A Inheritance for the Sanctified
Notes
Transcript
Preliminary
Preliminary
We’re going to look at Acts 26 this morning
Read Acts 26:1-29
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 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 voice against them.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
26 For the king knoweth 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.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Introduction
Introduction
Our passage is about a tremendous apostle
The Apostle Paul.
Paul was born in Tarsus (the southern coast of modern-day Turkey) he is sometimes referred to as Saul.
He was trained under the Jerusalem religious leader Gamaliel as a Pharisee.
Was extremely zealous for Judaism and was attempting to purge out those who believed in Jesus to the point of getting permission to pursue them to other towns and territories.
It was in this pursuit of those who believed in Jesus that he has an encounter with Jesus that changes his life.
Can I just say you can talk to people, you can offer all types of defenses and truths and evidences for Christianity - but it will take a personal encounter with Christ - perhaps not as dramatic as Saul’s but yet an encounter with God to change or convince them.
He became a traveling missionary and preacher for the early church
He was also a skilled tentmaker and an articulate debater
Wrote a large portion of the New Testament - several from prison -
He is standing in front of Agrippa and Festus to give a defense for himself. Paul had been falsely accused of some terrible things and during the course of his trials and imprisonment had appealed to Caesar.
Now Agrippa aka Herod Agrippa II was born around A.D. 28 and was the son of Agrippa I but was brought up at the court of the roman emperor Claudius. While there he took the opportunity of representing Jewish causes.
Paul talks to Agrippa as though he is an expert at Jewish customs and laws
3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
It is said that later during the Jewish revolts Agrippa struggled because of his care and concern for the Jewish people but ultimately his loyalty to Rome was just a little stronger.
Josephus tells us that Agrippa corresponded with him on about his book on the Jewish Wars and that he even praised its accuracy and admitted to owning a copy. Agrippa seems to have died around A.D. 93
Agrippa and his sister Bernice had traveled to Caesarea recently to salute Festus (Who had recently been installed as governor of Caesarea)
Now this was two years after Paul’s initial arrest.
When Paul was first arrested about two years prior - his hearings were under the governorship of Felix.
Felix had a terrible downfall as a governor when there was an outbreak of hostilities between Jews and Greeks as Caesarea, both were claiming dominant civil rights in the city.
The reason the Jews had this ideology was due to the fact that Herod the Great - who was a Jew - had rebuilt the city. The Greeks because they had the support of the military and they claimed the city was always meant to be a Gentile city.
Felix intervened and handled this situation by using the Syrian troops and retaliated against the Jews. Many were killed, taken prisoner or plundered of their wealth.
This didn’t set well with the Jews and they sent a delegation to Rome to complain. Felix was called to Rome to give an account. Nero was ready to pass down severe punishment but his brother was able to arbitrate for him.
But in A.D. 60 during the time that Paul was in prison or under some type of arrest in Herod’s Palace at Caesarea
- Felix was replaced by Festus
Felix had the opportunity to free Paul before leaving office - but kept him inprisoned to appease the Jews. One historian said, “Felix needed “all the Jewish mercy he [could] get.” (Arnold, “Acts,” p397)
Not much is known about Festus other than he did not have the Jewish understanding of Agrippa or Felix as he is unable to comprehend either a crucified Messiah or a physical resurrection from the dead and he accuses Paul of being delusional
24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Well Festus was just in a great quandary as to what to do with Paul. There was no real dangerous charges against him, but he knew it pleased the Jewish religious leaders to keep him in prison.
When Agrippa came to town to congratulate him on his recent appointment to governorship Festus took the opportunity to pick his brain a little and ask him what to do.
Agrippa says, - “I would also like to hear the man myself.”
Festus tells him - “Wonderful - tomorrow you will hear him” That is the Gordon unauthorized version but you can find that conversation in chapter 25.
The next day with great pomp they came to the court house and there were a bunch of dignitaries and principle men of the city and Agrippa and his sister Bernice and when finally all that was finished Festus calls for Paul to be brought in.
And that's where our reading beings with Agrippa telling Paul he could speak for himself.
I wish I had time to go into all of what Paul says -
but he basically gives a little of his background and testimony
This is the third time Paul has given his conversion story - this time the emphasis is on the commission given Paul by the risen Jesus
I want you to notice that this commissioning is given in words that are reminiscent of God’s commissioning of the Old Testament prophets.
Like Ezekiel following his vision of the Lord - Paul was directed to rise and stand on his feet (Ezek 2:1)
The emphasis on the Lord’s sending him is characteristic of the call of the prophets - just as is the promise to rescue him from his enemies.
I want to focus our attention for a moment on what Paul says Jesus’ purpose was to appear to him.
Look at Acts 26:16-18.
His task is described with two words
He was first to be a minister - we sometimes think of that term in the sense in which it has become in our day and culture. But the Greek word used here means “subordinate” or “servant” or more literally “steward”
He was made a “steward” of the great truth of what he has seen, heard, and learned.
That word emphasizes his relationship to Jesus Christ. He was to be one who “served” his Master and was faithful to his Master’s commission.
At least five times in his writings Paul refers to himself as a “servant” a minister a steward of what God has entrusted him with.
Application - Can I just say that if you are a Christian this morning - you have had an encounter with Christ. You have seen and heard things. You have been entrusted with things that you are a A minister of, a servant of - a steward of. Being a steward means you are accountable to someone else.
They have a right to audit your books
They have a right to ask you about your actions, attitudes, and behaviors
They have a right to tell you to do things differently
How are you managing not only the truths and encounters you have with Christ - but all you are given? All you possess
Bro. Hurst really challenged us at CPR meeting - it is easy to be “Steward” in name only - but if everything really belongs to God then we take our hands off claim to it completely
Paul said - all that I am is because of Christ - and I am his servant.
The other word that is used is that of Paul’s tasks is that of “Witness” that is the same term we get our word “martyrs’ from - its not just someone who has seen or heard something - but someone who shares what they have seen or heard. Someone who testifies to that truth. They report what happened.
Only Paul could tell about a trip to Damascus and the light shining down and knocking him to the ground and Jesus speaking to him.
Only you can tell about what happened to you. You wasn’t on the road to Damascus - but where were you when you had your encounter with God? What happened when you had your encounter with Jesus?
Paul was ready to share with those on the banks of the river, he was ready to share with those in the temple, He was ready to share with those learned and thinking men on Mars hill, he was ready to share in Agrippa’s stately presence.
Paul’s two tasks of being a steward and a witness was to work in three different ways
It was to open their eyes -
This is figurative language - and is talking of spiritual blindness -
Now for eyes to be opened infers that there are eyes that are darkened. Have you ever heard someone talk and you could tell they really didn’t know what they were talking about? Or they hadn’t read the same history book or commentary as you - maybe you think that of me sometimes lol
But Paul was now to be the conduit of his encounter with Jesus and his stewardship and sharing of that message and truth was to be the healing to the eyes
The god of this world has blinded the eyes of people and Paul in the ministry and witnessing of what he had seen and what he had heard was to be the salve to the eyes that opened them up to understand the gospel and the truth.
Now God can use anything he chooses to bring people to him - but from the Great Commission giving until today - this seems to be the most used method of adding to his church.
Who do you know whose eyes are blinded? Are you being a minister and a witness of your truth and encounters with Jesus to them? Are you giving the TRUTH a chance to open the eyes of those who are blinded?
It is only after the eyes are opened that they can be turned from darkness to light and the power of Satan unto God
This turning is partly repentance - but mostly the power of Salvation.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
This turning produced forgiveness of sins
Oh it is wonderful to be forgiven
I remember years ago when I was a kid my cousin Joni who attended our sister church in Elsberry told us of a scary but interesting tale of a man who went to their church.
He was somewhat of an eccentric man - and often for his testimony he would recite a poem
One Wed night service during testimonies he stood up and recited the poem
Not far from New York, in a cemetery lone,
Close guarding its grave, stands a simple headstone,
And all the inscription is one word alone—
Forgiven.
No sculptor’s fine art hath embellish’d its form,
But constantly there, through the calm and the storm,
It beareth this word from a poor fallen worm—
Forgiven.
It shows not the date of the silent one’s birth,
Reveals not his frailties, nor lies of his worth,
But speaks out the tale from his few feet of earth—
Forgiven.
The death is unmention’d, the name is untold,
Beneath lies the body, corrupted and cold,
Above rests his spirit, at home in the fold—
Forgiven.
And when from the heavens the Lord shall descend,
This stranger shall rise and a glorious end,
Well-known and befriended to sing without end—
Forgiven.
When he finished reciting the poem he slumped down in his seat and was dead.
What a last testimony to give “FORGIVEN”
I had the discussion with my class the other day - what is the basis of our forgiveness?
And their answers where the ones I’ve heard most of my life but are unbiblical and not true
If you are sorry enough
If you beg
If you be good enough
If you repent
While there is an element of truth in all of those - repentance does mean a change of mind and direction
There is a sorrow and remorse for sins committed
We do ask we do seek
but the basis of our forgivness is not in the asking, not in the change of behavior, not in the being sorry enough it is by and only by the crucifixion of the very Son of God that we are forgiven. The shed blood of Christ alone is the basis of our forgiveness.
And when we repent and agree with God about our sins.
I love how only L. B. Hicks put it as he shared his testimony
"As suddenly as the forked lightning, The great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, walked down from a golden altar, walked down a bejeweled stairway and absolved my sins." ...
Forgiven
If you don’t know what it is to have your sins forgiven you are missing out on life.
You don’t have to leave here today without it.
That is what the cross was about
That is how powerful the blood is
That is what you sharing your story can do to others when there eyes are opened.
But its not just forgiven I love that little conjunction “and” There is also an inheritance that is recieved after our eyes are opened
Inheritance
This is mostly an Old Testament thought - the rules governing the basics of inheritance are found in Numbers 27:8-11. Inheritance is thought of typically in terms of the passing on of land, not necessarily personal wealth or other property.
Normally, the land would pass to a man’s sons, but if a man died without leaving a son, his property was transferred to his daughter(s). If he had no daughter, his property was assigned to his brothers. If he had not brothers, his father’s brothers. If there were none of these it was assigned to the nearest relative in his own family group.
Numbers 36 gives some supplementary rule which requires a daughter who inherits property to marry into a family of her father’s tribe, preferably into the family of her father’s brothers.
There was to be no transfer of real property to another family or tribe. - it was to preserve the territorial integrity of the family groups and tribes from when they began to settle in Canaan.
Now before the law of Moses during the times of the Patriarchs we infer that that the firstborn could normally expect to receive the birthright - which often included a double portion of the inheritance.
Deut 25:15-17 brings this into the law of Moses.
We also see in the Old Testament a concept of looking at the inheritance in not only physical terms but in spiritual.
Levi did not recieve a physical inheritance because “the Lord is their inheritance (Dt 18:1-2; Nm 18:8-24)
In Ex 19:6 we find that the whole nation of Israel is called “a kingdom of priests”
David understood this in Psalm 16:5 “5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot.”
It was this beautiful heritage , the Lord Himself in whose presence he found fullness of joy and everlasting pleasures Psalm 16:11 “11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Peter in the New Testament reminds us 1 Peter 2:9 “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
In fact the New Testament gives an even greater spiritual definition
The inheritance of God’s people is the Kingdom of God
1 Corinthians 6:9–10 “9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Eternal Life - Mark 10:17 “17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Salvation - Hebrews 1:14 “14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
The New Heavens and the New Earth Revelation 21:7 “7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”
This inheritance is a blessing 1 Peter 3:9 “9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”
Its certainty rests on the promise of God who gives is Galatians 3:18 “18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
This idea of New Testament spiritual inheritance is mostly by Paul
It is closely interwoven with the substance of the longest and most intricate arguments in his epistles
It appears in the reports of his sermons and this testimony in Acts
It is Paul who alone of all the New Testament writers employs what some have described as the most daring of all theological conceptions - that which is embodied in the celebrated definition of believers as ‘heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.”
To us we thing of heirship as no more than the idea of the acquisition of property by succession - and the idea of succession does not work when we are talking about our eternal God.
Romans had an interesting notion that though the physical person of the deceased had perished, his legal personality had survived and descended unimpaired to his heirs or co-heirs, in whom his identity (so far as the law was concerned) was continued.
He was in law the same person with them.
Another notion of Roman law was that the moment a child was born he was his father’s heir. Paul points out this co-partnership between a father and his children.
With this thought - God does not die for us to inherit all things with Christ. In and through the Father we are already a participator in the family possessions.
Physically absent The Father is still spiritually present - that is a vivid view of the union and relationship of those who are born of God
Peter says we have 1 Peter 1:4 “... an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”
Paul says to those who are sanctified by faith in Christ
We have a great inheritance -