Acts 26 v 1-18 Paul Before Agrippa
Paul's Defence - v 1-3 -
His Control - 1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
His Contentment - 2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
His Confidence - 3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews:
wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Paul's Defiance - v 4 - 12
His Past - He was a Pharisee - 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
His Present - He is a Prisoner - 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers: 7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews
His Purpose - He is a Pilgrim - 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
The Resurrection is - v 6 The Promise of God, v 7 The Provision of God,
v 8 The Power of God, and v 9 The Purpose of God -
His Persuasion - But He had been a Persecutor -
His Confusion - 9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
His Conduct - 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
His Conflict - 11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them,
I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Paul's Deliverance -
The Vengeance
His Mission - 12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus
His Mandate - with authority and commission from the chief priests,
His Meeting - 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me.
The Vision -
It's Timing - 13 At midday, O king, Triumph - I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun,
It's Target - shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
It's Terror - 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth,
The Voice -
His Position - 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth,
His Perception - I heard a voice speaking unto me,
His Perdition - and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
The person addressed - Saul, Saul,
The practice admonished - why persecutest thou me?
The pathway advised - it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
His Petition - 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
The Visitor -
His Deity - Who art thou, Lord? - He Is the Sovereign.
His Disclosure - And he said, I am Jesus - He Is the Saviour.
His Disdain - I am Jesus whom thou persecutest - He Is the Sin bearer.
The Venture -
His Walk - 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet:
His Work - for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,
His Witness - to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
His Warfare - 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
The Victory through -
Revelation - 18 To open their eyes,
Revolution - and to turn them from darkness to light,
Reformation - and from the power of Satan unto God,
Regeneration - that they may receive forgiveness of sins,
Reservation - and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
