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From Western South Dakota

No Place On the Earth Like It
Where the Great Plains Prairie & Grassland Meets the Rugged Badlands

Word-for-word transcription of audio sermon - transcribed by Bob Harris

M Paulson
Kadoka, South Dakota


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 Is Paul's Personal Testimony 
Supposed to Be Our Personal Testimony, Too?
Part V

Have You Met a Festus & an Agrippa?
Acts 23,24

And here we are tonight. We’re looking at Acts 24; we’re going through Paul’s testimony; does ours have to match his? No. However, a lot of it’s there. And we looked at Felix this morning, you know. Paul talked to him about righteousness and judgment and temperance. And Felix trembled.

I still believe as you’ll see tonight that the reason he wouldn’t give in to this thing is because Drusilla was there  – Cruella De Ville, whatever, you know. And I did some reading about this stuff. These ladies are all related, and Drusilla and Bernice. And Agrippa and Felix, all these guys – it’s one big happy,   family — so it’s a mess.

So when Paul says what he says about righteousness and judgment, no wonder Felix trembled and wouldn’t dare go along with it, because Cruella De Ville there was making sure he didn’t get into this stuff, because she’s in big trouble too.

So now we get into Festus, and Bernice is actually Agrippa’s wife, and Agrippa is related to them, so Bernice is Cruella De Ville’s sister and messes around with Agrippa, so it’s all family stuff, so it’s all an inside job. It’s just ridiculous. And that’s why he mentions all this stuff; you go back into the Old Testament and you read some of this, and then you’ve got to get into history books. And who knows about all these kings and wives and relatives and stuff like that? They’re there, you know, whatever.

It’s interesting that he mentions Drusilla and Bernice, though, Agrippa says, he almost became a Christian. I think I know why he almost did; he knows better but he wouldn’t dare — she was with him. I really believe that, because I’ve seen that so many times. And when one person in the marriage gets ahold of Paul and the other one doesn’t, it’s going to create huge problems. Some of it’s because the one who gets ahold of the Paul thing starts to do the Paul thing like a Ruckman guy or some Baptist thing and starts really pushing it hard. And you can’t push it on people. I remember from a long time ago that if they don’t see that there’s a problem within the church or a conflict or a contradiction among the preaching and the reading and all that kind of stuff, they’re not going to understand why Paul teaches what he teaches. Anyway, whatever. It’s in there to follow sometimes.

So this begins, and so really this is about Festus and Agrippa; this is about both of them by the time this thing ends up here. So we’ve got Felix whom we talked about in the early sermon this morning. And let’s finish up Acts 24. These guys have some similarities, though, because in Acts 24 it says, but after two years Porcius Festus – and this is not Festus from Gunsmoke for you old folks out there. This is Porcius Festus,  “But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.” And we left this off. Here’s Felix, who really doesn’t think Paul did anything wrong. And Felix has heard about faith in Christ. We talked about that. He’s heard all this stuff. And he hangs out with Paul for a while, says, “We’ll talk again at a convenient time, a more convenient season.” He says "a more convenient season."

When is that?

When your wife is gone, Felix. I understand that.

And he just hoped that when he would come in, because of Paul, he’d make some money off this guy. Well, he waited two years, and the convenient season never rolled around.

Festus comes in, and Felix —  as I said — doesn’t think Paul’s all that bad of a guy. He keeps him bound. Keeps him tied up to show the Jews a pleasure. And isn’t that like your friends? You’re talking to one of the guys, one of the people you know that’s interested in this stuff, and they’re listening to you a little bit. But when his buddies – or her “buddy-ettes” — are there, or if you’re in the church or whatever to show everybody else, the pleasure from like you, or they’ll challenge you, or they’ll ignore you, or they’ll criticize you. They’ll say something or do something that keeps you bound — not physically of course  — but locks you up, ignores you, makes that kind of a scene with you. Why? Because it gives his friends pleasure. It’s that peer pressure thing. Remember when Jesus was with those Pharisees I think it was or somebody, and they all left him and this one guy hung around and, you know, asked him this question and waited for the group to leave. We all know that none of us behave properly when we are in a group; it’s the peer pressure that’s there.

Well, the same thing here. Felix willing to show the Jews a pleasure left Paul bound. Well, Festus does the same thing later on as you’ll see coming up here. So, let’s read about this Festus thing now. Chapter 25. There is a conspiracy against Paul that keeps going you know and Festus says his two cents. And he hears the complaints to Paul, says he’s innocent – we’ll read about that — and denying Festus, willing to Jews a pleasure, you know, kind of stuff, it’s there. Paul’s got a big response here. And then King Agrippa shows up here. King Agrippa.


But anyway, let’s go. Chapter 25, verse 1; here we go. We’ll get through it pretty quick. “Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him.” See, everybody’s just against this guy. Just against Paul. “And desired favour against him –“ oh! “— that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.” So these guys say, “Let’s send this guy to Jerusalem, you know, so we can kill him on the way.” You know. “Yeah, come over to my house. I got the pastor here and I’ve got the church.” “OK, Kirby, and on the way we’ll find something he did wrong down at the store or something.” They’re looking for things — conspiracy to show this stuff about Paul is a joke.

“And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.” Oh. So Festus is going to go. “Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.”

Okay. These guys keep passing the buck, and nobody keeps coming up to stuff. “And when he had tarried among them more than ten days.” Ten days he waited! “He went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.” Look at that, Ten days! “And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.”

You know, where is this — I’m looking for a word in here – well I’ll see it in a minute here. “While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.” I mean, he hasn’t bothered anybody. Unfortunately, we can’t say that; we have said some things to some people that gets around, and our testimony is blown by our life – something, you know, there’s something there.

But Festus” – here it is – “willing to do the general Jews a pleasure, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem” — which he heard earlier: “Get him to go up to Jerusalem, and we’ll kill him on the way.” So, “willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?” Everybody knows what those guys said could not be proven.

“Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.” There it is. “As thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.” Okay, Festus wants to deal with Paul and Paul says, “You know, we’re wasting our time here. I need to talk to Caesar. You guys have nothing against me as thou very well knowest.”

“Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council…” You know, committees – you know, these guys can’t make up their own mind. Pilate: What do you think, people? How do you vote? Festus: I better go talk to the council. “Answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.” Okay, I did a little reading here; Bernice and Agrippa — no way they should be married. This was the second marriage for her, second marriage for Drusilla, they’re related here, they’re sisters; Agrippa is Felix and Drusilla’s son. It was just a mess. It’s a huge mess.

But this Bernice still has an effect here. “And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying.”  Again, “after many days” – the other one was ten days. This other one was two year. Paul’s just wasting a lot of his time, but he has to do it. “Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king.” Verse 14: “saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.” Oh, so Festus knew the law, so that’s good.

Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.” Here we go. “Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed.” They had nothing to say. You know, it’s like when somebody says, “There’s a lot of people who don’t like what you’re saying.” A lot of people, or all the people? “Well the people have in talking.” Well, who are these people? “Well, it’s really just three of them.” Oh, there were three standing there? Which one did the talking? Okay, so maybe there are two of them – maybe one of them not happy with you. Okay, go get them; bring them in here “Uhhh, but, uhh, buuhh – well, no, we’re fine. We have no – well, we’re fine.” I’ve heard that so many times back in those days and still to these days people, somebody says, “Well, you know, the whole community didn’t like what you did.” Oh yeah? I’ve managed to talk to some people who did. Whatever. It’s just always this word “many”, “everybody”, “they” – who’s “they”? “Well, the church family doesn’t like” – well, who’s “the church family” – oh, you mean just him and her? All that kind of stuff.

But had certain questions against him of their own superstition.” In other words they thought he said what he didn’t say. It’s their own superstition; it’s their own thinking. Somebody comes up to you and says, “Well, you know, did you do –“ No, I didn’t say that. I didn’t say it that way; I didn’t mean it that way. It wasn’t put forth that way; where’d you hear that? This is what you think; this is what you think that means by Paul: “So, when you get saved, that means you can do anything you want.” Now, there’s a license, I mean, but they’re coming up “with their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” Well, come on people; everybody in the Christian world thinks that Jesus rose again from the dead. So doesn’t that mean he’s alive today? Well, sure it would. Does it take Paul to teach you that? No. The Gospels say that he died and rose again.

Okay. But what does Paul teach? Oh, that’s right. Paul teaches what he taught after he rose again. Oh, yeah. You would think it would be that simple to get.

And because I doubted of such manner of questions” – this is Festus again – “I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.” Okay. “But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself.” So this Agrippa guy wants to hear what Paul has to say. It’s is none of his business, this is not his jurisdiction as such. He’s just, “I want to hear this stuff.”  “I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.” Okay.


And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice –“ here comes this lady – “with great pomp.”  Big show. You know, it’s like, “Ohhh!” I can just see, you know, “Ohh, what is she doing here? Or what does she want with all this pizzazz?” Even Agrippa’s probably going, “You know, Bernice, you didn’t have to come in like this. It’s just totally –“ but he wouldn’t dare say that.

And was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.” A lot of people there. Big muckety-mucks. “And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me.” Right, there it is again: “Multitude of the Jews.” That’s what I was looking for there. How many is the “multitude”? How many is, “Well, they don’t believe what you say; they don’t like how you’re preaching” — well who? Or, “Everyone thinks that you’re too negative, or too whatever,” you know. Well, who’s this negative. Possibly maybe just you, but you’re hiding behind everybody else. Here is Festus: “multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.


Okay, and here’s a big verse, 25: “But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death.” Well? He should be innocent, he should be free. Anyway, “and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.” So he doesn’t look to complain about Paul, but if you listen to him, "I’ll find something."

You know, “Go ahead and teach me about Paul,” somebody says, but while they’re supposedly listening to you – you know they’re not – they’re looking for something they can fight you back with, or somebody write you a letter, an e-mail, and you respond to that e-mail, and they write back and they say something and didn’t even read your answer. It’s that whole series that we just completed here awhile ago on “gainsayer.” I know if that guy listens — there must be 15 or 20 sermons on that thing — he’s going to come back with another question. He’s not listening, he’s not hearing these answers. So if he keeps listening he’ll find some more questions to ask, even though his questions are always being answered. Same thing.

26: “Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord.” I’ve got nothing to tell you, Agrippa, because nothing’s wrong. “Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.” Maybe I can find something yet when I listen to this guy. “For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.” Right, Paul’s gone before King Agrippa here with no crimes, no accusations, nothing, because they’re all innocent. And he’s decided who the one is he’s supposed to go before; he wants to go see Caesar. Caesar would get them off the hook.


Okay so now were going to get into Agrippa a little bit and Festus will show up in the end here, and we’re going to realize that we have Festus is in our lives too. Festus. Like “fester”. Anyway, a little bit of stuff with Agrippa here though. Chapter 26. Let’s see, did I get this thing right here? Chapter 26. Yep, Festus’s speech, Agrippa’s wife, Bernice, not, okay, here, 26:

 26:Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself.” I like this. “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.

 Then he goes on, and he gives his testimony again. And this is a fantastic testimony, and true to what this whole series is supposed to be about. Do we match any of this? Well, he says here, “My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews.” It’s like, you know, Jesus even said, “A prophet hath no honor except in his own country.” Paul knows this; these people know him.

 And verse 6: “And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.” The very same thing those people wanted — Paul’s preaching — now they’re mad at him.

 “Unto which promise our twelve tribes —” there’s the book of James “— instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.” Sure, we can tell people Romans 11:22, we can tell them about Thessalonians, we can tell them about Corinthians, we can tell them about the doctrinal stuff, and these people believe in the Rapture and all that kind of stuff, we present the same thing — but it’s the way of God more perfectly. So they get mad. And Paul’s saying the same thing: “You gave one hope of being risen, the whole promise made of God to our fathers?” “Well, yeah, I’m here to show you what this hope is.” And he’s in trouble for it. Same thing.

 You would think some would like to know not only the fact that they’re saved but how they got saved, but the place where they got saved, and because of what you know about the foundation of salvation, you know how you can’t lose your salvation. But they don’t want to hear that. But that’s Paul. It’s the way of God more perfectly. You can learn more about your salvation other than you’re just “born again”, which doesn’t even say anything. It’s the nation of Israel — Genesis 11 and 12 — that was “born.” Now then they need to be “born again” when Messiah is there for them — but they wouldn’t do it.

 Anyway, you go through this thing, you know, and Paul talks about being in the synagogue, and talking to his people. He talks about this ministry that Jesus shows to him. Verse 16: “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.” Okay, so we know that’s from Paul, through Jesus to Paul. “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles.” Because he had to be taken out of them in order to go back and preach to them. I realized a long time ago that a pastor cannot have friends because has to preach to them too. So it’s to stay out of the whole scene and preach what he has to preach — and that’s pretty tough in the church nowadays.

 And here’s his ministry: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” Not the power of God, but “the power of Satan unto God.” See, people think as Christians now we’ve got the power of God to fix our lives. Well, yeah, right — that’s not true at all.

 “That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them.” That’s the whole mystery right there — this inheritance thing. “And inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” What’s that? Faith in Paul? No, it is a certain faith that is in Paul. Is it Paul’s faith? No, this is a faith that is in faith. So it would be the faith of Jesus Christ. So the faith of Jesus Christ is in Paul.

 So we are forgiven, “and inheritance among them which are sanctified” by that faith of Jesus — not my faith — his faith.

 Remember, this is King Agrippa. “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” So he goes on and he talks. He says in 21,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.” We get our help — verse 22 — we get our help from God in our Bible — that’s where help’s got to come from.

 And he keeps doing it, he keeps talking about, “That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead.” Can you imagine these people — “rise from the dead”? Are you kidding? Who can do that?

 And that, here we go — this will be a little shorter. Twenty-four — this is our Festus guy steps up to the plate. Agrippa’s been hearing all this stuff, watching all this stuff, and Paul’s got a good testimony there, you know, not a problem. “Festus said with a loud voice.” Typical. If anybody asks you a question, “Hey, Bill, does that mean you can go downtown and rob the bank and kill people? Har har har har har!” You know.

 Loud people. Whatever.

 “And as he thus spake for himself.” Interrupting everything. “As he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” Do we have anybody that looks at us and says, “You guys are just nutcases! You’re fruitcases. You’re nuts; this can’t be what you’re talking about.” Or course Jesus is going to chastise you. Why would he chastise us if that’s what the Judgment Seat of Christ is all about? And this thing about no law and no transgression, you know, all that kind of stuff?

 And he says, “Much learning doth make thee mad.” So, you’re saying that because I’ve been reading my Bible and studying this thing, I’m nuts, right? Well, have you studied the Bible. “Well, no.” Well, how do you know that what I’m saying is wrong? “Have you studied the Bible?” Yes. “You see it in there?” Yeah, I do. “But where does it say ‘Paul’”? Let me show you. Flips out a modern bible: “My bible doesn’t say ‘rightly divide.’” Well, sorry, this thing has said ‘rightly divide’ for four hundred years. And they think we’re mad? “Much learning.” Should be the other way around. “You’re coming up with this stuff on your own, Paul.” And where does Paul get this from? Galatians 1, he got it from revelation from Christ himself; Ephesians chapter 3, 2 Corinthians chapter 12 — and, just as he says down here in verse 16,And of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.” Christ is going to show him, talk to him. He’s going to hear the sound of his, one of the things Ananias said.


Okay, so, he thinks Paul’s nuts. And this is what I say. We have people out there that are Festuses to us. They think we’re nuts. Show them the Bible. You know what? It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? It doesn’t matter that you know what you know, and you can show them the Scripture, and you can flip from page to page to page, and you can know what you know, and they just look at that and go, “Man, you’re just nuttier than a fruitcake! How can you believe something like that?” Well, it’s in your Bible. Don’t you have a King James Bible? “Yeah, I do have a King James Bible.” Okay, don’t you ever read your King James Bible? “I read it all the time. I’ve read through this thing 53 times.” Oh, you have? And you can’t recognize the fact that Paul is teaching something different than what your pastor’s teaching? Can you see that, you know, he may be a good King James guy, but is that preached from Paul? And the list goes on.

 Because Paul says, “Festus,” you know, “most noble Festus,” he says, that’s polite, respectful. He didn’t fly off the collar like so many of us do. But he said, “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.” Ahh, this is how his speaking skill draws the king into this thing. That’s a pretty good step here.

 For the king knoweth of these things.” You know, you’re with somebody who knows the Paul thing, and you may be one of the new ones, some of you folks out there in the Web world or whatever, and you’re with somebody, and they say, “Well, here, look at what Johnny here — he’s,” see, he brings you into the conversation. Oh, no, no! Leave me out of this, just leave me out of this!

 I remember the fair booth all the time. Some of these guys wouldn’t come; they were just afraid to come. They came up with excuses why they didn’t want to come. Work excuses? Nah. They were just afraid to come. Because when they did finally come to the fair, in the evenings, they still shied away from the booth. It’s funny. It’s hard stuff.

 Bob, are you there? Yeah, Bob. You came along so far in your witness just by coming to that booth and handing people tracts and talking to them. That was really good; it was good for your son to see that, and the whole thing.

 Some of those guys just wouldn’t come by there in a billion years.


Anyway, verse 26: “For the king knoweth of these things.” So he brings the king in: “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.” So this “Paul” stuff is not a secret; it isn’t just my little stuff here at Konoka or Touchet, or Ohio, there’s other pastors, there’s other Web sites, there are others who preach the Paul thing. I’m not secretly telling people, “Hey, come here. I picked you out of a crowd. Let me tell you something about Paul.” No, everybody’s welcome to hear about it, but nobody wants it anymore.

 And then here’s the question: “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?” Because you showed the prophets, what they said about this coming Jesus.

 “I know that thou believest.” Oh, so he’s a believer? No. Because it says, “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” “Almost persuaded, deee, dee, dee, dee, dee,” kind of a thing. “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Yet he believes what these guys said.

 “And Paul said.” Now here’s Paul: “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 doeth 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.” A little stab, a little shot right there, you know. “He’d be off the hook if he hadn’t wanted to go to Caesar.”

 Anyway, so we have Felix, you know, where you tell them stuff, and they believe it, and they get upset, and they tremble, but because Cruella de Ville was there was with him, or whatever it was, kept him for “at a more convenient season.” We got Festus here, and Festus knew things weren’t wrong with him, and still took him to the king anyway. Let the king get involved, because Festus couldn’t deal with it. Then the king hears all this stuff, and there’s that skilled conversation from Paul amongst all this stuff, and controlled, not angry, not offensive, not slapping people around, he’s doing it the way he preaches in Timothy.

 And ol’ Agrippa, because Bernice is there, he can’t get this thing right. I mean, here’s Bernice and Felix and Cruella de Villa, Drusilla, and Festus, and the women there — they’re all just one big happy, incestual family — it’s wrong.

 So Paul put it to them, but he did it in a nonoffensive way. And they still don’t let him go. And now he’s heading out to Caesar, and you’ll find as you read here that he never does get to Caesar. So, interesting stuff, though.

 And also remember that this is about the time when he was writing 2 Corinthians and Romans and these prison times, where he is in captivity here. He’s writing Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, by the way, during this time right here.

 So, what a thing, huh? They let him free, but they got to take him on, and King Agrippa says, “Boy, you know, Paul, you almost had me there. It sounds so good.” But Bernice says, “Come on, come on, King, we need to get home. We got the babysitter waiting.”

 Oh, I had to many ladies pull guys away — Bob, remember those people? So many ladies — the guy would be asking questions and listening, and those ladies would just yank that guy, as soon as they saw we were getting through, she’d get that guy out of there aflash. Happens to this day.

 Acts 13 — one of Paul’s biggest enemies are “honorable and devout women” — “holy and devout.” I don’t know, better look it up — Acts 13. And it’s not an anti-woman thing. It’s just that this whole grace thing — it’s tough on them. Acts 13:Devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city,” and all people that believe in the law, and we’re talking to people today that still, they believe in grace, but they still believe in the law, so they mess up in their walk, and they go against the law, God still has to punish and chastise them. So it’s the same comparison; we’re talking to Jewish-taught people today, same kind of a concept.

 So, there’s Festus, there’s Agrippa, and there’s Felix. Now, I’m not sure if we’re going to do the next chapter. I’m just waiting on my thoughts here, but the next chapter is one of my favorite chapters — Paul going across on a ship from Alexandria. That’s a fantastic chapter there. I’ll look at that and see if it’s worth trying to fit our testimony into that thing, because, remember, that’s the bottom line here, is our testimony supposed to match Paul’s? No, not exactly, but there are some people that meets that we meet as well. And it should make Acts a lot more interesting, the next time you read it just straight through, because it’s not a confusing book, but it’s not a doctrinal book either. Because you’ve got Jews all the way up to Acts 28. And after Acts 28 that’s when Paul writes the three T’s — Timothy, Titus and Thessalonians.

 So, anyway, there you are. There you are. A little early tonight, I guess, but there you are.



M Paulson
Kadoka, South Dakota
Trying to do the work of an evangelist by teaching Paul's gospel of the Risen Saviour!
www.scatteredchristians.org


The entire King James Bible is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO us!
We learn from the "For" and we learn to apply the 'TO!"