Acts 26: The Helper is With Us

 

Scripture: Acts 26:29 “I would hope that everyone listening to me today, including you, would have the faith that I have."

 

Title: The Helper is With Us

 

1 King Agrippa addressed Paul, "Tell me your side of this story." So, Paul started his defense:

 

If we desire to have another person hear what we have to say, it helps to have them ask us a question. A person once shared with me three questions that Linda and I could ask each other every day if we wanted to improve our communication. The three questions were, “What was good about your day? “What was bad about your day?” and “What are you looking forward to?” Using these three questions we find out from another person what they like, dislike, and what their hopes and dreams are.

 

Asking one of these questions of another person redirects their thinking towards us and gives us a chance to hear some important information. These moments are called “teachable moments.” When a child asks a parent or a student asks a teacher a question, they are ready to learn about that subject in a way they might not have been interested in before.

 

Agrippa, with his question was now ready to hear what Paul had to say.

 

2 "King Agrippa, I am happy you are here and are willing to listen as I speak against the claims made by the Jewish leaders. 3 "I know you have a clear understanding of the various controversies and customs of Judaism. I ask for your patience as I speak.

 

We might see this as Paul buttering up the king before he begins his speech, but it is truly a polite thing to do and also a way to help the person we are talking to, begin to identify with the ideas we will share. Paul is seeking to remind Agrippa that nothing he will be talking about is different from what Agrippa already knows about the Jews.

 

4 "The Jewish leaders have watched me grow up, both in my home country and also in Jerusalem. 5 "They can tell you, if they will, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, one of the strictest sects of our religion. 6 "And today I am on trial because of the hope we have that God promised to our fathers. 7 "The main reason they strive so hard to obey God's law is that they hope to see the promises fulfilled. O king, it is this hope that causes them to bring charges against me. 8 "I do not understand why it is so hard for them to believe that God would raise someone from the dead. 9 "When I first listened to Jesus, the Nazarene, I too knew that He needed to be opposed. 10 "And I did just that while I was in Jerusalem. I had the authority of the chief priests to put his followers in prison and when I had the chance, I would vote to have them die. 11 "I entered many of their synagogues seeking reasons for them to be punished. I even went to foreign cities in my obsession against the followers of this Jesus.

 

Paul, known at that time as Saul, grew up in Jerusalem in the school of Gamaliel, who himself was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. This was common knowledge. The fact that Saul was standing on the sidelines as Stephen was being stoned indicated that the Jewish leaders doing the stoning trusted Saul to watch over their belongings. Paul now tells how he was so zealous for Judaism that he worked hard to put the followers of Jesus into prison and even approve of their death. This was his motivation as he set out to Damascus on his life changing trip.

 

12 "Once, I had the authority of the chief priests to journey to Damascus on this mission. 13 "On the road there, O king, I was blinded by a bright light from heaven, greater than the sun, shining around all who traveled with me. 14 "Everyone one of us stumbled to the ground. Then a voice spoke in Aramaic, 'Saul, why are you coming after me? You are so determined to bring trouble to others.' 15 "I responded to the voice, 'Who are you, Lord?' 'I am Jesus, and you are bringing trouble my way,' was the answer the voice gave. 16 'Stand up. I have something for you to do. From now on, you will be my servant and you will tell others what you have seen and many other things that I will show you. 17 'I come to set you and all nations, free from the strictness of your people. You will go to the world 18 and open their eyes to the truth and show them the power of God over evil and darkness. Those who turn to the light will be forgiven of their sins and become a part of my family.'

 

Then comes the essence of Paul's testimony. "Jesus came to me and sent me on a mission to all the nations, not just to the Jews. I no longer believe that God wants us to strive to be perfect according to the traditions of the Jewish leaders, but He wants us to follow the loving ways of Jesus, His Messiah, whom we killed, but He raised from the dead." 

 

19 "King Agrippa, I changed my ways at that moment and became obedient to this vision from God. 20 "I told this story to the people of Damascus, then to the people of Jerusalem, and even went to the other nations. Everywhere I went, I told people they needed to repent of their ways before God and demonstrate their change by living a new way. 21 "Because of this new vision, the Jews grabbed me in the temple and attempted to kill me.

 

Paul’s conversion was instantaneous. In Damascus, the scales fell off of his eyes and he could see. I am convinced he could see more than just objects. It was the difference between night and day in his theology as well. He could see grace rather than law; he knew of the love of God and His desire for Paul and all people to demonstrate that life of mercy and grace to every person around them. He did not know all of the teachings of Jesus, yet, but I am sure he could not get over the love of God who would come to him, one who was trying to destroy the Messiah and everyone who believed in him and set him free. And not only forgive him but ask him to lead God’s mission to the rest of the nations.

 

The Jewish leaders did not like Paul’s message that the Messiah had come. Mainly, they did not like that God chose to reveal this to Paul and not to them.

 

22 "But God has been here to protect me and has given me plenty of opportunities to tell this story. I am only speaking the same thing the prophets of old and even Moses said would happen to Israel someday. 23 The day has come when God has brought to us, the Messiah. He suffered among us, as Moses and the prophets said He would, and we killed Him. And yet, He has risen from the dead, and He has brought to Israel and all the nations, light to overcome the darkness we live in."

 

24 Festus spoke up and said, "Paul, you have lost your mind. You have become insane with your learning."

 

25 "No, Festus, I am not insane, I tell the truth. 26 "And the king knows about all of these things. I am sure he has not been blind to the happenings in his territory. None of this has been done in secret. 27 "King Agrippa, I know you believe the prophets."

 

28 Agrippa addressed Paul saying, "I know you are trying to persuade me to become a follower of Jesus."

 

29 Paul looked at him and said, "I don't care how long it takes, I would hope that everyone listening to me today, including you, would have the faith that I have without the chains."

 

Having the right words at the right time. How many times have we wished we had the right thing to say so that others might hear our words and come to Jesus? Does it have something to do with us? What do we truly desire? Do we expect the Holy Spirit to use us to draw others to Jesus? Are we willing to take the time to follow up with new Christians, to help them in their next steps? How much of witnessing depends upon our mindset?

 

Jesus talked about “being faithful in a little.” Paul did not start out witnessing to kings in order to save his life. Paul started by talking to believers in Damascus. He spent years in his home country and then more years in Antioch, teaching and learning. After three missionary journeys and many traumatic experiences he stands before king Agrippa. Paul was faithful in a little, he was given much.

 

Witnessing is the work of the Holy Spirit, to give us the right words at the right time. Not just for salvation but for relationships and business and every aspect of our lives. Everything we do and say, may, actually, probably is, seen by someone else and they will determine their own faith in Jesus based upon what they see in us or hear about us. So, we need the Holy Spirit's help all the time.

 

And He is ready anytime we call, He will be with us.

 

30 Agrippa stood up, and so did Festus, and Bernice, and all sitting with the king. 31 They left the room to talk amongst themselves. Agrippa said, "I see nothing about this man and this case that deserves death or imprisonment. 32 "If he had not appealed to Caesar, I would just let him go free."

 

It is the work of the Holy Spirit guiding Paul in his imprisonment, just as it is the Holy Spirit guiding all of us who believe, every step of our lives. He is the choreographer of our lives. The Proverbs says, “many are the plans of a man, but God directs his steps.” Whatever our condition, whatever our situation, I believe that the Holy Spirit wishes to be a part of our lives, guiding us into places we don’t yet understand, so that we might have an influence into the lives of others for the glory of Jesus Christ.

 

When you wake up in the morning – ask the Holy Spirit to guide your way during the coming day. When things don’t go the way you had planned, ask the Holy Spirit to keep you calm and show you the right path. Whatever you need, call upon Him.

 

Without prison, Paul might not have had the opportunity to share the message with people he would not see otherwise. He might never have thought of writing a letter to a church rather than visiting them personally. His faith might not be as deep as it is because of the hardship.

 

Without the pain that life brings our way, we might not have the faith we need to meet the challenges of the future. I don’t like the pain and wish it did not have to be there, but in the pain, I turn to Jesus, which I more than likely would not have done without the pain.

 

May you be blessed with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, overshadowing you, guiding you, and strengthening you as you walk in the ways of Jesus, our Messiah.

 

Edd Breeden