But, okay.
Sir. Well. I always love this passage of Scripture.
There were an Acts chapter. Don't make that. Sorry, my mistake.
Okay, those of you on Zoom, please raise your hands. Okay. Is that on that? Okay.
Yeah, Okay, I always love doing this passage of scripture. We're coming from Acts chapter 24 verse 27 and I'm going to do an overview.
To the end of chapter 26. So it's going to be 2 chapters. Just gonna hit the highlights there's a, a question.
That we come to when we come to the book of Acts. From chapter 21 through 28.
It focuses in on Paul's trials, travails, his Journey to Rome. One quarter of the book.
Is just on Paul. And his issues. It's almost as if the rest of the church didn't exist, though we know it did.
The Holy Spirit picked this. Story picked this incident. To teach us something. There's That question.
And there's another question. It comes up. Alright, we know in chapter 23 verse 11 that the Lord appeared to Paul.
And told him that he's going to preach in Rome. But why? Didn't God Send an angel like he sent for Peter Why didn't Paul start singing and there was an earthquake like an axe chapter 16?
With him in Silas and Philippe.
There it tells us there's a number of lessons God doesn't always do things the same way for each person and at the same time Also, there is a sense of faith.
We pray to God, we show them, we show them our faith, we pray earnestly for something we may desire.
Something we're hurt about. A prodigal or something. And of course we have faith that God can do it.
We have to ask ourselves. Where's our faith if it doesn't turn out the way we want?
Well, we come to this chapter. We come to this passage here and 21 to 28 you know something There's no planting of any new fellowships.
Nothing. No doctrine was taught here. There's no record of anyone getting saved between Acts 21 and Acts 28.
This precious few miracles that the snake on Malta. But, but that's about it.
All it is is about, I'm here, I have this this trial. And these, I think, a kind of examples.
Metaphors if you will or like the Chronicles and Narnia when when they were like illustrations of what was going on, allegories if you will.
Though these things were true, but the Holy Spirit inspired Luke. To record these things to tell us something about what we are going to go through.
So that's, I think, is what's happening in Acts, 21 through 28.
So with that in mind. We come to chapter 24 verse 27. Now he's had the trial before Felix.
And last week we looked at the fact that the accusations against Paul were accusations that the whole church had experienced that he was defiling the temple that he was starting a riot.
That he was starting insurrection. And all these things that they're saying about him, which were not true.
And he was a mover sedition, he was a pestilent fellow. A ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes who has gone about to profane the temple whom we took.
And would have judged according to our law but the chief captain that's all in chapter 24 from last week But in verse 27, but after 2 years, Parcia's Festus came.
Into Felix's room and feel Felix willing to show the Jews a pleasure left Paul bound.
Festus comes to replace Felix. Felix. In case you're interested was known as a bungling buffoon.
Really, that what they wrote about him. He pretty much screwed up everything. There were complaints. There was a course riots between the Jews and the Greeks.
He came heavy-handed and and picked on the Jews when he shouldn't have. according to history, there was a group of Jews went to Rome to complain.
About him. Well, the Jews always caused Rome trouble. They had to try to placate them.
They were hard people to placate. But they had to get rid of them. But 2 years he's in prison.
Think about something. They really hated him, didn't they? You read that. And remember something.
We're going to get opposition. To our message. We're going to get opposition to the gospel.
To our witness. Wallatosa Chapel will get opposition. And what's going to be surprising is you're going to get opposition from people who claim they are religious.
You're going to get opposition from people who claim their fellow Christians.
And Paul's of course it was juice. But the opposition is so great they're still hatred of him after 2 years.
There was that much hatred. Okay, Fes took over. And what we know about him, we don't know much about him from history.
But he was a better administrator. I kind of feel sorry for him. He pretty much had a So, clean up.
His, clean up Felix's Messes. Okay, verses 2 and 3 of chapter 25, then the high priest.
And the chief of the Jews in formed him against Paul and besought him. Okay, so he's in he's in Jerusalem.
And desired favor against him. That he would send for him to Jerusalem laying weight in the way to kill him.
Now whether or not Festus knew this or not that it was a plot to kill him
It's, argument from silence no one knows But whatever They wanted to kill him. Isn't interesting, you know, they're so mad at they're mad at what he supposedly took someone into the temple And yet they want to kill him.
That's okay. Murder is fine if you're that mad at a person. You can justify anything you want to.
So we look at that and we contrast it with ax 2311
And the night following. The Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul. For as thou has testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
So these guys want to kill him. And whether Paul knew that or not he's got the Lord's promise that he's going to be in Rome.
You know, we of Paul and of course knows what's going on. God's gonna get him to Rome.
We go through things, we don't know why. In a funny kind of way, I thought that We almost need more faith than Paul had.
Not because we don't get visions. We just have to know that when we're going through something and we don't understand it, we have to know.
He knows best. Paul could have been released. There could have been an angel release him like Peter or an earthquake.
And then he gets out in Caesarea and then takes a, then takes his own trip to Rome.
This way he stays in there and gets a free all expense paid trip to Italy. We of course would have to go on a game show to get that, but not Paul, he gets it.
For the government's going to pay for a trip to Italy. Well, where do I sign? But,
Bestus. Been influenced. The professors answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea that he himself would depart shortly thither.
Okay. God, of course. Influences people. We don't always see it.
We don't understand it. You know, John, 1910 and 11. When pilots told told the Lord that he has a power to release him and and the Lord told him the power you have comes from comes from above.
You don't have that, but God influences. Versus 4 through 6. Let them there of verse 5 let them therefore said he which among you are able go down with me and accuse this man if there be any wickedness in him and when he had tarried among them.
More than 10 days, some translation say 8 to 10 days. They have 10 days to get their attack together.
He went down to Caesarea and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
We remember.
That this is now happening. They couldn't prove and when he was come the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood around him.
And laid many and grievous complaints against Paul which they could not prove. And when I read that, I immediately thought of 1st Peter 3 14.
Where Peter says if you suffer. As a Christian. Be innocent.
Festus is still trying to.
Playate the juice. Down, skipping down to verse 9. But Festus willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem?
And there be judge of these things before me? Whether Paul knew about The attack that was that was planned.
Who knows? We do know. That Paul knew Lamentations chapter 3. Verse 37, who is he that saith and cometh to pass when the Lord commanded it not?
Out the mouth of the Most High, proceed as not evil, and proceedeth not evil and good. God is in control of all these things and Paul knew that So he's.
Going to appeal to Rome. I peel to Caesar verse 10. I've done no wrong as thou will very well know us.
And then down in verse 11. I appeal unto Caesar. That Caesar of course was Nero.
When Peter said You know, honor the king. Nero. Nero, the best thing can said about him is he was a madman.
The original conspiracy theory. Rome burns, whether he burned it or not is, is hard to say.
It depends on who, which historian you read. When he when Rome burned he blamed the Christians.
I think of people who say that George W. Bush planned those planes that hit the World Trade Center. So this is the beginning of a conspiracy theory here.
Blaine, they blamed him. Whether he was to blame or not is hard to say but he blames the Christians but Nero was a madman but the 1st 5 years of his reign were actually pretty good.
We're almost known as a golden age. Paul would have no way of knowing eventually what this man would be like.
All he knew was what he knew at the time. 1st 5 years were a golden age. So he peels to Rome, but there is a problem.
The problem is You're on trial, but for what? What is the crime? That I'm teaching someone rise from the dead, the Jews would think, I mean the Romans would think that, okay, this is just a a religious problem between the Jews.
We remember something important. ROME gave the Sanhedrin and the Jews a lot of power of what they who they could and could not punish what they could and could not do.
But they reserved the right. Of death penalty for themselves. Only they could decide if you if you could die or not the Sanhedrin could not do that.
They wanted to kill Paul. But they had to go through the role to do. Same thing like when they wanted to kill Christ.
They had to go through the Romans. But they They send him to to Rome. And they got to write a letter to Nero.
To Caesar and say he's being judged and Nero will say for what? What did he do?
So, let us. Then pick up. With Agrippa. And after certain days, King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea.
To salute Festus. Agrippa Herod. He was a great-grandchild of Herod, the great.
One who slaughtered the innocence? That whole disgusting family. That whole group of very, very weird people.
Trivia point he was the last of the heritage. He didn't have any children. From what I read, most people said good riddance when the last Herod died.
Remember something he though he was the king. It was more of a figurehead. Rome still had the power.
Kind of like the the it's almost similar to the Queen of England today or the King of England today.
The parliament and the prime minister has a power in England. The the king or the queen. Is a figurehead and has and you know open ceremonies and cuts ribbons and all sorts of fun things like that.
But. He's still there, still gets all sorts of pomp. We read about that in a little bit.
But there is one very interesting thing. He travels with everybody. There's a whole entourage of people that travel with them.
Verse 13. It mentions Bernice. Verse 23. And on the morrow when Agrippa was, skipping down his readings real quick.
Was come and Bernice with great Arippa was come and Bernice. Verse 30 of chapter 26 and when he had thus spoken, the king rose up and the governor and Bernice and they that sat with them.
Bernice keeps being mentioned. And here this is. Donna was telling me in the car. It's kind of sad that we have to talk about something so ugly.
It's pretty well established. Okay, Bernice was his sister. And it's pretty well established.
They had an incestuous disgusting relationship. Bernice had quite a reputation. It's a sordid story about her life.
But, she lived with her brother and INSIUS relationship. They keep, she keeps being mentioned.
Arippa and Bernice. Go hand in hand. Horrible sordid story.
Bernice was also the sister of Drusilla. These are the great grandchildren of Herod the Great.
Agrippo one who the one that that put Peter in prison a grip of the 1st the one that gave the speech and they said the words of a god, not a man.
That's their dad. And so. Remember that, it keeps being mentioned, Bernice is there.
Sister Drusilla. Very promiscuous lifestyle, very sinful lifestyle. So why introduce her?
Why make such a big deal about her?
I think mentioning that. And everybody reading it. Would know who Bernice was you don't have you don't have to say who it was she was she was well known throughout the ancient world.
How many people see her was beside the point? Everyone knew who she was. And everyone knew her reputation.
So when you heard Bernice You immediately thought. Something sorted. And we've all done studies about Corinth and how the Corinthian girls were considered.
Had had a terrible reputation. Same thing with Bernice. Her and her sister had that kind of reputation so Just reading her.
At the time Acts was written just reading her name. Would make everyone kind of. Grimace a little bit.
What I could compare it to, you know, 1 1 of the some actors that we know there was a bad lifestyle.
You know, when you hear her, you're immediately hear of some of these actresses, you know immediately what you're getting.
This was Bernice. And she was
Very, very prominent in Agrippa's life.
So they have to come up with a reason. To send Paul. To Nero.
That's this tells him the story. Verse 23 and on the morrow when Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pomp.
And was entered into the palace, into the place of hearing. With the chief captains and principal men of the city, Fessis commandant, Paul.
Was brought forth. And Festus said, King Agrippa and all. Men, which I hear present.
With us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me. Both at Jerusalem and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death and that he himself had the Hath appealed to Augustus.
I have determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my Lord. Where for I brought him forth before you and specifically before Theo King Agrippa.
That after examination had I might have somewhat to write. For seemed to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not whistle to signify the crimes laid against him.
Can't just say, you know. He's guilty. I don't know of what, but he's guilty of something.
So he thought a grip up. Being the king of the Jews. Name only would know what the problem is.
Would know what the issue is. What can we find out about this guy? So all that introduces us.
To the very lengthy defense and the discussion between Paul. And this very very Stintful man.
In his very, very sinful state.
Felix is probably gone now with Trusilla, Bernice's sister. So as Festus.
Agrippa and Bernice. Then, Agrippa said unto Paul, thou are permitted to speak for thyself.
Then Paul stretched forth at the hand and answered for himself. I think myself happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for myself this day before the touching all the things where if I am accused of the juice.
This should be cut, especially because I know they to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews.
Wherefore I beseech you to hear me patiently. Now saying he is an expert.
That immediately, okay, he's agreeing with what? Fess is saying. You're an expert on these things.
You should know that you will know what is going on. I know thee to be an expert. He's not.
As one commentator says, trying to you know, soothe his feathers or trying to, you know.
Boot lick him. No, nothing like that at all. He's just actually saying this is the issue.
We're gonna later see By saying that, it actually paints Agrippa into a corner.
We're seeing great resistance here.
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the 1st among my own nation at Jerusalem, Know all the Jews, which knew me from the beginning.
If they would testify that after the most straightest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
The Pharisees, of course. We're known far and wide among the Jews. As the most righteous people.
If you were in Jerusalem. In AD. 30 and you ask someone on the street Who is the most righteous people?
They would immediately say the Pharisees. That's why it's interesting when Jesus said on the sermon of M, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will no eyes get into the kingdom of heaven and to the kingdom of heaven.
Because across Christ was looking beyond. Near. Obedience but actually the heart.
So anyway, so he is now. Explaining who he was.
And what he, what his life was. He was a Pharisee and now I stand and am judge for the hope of the promise.
Made of God unto our fathers. Under which promise our 12 tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come.
For which hopes say King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?
Now that little statement there. Is going to set the tone.
I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus and Nazareth.
He gives a story about what he did. Punished them in the synagogues. Compelled them to blast him in being exceedingly mad.
I'm in verse 11 against them. I persecuted them even unto strange cities. And then he gives his story.
What happened is testimony. I like that story. Because it gives a story of his testimony. Because testimonies obviously say a lot about God, but they say a lot about the person
God knows us what we need to bring us to salvation. Some people.
Can be like Matthew. In his booth, come follow me, gets up and follows them. Some can be like CS Lewis can be intellectually, it can be intellectually explained to him.
People like Peter need a miraculous catch a fish. And people like Paul. Meet a vision from heaven.
So your story of how you became a Christian. Says a lot about God, but says a lot about you.
And. You should take a moment sometime. And thank God that he knows you. They knew you from the womb.
And knew what you needed. To bring you to saving faith.
And so like, as you know, my My daughter, our daughter is a prodigal. And We pray for her.
And we pray that the Lord would give her. Bring it to the place where she has a godly sorrow that leads to repentance.
How he does it.
We don't know. So when you pray for someone that you love who's not a believer, Just know that God knows what they need.
Maybe they just need someone to sit down and explain to them. Maybe they need a light and bolt from heaven.
We don't know. No, but just be thankful that God does know. Okay.
He gives this story.
He tells what happened.
And
He mentions that. The God should raise a dead in verse 8.
Then in verse 20.
But showed, okay, verse 19, we're upon O King Agrippa. I was not disobedient.
Unto the heavenly vision. But showed 1st unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judea.
And then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God. And do works meet for repentance.
He is at this point.
Explain the gospel.
Ephesians 2, 2, 2, 8, 9, for by grace, you say, through faith in that, knowledge yourself, the gift of God.
Not it works should any less anyone should both and 2 10 We are saved unto good works. After we're saved.
We will see, we hope to see. That we should see a change in the person. This is one of the things in our ministry that we have in Alaska explained it a little bit last week for those who may not have been here.
With Native American people. When for them the religious ritual is what's important It was always, historically it was like that.
Whether you live that way or not it didn't matter but in there and their past religions it was like that you had a ritual you had to do So they come so then Christian missionaries come.
And they, will you know, raise our hand at VBS when they're 11 years old.
Or they'll go to church maybe that is explained to them or of course Other things, baptism and the the Lord's Supper.
All those things are done and they think, okay, I'm good to go. I am fine.
I've done the ritual. Where it gets to be a problem. Is when you explain to them their needs to be a change in their life.
I don't know how many funerals we went to. In which the person Raise our hand at a VBS when they were 11 said they were born again And then for the next 50 years you saw no evidence of their salvation.
That was.
But he did the ritual. That is a real problem. That we have in our ministry.
So this part about
Meat works meat for repentance is what we have to. We have to deal with and what we have to Explain to them.
Okay.
Verse 20, okay, we go down here verse 21 for these causes of juice. Caught me in the temple and went about to kill me.
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continued unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none of the things and those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.
Okay, he has not stopped witnessing for those 2 years in prison. He hasn't stopped. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 19.
Did you know something about the prison epistles? Ephesians, Philippines, Collections, and Phi Lehmann.
He never once asked for prayer that he'd be released.
He never once
You know, said, you know, pray that they would let me go. Instead, he asked for prayers in Ephesians 6, 19.
Okay, starting verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching there on to with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.
He's not asking to be released. He's asking that wherever he's at. He preaches a gospel.
Remember my sermon a few weeks ago talking about people are nuts for God? Okay. And there it is right there.
This man. Was a nut for God.
So he's preaching that. That Christ should suffer and that he should be the 1st that should rise from the dead.
And should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, beside thyself, Much learning does make thee mad.
Okay, I of course myself and some other students when we were in Bible school went to our professor and say, see, if you give us too much homework, if we start too much, we're going to go crazy.
Okay, anybody here a teacher? Okay, and I'll tell you students, you know, or if you're in school.
You know, you stay too much, you go crazy, so we shouldn't study so much, okay?
No, so. Actually, that is not what he's saying. He's saying what you're studying.
Is making you crazy. Not studying too much. The point is, okay, you've got this religion.
But you're taking it seriously. You got all these profits. Okay to study this stuff just don't take a seriously oh you'll go crazy You shouldn't.
You shouldn't do that. You're mad because you actually believe this You know. I see that attitude also.
Among among Christians the whole idea about We wear one hat when we're in church and then when we're outside we wear, you know, we don't want to be too much of a fanatic.
I actually had someone that I respected until we said what I'm about to say. You know, sometimes you gotta leave your Christianity behind you on Sunday morning.
And remember, you're wearing a different hat at work. Yeah, Ruth is grimacing at that, aren't you?
Yeah. I'm sorry, I don't mean to point you out, but that's worthy, that's worthy to be grimace that.
That.
You will be treated if you live for Christ. Like you're crazy. Anybody here remember college days?
Anybody remember way back when college days? So way back when. Rabbit ears were still on the top of TVs.
Okay.
BC before computers okay and
If you went to college and you took a stand for Christ. It's a very lonely feeling.
Sometimes I like preaching when those young people here to let them know. When you go to if you go to secular college.
You will be mocked. It will happen. You will not be respected. It's sometimes kind of sad.
Christian parents have talked about the fact that you know they Maybe they homeschool their kid.
Maybe only took them, no any friends they had were from Sunday school. Then VBS. Almost a sheltered life.
And then when they go to college
And then they come back and visit on Thanksgiving and they become atheists. That does happen.
It happens a lot. We have to prepare them. For the attacks. They're going to come.
What you studied has made you mad.
I I, quick story. I was in University of Wisconsin. And the teacher said to me, over said to everyone, All right, is anybody here not believe in evolution?
I was the only one out of 27 people in the class. This is going to be a barrel laughs.
And he said, well, Quiv, I don't want to debate you, and he promptly did.
So. And it's a very lonely feeling when the person sitting behind you. Use the swear words to describe what you're saying.
And they say something about you and then you want to talk and they cut you off. And unless you're well grounded.
That can hurt. So anybody with college age kids or college age grandchildren. Or whatever or are going to go to school yourself.
Know that it will happen. No, that will happen at work.
Do you really believe this stuff?
I love when that was said to me and and jobs I had.
You will be treated.
As you are mad.
Festus said you said with a loud voice Paul thou art beside thyself Much learning doth make thee mad
But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
And. So he is talking about the resurrection of the dead and he's acting like he really believes this.
Now this isn't this is interesting thing because sometimes We as Christians or other Christians will Well celebrate Christmas is a great funny time.
Great, time to spend more money than we have. And and stuff like that and eat too much and all that kind of stuff.
But then there are people that when you push them. No one here in this room, I assume, or listening on Zoom.
But other places if you really push them they don't really believe it happened. It's just a nice little ritualistic story.
And if you tell them you really believe it. They think you're crazy. Paul is saying he really believes this stuff.
And And then he does something. That really, really is tough.
Now he talked about Deeds meet for repentance.
And we keep hearing the message about Bernice being there.
For King Agrippa. To be a Christian. He'd have to give up her niece.
He'd have to give up his disgusting lifestyle. Not in order to please God. But if you repent You can't continue to live.
Your ungodly lifestyle. That's the interesting thing. We can tell people just as I am, yes.
But the wonders of salvation. Goes beyond forgiveness for what you're doing. The wonders of salvation includes the fact that Not are you safe from the judgment of sin?
You're safe from the power sin. What we've learned over and over again. And what we try to tell people in Mintasta in Copper Center and the places we minister.
In Alaska is.
You don't have to sin anymore.
The Holy Spirit will come beside you and help you. Brought what is a church for for fellowship and that's another problem by the way that we had.
The church universal when we had the Copper Center community chapel. There were people that wanted to come to the chapel.
But they knew that they had lived a bad life and they knew there were people there that was going to judge them.
And there were. I was confronted one time because I let someone come. To Sunday school who was Roaring drunk.
And I was confronted. By people for letting that happen.
And I said, we are not going to be that kind of fellowship.
And then I quoted the part, what Jesus said is the sick that need a physician.
We're not going to do that. We are going to accept people. That are sinners. And reach down and give them the love of Christ and tell them they don't have to be there anymore.
So.
For the king knoweth of these things before whom also I speak freely, for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him.
For this sing was not done in a corner. And then he asked the question.
King Agrippa, believe us thou the prophets. I know that thou believeth. He just painted him into a corner.
Because if King Agrippa says, No, I don't believe this. Because I'll be mad like you.
I'll be crazy like you. Then the Jews are going to be all over.
If he says, well, of course I believe the prophets. Then the next statement from Paul is going to be then why don't you believe what I'm preaching?
Moses and the prophets. I'm only saying what Moses and the prophets were saying.
So he's now painted King Agrippa into a corner.
Kind of like what The sad you seas and the Pharisees try to do with Jesus with a, you know, ping.
Paying, taxes to Rome are 7 brothers were married to the same woman who is she going to be who's bride is she in the resurrection and all that trying to pay them into a corner but this actually does paint a grip on to corner Verse 28.
Then can then agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuade us me to be a Christian.
You know, that's kind of a misunderstood.
Misunderstood statement.
He's not saying.
That Oh wow, you've almost got me convicted.
You know, I, I, hear what you're saying. It's actually. Other translations point out he's saying.
You're trying to convince me. Is more of an angry point. You think you're going to convince me of this?
A grip was mad because he can see that Paul is painting him into a corner.
In the entire book of Acts, there's been so many incidences of people who believed.
Who heard the gossip believe. An Ethiopian eunuch. The people that Paul and, and Barnabas.
Minister to all these people that believed to mention what happened on Pentecost Sunday.
But here is someone rejecting.
And rejecting in an angry way.
This was anger. Not conviction of sin.
You know, conviction is sin that eventually I realize I need to be saved. This was anger because he was trying to push him.
He was not gonna give up his sinful lifestyle.
Isn't as sad when we preach the gospel to someone. And we don't understand why they won't believe.
Isn't it also fascinating? That he knows the profits.
And yet sin is more important to him.
And Paul said, and then in Grippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian.
By the way, trivia question, how many times does a word Christian use in the Bible?
Okay, Ruth knows answer.
Give other people a chance to answer. How many times is it used? Actually 3 times. Once at Antioch.
Once here and once in 1st Peter when he says if you suffer as a Christian. And each time. Disciple, by the way, is used 240 times.
I counted. Over 240 times.
And it's always used as an insult.
It's something we should wear with a badge of honor. You insult me, fine.
And Paul said, I would to God that not only thou but also all that here me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am.
Except these bonds, nicer than they had that part. And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up and the governor and who?
Bernice and they and they just sat with them.
And then, and when they were gone aside. They talk between themselves saying this man doeth nothing worthy of death.
Or of bonds. Then said Agrippa on to Festus, this man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
So they didn't come up with anything yet. The most they can say when they sent him to Rome.
Tell Nero this guy's a harmless crackpot that the Jews want to kill. It's gonna take them longer to say that and it will be in Latin, but you get the idea.
This man is a harmless crackpot.
The lessons of this passage. Hatred will come from people.
Who are the most religious? Satan will stir a patriots out of any direction.
And the second most important lesson that I see in this passage. When I read about Bernice. Is how strong sin is.
The grip of sin. Just how much it it holds people. That when they know the truth. It's irrelevant.
If there's sin is more important to them. And a quick report and what we run into. Someone I talked about last week.
That guy, Caleb. He told me once he quit drinking when he was a teenager, he started drinking when he was 13 years old.
And he quit for 4 months and I said, what? What was it like? It goes very lonely.
Because what you've got
The size of physical draw of alcoholism. The peers that are pulling you. That on top of all that You have to sin nature.
All this is a tough nut to crack.
By the way, Hey, Sh you're interested. Bernice did not. Stay with a GRIPPA.
She eventually. Became a mistress to Titus, the guy that burned Jerusalem.
Agrippa himself and then she went back to Agrippa. And then he died childless.
And that was the end of the hair line. And nobody really cared. That it was the end of it.
So, remember tonight. Resistance will come.
Be prepared for resistance to come from any direction. Especially those who claim to be religious. And there was an overwhelming draw of sin.
That will trump. Anything else? The A gripa knew the moat, no, Moses and the prophets.
But he'd rather have known Bernice.
So that is tonight's lesson. And now the party everyone is waiting for Donna to sing.