Shalom, everyone. Turn, please, today to Acts chapter 26, and our passage deals with the Apostle Paul, with Shaul, sharing his testimony with King Agrippa. Very interesting chapter. This is a very important chapter because in this chapter, Shaul Paul is presenting the third time the testimony of how did he come to faith in Yeshua, our Messiah. So, listen to these verses, please. I'm reading in Acts chapter 26, beginning with verse 1. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself, 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, 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.

My manner of life for my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews, which knew me from the beginning if they would testify that after the most strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judge for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers, unto which promise are twelve tribes instantly serving God night and day hope to come for which hope's sake king Agrippa I am accused of the Jews why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Yeshua of Nazareth 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 and I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to bless them and.

Being exceedingly mad against them i persecuted them even unto strange cities whereupon as i went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests at midday or 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 and when we were all fallen to the earth I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew tongue Shaul Shaul why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the bricks and I said who art thou Lord and he said I am Yeshua whom thou persecutest 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, delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 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. Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me, 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 prophet and Moses did say should come. That the Messiah should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning doth made thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, But speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

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. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuaded me to be a Christian. 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. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them.

And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar. That is the end of the 26th chapter. That chapter deals with Paul's defending himself before King Agrippa, and the whole chapter 26 is devoted to this one defense of the apostle Paul. Now, you notice that in this chapter, we find out that the Apostle Paul right now, you remember, he's in Caesarea, Caesarea. He's there in bonds. They kept him for a while, there for over two years, when the previous governor have kept him there in the castle in Caesarea.

And now a new governor came by the name of Festus. The previous governor was Felix. And then when Festus became a new governor of the Roman province of Judea, then we have the king coming to have a visit with him, and we saw that in the last verses of chapter 25, where King Agrippa came to visit Festus, and Festus, the governor, shared with Agrippa about this problem that he had, this man by the name of Paul, there was nothing to accuse him. There was no need for him to be in bonds. And for two years, he's in jail there in prison in Qasariah. What shall he do with him?

He wanted the counsel of King Agrippa. And now King Agrippa begin to give Paul, Shaul, an opportunity to speak for himself. Now remember, brothers and sisters, Shaul, Paul is in jail, in prison without nothing wrong that he have done. He was accused. He was in barn but there was no reason in the world for him to be in prison and yet he found himself in that city of kesaria in barn but now he is waiting for the opportunity to speak for himself before. King agrippa and so notice this there are a few points in this chapter the first point that we have is in verses one to three that king agrippa now gives Paul the permission to speak for himself now again this king Agrippa is the last heralds of the herald dynasty he is king Agrippa the second he is the one that is now married to his very own sister can you imagine and his own sister Bernice coming with him she is sitting there he is sitting there and Paul now have to speak to him and to present what he has on his heart now he doesn't need to defend himself you notice that king agrippa says in verse one notice that it says then agrippa said unto Paul you are permitted to speak for yourself now what Paul could say he could say well i haven't done this and i haven't done that he doesn't occupied with anything else he used the opportunity to preach the message of.

The gospel to the king and if you remember it was Yeshua the Messiah who told to hanania in chapter 9 and verse 15 go your way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the goyim the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel now you have the first time and opportunity for Shaul Paul to present the testimony of the Messiahship of Yeshua before the first king King Herod Agrippa II so Paul we read here in verses 1 to 3 first of all in verse 1b Paul is very thankful to Agrippa for the opportunity he says Paul stretched forth his hand and he answered for himself in verse 2 he said I think myself happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things which I am accused of the Jew first thing he's saying to King Agrippa he says I'm very happy that I have this opportunity King Agrippa to speak for myself you notice in verse 1 he lifting up his hand because it says in verse 1b.

He stretched for his hand and he answered for himself now when you think about it he's stretching for his hand but apparently if you will read down in the chapter verse 29 he says i have these bonds so when he's lifting up his hand who knows he must have had both of his hand tied or at least tied to his feet and he's lifting up his hands and he has those bonds those chains upon his hands when he raised his hands that the people will give him audience to what he has to say imagine the kind of in a sense it's a shame for the apostle Paul this servant of the Lord to be in bonds and everybody's watching him and looking at him the king and his sister who is his wife the governor festers the Jewish people who came down from Jerusalem and other of the Roman soldiers everybody's standing there to watch Paul and this man who is in prison what will he say for himself and so we find out here that Paul begin by pointing out also that agrippa notice.

Verse 3 when he speaks to King Agrippa he says especially I have an opportunity I know thee Agrippa to be expert in the customs and questions which are among the Jews wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently apparently King Agrippa II knew very much about the Jewish customs and the knowledge of the word of God the Pharisees teachings and so on he had a lot of knowledge about the Jewish people so Paul is saying to him i'm so happy to be able to express myself because you know all the customs and of the questions and so on that the Jewish people have king agrippa knew very well the Jewish customs and ways so Paul Shaul was telling him and expressing before him how happy he was that he can present the truth of the person of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah before him and defend the truth before this man this king and so now notice brothers and sisters verses 40 11 Paul emphasizes that his manner of life as a Pharisee was known among his own brethren, the nation of Israel.

Everybody knew who Shaul was and what he believed. Notice he's pointing out, first of all, to the past history, before he became a believer. He says in verses 4 and 5, my manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews. He said, everybody knew me from my manner of life, from my youth, my own nation, all knew about it. You remember, he was Shaul from Tarsus, but he grew up in Yerushalayim under the instruction of Rabbi Gamliel. Gamliel taught him. He was a Jewish man while he grew up in Tarsus, but he was taught in the city of Yerushalayim by Gamliel.

Everybody knew Shaul. Oh, Shaul from Tarsus. The Pharisee, everybody knew who Shaul was. He continued, he says in verse 5, which knew me from the beginning. If they would testify that after, listen to these brothers and sisters, that after the most strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. I am a Pharisee. The Hebrew word for Pharisee is parush. Parush really means a scribe, a person who is interpreting the word of God. And he lived a very strict religious lifestyle of the parushim. He was one of a kind, one of those who have lived a strict life as a devoted Jewish man to the truths that he have understood.

So he says everybody knows that. And you notice, brothers and sisters, he never said that they used to be his nation. But the people of Israel are still his nation. Because he said in verse 4, everybody knew for my youth among my own nation, my own people, my own countrymen, at the city of Yerushalayim. All the Jewish people knew that. Again here in the context when he used the word know all the Jews he doesn't speak about every Jewish individual in Israel but he's speaking about the Jewish leaders every time in this context you hear the word the Jews it is the Jewish leaders of Israel who knew the kind of lifestyle that Shaul Paul have lived and so he was a pharisee interesting expression if you just go back for a moment to chapter 22 of this book of Acts in chapter 22 and verse 3 Paul mentioned I am verily a man which am a Jew born of Tarsus a city of Cilicia yet brought up in this city this is Jerusalem at the feet of Gamliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers and was zealous towards God as ye all this day.

I am a Jew. I grew up in Cilicia. This is a city where I came from, Tarsus or Cilicia, but I grew up in the city of Jerusalem under the instruction of Gamliel, Rabban Gamliel, taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the father i know the law i was taught by the law i grew up on a basis of the Torah on a basis of the law and i was zealous towards God now notice if you turn with me to chapter 23 just one more page and verse 6 he there mentioned when Paul perceived that one part were sadducees and the other part was Pharisees, he cried in a council, this is the Sanhedrin, men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, a parush, a son of the Pharisee, ben parush, of the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am called in this question.

You know, there is no doubt whatsoever that Shaul Paul was parush, a Pharisee, part of the religious community of our nation, Israel, in the city of Jerusalem. So he's saying to King Agrippa, everybody knew about me. They know my manner of life. They have observed how I lived. I lived under the strictest customs and rules that we have among our own people, the Jewish people. And he said about himself, if you remember the verses that are found in philippian chapter 3 i often like to repeat those verses because there in philippian 3 verses 4 5 and 6 Paul speaks of himself to the philippian christian to the Gentile believers and he said to them though i might also have confidence in the flesh if any man think that he has something that he can trust in the flesh i have more he said look at this he's saying in verse 5 i was circumcised on the eighth day i am of the stock of Israel i am of the tribe of binyamin i am a Hebrew of the.

Hebrews touching the law i am a pharisee a parush concerning zeal persecuting the assembly the church touching the righteousness which is in the law i was blameless see Paul show us what kind of life he lived before he became a believer in his Messiah his Mashiach our blessed Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah so this is very important as he's testifying before king agrippa so he's looking at the past and he's telling what manner of life he lived before he became a believer now notice that the next verses verses 6 7 and 8 Paul now is being judged for something that Israel the nation is waiting for and they were promised by our forefathers who were promised to the nation that the Messiah will come and that he will be resurrected from among the dead and now they're accusing him because he believed what the Hebrew prophets have said so he's pointing this to King agrippa in verses six and seven and eight and he says now notice he changed from the past to the.

Present in the past i lived as a pharisee under the strict law that was given to us in the present now he's saying to king agrippa i stand and i am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers he says look at this king agrippa i'm being condemned now because i believe at the promise that was made to our own fathers again i want you to notice that he doesn't say their fathers he doesn't say the Jewish people's father he said unto our fathers it was a promise that was given to Paul to Shaul's father just as much as those of us who are Jewish that this is the promises that were given to our forefathers that the Messiah will come that's why we believe that Yeshua Jesus is our Messiah because these promises were given to our forefathers to Abraham to Isaac to Yaakov, Jacob, and all the fathers of the nation of Israel.

And so, in verse 6, it specifically deals with the promises that the Messiah will come. I can give you some verses. For example. Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, the Messiah was called the seed of the woman, Zerah Ha'ishah, in Genesis chapter 22 and verse 18 he is called the seed of Abraham in Genesis chapter 49 he is called the one that's going to come out of Judah he's the seed of Judah the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the lawgiver from between his feet until shiloh will come and unto him shall be the gathering of the nations these are promises that have been given in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Tanakh to our forefathers that the Messiah will come the seed of the woman the seed of Abraham the one who is going to come from the tribe of Judah and the family of jesse and the family of David and on and on these are the promises beloved brothers and sisters that have been given to our forefathers and Shaul Paul stood for that he didn't deviate didn't play religion here he stood on the basis of the abc of the word of God of the Tanakh he doesn't have.

New testament in his hand he cannot open Matthew Mark Luke and John he cannot open Acts and Romans and first and second corinthian but he tell them of what he knew from the Tanakh from the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the promises that were given to our fathers in verse seven it's not only this and listen this is very interesting he says and to which this is Israel the forefathers promise our 12 tribes instantly serving God night and day hope to come for which hope's sake King Agrippa I'm accused of the Jewish leaders now I want you to know this beloved brothers and sisters he says unto which promise our 12 tribes instantly serving God night and day now he used the word 12 tribes at about 722 BC the northern tribes of Israel 10 tribes were taken captive by the Assyria.

And many people over the years today teaching us that there is the lost 10 tribes. But the Bible doesn't teach that. The Apostle Paul says at that time, this is about 50. Something AD, he's speaking about the tribes of Israel, the 12 tribes of Israel worship God night and day well there's no such thing in the theology of the apostle Paul that there are 10 lost tribes whoever is bringing this theology it's not found in the Bible because even though the 10 tribes were carried captives by the assyrian in 722 bc many of them migrated and mingled with the rest of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin like Hannah from the tribe of Asher found in Luke chapter 2 and many others who mingle with the rest of the nation the two tribes and they are part of these 12 tribes that those who believe in the 10 lost tribes and then these all kind of doctrines coming some claim that they are the 10 lost tribe in Britain and other places there's all sort of teaching came over these claims that the lost tribes well they are not lost to God and the apostle Paul apparently knew his word pretty well could not say only two tribes because the other.

Ones are lost he says unto which promise our 12 tribes instantly serving God night and day Why night and day? Because in the Hebrew calendar, the day does not begin in the morning, it began in the evening. It was evening and morning the first day, night and day, night and day, not day and night, but night and day. This is biblical accounting of a full day. It began in the evening and the end at the end of the second day. So it's evening and morning and not morning and evening. Now, just to elaborate this a little bit about this interesting word, the 12 tribes, I would like you just for a moment to turn with me to the book of Yaakov, James chapter 1.

You will notice that Yaakov also, James, his name, his Hebrew name is Yaakov, James in chapter 1 also wrote to the 12 tribes when he was writing his epistle, his letter. James chapter 1, in verse 1, it says here, Yaakov, James, a servant of God, and of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greetings. Yaakov wrote to the twelve tribes. They were scattered, yes, but he knew that those twelve tribes are in existence. There was not, some tribes are lost, and some tribes are not lost. Know as far as the Scripture is concerned the 12 tribes are in existence God knew them and also the people of Israel knew of them even though yes it's true that the 10 tribes were taken captive by the assyrian in 722 bc but they were not lost to God and they were not lost totally from among the nation of Israel.

Let me show you another verse that is interesting. In Matthew chapter 19, if you just turn there for a moment, Yeshua in his life before his death pointed to the 12 tribes in Matthew chapter 19 and verse 28. And Yeshua said unto them, verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me in their regeneration. This is in the Messianic kingdom. When the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you shall sit upon the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Sh'tem esra shivtei Yisrael, we say in Hebrew, the twelve tribes of Israel. So there are 12 tribes, and even though with all the dispersion of the northern tribes, later on the southern tribes, by the Babylonians, over the generation, God preserved the 12 tribes, and ultimately, in the regeneration in a Messianic kingdom, all those 12 tribes will participate in the Messianic kingdom.

That will be a wonderful day to come, what a day that will be when Israel, the nation, will gather, And everyone from the tribes of Israel will be part of the future day. Now, one more verse to read here. The last verse about this, I want to read in Revelation 21. In the eternal order, beloved brothers and sisters, we can see the 12 tribes of Israel, also their names are mentioned, even in the future day of the eternal order that we have from chapter 21. And I'm reading in verse 12. And had a wall, this is the heavenly city of Jerusalem, great and high. And had twelve gates, and at the gate twelve angels.

And the name was written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. God ever see his nation, his people, even though they are scattered and divided. He sees them as a unity, one company, the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. So, Paul, speaking to King Agrippa, he says, King Agrippa, I'm telling you, I'm being condemned today because I believe in the promises that God had given to my forefathers, to our nation, concerning, number one, the coming of the Messiah, and then the promises that the twelve tribes of Israel. But even more, now he says in verse 8, why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?

King Agrippa, we believe in the resurrection of the Messiah and in the resurrection of the coming day of all those that have trusted in God and in Yeshua the Messiah. And you know the resurrection of the Messiah was taught in the Hebrew Scriptures Isaiah 53 where God spoke about the death of the Messiah and he promised to Yeshua the Messiah he shall see his seed he's speaking about the resurrection of the Messiah you notice Isaiah 53 10 it says yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he has put him to grief this is the Messiah in his death when you shall make his soul an offering for sin when he finished the work on the cross he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand in other words the Messiah Yeshua will be resurrected and he will prolong his days if he died yes he did but his days will be prolonged because God is going to resurrect Yeshua the Messiah from among the dead and that resurrection had been promised Isaiah 53 10 Psalm 16 10 the resurrection of the dead in Daniel chapter 12 and verses 1 and 2 and Isaiah 26.

There are many many passages that speaks about the resurrection of the Messiah but also the resurrection of the believers who believed in Yeshua the Messiah well this is those verses in verses 4 to 5 he look at the past now he's turning to the present and he says look what i'm being accused of. Because I believe that Yeshua is the Messiah and that he had risen from among the dead. Now, brothers and sisters, I can assure you that you probably feel very much the same. When we today, those of us who are Jewish here, when we speak to our people, they are saying to us the very same thing today.

They say, how could you believe that Yeshua is the Messiah? Well, I tell you how. And I open the text from the Bible and I show you why I believe that Yeshua is the Messiah because their forefathers our own forefathers received this information it is in the word of God the problem is not with the believer the problem is with those who reject the simple a b c that is given to us in God's holy word so now in verse 9 10 and 11 Paul confess to his own persecution you know i'm sure that throughout the history of the life of Shaul Paul He always remembered what he had done to his Jewish brethren when he persecuted some of them unto death because he thought that he is doing the right thing for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

And he brings this here in his testimony. First of all, in verse 9, he was so hostile to the name of Yeshua from Nazareth. He says i verily thought with myself that i ought to do many things contrary to the name of Yeshua minatzeret you know i felt that i have to be against the name of Yeshua notice it used the word the name you know this is a despised name today people despise the name of Jesus of Yeshua and it started years ago when Yeshua was on earth among our own nation of Israel he was not acknowledged rejected by our own people rejected today by the nations of the world don't tell me about this Jesus I don't want to hear about this Yeshua I have nothing to do with his name with his person and yet beloved brothers and sisters the Bible say There is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved.

Acts chapter 4 and verse 12. We have many passages in the Scripture and God says that he will give him a name that is above every name. That the name of Yeshua, Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. That Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And Paul was not this friend before he became a believer. He was contrary to the name of Yeshua. And notice, he doesn't only say Yeshua, but Yeshua from Nazareth, from Nazareth. Min-Nazareth in Hebrew. Nazareth, it is a city in Galilee, a small town, insignificant, unimportant. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?

We were told that the question was come. And yes, the good thing that come out of Nazareth is that man, that lover of our soul, the son of God, the Mashiach of Israel, who came, was born in Bethlehem, but lived his life in the city of Nazareth in obscurity, in humility, in simplicity. The word netzer it's a shoot that come out of the ground in his lowliness he grew up in submissiveness to his family to his mother and to his stepfather in obedience to God what a man he was but here we have Shaul contrary to the man from netzeret and that's why he was so much offended when Jewish believers had followed this man from Nazareth so he said I thought that I would be contrary in verse 9 to the name of Yeshua from Nazareth notice what he says in verse 10 I voted at a time when there was accusing Stephen which thing I also did in Yerushalayim and many of the saints I shut up in prison having received authority of the chief priests and when they were put to death i gave my voice or my vote against them in other words in olden time they used to give votes against those against and for you know so when in the sanhedrin when there was the voting against the Jewish believers Paul said i cast a vote.

I voted against those Jewish people who believe in Yeshua i voted for persecution of those people And notice that he used this expression here, I did shut up in prison, and then I received authority from the chief priest. In other words, they gave him letters and so on. And when they were put to death, now here we learn something we don't have in other passages. Apparently, first century Jewish believers, and I'm emphasizing Jewish believers because at that time the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin didn't deal with non-Jewish people. They dealt with those of their own who have gone astray and therefore what he's really saying here some of them have been put to death and he says i voted for that thing to happen he participated in persecution of Hebrew believers in Yeshua the Messiah i want again and again to underline that Shaul did not persecute Gentile Christians, but Jewish Christians.

He didn't persecute non-Jewish believers, but he persecuted Jewish believers of his own people. And how do we know it? Look at the next verse, beloved brothers and sisters, verse 11. He punished Jewish believers that confessed that Yeshua is the Messiah by compelling them, by going against them, by persecuting them. Notice that verse 11, I punish them often in every synagogue. Now, who go to the synagogue? Only Jewish people going to the synagogue. We're not talking about any church group here, because apparently in first century, Jewish believers still went to the synagogue. It was a time of transition that they need to understand that now in the body of Christ.

The body of Messiah, Jewish and non-Jewish people are united in one body. They needed to understand but they were in the process of maturity they still went to the synagogue and as they go to the synagogue they were sitting among their Jewish brethren who did not believe as yet and they were worshiping God in that way but they believed that Yeshua was the Messiah so Shaul he said in verse 11 i punished them often in every synagogue so notice every synagogue it was not only one synagogue, it was going from synagogue to synagogue, in Hebrew we call it Beit Knesset, a place of the gathering of our Jewish people, Beit Knesset, from Beit Knesset to Beit Knesset, from synagogue to synagogue, and what did he do?

Number one, he compelled them to blaspheme, in other words, what he wanted them to do, he forced them to blaspheme against the name of Yeshua now apparently they didn't because when they didn't they end up being in prison and. Some lost their life but he forced them he sought to compel them to bless him the name of Yeshua the Messiah and then notice that he was exceedingly against them that was his life mission to go against these Hebrew believers and then notice it said at the end I was persecuting them even unto the strange cities now again i want you to notice it's not one city but many cities you know we always read Damascus so you've gone to Damascus one city of Damascus but that is not so long before he have arrived to Damascus to persecute those Jewish brethren of his who believe in Yeshua he has gone to many other cities and to many other synagogues seeking to persecute those early first century Jewish believers in Yeshua the Messiah so it is interesting to see how much information we get here from Shaul Paul as he testified here before King Agrippa so we move on now in the next portion of this chapter from verse 12 to verse 18 Paul now once again has an.

Opportunity to rehearse his Damascus experience he is now telling the story you know this is very important for us to do in our life when somebody asks us about what we believe and why we believe in whom we believe we don't need to know to be scholars we only need to be faithful to what we do know i know that once i was blind and now i see i know that once i was lost and now i am found and we tell how we became believers in Yeshua the Messiah and every time we rehearse the story it become again precious to our hearts and i'm sure you can remember and i remember the days when I have been exposed to the message of the gospel and I tell you I'm Jewish in the beginning I said I don't want to hear about that I'm Jewish I'm not going to do such a thing why my grandfather is not a believer in Yeshua if Yeshua is the Messiah why my family are not believers and I was.

Really resisting the message it had been proclaimed to me because I said I'm Jewish I don't believe in this stuff and we believe in the true and living God and the God of Abraham Yitzhak the Yaakov the God of Israel well the truth of the matter is that Yeshua is the one whom the God of Abraham Yitzhak and Yaakov have promised that he will come that he will pay for the penalty of our sin and sins and that he will save not only Israel but the nations of the world just open the prophets just read it in the Hebrew Tanakh and the Hebrew Nevi'im and Ketuvim.

It is right there in the Scripture. So Paul is saying in verse 12, whereupon as I went to Damascus, look what happened to me, King Agrippa. I went with authority and a commission from the chief priest. Apparently he became responsible over the persecution of his Jewish brethren who believe in Yeshua. That was his mission. I got letters. I've been commissioned. I had authority to do what I am doing. But then. Look what happened to me, King Agrippa. 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. And when we were all fallen to the earth i heard a voice speaking up to me in the Hebrew tongue language in English why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks and i said who are thou Lord and he said i am Yeshua whom you persecute ani Yeshua asher atarodefoto it's in Hebrew but he says rise stand upon thy feet for i have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a servant and a witness both of these things which thou has seen and of those things in the which i will appear unto thee delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles and to whom now i send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from power of Satan unto God they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified.

By faith that is in me so what Shaul Paul did here he simply rehearsed again of his experience on the way to Damascus that is found in Acts chapter 9 what I like about this is there is always a progression when Shaul Paul had actually experienced this in chapter 9 in verse 3 he only saw a light according to the experience that we read in Acts chapter 9 and verse 3 but then when he shared this in chapter 22 he didn't say I've seen a light I've seen a great light Acts chapter 22 and verse 6 but now this is the third time and he is now does not only say a light he doesn't only say a great light but he says i saw in a way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun so it seemed to be beloved brothers and sisters that there is a progression in the appreciation by Shaul Paul of the person and the work of Yeshua the Messiah that light that is.

Brighter than the sun it could only be the shekinah the shekinah glory of God the manifest shekinah glory that God revealed to Shaul Paul on the way to Damascus a light Acts 9 3 a great light Acts 22 6 a light above the brightness of the sun Acts 26 in verse 13 you can see a growth and appreciation and it should be with us as well i hope that the Lord will help us to appreciate Yeshua and the work that he has done for us and his glory the son of God God the son who became a man and has suffered for our sins and now he's resurrected and seated at the right hand of the majesty on high interceding on our behalf it is a wonderful thought to meditate upon to appreciate the Lord Yeshua the Messiah in the testimony and what Yeshua told him he says Shaul Shaul why lama tir defeni why do you persecute me when Paul Shaul was persecuting his Jewish brethren.

He was actually persecuting the head of the body who is in heaven every time there is a persecution of the believers here on earth it's always a persecution of the Messiah as well as the head of the body he is the head the believers are the body the church the assembly is the body and we are linked with him so when there is a persecution of believers is actually a persecution of Yeshua the Messiah so you notice he said to him it is hard for thee to kick against the goads that gold or that pricks is really the sting that a farmer would give to an ox when he found the land or when we sit on a horse and we ride we kick him in the side and what we do is we're poking him so he will be actually active and do faster the work that he has to do well Paul was kicking resisting what Yeshua was doing in his life resisting the message of the gospel he says it.

Is hard for them to kick against the goads is a resisting against the poking of the Lord as he was speaking to him concerning his messiahship and brothers and sisters who of us can say i have never resisted i've accepted the Lord immediately no we resisted the message and i'm sure today as we preach the message of the gospel there are those who resist the message who go against it saying no it's not for me Yeshua is not for me he didn't die for my sins and really it is exactly like Paul Shaul did is kicking against the pricks against the goad that the Lord was sharing through his servants resisting the message of the gospel and so at the end he asked him Lord who are you and Yeshua said to him i am Yeshua whom you are persecuting then he told him arise verse 16 he was sending him to be a messenger of Yeshua the Messiah a minister in order to be a witness unto him and to many of the Gentiles world concerning the person.

Of the Messiah. Notice in verse 17 and 18, he says, I will deliver you from people and from the Gentiles. You know, how many times Yeshua delivered Shaul from all sorts of experiences in his life. One time he was taken as dead. Another time they stoned him. Another time they put him in jail. Every time that in his life he have experienced persecution, but here the Lord promise him i will deliver you from the people this is the Jewish people and from the Gentile this is the goyim the nations and to whom now i'm going to send you Paul i'm going to send you to be a servant and minister to the Gentile to witness to them the message of the gospel what Paul was going to do in his ministry listen brothers and sisters in verse 18 it says here very clearly that he will be the one that will be used by the law to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God notice that the contrast to turn to open.

Their eyes the eyes were shut to turn them from darkness to light they live a dark life like many today who are unbelievers still live in darkness because men love darkness rather than light and then to turn them from the power of Satan to the power of God you know Satan has an amazing power over many who reject God they are oppressed by Satan by the devil they are oppressed by rejection of God of the true and living God they are oppressed they are under the power of Satan instead of being under the power of God and that's the ministry of the apostle of Shaul Paul is to open their eyes is to turn them from darkness to light is to bring them from the power of Satan to the power of God why listen to this at the end of verse 18 that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Yeshua said to Shaul two things here in the last part of verse 18 then we see forgiveness of sins.

How can anyone get forgiveness of sins there is no way to receive forgiveness of sin unless it is through the one who is able to forgive sins only God in a person of the Messiah who died for us on the tree is able to forgive our sins. And then notice that, and also to give them inheritance. Do you know, brothers and sisters, that even though here in this world you might lose a lot, lose friends, lose family, lose a lot of things here in this world because of your faith in the Messiah. But you and I, and every believer, we are ready for the day when God is going to give us that which belong to us in the inheritance the spiritual and heavenly inheritance that the believer in Yeshua will receive notice among them which are set apart sanctify by faith that is in me so just like in Paul's time and Shaul's time 2000 years ago so it is today a person who trusts in Yeshua the Messiah what a challenge it is he number one received forgiveness of sins number two he received inheritance he set apart sanctify for God with all those that trusted and believed in Yeshua the Messiah so look at this he rehearsed before king agrippa the Damascus experience in a simple way he preached the message of the gospel to king Agrippa and to Festus and to those who of course who heard him now let's move on in verses 19 to 23 Paul pointing to the fact that he was obedient to the call that God had given to him he was not disobedient but he was faithful and.

Obedient to the call of the Lord verse 19 whereupon oh king agrippa i was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision i did not rebel when i got this vision i obeyed it but i showed first unto them of Damascus this is the Jewish people in Damascus he shared with them the message and then at Jerusalem we get some information about the fact that he was actually sharing in Jerusalem after he became a believer and throughout the course of judea is judea again to the Jewish community in the area called the judea and unto them that are Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do work that meet for repentance i want you to notice the order the first thing in the preaching of the message of the gospel is repent the Hebrew word is shuvu turn around repent of your sins secondly turn to God and thirdly do the works that meet for repentance now sometimes when we hear some say how to be right with God first of all.

Do good works and then you're going to be forgiven but you notice the order here it's not do good works first it's first repent confess your sins that's the first thing when you confess your sins and you're turning to God, then you are able to do works that are suitable for a repented individual. See the order? This is important. We don't get saved because of good works, but we get saved when we repent and confess our sin and sins. Once we became a believer, then we can do works that are suitable for a person who is a repented person so here is Paul giving us a clear way of how to become a child of God verses 21 he continue and he's saying for these cause the Jews caught me in the temple and went about to kill me in other words again the Jews is a Jewish leader because Paul was Jewish.

So the Jewish leaders caught him and wanted him now to be killed because he preached about Yeshua the Messiah. It was contrary to the leaders of. Israel at that time who did not believe that Yeshua Jesus was the Messiah. In verse 22 he says that he received the help from God. Having therefore obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing balls to small and great saying none other things than those things which the prophets and Moses did say should come you know what in every area of his service if the Lord did not help him he could have not be sustained it is God who helped you know we too in our ministry if we don't get the help of God how can we continue it is God who have to help us because he already said to him in verse 17 he said what Yeshua told him I will deliver you from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom I now send you Shaul I'm going to protect you to take care of you and that's what Paul confessing here in these verses he said that he was protected by.

The Lord himself notice now he says in verse 22b I didn't say anything other than that which the prophets and Moses have spoken about again to remind you brothers and sisters he don't have new testament he only have the Tanakh so he only could read what we read in bereshit in Genesis in the law of Moses or in the prophet he could only read in the text of the Tanakh of the old testament so he has nothing else to preach but that which was given already through the prophets of Israel to our forefathers that's how amazing his testimony towards king agrippa was now in the final portion of the verse 23 Paul preached the resurrection of the Messiah and as he mentioned that the Messiah Christ christos should suffer and that he should be raised first from the dead and it should show light unto the people and unto the Gentiles again he's emphasizing the resurrection of the Messiah you notice that he says in verse 23 and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead.

No one ever rose from the dead to live eternally like the Lord Yeshua the Messiah anyone that rose before died again eliezer lazarus rose he died again and you look at the whole history of old testament and new testament those that were raised from among the dead or raised from the dead they died again but the first one that rose and remain as men is Yeshua the Messiah that's why today we have a man in heaven spirit soul and body a living man in the presence of God in heaven he is the first one of the first resurrection he was the one that is called the first that should rise from the dead and then that he would show light unto the people and also unto the Gentiles now listen to the conclusion of the testifying of Paul before agrippa now he's immediately directing himself to festus and king agrippa and look at the conclusion here in these verses this is verses 24 to the end of the chapter Paul now challenges the governor festus and he respond to.

Festus and Agrippa. Look at the challenge. It says now in verse 24, that as he spoke for himself, Festus, this is the governor, said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning does make thee mad. Paul, you're crazy. What are you talking about? The resurrection? Paul, you are mad. You are beside yourself. You are crazy. You know, he was following in the first step of his Messiah, because when our Lord was here, they also said about the Lord in John 10 and verse 20, he's beside himself. He's not normal of what he said. He's claiming to be the Messiah. He is beside himself Festus said to Paul you are beside yourself you are crazy what are you talking about I'll just quote John 10 and verse 20 where the leaders of Israel said about Yeshua the Messiah many of them said he hath a demon he is mad why do you hear him they said about Yeshua when he was in the temple in the feast of Hanukkah He's mad.

He's not normal. What does he say claiming to be the Messiah? Well, with Shaul, Paul, it was the same thing. They look at him and Festus says to him, Paul, you are mad. You are beside yourself. Much learning does make them mad. You have learned too much. You read too much. You know, this is the very same thing that they said about you and I. When I began to read my Bible, people said, you're crazy. Why do you read about this Bible, about this Jesus, about this God? Why do you need it? Read newspaper. You'll do better off, they say. Read all sorts of things, but don't read this book.

You're crazy. And then you come and telling us about this Yeshua from Nazareth who died for me on the tree and that I need to confess my sins. You're crazy. Don't give me this nonsense people say to us. Well, they said it about Yeshua, John 10, 20. They're saying it about Shaul, Paul, Acts chapter 26, and here in verse 24, also in Corinthian, Paul speaking about himself, I'm beside myself, I'd rather be beside myself in knowing the truth of God than being normal, as one calls it, and reject the things of God. I think I shared this story when I was in one of the provinces here in Canada, and I went to speak to someone concerning the ministry and i remember i saw somebody carrying a sign in the public place and in the sign in the front of the sign he said i am a fool for Jesus but then as they turn around and they look at the back of the sign the sign said whose fool are you for if you're not fool for Yeshua you're going to be a fool for somebody else and it's better to be beside myself or beside yourself Paul following the word of God and following Yeshua the Messiah but now notice the response of Paul in verse 25 and he said unto him I am not mad of beside myself most noble festus.

But I speak forth the words of truth and soberness listen beloved brothers and sisters to speak the word of God it's the word of truth it's a word of soberness that's what it is because Paul said else was in Roman let God be true and every man a liar God's word is truth it does not change we need to conform to his word and submit to his authority notice he respects his position as a governor and says And most noble friends, I'm not mad. I speak to you the words of truth and of soberness. And then he turned to King Agrippa, who sat there. And he said, 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.

King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe, Shaul Paul said. As he was speaking to Festus, he was turning now to Agrippa, the king. And he says, listen, all these things that happened about the Messiah coming to this world and his death on the tree and his resurrection and all the truths that King Agrippa knew among our Jewish people, he knew all these things. He said, this thing had been not done in secret places. It was done publicly. It was not done in a corner. And then he asked the question, King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? And he said, I know that you believe the prophets.

Paul knew that King Herod Agrippa II understood so much about the religious, the faith of our forefathers. He knew that he was the king. He knew that, but he rejected those things. Of the very lifestyle that he lived, it proved that he rejected those things. So here's that famous verse where King Agrippa said unto Paul in verse 28, Almost thou had persuaded me to become a Christian. Now we use this in a gospel message. Are you in or are you out? Are you saved or are you lost? Are you a believer or you are an unbeliever? Are you going to heaven or are you going to hell?

Almost is not enough. Almost is short of what you need to be. You're either in or out. You're either wise or you're foolish. You cannot be almost. You got to be in. You got to be saved. You got to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah. There is no such a thing as almost. But I wanted to see. I know we use it in the gospel in that way. But really what King Agrippa was saying here to Shaul Paul. Do you think, Shaul Paul, that with a little bit of persuasion you would make me a christian do you really think Paul that all the words that you spoke to me right now will persuade me to become a christian you know there are three times the word christian mentioned in the new testament it's the Hebrew word Messiah follower the word for christian come from the Greek christos and it simply means faith in Mashiach in Christ come from the Hebrew word Mashiach in English we say it Messiah in Hebrew we say Mashiach so he's really saying to Paul do you think Paul that with this little persuasion that you are doing here speaking those words to me i will become a Messiah follower he was actually putting a seal of doom upon himself by rejection of the message of the apostle Paul concerning the gospel what really king Agrippa did he really condemned himself to go to eternal separation from God it was Yeshua who said in John chapter 3 and verse 18.

He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil for everyone that do is evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deed should be reproved look at verse 36 of the same passage i read John chapter 3, verse 18, 19, and 20. Look what it says in verse 36 of John 3. He that believeth on the Son has everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

What King Agrippa did here, he really said to Paul, do you think that with little persuasions of words you would make me a Mashiach follower he mocked at the testimony of Shaul Paul concerning the work of Yeshua the Messiah the person and the work of Yeshua the Messiah and by this beloved brothers and sisters he really sealed his destiny he rejected the offer of the gospel and he will ultimately will spend eternity away from the presence of the Lord i said. To you that there are three times the word christian or christianos in Greek in Hebrew mentioned in the new testament the first time it's mentioned is in act chapter 11 and verse 26 there the first believers were called christian Messiah followers and it's mentioned and also So Peter mentioned that in 1 Peter 4 and verse 16 about the suffering Jewish believers, Messianic Jews who suffered as Messiah followers.

And this is the third time that the word Christian or Meshichi is mentioned in the Brit HaChadasha in the New Testament. Now let me close that here with the last verses 29 to 32 when he said to him, you almost persuaded me to become a Christian. Paul said unto him, I wish to God that not only you, King Agrippa, but all that hear me would be as I am. I wish that all of you, King Agrippa, and all that hear me will be just like me, a forgiving sinner. One that is now right with God because of Yeshua the Messiah. A believer in Yeshua the Messiah. That's what Paul is saying.

I wish that you, King Agrippa, and that all those who hear me will be just like me, a forgiving sinner that had been forgiven and now no more condemned but a child of God. And he says the only one thing that I don't wish on you, King Agrippa, and those that hear me, not to have those bonds, not to be in prison here with those bonds on my hands and my feet, but to be a free man who is a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah. So when he closed, when he finished to speak, it says in verse 30 that the king got up. He must have been mad, not happy at all.

The governor, this is Festus, he got up also. Bernice, this is his wife, who is his sister. It says when they were gone aside, they went to the side and they began to talk with each other about Shaul Paul's testimony. And they said, this man really, maybe he's mad, but this man, he's not worthy of death and not worthy of being in bonds. He says, really, there's nothing for us to accuse him. He may be mad, he may be crazy, believe in Yeshua from Nazareth and the resurrection, but he hasn't done anything wrong. And you know what they decided? And that's the conclusion of our chapter, verse 32 then Agrippa said to Festus the governor this man might have been set at liberty he could have been free right now but if he had not appealed unto Caesar you remember earlier he said that I want to go to Caesar I do not want to be judged by anybody else I'm going to go to Caesar but it is interesting because that was actually a fulfillment of what Yeshua told him in Acts chapter 23 that he will be a testimony to him not only here in Jerusalem but even in Rome.

In the book of Acts in chapter 23 Yeshua himself told him that he stood by him and he said be of good cheer Paul for you as you have testified on me here in Jerusalem you also must bear witness also of me at Rome. And so Shaul Paul will end up going towards the city of Rome, testifying in the city of Rome concerning the person and the work of Yeshua, the Messiah. Brothers and sisters, I'm telling you how precious it has been just to see Shaul Paul's testifying concerning the Messiah Yeshua and what he have done for him before. A king, a governor, a soldier's Jewish community, he testified concerning the person and the work of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach.

May the Lord bless these thoughts to all of us and encourage us also when we have an opportunity to testify to the name of Yeshua the Messiah.