You are out of your mind.

Introduction:

1. Thus far in Acts we have watched the Gospel move outward in ever increasing westward arcs.
2. Paul has been determined to remain true to his calling. Per Jesus who, "...set his face to go to Jerusalem," Luke 9:51. So also Paul in Acts 19:21:
3. You have to admire Paul because he kept his commitment to Jesus' calling in spite of growing resistance from his enemies.
4. The events of Acts 26 were set up in Acts 21:15 when Paul went to Jerusalem as intended.
• Paul, at the advice of Jerusalem Christians, underwent a 4-day process of Jewish purification. (They thought it would silence the criticisms of Paul.)
• In 21:27, a group of Jews from Asia saw Paul and stirred up a riot against Paul.
• in 21:33 a Roman tribune came and arrested Paul because of the mob scene and the attempts to beat up Paul.
• In Acts 22:25, about to be flogged, Paul asserted his Roman citizenship.
• The Roman tribune wanted to know why the Jewish leaders were so bent on destroying Paul, 22:30.
• When the tribune saw that he couldn't protect Paul as long as he was in public, he took him "to the barracks." At that moment Paul saw a vision of Jesus who said to him, "Keep up your courage!...so you must bear witness also in Rome," 23:11.
• An assassination plot came to the attention of the centurions guarding Paul. The centurion secretly made a plan to remove Paul to Caesarea, southwest of Jerusalem.
• In Caesarea there was a trial before the Governor, Felix, in which the Jews came to accuse Paul, bringing their own lawyer, 24:1.
• Felix asked for a private audience with Paul. Paul's words were frightening to Felix, 24:25-26. Felix also hoped Paul would offer him money.
• Two years passed. Paul might have thought that God was not doing anything. Ever had that feeling?
• In 25:9 Festus asked Paul was asked what legal direction he wished to take. He said, "I am appealing to the emperor." That set in motion Paul's trip to Rome.

I. Agrippa:

1. Festus (who succeeded Felix), had to deal with Paul because Felix cowardly appeased the Jews (24:27).
2. Agrippa said that he wanted to "hear the man Paul myself," 25:22. So he scheduled a meeting with Paul.
3. Apparently Agrippa's interest was political and legal. Why would "the whole Jewish community" be so united in their desire for Paul to be executed?
4. What Agrippa heard was not standard courtroom fare. Paul began, not in Jerusalem where the brouhaha occurred, but in childhood. Maybe it was Paul's way of saying, "Understand me, and you'll understand why these things have happened."
5. Clearly, this "defense" of the Gospel is qualitatively different than any other Paul has made. In this speech, Paul anchors everything to the Resurrection.

II. Personal testimony:

1. In Luke's depiction of Paul's speech to Agrippa, it is apparent that nothing in Paul's life makes sense apart from the divine commission he had been given.
2. Before the commission:
• Paul belonged to the stictest sect of the Jews and lived as a Pharisee.
• He spent the early years of his life in Jerusalem being indoctrinated in the Jewish faith.
• He was devoted, early on, to exterminating the disciples of Jesus. "I was so furiously enraged at them."
3. Willimon writes that Paul's, though subjective, defense was not about feelings. No where does he speak about how Jesus made him feel: saved, joyful, happy, etc.
4. Rather, he talks about his Calling and his obedience to the Call he received. See 26:12-18.
5. The Christian faith is about something which has happened to us.
6. Paul must have felt joy at being God's instrument and at being part of the good news to Israel and the gentiles. Yet the man who testifies before Agrippa does so in chains. He has been beaten, stoned, imprisoned. It would be difficult to claim at that meeting that Jesus had solved all his problems.
7. In various ways we all end up at the Resurrection. When you understand that, you understand the passion of Jesus' disciples.

III. Mixed Reviews:

1. You can expect uniform responses to our testimony. A look at the response that atheist, Richard Dawkins, received makes our diversity apparent.
2. Agrippa represents thoroughly secular thinking.
• Educated in Rome.
• Lived with his sister in what was rumored to be an incestuous relationship.
3. Paul engaged Agrippa directly regarding his (Agrippa's faith).
• "...do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
• Agrippa may have been a Jew who would have been aware of the prophecies about Messiah.
• However, knowing about something and acting on it are two entirely different things.
4. I like what Willimon writes about our testimonies: Too many [people] are either suspicious of or bored by hackneyed, stereotypical accounts of personal conversion experiences tirelessly reiterated or exhibitionistically narrated on television.
• No where does Paul say he was miserable or felt the need for anything else in his life.
• Unlike modern people, Paul did not conceive of religion before or after his Damascus road experience as primarily a mater of self-fulfillment. It was, rather, a matter of obeying God.

Conclusion

1. This account of conversion differs from those of Acts 9 and 22.  In this account the work Paul is to do is the work of turning and enlightening--the central focus of the narrative.
• See 26:19-20.
• It was the commissioning vision in verse 19 that Paul obeyed.
2. The mention of repentance leading to the performance of deeds "worthy of their repentance" is reminiscent of John the Baptist's call to do deeds "worthy of repentance."  Luke 3:8.
3. The defense concludes with the assertion that Paul has always had the help of God in being obedient to his commission.  26:22-23.
4. Agrippa got it. "You're out of your mind if you think you're going to convert me," was Agrippa's response. What is yours?