Acts - Week 17 (26:12-18)

This is ERC Sundays, the messages at Emmaus Rd.

Church in DeWitt, Iowa. ERC is a Church of people

striving to grow in Jesus and make him known to others through

our faith, words and actions. Find out more about our church

at emmausrdonline.org. Here's this week's message from.

Someone who attends our church. Someone that I have.

A relationship with they sent me this question.

This may be broad and weird. What does a Christian do that

defines him outside of church? Whoa, how would you answer that

question if someone in your life asked you?

You're a Christian? What is in your life?

That defines you outside of being inside these walls on a

Sunday morning. Whoa.

I answered immediately. I had lots of things racing and

I may have overwhelmed this person with the answers that I

had, but I was set on my heels for a second of the answer

between what is true and what they want to hear.

I answer them broad and weird. Maybe there's a lot to it, but

it should also be simple, if that makes sense.

Because first and foremost. How a.

Christian should be defined outside of church is.

By what? Jesus has done on the cross how

that has changed your life forever and then thereby how you

live your life in response to how you've been changed forever.

In a nutshell, that's it right? You should be not even defined

by what you do Bible what Jesus has done then of course that I

gave him. I started working through Romans

8 and because that's like if we could just take one.

I don't, I don't want to blast from the rest of the word of

God, but like if I only had one chapter left in the whole world

and that was all I can keep in the Bible, like Romans, Romans 8

is on that shortlist of everything that we need to like,

still define and anchor our faith in solid gospel doctrine.

So I started working down and just like I was going to text,

text him a verse or two at a time.

And then I wind up like copying and pasting the whole chapter.

I'm just like all of this. It's, it's, it's all of this

right here. And I texted him a couple of the

the fruits of the spirit and the armor of God.

And, and these these things are the signs of how Jesus has

worked and changed and moves in your life.

Those are the things. That should define a Christian

outside of church. Of course we do actions and we

live out our faith, but at the. Root of.

Them should be that gospel truth.

Yes, how we are changed. By the Gospel.

That then informs the good works that God has ordained for us.

So I would challenge you, Church, be ready for this

question from an unbelieving friend, family member, someone

who's wrestling with Are you different?

Has Christ made you different as a Christian?

Are you the salt of the earth? Are you the light of the world?

A world that's shrouded in darkness.

Let's get to our text for today. We're in Acts chapter 26.

Acts 26 · chapter mention

We're going to read verses 12 through 18.

Paul is before Herod Agrippa, the king, king of the region,

and he's defending himself for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus

Christ. That is all he's accused of, is

proclaiming the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And part of his explanation is now for the third time, a third

account in Acts of Paul's conversion, Paul's meeting with

Jesus. And if you go back and and in

the other two instances, the first ones in Acts 9 and then he

retells it to a group of early church believers and now he's.

Retelling it to King. Agrippa we.

Really need all three. Of these scenes, because there's

more detail, there's more nuance, there's more encounter

with Jesus in each and every one of these tellings over over the

book of Acts. So this is Paul before King

Agrippa, relaying his conversion experience, his testimony before

the king, this king. Paul is on trial before.

His great grandfather was Herod at the time of Jesus birth,

demanding that all children two years younger be killed wanting

to weed this new king out. That's that's this current

King's great grandfather. This current King's grandfather

was the Herod on the throne who beheaded John the Baptist.

This King's father was on the throne ordering James beheaded.

He was the first one of the original 12 disciples martyred

James, brother of John. So this throne, this Kingdom,

this seat. Not a fan of Christians?

Not a fan of people who love Jesus?

And this is who Paul is set to testify before Acts 26, starting

at verse 12, reading in Jesus name.

In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority

and Commission of the chief priests.

He's talking about his old life, this connection, this

Commission. He was against the early church.

He was persecuting Christians. So because of this, he was on

his way to Damascus. Verse 13 At midday, O King, I

saw on the way a light from heaven brighter than the sun

that's shown around me and those who journeyed with me.

When we'd all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying

to me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you

persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick

against the goats. I said to him, Who are you,

Lord? The Lord.

Said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise and stand

upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this

purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the

things in which you have seen me, and to those in which I will

appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the

Gentiles to whom I am sending you.

To. Open their eyes so that they may

turn from darkness to light, and 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. This is the word of God.

Holy Spirit, open our hearts and minds, turn us from darkness to

light. This morning, wherever darkness

is still festering in our lives, weed it out, root it out, open

our eyes to see it, and may we run to your light.

In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Jesus has this plan for Paul. He's delivering you from the

people who he was in cahoots with against the early church,

and he has this design of him as a witness, as a servant to open

the eyes. Of the evil.

People who has who have sent you?

That sounds like a dangerous Commission.

It sounds like there's going to be troubles and bumps along the

way. Jesus said something similar to

his disciples in Luke chapter. 21.

Sorry, this clicker is not OK in Luke chapter 21, Jesus said.

Luke 21 · chapter mention

Before all this, they. Will lay their hands on you and

persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons

you will be brought before. Kings and governors.

For my name's sake, this will be your opportunity to bear

witness. This is Jesus's.

Promise. To those who are.

Following him. You will be before kings and

governors. This will be your opportunity to

witness. Knowing that the.

Cause of Christ will eventually triumph in the end, and we can

have confidence in God's sovereignty in that Jesus still

promises. In the short term, some of you

going to. Get arrested.

Some of you going to be persecuted, some of you are

going to be. In a courtroom on trial, and

that will. Be your opportunity to bear

witness to my gospel. I don't think that's the plan

that the disciples. Would have set out for

themselves. It's certainly.

Not the plan that Paul. Set out for himself.

Paul had strategy. Hopefully we've.

Seen that throughout the book of Acts.

You can certainly see it in the letters he wrote to the early

church, the end of Romans, particularly Romans chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

Paul had evangelistic strategy. But God, Jesus, they're the

master planner, what he needs, what he wants, what this warning

is. Heeding them to bear.

The shoes of readiness that are talked about in the armor of God

in Ephesians chapter 6. Finally, be strong in the Lord,

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

in the strength of His might. Put on the whole.

Armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the

schemes of the devil and as shoes.

For your feet having put on the. Readiness given by the Gospel.

Peace. Jesus promised that there would

be trouble, that there would. Be persecution and imprisonment.

But my gospel, my message, my truth readies you for what?

Is to come. I don't think it was Paul's.

Plan to end up. Before Agrippa in this way, I

don't think when God promised him that he would go and testify

in Rome, in Jerusalem, in the ends of the.

Earth. I don't think he drew it up that

it would be literally defending for his life would be the

platform that he would have to bear witness.

Paul got here through Felix. And Festus.

And now Agrippa. He's he's.

Marched through kind of kind of this Court of Appeals, he's

ascending in authority and none of these courts.

Want to condemn him? There's even a passage.

Earlier in. In chapter 26, Felix even admits

to Festus, and then Festus admits to Agrippa.

This man, Paul, this man has done nothing wrong.

I I have nothing to condemn him for.

Sound familiar? That that's that's exactly how

Pilate appealed to the crowds when Jesus was brought before.

I I find no charge to bring against this man.

Paul's walking in. Jesus's footsteps wrongly

accused by a confused. World still stuck.

In darkness, it's been a two year journey through the courts,

in captivity, in imprisonment for Paula even get to this point

before Agrippa, what about you? Do any of you feel like you're

in the middle? Of of a.

Two year detour just from the. Plan that you.

Had drawn up hasn't hasn't gone the way you imagined it.

Or the past, whatever. Six months, one year, 2 years,

whatever. It is Paul's.

In the middle of a two year, a major detour, major crossroads.

I think there's a lot of encouragement and excitement in

this passage. For us to live our lives

expectantly, for us to live our lives readily in the peace that

the gospel brings. Trusting.

Day by day. That God's still ruling and

reigning on the throne. Sure, you can get up in the

morning and pray and make and make a plan.

For your day. But maybe part of that plan,

part of that prayer should maybe be I know that I don't control.

All of what's going to happen today, God, What will happen to

my car, what will happen at work, who I'll see at lunch,

God, would you? Govern my day, Ordain my

appointments my. Meetings with people that I

don't see them as interruptions and irritations, but as

opportunities to be ready with your gospel.

Can we live with that sense of expectancy and readiness?

Paul did these distractions, these detours, did not unfix his

eyes from the original purpose of sharing the gospel.

I think there's five things in just. 2 little verses.

In the middle of this passage that Christ promises will be

done. Through the Gospel.

And that he invites Paul into his work, into his proclamation

of the gospel, and he says this is.

What the gospel? Will do to change lives.

Paul begins to tell his story to Agrippa and he says these words

from Jesus. Jesus's first words again, a

kind invitation after he's been shocked off of his feet,

literally, and blinded. By the glory of God.

Jesus says rise and stand for I have appeared.

To you for this purpose this. Is what we're going to do.

Paul, I'm going to appoint you as a servant and a witness.

The things you have seen about me and those in which I will

appear to you. The first thing that he says he

will do or that Paul is to follow in.

It's to deliver him from your people, the people who are

persecuting me, the people that you're in cahoots with.

They're the ones. To whom I am sending you.

The first. Thing he does is he sends him.

He sends. Paul to go.

And tell the gospel. Is meant to be told our mission.

Is the incarnation of. Jesus, it's a big word, but it

means. To make Jesus known.

To bring. About Christ here on.

Earth, all things good and the knowledge of him.

That is our mission, to know Him.

And make him known. Our mission as a church, as a

people, can never. Be mainly a a come and see

mission. We can't just sit here on Sunday

mornings. Hoping that the rest of the city

decides to magically come and join us, right?

Does anyone think that's a good plan?

We got some. Work to do, buddy.

We'll talk about it. No.

Imagine. Imagine our lives where they are

right now. Imagine if.

There's there's almost 200 of us regularly here on Sunday

mornings, a unified body of believers.

Imagine if we didn't live here. Imagine if God set on our hearts

to come to this town to come to do it.

There's 200 of you. We don't have a building we

don't have. A set gathering, but we have

the. Gospel of Jesus and we are.

Utterly. Convinced that this city is the

mission field. We, beyond the shadow of a

doubt, are to go and proclaim the.

Gospel of Jesus Christ to this city.

None of us live. Here, none of us have jobs.

Here we don't have an. Established church building

here. But beyond the.

Shadow of a doubt. Jesus has sent us to minister

here. What will we do?

We would be asking ourselves what what should we do to reach

this city with the message of Christ?

I think the one of the first steps one of the one of the

first answers to that. Question was well.

We got to, we got to live, we got to provide like we're going

to need to go find jobs, we're going to go need to find a

vocation. To support our livelihoods here.

So we would go out and find jobs, all sorts of jobs.

We have the body of Christ, a whole litany difference of

gifts. And callings and vocations here.

That would be our first thing. Hey everybody, go find a job in

your field. Go find a job that you, that is,

that is your passion. Go find a job that honestly

makes money. Maybe it's not exactly what you

want right now, but to further the mission of Christ to further

this sending from God. We just need to provide.

We need, we need sustenance for our lives.

So we're going to find jobs, we're going to find places to

live. And we're not all going to be

clustered in. We're not just going to go buy

an apartment complex and have three floors of 200.

People of the ERC. Crowd living on this property,

right? No, we're going to be scattered

throughout the city because we have different needs and

different household needs and different structures as as

families and households, right? Those would be the.

Things that we would kind of set and root 1st, right?

Establish a vocation. Establish security.

At home and then we could go to work and then we could bring the

mission. Of the gospel.

Not again, Not within the walls of this building.

We would already be out there. We would be in the lives of

people at the jobs we've found. We would be in the neighborhoods

of people in the homes we're living in.

We're right there now. Fast forward it right now.

Isn't that where we're at right now?

It's not this perspective mission.

We're living it. God has already ordained and put

in place all of those. Things in your.

Life today, so we don't even have those those obstacles

already done. He's he's already taking care of

all of that. Knowing that, knowing his

Providence, his sovereignty over that, all that's left.

Is to go and tell. Not to wait for others to come

and see, but to go and tell. He's already done 90% of what's

necessary for us to be set up and ready to do it.

He's done everything through Jesus on the cross.

But I'm saying practically examine the ways that he's

already provided and set you up to go and tell.

We have to walk out in faith and do it.

So that's the first thing to whom I am sending you.

That's number one #2 is to open their eyes.

Verse 18 To open their eyes so that they may turn from

darkness. To light, Paul writes.

Later in Second Corinthians, he warns in their case.

The God of this world. Satan Satan's the the Lord of.

This world, God of this world now.

In their case. The God of this world has

blinded the minds. Of the unbelievers to.

Keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of

Christ. Who is the image of God?

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ,

says Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus.

Sake. For God, who said Let light

shine out of darkness. Has shown in our.

Hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.

In the face of Christ, the second purpose is to open their

eyes. There's a couple things for us

in this that we pray for God to open the eyes of the blind, but

also that we speak words of truth.

About Christ, so that their eyes are.

Open if. We package a gospel in a nice

little politically. Correct socially acceptable

package. Is that going to open their eyes

to anything or are we just going to feed them the bill of goods

they already got we can't water down?

The gospel, yes. That comes with shame.

And guilt and and. Fear of a past that was lived.

In darkness, without Christ. But the the gospel.

Also gives hope of. Salvation a light.

For a future, we put the truth of Christ into a person's mind

with a testimony. That's exactly what Paul's

doing. Paul's telling Agrippa.

This is how my life was changed. I was the worst.

Amongst. You I was your.

Hit man. I was your go.

To for. Wedding out these.

Followers of Christ and this encounter with Jesus gave me a

complete 180. Can't you see it, Herod?

Can't you see it? The change that has happened to

open their eyes. There's a lot of law.

In that statement there's there's maybe.

A lot of weight that feels like it.

Rests on us to convince someone to come to open their eyes right

To see maybe how they're living is wrong or how the way of Jesus

is right. Don't underestimate the power of

God with a seed of truth planted.

We shouldn't take on more than is our human responsibility.

God, Jesus is not saying. Drag him to the cross and beat

the Bible in their heads until they say yes.

It's not what's happening, so we should not take on more than is

our human responsibility. In in this to open their eyes,

but far more urgently we. Definitely shouldn't take on.

Less we definitely shouldn't take on.

Less. Than the command to.

Show them a life that is worth following.

Christ. To show them a life that.

Has been changed by how we're following Christ.

The third thing, because I think they're different to open their

eyes, there's still there's still a choice, right?

You say you believe God. Well, even.

The demons believe. God and tremble, OK?

Eyes have been opened to the truth of who God.

Is, but there's another. Step, the third step that they

may. Turn from.

Darkness to light from the power of Satan.

To God think about this. Think about a person who's who's

born blind, someone who has never experienced the light of

sight. They live in darkness.

Picture this person sitting sitting in the living room,

sitting on a recliner armchair with an end table next to him

and A and a lamp unlit, sitting in this room in darkness at

night time if you walked. Over to them and turned that

lamp on. Can they see?

Doesn't do anything. Their.

Their life didn't change. At all.

They're living in darkness. Their eyes are effectively shut.

They don't know what light is. They've never even seen it

bringing light. Into their consciousness.

They don't. They don't even know what it is

they need their. Eyes to be opened. 1st to see

the light. That person.

Maybe there's a person in your life who's been spiritually

blind since birth. They don't know what the light

is. They don't know what it is.

They never experienced it. Darkness is their default

position. That's that's where they were

born and raised. That's what feels familiar and

safe. If their eyes are open to know

the light, then they may. Turn from darkness to light.

From the power of Satan. To God in their spiritual.

Blindness people are at. Home in the darkness of sin,

Opening their eyes through the gospel is the only way that they

can then turn from darkness and walk in the light the other.

Part of this subtle. But.

Turning from the power of Satan to God, this is a reminder.

That Satan's only. Real power over us is to.

Twist and distort truth. His only real power is through

lies and deception. That's why I.

Think back to Ephesians 6 this. Armor of God passage put on the

whole Armor of. God, that you may be able to

stand against the schemes of the devil.

The first thing we're charged to put on?

Is the belt of truth. So that we can stand against the

lies. Of the devil, the final thing we

fasten on. Is the.

Sword of the Spirit. Which is the word of God.

That is your. First line of protection.

And is your last swipe of victory against the schemes of

the devil the truth of the Word of God?

Because Satan only knows lies. Finally.

The 4th and 5th are really quick, but the results of these

things, when the gospel is sent, when it goes on mission to open

the eyes of the blind, that they may turn from darkness to light,

when they turn from darkness to light, when we turn from

darkness to light, we receive the forgiveness of sins, and we

receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in

Jesus. Forgiveness wipes away.

All that past. Sin and shame and guilt that was

shrouded in darkness, and it gives the hope.

Of salvation, a place among those who are.

Sanctified by faith in me. So these are the things that are

done through the gospel Christ sends.

He says go and tell of these things, that it would open the

eyes that would turn them from darkness to light.

So that they would. Receive forgiveness so that they

would receive hope for salvation.

This is His great purpose. We don't get it till the very

end of this. Book of.

Acts, but here, Paul. 'S laying it all out on the

line. This is the details of the

mission that Jesus Christ sent me on, and it's how I've lived

my life in the 20. Years since and it's how.

We now as the. Church on Earth are supposed to

wield the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God has eternal things in mind for us to do with His gospel.

These are the things, church, that define the Christian

outside of the walls of Sunday morning.

These are the things that answer that question that was asked of

me earlier this week you encounter.

God. In this way, through these five

things, and then you go and multiply, You bring that to

someone else who doesn't know who's still in darkness.

We go equipped with God's power in obedience to His.

Planned out purposes. Armed with the.

Readiness of the Gospel. To bring his light to a world

that is shrouded in darkness. And the best part?

He's gone before and we get to do it together.

Let's pray. Thanks for listening to ERC

Sundays. To support the work God is doing

an Emmaus Rd. church, visit emmausrdonline.org/giving.