When your Savior’s name is brought up in conversation, do you grow anxious and uncomfortable, or does your heartbeat quicken with the excitement of being given an open door to share your witness and the Gospel of Christ? If you have indeed “passed from death unto life,” as the scripture describes your born-again experience, it should thrill you to be able to share with others the greatest thing that has ever happened to you. Sadly, the church of God is out of practice. We’ve become complacent in the areas of influence God has placed us in, and we’ve grown accustomed to flying under the radar when it comes to conversations about faith at work, in our community, and even within our own families.
The current climate makes any mention of God feel unwelcome or inappropriate in any setting outside of the church. Some keep their heads down and allow chance after chance to pass them by, but scripture is plain about the reality of this approach, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33).
It is impossible to be “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” and to keep it a secret from the world. We can overcome our insecurity about sharing the gospel with others by stepping out in faith and being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The third part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, operates with a singular purpose: to glorify the name of Jesus. And it is this spirit that Jesus sent to us to be a comfort and a guide. Galatians 5 states, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Our flesh, our old nature and worldly desire, is for us to be acceptable to the world. But we don’t live for the flesh if we have become children of God, we live to please our Heavenly Father.
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
2 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:
Paul’s ministry had spread all around the Mediterranean Sea, he desired to take the gospel into Spain, and yet, he didn’t have the opportunity to do so, because his “heart’s desire” was for his own nation to be saved. He felt a great desire to return to Jerusalem, to “his people,” and to share Jesus with them. He was immediately attacked upon his return, he was mobbed, beaten, and arrested, yet he was in the center of God’s will, because through that experience he was given the opportunity to share the gospel on an even larger scale. “I think myself happy,” Paul found a thrill in his chains because he was able to speak openly about Jesus. He definitely wasn’t speaking before a supportive audience. His neck was on the line, and the odds were stacked highly against him. Herod Agrippa zealously pursued jewish orthodoxy, he wanted to bring legitimacy to his families’ political position, which was ridiculed by the jews because his family was Idumaen, they were descendants of Esau. Paul being brought before him for disturbing the peace of Jerusalem by challenging the religious hierarchy gave King Agrippa the chance to rally support from the temple leaders. Paul was given a chance to defend himself against the accusations of the Jews, but instead, he gave a defense of the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
3 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.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Paul’s credentials on religious matters were unparalleled. If anyone understood the doctrine and zeal of the Pharisees, it was Paul. His reputation as a scholar and his devotion to Judaism was well known.
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:
Paul argued that the jews were not attacking an upstart rebellious religious philosophy, but the Holy Word of God that the Pharisees claimed to uphold. He was arrested because he preached that Jesus was the Son of God who fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament. The Pharisees knew the promises of God, but explained them away, denied the truth of Christ, and claimed to hold the authority of God themselves. Ironically, Paul is claiming that they were the radicals, because they stood against the Word of God spoken to the jewish fathers by denying the truth about Jesus.
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
What kind of God did they serve? If God created the World, if all things are made by Him and for Him, if He is the source of life, time, matter, and eternity, then how could we stumble over the fact that He could raise Jesus from the dead? To the gentile world, the news of a resurrected Savior might come as a shock, but to the people of God who knew the word of God, it should have been awaited and received with Joy.
The Jews knew about the valley of dry bones and the power of God shown to Ezekiel there. They knew the prophecies given to Isaiah and described in the Psalms about a suffering, dying Savior who would be victorious over all things. They knew about the Shunamite’s son, who was raised to life. They were actively persecuting Lazarus and were aware that Jesus had brought him back from the grave. The religious Jewish authority knew the letter and content of the law better than anyone, and yet, they staggered at the fulfillment of it and refused to acknowledge the truth and spirit of it. Many “believers” today know about the saving power of Jesus, and yet they remain silent, fearful that if they speak up, they will face ridicule, or they lack the faith to believe that Jesus will be able to meet the challenges faced in our times. If we don’t trust God today and speak up about Him, we are no different than Paul’s accusers. II Timothy chapter three declares the “perilousness” of the behavior of those, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 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.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Paul confesses his sin before King Agrippa. His humility and honesty about his first reaction to Jesus makes him able to share the truth without pride and condemnation. When we share the gospel with others, it should always be with this same attitude. Without Christ, we would be nothing. We used to walk in darkness. The only difference between a lost and dying world and the church of the living God is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from all sin.
Paul doesn’t declare himself perfect, he knows that Christ alone is perfect. Also, by confessing honestly his sin, he points out the error in his accusers and in King Agrippa. Our lives, lived honestly before our neighbors, bring conviction. Those who hear our testimony will have one of three reactions recorded in the scripture and lived out every day. First, they could become enraged because their pride has been insulted, and hate us for speaking the truth that they can’t rationally deny. Second, they could back away, not outright denying the truth, but they will refuse to deal with it and push us away. Or, and this should be the earnest prayer of every believer, they will receive the truth of God, and we will have the honor of being able to introduce them to the dearest friend they’ll ever have. Is it risky to share our testimony? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Eternity is resetting on our obedience to do so.
Questions to Consider
Paul identified himself with his accusers, in essence saying, I know where you are coming from, I used to think that way, too. How does humility play a part in your testimony?
What do we fear will happen if we publicly speak about Jesus? What keeps us from sharing our faith?
Who shared the gospel with you? How did you respond at first?
The gospel is deemed offensive by many in our culture, what makes it an offense? Why do some people see it in a negative way?
How do religious doctrine and spiritualism get in the way of the gospel today?
When was the last time you opened up to a non-believer about your faith?
How can we become more confident in sharing the gospel?
What happens if we share our testimony and someone asks a question we can’t answer? What should we do?
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!