Acts 26 reads-like-sounds-like daily news bytes
of persecution of Christians around the world. We are known and persecuted by
our enemy. We have been marked by the
Lord Jesus with a seal of the promised Holy Spirit who empowers us to speak
boldly. Ephesians 1:13 We have a price
on our heads in the realm of spiritual warfare.
The apostle Paul defends his faith before King Agrippa:
“For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to
kill me:” Paul plainly states the truth of his case. He is a miraculously chosen messenger of the
long-prophesied Messiah’s gospel of redemption.
He isn’t a political revolutionary, he simply has a “Holy Spirit message”
living within him that will not be silent.
As Paul speaks,
the Roman procurator Festus says, “Paul you are beside yourself! Much learning
is driving you mad!
As we present the gospel of Jesus death and resurrection, some
will think us crazy. Paul put it this way: the message of the cross is
foolishness to those who are perishing. 1 Corinthians 1:18
Empowered messengers of the gospel know when it is appropriate to
press on with the Gospel message. Paul
knew that this was his time.
Such as I am, except
for these chains:
Paul declares his continued trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He has not retreated from his stand one inch, despite his long imprisonment for
the sake of the gospel. His courage and freedom to speak are of the Holy Spirit.
We share with Paul and with those martyred past, present and future, the love of the Gospel message of our Lord.
As we press on to share the “greatest story ever told,” we ask for
courage and boldness to stand strong, and having done all to stand! Ephesians 6:13
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