Acts 26 - Confidence in Jesus

We see at the start of the chapter Paul beginning to give his defense to Agrippa, and he implores Agrippa to listen to him patiently. That seems like sort of a weird phrase to ask of someone, but as I reflect on it am I one that listens patiently? As I think about conversations I’ve had even over the last 24 hours, patience is not a way in which I listen, especially with my wife. I know she has asked me, maybe with a different phrase or with a different tone, to listen to her patiently. This question and challenge convicts me because far too often I want to get to the point or get to the question that is being asked and not mess with the back story or the build up to it, the context that is often really important but often seems unnecessary. I am constantly being told that I am in too much of a hurry and I need to slow down, and that even translates into my conversations sometimes. I need to work on listening patiently!

Paul retells his story once again, but I think a piece that is interesting that wasn’t included in the other accounts was the last part of verse 14. “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Months ago at ICOC we studied through this passage and I remember this sticking out then just like it does now. We talked about the fact that the goads were sharp tools used to keep animals moving in the direction they were supposed to go, and when they would kick against them they would actually only end up causing themselves more harm. Knowing that, this phrase becomes so alive in the story of Paul and hits me hard as well. Why do I continue to go back to the things that cause me more harm? Why do I turn away from God and to the things of this world when all they do is hurt me? Why would I not just keep moving forward in the direction God wants me to go? It’s easy to consider how when cattle or oxen would kick against the goads that it isn’t surprising because they are just dumb animals that don’t learn, but couldn’t God say the same thing about me?

As I strive to be one with the Spirit and to walk where the Spirit leads me, I’m not helping myself if I’m constantly pushing back and hurting myself more. My track coach said one time, and these were words of wisdom in a lot of ways, that the fastest way to get from the start line to the finish line was to run in a straight line, rather than weaving from side to side within the lane. Life is the same way, living in the Spirit is the same way. If we want to get to the “finish line” of being completely dependent upon and one with the Spirit, it’s fastest and best if we run straight ahead on the path he leads us down. If I’m constantly swerving left, getting poked by life, kicking against it and hurting more, swerving right, getting poked by life, kicking against it and hurting more, it’s going to take a long time to get to the finish line. The fastest way to get from the start line to the finish line is to run in a straight line. I know where that straight line is, I just need to get back on it and stay on it!

In the last section of chapter 26 we see an exchange between Festus and Paul that brings out incredible words of truth from Paul. Festus calls him out for being crazy and Paul doesn’t back down. Instead, he boldly and confidently tells Festus that he is speaking words of truth. If this concept has hit me once during this study in Acts it has hit me 15 times, words of truth. If I will always speak words of truth and I will always speak God’s words, Scripture, then I will be able to boldly and confidently defend my words, because they won’t be mine! I so desire to be as bold and confident as Paul, so I’ve got to do the work, the studying and praying and living in the Spirit (which really is God’s work and not mine) to get there.

Agrippa challenges Paul on his attempt at converting him, and I’m impressed that Agrippa noticed, which to me reveals the Spirit was really working on him. Paul is retelling what happened to him and as soon as he mentions the king’s name Agrippa knows where this is going, and he stops him – kind of. He challenges Paul on whether he really thinks he could convert him, and Paul says an incredible statement that is worthy of some extended time of prayer and reflection.

“I wish before God, that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am – except for these chains.”

Wow. Father while I pray every day before I study I want to stop and pray specifically for this verse, for this example and for this truth. Teach me what it is you want me to understand, and reveal to anyone else that reads this passage what it means to them. Don’t let me pass by this one without action.

The first phrase, I wish before God, signifies something to me. Paul is always so bold, always so confident in his words and in his prayers, and yet he uses the word wish, or something similar, in this statement. He didn’t know if they would or expect that they would. He had no confidence that every person in the room would become a follower of Jesus, and he was all right with that. I sometimes can beat myself up over the fact that some of my friends and some of my family aren’t Christ-followers, and I can get into the mode of feeling like it is my fault. Without a doubt I can do more, and I need to do more to help them in the process, but I have to understand that their salvation is a wish of mine and not something I can be 100% confident in. I can’t be 100% confident in their salvation because they might choose not to accept the grace that God offers them. They might make the choice to say no to God and yes to this world, and I can’t control that. I need to place my confidence in my Savior, trusting that His sacrifice was enough. I need to place my confidence in my God, trusting that His grace is enough. I can’t be confident in men, because they are just like me, sinful and worldly. My faith and confidence can be in Him and Him alone!

The middle part of what Paul says shows his true heart for his part of the process of salvation in the lives of the people he was around, both in this setting and in others. He didn’t care what it would take, whether through easy times or hard times, he wanted each one of them to follow Christ. And, more than just wanting that for them and saying those words, Paul was truly willing, and actually endured, pretty hard times for the salvation of the people he came into contact with. His perspective was one focused on eternity, for himself and others, and he did an incredible job of keeping his perspective there and not letting it be drawn back to this world like I do. Am I willing to do whatever it takes for others to become followers of Jesus? This short answer is no but the long answer is I hope to get closer to that standard every day.