Acts 26 – Brandon Hatmaker “Simple Hope”
Friday, May 16, 2008
“And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” – Acts 26:6-8
We all put our hope in something. Some times we place it in success. Some times we place it in other people. Each day we hope for something. With each career move, in each relationship, in each moment we hope for something. And almost every time it seems insufficient or is short lived.
All their lives the teachers of the law studied this hope that the Prophets taught about. It stood before them. And not only did they miss it, they denied it. And now they stand doubting that that hope could even happen. As if the God they believed in was incapable of such a thing.
Hope. That’s what Paul preached. He preached that God does what He said He would do. Do we? Do we teach with the confidence that Christ brings hope to us all? Do we live our lives as if we have hope in the Son of God? Many times we are so consumed with what is yet to come, that we lose hope for today. So many times we get distracted with all the ancillary matters of faith. Some times to the point in which we forget about hope at all. Paul reminds us of the simple truth of Christ, nothing more and nothing less. Why would he? It in itself is completely sufficient.
“I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles." – Acts 26:22-23
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Sold out 100% sold out, that is what came to my mind as I read today's chapter. Paul was in chains and he faced death if found guilty. Still he told the truth. He did not try to wiggle out or give a slick defense. He just told the honest truth. As if that were not bold enough, he was preaching the gospel also!! When was the last time an accused person tried to save the soul of the judge? Paul is a hero of mine. He has the faith that I would strive to have. He has the boldness that I strive to have. He has the sold out no matter what attitude that I hope my very own children have.
ReplyDeletePaul's hope comes from the lesson I think we are overlooking in our fast paced society. The simple truth, as you put it, is Jesus is #1 and everything else is under Him. Say no to the good things so you can say yes to the great things. Live a simple Jesus focused life and everything else, EVERYTHING ELSE, falls into place.
“The evangelist dilemma”
ReplyDeleteV 28& 29 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
Paul, you continue to model the way for us. How many times have any of us spoken to a friend or a loved one about our faith only to have them respond like Agrippa, “Do you think you can convert me by just talking to me?” I don’t know about you guys, I get all defensive, “No, no – didn’t think that (even though I did)”. I get all messed up on the evangelism front. But Paul, Paul has it in perspective.
Now I know my response, “I just pray that some time you know Jesus”, Thanks Paul, thanks for showing the way
Great thoughts guys. Thanks for the input. Brandon
ReplyDeleteThis exactly what I need during the week... thanks brothers!
ReplyDeleteToday's reading rushed me back to the early days of my walk. Days when I was so compelled to share my faith, yet so terrified to share the gory details of my past.
ReplyDeletePaul's got guts to lay it all out like he does - no mincing words here - he states with powerful matter-of-factness his upbringing, his education and the feelings and thoughts he had toward the early church, going so far at one point to call himself a "one-man terror obsessed with obliterating [Christians]." Really, he just boldly tells his story.
But his encounter with the living Jesus changed everything. It set him free. No condemnation. No shame. It opened up a door to a new place where he could share his powerful testimony without fear or guilt or worry. He didn't have to prove up his faith to anyone. Confident in the truth, he no longer felt compelled to play holy before God and man. Paul was free to speak the whole truth of his past...and God ended up working through it in that courtroom.
My own pre-Christian past is a patchwork of drug and alcohol dependancy, sexual sin and addiction, deception, lies, self-hatred, jealousy and discord. Not usually the kinds of things you talk about at parties (or in a Christian coffeehouse for that matter)...or so I used to think.
I was so constantly bound by worry and anxiety that I never felt like I could be myself. Around Christians, I felt like a total outcast, and my old friends thought I was looking down on them because of my newfound faith. I worried about being rejected in the church, not being able to serve, turned down from seminary...I wore this mask because I felt like I needed to prove that I had it together...that I ALWAYS had it together.
But I've since come to learn the power of sharing all the gory details of our stories. It's like opening the floodgates and letting the Holy Spirit just pour out. Paul gives us a great example here. Tell your story. All of it. It's one of the best ways we can minister, preach Christ, give glory to God and lovingly reach a lost and broken generation.
So if we're serious when we casually quote Romans 8:28 - if we really believe that nothing goes wasted with God - we can't be afraid of sharing our stories, our pasts, our encounters with the living God. Who knows what kind of seeds will be sown, what harvests will be reaped, when we enjoy the freedom of taking off our masks and sharing our stories in a real, transparent and authentic way.