WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.620 the stage real quick so that you can get caught up and maybe frustrated as well, 00:00:03.980 --> 00:00:10.000 along with everyone else. When Paul returned to Jerusalem from his missionary journeys, 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:15.620 his opponents falsely accused him of treason, both against the Jewish state and against the 00:00:15.620 --> 00:00:22.640 Roman laws. So he's tried first in the court of public opinion before a mob in Acts chapter 22. 00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:31.179 He's then tried before the Jewish council in Acts chapter 23. After a plot to assassinate him is 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:37.260 uncovered, he's moved to Caesarea to be tried by the Roman governor Felix in Acts chapter 24. 00:00:38.659 --> 00:00:44.000 Felix finds nothing worth punishing in him, but he's hoping to get a bribe from Paul, 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:51.159 so he keeps him in prison for two years. But after those two years, Felix is recalled to Rome 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:56.739 and is replaced by a new governor, Festus, who in Acts chapter 5 examines Paul. 00:00:58.879 --> 00:01:05.000 Festus found Paul innocent in the Roman system, but he has no knowledge of the Hebrew system, 00:01:05.259 --> 00:01:09.400 and so he doesn't know how to deal with that one way or the other, those religious charges. 00:01:10.219 --> 00:01:16.420 So we're in a quandary here, and to get the ball rolling, Paul appeals to Caesar for justice. He's 00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:21.700 been in prison for two years. Caesar's kind of like the Supreme Court in the ancient Roman world, 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:27.760 and so he can get a hearing with him and finally get his case disposed. But Festus can't just send 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:33.299 a prisoner to Caesar without any indication of why the prisoner is coming to him, and since he's not 00:01:33.299 --> 00:01:39.379 guilty of anything in the Roman system, he has to give him some sort of religious charge in the local 00:01:39.379 --> 00:01:46.519 laws. But again, he doesn't know what to do with that. And so he brings in Agrippa, and that's where 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:55.159 we've come. We've already heard Paul defend himself a few times now. Why another? And we're not just 00:01:55.159 --> 00:02:01.159 slogging through another repetition of the same thing over and over again. Today, this passage is kind of a 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:08.639 climax of sorts. You see, Paul defended himself often, but he's never been able to defend himself 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:18.579 fully. Every other time he's defended himself, someone else has set the agenda. Someone else 00:02:18.579 --> 00:02:25.679 either directed the flow of the conversation, they interrupted, or they otherwise ran the conversation. 00:02:28.279 --> 00:02:35.959 Paul had never got a chance to make his full defense until now. Have you ever had something 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:41.340 important to say in a conversation, but you just can't get it in there? You're bringing it up, you're 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:46.920 leading up to it, and then someone interrupts or changes the topic, or a crowd walks into the room 00:02:46.920 --> 00:02:52.439 and completely just tramples over your conversation? That's what's been happening to Paul. He keeps 00:02:52.439 --> 00:02:58.540 getting interrupted. The crowd shouted him down in Acts chapter 22 before he could get to his core 00:02:58.540 --> 00:03:04.420 message. In Acts chapter 23, the council gets off into a religious debate before they ever get to hear 00:03:04.419 --> 00:03:09.439 what he has to say. They're arguing about the resurrection before he can invite them into the 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:20.259 resurrection life with Christ. His defense before Felix keeps him busy against the Roman charges, 00:03:20.379 --> 00:03:25.500 but never gets to the reason that he's actually there. So he's been able to defend himself against 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:32.639 the accusations, mob justice, but he's been continually blocked and barricaded from doing the thing he's 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:43.419 actually in Israel to do. To call dying people to a living Savior. And with that in mind, he begins his 00:03:43.419 --> 00:03:51.479 address in verse 1. So Agrippa said to Paul, you have permission to speak for yourself. Then Paul 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:56.919 stretched out his hand and made his defense. I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, 00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:02.939 I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you 00:04:02.939 --> 00:04:09.479 are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:18.259 patiently. So who is this Agrippa? And why is Paul happy to talk to him? This is Herod Agrippa II. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:24.659 Now if the name Herod sounds familiar to you, you're not far off. He's the grandson of Herod the Great 00:04:24.660 --> 00:04:30.580 from Jesus' birth narrative. Not an altogether lovable man, if you'll recall from that account. 00:04:31.140 --> 00:04:39.480 The Herod family were puppet kings instated by the Roman government to kind of placate the Jewish 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:47.900 people. They appointed the high priests and were generally involved with keeping the populace calm 00:04:47.900 --> 00:04:53.400 through the religious control of the religious leaders. And as such, they were actually quite 00:04:53.399 --> 00:05:01.099 knowledgeable of the Jewish religion. And so he's a very capable person to hear Paul's religious 00:05:01.099 --> 00:05:07.139 defense. He represents both the Jews and the Romans. And so kind of he is the world leader in the sense 00:05:07.139 --> 00:05:13.779 here. And so that's why Paul says he's fortunate to defend himself before Agrippa. He already has the 00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:19.560 background to know whether or not Paul is teaching against Jewish law. And unbeknownst to Agrippa, 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:27.680 it also serves as the launch pad for Paul's real mission to invite him to join him with the 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:32.600 resurrected Savior. That's his purpose. So Paul continues in verse 4, 00:05:33.340 --> 00:05:38.860 my manner of life from my youth spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem is 00:05:38.860 --> 00:05:45.199 known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:52.399 the strictest party of our religion, I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my 00:05:52.399 --> 00:06:00.500 hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:08.459 worship night and day. And for this hope, I am accused by the Jews, O King. Why is it thought 00:06:08.459 --> 00:06:19.379 incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? Paul was a Jew. He was the strictest kind of Jew. 00:06:20.419 --> 00:06:26.959 And his belief in Christ's resurrection was in line with exactly those strict beliefs. But the other 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:33.959 Orthodox Jews were saying that he's going off the rails. And his reply is, I'm the only one still on the 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:41.519 rails. Why would anyone be surprised when the God who spoke the universe into being, who rules the 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:48.339 nations, parted the seas, raised his son from the dead? Especially when that's exactly what he promised 00:06:48.339 --> 00:06:57.459 to do. What was inconceivable for Paul was that the Jews who so fervently prayed for God's fulfillment 00:06:57.459 --> 00:07:03.859 of the promises would accuse him of being faithless when he's the one who believed those promises. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:11.060 The Jews believed in the resurrection, fervently hoped for it, but then rejected Paul's conviction 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:21.579 that it had begun in Christ. And don't we hope for resurrection as a society? Even if we don't give 00:07:21.579 --> 00:07:27.279 voice to that hope. We don't talk about it, but we show that it's on our mind all the time. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:36.979 We have shrines to vitality in our spas and our gyms. We eat foods with antioxidants. We've created the 00:07:36.979 --> 00:07:44.359 heaven of retirement. We've removed death from our sight by sending people to die in hospices out of 00:07:44.359 --> 00:07:51.079 sight. We don't even say someone died anymore. We have all sorts of other words and phrases that we like 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:59.240 to use instead. These all reveal just how much we hate death. We love life and long for resurrection. 00:08:00.019 --> 00:08:05.839 But it's not always by distancing ourselves from it. That's what we do. Some cultures think the ancient 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:11.699 Egyptians spend lots of energy on solving death. They build great monuments and incredible religious 00:08:11.699 --> 00:08:22.379 systems to avert death, to conquer it through their incantations. Whether we ignore it or can't 00:08:22.379 --> 00:08:29.819 stop thinking about it, either way, the hope of every human culture at every time is that immortality, 00:08:29.980 --> 00:08:36.220 is the hope of resurrection. It is in our hearts. We long for it. And what Paul is saying here amounts 00:08:36.220 --> 00:08:44.580 to this. The God of Israel has promised that he would defeat death. And now he has done it in Christ. 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:55.100 So how can I be the faithless one for celebrating that? That's not how Paul's life started out. 00:08:56.360 --> 00:08:57.639 Read with me in verse 9. 00:08:58.160 --> 00:09:05.240 I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:11.799 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:17.440 authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:23.360 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme. 00:09:24.560 --> 00:09:28.680 And in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:38.639 So far from embracing the news that God had begun the resurrection from the dead in Christ Jesus, 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:45.919 Paul originally hated him, hated his people. He spent his days trying to kill the young Christian 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:51.779 movement. And Paul wasn't content to simply end his pursuit of Christ in Jerusalem. 00:09:51.779 --> 00:10:00.459 He wanted to stamp out the name of Jesus from the face of the earth. And to that end, he traveled to 00:10:00.459 --> 00:10:11.220 foreign cities. But on one of these journeys, on a road to Damascus, it wasn't Jesus' name that was 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:19.259 stamped out at all. It wasn't Christ's name that perished. It was Paul's. He explains in verse 12. 00:10:19.259 --> 00:10:27.720 In this connection, I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:34.700 At midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun that shone around me 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:40.840 and those who journeyed with me. And when we had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:48.700 in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Is it hard for you? 00:10:48.700 --> 00:10:55.580 To kick against the goads. And I said, who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are 00:10:55.580 --> 00:11:01.060 persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, 00:11:02.060 --> 00:11:08.360 to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:13.680 will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:20.639 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:26.439 God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith 00:11:26.439 --> 00:11:36.219 in me. Finally, Paul gets to say what he has been in Jerusalem and in Caesarea in prison for two years. 00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:43.540 This is what he came to say. Here's his message. He went to Damascus to stamp out Christ's name. 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:51.639 But Jesus' name wasn't eradicated in Damascus. Paul's was. He traveled to foreign cities with his 00:11:51.639 --> 00:12:00.200 original name, Saul, to stamp out the name of Christ from the world. He left still traveling to foreign 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:07.379 cities, but with the name Paul. And now to proclaim the name of Christ to the whole world. 00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:15.800 He had hoped in the resurrection, and now he had seen the blinding glory, physically blinding glory of the 00:12:15.800 --> 00:12:22.800 resurrected Christ. And it was that light that he would spread to the whole world. The hope of the resurrection 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:32.559 was for everyone who longed for life, real life, life that is renewed, life that lasts. And we see that 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:42.159 hope alive and well today in our society. The answer to that life is not found in spas or gyms or 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:52.779 antioxidants. It's found in Jesus Christ himself. In the words of verse 18, Paul had his own 00:12:52.779 --> 00:13:00.079 eyes opened to see that Jesus was the great hope promised in God's prophets. He had turned the 00:13:00.079 --> 00:13:07.100 darkness, or excuse me, Paul had turned from the darkness of Satan's plan, making war against God, 00:13:07.220 --> 00:13:12.899 into the light of God's presence. One who said, let there be light, and I am the light of the world. 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:19.759 He received forgiveness for his murderous sins and became holy through his faith in Christ. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:30.299 Paul is telling Agrippa, I went to Damascus to destroy the name of Jesus. Instead, my old life, 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:36.879 my old prominent position, my old war against Christians, even my old name Saul, that's what 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:46.340 was destroyed. I have a new name, a new life, a new mission. And what is Paul's new mission? 00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:55.840 It's to proclaim this message of the risen Lord, to deliver new realities to anyone who will hear. 00:13:57.080 --> 00:14:03.600 First, to open people's eyes, verse 18, to the beauty of the Lord, to show them that he alone is 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:11.780 the hope for new life, for lasting life, for life lived with real purpose. To tell them, secondly, 00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:18.120 to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, only when God opens our eyes 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:28.740 to see that Jesus is Lord, that he is beautiful, that he is worth living for, will we be able to turn 00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:37.120 away from our darkened ways towards God? When we live on our own path, we won't, we don't have the light 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:46.039 of the resurrection life. Only when we're living to God does this light and life shine on our path. 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:54.179 So, if you're not a Christian today, you need to live to God for that to happen. There is no other 00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:59.820 way. And if you are a Christian today, but you're walking on a darkened path that is one away from 00:14:59.820 --> 00:15:06.680 him, you will not be experiencing his resurrection life until you return to him. 00:15:09.820 --> 00:15:17.500 Third thing we see in verse 18. The third new reality is that the power of sin might be completely 00:15:17.500 --> 00:15:23.680 broken in us. If you read carefully, you'll see that there are two things going on. First, 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:33.519 that they may receive forgiveness of sins. God is completely and forever undoing the guilt of sin 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:42.299 in those who enter into Christ's resurrection life. And secondly, a place among those who are being 00:15:42.299 --> 00:15:53.599 sanctified by faith in me. That resurrection life is a life where the power of sin no longer reigns. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:16:01.539 I want to pause here and point out something very important from verse 14. 00:16:03.979 --> 00:16:09.899 When Jesus first spoke to Paul in verse 14, he asked a very interesting question. He said, 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:19.719 why are you persecuting me? Paul was hurting Christians, not Christ himself. So what's going on there? 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:33.240 When Jesus makes you his, he identifies himself so closely with you that an attack on you is an attack 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:41.379 on him. The metaphor the Bible often uses is one of marriage. Jesus is the groom, the church is bride, 00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:51.100 and he has wedded our fortunes together. We have his unimaginable love and riches. He has our suffering. 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:58.519 This means that if you're suffering today and you're a Christian, no matter what's going on and how alone 00:16:58.519 --> 00:17:08.039 you feel, you're not alone. Your sufferings are his sufferings. His tears fall next to yours. 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:16.039 And the redemption he is working in this world, he is going to work in you. That's the only way Paul 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:21.960 could waste away for two years and still give this defense happily before Agrippa. 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:32.460 Christian, your sufferings do not belong to you alone. They belong to Christ. 00:17:32.460 --> 00:17:41.819 Christ. Now, this isn't the main point of Paul's speech here. So we do have to move on. But if you 00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:46.279 need to hear more of this message, if this has struck a chord with you, if you're a Christian who 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:52.259 needs more of that particular light today, or if you're not a Christian and this message is drawing 00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:58.920 you towards a God who cares enough to walk alongside you, talk to me, one of the other pastors here at 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:04.080 Trinity, so we can explore it with you. I don't want to move on before we've said that. 00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:11.160 But then again, that is not Paul's main thrust here today. So we are going to move to verse 19. 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:41.140 Verse 19. 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:47.880 To this day, I have had the help that comes from God. And so I stand here testifying both to small 00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:55.279 and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass. That the Christ 00:18:55.279 --> 00:19:01.740 must suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our 00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:03.779 people and to the Gentiles. 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:14.019 If you're not familiar with Christian lingo, you might not know what we mean when we say the word 00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:20.259 testimony. Typically, when we say the word testimony, we're referring to someone's story of 00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:26.359 their old life, how they came to meet Christ, and what their new life is after they've met Christ. 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:34.199 So it follows a pattern of, this is how I was, this is how I came to know Jesus, and this is my life now. 00:19:36.719 --> 00:19:40.519 Often, it ends with, and now life's great. 00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:46.419 I once heard a song that characterized it this way, saying, 00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:54.160 And now I'm sunny with a high of 75, since you took my heavy heart and made it light. 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:57.539 Now, there's quite a bit of truth to that lyric. 00:19:58.580 --> 00:20:03.279 Christ radically transforms our lives, so we can look at everyday situations and see joy. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:07.599 But, anyone who's been a Christian 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:11.099 for more than an hour knows that that's not all our life is. 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:13.720 Sunny with a high of 75 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:18.000 is a nice sentiment, but it's our future hope. 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:21.000 It's not always our present experience. 00:20:23.139 --> 00:20:25.139 And Paul's testimony 00:20:25.139 --> 00:20:27.680 doesn't end with, and now my life is so great. 00:20:29.139 --> 00:20:30.220 Here's what he says. He says, 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:32.160 Here's what I was like. 00:20:32.860 --> 00:20:35.759 Zealous for the Bible, and zealous to persecute Christians. 00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:38.400 Then he moves to how he met Jesus. 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:40.160 Stopped in his tracks. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:44.600 But he doesn't focus the end of his testimony story 00:20:44.600 --> 00:20:46.519 on, now everything's great. 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:49.000 He focuses on, 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.900 Now I obey. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:55.759 He concludes his testimony, 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:57.779 not with how great his life is, 00:20:57.779 --> 00:21:01.779 but how he has turned from his old life, 00:21:02.139 --> 00:21:02.940 that is repentance, 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:06.720 and lives in line with God's will. 00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:07.539 That's obedience. 00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:11.119 Paul's resurrection life 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:15.740 is a life of resurrection obedience. 00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:19.000 And Paul's message 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:21.359 wasn't just about his own obedience. 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:22.880 It has impacts for us, 00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:24.579 because it requires us 00:21:24.579 --> 00:21:27.099 to live a life, 00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:28.319 everyone to live a life, 00:21:28.579 --> 00:21:29.740 performing deeds 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:31.380 in keeping with their repentance. 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:32.920 That's how he says it. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:35.740 So how do you know 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:36.700 if you're a faithful Christian or not? 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:39.240 Not because you call yourself one, 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.380 or because you show up at church. 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:42.640 We all know words are cheap. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:46.460 It's no special thing, 00:21:46.620 --> 00:21:48.000 doesn't take resurrection life 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:50.240 to arrive here on a Sunday morning. 00:21:51.040 --> 00:21:52.300 We know we're Christians 00:21:52.300 --> 00:21:53.680 when our lives are changed 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.820 and we obey Christ. 00:21:56.920 --> 00:21:58.120 One pastor put it this way, 00:21:58.280 --> 00:22:00.700 one of the first marks of our conversion 00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:02.660 is that we obey Jesus Christ. 00:22:03.400 --> 00:22:05.440 Are you obeying Jesus? 00:22:06.280 --> 00:22:07.100 Jesus said, 00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:09.759 why do you call me Lord, Lord, 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:11.580 and do not do what I say? 00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:13.859 And I love how he puts it this way. 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:16.939 People who have heard the voice 00:22:16.939 --> 00:22:18.439 of Jesus Christ, 00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:20.539 just do not ignore it. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:25.379 We receive today 00:22:25.379 --> 00:22:27.539 the voice of Jesus Christ 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:29.539 through Paul and his testimony. 00:22:30.699 --> 00:22:31.599 Will you hear it? 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.740 Or will you ignore it? 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:38.799 The two men in front of Paul 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:39.799 hear it 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:41.859 and respond in two different ways. 00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:43.279 Verse 24. 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:47.299 As he was saying these things 00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:48.059 in his defense, 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:50.620 Festus said with a loud voice, 00:22:50.859 --> 00:22:51.200 Paul, 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:53.099 you are out of your mind. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:55.079 Your great learning 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:56.660 is driving you out of your mind. 00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:57.680 But Paul said, 00:22:57.819 --> 00:22:58.940 I am not out of my mind, 00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.120 most excellent Festus, 00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:01.799 but I am speaking true 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:03.299 and rational words. 00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:06.819 Festus here interrupts Paul 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:07.940 to tell him 00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:09.440 how crazy this all sounds. 00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:11.139 He's actually doing 00:23:11.139 --> 00:23:12.480 two things here, 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:13.240 probably. 00:23:14.680 --> 00:23:15.159 First, 00:23:15.379 --> 00:23:16.720 he's rejecting the gospel. 00:23:16.919 --> 00:23:17.240 He's saying, 00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:18.139 you're insane, 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:19.059 this makes no sense, 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:20.019 I want no part of it. 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:21.500 And that's 00:23:21.500 --> 00:23:24.740 absolutely part of his philosophy, 00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:25.339 but he's also 00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:27.659 probably doing something else too. 00:23:27.659 --> 00:23:29.579 He's giving Paul an out. 00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:33.960 It would be truly crazy 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:35.200 for Festus 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:36.940 to send a madman 00:23:36.940 --> 00:23:37.659 to Caesar 00:23:37.659 --> 00:23:38.980 and waste Caesar's time like that. 00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:39.359 That would be 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:40.419 political suicide. 00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:41.419 So, 00:23:41.659 --> 00:23:43.480 if Paul is crazy, 00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:45.200 he can get rid of this problem 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:45.960 altogether 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:47.220 and just put him away. 00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:49.819 But Paul 00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:50.879 doesn't 00:23:50.879 --> 00:23:51.539 take 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:52.319 the out. 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.639 He could be done, 00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:55.119 but he doesn't. 00:23:56.099 --> 00:23:57.019 He's concerned about 00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.899 someone else 00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:59.799 and their reaction 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:00.419 to the message. 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:01.619 Verse 26. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:03.759 He turns 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.680 away 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:06.399 from Festus 00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:07.200 and towards Agrippa 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:07.680 and he says, 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:08.680 for the king, 00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.579 that is Agrippa, 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:11.859 knows about these things 00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:12.720 and to him 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.539 I speak boldly. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.299 For I am persuaded 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:16.680 that none of these things 00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:17.759 has escaped his notice. 00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:19.839 For this has not been done 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:20.419 in a corner. 00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:22.579 King Agrippa, 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.680 do you believe the prophets? 00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:26.659 I know that you believe. 00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:29.299 And Agrippa said to Paul, 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:30.619 in a short time, 00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:31.419 would you persuade me 00:24:31.419 --> 00:24:32.019 to be a Christian? 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:33.000 And Paul said, 00:24:33.219 --> 00:24:34.599 whether short or long, 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.919 I would to God 00:24:35.919 --> 00:24:37.339 that not only you, 00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.399 but also all who hear me 00:24:39.399 --> 00:24:39.919 this day 00:24:39.919 --> 00:24:41.559 might become such as I am. 00:24:42.219 --> 00:24:43.179 Except for these chains. 00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.099 What's interesting 00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:47.859 to note here 00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:49.719 is that Paul 00:24:49.719 --> 00:24:50.899 has stopped 00:24:50.899 --> 00:24:52.059 defending himself. 00:24:53.399 --> 00:24:55.079 He has turned the tables 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:56.220 and he has put 00:24:56.220 --> 00:24:56.819 Agrippa 00:24:56.819 --> 00:24:57.839 on trial. 00:25:00.919 --> 00:25:01.899 While Festus thinks 00:25:01.899 --> 00:25:02.899 the idea of resurrection 00:25:02.899 --> 00:25:03.859 is insane, 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:05.179 Agrippa, 00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:06.039 familiar 00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:07.279 with God's promises 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:07.819 to Israel 00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:08.899 and well aware 00:25:08.899 --> 00:25:09.939 of what Jesus did 00:25:09.939 --> 00:25:10.899 all over Israel, 00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.980 couldn't escape 00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.819 this conclusion. 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:14.259 Jesus 00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:15.899 had perfectly fulfilled 00:25:15.899 --> 00:25:19.240 all of God's prophecies, 00:25:20.039 --> 00:25:20.980 centuries of them, 00:25:21.679 --> 00:25:22.379 in his ministry. 00:25:22.380 --> 00:25:24.120 and finally, 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:25.180 in Jerusalem, 00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:26.600 he had defeated death 00:25:26.600 --> 00:25:27.880 for all mankind. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:30.320 But, 00:25:31.320 --> 00:25:34.040 believing that the resurrection 00:25:34.040 --> 00:25:35.180 happened 00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:36.640 is not enough. 00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:39.300 Agrippa heard these things 00:25:39.300 --> 00:25:40.880 and may have believed them. 00:25:41.360 --> 00:25:42.700 He didn't even try 00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:43.440 to refute them. 00:25:44.760 --> 00:25:46.220 But instead of repenting 00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:48.120 and turning towards God, 00:25:48.520 --> 00:25:49.680 he dodged the question 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:50.640 with a question 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:51.060 of his own. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:53.500 In a short time, 00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:54.440 would you persuade me 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:55.700 to be a Christian? 00:25:56.820 --> 00:25:57.320 He said. 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.480 It's not enough 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.620 to believe 00:26:01.620 --> 00:26:02.140 that Christianity 00:26:02.140 --> 00:26:02.759 is true. 00:26:02.840 --> 00:26:03.799 You can go through 00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:05.180 your whole life 00:26:05.180 --> 00:26:07.220 believing it's true 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:08.259 and that Jesus 00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:09.420 is risen from the dead. 00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:10.580 But if you, 00:26:11.560 --> 00:26:12.360 in verse 20, 00:26:12.860 --> 00:26:13.660 don't repent, 00:26:14.560 --> 00:26:16.140 turn to God, 00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:18.019 performing deeds, 00:26:18.019 --> 00:26:19.740 keeping with your repentance, 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.720 you have no part 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:22.379 with Christ. 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:30.319 If that's you today, 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:31.960 if you know Christ 00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:32.440 is risen, 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:37.859 I'm so scared for you. 00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:40.000 If you know Christ 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.299 is risen, 00:26:40.339 --> 00:26:41.480 but you haven't repented, 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.920 haven't turned 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.839 towards God, 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:45.259 aren't living a life 00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:46.720 of resurrection obedience, 00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:49.279 you are at the same 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.339 crossroads 00:26:50.339 --> 00:26:51.180 as Agrippa. 00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:53.319 God has set, 00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:55.319 he has set before you 00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:57.039 life and death. 00:26:58.740 --> 00:26:59.740 Blessing and curse, 00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:00.660 therefore, 00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.599 choose life. 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:06.140 This was me, 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:07.119 personally, 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:07.940 for many years. 00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.579 I grew up 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:10.460 in a Christian home. 00:27:10.460 --> 00:27:11.240 I believed 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:13.160 that Christianity 00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:13.759 was true, 00:27:13.840 --> 00:27:14.640 that Christ was risen 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:15.279 from the dead, 00:27:15.360 --> 00:27:17.019 that he was the Lord, 00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:18.140 that he was coming 00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.860 back again. 00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:21.100 I believed 00:27:21.100 --> 00:27:22.019 that he offered 00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:22.720 life 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:24.140 to all who 00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:24.900 would come to him, 00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:26.140 turn from themselves, 00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:27.180 turn towards him. 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:31.120 And I didn't want to. 00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:32.000 I wanted to live 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:32.440 for me. 00:27:35.079 --> 00:27:35.819 In his 00:27:35.819 --> 00:27:37.279 great grace, 00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:38.779 he was patient 00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:39.240 with me. 00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.920 He kept me 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:43.359 breathing 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:45.519 until a day 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:46.379 when he had 00:27:46.379 --> 00:27:47.519 finally softened 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.319 my heart enough 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.460 that I could 00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:50.119 repent. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:57.039 I had the time. 00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.039 Will you? 00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:08.720 Paul is on trial 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:09.720 for his life. 00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:11.759 Festus 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.200 gives him 00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:12.639 an out. 00:28:14.339 --> 00:28:15.059 Not guilty 00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:15.500 by reason 00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:16.000 of insanity, 00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:16.519 basically. 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:19.059 But Paul 00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.599 is concerned 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:20.359 with someone else. 00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:22.700 It's not 00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.480 his own life 00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:24.440 that concerns him. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.559 It's 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.399 Agrippa's 00:28:26.399 --> 00:28:26.920 soul 00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:29.420 that he cares 00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:29.720 about. 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:31.019 He throws 00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.659 his chance 00:28:31.659 --> 00:28:32.200 at freedom 00:28:32.200 --> 00:28:32.559 away 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:34.639 to pursue 00:28:34.639 --> 00:28:35.399 Agrippa's 00:28:35.399 --> 00:28:35.720 heart. 00:28:37.639 --> 00:28:38.359 He puts 00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:38.720 his life 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:39.279 on the line 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.279 to obey 00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:40.859 Christ's 00:28:40.859 --> 00:28:41.299 instruction 00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.039 in verse 18 00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:44.139 to open 00:28:44.139 --> 00:28:44.559 their eyes 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:44.980 so that they 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:45.460 may turn 00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.339 from darkness 00:28:46.339 --> 00:28:46.799 to light 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.099 and from 00:28:47.099 --> 00:28:47.480 the power 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:47.899 of Satan 00:28:47.899 --> 00:28:48.379 to God 00:28:48.379 --> 00:28:51.279 so that they 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:51.839 may have 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:52.359 resurrection 00:28:52.359 --> 00:28:52.980 life 00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:54.119 in Christ. 00:28:55.539 --> 00:28:56.079 And the crazy 00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:56.639 thing here is 00:28:56.639 --> 00:28:56.859 here, 00:28:57.200 --> 00:28:57.799 Paul didn't 00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.319 like 00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:58.899 Agrippa. 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:00.319 This wasn't 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:01.279 oh, I'll do 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:01.619 a favor 00:29:01.619 --> 00:29:01.899 for my 00:29:01.899 --> 00:29:02.079 buddy, 00:29:02.159 --> 00:29:02.480 I'll stick 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:02.980 my neck 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.440 out for 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:03.879 a loved 00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:04.200 one. 00:29:04.619 --> 00:29:04.859 No, 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.559 no, 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:06.379 anything but. 00:29:06.519 --> 00:29:06.839 Agrippa, 00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:07.299 again, 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:07.859 he's the 00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:08.639 puppet king. 00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:10.159 He's run 00:29:10.159 --> 00:29:10.740 by the 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:11.599 Roman government. 00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:12.519 He was a 00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:13.180 pretender 00:29:13.180 --> 00:29:14.279 to the throne 00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:14.899 of Israel 00:29:14.899 --> 00:29:15.659 and an 00:29:15.659 --> 00:29:16.359 offense 00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:17.899 to people 00:29:17.899 --> 00:29:18.519 like Paul 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:18.919 who were 00:29:18.919 --> 00:29:19.480 zealous 00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:20.359 for the 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:20.639 Jewish 00:29:20.639 --> 00:29:21.460 religion. 00:29:21.460 --> 00:29:23.079 It would 00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:23.640 be like 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:26.759 if Russia 00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:27.519 invaded the 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:28.319 United States, 00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:29.579 Vladimir Putin 00:29:29.579 --> 00:29:30.480 installed an 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:31.279 ex-KGB 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.160 agent as 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:33.059 our president 00:29:33.059 --> 00:29:34.240 and then 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.100 he had a 00:29:35.100 --> 00:29:36.819 dynasty of 00:29:36.819 --> 00:29:37.299 presidents 00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:39.539 who persecuted 00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:40.480 Americans 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.420 generation after 00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:41.940 generation. 00:29:42.140 --> 00:29:42.460 That's 00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:43.140 basically 00:29:43.140 --> 00:29:44.799 the Herod 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.279 dynasty. 00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:47.799 We wouldn't 00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.279 think too 00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:48.920 kindly of that 00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:49.500 man standing 00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:50.180 in the shoes 00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:50.940 of George 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:51.460 Washington 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.600 and Abraham 00:29:52.600 --> 00:29:53.460 Lincoln carving 00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:54.039 his face 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:54.480 onto Mount 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:54.900 Rushmore. 00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:56.640 And that's 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.120 the man 00:29:57.120 --> 00:29:57.519 for whom 00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:57.940 Paul is 00:29:57.940 --> 00:29:58.820 throwing away 00:29:58.820 --> 00:29:59.340 his chance 00:29:59.340 --> 00:29:59.700 at freedom. 00:30:03.080 --> 00:30:03.799 It didn't 00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.220 matter to 00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.600 Paul that 00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:06.140 Agrippa was 00:30:06.140 --> 00:30:07.160 a pretender 00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:08.039 king. 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:09.700 It didn't 00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:10.160 matter to 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.560 Paul that 00:30:10.560 --> 00:30:11.259 he was a 00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:11.799 puppet of 00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:12.100 the Roman 00:30:12.100 --> 00:30:12.539 government. 00:30:13.060 --> 00:30:13.640 What mattered 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:14.180 to Paul was 00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:14.340 this. 00:30:14.560 --> 00:30:15.140 Agrippa was 00:30:15.140 --> 00:30:15.740 a man who 00:30:15.740 --> 00:30:16.620 needed his 00:30:16.620 --> 00:30:17.380 eyes opened, 00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:19.740 who needed 00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:20.059 to turn 00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:20.460 from darkness 00:30:20.460 --> 00:30:20.779 to light, 00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:21.960 who needed 00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:22.900 to turn 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:23.380 from Satan 00:30:23.380 --> 00:30:23.759 to God, 00:30:23.819 --> 00:30:24.279 who needed 00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:24.920 to receive 00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:25.599 forgiveness 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.180 of sins, 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:26.740 who needed 00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:27.400 resurrection 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:28.220 life. 00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:32.000 Agrippa's 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.880 soul was 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:33.480 worth more 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:34.279 to Paul 00:30:34.279 --> 00:30:35.359 than Paul's 00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:36.599 life was. 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:39.200 And your 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:41.339 soul is 00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:41.819 just as 00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:42.180 important. 00:30:42.579 --> 00:30:43.279 It's just as 00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:43.519 precious. 00:30:43.859 --> 00:30:44.420 And I'm not 00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:44.920 risking my 00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:45.259 life here 00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:45.519 today. 00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:48.519 but I am 00:30:48.519 --> 00:30:49.039 pleading with 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:49.240 you. 00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:51.700 Be 00:30:51.700 --> 00:30:52.579 reconciled 00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:53.339 to God. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:54.940 It is more 00:30:54.940 --> 00:30:55.660 important. 00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.960 It is more 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:58.180 important than 00:30:58.180 --> 00:30:58.980 life and 00:30:58.980 --> 00:30:59.240 death. 00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:03.920 And if you 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:04.579 belong to 00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:05.259 Christ today, 00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:06.740 I wonder, 00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.839 would you do 00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:09.299 the same 00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:10.579 as Paul? 00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:10.679 Paul, 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:12.519 resurrection 00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:13.619 obedience 00:31:13.619 --> 00:31:16.819 is first 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:18.419 obedience to 00:31:18.419 --> 00:31:19.720 report the 00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.579 resurrection of 00:31:20.579 --> 00:31:21.220 Jesus Christ. 00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:25.939 Will we 00:31:25.939 --> 00:31:27.259 risk doing 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:28.039 uncomfortable 00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:30.759 things to 00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:31.139 share the 00:31:31.139 --> 00:31:31.679 gospel with 00:31:31.679 --> 00:31:32.359 people we 00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:32.859 don't naturally 00:31:32.859 --> 00:31:33.279 like? 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:36.180 or will 00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:36.539 we let 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.019 that get in 00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:37.700 the way of 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:37.859 our 00:31:37.859 --> 00:31:38.279 resurrection 00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:38.720 obedience? 00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:43.299 Now, if 00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:43.899 you don't yet 00:31:43.899 --> 00:31:44.559 belong to 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:45.099 Christ, you're 00:31:45.099 --> 00:31:46.200 probably asking 00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:47.039 a question 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:47.720 much like 00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:48.319 Agrippa's. 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:50.899 How can 00:31:50.899 --> 00:31:51.519 we believe 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:52.599 Paul's 00:31:52.599 --> 00:31:53.299 testimony? 00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:54.700 How do we 00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:54.980 know it's 00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:55.399 true? 00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:57.200 Resurrection 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.039 from the 00:31:58.039 --> 00:31:58.720 dead is, 00:31:59.240 --> 00:31:59.920 as Festus 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:00.259 said, 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:01.420 insanity. 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:05.399 There are 00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:06.099 two kinds 00:32:06.099 --> 00:32:06.619 of witnesses 00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.279 that I 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:08.399 tend to 00:32:08.399 --> 00:32:08.759 believe. 00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:11.819 First, I 00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:12.539 believe something 00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.680 when I see 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.359 its effects. 00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:16.759 We see the 00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:17.720 effects of 00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:18.039 Christ's 00:32:18.039 --> 00:32:18.740 resurrection in 00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:19.420 Paul's life. 00:32:20.119 --> 00:32:20.460 He threw 00:32:20.460 --> 00:32:21.319 away all of 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:22.279 his prestige, 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.460 everything he 00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:23.700 had. 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:24.460 He counted 00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:24.839 loss. 00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:27.440 He was in 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:28.039 prison for 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:28.740 two years 00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.319 just to make 00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:30.000 this speech. 00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:32.180 I think it's 00:32:32.180 --> 00:32:32.639 fair to say 00:32:32.639 --> 00:32:33.000 there was a 00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:34.000 dramatic effect 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.259 of Christ's 00:32:35.259 --> 00:32:36.619 resurrection in 00:32:36.619 --> 00:32:37.160 his life. 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:38.859 And second, 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:40.079 I believe 00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:41.839 witnesses whose 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:42.920 throats are 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:44.319 slit for their 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:44.720 testimony. 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:46.640 We don't read 00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:47.299 about it here, 00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:48.160 but Paul, 00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:49.220 like most of 00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:49.539 the other 00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:50.640 apostles, was 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:51.660 martyred for 00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:52.319 their testimony 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:52.900 to Jesus 00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:53.240 Christ. 00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:55.859 If you're 00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:56.839 willing to 00:32:56.839 --> 00:32:57.500 tell a message 00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.299 that brings you 00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:58.880 nothing but 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:01.599 pain, I'm 00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:02.059 inclined to 00:33:02.059 --> 00:33:02.500 believe you. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:05.759 But not 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:06.039 Agrippa. 00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:07.220 We read in 00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:07.700 verse 30, 00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:09.119 Then the 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.779 king rose, 00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:10.740 and the 00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:11.019 governor, 00:33:11.819 --> 00:33:12.339 and Bernice, 00:33:12.859 --> 00:33:13.440 and those who 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:13.759 were sitting 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:14.179 with them. 00:33:14.899 --> 00:33:15.379 And when they 00:33:15.379 --> 00:33:15.980 had withdrawn, 00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:17.159 and they said 00:33:17.159 --> 00:33:17.819 to one another, 00:33:18.399 --> 00:33:19.519 this man is 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:20.220 doing nothing to 00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:20.980 deserve death or 00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:21.899 imprisonment. 00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:24.940 And Agrippa 00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:25.759 said to Festus, 00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:26.720 this man could 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.200 have been set 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:28.460 free if he 00:33:28.460 --> 00:33:29.039 had not appealed 00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:29.480 to Caesar. 00:33:32.899 --> 00:33:33.720 Instead of 00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.899 answering Paul, 00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:36.460 Agrippa 00:33:36.460 --> 00:33:37.639 stands up 00:33:37.639 --> 00:33:39.079 and walks 00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:39.359 away. 00:33:42.299 --> 00:33:43.259 He declared 00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:44.359 Paul innocent, 00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:44.859 but the 00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:47.079 tragedy is 00:33:47.079 --> 00:33:47.279 that he 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:47.879 didn't take 00:33:47.879 --> 00:33:48.559 the time to 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:49.259 render judgment 00:33:49.259 --> 00:33:50.319 on himself. 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:54.240 He heard the 00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:54.659 message of 00:33:54.659 --> 00:33:55.700 Christ, he 00:33:55.700 --> 00:33:56.299 knew its 00:33:56.299 --> 00:33:57.399 truth, and 00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:58.140 he avoided 00:33:58.140 --> 00:33:59.480 its implications 00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:00.740 for himself. 00:34:02.560 --> 00:34:03.080 And as a 00:34:03.080 --> 00:34:04.860 result, he 00:34:04.860 --> 00:34:06.120 was in a 00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:07.380 far worse 00:34:07.380 --> 00:34:08.900 position than 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:09.740 Paul was 00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:11.000 sitting in 00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:12.119 prison in 00:34:12.119 --> 00:34:12.619 chains. 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:15.460 If you're not 00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:15.860 a Christian 00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:16.440 today, I 00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.720 plead with 00:34:17.720 --> 00:34:18.059 you. 00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.639 I plead with 00:34:19.639 --> 00:34:19.800 you. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:21.000 Do not 00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:21.619 stand with 00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:22.900 Agrippa any 00:34:22.900 --> 00:34:24.059 longer. 00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:24.119 Agrippa. 00:34:26.119 --> 00:34:26.719 And if 00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:27.019 you're a 00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:28.400 Christian, I 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:28.779 plead with 00:34:28.779 --> 00:34:28.960 you. 00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:30.960 Don't be 00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:32.380 comfortable when 00:34:32.380 --> 00:34:33.079 others around 00:34:33.079 --> 00:34:34.179 you stand 00:34:34.179 --> 00:34:34.840 with Agrippa. 00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:38.119 The only 00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:39.500 safe place to 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:40.639 stand is 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:41.340 with Christ. 00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:43.039 Will you pray 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.400 with me? 00:34:43.400 --> 00:34:52.539 Father in 00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:54.460 heaven, you 00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:55.079 have given 00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.380 us access 00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:58.559 to your 00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:59.720 life, 00:35:00.119 --> 00:35:00.400 resurrection 00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:01.240 life in 00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:01.579 us. 00:35:03.340 --> 00:35:04.200 I pray 00:35:04.200 --> 00:35:06.559 that anyone 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:08.760 here who 00:35:08.760 --> 00:35:09.559 has not 00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:10.280 heeded 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:10.880 Paul's 00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:11.360 words, 00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:14.280 would turn 00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:14.720 to you. 00:35:16.280 --> 00:35:16.800 From 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:17.400 darkness to 00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.220 life, from 00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:19.019 themselves to 00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.300 you. 00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:23.180 And Lord, I 00:35:23.180 --> 00:35:24.500 pray that they 00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:25.019 would not 00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:26.519 stand with 00:35:26.519 --> 00:35:27.079 Agrippa, even 00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:27.760 if it feels 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:30.260 comfortable, it 00:35:30.260 --> 00:35:31.519 is a 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.180 crossroads, 00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:36.240 slowly 00:35:36.240 --> 00:35:36.880 succumbing to 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:37.980 a flood that 00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.500 will drown 00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:38.780 them. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:42.820 Lord, I 00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:43.280 pray for 00:35:43.280 --> 00:35:43.640 those of 00:35:43.640 --> 00:35:44.340 us who 00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:44.760 do know 00:35:44.760 --> 00:35:46.680 you, who 00:35:46.680 --> 00:35:47.220 do have 00:35:47.220 --> 00:35:47.559 your 00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:48.180 resurrection 00:35:48.180 --> 00:35:48.820 life. 00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:51.320 Lord, that 00:35:51.320 --> 00:35:51.620 we would 00:35:51.620 --> 00:35:53.940 be men 00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:54.340 and women 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:54.599 of 00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:55.059 resurrection 00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:55.980 obedience, 00:35:57.280 --> 00:36:00.440 and that 00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:00.760 we would 00:36:00.760 --> 00:36:01.519 not pass 00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.760 Agrippa by, 00:36:04.180 --> 00:36:04.700 but seek 00:36:04.700 --> 00:36:05.160 him out, 00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:06.340 risk 00:36:06.340 --> 00:36:07.039 ourselves, 00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:09.119 to draw 00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:10.860 others into 00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:11.300 your 00:36:11.300 --> 00:36:11.860 resurrection 00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:12.759 life and 00:36:12.759 --> 00:36:13.179 resurrection 00:36:13.179 --> 00:36:13.619 obedience. 00:36:14.659 --> 00:36:15.340 We pray 00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:16.039 these things in 00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:16.960 Jesus Christ's 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:17.679 name, and 00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:18.480 for the sake of 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:19.059 his glory, 00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:19.820 amen. 00:36:19.820 --> 00:36:19.920 Amen. 00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:19.960 Amen. 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:19.980 Amen. 00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.000 Amen. 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:20.019 Amen. 00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:20.039 Amen. 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:20.059 Amen. 00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:38.039 Amen. 00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:38.300 Would you 00:36:38.300 --> 00:36:38.820 stand and sing 00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:39.119 with me? 00:36:39.119 --> 00:36:39.599 Amen.