Theme Week: Review of Paul – Acts 26
Old Testament: Ecclesiastes Intro (below)
Poetry: Psalm 49
In the Movie, Forrest Gump, the titular character, Forrest Gump, met three different Presidents in the Oval office. First, he met President Kennedy while a member of the All-American football team. He later met President Johnson to receive the Medal of Honor. Finally, he met President Nixon to receive an award for player of the year while on the national Table Tennis team. Of course this was all fiction, but wouldn’t it be kind of cool to actually be invited to meet the president?
As we review Paul this week, today we read in Acts 26 that Paul was given a chance to meet, not the president, but the King. Paul appears before King Agrippa. The back story is interesting and you can read about it in Acts 21-26. Here’s the Cliff Notes version: Paul came back to Jerusalem after his third missionary tour, he was accompanied by several people including some Gentile believers in Jesus. Paul went to the Temple to offer a sacrifice of purification (he was still Jewish and did not want to be offensive to his fellow Jews). The Jews who opposed Paul for being a Christian used this event as a chance to try to get rid of Paul and falsely accused him of bringing a Gentile into the temple. Paul was arrested and given multiple trials in several different locations. This gave him a chance to keep giving his testimony and preaching Jesus Christ in all kinds of high places including before the Jewish ruling court, the Roman Governor, the King of Israel and Paul hoped to ultimately be sent to Rome where he could preach the good news of Jesus Christ to Caesar.
In today’s reading Paul is on trial before King Agrippa, but he’s using this as an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to the King. It’s no small irony that in trying to silence Paul and prevent him from preaching Jesus Christ, his enemies actually gave him a huge platform to preach Jesus Christ.
This reading is helpful in that it shows us an example of how Paul preached Jesus Christ. He begins by drawing a point of connection between himself and his audience. He begins by talking about those points that he and King Agrippa both have in common. He shows respect to Agrippa. I think this is so important, especially in today’s world where people are so divided and confrontational. The person of God who seeks to share Christ should treat others with respect. The only difference between you and an unbeliever is faith. You may be the first one who is proclaiming Jesus Christ to another. Don’t demean or put down your audience. Show them respect. Honor what truth they already have, even if it isn’t all the truth that you have. Try to find areas where you can connect with them. Attempt to build a bridge and not a wall.
Paul talks about his credentials as a faithful Jew who followed the Torah all his life. He claims his past and who he was, and then he shares how God has brought something new into his life through faith in Jesus Christ.
-Jeff Fletcher
Reflection Questions
- What key points can be learned from Paul about how to preach Jesus Christ? Of those you list which is an area you you could use some experience or refinement?
- How well do you show respect to unbelievers? Why is it important? What happens when we don’t?
- How are your bridge-building skills? Think of a specific unbeliever you would like to have a conversation with about Jesus. How can you show them respect? What do you have in common already? What pieces of truth might they have that you can acknowledge? Why do they need Jesus? Why do they need you to tell them?
- Where has God placed you to share about His Son?
Ecclesiastes Introduction
Solomon (the teacher), the son of David wrote the book of Ecclesiastes to probe the meaning of life. Solomon attempted to find fulfillment in every pleasure he could imagine – only to find that everything was meaningless. He then pursued accomplishments, and found that they were meaningless as well. In fact, without God, everything is utterly meaningless.
Most of the book is pretty depressing until we get to chapter 12, where Solomon finally revealed his insights in verses 13 and 14, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
-Steve Mattison
Seek Grow Love 