#6 (THE "COURAGE"
SERIES)
"THE COURAGE TO TESTIFY LIKE PAUL"
TEXT:
Acts 26:1-31
INTRO: If you have
ever been in a courtroom during a trial it soon becomes clear that some of the
most important people in the room are the witnesses! A trial is often decided on the basis of
the testimonies of the witnesses.
It is also very interesting that to be a good witness one does not have
to be trained or have to go through a heavy educational processes – in fact,
leading or telling a witness what to do can get you into a lot of trouble in a
court of law! One just has to
testify to what one knows as they have experienced it or witnessed
it!
Today we have turned witnessing for
Christ into an experience like going to college, we have seminars in how to
witness, we hold classes for weeks to train people how to witness, we offer
certificates for those who go through weeks and weeks of evangelism explosion
and other courses designed to make us effective witnesses. I wonder if we have learned the art of
teaching how to witness without actually doing the work of
witnessing?
In a court of law the best witnesses
are those who simply tell what they know and what they have seen, just as the
idea of training a witness can get you into trouble in a real court of law I
sometimes think that too much emphasis on training or needed education for
witnessing can make people believe that they can’t testify for Christ unless
they have had the proper training first! Maybe we need to return to the simple
idea that witnessing is something ALL BELIEVERS CAN AND SHOULD DO ... AS SOON AS
THEY ARE SAVED!
To put it another way: When does a
candle give off light, long after it has burned and learned how give off light
properly or when you first light it?
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches
us that we need to have the courage to witness for Christ from the first day we
are saved, every opportunity in life is an opportunity to witness for Christ and
we need to take all these opportunities!
I. PUBLIC WITNESS 26:1-4
A. Opportunity
26:1-2
1. This was a rough period in Paul's
life, he had actually been arrested years earlier. (see chapter
22ff leading up to this chapter!)
a.
Paul had been transferred from one official to another, trial after trial
without being released!
b.
At each turn his trial got hung up, first with Felix who let him sit in
jail for two years, (See 2:27) then with
Festus the successor to Felix, then Festus consults with King Agrippa and asks
that the king himself oversee a trial for Paul.
c.
At each turn there are weeks, and at times years that go by, with Paul
still left in prison!
2. Paul's first concern at each turn
of events was “how can I use this as a
way to present Christ.”
a.
With Felix he shared about Christ.
b.
With Festus he shared about Christ.
c.
With king Agrippa he does the same, his first concern wasn’t his own
freedom but the freedom that comes to men and women who find Jesus
Christ!
d.
This is where chapter 26 opens up, Paul
is about to tell the king about Jesus! He has the courage to testify about
Christ!
3. As Americans we are good at
supporting missions overseas and having professionals testify for us about
Christ to the heathen around the world, but what about those around us – are we
relying on professionals to testify to them?
ILLUS: YEARS AGO
THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO AMERICA SHARED THIS OBSERVATION, "I MET CHRISTIAN
MISSIONARIES IN CHINA AND BECAME IMPRESSED WITH THEIR RELIGION. WHEN MY COUNTRY SENT ME AS ITS
AMBASSADOR TO CHRISTIAN AMERICA I MADE UP MY MIND TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN AND JOIN
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH THAT ASKED ME.
I HAVE BEEN HERE 3 YEARS AND NO ONE HAS ASKED ME ... NOW I SHALL NOT
COME." WU TING FANG NEVER FOUND
CHRIST BECAUSE NO AMERICANS INTRODUCED HIM TO JESUS, ONLY THE MISSIONARIES IN
CHINA SPOKE OF CHRIST! -- SOURCE
UNKNOWN
4. The real person on trial as far as
Paul was concerned was King Agrippa!
a.
Paul's effectiveness as a Christian was directly related to the way he
used every opportunity to witness about his faith in
Christ!
b.
Witnessing is not a event, it is a
lifestyle!
ILLUS: A CHRISTIAN
WAS ASKING A CHRISTIAN LEADER BEFORE AN AUDIENCE A QUESTION HE HOPED WOULD SHOW
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN TO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD, BUT HE GOT A
SHOCKING RESPONSE; HE ASKED THE LEADER, "DON'T YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL
CHRISTIANS TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD?"
THE MAN'S ANSWER AT FIRST PUT THE WHOLE GROUP OF CHRISTIANS OFF
GUARD, THE LEADER RESPONDED, "NO I DON'T
THINK THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD DO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD, I BELIEVE THAT
CHRISTIANS SHOULD DO EVERYTHING FOR THE LORD, NOT JUST SOMETHING FOR THE
LORD!" -- SOURCE
UNKNOWN
B. Opposition! 26:3-4
1. The reason Paul was witnessing here
was because he was faced with opposition!
a.
Sharing your faith won't always make you
popular!
b.
Paul was so active with his faith that he was on trial, I wonder how many
Christians today if dragged into court for being a Christian would have much
evidence against them, would there even be enough evidence against them to
convict them of being a Christian?
2. Paul understood that every
situation was an opportunity for sharing Christ; who knows when those
opportunities will ever come again!
ILLUS: DWIGHT
MOODY WAS DEEPLY SADDENED BY AN EVENT IN HIS LIFE. HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE MANY
PEOPLE TO ACCEPT CHRIST BUT HE CHOSE TO WAIT ONE MORE DAY. HE HAD BEEN PREACHING IN CHICAGO TO A
GREAT CROWD OF PEOPLE WHEN HE THUNDERED, "I GIVE YOU ONE DAY TO REPENT OF YOUR
SINS." THAT SAME NIGHT THE GREAT
CHICAGO FIRE BROKE OUT AND SOME OF THE VERY PEOPLE TO WHOM MOODY HAD PREACHED
WAS BURNED TO DEATH. SAID MOODY
MANY TIMES LATER, "I HAVE ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE ME FOR GIVING THESE PEOPLE ONE
DAY TO REPENT I SHOULD HAVE SAID, "NOW! NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME!" -- SOURCE
UNKNOWN
3. Opposition can many times be
wonderful opportunities for ministry!
4. Paul understood that life is not
just a time for the Christian to defend themself, it is a time to present the
living God in Christ Jesus to a lost world!
II. PERSONAL WITNESS
26:5-23
A. Opponent 26:5-11
1. What gave Paul the right to be able
to tell other people that they needed Christ ... he had lived where they now
live, as an enemy of God!
a.
This is what gives us all the right to speak to others about their need
of Christ, we have all been sinners in need of salvation, and therefore we are
not talking about something we haven't experienced!
b.
We all have been expert sinners … and so have the right to tell others
about God’s grace to save us from our sins!
2. What gives us credibility when we
witness is often our own personal story, “we have all
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” -- we are expert
witnesses!
a.
Paul doesn't hide his past as a part of his testimony, but he does not
glory in all the evil he did before meeting Christ either, he simply shares
honestly that past, his listeners know it anyway!
b.
Paul's past is a well know reality, he was once one of the most ardent
enemies of Christians and the cross of Jesus Christ.
c.
He shares his past passion for destroying all Christians, his attempts to
get rid of this new faith -- this was very much a part of his previous
life!
3. He is building credibility for the
reality of Jesus' changing power, those who knew you before you were saved, are
they amazed at the transformation of your life now that you are a
believer?
4. God has ways of using the most
ardent opponents of Christianity to speak about God's power to
save!
ILLUS: ONE 19TH
CENTURY NATIVE OF HANOVER, GERMANY ATTEMPTED TO SHOW HIS CONTEMPT FOR JESUS
CHRIST AND THE TEACHING OF CHRISTIANS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION. HE LIVED HIS LIVE TO OPPOSE CHRISTIANS
AND THEIR MESSAGE -- AND EVEN IN DEATH HE HOPED TO GET THE LAST WORD. WHEN HE DIED HE GAVE INSTRUCTIONS THAT
GREAT SLABS OF MARBLE BE LAID ACROSS HIS GRAVE, BOUND TOGETHER WITH IRON BANDS
AND COVERED WITH A GRANITE BOULDER WEIGHING NEARLY 2 TONS. IT BORE THE INSCRIPTION: "THIS GRAVE IS PURCHASED FOR ETERNITY; IT
SHALL NEVER BE OPENED." COULD
GOD STILL MAKE THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS FOR THE TRUTH? YES! A POPLAR SEED BEGAN TO SPROUT WITHIN THE
TOMB AND PRESS ITS WAY UP TOWARD THE LIGHT, GATHERING STRENGTH THROUGH THE YEARS
IT BROKE THE IRON BANDS, MOVED THE BOULDER, AND OPENED UP THE GRAVE! GOD ALWAYS GETS THE LAST WORD! IF A SMALL SEED OF LIFE CAN OPEN A
GRAVE, THINK WHAT THE POWER OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION LIFE ONE DAY WILL DO! -- SOURCE
UNKNOWN
5. Paul shares how Christ changed him,
he who hated Christians even more than his present audience does can testify how
right those Christians are ... he now too is one of
them!
a.
There is power in his testimony because it is a personal
one!
b.
It was not just a message some preacher gave, his life gives evidence to
the changing power of Christ!
c.
It is not likely that one preacher of a Church is going to win the
community; it will be the combined testimonies of changed lives from that
community that will win it ... we are all witnesses for Christ, your
personal testimony is important!
B. Ordained! 26:12-23
1. Paul now shares the second part of
his personal testimony ... the first part was how he was like all of them, but
now he shares how he is different … now he shares how God called him to be one
of the Christians!
a.
In the very midst of fighting against the Lord and His people he had an
encounter with God, no doubt the same story many of us could
share!
b.
It is often the story of many Christians, that when they were fighting
the hardest against becoming saved that they finally found
Christ!
2. Paul shares how Christ revealed
Himself to him, he has a personal encounter with Christ, one that was full of
power and purpose!
a.
Receiving Christ is a powerful experience, you become “born
again,” it IS not just
some intellectual pursuit!
b.
It a life changing event!
3. Paul finally heard Christ even
through his hatred and anger! He
found a Messiah that loved him and chose him to do great things, a God who would
not hold his past against him but would rather make a great man of God out of
him; who could resist this kind of love?
4. How about you? How can you resist the love of Jesus
Christ? Don't you know that it
doesn't matter how much you have worked against God, or how much evil you have
done, that in coming to Christ you are cleansed from all sin and considered
clean by God when you accept Christ's forgiveness?
a.
Paul (like us!) has been ordained by God to share in His love, to be
forgiven and cleansed through Christ’s sacrifice on
Calvary.
b.
Paul (like us!) has been ordained by God to share that love too, to be
courageous in testifying!
5. Paul shares that this was the basis
of his imprisonment, he was obedient to share the message of salvation, his
change was real and the message he spoke was personal and real as
well!
III. POWERFUL WITNESS 26:24-31
A. Outraged! 26:24-26
1. Festus jumps in at this point and
expresses his outrage at Paul for saying that God loved the Gentiles as well as
the Jews, ever mindful of course that he needed the Jewish support to
rule!
a.
While Festus plays political games and expresses outrage to gain
political support, Paul kept on track with his message -- now making it personal
toward Festus!
b.
Paul also makes it clear that he is speaking to all in the
court!
2. The world becomes outraged when we
speak what God's Word says ... because it brings conviction on them. The world has always hoped to prove
Christ and his Word false, but every attempt has
failed!
ILLUS: WHEN JESUS
SAID PROPHETICALLY THAT THE TEMPLE ONCE DESTROYED WOULD NOT BE REBUILT UNTIL THE
LAST DAYS A ROMAN EMPEROR WANTED TO PROVE THE BIBLE AND JESUS WRONG BY
REBUILDING THE TEMPLE. HE MADE 5
ATTEMPTS TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE AND THEREBY PROVE THE PROPHECY WRONG, BUT HE
NEVER SUCCEEDED. CONSTANT
EARTHQUAKES AND FIRES EACH TIME MADE EACH ATTEMPT FUTILE. MAN'S OPPOSITION TO GOD NEVER WORKS! -- SOURCE
UNKNOWN
3. Just remember this, saint, when you
witness for Christ, no matter what kind of opposition you hit you're on the
right side with the right message!
4. Paul certainly couldn't claim any
great results from this testimony he gave, but he was courageous enough to give
it anyway!
a.
Testifying about our faith is our responsibility, it is not about numbers
or even the results, it is about our obedience.
b.
The results are God's!
c.
He will take care of His end of the deal ... IF we take care of our end
of the deal!
5. Paul kept his focus on witnessing
no matter to whom or on what occasion, it is true he used different methods and
styles but he found a way to bring Christ into every opportunity ... DO
WE?
B. Observation
26:27-31
1. Paul puts King Agrippa into a
corner: "King Agrippa, do
you believe the prophets?" -- And before the King could respond he
answered for him -- "I know you do!"
a.
Paul observed how each person was responding and adjusted his message to
confront each one as they needed!
b.
He knew the king would have to say yes to the question about believing
the prophets or he would be in deep trouble with the Jewish contingent in the
courtroom, and by his saying yes Paul could ask why he then didn't believe
too!
c.
Paul had him cornered!
2. But King Agrippa did what many
people do today, he changed the subject or skirted over the
issue.
3. Paul's secret to success is found
in verse 22 "But I have had
God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great
alike. I am saying nothing beyond
what the prophets and Moses said..."
a.
Paul didn't travel outside the bounds of Scripture for proof of why he
believed and neither should we!
b.
But he was not ashamed to testify to anyone, in fact he did to
everyone!
4. It was Paul's prayer that all of
them would become like him -- a Christian, it had cost Paul a great deal and so
it was valuable to him.
a.
Where there is no cost to being a Christian it is not held as very
valuable, nor is there a willingness to sacrifice for
it!
b.
Those things that cost a great deal tend to be held the dearest to
us.
ILLUS: AT AN
INTERNATIONAL GATHERING IN NEW YORK, A YOUNG AMERICAN ASKED A CULTURED YOUNG
WOMAN FROM BURMA ABOUT THE RELIGION IN HER COUNTRY. SHE SAID THAT MOST OF HER PEOPLE WERE
BUDDHISTS. THE YOUNG MAN SAID
RATHER CASUALLY, "OH WELL, I DON'T
SUPPOSE THAT MATTERS MUCH, ALL RELIGIONS ARE ABOUT THE SAME ANYWAY." SHE LOOKED DIRECTLY AT HIM AND SAID, "IF YOU HAD LIVED IN MY COUNTRY YOU WOULD
NOT SAY THAT. I HAVE SEEN WHAT
CENTURIES OF SUPERSTITION, FEAR, AND INDIFFERENCE TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS HAVE DONE
TO MY PEOPLE. WE NEED THE TRUTH OF
CHRISTIANITY. WHEN I BECAME A
CHRISTIAN, IT COST ME SOMETHING. I
SUFFERED LOSS OF FRIENDS, INCOME, AND SOCIAL STANDING. IF YOUR RELIGION HAD COST YOU MORE IT
MIGHT MEAN MORE TOO. MY COUNTRY
NEEDS CHRIST!" -- SOURCE
UNKNOWN
5. Have we learned the courage to
testify like Paul?
CONCLUSION:
To the apostle Paul every circumstance in life; good or bad, was an
opportunity to testify about God's plan of salvation. Though he used different methods and
approaches with different audiences, he always found the courage to testify
about Jesus Christ. We need not ask
God for an opportunity to testify, every moment is a time to witness, we just
need the courage to testify like
Paul!