HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TO JESUS CHRIST?
Acts 26:1, 4-5, 9-16, 19-20, 22, 24, 28-29
Dr. Glenn A. Jent, Pastor
INTRODUCTION
In this beautiful passage, Paul gives his testimony before King Agrippa and King Festus. His testimony is fairly brief, to the point, and sets a pattern recommended for all Christians in giving a personal testimony to an unbeliever. Let us look at what he has to say. Then, we will consider the responses in the conclusion.
I. WHAT HIS LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE MEETING JESUS CHRIST (vv.4-11)
1. He was a member of the strictest sect of his religion—a fundamentalist Pharisee.
2. He was the strongest opponent of Christianity—putting many in prison.
3. He had an obsession against Christians—went to foreign cities to persecute them.
His life before meeting Christ was one of fundamentalism, hatred, and obsession. The intensity of his feelings led him to go to foreign cities to persecute and kill those hated, cursed Christians. Does this sound familiar in modern times? Does this sound like the fundamentalist radicals in our day? Yes, their hatred of Christians and Christianity is in the same mold as was Paul. These folk, like Paul, live miserable, tormented lives. Furthermore, the dying testimonies of the Christian martyrs caused him to experience conviction that something was missing in his life.
II. HIS MEETING WITH JESUS CHRIST ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD (vv.12-18)
1. The Light of God shines upon his heart and mind—a confrontation with God.
2. The voice of Jesus Christ convicts him in heart and mind—a reminder of his resisting the conviction sent by God.
3. The rescue of Paul by Jesus Christ occurs immediately—upon obedience to the divine command.
Paul’s conversion, like all conversion experiences, began with a divine confrontation, the light of God shining in the darkness of his life. It involved the voice of God, which convicted him and reminded him of his resistance to previous conviction. It concluded successfully when Jesus Christ rescued him from his sinful rebellion, his obsession and hatred, and his horrible fate of death and destruction.
III. WHAT HIS LIFE WAS LIKE AFTER MEETING JESUS CHRIST (vv.19-23)
1. He was no longer disobedient to the call of God.
2. He preached the Gospel of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, with proofs.
3. He received God’s help to that very day in testifying before both small and great.
After meeting Jesus Christ, Paul sought to be obedient, to be faithful, to His Lord and Master Jesus Christ. He preached that Jesus was the way of life—the only way to God! He called all men and women, boys and girls, to come to God through Jesus.
CONCLUSION
The responses to Paul’s testimony varied from hearer to hearer. Festus called Paul a madman—driven crazy by too much learning. Is that your response to the message of repentance of sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you call the messenger a madman? Do you seek to kill the messenger? Do you, in effect, say that Jesus Christ is a madman?
The second response was from Agrippa, who told Paul that he was unwilling to make a commitment based upon hearing this message for the first time. He implied that he needed more time to think about what he had heard. In the King James translation, the words used to describe Agrippa’s response are “almost you have persuaded me.” Like Agrippa, do you want more time to think about this message? Although there is much “promise,” much “hope” (to use the words of Paul in verse 7), do you need more time? Are you almost persuaded to give your life to Jesus Christ?
Paul’s reply to them and to you is a prayer (Read v. 29). Now, how will you respond?
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