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You can turn in your Bibles to 
Acts chapter 26. Acts 26. Perhaps at first glance or maybe 
upon further reflection, you'll note the connection to much of 
what's going on in Pastor Butler's preaching in Matthew 11 specifically 
with regards to the ministry of John the Baptist, the ministry 
of Jesus Christ, and the response of the unbelieving Jews, perhaps 
represented most prominently by the Jewish religious leaders 
of the day. We'll make that note as we introduce 
some of the things we'll be looking at from Acts 26, but let's begin 
reading here in Acts 26 at verse 1. Van Agrippa said to Paul, 
you are permitted to speak for yourself. So Paul stretched out 
his hand and answered for himself. I think myself happy, King Agrippa, 
because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning 
all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially 
because you are expert in all customs and questions which have 
to do with the Jews. Therefore, I beg you to hear 
me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, 
which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, 
all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, 
if they were willing to testify, that, according to the strictest 
sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and 
am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise, our 12 tribes, 
earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this 
hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should 
it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? Indeed, 
I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of 
Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, 
and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received 
authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, 
I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in 
every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly 
enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 
While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and 
commission from the chief priests, at midday, O King, along the 
road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining 
around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had 
fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying 
in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting 
me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. So I said, 
Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom 
you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet, 
for I have appeared to you for this purpose. to make you a minister 
and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the 
things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from 
the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now 
send you to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness 
to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive 
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified 
by faith in me. Therefore, King Agrippa, I was 
not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to 
those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout all the region 
of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn 
to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons, 
the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, 
having obtained help from God to this day I stand, witnessing 
both to small and great, saying no other things than those which 
the prophets and Moses said would come, that the Christ would suffer, 
that he would be the first to rise from the dead, and would 
proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. Now 
as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, 
Paul, you are beside yourself. Much learning is driving you 
mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak 
the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also 
speak freely, knows these things. For I am convinced that none 
of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done 
in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe 
the prophets? I know that you do believe. Then 
Agrippa said to Paul, you almost persuade me to become a Christian. 
And Paul said, I would to God that not only you, but also all 
who hear me today might become both almost and altogether such 
as I am, except for these chains. When he had said these things, 
the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice, and 
those who sat with them. And when they had gone aside, 
they talked among themselves, saying, this man is doing nothing 
deserving of death or chains. Then Agrippa said to Festus, 
this man might have been set free if he had not appealed to 
Caesar. Amen. Well, let us pray. Heavenly 
Father, we thank you. We can now consider your word 
by way of preaching. We do thank you for this central 
aspect of worship, and we do pray that in it you would be 
glorified. We do pray, Lord God, that preacher would do honor 
unto your word by your divine aid, and Lord God, that hearer 
would hear the message as you would have them hear. Again, 
saint would be instructed and encouraged and sinner would be 
saved by spirit and word unto the praise of your grace. And 
we do pray these things truly in Christ's precious name. Amen. 
So the portion of Acts 26 that we're going to be looking at 
is Acts 26 19 to 23. And just getting back to what 
I noted prior to reading this portion of scripture, note the 
connection to Pastor Butler's preaching in Matthew Chapter 
11. What is the message of John the 
Baptist and what is the message of Jesus Christ? Repent for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand John the Baptist in another place 
said repent therefore and do works befitting repentance here 
We have the Apostle Paul preaching that same message then to the 
Gentiles that they should repent turn to God and do works of befitting 
repentance you see the proclamation of the sent apostles is the same 
proclamation of The glorious king that sent them out by divine 
commission And it's the same message that the forerunner the 
Baptist the one who came to make straight the ways of the Lord 
to his hearers as well. What is the verdict of those 
who oppose the message? Well, the verdict of those who 
oppose the message, we noted this morning, or Pastor Butler 
did in his preaching, that they respond to John the Baptist by 
saying that he has a demon. An unbelieving response in our 
context here is quite similar. Paul, you are beside yourself. 
Much learning is driving you mad. The charge against the true 
proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the one 
who is rightly sowing those seeds by declaration is crazy, that 
he has a demon or he is beside himself, that he is mad. What is the response of the Pharisees? Pastor Butler noted in chapter 
12, verse 14 of Matthew's gospel, they seek to kill the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Here we have verse 21. For these 
reasons, the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill 
me. And what is the continued activity 
of Christ in the face of threats unto death? It is the bold and 
authoritative proclamation of the truth. And we see that in 
the verses following. So we're going to look at this 
portion under four headings or four observations. The Apostle's 
obedience, the unbelieving reaction, the divine provision, and the 
glorious message. But just before we get there, 
it's important to note and understand the background of what's going 
on here. When we come to our scriptures, 
a good overarching principle to bring to the scriptures is 
that God has a plan and that he brings out that plan by way 
of providence. You see, when we come to what's 
going on in the book of Acts, we're not reading We're not reading 
the haphazard chronological rolling out of things, but rather we're 
reading the fleshing out of a divine promise that goes back before 
creation, excuse me, a divine plan, that goes back before creation, 
that the Lord God, that the triune God would save a people perfectly 
by the work of Jesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace. 
And he enters into time and history bringing about this purpose. 
So those two P's that govern biblical history, which is the 
same as redemptive history, which is the same as history generally 
speaking, the two P's that govern everything under God's creation 
in time and history are plan and providence. And here in Acts 
26, in just this event concerning Paul, concerning Agrippa, Festus, 
and the proclamation of the gospel, we have God's providential plan 
being borne out. And what would that be specifically? 
Well, in the providential bearing out of God's plan before the 
foundation of the world, we have other Ps as well. And just bear 
with me for a second, because as we read this, hopefully this 
comes and it brings fresh things to your understanding of what's 
going in in the Gospel of Acts. So we have God's divine plan. We have God's providence bringing 
to bear that plan in time and in history. And under that providence, 
we have promise prophecy performance proclamation and perfection in 
other words that Provident that it within that frame of providence 
that is bearing out God's divine plan God gives the promise of 
a coming Redeemer he prophesies by the mouths of his by the mouths 
of his prophets the coming of that promised one in time and 
in history Christ performs he comes and he does that work and 
then that work is proclaimed by his servants and And it is 
perfected by the Holy Spirit with much power and assurance. 
So with regards to the promise and the prophecy, we have the 
words of Christ in Matthew 23 promising. Well, back in the 
Old Covenant, we have the words of the prophets promising that 
there would be covenantal blessings brought not only to Jews, but 
also to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42, Isaiah 9, Christ is 
sent as a light unto the Gentiles. But more closely in Matthew 23, 
New Covenant documents in the Gospels. Jesus says, I send you 
to the unbelieving Jews. I send you prophets, wise men, 
scribes. Some of them you will kill and 
crucify. Some you will scourge in your 
synagogues and persecute from city to city that on you might 
come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from Abel to 
Zechariah. So there is a prophetic purpose 
going on here, a providential purpose going on in Paul's declaration 
of the gospel of Christ to the Jews and to Gentiles and so moving 
now then to this text specifically the Apostles obedience Notice 
what we have right at the beginning in verse 19 therefore King Agrippa 
I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision very simply Paul 
did what he was told but you see whenever Whenever we engage 
in a study of the obedience of a man of God, whenever we engage 
in a study of an apostle of God, it is a study not in the virtue, 
not in the strength, and not in the power of the human spirit, 
but it is a study in the condescending and conquering grace of the triune 
God. And so when we read, therefore, 
King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, There 
is a place for a wholesome recognition of the Apostle Paul, but only 
in so far as that quickly then extends to the grace of God and 
his conquering mercy in the heart of this Apostle Paul. He was 
not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Hopefully you know what 
that's referring to. It's referring to what he just 
spoke about in verses 12 to 18. He's recounting his conversion. 
Jesus Christ comes. with much power and with much 
glory on that road to Damascus. And Paul is knocked down and 
he's just enraptured, if you will, by the appearance of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord Jesus gives him 
this commission. First off, the Lord God saves 
him by that condescending grace. And then by that same grace and 
for his purposes, he commissions him to engage in gospel missions. And that's what Paul is referring 
to here. I was not disobedient to the 
heavenly vision. But it's important to continue 
on this point. You see, again, when we come 
to these things, we are studying not the man, but the God of the 
man. The God of the man who conquers 
hearts and by his power and for his glory sends people out to 
bring glory to his name. You only have to look at the 
beginning of every apostle's letter, to be sure, but because 
Paul is in view here, the beginning of the Pauline letters, for example, 
Ephesians 1.1 and Colossians 1.1, I believe, begin the same 
way. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. You see, it wasn't the apostle 
Paul that put himself into his apostleship. but the God of the 
apostle Paul that conquered his heart and sent him. Galatians 
1.1 reads this way, Paul an apostle, not from men nor through men, 
but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him 
from the dead. You see, it is the power of the 
resurrection, the power of God in the resurrection and raising 
Jesus Christ from the dead that is behind the saving of Paul 
and the sending of him into gospel missions. Just turn to Galatians 
1, 11 to 24 just for a moment, because this is going to come 
up again when we get to the end, when we get to verses 22 and 
23, where we see that it is God who strengthens and it is God 
who affords the divine aid for gospel missions and for his apostles. In Galatians 1, we have something 
similar to what Paul testifies before Festus and Agrippa. The main target of his defense 
is King Agrippa in Acts 26, but there are others that are there. 
But notice in Galatians 1, beginning at verse 11, the study in apostolic 
obedience is a study in divine grace. But I make known to you, 
brethren, the gospel which was preached by me is not according 
to man, for I neither received it from man nor was I taught 
it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have 
heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the 
Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and 
I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in 
my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of 
my fathers. But when it pleased God, who 
separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His 
grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among 
the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 
Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before 
me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. So 
we see what's behind the saving and the commissioning of the 
apostle Paul. What's behind his obedience is when it pleased 
God through his grace to reveal his son in him. So moving that 
back then to Acts 16 verses 19 to 23, The Apostle's obedience is clearly 
stated in that negative statement, I was not disobedient to the 
heavenly vision. But notice the activity of the 
obedient apostle. We're still under the apostle's 
obedience, so it's clearly stated, I was not disobedient to the 
heavenly vision. But what is the activity of the 
obedient apostle? First off, it is declarative. That is, it is proclamation. It is a forceful, if you will, 
it is an emphatic and authoritative proclamation of the truth. I was not disobedient to the 
heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and 
in Jerusalem." Paul's obedience to the heavenly vision was seen 
in a declarative thrust. He brought the truth to bear 
in front of his audience and to his audience. You see, Christianity 
isn't just a willy-nilly or a limp-wristed tossing of truths. and options, 
religious options, before an audience for them to consider. 
The Christian preacher and the Christian apostle doesn't just 
throw his hat into the arena of philosophies and religions, 
but rather with the authoritative confirmation of the God who sends 
them, they bring the message of sure and exclusive truth to 
those who are in need of it. And so Paul does that. His obedience 
to the heavenly vision is declarative and it is expansive. Notice what 
the text says, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem 
and throughout all the regions of Judea and then to the Gentiles. You see, Paul wasn't a partial 
man. Paul didn't only save his message 
for an audience that he deemed was worthy and noble of its reception, 
but rather it is an extensive obedience. He is charged by the 
Lord Jesus Christ when Jesus comes to him in that Acts 9 account. Rise and stand on your feet, 
for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister 
and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the 
things which I will yet reveal to you. And he says, I will deliver 
you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to 
whom I now send you. Paul didn't just choose a demographic. He didn't just choose an ethnicity. Whatever word you want to throw 
in there to pigeonhole one particular audience, that's not what the 
apostle Paul did. He was charged to go not only, 
yes, first to Jews, but primarily as an apostle to the Gentiles 
so that he might bring the riches and the excellencies of Christ 
to those who are in need of hearing it. And so his obedience is declarative, 
it is expansive, and it is specific. Again, the Christian message 
has specific content or a specific force and thrust. Here, we read 
it this way. But declared first to those in 
Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of 
Judea, And then to the Gentiles that they should repent, turn 
to God and do works befitting repentance. Again, the Apostle 
Paul's message isn't different from John the Baptist and it 
isn't different from the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those 
who are enemies of the gospel of Jesus Christ and those who 
are enemies of Christianity that come to the New Testament text 
and they say, Paul has a different message than Peter. Paul has 
a different message than Jesus and John the Baptist, which is 
absolute madness because just a perusal of this text and comparing 
it with what we just read this morning in Matthew 11, we see 
quite clearly that the message is the same. When we read Paul, 
when we read Peter, when we read Jude, when we read the writers 
of the New Testament epistles and we look at the Gospels, the 
first four Gospels, and we look at the book of Acts, we find 
a consistency to the message. There is harmony, there is unity, 
there is agreement, there is a consent of all the parts. We 
have the same message proclaimed here by Paul that's proclaimed 
by others before him, most notably his master and his king, the 
Lord Jesus Christ. The specific content here, again, 
is repentance, a turning to God, which we might which we might 
call conversion, not regeneration, of course, but behind conversion 
is God's divine grace, causing a sinner to turn from his sins 
and to embrace the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is 
God who saves to the uttermost, first and last, midst and throughout. But we have here the command, 
the declaration, that the Jews and the Gentiles should repent, 
turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. It's worded this 
way, if you back up in the text, the same language is stated by 
Jesus Christ in his commissioning of the Apostle Paul. Verse 17, 
or verse 18, The charge of Paul to Jewish people as well as Gentiles 
is to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to 
light and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive 
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified 
by faith in me. You see, this repentance and 
this turning to God, remember, and don't roll your eyes, it 
is intellectual first and foremost. And again, it isn't man that, 
you know, in the efficacy of his mind naturally and in his 
own sinful state that somehow intellectually comes to a knowledge 
of these things, but rather God puts a new heart in him, takes 
out that heart of stone, comes by amazing grace and puts that 
heart of flesh Beats for the Savior that beats for truth puts 
his spirit within them so that they might abide and walk in 
his statutes But it is an intellectual thing repentance is first and 
foremost a change of mind You see these were no longer the 
Gentiles were no longer Having heard the message and repenting 
they were no longer to walk in the futility of the mind of their 
minds walking in like the Gentiles in the futility of their minds, 
the Jews that he would preach to. What is seen in their turning 
to God? You see, they would argue, well, 
we're already with God. We're children of Abraham. God 
is our father. We, his children. But the unbelieving 
Jews needed to recognize that this Jesus Christ whom they crucified 
and murdered, this Jesus Christ that they are rejecting, this 
is the one that the law and the prophets and the Psalms all pointed 
to. They were to turn from their 
continuation in the articles of Old Covenant religion unto 
the fact that all that is to remain is a bleeding and crucified 
Messiah. They were to turn unto the proper 
and true fulfillment of Old Covenant religion, which is New Covenant 
religion, that of the Lord Jesus Christ and those things that 
come with the inauguration and completion of his ministry. The 
unbelieving reaction then, the unbelieving reaction. Notice 
what we have in our text here in Acts 26 after the apostolic 
obedience. We have Paul stating the unbelieving 
reaction in verse 21. For these reasons, the Jews seized 
me in the temple and tried to kill me. The unbelieving reaction. You see what Christianity brings 
to those who are in unbelief and those who oppose. Ultimately, 
the reaction first off here is severe. Notice as we sort of 
go a little bit later in the text, seized me in the temple 
and tried to kill me. The severity of the unbelieving 
reaction is seen in the absolute venom and the absolute madness 
and violence that these Jews bring to those who are proclaiming 
the truth of Jesus Christ. I mean, prior to this, what Paul 
is referring to in verse 21 here is Acts chapter 21, where he's 
seized in the temple and the Jews desire to put the apostle 
Paul to death. The Apostle Paul is saved as 
we fast forward. He appeals to Caesar. He appeals 
to Caesar and he's brought by Festus, sent by Festus to King 
Agrippa. But he's noting here the reaction 
to the preaching of Jesus Christ is that it elicits the Jews' 
seizure in the temple of Paul and attempts to end his life. In fact, if we go backwards in 
the narrative of the book of Acts, we see previously We see 
previously Paul being stoned. Well, back in Acts 14, going 
further back in Acts 14, the Jews stone him and thinking him 
dead. In Lystra, they drag him out 
of the city thinking him to be dead. They travel, those Jews 
travel from Antioch, I believe it is, and Iconium to Lystra 
in order to just put Paul to death because they cannot bear 
to hear this message of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We have in the 
account in Acts 23, we have the Jews fasting and fasting or bringing 
oaths, swearing oaths that they will not eat food until Jesus 
Christ is dead. Think of that reaction. You see, 
think of some other ideas and philosophies and notions out 
there besides this true message of Christianity. Never elicits 
that sort of response, does it? If someone was to come in to 
an audience and bring a Joel Osteen-like message, you know, 
live your best life now or whatever the newest title is to that same 
thing that's propagated, your best life now, you know, the 
best me now, unleash your inner potential and all that sort of 
thing. That doesn't elicit a response where someone tries to seize 
you and kill you. Joel Osteen is under no danger 
of threat of violence, maybe for other things, but his message 
is not one that elicits this vehement and violent response 
and wanting to kill him. People like that. That's why 
40,000 people, whatever it is, come to the massive converted 
gymnasium to hear this message. Whether you're a Jew or a Catholic 
or a Christian or a Taoist or you're involved in archery or 
golf, you go to his church, you'll hear a message. and you'll leave 
feeling somewhat fulfilled. The response isn't trying to 
seize and trying to kill. And that brings us then, the 
severity is clear. They tried to seize me. They 
did seize me in the temple and tried to kill me. But notice 
the perverse justification of their activity. For these reasons, 
the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. What reasons? 
Well, ultimately what he just wrote, preaching repentance, 
turning to God, and doing works befitting repentance. In other 
words, preaching the Lord Jesus Christ to these Jews. They could 
not endure this message of a crucified and resurrected Messiah. They 
could not endure this message. The reality that Jesus Christ, 
this one who was crucified upon Calvary's tree, is the only way 
unto God the Father is the only way to be saved, that believing 
in this one, a bloody and a gory mess upon a Roman implement of 
execution, that that is the way to salvation, did not jive well 
with the Jewish mindset and with Jewish notions of their Messiah. 
I love how Charles Haddon Spurgeon puts it. The death of the Son 
of God upon the cross is the crux of Christianity. Here is 
the difficulty the stumbling block, and rock of offense. The Jew could not endure a crucified 
Messiah. He looked for pomp and power. 
Multitudinous ceremonies and diverse washings and sacrifices 
were these all to be put away, and nothing left but a bleeding 
Savior." You see what Spurgeon is acknowledging there. I apologize 
that you had to look at that. You see what Spurgeon is doing 
here and observing. He's remarking concerning what 
we read in the Holy Scriptures, that the message of the cross 
is foolishness to those who are perishing. To the Jews, it is 
a scandal. It is a stumbling block. To the 
Greeks, it is foolishness. You see, it would be enough of 
an insult upon the intellect of a Roman and a Jew to have 
to heed this idea of a crucified Jew being the only way of salvation 
and true wisdom and true righteousness. But to a Jew, this message was 
an absolute offense, an absolute scandal. that the one ultimately 
that they disbelieved and crucified and were absolutely guilty and 
complicit in putting him upon that Roman implement of execution, 
that this one is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that 
this one is the promised one from Genesis 3.15 throughout 
the rest of their Old Covenant documents, that this is the one 
that we're to look to. It was an offense, and so their 
unbelieving, wicked response is to seize the Apostle Paul 
and try to kill him. The cause of their severe persecution 
is ultimately the truth, that yes, this bloody and gory Messiah 
upon the cross is the Savior of men. Notice thirdly, then, 
the divine provision. You see, on the heels of the 
recognition of persecution, opposition and the enemies of the gospel, 
we have a blessed reality, the divine provision. Notice what 
we read here. First off, the provision stated, 
therefore having obtained help from God. You see, this brings 
us back to the point that yes, the apostle was obedient to the 
heavenly vision, but it was because first he had that divine help 
from God in conquering and victorious grace in the strength to be sent 
on the commission and then the abiding divine aid in order to 
carry about his apostleship. We have the divine provision 
clearly stated, therefore having obtained help from God. And Calvin 
brings up a very important point and a very good observation here. 
You see, what's primarily going on in the Book of Acts is, well, 
it is the advance of the kingdom in sure fulfillment of the Savior's 
words, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not 
prevail against it. But we also have a presentation 
of the veracity of Christianity. that Christianity is true, that 
this Jesus Christ is the Christ. He is the promised one of the 
Old Testament scriptures. And so very often what we have 
in the book of Acts is the belief, not very often, but we have the 
belief of the unbelieving Jews that God is on their side, that 
they are rightly executing the requirements and the demands 
of God and putting to death this Christianity. But you see, the 
Apostle Paul comes along and he says that he was the one who 
was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. They are the ones who 
are disobedient to the Lord God Almighty, to their covenant Yahweh, 
to the living and true God. But rather I, or in opposition, 
I am obedient to the heavenly vision. Here now the language 
is having obtained help from God You see these unbelieving 
Jews and anyone who would oppose Christianity and the proclamation 
of Jesus Jesus Christ's authorized message proclaimers anyone who 
would oppose is not on the side of God but rather is opposed 
to God and do not enjoy the benefits of divine aid but rather are 
under the wrath and condemnation of God So Paul enjoys the divine 
provision. And we see here clearly, as Paul 
said in Galatians 1, we see here clearly that it's not man's mission, 
it's not man's message, and therefore it is not man who is the source 
of strength for enduring the mission of gospel proclamation, 
but rather it is God. God, I obtained help from God, 
and to this day I stand. So we have the divine provision 
clearly stated, and then, of course, the apostle's recognition 
of it. You see, Paul says here, therefore 
having obtained help from God, and he adds to that, to this 
day I stand. To this day, through all that 
he's endured, he owes nothing to his proficiency of speech, 
He owes nothing or he doesn't argue for the fact that it is 
because of his strength and his virtue and his precision as a 
proclaimer of gospel truth, but rather he acknowledges that he 
stands this day, that he battles this day, that he runs this race 
to this day because of the help that comes from on high. You know, just considering this, 
just considering, whenever you come to these parts in Holy Scripture 
where the authors or an author that was a companion of the one 
that's being spoken of writes and brings forth bad things negative 
biographical content Concerning people we ought to think and 
we ought to glory in the fact that this can't be a contrivance 
or a creation of man These aren't this is the Bible isn't this 
man? a mankind creation, this haphazard 
slapping together of 66 books to propagate and argue for some 
sort of religion. Because man would never set forth 
or man would never include information that would just heap reproach 
upon himself. We think of the Apostle Paul, 
just in this autobiographical defense before Agrippa, stating 
his pre-conversion life and then talking about his post-conversion 
life. A man not empowered by the Spirit 
of God, a document that doesn't have behind it the fact that 
it is inspired, inerrant, and infallible, would never bring 
forth and seek to propagate a religion that put man in his place, his 
place of shame and ignominy and sin, before a thrice holy God 
who is only pure, who is only perfect. Man would never do that. And so we come to places like 
this. that are repeated throughout, where the Apostle Paul acknowledges 
his former self, where he then acknowledges his present self, 
and where he gives all glory to God for the fact that not 
only did God save him, not only did God, by his grace, commission 
him, but in that commission and in the carrying out of it, it 
is God who is behind that. It is God who sends help. The 
Apostle obtains his aid from on high. I love that Matthew-Henry 
quote. I know Pastor Butler has said 
it before, and I've used it as often as I can smuggle wholesomely 
in this Matthew-Henry quote, I'll do it, because it speaks 
to this reality. Paul was not disobedient to the 
heavenly vision. Paul obtained help from God, 
and to this day he stands on that help. There's that account 
back in Acts chapter 8. The statement is in Acts chapter 
8 verse 1, but it follows on the heels of Stephen's martyrdom 
remember what's going on there, and we'll just try and spend 
a minute and a half on this the Stephen is bringing is brought 
before this this brutal and non-legal trial before the religious leaders 
and various persons and he's being charged with preaching 
blasphemy and speaking ill things against the holy place in the 
law of Moses and And he enters his defense very calmly by saying, 
men and brethren, listen. And he engages in an apologetic 
defense, saying that Jesus Christ, summarizing, Jesus Christ is 
the fulfillment of the Old Testament. And at the end of that, he is 
crucified, or not crucified, excuse me, he's stoned to death. 
And that one young man watching is named Saul, the Apostle Paul, 
in his unconverted state, as he's already spoken to. He gladly 
receives the garments of those who keep large stones upon the 
head of Stephen to crush his skull and kill him He is pleased 
and he is happy to take those clothes and to give approval 
to the stoning death of Stephen verse 1 of chapter 8 says and 
Saul Persecuted the church now finally getting to it Matthew 
Henry on that verse makes this observation he says something 
to the effect of talking about the Apostle Paul, the Apostle 
Paul fed his eyes on that bloody spectacle, the stoning of Stephen, 
in the hopes that it might put an end to Christianity, that 
it might bring an end to this Christian religion. And then 
Matthew Henry says, but we have reason to believe that Paul ordered 
Luke to insert that phrase, and Paul persecuted the church for 
shame to himself and glory to free grace. You see, when Paul 
is speaking before King Agrippa, and he's saying, I was not disobedient 
to the heavenly vision, he's not saying, man, am I great. 
Man, did I muster up strength. Man, am I not at least almost 
perfectly virtuous. But he's saying what he says 
later, I obtained help from God, and to this day I stand. He's 
saying, and he's attributing all things to the God of condescending, 
amazing, and victorious The Apostle recognizes that to that day he 
stood by divine provision, by the aid of the triune God. And 
lastly, we have then the glorious message, the glorious message. Notice first off its universality, 
and this is beginning in verse, or this is continuing in verse 
22. Notice its universality. Therefore having obtained help 
from God to this day. I stand witnessing both too small 
and great Now there's probably a little more of a specific thing 
behind this but with that with that with that statement by the 
Apostle Paul witnessing both too small and great and before 
that noting the extensive nature of his declaration those in Damascus 
in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea and then to the Gentiles, 
we need to rejoice in the fact that Christianity, the true and 
only religion, the true and only way unto God through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord and Savior, Christianity is not a religion of exclusivity. In other words, it's not just 
for the young. It's not just for the old. It's not just for 
the white. It's not just for the black. It's not just for 
the Jew. It's not just for the Gentile. It's not just for men. 
It's not just for women. You get the point. But it is 
for everyone, young and old, of every tribe and tongue and 
people and nation. God has his elect, not just in 
Jerusalem, but he has them in Judea, in Samaria, and to the 
uttermost parts of the earth. The proclamation of the... I 
think it was... I can't remember if it was during a time of prayer 
or praying for the persecuted church. or when it was, my memory 
is bad for just this particular. Well, it's bad. But for this 
point as well, it's bad. But somebody had noted that some 
militant Muslims, I believe, in Africa were remarking and 
using as one of the main points of their message the fact that 
Christianity is a white man's religion. that Christianity is 
only for whites, and the idea is that it's only for affluent 
whites of the West. Well, some of the greatest, not 
some of the greatest, but some of the most wonderful examples 
that we can read of Christian faith, and always, it seems, 
under trial, comes from those who are in nations where white 
may not be the predominant skin color. We see in the scriptures 
the fact that the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ in Revelation 
5 is for what or for who? It is for every tribe, and every 
tongue, and every people, and every nation. The religion of 
Christianity, Christianity is not a white man's religion. It 
is a believer's religion. It is a religion for those from 
every tribe, and every tongue, and every people, and every nation, 
regardless of color, sex, or age or whatever, Christianity 
comes and it is a message to be believed and it is a message 
to be proclaimed and rejoiced in. Its universality is clear 
here, but with more specifically what it probably has to do with 
here, small and great, are those who perhaps are less noble than 
others might say, than the human eyes casting themselves upon 
an audience. There are some who they would 
see as not so noble, and others, like King Agrippa, who are, by 
contrast in those human eyes, more noble or in places of higher 
honor and stature. You see, Paul's target is King 
Agrippa because he begins it by saying, therefore, King Agrippa. Later on in the discourse with 
Agrippa and Festus, he says, for the king, before whom I also 
speak freely, knows these things and then he says, King Agrippa, 
do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. He's 
preaching to King Agrippa. He's preaching to all in earshot, 
but with a specific target, King Agrippa, because he comes to 
that striking and cutting to the heart question, I know that 
you do believe. This is what Calvin says with 
regards to this, and we are working to an end, I promise. Calvin, 
on the small and the great, the universality of the glorious 
message, And he saith that he is a witness, both to great and 
small, that King Agrippa may perceive that this doth appertain 
even to him. And that when the gospel is offered 
even to every simple man, that doth no wit hinder, but that 
it may ascend even unto the throne of princes. For Christ doth gather 
all men into his bosom with one and the same embracing. That 
those who lay before in the dunghill are now extolled unto so great 
honor, may rejoice in his free goodness. that those who are 
placed in high degree of honor may willingly humble themselves 
and not grudge to have some of the base and contemptible multitude 
for their brethren, that they may be made the children of God." 
It's a wonderful statement on the universality of the message 
that it is not just for the poor, it is not just for those of perhaps 
less of a societal stature, but as Paul brings out in his letter 
to Timothy, there are kings and those who are in authority that 
we are to pray for. Yes, that even in unbelief, they 
may help us to be kept in peace so that we may proclaim and live 
peaceably, but also, even unto the end, that God might save 
some, because he says in that same passage that God desires 
all men to be saved. Not all men, without exception, 
but all types of men. Not just the poor, but also kings 
and those who are in authority. The universality of the glorious 
message. Not a white man's affluent religion, 
but a religion for every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 
for poor and rich. It's continuity. This is very 
important. We talked a little bit about 
this this morning in our study in the confession, but notice 
its continuity This is absolutely vital to understand and rejoice 
in as Christians. This isn't the stuff of ivory 
tower Theology and connecting Old Testament New Testament. 
It's simply simple truth truths that are to a truth that is to 
glory and the consistency of the glorious message witnessing 
both too small and great Saying no other things than those which 
the prophets and Moses said would come Isn't that isn't that an 
amazing statement just bear with me for the last few minutes here 
It's an amazing statement to say to a Jewish audience, isn't 
it? You see Christians are proclaiming no new message The Christians, 
Paul here, he's proclaiming no new message, but rather he is 
proclaiming the fulfillment of an old message. This religion, 
this sect of the Nazarene, this the way, this Christianity is 
no new thing, but rather it proclaims the fact that it is an old message 
fulfilled. Paul says, saying no other things 
than those which the prophets and Moses said would come the 
consistency of the message Old Testament and New Testament. 
How was anyone saved in the Old Covenant from from Adam to John 
the Baptist? How was anyone saved by faith 
in the coming Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ? How is anybody 
saved post crucifixion resurrection the same way? but now by faith 
in the already having come Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation 
is the same from Adam to the last breathing human before saints 
are brought into the eschaton, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
And so we see the continuity here clearly spoken of. Do you 
know what the best, and I don't think this is a hyperbolic statement, 
but do you know what one of the most important passages in all 
of Holy Scripture is. See, somebody can talk to me 
afterwards and say you're completely wrong, and we can wrestle over 
that one for a bit. The most important chapter in 
all of the Bible, Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24, because 
not only does Christ, as the resurrected Savior who had just 
died for all of His people, not only does He preach and proclaim 
regarding the veracity of His death and resurrection, the gospel 
content, but He says something very important for our interpretation 
and our understanding of Scripture. Just turn there for a moment, 
very briefly, and we will close Shortly and you can go tend to 
your cows and to your dinner and to whatever you need to tend 
to the preacher will not keep you too long Luke 24 a bold statement 
Perhaps but I believe it is one of the most important chapters 
in all of Holy Scripture Jesus does here say in verse 25 and 
allude to his crucifixion and that he it was to suffer and 
those gospel events, the crucifixion and then victoriously the resurrection, 
verse 25 of Luke 24. Then he said to them, these are 
the disciples in despair on the road to Emmaus, O foolish ones 
and slow of heart to believe in all the prophets have spoken, 
ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to 
enter into his glory? Just stop there for a moment. 
What's he saying is they were to believe what the prophets 
of the old covenant spoke, ought not the Christ to have suffered 
these things and enter into his glory. The Holy Spirit revealed 
to the prophets of old the sufferings of Christ and the glories that 
would follow. But Luke adds more to this in his narrative, verse 
27, and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded 
to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 
And again, at verse 44, Then he said to them, after having 
eaten some broiled fish and honeycombs, showing them that he was not 
a phantom, he says, and he said to them, these are the words 
which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things 
must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and 
the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding 
that he might comprehend the scriptures. You see, Jesus Christ 
is the sum and substance, the content, of the Old Covenant, 
of the Old Testament. Those 39 books are not mashed 
together as a body of documents for moral reform, for simply 
a recognition of the historical events of the people of Israel. 
There's morality in there, we have the Ten Commandments. There 
is history concerning the people of Israel, but according to the 
risen King, according to the Savior, according to the second 
of the blessed triune God, The old covenant scriptures are concerning 
him. They are concerning the Lord 
Jesus Christ. So that's why Paul can say, it's 
one of the reasons why Paul can say that he was, in his preaching, 
saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses 
said would come. And finally, it's specific redemptive 
content. We've already touched on it. 
What did the prophets and what did Moses say would come? Verse 
23, that the Christ would suffer that he would be the first to 
rise from the dead and would proclaim light to the Jewish 
people and to the Gentiles. The prophets and Moses, the Old 
Testament as a whole, and with its respective individual parts, 
were about a suffering Messiah who would rise again and who 
would bring light to the Gentiles. We should see in this that Christ 
would suffer. Where do we see that in the Old 
Testament? Well, we could go back to Genesis 3, surely there. Perhaps what's in view is Isaiah 
53, because with greater clarity, we have there Isaiah speaking. You know, Isaiah, 700 years, 
rounding down, 700 years prior to the Lord Jesus Christ, knew 
more about his death than 90% of preachers this day, if I can 
throw out a number. A prophet of old, 700 years prior 
to the Lord Jesus Christ, not knowing the name that Mary and 
Joseph would give him, not knowing certain things perhaps unrevealed, 
we can't enter into the mind of Isaiah, but from the text 
and from his time relative to Christ, he didn't know as much 
as we now know this side of a crucified Messiah. But he knew, and he 
wrote, and he wrote concerning the suffering Christ. But what 
we may also have in view is Exodus 12. Exodus 12, not only Exodus 
12, but all of Leviticus. We noted this morning, you see, 
that when we think of the Old Covenant people, and when we 
think of the Old Covenant religion, that the people of Israel, the 
prophets, and all those involved in the religion of the Old Covenant, 
they weren't devoid of knowledge of the Messiah. We should never 
think that way. Why? Because from the outset 
of human history, at the fall and the announcement of the seed 
of the woman that would crush the head of the serpent, we have 
messianic knowledge communicated to the Old Covenant people. So 
that's why Paul can say the prophets and the Moses spoke about the 
death, resurrection, The light brought to Gentiles of Jesus 
Christ because the old covenant people were preached that it 
was revealed to them through types and shadows Through visions 
and all of these things that the Christ would suffer that 
he would be the first to rise from the dead and proclaim light 
to the Jewish people So what is the point of this section 
the point of this section is the veracity of the gospel of 
Jesus Christ? It's what Paul is bringing to 
bear here to Agrippa and to his audience. He says to Agrippa, 
do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. Not 
that King Agrippa is a believer in that saving sense, but he 
has knowledge of the prophets, and he puts stock, and he heeds 
the old covenant scriptures to a certain degree. He esteems 
them, if you will. He knows the prophets, and he 
should then, by God's grace, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and recognize the reality that Christ is the fulfillment of 
the Old Covenant Scriptures. What is the main thing to be 
in our church and in our Christianity? You ever think about that? Maybe 
you do, maybe you don't. What is the main thing to be 
in our church and in Christianity in general? It is to be the death 
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The cross of Jesus Christ sums 
up the doctrine of our precious Savior. That is to be the the 
foremost, chief in the hearts of the church and in the hearts 
of every Christian. Spurgeon puts it this way, the 
cross of Christ is the chief constellation in Paul's sky. 
And that is to be the chief constellation in our sky as well, the cross 
of Jesus Christ. When we come to simple matters 
of Christian life, you see, what is the chief thing to be in the 
life of a Christian in the church? Well, perhaps this ethical issue, 
perhaps this problem, perhaps this, perhaps that. The answer 
to all of those is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The 
answer to societal ills, the answer to sexual immorality is 
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. You have been bought with a price, 
therefore glorify God in your bodies. What's the answer to 
sexual immorality? Don't do sexual immorality. No, 
it's to plant the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ before the 
sexually immoral so that they might believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ therefore render works befitting repentance what are 
we to have as In our minds and in our hearts for this lower 
world with regards to unbelief the proclamation of light to 
all people That should be in you see if the cross of Jesus 
Christ is to be chief the chief constellation in our sky Then 
what should be on our minds and on our hearts is the proclamation 
of that cross of the Lord Jesus Christ in our particular context 
and finally What are we to have a heart and mind for in this 
lower world with regards to our own believing? Dare I say it? Theology. What is to be on the 
hearts and on our minds? It is to be this glorious reality 
that the Apostle Paul was preaching no other things than the prophets 
or Moses, but that Christ would come, would suffer, would rise 
from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people. In 
47 seconds, we come to the reality of this trans-covenantal truth 
that Jesus Christ saved sinners from their sin to the praise 
of God the Father. From Adam to the last breathing 
saint before the Eschaton, Jesus Christ saves the prophets the 
Moses Moses proclaimed that we come to our scriptures. We should 
learn it We should rejoice in it. We don't come to this theology 
with that with any sort of cold dogmatism That's always the charge 
very interesting this idea of the trans covenantal nature of 
Jesus Christ Yes, as if it's if it's just this cold consideration 
of Jesus and the connectivity of the Bible from Genesis to 
Revelation The fact that 66 books put together over the span of 
1500 years are not just some haphazard mishmash of morality 
and letters and various histories, but a divinely designed joining 
together of two covenant documents that proclaim the riches and 
the excellencies of Jesus Christ. It is like coming, we should 
come to this passage in theology. It should be chief in our minds 
and our hearts, and it should be like coming to a treasure 
chest. You come to a treasure chest 
and you open it up and you have jewel after jewel after jewel 
in this treasure chest. You have the reality that the 
prophets and Moses wrote and spoke concerning the suffering 
of Christ and the glories that would follow. The Apostle Paul 
comes and he preaches no other new thing but then what they 
preach, that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment. We have all 
these gems of Christianity and they point to one gem fashioner 
the Lord God Almighty who before time and creation purposed to 
save through Jesus Christ to the praise of his glory and brings 
providence about to fulfill his purposes. It's absolutely glorious. It's not the stuff of beard stroking 
and interesting and tea sipping. It's the stuff of diving through 
a treasure chest and seeing the beauty of our God, the special 
revelation of our God that is Christocentric in its nature. 
and has jewel after jewel in the treasury, speaking to the 
glorious nature of salvation by our Savior. Very quickly, 
and it's not just because the preacher tacks it on, it's because 
it's so important. You're here tonight, and you 
come, and you know, it's just what you do, it's your tradition, 
you come to church, it's a good thing, it is a good thing to 
do. But if you're here and you come, and you're outside of Jesus 
Christ, and you're unbelieving, yes, it is the truth. that all 
whom God has appointed to eternal life will believe. But you see, 
on the heels of that, the preacher comes and he says, believe on 
the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. In that passage, 
that preacher, that Pastor Butler read this morning in Matthew 
11. That Jesus Christ, it's the prerogative, the divine prerogative 
of God to hide these things, gospel truths from the wise and 
the prudent and to reveal them unto babes. That it is with God 
that is the right to exclude some from salvation and to include 
others. What comes right after that? 
But come to me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give 
you rest. So come to the Lord Jesus Christ, 
ye who are outside of Christ. Find all that you need for salvation 
and every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in him. 
Repent, turn from God and do those works consistent with your 
calling by grace. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, 
we thank you for the scriptures. We thank you for the work of 
the Apostle Paul that we read of in the book of Acts. We know 
that it was not his work, but that it was yours. We know. Lord 
God, that it was you at work in sending these apostles and 
in giving them divine aid to proclaim the riches and the excellencies 
of Jesus Christ, our Savior. We thank you that 2,000 years 
removed from that reality, we are the blessed beneficiaries 
of such proclamation that Jesus Christ's promise to build his 
church at the gates of Hades would not prevail against it, 
that that has continued unto our day, and this place, quite 
far away from where the Apostle Paul was, that in this place 
we can have gathered Christians from every tribe and tongue and 
people and nation, from different stations in life, that we have 
those that by your grace have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. and seek to avail of your word, 
seek to walk in a manner worthy of their calling. And we do pray 
for aid in this, that same aid that you gave the Apostle Paul, 
the strength to stand. We pray that in our circumstances, 
you would give us such divine aid that we might be able to 
endure whatever comes upon us, that we might grow in the grace 
and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that we might honor 
you in all that we do. We thank you for the gospel, 
and we pray that Jesus Christ, the cross of our Savior, would 
be that chief constellation in our night sky and that we would 
glory in him on a daily basis. Go with us now. Help us to live 
this week, acknowledging you, glorying in the saving work of 
Jesus Christ and seeking to bring honor to your most precious name. 
And we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.