Today we conclude our look at the Apostle Paul's defense before King Agrippa. He has been telling the king about the appearance of Christ on the road to Damascus. Now he relates to the king the instructions Jesus gave him.
"Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of Me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:16-18) This is the commission Paul was given and, as he will tell King Agrippa, he has been obedient in carrying the commission out. He has not been inciting riots or defiling temples as he has falsely accused of doing; he has been telling people how to obtain remission of sins. Paul is not interested in causing strife and division. He's interested in leading souls to Christ.
"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds." (Acts 26:19-20) Paul says, "I immediately began to do what the Lord told me to do. I've preached the gospel everywhere I've been. I've taught that everyone has sinned and fallen short, that everyone needs forgiveness of sins, and that forgiveness is found in the One who said, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' I've been telling everyone I can about the new life I've found in Christ because I want them to have the same forgiveness and peace and hope that I have."
We won't know until we get to heaven how many people came to faith through Paul's preaching, but not everyone who heard his message was willing to receive it. Some clung to salvation by works (trusting in themselves and in their own good deeds) rather than embracing salvation by faith (trusting in Christ for forgiveness of sins). Some rejected the idea that they were sinners at all, thereby rejecting the idea that they needed to repent and obtain forgiveness.
Because a message regarding sin and regarding salvation in Christ was not accepted by everyone, Paul faced opposition. "That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what Moses and the prophets said would happen---that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to His own people and to the Gentiles." (Acts 26:21-23) Paul points out to the Jewish king, "I'm not presenting some new and strange doctrine. You know what the Scriptures say. You know that Moses and all the prophets believed in the coming Messiah and in the resurrection of the dead. You know that God promised Abraham that through one of his descendants He would bless not only Abraham's people, but the Gentile world. These things have all come to pass, just as God promised!"
"At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense, 'You are out of your mind, Paul! he shouted. 'Your great learning is driving you insane.'" (Acts 26:24) Festus thinks Paul has studied God's word and obsessed over it so much that his brain has cracked. To him it seems as if the apostle is having a nervous breakdown. Festus isn't familiar with the Scriptures, doesn't understand them, and isn't interested in understanding them. In fact, he thinks men and women everywhere spend entirely too much time worrying about their souls and the afterlife instead of enjoying the here and now. Festus has the type of mind about which it is said, "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." (Romans 8:7)
"'I am not insane, most excellent Festus,' Paul replied. 'What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.'" (Acts 26:25-27) Agrippa is not a very observant Jew, but he knows what the law of Moses says and what the prophets say. Deep in his heart, though he lives in ways that oppose the word of God, he believes the word of God is the truth. He understands Paul's passionate speech even though Festus doesn't.
As Paul says, the ministry of Jesus Christ was not carried out in secret. Thousands upon thousands of people were healed by Him. Thousands upon thousands heard Him preach the word of God as it had never been preached before. Agrippa knows Jesus of Nazareth is regarded as the greatest of rabbis by some, as a prophet by others, and as the Messiah by a growing movement known as the Christian church. He is fully aware that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, that His death was witnessed by many, that His burial was witnessed by many, and that a seal was set on the tomb and that guards were placed in front of it. He knows that the body went missing anyway. He knows that the followers of Christ claim He is alive. None of this is a secret to the king. The Holy Spirit is dealing with his heart and Paul senses it, so he offers Agrippa a choice. If he believes the Scriptures are true (and Paul knows he does) then he must accept what the Scriptures say about Christ. And if he accepts what the Scriptures say about Christ, then he must logically conclude that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ.
Agrippa fails to make a decision that would have transformed his life and his eternal destiny. He allows the moment to pass him by. "Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?'" (Acts 26:28)
"Paul replied, 'Short time or long---I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.'" (Acts 26:29) Paul declares, "If only you were persuaded! If only the whole world were persuaded! I wish everyone could have what I have found in Christ!"
The king abruptly concludes the proceedings now. If he does not flee he will be forced to confront the fact that he believes the word of God, that he is a sinner who has violated God's laws, and that he needs a means of being made right with God. If he does not leave the room he, the majestic king, might find himself bowing his knees to the One whom Paul asserts is the King of kings. Agrippa is not willing to submit himself to the authority of God, so he closes the hearing. "The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with him. After they left the room, they began saying to one another, 'This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.' Agrippa said to Festus, 'This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.'" (Acts 26:30-32)
The king and governor might have set Paul free at this stage, but Paul knows there are men ready and waiting to take his life. The Lord has promised Paul he is going to Rome, and it would appear that because of his enemies there is no way for him to get to Rome except under guard of the Roman authorities. As soon as he steps foot outside the city he will be ambushed. It is Paul's destiny to go to Rome and he is going to have to go there as a prisoner if he's going to get there at all.
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