Chapter 41

In The Grip Of Agrippa

Acts 26:1-32

 

Acts 26 begins in the middle of the story.  After two years in the custody of the Roman governor, Paul finally gets another chance to present his case.  The new governor, Festus, is hosting King Agrippa and his sister, Bernice.  Festus has expressed his dilemma to Agrippa.  The King's interest has been aroused enough that he wants to hear Paul's presentation.

 

As the chapter opens, Agrippa has taken charge of the proceedings and gives the floor to Paul, v.1.  Paul's introduction is with confidence.  He is glad to be able to present is case to King Agrippa; he recognizes the King's expertise in custom and culture of the Jews (unlike Felix and Festus); he asks to be heard patiently (a hint of the length of Paul's speech?), vv. 2-3.

 

Five key statement summarize Paul's defense.

 

 

"I Lived A Pharisee" - vv. 4-11.

 

In telling his story, Paul begins with this life B.C.  Before he became a Christian.  (When you share you testimony, this is where you should start, too).

 

In verses 4-5, he tells Agrippa that he is not stranger to the Jews of Jerusalem.  He had been raised among them.  He belonged to the strictest sect of the Jews - the Pharisees. 

 

As a Pharisee, Paul believed in the resurrection and, according to verses 6-8, that is what he is being tried for.  He believes in the resurrection, particularly the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Paul also described the zeal that he had that led him to be so aggressively anti-Christian, vv. 9-11.  Christians were imprisoned by Paul, he voted for their executions, he punished Christians and tortured them to the point of verbally denying Christ.  He was not satisfied just do these things in Jerusalem and the surrounding region.  No, Paul pursued his anti-Christian agenda into strange (foreign) cities.

 

 

"I Saw A Light" - vv. 12-13.

 

As a Jew, a scholar and a Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, no doubt, considered himself an enlightened man.  The truth was, however, that he lived in deep spiritual darkness.  He was in darkness that the purpose of the law was to bring him to Christ.  He was in the dark about the inability of his good works and respectable character to save him and take him to heaven.  In truth, he needed to be enlightened.

 

Which is literally what happened.  The light that Saul saw was supernatural.  So brilliant was this light, that it actually blinded Paul for three days physically.  But his spiritual eyes (his understanding) had been opened.  He saw the living Christ.

 

 

"I Heard A Voice" - vv. 14-18.

 

It wasn't enough to see something spectacular.  He needed to hear the word of Christ, which is exactly what happened that noon on the road to Damascus.  This is the third time in Acts that Luke has recorded this event (Chapters 9, 22).  Notice the elements of what Christ said to Saul.  First, there was conviction, v. 14.  Paul was faced with his sinfulness - persecuting Jesus, resisting the goads of God.  Second, there was revelation, v. 15.  Jesus is alive and well.  He is Lord!  There is conversion - his life was changed from that moment on.  Now, he has "receive(d) forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."  There is a commission, vv. 16-18 ("minister" = huperetes = lower rower; "witness"; "sent to the Gentiles" so that they will also see the light and experience salvation).

 

 

"I Was Not Disobedient" - vv. 19-21.

 

In spite of discouragements and dangers, Paul had remained obedient to that vision and call from Christ.  According to verse 21, this was the real reason why the Jews wanted Paul to be executed.  He was declaring Jesus to be alive, to be Israel's Messiah, and calling the Jews to the same terms of repentance and faith as he had the Gentiles. 

 

 

"I Continue Unto This Day" - vv. 22-23.

 

He just wouldn't quit witnessing.  Verse 23 summarized the gospel and shows that it can all be backed up with the Old Testament.

 

At this point, Governor Festus audibly interrupted Paul's speech, "You're crazy!" (v. 24)  A lot of people accuse Christians of being crazy (see II Corinthians 5:13; Mark 3:20-21; John 10:20).  Paul gently reminded the governor and the king that they could not plead ignorance, that these facts about Jesus of Nazareth were a matter of public record and common knowledge, vv. 25-26. 

 

The question that Paul put to Agrippa (verse 27) created a dilemma.  He was an expert in the Jewish law and customs.  For him to deny that he believed the Old Testament prophets would have put him in political hot water with the Jews.  But is the prophets were true then Paul had convinced him that Jesus was the one about whom the prophets wrote.

 

The moment of decision came.  Felix avoided the decision by saying, "Later."  Festus avoided the decision by accusing Paul of being crazy.  Agrippa said only (verse 28), "Almost."  "I'm almost ready to become a Christian."  Almost persuaded.    But almost saved is completely lost.  Almost isn't good enough to go to heaven. 

 

Paul pressed with a plea, v. 29.

 

But the three nobles left the room at this point.  They deliberated together and realized that Paul was innocent of any crimes that he had been charged with by the Jews, vv. 30-31.  In fact, they decided that Paul could have been released had he not appealed to Ceasar.  Had that been a mistake?  Not at all.  It had spared his life in the previous trial and would providentially take him to Rome as the Lord had promised.  Sometimes we think we blew it, but ultimately, even our bad decisions fulfill the providential guidance of God.