Sermon: Acts 26:1-32; "I Consider Myself Fortunate"
Date: November 13, 2016
Pastor: Michael Howard


Scriptures: Acts 25:23-27; Acts 26:1-32 (ESV)

1 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am
going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,
3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies
of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own
nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.
5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that
according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by
God to our fathers,
7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night
and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the
name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in
prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were
put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them
blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign
cities.

12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and
commission of the chief priests.
13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the
sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me.
14 And when we had 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 goads.’
15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you
are persecuting.
16 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,
17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am
sending you
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.’

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.
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.”

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.”
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.
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?”
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.”

30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting
with them.
31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing
nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.”
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had
not appealed to Caesar.”


Cowboy Church of Ennis Texas
A Church of the Western Heritage Culture
Committed to serving people with the Good News of Jesus Christ

website: http://www.cowboychurchofennis.com