In our
text today we hear about Herod Agrippa II.
Agrippa
was educated at the court of the Roman Emperor Claudius, and at the time of his father's death
he was only seventeen years old.
Flavius
Josephus, the
Jewish historian, repeats the gossip that Agrippa was in an incestuous relationship with his own sister,
Berenice.
It was
before him and his sister Berenice that, according to the New Testament, Paul the Apostle pleaded his case at Caesarea Maritima, possibly in 59AD.
He had
a great intimacy with the historian Josephus, having supplied him with information
for his history, Antiquities
of the Jews.
Josephus preserved two of the letters he received from Agrippa.
According
to Photius, Agrippa died, childless, during the
reign of Emporer Trajan, around 94 years old.
He was
the last prince of the house of Herod.
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When Martin Luther tacked up his 95 theses in
Wittenburg, Germany (This is the 500th anniversary this year btw)
& word got back to Rome Luther was called a heretic & all he wanted was
an opportunity to defend himself biblically but no one wanted to hear him, like
Paul here.
After
finally receiving an opportunity to plead his case before King Agrippa, Paul
instead chooses to share the story of his miraculous conversion to
Christianity. Why would he do that? It seems that Jesus is the hero of
Paul’s story. His life focuses on the message of the cross, offensive to
some and unbelievable to others. Through it all, Paul focuses on Jesus and the
eternity He offers rather than the temporary consequences of this life. It is
all about Jesus!
Think back over your conversations and stories
the past few weeks. Who is the focus of your attention and hero of your
stories? When you’ve been accused falsely of something you didn’t do, how do
you react? With anger, blame, frustration?
This chapter tells us of Agrippa the almost
convert! – Sometimes in a golf tournament, basketball game or the Superbowl the
game can be lost by just a point or two, this small difference between winning
& losing & how that could change your life forever as a winner or
loser, it can be this close & you could still miss it. This is the closest
Agrippa would be to the Gospel, having been told of Salvation by Paul himself
& he passes on it…..
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Paul explained to Agrippa according to the
strictest sect of Judaism he was a Pharisee, upset by the decadence of the
current generation. He wanted revival & re-dedication & yet this zeal
fell into legalism & persecution of others.
In today’s reading, while Paul was giving his
testimony to King Agrippa, the preacher give us more detail of how he
persecuted Christians before he was saved, and how he was an enemy of God’s
people. **Read vs 9-12 again & tell me some of the things Paul did against
Christ & his people.
Paul recalls that:
-
He did many things to oppose Jesus Christ & His
testimony 9
-
He had Christians locked up for their beliefs 10
-
He had them killed for their beliefs 10
-
He testified against them in legal proceedings 10
-
He punished them 11
-
He caused some to blaspheme against God 11
-
He was very angry at them & what they were
teaching 11
-
He traveled to different cities to make their lives
miserable & to persecute them 11-12
What an evil man Paul was before he was saved! How
violently he opposed Jesus & those that trusted him as their Savior &
then even this Paul was saved! He was a new, changed man after his Salvation.
To those that think “I have done wicked things.
There is no hope for God to forgive me.” There is hope! Know that you are a
sinner. Confess your sin honestly to the Lord, & trust that Jesus died for
your sin. Ask him to save you & he will. God forgave wicked Paul & used
him to spread the Gospel & to even write part of the Bible! If God forgave
Paul, He can forgive, save & use you.
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