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Acts 26Acts 26:1-32(1) Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

Paul stretched forth his hand: I do find it interesting that almost every time Paul began to speak, he stretched forth his hand. This was a Roman custom. When delivering speeches, you would often see speakers stretch forth their hand and say, “Friends, Romans, countrymen.” Evidently, Paul had picked up this custom. Just as a side note, Paul said, “I count it a privilege.” Paul counted it a privilege to give his testimony on the cause of Christ.

(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.

Listen to me patiently: Herod Agrippa was a student of the Jewish law and customs and was noted for his immense understanding of the Jewish religion, having studied the law and the prophets. Paul pled with him to listen to him patiently.

Don’t be too quick: Unfortunately, today, most preaching is designed to be 20 minutes or less because of the attention span of people. Those of us in theology call these “Sermonettes.” The problem with them is that they never flesh out all that is trying to be said. So, their impact upon the hearers is usually minimal, at best. Paul didn’t want to make that mistake with Agrippa. Paul knew it was going to be a few minutes, so he said, “. . . hear me patiently.”

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When you are talking about your conversion to Christ to those around you, I would encourage you, also, not to get in a hurry. It is a privilege that God has placed before you, so simply plead for the patience of your hearers and be thorough in your answer.

(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.

Pharisees: Be reminded, the Pharisees were ultra orthodox. Today, we would call them “radicals.” They were super legalists, who wanted to make sure every “T” was crossed and every “I” was dotted when it came to their religious practices and work. Thus, they had their traditions and their customs, which they kept with legalistic zeal. So, Paul said:

(6) And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

“. . . The promise made of God unto our fathers” to which Paul referred was the promise of the coming of the Messiah, which was given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember, Agrippa knew the prophecies. Paul knew that Agrippa knew the prophecies. So, Paul brought him directly to the promises God made.

(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?

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I. How big is your God: Paul lasered in on an extremely important question when he confronted Agrippa. “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” Most of the problems that people have today is because of their concept of God. Their concept is just too small; thus, it is too limited. Their view of God is anthropomorphic, which, basically, is man’s concept of God or man creating God. When man creates his own God, he always creates Him too small. This is why many people find great problems with certain things in the Bible such as the story of Jonah, the sun not moving, and so many others. So, they dismiss miracles. The Red Sea didn’t actually part, you see; the children of Israel simply found a shallow spot and it just appeared as though they walked through the midst of the water. I mean, Jesus didn’t actually feed 4,000 at one time and then another 5,000 another time. You see, they had all brought lunches, and they shared amongst themselves. So, it really wasn’t miraculous. In Genesis 18:14, God says to those who embrace that kind of foolishness, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” This is a rhetorical question. The answer is obviously, “No, there is nothing too hard for the Lord.” In fact, in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 3, verse 20, he says:

Ephesians 3:20(20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

I want you to mark that verse down and memorize it, but I want you to personalize it. Personalizing it does no harm to the text or to the intent. Instead of “unto him that is able,” change it to “My God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I ask or think, according to the power that worketh in me.”

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a. Measuring difficulty: When our concept of God is too small, then we will see everything as difficult. But difficulty must always be measured by the capacity of the agent that is doing the work. If you go to Europe, you can see some of the great cathedrals. Some people think how difficult they must have been to build. They really weren’t. In fact, they weren’t difficult at all. They simply paid great architects and artisans and workers who were gifted in those things which needed to be accomplished. Thus, they are still there.

Once again, difficulty must be measured by the capacity of the agent doing the work. What would be difficult is to expect a troop of chimpanzees to build a cathedral. Now, that would truly be difficult because the capacity of the agent doing the work is not able to do that which is being requested regardless if you paid them or not!

So it is with God. Regardless of your difficulty, the capacity of our agent is immeasurable. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? “For our God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” You see, my friends, when your concept of God is Biblical, then there is nothing difficult that lies ahead that our God cannot handle.

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(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.

Paul, a member of the Sanhedrin: It’s verses like this that make it clear that Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin. Take note of the fact that Paul said “. . . when they were to be put to death, [he] gave [his] voice against them.”

Paul had been instrumental in the death of Stephen, and many people make the mistake of thinking that that grievous error was the only one Paul had that tormented his conscience. Here, Paul said that it was “many” saints. I can only imagine how he must have felt the rest of his life, having wreaked such havoc on the church.

(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.

II. Undoing the evil: In the previous two verses, Paul said that he had caused the incarceration and death of many Christians. Here, he said he “. . . punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme.” After Paul’s conversion, the love and devotion that he had for Christ ultimately led him not only to be rejected by the Sanhedrin and condemned as a heretic, but eventually landed him in a Roman prison, ultimately to his own martyrdom. Throughout Paul’s life, he sought not only to evangelize but to right many of the evils he had committed in his unbelief.

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a. In like manner: Not unlike the Apostle Paul, I have seen many, many people, after having been converted, go about trying to right the wrongs of their pasts. This is what the Bible calls “fruit that is meet for repentance,” as Paul stated in Acts 26:20. I find it hard to believe that any true, born-again person, who has been regenerated by the renewing of their mind, would not want to correct the mistakes of their past. You see, it comes naturally, induced by the supernatural. What I mean is that when the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in the life of a believer, he is converted in his heart and in his mind. It reminds me of the story of Zacchaeus as found in Luke 19.

Luke 19:8-10(8) And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.(9) And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.(10) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

You see, my friends, this is what genuine salvation looks like. I want you to notice that Jesus did not tell Zacchaeus what he needed to do. Zacchaeus believed, and he was moved to action to right the wrongs in his life. All it took was an encounter with Jesus Christ.

b. Sola Christus: It seems that within the Church of Jesus Christ today that all that is expected is that one simply confess the name of Jesus and that somehow that magically makes them a Christian.

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Here me out on this. I know that through the centuries of church history, many have erred from the faith trying to mix grace and works with the emphasis on works. Thus, there are many false Christians today who simply work and do because they believe that it is expected. These are those that Jesus referred to in Matthew 7.

Matthew 7:20-23(20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.(21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.(22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?(23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

You see, my friends, these people called him Lord, they prophesied, they casted out devils, and, in the name of the Lord, I’m sure they fed the poor and everything else they thought needed to be done to gain God’s favor and ultimately heaven. But Jesus, the Lord of glory, said that even the good things that they had done was iniquity—sinful. Why? Because they were not motivated by faith. Paul the apostle said this in Romans 14:23: “For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” It doesn’t matter what it looks like in the eyes of men; it only matters, my friends, what it looks like in the eyes of Christ.

Today, there are so many things being done in the church in the name of and for Jesus that are just wrong—everything from weight-loss programs to deliverance programs and recovery programs. They’re wrong because they seek to use techniques and methods that are devised by men to bring about a spiritual result, and all they really end up

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doing is creating people who never really know victory. True victory is found only in Sola Christus—Christ alone; regeneration is found only in Sola Christus—Christ alone; deliverance is found only in Sola Christus—Christ alone; and recovery is found only in Sola Christus—Christ alone.

Time will not permit me to list the hundreds of people that I have personally seen delivered from every sinful thing known to man simply by falling at the foot of the cross. We need to get back to preaching Sola Christus—Christ alone. Then and only then will you genuinely see repentance from dead works and fruit that exhibits that repentance.

(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.

III. Kicking against the pricks: Back in the day, oxen were used to plow fields. When they would put a yoke on a young ox, most of the time, the ox didn’t like it. This would cause it to kick. This is a bad thing if you are the one standing behind the ox. The plowman would take a very sharp stick and would keep it close to the foot of the ox. When the ox would kick, he would get poked. The ox might do this a few times, but eventually he learned that it was not good and was downright painful to kick against the pricks.

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Many have suggested that it was the death of Stephen, and, more precisely, Stephen’s testimony prior to his being killed that had a tremendous effect on Paul. The Bible says that while he was preaching, Stephen’s face shown like an angel. Of course, at the end, Stephen’s cry was, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. . . . Lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:59-60). You see, the Holy Spirit was already wooing Paul, and Paul was finding it harder to kick against it.

(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.

IV. Paul’s purpose: Paul was recounting here the moment that he received his commission from the Lord—his purpose in life. That purpose, from the very beginning, was to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

The purpose of the Gospel entails opening the eyes of the blind. This is a spiritual blindness that has affected all of mankind from the moment they enter the world until the day that they receive Jesus Christ and their eyes are opened. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul said that the god of this world had blinded their minds, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them (2 Corinthians 4:4).

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As I said before, a man who does not know Jesus, or more accurately is not known by Jesus, is often blind to the truth. What’s even worse is when a person who is not blind to the truth still doesn’t believe. Paul made it clear that it is the god of this world that has blinded their minds so that they cannot see the truth. Paul’s commission—his purpose—was to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God.

a. Two kingdoms: You see, my friends, there are really only two kingdoms in the world—only two real governments: the government of God and the government of Satan. To steal a phrase, “They are mutually exclusive and antagonistic.” Every man and woman who is alive today exists in one of these two kingdoms. Even you, my friends, are living in the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness. You are either controlled by God or controlled by Satan because there are only two governing circles in this universe. However, it wasn’t always that way.

In the beginning, there was only the kingdom of God, and all things were in obedience and subjection to Him. He had created all angelic beings, and one who was called the anointed cherub (Ezekiel 28:24), whose name was Lucifer, rebelled against the authority of God and, essentially, formed his own government. It is a government of death and darkness. Eventually, God has declared a time when the kingdom of Satan will be completely destroyed. I believe that that time is drawing near.

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When Jesus returns, which will be very soon, He will establish God’s kingdom upon the earth. It will be at that time that Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss. We are told in the book of Revelation that after 1,000 years, he will be set free for a short time. At the end of that period, he will be cast into Gehenna and into outer darkness; the kingdom of darkness will be cast into outer darkness.

So, Paul’s ministry—his calling, his purpose—was to deliver people from the kingdom of darkness, bring them into the kingdom of light, and set them free from the power of Satan that they might come to God in order to receive forgiveness for their sins and adoption into the family of God to receive their inheritance as a co-heir with Christ, by the grace of God, through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

Our inheritance: Those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus have been adopted and are co-heirs with Christ; thus, we have an inheritance. The Bible talks about the inheritance of the saints in light.

Matthew 25:31-34(31) When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:(32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:(33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.(34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Become a citizen: We are told in the scriptures that it is not God’s will “. . . that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). You see, God wants you to be a part of His kingdom. It is His good will to give you the

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kingdom, and it is so easy to become a part of that kingdom. What must I do? Paul told the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Yield yourselves, my friends, to the authority of Jesus Christ, and when you do, you become a subject of His kingdom. So, Paul goes on in verse 19:

(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.

The demonstration of repentance: Paul was calling upon people to change or to turn from a life dominated by the flesh to a life dominated by the spirit. The word “repentance” here in verse 20 means just that—to reverse, or, to put it plainly, to do the opposite of what you have been doing. Herein lies the conundrum. As we just studied earlier, works can be deceiving—even good works. Even things that look as though they are a demonstration of repentance if they are not motivated by faith, are phony and produce nothing.

I want to draw your attention that Paul said that first they should repent. Now, this word in the Greek means “to change your mind” and in doing so, turn to God and do the works that demonstrate repentance.

As I have pointed out before, it is what you believe that produces genuine works that are motivated by faith. When a person’s mind is changed, and they turn to God through Jesus Christ, then they will show works that demonstrate true repentance.

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A different kind of sorry: People often confuse repentance with sorrow, but this is not always the case. Prisons are full of people who are sorry about their sin, but they are only sorry they got caught; thus, when they get out, they usually wind up right back in prison. So often in Christendom, people can be made aware of their sin and feel guilty or sorry that it got brought up, and they might even confess Jesus Christ. However, their lives never show a change; their lives never demonstrate what they say they believe.

Titus 1:16(16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

I don’t want you to misunderstand me; I’m not saying that people aren’t sorry, but it is only true sorrow which brings about repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:10(10) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

There’s the difference, my friends. Someone can tell me all day long, “I believe in Jesus. I have repented.” However, if they are at home in sin and never turn away from the things they were doing before, then they are a liar. Their repentance is false—not true. There must be a change of mind first, which is prompted by that Godly sorrow, realizing that it is against God that we have sinned. Then, the works that demonstrate true repentance will follow, and they will be supernaturally motivated by faith alone.

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(21) For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.(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:

V. God’s helping hand: Paul declared here in verse 22 that had the Lord not intervened, he wouldn’t have been standing there. You have to remember that it was the Roman soldiers who had come to rescue Paul and kept the mob from killing him. It’s important that we are able to recognize the supernatural in the natural because God always works supernaturally very naturally.

It is unfortunate that many Christians today can only acknowledge God if there seems to be some big thing that happens—thunder and lightning kind of stuff. They are more sensitive to feelings than they are to faith, but we really do need to recognize God more in the natural. Some people just seem to be spiritually insensitive to the helping hand of God. The Lord is helping them continually; yet, they don’t recognize it because it seems like such a natural thing. It just didn’t seem like a miracle, but God always works supernaturally very naturally. If you are sensitive to the Spirit, then you will acknowledge God in everything just as the Apostle Paul recognized the supernatural deliverance of God from the angry mob through the Roman soldiers. Paul recognized straight up that it was God who had intervened, and He used human instruments to accomplish His purpose and His work.

a. Paul witnessed: Here in verse 22, Paul stated that he had been witnessing to the small and the great; yet, in so doing, he had not added anything to scripture. All he was preaching was that which was written in the prophets and Moses about the coming of the Messiah.

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(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.

VI. The suffering of Christ: Paul preached that the Messiah had come, and not only that the Messiah had come, but that it was necessary that the Messiah should suffer. This was the very thing that really upset the Jews and offended them concerning Christ. In the Jewish mindset of that time, the Jews wholeheartedly believed that when the Messiah had come, he would establish a Jewish political kingdom and would overthrow the Romans. In dealing with those scriptures that prophesied that the Messiah would be despised and rejected and that He would be cut off and received nothing for Himself, the Jews spiritualized those verses.

Just like today: Even today, we find many people who spiritualize the scriptures concerning Jesus’ return. They come up with all kinds of crazy scenarios. They will say things like, “Well, actually Jesus is coming in us, and we will be manifested, and the church in its glorified state will actually be the second coming of Christ.” So, they spiritualize the actual second coming of Christ just as the Jews spiritualized those prophesies concerning His suffering, and they only took literally those verses that pertained to His kingdom, His glory, and His power.

(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.

VII. Beside himself: The term “beside yourself” was used against those who would talk to themselves. It has been said that when a man gets into a conversation with himself, it’s a pretty fair bet that he’s in serious trouble—not to mention that it’s a definite sign of a mental disorder.

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Festus leveled this accusation against Paul. “You are beside yourself, Paul; much learning [has] made you mad.” It has been suggested that because Paul had been incarcerated for so long that more than likely Festus had had the opportunity to witness Paul’s study habits. No doubt, Paul was an avid student. In fact, even while he was in prison, he wrote to young Timothy and asked for his reading material.

2 Timothy 4:13(13) The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

Many of us would do well to follow Paul’s example. Way too often, the serious study of the Word of God is marginalized by most Christians. Thus, the church has fallen into a state of social gospel. They are more concerned with doing than they are with knowing the one and true God. Second Timothy 2:15 is a verse that every Christian ought to memorize.

2 Timothy 2:15(15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

(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.

“I’m not mad as you are asserting,” Paul told Festus, “but the king knows of these things I’m talking about. He’s heard about Jesus. He knows about the crucifixion, and he has studied the prophets and the scripture. None of these things are hidden from him.”

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(27) King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Paul actually put Agrippa on the spot by saying, “I know that [you] believe [the prophets.]” As I told you before, King Agrippa had studied the law and the prophets, and he was well aware of this new sect of Jews called Christians. What he didn’t know was exactly how the two were related; however, Paul had just outlined this for him. In order to drive his point home, Paul presumed upon Agrippa’s belief.

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

Almost persuaded: What a scary thing to be almost persuaded—so close, and yet, so far away. There will be many, many people standing along side King Agrippa on Judgment Day who were almost persuaded.

(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.

Upon hearing Agrippa’s response, Paul said, “I would to God, that not only [you], but all that hear me this day, were [not only] almost, but altogether [persuaded]. I wish you were just like me, except [for] these bonds. [I wish you could experience the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ].” There are so many people who are so close—so close to eternal life—so close to freedom from sin, but they have allowed their intellect to stand in the way of eternity.

(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.

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I told you before that Bernice and King Agrippa were actually brother and sister. Later in her life, she would become the mistress of a couple other Roman emperors. Here they sat listening to one of the greatest preachers who has ever lived, whose preaching was not in excellency of words but in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Yet, they rose up and walked away.

Agrippa wanted to let Paul go, but he had already appealed to Caesar, so to Rome he had to go.