i. PRAYER
ii. Introduction
a. Vince Lombardi once said that the best defense is a good offense. This last week, as my family sat around Sunday evening, eating chicken wings, and watching the two top teams in football square off, I thought about Paul, and how he was in a Superbowl of sorts, when we left him last week in chapter 25.
b. Here he was standing in the Amphitheater of Caesarea, and everybody who was anybody came to see the trial of the year. The king came down from Galilee, and the Governor, and all of the top military officials were there. All of the Pomp and hype, in fact it REALLY reminded me about the Superbowl.
c. Paul’s trial wasn’t without scandal, either. The king showed up with his date, who just happened to be his sister. The Governor was in a pinch because he needed some charges to try and pin on Paul so that he could send him to Caesar, seeing as how Paul had appealed to Rome.
d. But, as we talked about last week, Paul wasn’t really on trial here. What was on trial was Christianity. The fresh new way of worship, ushered in by Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The Old Testament scriptures had alluded to it throughout history, and now it was here, and people were skeptical.
e. G.K. Chesterton once said that The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried. The people who would hear Paul’s defense today would be confronted with the truth, the message of the church, and if they rejected it, they would be rejecting God.
f. Paul wrote to the Romans in chapter 1, starting at verse 15 - 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 6 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
g. Today would be no exception; Paul would preach the gospel as he made his defense to Agrippa and Festus. He would do what God had called him to do, and left the results to God.
iii. Background
a. Chapter 26 marks Paul’s last hurrah as it were in the nation of Israel. Next week, in chapter 27, Paul begins his journey to Rome, and the week after, we will conclude the book of Acts with chapter 28, and a review.
b. What a story is told in the pages of the book of the Acts! We open with a group of several hundred disciples, which was practically the whole church at that point, standing on a mountainside, and they witness the Ascension of Jesus up into heaven. Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that they would be his witnessed in Judea, in Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth.
c. Hit the fast forward button, and today, we see Paul presenting the gospel to the king of Israel and the Roman Governor of Judea. We are told much about the journey it took to bring the gospel to this point, but I think that we can’t fully understand all of the hardship and suffering it took on the part of Paul and the other disciples to actually get to this point. Thousands of miles on foot, stonings, beatings, getting thrown in jail, and some had already been killed at this point.
d. All of these trials these men shouldered cheerfully, gratefully. Back in Acts chapter ***, Peter and John said that they were glad to have suffered for the Name of Christ.
e. I hear often people describing their church as an Acts kind of church, or that they are looking for an Acts kind of church. What they are talking about is that they are looking for the power and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that we see driving these men to accomplish what would have seemed to them to be impossible.
f. I may not get a lot of accolades when I say this, but if you are looking for the power of the Holy Spirit in your life like we see in Acts, then it takes the same kind of hardships that these men experienced to get it. It takes dying to yourself. This means sacrifice. Instead of question being “What can this church offer me?” it becomes “What can I do for the church?” That, guys, is true ministry. That is getting something done for the kingdom of God.
g. Ministry comes at the point that we reach the end of ourselves, and God has to take it up, because we can’t do it any longer. I never really understood that before a year ago, and I am still learning now, but this one thing I do know.
h. I know that at this point, I have studied Acts in a way that I never had before. Week after week, I opened up the Word to try and find what God would say to us in each passage.
i. Someone asked me the other day if I get sermon outlines and notes from the church in Houston, or the big church in Costa Mesa. I was polite, and I said no. I left it at that. But, I was thinking - I get them from a much better source than that. I get them from the Holy Spirit and from studying the Word all week.
j. So, I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit being poured out in a person’s life or ministry comes from dying to self, it comes from sacrifice. As we look at Paul’s recap of his life and ministry to this point, we see a man who has given it all for Christ.
Study
k. Intro
i. Turn with me if you would to Acts chapter 26. I have broken our passage down into six parts – A Plea for Patience, The Promise, The Persecutor, The Promise Revealed, Proclaiming the Gospel, and last, A Persuasive Argument. We will look at these in depth today, as we begin to wind down the book of Acts.
ii. In the interests of time, we are going to read each verse as we come to it. There’s a place to take notes in your bulletin, and we encourage you to do that. So, without any further ado, let’s dive right in.
iii. According to Acts 26, verse 1 -
l. A Plea for Patience (Acts 26:1 – 3)
i. 1 (Then) Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: 2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews,
ii. Remember the scene here from last week. Agrippa had come down from Galilee, the King of Israel, to visit Festus. He wanted to hear Paul’s story, and Festus was glad to oblige him.
iii. So, amid all of the pomp and circumstance, all of the glory of Rome on display there in Caesarea, in walks Paul. We read earlier in Acts that he was chained with his wrists together, but at this point, he was free enough to stretch out his hand.
iv. This is important, because like the ancient Roman orators, Paul makes a gesture, to pay homage, or respect to an authority over you. This is what Paul is doing here.
v. Paul is not so much paying respect to Agrippa personally, but to the office, the post that he held as king. We can learn something from this. We may not respect or agree with the man that holds the office, but we need to respect the office that he holds.
vi. Paul goes on in verse two and says basically – I’m happy to be here standing before you. That word happy is really interesting. It is the Greek word nacharios. It means fortunate or blessed.
vii. Jesus used this word in the Beattitudes, in Matthew chapter 5. Remember the Beattitudes – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Same word.
viii. Here is Paul, he’s been in jail for two years at this point, and he feels blessed. How is that? Well, Paul looked past his present situation, the turmoil and trials that he was going through, and saw this as an opportunity to be a witness for Christ.
ix. He was putting the needs of others above his own. Agrippa, Bernice, Festus, and probably most of the Roman officials there needed Jesus. They needed to hear the gospel. Paul already had Jesus, Paul had eternal life, that’s how he could say that he was blessed, because he was. He was ministering to the needs of others out of that blessing.
x. This is something important that we need to apply to our lives as well. We all get down and start to look at the circumstances around us from time to time. We may even complain about it, and bellyache to God – Oh, God, I need this and things would be so much better.
xi. Ever done that? I sure have been guilty of that. Maybe we start to question God, or even get a little put out with Him because of our circumstances.
xii. I really began to realize God’s perspective on all of this as the kids got older. They will want something that they see on T.V., or they’ll want to go to this place, and if they don’t get it, they get a bad attitude, and complain about how we never give them anything, or how we never do anything with them.
xiii. The first thought that pops into my head is – “Hey! We gave you this other thing you wanted last week!, or, Didn’t we just get back from Disneyworld?” I get upset because I think that they are ungrateful for what we have given them. You know?
xiv. I chuckle, but I think that God feels like that sometimes. I can see Him listening to my prayers, going – “Well, Jeff, you’re saved! You have eternal life… I called you to serve me…” What else do ya want?!?
xv. But I know that God is much more gracious than that with us. He sighs, kind of like He did with the apostles, and says, Man I wish he were more grateful.
xvi. So, I make an effort nowadays to put the needs of others above my own. I try to be more grateful than I had been, because when you think about it, if you’re saved this morning, you’re blessed. Keep that in mind, and no matter what the circumstances, you are blessed.
xvii. Phil 2:3-5
xviii. Paul is answering here the charges that the Jews have brought against him. As a recap, they accused Paul of being a troublemaker, of stirring up riots. They also accused him of heresy, that he was a leader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and the final charge was that he tried to profane the temple. Paul continues in verse 3, and says -
xix. 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
xx. Paul had a knack of know how to reach people at any rung of the social ladder. He knew that Agrippa, being of the family of the Herods, was half Jewish, and half Edomite.
xxi. The Herods had a fascination of all things Jewish. They studied Judiasm, they read Jewish literature, and Paul knew that this man was drawn to Judiasm. He would use this as a jumping off point for sharing the gospel. So, this made it all the better to share.
xxii. He winds up by asking Agrippa to listen patiently. Paul was about to preach, and it was a lengthy message. He starts off, describing his life. We read in verse 4 -
m. The Promise (Acts 26:4 – 8 )
i. 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5 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.
ii. Paul was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, just like he said in front of the Sanhedrin back in Acts chapter 23. Even though he was from Tarsus in Cilcia, he was raised in Jerusalem. We get a little more insight into Paul’s Jewish roots in Philippians, chapter 3, verse 5. There, Paul tells us that he was
iii. 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;
iv. The point is that everyone knew this. Especially his Jewish accusers. Personally, I believe that is why they had it in for Paul all the more, because he had been a Pharisee, and most scholars believe that he was also a member of the Sanhedrin. His accusers would have to agree, because it was the truth. Paul continues in verse 6 -
v. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.
vi. The promise that even Agrippa knew that the promise that God made to the Jews was that of the Messiah, the savior who would come and bring hope to the nation.
vii. Paul had a steadfast belief that Jesus Christ was the Messiah that had been foretold, and that was what was at issue here; his belief in Jesus Christ. He says -
viii. 7 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. 8 Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?
ix. We served God as a nation night and day for thousands of years in the hope of this promise. King Agrippa, you have read the scriptures, you know our history. Why should it be unbelievable that God has now done what He promised to do?
x. You see, many of us are in the same boat. We find it incredible that God could find you a job, or sell your house, or sovereignly heal you. People have problems with miracles because they don’t or can’t understand the power and reality of God.
xi. J.B. Phillips once said that the problem is not that your problems are too large, it’s that our idea of God is too small. Is your God too small? That’s a reasonable question.
xii. I struggle with this myself, too. I don’t come out and blatantly say, “Well, God can’t handle this.” I just get caught up in the problem at hand, and forget to even ask Him about it.
xiii. Why do I do that? Why do you do that? Well, the answer is really simple. It is a lack of faith. Oh, I believe that God can do those things, but do I believe that He will do those things? Well, I’m kind of like the man in Mark chapter 9, who had the demon possessed son, who cried out, “Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief!”
xiv. You know, I don’t know why we, like the Jews and Agrippa think it so impossible for God to do whatever it is that we need? Isaiah chapter 40, verse 12 says that God has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure. He Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance.
xv. Our God is huge, and all powerful. I think that for some of us that therein lies the problem. We think that God is too busy or too involved with keeping the universe together to involve himself with our personal crisis.
xvi. Why does God do that? That’s a fair question, and Paul does give us an answer for that in Romans chapter 8, verses 31 and 32. He writes - 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
xvii. So, if God didn’t spare His own Son, Jesus Christ, how much more is He able, and willing to take care of our every need. We just need to focus in on serving Him, and believe that He will.
xviii. Paul has described for us his upbringing and education in the Law, he continues in verse 9 -
n. The Persecutor (Acts 26: 9 - 14 )
i. 9 Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
ii. Paul says, “Hey! I thought that I should persecute the church too.” His problem was that he was doing what he thought was right. Too many times, we do what we think is right, instead of being led by God, and doing what He says is right. In verse 10 he says -
iii. 10 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.
iv. So, he started out persecuting the church in Jerusalem, where he was, and where the church was starting to blossom. He had the full knowledge and authority from the high priest, and his underlings.
v. This verse, verse 10, and some others is where primarily scholars get the idea that Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supremem Court. He voted against Stephen at his trial, and many other Christians. He goes on -
vi. 11 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.
vii. Acts chapter 8, verse 3, tells us that Saul made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
viii. Sounds like a real nice guy, he gives us a little more personal insight here, and tells us that he compelled them to blaspheme, likely through the use of torture, he was wild in his rage against them. So much so that he wasn’t happy just persecuting the church in Jerusalem, he went off to foreign cities to find more people to throw in jail and torture.
ix. This thought in itself, I believe haunted Paul for all of his days - that he forced Christians to blaspheme. Paul would write in 1st Corinthians 15:9 - For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But, God took this man, and did something special. Just look at verse 12 -
x. 12 "While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.
xi. Saul had been seeking God all his life through learning, books, and rituals. Now, on a hot, dusty road between Jerusalem and Damascus, he came face to face with the Living God.
xii. He tells us that it was midday, because he wants us to understand just how bright the vision was. The noon sun in the Middle East is bright, and the vision that he saw was even brighter.
xiii. In Genesis, chapter 1, we are told that God created the heavens and the earth. On the first day, God said let there be light, separating the light from the darkness. It wasn’t until the third day though, that God created the sun and the stars.
xiv. So, what made the light for those days without a sun? The answer is simple. The Son – that’s S – O – N. God was the light, and I think that’s what happened here, the veil covering heaven was peeled back just a bit, so that Saul could literally see the light. It literally knocked them off their feet -
xv. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
xvi. Jesus spoke to Saul in the Hebrew language. This account of Paul’s conversion experience is the fullest that we find in scripture. It is more descriptive. Jesus tells Paul that it is hard to kick against the goads.
xvii. Goads were sharp sticks that farmers used to prod their animals. They attached them to their plows to urge the animals on, so that when they kicked against the plow, they got poked by the goads, so the animals learned no to kick against the goads.
xviii. By telling him this, Jesus is basically calling Saul a stubborn old, dumb ox. This verse really minister to me, because that’s how I think God sees me sometimes.
xix. I can see Jesus saying, “Jeff, you’re a stubborn ox! But, I love you , and I have a purpose for your life, I want you to serve me. That’s grace guys, grace. We continue this scene in verse 15 -
o. The Purpose Revealed (Acts 26: 15 – 18)
i. 15 So I said, ’Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ’I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
ii. Here Paul learns the source of his heavenly vision. He finds out that Jesus himself is speaking to him. The same Jesus that Paul is trying to cleanse the earth of His name.
iii. But, Jesus shows grace even to Saul. He tells him to rise, and stand on his feet, he tells Paul that because he is being sent. He was being sent to the gentiles.
iv. So, Paul knew as early as his encounter on the Damascus Road that he was being sent to the gentiles. When Cornelius came in to him to pray for him, that he might receive his sight back again, he told Paul the same thing, that Jesus was sending him to the gentile people.
v. I would imagine that after waiting around a few days without his sight, he must have been questioning whether he really should go to the gentiles. After all, he was a Jew of Jews, and Jews didn’t speak to gentiles if they could help it, much less teach them about God. But, God had other plans, He had plans
vi. 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
vii. `This is the vision God gave me,’ declared Paul, `to open men’s’ eyes from darkness to light, and to turn men’s’ lives from Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and the inheritance of faith.’ And in Paul’s vision, we see ours.
viii. As Christians, as people of faith, we should strive to be a witness to others. It’s been said that we should preach the gospel unto all people, and if necessary, we should use words.
ix. Paul is the embodiment of sharing the gospel. He would write to his protégé, Timothy, this in 2nd Timothy, chapter 2, verse 4 this - Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. We see the results of Paul’s encounter in the next verse
p. Proclaiming the Gospel (Acts 26: 19 – 23 )
i. 19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
ii. Paul obeyed the vision, and declared the gospel to the people of Damascus. So, he came there to terrorize the church, and wound up strengthening it.
iii. As he went along preaching and teaching about Jesus, he journeyed forth, and proclaimed the truth to the Gentiles. We have seen these journeys recorded as Paul’s three missionary journeys, which took him all over the Roman Empire.
iv. His message is simple, as we see it recorded in verse 20. To repent, to turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Repentance is changing one’s mind. Regeneration is changing one’s heart. Redemption is changing one’s state — trading the kingdom of darkness and death for the Kingdom of Light and Life. This was the message of Paul in a nutshell. He goes on to say that it was
v. 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
vi. So, why did the Jews want to kill Paul? It was because he was preaching the gospel. He preached repentance. Noah preached repentance, while people laughed and mocked him. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for living out his faith in a hostile society. John the Baptist was beheaded because he confronted sin, and urged repentance. Jesus had the same message. So, as we see, preaching against sin, and urging people to turn from their ways is not a very popular thing, but it is often what God calls us to do. Paul was seized for preaching the gospel, but God delivered him, as we see in verse 22.
vii. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come-- 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
viii. Paul goes on to tell Agrippa his motivation for preaching the gospel, which was that the gospel was based firmly on the foundations of the Word of God, and not on the traditions and religion of men.
ix. The Old Testament prophets and the Psalms predicted the coming Messiah, that He would suffer, that He would rise from the dead, and that He would proclaim light both to the Jews, and also the Gentile people of the world.
x. At this point, Festus has drawn his own conclusions about Paul’s story, and he speaks up. 24 says -
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q. A Persuasive Argument (Acts 26: 24 – 32 )
i. 24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" 25 But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.
ii. Paul realized at this point that Festus was not on board with what he was saying. Festus thought that Paul was crazy, talking about a light, and a voice from heaven, and his sudden change of attitude.
iii. 1st Corinthians 1:18 tells us that the message of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing. Festus thought that Paul had lost his mind, but really, Paul had found it.
iv. Paul wasn’t crazy, he was saved. Paul knows that not only is his gospel true, it is reasonable. The basis of Paul’s belief was the Word, and historical events like the death and Resurrection of Jesus, which could be verified. At this point, Paul turns his speech back towards King Agrippa.
v. 26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."
vi. The events surrounding the Resurrection of Jesus and the particulars of Paul’s journeys could be verified. Also, the growth of the church could be verified. There were literally thousands of believers in Jerusalem at this point.
vii. Paul knew that Agrippa had studied the scriptures, and that he was very interested in Judaism. I think that Paul felt sure that Agrippa would believe, and accept Jesus as his Savior.
viii. What a salesman! Paul says - Do you believe in the prophets King Agrippa? I know that you do. It would not be a big stretch for you to believe the gospel, either.
ix. 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."
x. This one of the saddest verses in all of scripture. Agrippa rejects the gospel. He says that Paul almost persuaded him to become a Christian. I don’t want us to read this the wrong way.
xi. We will never persuade or reason anyone into becoming a Christian. That choice is theirs and theirs alone to make, whether to believe or to reject the gospel. We, as Christians can only be ready to present the gospel any time that we have the opportunity, as Paul did here.
xii. Agrippa’s response is especially sad, because he almost became a Christian. He almost inherited eternal life and peace, but, sadly, he missed it by so little.
xiii. It has been said that 12 inches separates many people from heaven - the distance between our heads and our hearts. This was the case with Agrippa.
xiv. 29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains."
xv. Paul declares to all those present that he was a free man, despite the chains he wore on his ankles. He was going to continue to declare the gospel, even though in chains, and imprisoned for two years, and his goal was to make that gospel plain to anyone who would listen.
xvi. A man was once asked in a job interview, “What do you want to do with your life?” His answer was, “To go to heaven, and take as many other people as I can with me.” That was Paul’s attitude, and it is my prayer that it’s our attitude as well.
xvii. 30 When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; 31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains." 32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."
xviii. King Agrippa realizes that there really is no evidence to support the accusations that the Jews had against him. He believes that Paul is telling the truth, even though he rejects the gospel.
xix. But, Paul can’t be set free, because he had appealed to Caesar Nero. Agrippa believed that the trial of Paul was a mistake, and that he should be set free. Once, a person had appealed to Caesar, apparently, it could not be retracted.
xx. So, was Paul’s appeal to Caesar a good thing or a bad thing? Well, some people believe it was a bad thing, and that Paul was trusting in the power of the Roman legal system instead of in the power of God; as well, it seems that he might have been set free by Agrippa if he had not appealed to Caesar.
xxi. We should see the fulfillment of God’s Will in Paul’s life through his appeal to Caesar. Jesus had told him while he was imprisoned in Jerusalem that he would witness for Him in Rome.
xxii. Through his appeal, this was all being taken care of at the expense of the Roman government. Paul desired to go to Rome, to strengthen the growing church there, just as he had in Corinth, Ephesus, and Galatia. Next, week, this journey will begin, as we look at Acts chapter 27.
xxiii. Through trials and tribulations, Paul will get to Rome, to stand in front of Caesar. We’re going to wind up here today, but I’d like to leave you with a parting thought.
r. Conclusion
i. On the evening of March 1, 1950, choir practice was scheduled in a local church in Beatrice, Nebraska. When the pastor and his wife and daughter were ready to leave for the 7:30 meeting, they discovered that the little girl had soiled her dress and needed to be changed. So they had to come late. A high school sophomore named Ladona had trouble with her geometry problems and stayed to finish her work, even though she usually got there early. Two sisters were delayed because their car wouldn’t start. Mrs. Schuster normally arrived at 7:20, but that night her mother needed her, so she had to stop there first. One man took a nap and overslept. And so, one after another, the members were detained for various reasons. At 7:25, due to leaking gas, the church blew up! When everyone arrived a short time later, they were amazed to see how their lives had been spared. The fact that all of them failed to come on time—something that had never happened before—had to be more than coincidence. As far as they were concerned, the Lord had been their shield and protector.
ii. **Evangelistic Appeal**
