are well-meaning and well-intentioned, but don’t understand what it is that Christianity teaches. They don’t know and a lot of that has to do with the fact that Christianity’s dominance in the land seems to have passed away.
We look at these folks and help them to see the truth and the beauty of Christ. The entirety of the Old Testament looked forward to him. Those stories that they know from childhood: Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Jonah and Big Fish, and many others all point to Jesus. They point to the salvation that He has brought and that He has accomplished.
Adam and Eve broke God’s Law and brought corruption to all of mankind. And when this happened, God made a promise. One would come that would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). This serpent crusher was promised and looked forward to again and again. Noah built an ark and all those inside were saved from God’s wrath. All those who are in Christ are saved from the wrath of God. Jonah spent three days in the belly of a great fish. Jesus told us that the three days that He was dead was the sign of Jonah. As Jonah spent three days in the belly of a great fish, Jesus spent three days in the belly of the ground. And He did it for our justification.
God the Son took on human flesh and dwelt among us for our salvation. He accomplished salvation for us by living a perfect life and dying on the cross. He accomplished all righteousness on our behalf. And He died on the cross as the punishment for sin. And three days later, He rose for our justification.
Jesus Commissioned Me To Preach Salvation To Those In Bondage To Satan (Acts 26:12-23)
Paul was blind to the truth until the Lord blinded him and made him able to see the truth of the gospel. And Paul was commissioned to preach the gospel to others that were just as lost and blind as he was.
He asked that the Lord would open their eyes. They were sinful and condemned. They were under Satan’s control. And he wasn’t just talking about the Gentiles, he was talking about the Jews as well.
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6 ESV)
Satan has blinded the eyes of the unbeliever, that is both Jew and Gentile. Every lost person on the face of this Earth has been blinded and is unable to see without divine aid. And God, who “let light shine out of darkness” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
As Paul went forth and proclaimed the gospel, blinded eyes were opened, even as his was. People were made to see, to truly see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Apart from Christ, we are not in a neutral state. Apart from Christ we are enslaved. We are in bondage to sin and destruction.
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7 ESV)
But praise be to God that the loving kindness of God our Savior appeared and brought to us redemption. Because of Him we are justified by His grace and we become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The Response is Repentance and Faith (Acts 26:20, 24-29)
Paul warned King Agrippa to turn to Christ. This message was for all the people in the room, but it was especially addressed to King Agrippa. And the response demanded was to “repent and turn to God”.
Repentance is a change of mind. This change of mind will lead to a change in action. That is why Paul says that the person should have deeds in keeping with repentance (Acts 26:20). If you’ve truly changed your mind about something, it will change the way you behave.
A person that has not turned from ruling their own life is not a person that has turned to the Lord.
And faith is trusting in Christ. It is knowing the facts of who Jesus was and is. It is believing those facts to be true. And it is entrusting our life and salvation to Him. It is entrusting ourself to Him.
I find it interesting that Paul presses one of the most powerful men on this point while in chains. “Do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe” (Acts 26:27 ESV).
But alas, Agrippa changed the subject. But to not decide is to make a decision. And that decision is to reject Christ.
Imagine the circumstance here. Paul is standing before King Agrippa and before Governor Festus. And he looks at these two powerful men and tells them that they must repent and believe in the Savior.
He said that the reason he was arrested was because he told Jews and Gentiles that they should “repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” (Acts 26:20 ESV) And now, he is telling these two powerful men that they must repent and believe the gospel.
“And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am–except for these chains.” (Acts 26:24-29 ESV)
This is the proper response to the message of the gospel. And it is the response that we are responsible to call people to.
I have great fears regarding the Church today. I have great fears with regard to this very thing.
You see, The Roman Catholic Church made works a very big part of the system. A person wasn’t saved by grace alone, there were works involved. And that still is the case. In fact, according to the Council of Trent I am considered an anathema by the Roman Catholic Church for believing I am saved by grace alone through faith alone.
Obviously, I believe that the Protestants got it right and that this was a return to what the Church had taught in the beginning. But my fear is that we don’t talk about repentance much at all.
Scores of people sit in a pew, recite a prayer, come forward, say they prayed the prayer and are baptized. And their life never changed. They never, as Paul said here, repented and performed deeds in keeping with their repentance. They lived their life however they wanted, even as they claimed to be Christian.
They prayed a prayer, walked an aisle, were baptized, and never turned away from ruling their own life. They tried to just add God to the mix.
We’re reading through the Bible together again this year. And when we get to the books of Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel you will see clearly that God is a jealous God. He does not share you with the world. And if you insist on serving yourself over him, if you continue to be a selfish wretch, if you continue to live in rebellion against Him all the days of your life, you never trusted in Him. If you don’t have deeds in keeping with repentance, then you are not His.
Repentance is a change of mind. But that change of mind will lead to a change in behavior. This, I believe is best captured by the
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)
Those people will not inherit the Kingdom of God. And some of you were that way. But those who are truly washed, sanctified, and justified by the Lord Jesus Christ are His.
Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior. Faith is entrusting our selves to Him and Him alone.
Conclusion
In front of some of the most powerful men in the known world, Paul preached the gospel with clarity and might. And He called them to repent and believe in Christ Jesus.
As Christians, we are called to go and proclaim the good news. We proclaim the light of the gospel to a world lost and dead in sin. Go, proclaim the good news.
R. Dwain Minor