Worth Repeating

Acts 26:12-23 

12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We 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 goads.’ 15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

Introduction

Of all the exciting experiences you have, what is one worth remembering?  If you were to testify before God’s people that you are Christ’s disciple, what experience would come to your mind very vividly that you want others to know? What specific instruction have you personally received from the Lord? Are they worth repeating or telling others?

The Lord Jesus said in Acts 1:8, 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.      

That was exactly what Paul did before King Agrippa. He just testified of the experiences he had when the Lord revealed Himself to him. He did not fail to mention the Lord instruction as His witness. Has Christ revealed Himself and gave you instruction?

1.  Revelation

12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We 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 goads.’

15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 

From time to time Paul calls on the name of King Agrippa. He might have wanted Agrippa to listen very intentionally not just to be assured that the king would clearly understand the accusation but he wanted him to know that God reveals Himself to Paul.

Christ revealed Himself to Paul personally and uniquely. The Lord made it sure that Paul listened very intently. Paul heard Jesus’ voice very clearly. Christ showed Himself as a blinding light to Paul. That blinding light made Paul focused on the Lord. There has never been such light brighter than the sun. It was not one way. Paul was not the only one talking or praying. Paul had a conversation with the Lord. Christ did not only show Himself in a very unique way but instructed Paul of the things he will do.

16‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

The Lord assured Paul that he will be rescued from Jewish people and Gentiles. The Lord told Paul that he will be His instrument for people to receive forgiveness. Those who will receive forgiveness will be added to those who are sanctified by faith in Christ.

Specifically, the Lord told Paul to testify of what he has seen. He also told Paul to testify about everything that the Lord would show him later. When the Lord reveals Himself, He will show just enough wonders to convince us, and as we obey, He will show more wonders and miracles.

Signs

When the Lord revealed Himself to Moses, He did not show him all His wonders at one time. The Lord showed Moses just enough wonders to convince him to obey. Read Exodus 4:1-9, 1Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 2Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 3The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5“This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

6Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow. 7“Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. 8Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

The Bible teaches that Lord showed more miracles when Moses obeyed Him. Most of the plagues or the miracles in the wilderness were not shown to Moses before he obeyed the Lord. Moses was no non-sense. He wanted everything covered. The command, to lead more than millions of Israelites, was no simple responsibility. He told the Lord about his weakness in speaking and the Lord sent Aaron to help Moses. Moses never wavered, not hesitated to do everything the Lord has commanded him after he received a very clear instruction and assurance from the Lord.

The Lord surely hears us when we pray but if we hear His voice very clearly and audibly, it would strengthen our faith in Him and not waver or doubt. How? In His mysterious ways, the Lord speaks very clearly when He personally reveals Himself. When the Lord reveals Himself, He gives a mission, a very unique instruction for you only. He will convince you to respond and obey Him, and you will experience more of His wonders that you would gladly keep retelling others.

2.  Response

19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 

Paul testified to King Agrippa that he was obedient to the instruction of the Lord. He preached repentance not just in Damascus but also in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and even to Gentile nations. Paul said that repentance should be demonstrated by deeds. And when he preached to the Gentiles the Jewish leader did not like it.

He was frequently in trouble and Paul testified that God has not failed to rescue him. Paul did not keep only for himself but testified what the Lord has done in his life.

22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

The more we obey the Lord, the more He would reveal Himself to us. His instructions are opportunities for us to experience more of His wonders and miracles. The Lord reveals Himself not for personal secret but for us to testify as exhibits that the Lord Jesus has risen from the dead and He is coming back again. Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.

When the Lord speaks in very personal way, the person He would give instruction has not other option but to obey. When God speaks, His words would convince the person He instructed.

In Isaiah 55:8-12, 8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

No believer can say no when God gives instruction. When a person ignores God, it shows unbelief. God knows those who believe and obey. He does not waste time giving instruction to those who don’t believe Him.

But how about Jonah, he disobeyed the Lord? Yes! It is true that God allowed Jonah to disobey for a while because the Lord planned to save the sailors too. He also wanted to teach Jonah and those who would disobey the Lord. Jonah experienced the worst nightmare in his life when he tried to run away from the Lord.

Many believers are experiencing a Jonah kind of nightmare because they try to run away from the Lord. God says, 11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

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