Good Sunday May thirty-first as we seek God’s will from studying His holy word.
A faithful Jew I was and am-
Paul was promised by the Lord that he would be able to preach the gospel to gentiles Jews and kings and here he is standing in this theater in Caesarea before King Agrippa and he gets to share that he has witnessed the coming of the Messiah, taught by the teachings of the prophets and teachers before. Paul acknowledges the king’s position then trusts the Lord to give him the words to speak. Acts 4:29 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” Paul knowing that Agrippa had knowledge of the history of the Jews and the laws, this is where Paul begins to separate Agrippa’s knowledge from the lies spoken about him, let’s read together from Acts 26:4-11 “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.” Paul says, Agrippa Judaism interests you? Ok well I am a Jew more than that I am a Pharisee, impressed? Philippians 3:5 “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;” So if witnesses were to be truthful this day, they should testify who I am, that I am a Pharisee, a Jew who believes God’s word and that I practice the laws, but where are these witnesses? Agrippa the truth is I have witnessed the coming of our Messiah, which we Jews believe in a hope, this hope is that our God will save us and raise us up from the dead. Paul says to Agrippa I am here on trial because I proclaim that this hope this promise that we Jews have been waiting for has been fulfilled. We are not sure here, what Agrippa believes, some suggest he believes more as the Sadducees who do not believe in a resurrection. Paul says I held the position as to being able to “cast my vote against them” all who witnessed the coming of the Messiah which I did not believe, like when he gave consent to have Stephen stoned to death. Acts 8:1a “Now Saul was consenting to his death.” Paul is telling Agrippa, he too was once an angered religious zealot but now with this revelation he says I am still a Jew but one fulfilled. Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” Paul testifies Jesus is the Messiah. We need Jesus, do you have Jesus? Remnant
