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                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                    PART XXVI - VI

"As I, Paul, shared with King Agrippa events of my trip to Damascus while in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea, it felt like I was back on that road again.... I could still remember hearing that Voice.... His words had been so confusing... What did He mean when He asked me why I was persecuting Him?.... As far as I was concerned, I was persecuting the followers of Jesus.... And God was pleased with my activities.... Was it at all possible that I was wrong?... That is why I had to ask this Voice who He was.... I was sure my question did make sense to King Agrippa.... The answer was even more shocking for I heard the Voice tell me that he is Jesus who I was persecuting.... I wondered what King Agrippa thought of Jesus's words when I shared them with him.... His face did not show whether or not he was shocked about my revelation that the Voice belonged to none other than the Lord Jesus.... But it had certainly shocked me to the core of my being."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Paul shared with King Agrippa who the Voice belonged to...

 

                ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                  PART XXVI -VI

It was, of course, a great shock for Paul to hear a Voice speaking to him. Even more shocking were the words that had been spoken to him. He had no idea as to Who had been speaking to him so the first question he had to ask at that time was who it was who had uttered these words to him as you can read in Acts 26:15a

Then I asked, "Who are You, Lord?" 

It had not taken long for Paul to learn who had spoken to him as you can read in Acts 26:15b

"I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting," the Lord replied.

Paul would have been shocked to the core to learn that the Voice who had spoken to him belonged to none other than the Lord Jesus, the very One he had been so opposed to.

Read Part Twenty-Nine HERE

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: ROME AND CASESAREA P/27

  

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                    PART XXVI - V

"I, Paul, could see that King Agrippa was ready to hear more of my story which I was sharing with him right here in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea.... I sensed it was time to tell him about my life-changing experience when I approached Damascus... I will never forget that moment when I was blinded by a bright light from heaven... The light was so overwhelming.... It caused me to fall down... I then heard a Voice from heaven speak to me.... To my utter shock the Voice asked me why I was persecuting Him... I was persecuting followers of Jesus... I was not persecuting the Person to whom the Voice belonged... Or was I?".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn what Paul next shared with King Agrippa....

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                         PART XXVI - V

It was then time for Paul when in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea to begin to share with king Agrippa what happened the day he travelled to Damascus as you can read in Acts 26:13

"About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions."

Even though that event had happened quite some time ago, it was still fresh in the mind of Paul, as if it had happened yesterday. He then continued by sharing more details of what had happened that day as you can read in Acts 26:14

"We all fell to the ground, and I heard a Voice saying to me in Aramaic, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad."

Paul was utterly shocked to hear this Voice saying things to him that did not make any sense        whatsoever. 

Read Part Twenty-Eight HERE

             

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: ROME AND CAESAREA P/26

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                        PART XXVI - IV 

"I, Paul, next began to share details of my life as a good Pharisee to King Agrippa.... This happened while I was still in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea.... I told him that I had been responsible for the imprisonment and even death of the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem.... I explained that my usual method was to go to the synagogues.... For I knew that is where I would find them... I told him as well that I had started to go to other cities beyond Jerusalem.... And the reason I had gone there was to find these followers of Jesus... One of these cities was Damascus.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Paul's confession to King Agrippa that he was the persecutor of the church in Jerusalem and beyond...

 

                   ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART XXVI - IV 

Paul when in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea then began to share details of how he had opposed the Name of Jesus of Nazareth as you can read in Acts 26:10

"And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them."

Paul made it very clear here that he was at least partly responsible for the death of believers because he cast his vote against them. But he did more than that for in his obsession he went to cities beyond Jerusalem to try and find followers of Jesus there as you can read in Acts 26:11

"Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them."

Paul next shared with King Agrippa and the others present in the auditon room that in his desire to wipe out this Jesus "cult" he even travelled all the way to Damascus as you can read in Acts 26:12

"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests."

Paul did not go to Damascus on his own authority. He went there with the approval of the chief priests.

Read Part Twenty-Seven HERE

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                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                     PART XXVI - III

"I, Paul, waited a few moments before continuing my defence here in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea.... I then began to talk more specifically about the hope that I have... This hope is related to God being able to raise the dead... So I asked them to consider that God could well do such a thing... In fact,  God had done such a thing in the past when the Prophet Elisha had raised the Shunnamite's son back to life.... I was sure that many people in the room would have remembered that story... However, I was not referring to that event... I was, in fact, referring to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus... I wondered if King Agrippa would have been aware who I was actually referring to."... Please read the typed out attachment when you can learn that Paul asked his audience and, in particular King Agrippa, to consider the possible that God can raise the dead....

     

                       ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                PART XXVI - III

Paul when in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea then went on to say that God could raise people from the dead if He wished to do so as you can read in Acts 26:8

"Why should anyone of you consider it incredible that God can raise the dead?"

Paul had good reason to say that God could raise anyone from the dead since they all would have remembered the time that the Prophet Elisah raised the son of the Sunnmamite women from the dead as you can read in II Kings 4:23-25

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him the boy's body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

All the Jewish people present in that room would have remembered that story. However, Paul was in fact referring to the resurrection of Jesus that had taken place not too long ago. 

Read Part Twenty-six HERE

           

 

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                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                    PART XXVI - II

"I, Paul, was making my defence against my accusers here in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea... However, while speaking I looked at King Agrippa... He was the person I was really addressing among all the people here in the room.... I could see that he had been listening intently to what I had been saying so far.... I decided it was time to begin to share with him the reason for my trial.... It has to do with the hope I have in what God promised our forefathers... I share this hope with all Jewish people.... It is because of this hope that I am on trial today... I wonder if King Agrippa knows about this hope that I and all my Jewish brothers have."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn what Paul shared about the hope he and all the Jewish tribes have in the promise made by God to them.

 

                          ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART XXVI - II

Paul, when in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea, then began to talk to King Agrippa about a hope that, in fact, all Jewish people are looking forward to see fullfilled as you can read in Acts 26:6-7

"And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O, King, it is beause of this hope that the Jews are accusing me."

Paul explained to King Agrippa that the Jews had no reason to accuse him for they shared the same hope.

Read Part Twenty-Five HERE

       

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: ROME AND CAESAREA P/23

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                      PART XXVI - I

"I, Paul, was introduced by Governor Festus to King Agrippa here in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea...... I was then invited to speak.... I knew it was time to make my defence against all the accusations of the Jews... I knew that King Agripa was familiar with all the Jewish customs... I believed that he would patiently listen to me as I presented my case to him...I began by explaining to him that the Jews have known me.... And they have known the way I have lived... They have, therefore, no reson to accuse me.... Especially, because I lived as a Pharisee... A lifestyle they would have heartily approved of."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the moment that Paul begins to make his defence before King Agrippa.....

                 ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                     PART XXVI - I

Governor Festus, who had discussed Paul's situation with his visitors King Agripp and his wife Bernice, had Paul appear before them in the audition room at the palace in Caesarea. After Festus had introduced Paul to King Agrippa, he was allowed to speak as you can read in Acts 26:1

The Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defence.

Paul then addressed King Agrippa using that fact that he woul be familiar with Jewish customs as you can read in Acts 26:2-3 

"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defence against a the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen patiently."

Paul explained to King Agrippa that the Jews knew his ways for they have known him for a long time and should be able to testify that he even lived as a Pharisee, which is the strictest sect of the Jewish religion as you can read in Acts 26:4-5

"The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee."

Paul is saying here that the Jews had no reason to accuse him of anything.

Read Part Twenty-Four HERE

 

MORE PLACES TO GO TO: ROME AND CAESAREA P/22

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                   PART XXV - VIII 

"As I, Paul, listend to Governor Festus's speech here in the audition room at the palace at Caesarea, I smiled.... It is clear from what he shared that he is struggling to make sense of my case.... In fact, he is struggling so much with my situation that I wonder if it is causing him sleepless nights.... But I do not have sleepless nights... I may be the prisoner... And he is the governor.... That means that, obviously, his sleeping conditions are much more comfortable than mine... But I am at peace.... And he is not at peace... That is why I sleep well every night... But, very likely, he tosses and turns throughout each night thinking how he can solve my case.... I do not have such problems.... I know that my case is in God's hands....I know too that, from a heavenly perspective, everything is going according to God's plan.... From an earthly perspective, things may  look a little chaotic.... But not according to heaven... According to God's plan, I am at the right place doing what I am supposed to be doing.... Preaching the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ.... I have already preached that message to Governor Felix and to Governor Festus.... I have no doubt that very soon I will be praching that same message to King Agrippa and his wife Bernice.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Paul will have been at peace despite his circumstances....

                   ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                       PART XXV - VIII

From an earthly perspective things seem to be quite chaotic; a prisoner who has been accused of crimes that cannot be proven. Yet, he has not been released. No fact, no one seems to know what to do about him. However, from a heavenly perspective, things look very diffferent, for things go exactly according to plan. Heaven is not confused about Paul's sitation. On the contrary, from heaven's perspective, he is exactly where he is supposed to be, for he is in a position that he can preach the Gospel to those to whom he is called as you can know from Acts 9:15

But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go. This man (Paul) is my chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel."

Although in prison, Paul has had opportunity to preach to Governor Felix, Governor Festus and is about to have an opportunity to preach to King Agrippa and his wife Queen Bernice. Moreover, God had told him he would be sent to Rome. There may seem to be a delay to his departure for Rome, but even these delays are used by God for His purposes.                                                                                              This is how it may be for us. We too may find ourselves in situations we had not planned for. We may well wonder if God can be at work in our lives in the midst of these unforeseen situations. If that is you, then please be assured that God is not surprised by them, nor is He shocked or confused by them. Instead, He simply wants you to trust Him for He is at work in the midst of whatever challenges you may face and He will help you through them as you can know from 1 Corinthians 10:13  

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provided a way out so that you can stand up under it."  

Read Part Twenty-Three HERE