Wednesday Night Bible Study

I call your attention tonight to the book of Acts, the 26th chapter. The book of Acts, the 26th chapter. We're going to begin reading at verse number one to set our uh, uh, foundational text. And we'll be studying tonight mainly the 26th chapter of the book of Acts. Beginning with verse number one, we read, "Then Agrius said unto Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself. I think myself happy, King Agria, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all things whereof I am accused of the Jews, 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. The title of our study tonight is Paul's trial and testimony. Paul's trial and testimony. Let's pray. Savior, we're grateful to be in your presence. We thank you for the privilege of studying your word. God, I thank you for hungry hearts who never fail to get back into your word and let it minister to us freshly. Give us guidance and direction for our daily lives. I pray that all that we would do tonight, all that we would study would give us a desire to do a greater work in your kingdom and to always be in your will. Lord, let it lead to the paths of salvation for any who are lost. for all this. We're grateful and thankful. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Paul's trial and testimony. I want to read you a a little something. Uh this is not a a commercial, but just see if this sounds inviting to you. This product gives relief from asthma, cough, bronchitis, hay fever, influenza, and shortness of breath. It treats head colds, canker sores, and even bad breath. A product as pure as the water you drink. It is recommended by a medical doctor to those who are interested in keeping or regaining physical strength. Wow. Where do I sign up? Where do I get a bottle of that? Where where can I get those pills? Doesn't that sound amazing? Just sounds like that cures what ills you. Every one of these slogans and statements and advertisements aren't for a cold medicine, cough drops, or the fountain of youth. Instead, these are all actual slogans and product promises from cigarette ads from 1881 until 1931. For you see, at that time, without being tried and tested, cigarettes were promoted as a health product and recommended by many paid physicians, according to cbsnews.com. Today, virtually all of us know that the health hazards of tobacco use is great. However, if you look at the history, the decrease in tobacco use and cigarette use in general was not turned immediately for the public. It was a slow trial and test that took it to take place. The change was a slow trickle, this writer said, of about 50 years in the making. Beginning in the 1950s, some medical experts asserted that smoking led to health conditions such as cancer, tobacco companies won most of the lawsuits that followed these claims and largely held their ground until the 1990s. Over the years, more medical studies accumulated and documents were leaked indicating that the tobacco companies were not only aware of the dangerous and addictive nature of their products, but they were hiding them. Several groundbreaking trials pushed the cases forward. In 1998, attorney generals from 46 states alleged that tobacco companies promoted hazardous products with deceptive marketing tactics, leading to a massive settlement and the outlawing of false advertising. The next year, 1999, the next year, the US Department of Justice sued several major tobacco companies for fraudulent practices and deceptive marketing techniques that minimize the health risks for users. The case took six years of litigation and nine months of trial, but the companies were eventually found liable. The research and trials, notice that word, against the big tobacco companies have continued to advance and change has been the collaborative work of a multitude of witnesses. You see, we often associate the word trial with a difficult season or difficult circumstances like loss and sickness or grief. This is a trial I'm going through. But in Acts 26, we find that Paul was being put on trial for preaching. In this case, his trial noted or denoted that he would be questioned about this accusation of the doctrine and the message he was preaching. You see, in both cases, a trial is an opportunity to bear witness. A trial when tested by troubles and troublesome people or difficult situations often can feel like your faith is being interrogated. But at times our testimony, our trial can even though it seems so insignificant to us, can be the catalyst that changes someone else's or many other people's lives. When we go through a trial, you see, Paul was being accused of preaching heresy and preaching doctrine that was divisive and was against Judaism of that day. But the progress of hearing the accusations and the opportunity to tell his side of the story would be significant in affecting this world and even us today. Sure, like Paul, all of our testimonies may not succeed in changing everyone, but the reach of one of our trials and our testimony reaches far beyond the moment. Never mistake. When you're tried and you're tested, you're going to get through it and you're going to have a testimony that will affect someone else. Don't reject having a trial because you also get a testimony out of it. So, I want us to go back just a little bit and set the scene for Acts 26 by seeing what led to this point back in Acts 25. In Acts 25:1 we read, "Now when Fesus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cesaria to Jerusalem, then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him." Now understand the Jewish people were under Roman rule and the law was being administered by civil law of Rome. However, these governors and overseers that were overseeing the people who were under Roman rule were very cautious to try to pacify the Jews and pacify the people even with Roman law. And the the problem was this. Verse three said, "And the and desired," speaking of the high priest and the chief of the Jews. They accused Paul and desired favor against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying weight in the way to kill him. Now, all you folks who love a good mystery, all you folks that go all the way back to Perry Mason or Matlock or Law and Order nowadays, you need to read Acts 25 and Acts 26. you you will see some of the most amazing plots and legal maneuvering that you would ever hope to enjoy. I I I challenge you to read it all. We're going to review it tonight, but I challenge you to read Acts 25 and 26 if you like to see those kind of things take place. For you see, the Jews were appealing to Fesus, the civil law, to refer Paul's case back to Jerusalem. And all the time they had a secret pack. They were going to kill him. They were going to ambush him. Verse four says, "But Fesus answered, Paul should be kept at Cesaria, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them, speaking of the Jews, therefore, said he, which are among you who are able, go down with me and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. He said, no, we're not going to have a change of venue. That's basically what he said. We're going to try him right here. No, you're not not going to send him back to Jerusalem. We're going to try him right here. You see, the high priest and the Jewish leaders were so against Christ being preached because it was destroying their hierarchy and their phariseical ideas. But you've got to understand Paul had the inside track on both cultures. For again Paul will testify to his devout Judaism at one time and he will also when necessary and advantageous proclaim his Roman citizenship. Fesus in civil law kept Paul at Cesaria to give him a quote fair trial and he began setting up a showdown in his court. So the Jewish leaders and you can read about this in again Acts 25. The Jewish leaders and their lawyer, Tertullus, came from Jerusalem and made all of these serious false accusations against Paul. They couldn't prove it. They just made the accusations. Paul responded. He said, "I haven't committed any of these offenses." And I'm paraphrasing. Uh I have done nothing against the law, nothing against the temple, and nothing against s Caesar. and I maintain my innocence. But you see, Fesus was walking that tight line of trying to appease the people which he ruled and yet be fair and honest. So he asked Paul, he said, "Do you wish to go to Jerusalem?" Paul as a Roman citizen knew his rights. So he said, "No, I appealed to Caesar." And he restated to Fesus what Fesus already knew that he really hadn't done anything wrong. So rather than facing a biased council in Jerusalem, Paul chose to face a Roman trial, a legal system for a Roman citizen, believing that even a gentile court would be no more neutral in the matter than the religious court that would try him in Jerusalem. So through this appeal he survived the murderous plot and finds himself now in Acts 26 standing before not only Fesus but now King Agria because Agria who was a superior of Fesus found out about the TRIAL AND HE SAID I I WANT TO SIT IN ON THIS THING. I I want to be involved in in in hearing this trial. He had heard about the Apostle PAUL AND HE WANTED TO uh to know what was going on. Paul, I hope you will notice and this is a good lesson for all of us. Paul had followed the procedures of civil law and Paul had civily denied the charges against him. You know, there's some things that we as Christians must be reminded to stay civil in our discourse in the world. Civility and behaving yourself wisely, waiting your turn to speak goes a long way in influencing even those who will be judging you and understanding the culture. understand what he said when he was finally charged with all these things and all these things were were repeated that he had done this and he was causing trouble and he was preaching heresy. He waited till King Agria gave him the opportunity. He said, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." The Bible says he stretched forth his hands and said, "I think myself happy." His very attitude and his opening remarks for his trial let the one who'd be judging him know he's not afraid of this. HE WAS CONFIDENT. I THINK MYSELF HAPPY. I'M FINALLY GLAD I'M GOING to be able to defend myself. He said, "I WANT TO GIVE ACCOUNT THIS day and give an answer touching all these things of which I'm accused." And then he took the time to butter up the judge a little bit. You can call it pandering, if you will. I call it being smart. He said, "BECAUSE I KNOW THEE to be an expert IN ALL CUSTOMS AND QUESTIONS WHICH ARE AMONG THE JEWS. WHEREFORE I BESEECH THEE to hear me patiently." He Oh, be patient with me. I I've got something to tell you. I'm about to give my testimony. Oh, we can learn a whole lot from Paul's presentation aside from his message. WE'RE GOING TO FACE TRIALS and tests in our lives. And the way we deal with those things, our civility or lack thereof may determine the outcome of our immediate situation. So notice as Paul begins his testimony in verse four, he begins giving his own personal history. He says, "My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation of Jerusalem known all the Jews." He said, "I I've got a Jewish background which knew me from the beginning if they would testify after THE MOST STRAIGHTEST SECT OF our religion, I lived a Pharisee." He called them out. They'd made their exp their their accusations. NOW HE SAID I WAS ONE OF THEM. THAT'S WHY THEY DON'T LIKE ME SO MUCH. HE CALLED THEM OUT. HE HE SAID THEY KNOW IF YOU LET THEM TESTIFY. NOW THEY DON'T GET TO. Now notice his strategy. It's beautiful. He said if they WOULD TESTIFY THEY WOULD HAVE TO TESTIFY. He's testifying for them now. He said if THEY WOULD TESTIFY THEY KNOW I WAS PART OF THE STRICTEST of strictest of sects of Jews. I was a Pharisee and now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God and our fathers. He calls out their lineage and heritage under which promise our 12 tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come. He reminds them of what they believed in and and Abraham and all of their customs for which hope's sake. King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead? Uh-oh. He starts slipping something in here. He starts slipping in already. It was Jesus that had been raised from the dead. I BARELY THOUGHT WITH MYSELF THAT I OUGHT to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. His testimony starts turning. HE SAID, "WHICH THINGS I DID in Jerusalem." Now, he said, "I was with them and I couldn't believe this Jesus raising from the dead stuff. I I I was a Pharisee." He He's He's painting a picture here. So he said, 'Here's what I was doing, which things 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. He said, I've testified against these Christians, and I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blasphe and being exceedingly mad against them. I persecuted them even unto strange cities whereupon as I went to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests. He is letting agria as well as all that were here know that bunch that's accusing me. I was part of them. I believed like them. You see, when we have the opportunity to witness, it's not always being a able to take a posture of superiority, but instead it's being able to say, "I was like you and I was worse. You think you were bad? I was really bad." Not bragging. Paul was not bragging about what he had been. Instead, Paul was giving credentials to the authenticity of what it would take to change him from what he was to what he is now. You see, the real testimony was now about to begin. So far, it had just been his history. But now, the real testimony starts for Paul. For in verse 13, he says, "At midday, O king," he makes sure a grip is listening. He calls him out. HE SAYS, "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 joured with me. AND WHEN WE WERE FALLEN TO THE EARTH, I HEARD A VOICE speaking unto me, saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, WHOM THOU PERSECUTEST. NOW THE TESTIMONY IS REALLY COMING TO FORTH. NOW PAUL'S REALLY GETTING TO THE MEAT OF IT. HE STARTED OUT WITH A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON. HE STARTED OUT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF COMPLIMENT TO THE KING AND the judge. But now he's telling here's why I teach and why I preach what I preach. BECAUSE THE VOICE OF JESUS SPOKE TO ME out of heaven. And then he gives immediate testimony to what that voice said, what Jesus said to him. Verse 16 says, "But rise, 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 which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people, from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness. forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. He He made a list. He said, "Here's what my mission is." Jesus spoke to me. He said, "I'm supposed to go open the lost's eyes. I'm supposed to turn folks away from darkness to light. I'm supposed to turn folks from the power of Satan to God. I'm supposed to preach forgiveness from sin. And I'm supposed to preach the inheritance of the of the sanctified by faith. In other words, I'm supposed to preach salvation. What a call. A grippa. Can you possibly find someone guilty of saying I'm called to open folks eyes to turn them from darkness to light? to turn people from the power of Satan to sin. Now, it didn't matter what the false witnesses had said. It didn't matter the legal wranglings of Tertulus. Paul was testifying for himself. That's called a personal testimony. We should all take note of the power of a personal testimony. Paul was not having to tell what he had heard. Paul was not having to tell what he had read. Paul was saying, "This is what happened to me." Paul's civility, Paul's education, Paul's status as a citizen. All spoke for itself. And now this dual citizen, a Jew and a Roman citizen, highly educated, wellspoken, wellrespected at one time among the Jews, one who now knows all of the legal loopholes of being a Roman citizen is saying, "Jesus spoke to me." You're talking about some weight. You're talking about a personal testimony. GOD IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY. If you've BEEN THROUGH A TRIAL and you've been through a test, never mistake. TUCK THAT AWAY. THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME THAT you're going to be able TO TESTIFY BECAUSE YOU WENT THROUGH A TRIAL AND FACED IT AND GOD GAVE YOU A TESTIMONY. There are those that can testify to the healing power of God that's in this room. They can testify to build the faith of someone who's facing a physical malady. There's folks who've been through trials and tests in their lifetime, difficulties and struggles. They can testify and give others encouragement. Their testimony can stand to lead others to that inheritance of a sanctified faith. And then here's what began to happen. He told his history. He told that Jesus spoke to him and gave him a mission. And then he confessed what he was guilty of. He said, "Whereupon, verse 19, whereupon, O king of King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but showed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem throughout all the coasts of Judea, then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do works, meet for repentance." He began telling a group, "This is where I've been. This is what I've done carrying this message." HE SAID, "FOR THIS CAUSE THESE JEWS CAUGHT ME IN THE TEMPLE AND WENT ABOUT TO KILL ME. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continued unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none of the other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come, that Christ should suffer, that he should be the first of that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people unto the Gentiles. And as HE THUS SPAKE FOR HIMSELF, Paul's passion starts showing through. As he spake for himself, Fesus, NOW NOT A GRIPPA, FESUS, WHOSE court this actually was, SAID WITH A LOUD VOICE, PAUL, THOU ART BESIDE THYSELF. MUCH LEARNING DOTH MAKE thee mad. He said, ORDER IN THE COURT. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? UH UH WATCH HOW YOU'RE ACTING. LISTEN, THIS TESTIMONY HAD STOPPED BEING A HISTORY LESSON AND A CALL. THERE WAS PASSION IN PAUL'S PRESENTATION. LET ME TELL YOU, IF THERE'S PASSION IN YOUR TESTIMONY, YOU CAN WITNESS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS. >> But it's got to be in you. It can't be, "Well, sir, what do you believe?" Well, I believe what my church believes. Could you tell me what it takes to be saved? Obey the Bible. You need to develop the passion and know what you believe and have a passion about it to present it with love and care, civility and class, but never mistake. We must have the same passion that Paul did if we're going to be effective witnesses for Christ. After Fesus called him to order and said, "You've got such education, you're mad." He said, verse 25, "I'm not mad, most noble Fesus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness." After sharing his miraculous conversion experience and his testimony, he proclaimed Christ's crucifixion and resurrection and the fulfillment of God's covenant and God's promises. He came to the most important part of a testimony and a trial. He came to his closing remarks, his concluding statement. A good barristister knows how to close and summarize all that's gone on. Verse 26, he said, "For the king knoweth these things." He he calls out the judge. He said, "You know what I'm saying is true. before whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden for him. For this thing was not done in a corner. He said, "Don't sit up there and act like you don't know what's going on." You know what I'm saying is true. He put a grippa on the spot. King A grippa. He addresses him. Believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. He posed a question and he answered it. HE SAID, "DO YOU BELIEVE THE PROPHETS?" I KNOW YOU DO. And a grippa utters frankly some of the most disappointing words that a witness can hear. He said, "Almost, thou persuadeest me to be a Christian." Think about those words just a minute. If you almost won, you know what that means? You lost. If you're almost alive, you're dead. If you're almost saved, you're lost. Paul's words were so truthful. They were so strong and convicting that the king himself said almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. He was trying to maintain his neutrality and his Roman position. Paul said, "I would to God that not not only thou, but also everybody in this room, everybody that hears me this day, we're both almost and all together such as I am." Well, he said, "Except for these bonds." He makes it so human. How beautiful. He said, "I WISHED EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAD THE SAME TESTIMONY I DO, WERE JUST LIKE ME." WELL, HE SAID, "Except for these handcuffs I'm wearing. Paul saw the opportunity through his testimony to give an altra call even to agria. We must understand that when God gives us an opportunity to witness, he will also give us a chance to close. Will all accept? No. But it's our responsibility to tell. and tell with such passion that we can convince the lost that we have what they need. Paul went from the devoted to a horrible cause of killing Christians and defiance to a testimony. He went from being a self-righteous Jew and a wild Gentile to being a testimony for Christ. Remember, he was sincerely persuaded of what he was doing when he was a Pharisee, but he was sincerely wrong. After his supernatural visit with Jesus on the Damascus road, he was forever changed. Throughout the trial, he remained or maintained his innocence and his character helped give his testimony validity. It's important that we have Christian character to look for opportunities to testify the places we go, the things we do, the jobs we work, the people we interact with, our family, our friends, our employees, our fellow workers. Many times our opportunity to testify to them will have nothing to do with scripture or the Bible. But instead, the life we live will open the door. Paul's testimony was consistent with his character. So should our testimonies be. And yes, I know this was kind of a history lesson. So, let's bring it home how it applies to us. For I charge everybody in the room, your personal testimony to how Jesus changed your life is the most effective outreach tool that you can have. There's a dear sister in the church. She's not here tonight, so I'm not going to call her name, but suffice to say, she talked to Pastor Anthony and myself on the phone this week. We happened to be working together, and we we put her on a a conference call because she was so excited to give a testimony. She had taking taken her dog to a groomer to have her dog trimmed. And the groomer asked her, "What church do you go to?" And oh, it had opened a mighty door for her. And the lady that she was talking to had opened up, told about her family that she and her family were looking for a church. They weren't pleased with where they were. They had moved from another state. That's as specific as I'll get. Suffice to say, she began telling her history how when she first got into the church that she and her husband were looking for folks to fellowship with. And this dear sister feels like and rightfully so. It's her call when someone new comes into the church. She goes to them and she says, "Hey, won't you come sit with me? I I don't want you to be alone. I I want to make you welcome." She looks for opportunities to fellowship with. Now, you've heard me say this before, but let me repeat a philosophy here. I if you look in Acts the 2 chapter, we read Acts 238 and 39. And first of all, after Acts 238, it it tells us that with many other words that there was a continued conversation. was wasn't boom they repented got baptized in the name of Jesus got filled with the Holy Ghost and everybody parted ways there was a continued contact in fact the scripture says they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine breaking bread fellowshipping did you know that's part of our witness now and I guess what I was going to say that I've said before I believe in fasting you should fast, deny the flesh. That's a personal commitment to God. But I also believe in feasting. There's times we get together and fellowship together because you see, being a follower of CHRIST IS A LIFESTYLE. This is not a denomination. This is a lifestyle. THIS IS WHO WE ARE. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE. PAUL'S TESTIMONY, JUST LIKE OUR TESTIMONY, SHOULD BE SO ALL-ENCOMPASSING. IT'S INVITING everybody to BE A PART. YOUR PERSONAL testimony will be the greatest and most effective outreach tool you can have. There's a lot of evangelistic techniques, uh, street preaching, knocking on doors, social media, uh, handing out I I've seen folks that would get, uh, church business cards and hand them out at at a restaurant. For God's sake, don't do that if you don't leave a good tip and you're mean to your waitress. That's part of your testimony. Inviting someone to church that it's in the checkout line or some inviting someone to church that's your waiter or waitress in a restaurant. Those are opportunities. But our civility will determine whether our testimony and our invitation will e be accepted. The best way to share our story is to share what God has done for us. We testify to repentance and what repentance leads to. We testify to the apostles doctrine and its effects on our life. So let me close with this. We had the trial. We had first the accusation and the arrest. Then we had the trial. Then we had the testimony. Then we had the closing remarks. But it's time for a verdict. So the close of Acts 26 verse 30 says, "And when he had thus spoken, when Paul finally finished, the king speaking of a grippa rose up and the governor and Bernice the wife was there too." But you talking about testifying before a tough group. And they that sat with them. And when they were gone aside, they went back for their deliberation. They talked between themselves, saying, "Here's your verdict. This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds." What a wonderful testimony. Paul had to go through a trial to have the opportunity to give his testimony to the elite of that day. No matter what you may face, no matter what trial you may face, never think that God has left you because you've gone through a trial, God may be just giving you a testimony and preparing you for an opportunity to speak to someone and to be able to relate in a manner that no one else could. Would you stand with me? I want to give you one final passage of scripture. 1 Peter 3:15 says this, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that askketh you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." The world needs to see hope in us and we need to be ready to give an answer WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS WHY are you able to handle this situation. We need to be able to tell them why we have the hope that we do with civility, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. If you're accused of being do being and doing wrong, make sure it's a false accusation that everything you're doing is good because of the cause of Christ. Verse 17 we close. For it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for welloing than for evildoing. Let's pray. Savior, I love you. God, I'm so grateful that you've given us the opportunity to be a witness for you. Lord, I thank you for this wonderful audience of believers that that are here tonight. Lord, I thank you for the spiritual class and character that they exude in their daily lives. Lord, I pray that we would always keep our flesh under control. And Lord, that we would manage the trials and tests that we face in daytoday life that we might be an example and have a testimony to lead the loss to you. God, strengthen us. Go with us. Let us go from this place with power in the authority of your word. For all this, we're grateful and thankful. In the name of Jesus, we do pray. Amen. And amen. Lord bless you. Greet your brothers and sisters. You're dismissed in Jesus name.