Caleb Walker

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Copy/Paste Teaching Manuscript Here:

Review: Last week we looked at how Paul gives us an example of how to share our testimony when we saw:

1. God’s intervention in Paul’s conversion (vv. 6-9): He gives God the glory and highlights that God intervened in his life, as he was a sinner. He doesn’t beat around the bush about his sin nature.
2. God’s instruction for Paul’s care (vv. 10-16: He highlighted that God immediately brought someone into his life to do triage-level caring discipleship in his life to get him started in his faith walk.
3. God’s intention for Paul’s calling (vv. 12-21): God had a calling on Paul’s life to take the gospel to the Gentiles, and God has a calling on our lives, to take the gospel to the lost, to share our testimony like Paul, and to do it as a regular lifestyle.
   Title: “Respond”
   Text: Acts 26:19-29
   Memory verse: Acts 26:18, “18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”
   Theme: Believers need to call others to respond to the gospel.
   Introduction: In this week’s lesson we see that Paul was bold with the gospel, even while being legally tried before Jewish king Agrippa. It can be easy to be intimidated by power and position when sharing our testimony with someone else, but like Paul we should press forward through the fear.
   It’s hard when you’re falsely accused like Paul was, and there are a myriad of ways we can respond, some good and some bad.
   Opening Discussion Question: Lifeway’s “Acts 13-28 Leader Guide” asks, “How did you respond the last time someone verbally attacked you? If you could go back, what might you do differently?
   Context:
   Remember Paul barely escaped the plot against him by the Jewish Sanhedrin in chapter 22 and the romans removed him to Caesarea to stand before governor Felix. Paul kept his defense simple; he preached Jesus. Felix delayed his verdict. Paul got a second hearing because Felix was curious about Jesus’ resurrection, but ended the hearing when he felt uncomfortable, and after two years in office with nothing happening Felix left with no decision made regarding Paul. Governor Festus took his place and Paul appealed his case to Caesar. King Herod Agrippa visited and Festus had him hear Paul’s case, since he was more knowledgeable with Judaism, and it didn’t sway Paul’s request. Paul boldly witnessed to him, as well to no avail.

Main Points:
I. The clear APPEAL (Acts 26:19-23)
II. The careless ATTACK (Acts 26:24-26)
III. The careful ASK (Acts 26:27-29)
Lesson:
I. The clear APPEAL (Acts 26:19-23)
A. His clear appeal was fearless (vv. 19-20)
19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
o This was the Agrippa who was from a long family line of opposers to Jesus, dating all the way back to Herod the Great who at Jesus’ birth had multiple babies ruthlessly killed in Bethlehem.
o Paul shared how Jesus turned his life around from persecutor of the church to preacher of the gospel on the Damascus Road.
B. His clear appeal was faithful (vv. 21-23)
21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
o They attacked him for his message.
o Paul preached consistently to all sizes of crowds.
o Jesus was the Messiah who suffered to secure our salvation and He rose the third day.
Paul was faithful to the gospel message in spite of his intimidating audience, given Agrippa’s family’s past history. The long stint in jail did not dampen his bold witness.
Application: We should follow Paul’s example of fearless faithfulness. How could we implement Paul’s fearlessness and faithfulness in our lives?
Transition: #2, To implement this in our lives, let’s pray Acts 26:19 this week in our quiet times with God.
II. The careless ATTACK (Acts 26:24-26)
A. The careless attack’s misdirection (v. 24)
“24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
o Festus gives this careless, emotionally charged response. He didn’t understand the law, but he jumped to make a bold judgment claim when Paul was sharing the gospel. Festus even made the careless accusation that Paul was crazy or brain-fried from too much study. Notice, Paul could not be accused of too little study, however.
B. The carless attack’s deflection (vv. 25-26)
“25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.”
o Paul responds respectfully to this compliment-infused insult. If he had reacted, that may have closed Festus and Agrippa’s ears even more to the message. Paul cited Agrippa’s knowledge of Jesus and the events around his death and resurrection. This was a wise pivot of his address, away from Festus and to Agrippa. Paul was open about his faith, as was the practice of the early church.
Application: Don’t be misdirected or thrown off by the careless responses people give you and even interrupt you with—even insult you with—when sharing the gospel. Stay on message and remain bold and calm.
Transition: Believers need to call others to respond to the gospel through a clear appeal, in spite of a careless attack, and thirdly, through…
III. The careful ASK (Acts 26:27-29)
A. The careful ASK inquired his INTEREST in the gospel (vv. 27-28)
“‘27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’”
o Paul started with a question to ascertain Agrippa’s knowledge and belief of the Bible, specifically if he believed the prophets. If he did, then Paul could move forward with proving how Jesus fulfilled all of the Messianic prophecies. It was more rhetorical because quickly answers the question for Agrippa, “I know that you believe.”
o The work of Christ and the gospel in the doctrine of Evangelism and Missions: Agrippa believed the prophets and had head knowledge of the Bible and Judaism and how Jesus fulfilled the Messianic role, yet there was no regeneration, no life change. For salvation to be real, it takes the doctrine of regeneration. Mark 1:15-18 say, “15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;[a] repent and believe in the gospel.’ 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
o Wayne Grudem says, “Regeneration is a secret act of God in which [H]e imparts new spiritual life to us…we play no active role at all…The sovereign work of God in regeneration was also predicted in the prophecy of Ezekiel. Through him God promised a time in the future when he would give new spiritual life to his people: ‘A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:26-27).” (Systematic Theology, p. 699).
o This is one of [Dr. Caleb Walker’s] favorite doctrines of all.
o Agrippa—being the career politician that he was—dodges the question with a question that Paul persuade him.
B. The careful ASK included an INVITATION to the gospel (v. 29)
“29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
o Paul enthusiastically received Agrippa’s question and erupted by expressing his loving burden not only for Agrippa but for the world, as well, to receive Jesus through the gospel.
o Paul refused to be discouraged. Paul leveraged every circumstance—good or bad—to share the gospel!
o Although Festus and Agrippa concurred that Paul was free to go, they agreed to keep him in chains and give him his hearing before Caesar in Rome. Even though Paul was in chains, God would fulfill His sovereign, good plan for Paul. God was in control.

General Outline:
Title: Respond
Text: Acts 26:19-29
Review:

1. God’s intervention in Paul’s conversion (vv. 6-9)
2. God’s instruction for Paul’s care (vv. 10-16
3. God’s intention for Paul’s calling (vv. 12-21)
   Memory verse: Acts 26:18, “18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”
   Theme: Believers need to call others to respond to the gospel.
   Opening Discussion Question: Lifeway’s “Acts 13-28 Leader Guide” asks, “How did you respond the last time someone verbally attacked you? If you could go back, what might you do differently?
   Main Points:
   I. The clear APPEAL (Acts 26:19-23)
   II. The careless ATTACK (Acts 26:24-26)
   III. The careful ASK (Acts 26:27-29)
   Lesson:
   I. The clear APPEAL (Acts 26:19-23)
   A. His clear appeal was fearless (vv. 19-20)
   B. His clear appeal was faithful (vv. 21-23)
   II. The careless ATTACK (Acts 26:24-26)
   A. The careless attack’s misdirection (v. 24)
   B. The carless attack’s deflection (vv. 25-26)
   III. The careful ASK (Acts 26:27-29)
   • A. The careful ASK inquired his INTEREST in the gospel (vv. 27-28)

The work of Christ in the gospel and the Doctrine of Regeneration: Wayne Grudem says, “Regeneration is a secret act of God in which [H]e imparts new spiritual life to us…we play no active role at all…The sovereign work of God in regeneration was also predicted in the prophecy of Ezekiel. Through him God promised a time in the future when he would give new spiritual life to his people: ‘A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:26-27).” (Systematic Theology, p. 699).

B. The careful ASK included an INVITATION to the gospel (v. 29)