Study #74: Paul appealed to Christ as the reason for all that he did in his life (Acts 25:23

Study #74: Paul appealed to Christ as the reason for all that he did in his life (Acts 25:23 - 26:32)

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Acts, Chapter 2.5: Paul the prisoner witnessed to the Gentile Roman government in Caesarea before traveling to Rome (23:12 - 28:31)

§Complement Introduction: Paul’s nephew helped Paul to escape a Jewish conspiracy to kill him (23:12 - 35)

¶Opposite Paul’s nephew reported the conspiracy to kill Paul to the Roman tribune (23:12 - 22)

¶Opposite The Roman tribune sent Paul to Caesarea under heavy guard (23:23 - 35)

§Complement Body: Paul defended himself before the Roman governors and king Agrippa, who sent him to Rome (24:1 - 27:44)

¶Opposite Paul defended himself before Felix against false accusations from a lawyer hired by the Jews (24:1 - 23)

¶Opposite For two years, Felix tried to persuade Paul to bribe him for freedom, but failed (24:24 - 27)

¶Complement Paul appealed to Caesar to prevent his assassination by Jews on the road to Jerusalem (25:1 - 22)

¶Complement Paul appealed to Christ as the reason for all that he did in his life (25:23 - 26:32)

¶Unique Paul was transported under guard by a ship from Asia Minor, which crashed on the island of Malta (27:1 - 44)

§Unique Conclusion: Paul was transported to Rome by ship, where he explained the Kingdom of God to the Jews of Rome (28:1 - 31)

¶Complement Paul was transported to Rome from Malta on a ship of Alexandria, Egypt (28:1 - 16)

¶Complement Paul explained the Kingdom of God to the Jews of Rome (28:17 - 31)

The text of the third paragraph of the Body Section, arranged by the Golden Ratio design, which is one unique, two complements, and two opposites:

¶Complement Paul appealed to Christ as the reason for all that he did in his life (25:23 - 26:32)

Unique And on the next day, when Agrippa came, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing, with the tribunes, and principal men of the city: at the command of Festus, Paul was brought forth. And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us: you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here: crying that he should not live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself has appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, that, after examination, I might have something to write: for it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner, and not thereby to signify the crimes laid against him.”

Complement Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are allowed to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself, saying, “I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before you touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews: especially because I know you to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews; therefore I urge you to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews (who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify), that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. And now, I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers: to which promise our twelve tribes, serving God earnestly day and night, hope to come; for which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why is it considered incredible by any of you, that God raises the dead? I truly thought with myself, that I should do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. 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 vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly insane against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. Upon this, as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the road a Light from Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus whom you persecute. But rise, and stand upon your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose: to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear to you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send you: to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me.’

Complement Therefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but I showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works demonstrating their repentance. For these causes, the Jews arrested me in the Temple, and prepared to kill me. Therefore having obtained help of God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses said should come: that Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first that would rise from the dead, and would show light to the people, and to the Gentiles.”

Opposite And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Much learning has driven you insane.” But he said, “I am not crazy, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knows of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him: for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Almost you persuade me to be a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

Opposite And when he had spoken this, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them. And when they had gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing worthy of death or of chains.” Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Comments: The Jews today have no answer for the life of the Apostle Paul, who was once a great persecutor of Christian believers: he threw them into prison, and agreed with their execution, for no crime other than being a Christian! He even traveled to foreign cities to arrest them and bring them bound to Jerusalem for punishment.

But then, Saul of Tarsus suddenly changed direction! And over time, he became the greatest Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and also became the most prominent teacher of Christian theology and doctrine, producing 14 letters of the Bible; far more than Peter, who only wrote two letters of the Bible.

How is it possible for this to happen? I’ll tell you how, my friend: Saul of Tarsus met the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus! Such a powerful enemy of God could not have changed direction like that unless he had found evidence that was powerful enough to convince him of the error of his ways.

Saul realized that he had made a horrible mistake, and he believed in Jesus Christ as his Messiah! And instantly, he asked Jesus what he should do.

Paul said, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord; who has enabled me, in that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who before was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and violent; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 1:12-14

God knew what Saul of Tarsus could become; and God wanted to use Saul as a demonstration of his ability to save even the worst of sinners! So He intervened in the life of Saul in this powerful way.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: of whom I am the worst. Nevertheless, I obtained mercy for this reason, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for an example to them who should hereafter believe on him into Everlasting Life.” I Timothy 1:15-16

Unfortunately, God does not do that for everyone! God will not provide a “road to Damascus” experience for every sinner who refuses to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

“Then he said, ‘Therefore I beg you, father, that you would send him to my father’s house: for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of agony.’ Abraham says to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent.’ And he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets; neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.’” Luke 16:27-31

For most sinners, God requires that they exercise faith in Christ and faith in the record of the Holy Scriptures to be saved.

If you believe the Bible and what it says about Jesus Christ: how he came to Earth to be born of a virgin girl, lived a sinless life, was crucified on the cross almost 2,000 years ago to become the Atonement for our sins, was buried, and rose up from the dead on the third day in victory over sin, death, Hell, and the grave; then you will be saved; and have Eternal Life with Jesus Christ in Heaven.

But if you refuse to believe the Gospel, then God will not intervene in your life the same way that He did to Saul of Tarsus! It is possible that God may give you many warnings, both physical and spiritual: accidents, bad health, death in the family, deadly disease like cancer, etc. But if those warnings are ignored, and you continue to run from God, God will let you continue on your way to Hell.

Remember, Saul of Tarsus believed the Bible: the Torah and the rest of the Hebrew Bible, that is. He believed in Jehovah God, but not in Jesus Christ, like many Jews today. His problem was pure ignorance, not hatred of God.

If you are a hater of God and the Bible, do not expect Jesus to appear to you to change your mind! That will not happen! As Abraham said to Dives in Hell, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets; neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.’” Luke 16:27-31

God has given the Holy Scriptures as his authoritative Witness to the nations of his absolute Truth.

“Now to him that is able to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began; but now is made manifest, even by the Scriptures of the Prophets; and according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” Romans 16:25-26.

If you refuse to believe what the Bible says, there is no hope for you, ever, I’m sorry to say. Your future destination will be Hell, and later, the Lake of Fire, forever and ever and ever.

“And I saw a Great White Throne, and him that sat on it; from whose face the earth and the Heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the Books were opened; and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire: this is the second death; and whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

Your unbelief in Jesus Christ and the Bible will be the cause of your own destruction! And you will have no one to blame but yourself!

Thankfully, while there is still life in you, there is still hope for you! Believe NOW in the Lord Jesus Christ! Repent NOW of all of your sins, and turn to Jesus Christ to be saved, so that you might inherit Eternal Life and go to Heaven when you die, and not Hell!

Here is a prayer that you can use to do exactly that:

“Lord Jesus, I know that I have sinned against YOU. I am no good, and you are righteous! You are my only hope for salvation! I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, you were buried, and you rose again from the dead on the third day. I want you to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart right now. Forgive me for all my sins, and save my soul. In the mighty Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!”

If you have turned from your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and only Savior from sin, please message me through Facebook and let me know that you have done that, so that I can pray for you and rejoice with you in what God has done in your life. Amen.