The Light That Shines! Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

Background: Meet the Cast:

• (1). Festus, the Roman Governor.

• (2). King Agrippa.

• (3). The Apostle Paul.

Outline: Three Key Points::

• (1). Paul saw the light (vs 1-16)

• (2). The Gentiles need the light (vs 17-18).

• (3). Festus & Agrippa rejected the light (vs 24&28)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Photo: I saw this picture post on Facebook recently, and it struck a chord.

• Under a Burger King sign is a noticeboard that reads,

• “Why work for a clown when you can work for a king?”

• TRANSITION: If we change it slightly.

• Although the pun has gone, there is a good challenge there for us.

• “Why live for a (you fill in the blank) when you can live for a king?”

(a). Background: Meet the cast

• Let’s meet the main characters involved in this passage:

• There are three of them that we need to know.

(1). King Agrippa (vs 1).

• Or to give him his full title, King Herod Agrippa II.

• Herod was the name of a family and clan

• e.g., In England we would say, from the House of Windsor or the House of Stuart.

Note:

• The Herod family and clan in the New Testament.

• Were often opponents to the things of God.

e.g., 1:

• His great grandfather, was Herod the Great,

• He ruled all of Palestine.

• He was the Herod who killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem.

• Shortly after Jesus was born (Matthew chapter 2 verse 16-18).

e.g., 2:

• His great uncle, King Herod Antipas, ruled in Galilee.

• He beheaded John the Baptist (Mark chapter 6 verses 14-29).

• This same uncle.

• Was the Herod that was in Jerusalem on the Passover when Jesus was crucified.

• He interviewed Jesus before sending him back to Pilate (Luke chapter 23 verses 6-12).

e.g., 3:

• His father, King Herod Agrippa I, is found in Acts chapter 12.

• He ruled all of Palestine.

• He was the one who had James the apostle executed.

• And he was the one who put the apostle Peter into prison.

Note:

• All of the Herod’s appear to be rogues and a rascal.

• And this Herod was no different.

• King Herod Agrippa II,

• Would make a perfect reality TV show for today’s media channels,

• Or the perfect plot line for one of today’s TV soap operas.

• The reason being, alongside him on the throne was a lady called Bernice.

• Bernice was actually Agrippa’s sister.

• Bernice had already been married to her uncle and she had deserted him.

• Bernice was also married a man called Polymon and she run away from him.

• Now Bernice is living in an incestuous relationship with her brother Agrippa.

• So, they are biologically brother and sister,

• But they are living and sleeping together as man and wife.

• So, for the apostle Paul to stand before a Herod & Bernice as God’s representative.

• Would be a courageous thing to do.

• There was a name for people who upset royalty – victim!

(2). Festus, the Roman Governor (vs 24).

• Many of you have already met Festus in the previous chapter 25.

• Festus is a typical high-class Roman of his day.

• According to chapter 25 and verse 2,

• Festus is the ‘new kid on the block’ taking over from a man called Felix.

• It was the Roman Governor Felix.

• Who had the Apostle Paul in prisoned?

• But Felix has been moved on and replaced by a new Governor called Festus.

• In chapter 25 and verse 2 before Festus he has time to unpack his suitcase,

• The Jews were in to see him, putting pressure on him regarding the apostle Paul.

• And they are demanding Paul be delivered over to them.

• The Jews of that city hate Paul,

• Because Paul had been one of them!

• But now he was preaching the good news of Jesus!

Ill:

• Over lockdown I have regularly gone up to speakers’ corner on a Sunday afternoon,

• It is a hive of activity between the good, bad, weird and ugly.

• The bulk of people there are representing Islam or Christianity.

• But there are a couple of people who the crowd really hate,

• And I mean hate, aggressive, abusive language and at times violence.

• The ones who are hated are the Moslem converts to Christianity.

• TRANSITION: The Jews hate the apostle Paul because he used to be one of them,

• Yet he now preaches another gospel, another message and they cannot handle it.

The Emperor Nero has made Festus the new Governor of Syria and Palestine.