MPC, 15th December 2002.Acts 25-26 - "Wrong Way - Go Back"
Phil Campbell MPC, 15th December 2002.
Have you seen that ad on TV at the moment? With the guy in the hat driving down the freeway talking to his wife on the phone. And she says to him be careful, I've just heard on the radio there's some mug driving down the freeway the wrong way. And he says to her, it's worse than what they're saying… there's a whole lot of them. As hundreds of cars are hurtling towards him.
At which point you realise he's the mug she's talking about. Heading the wrong way up the freeway. And badly needing to turn around.
Now it may be you're living life that way in relation to God. Because according to the apostle Paul, the very essence of his message to every person he meets is exactly that. And we saw it last week. Where he says the message he's proclaiming to Jew and Greek alike… is they need to repent towards God. And put their faith in Jesus Christ, who'll wash their sins away.
Repentance in Greek is the word metanoia. Which means literally a metamorphosis of the mind. A complete change of thinking. A mental turn around.
Repentance is a complete change of orientation towards the God we've consistently ignored. The creator we've turned our backs on, as we've re-invented right and wrong for ourselves. And reaped the consequences.
And it's a complete change of thinking that's going to lead to a complete change of living.
We're picking up where we left off last week. Another trial for the Apostle Paul. Who's come to Jerusalem and been falsely accused. He's been in front of a lynch mob, he's been slapped around by the Jewish Sanhedrin; and because Jerusalem is under the Roman empire, he's passed on for trial to the Roman governor. First Felix. Then in chapter 25, when two years later Felix moves on, Governor Festus. And Festus is perplexed. Because for the life of him, he can't see the problem.
Festus wants to hand him back to the Jews. But if you pick it up where we left off in chapter 25 verse 11, Paul plays his ace. He's a Roman Citizen. And that means he's got the right to appeal to Caesar. Which is what he does.
But Festus needs some help. Because before he can send him to Caesar, he's got to figure out exactly what Paul's done wrong.
King Agrippa's in town. Ruler of Palestine. With his wife Bernice. It's a social call. But as you do when you're talking shop over a few drinks, Festus wants to get some advice on the strangest case he's had all year. The case of Paul.
And King Agrippa's keen to hear first hand.
Chapter 25 verse 23, and if you think back to Paul's ambition to take his message to the top, it's going incredibly well. I mean, he's in chains. But take a look at the audience. Everyone who's anyone. Out in all their finery. And the chief attraction is the apostle Paul. Imagine the scene. The trumpets. The red carpet. Verse 23 in chapter 25,
The next day Agrippa and Bernice turn up with great pomp and come into the audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
Here's the Chief of Police. Here's the Manager of Brookside. Here's the local council member. And the State MP. Here's the guest list at Peter Beattie's Christmas party. All ready to hear Paul.
Now I don't know how you go when you're face-to-face with someone important. I bumped into Gough Whitlam at the airport once. He didn't recognise me. But if I'd had to say something, I imagine I would have gone all gaga. Like my mate who was eating a hamburger when he sees Bob Hawke coming towards him; so excited he shakes Bob's hand with a handful of lettuce and beetroot. Well, here's Paul up in front of King Agrippa; and he's called to put his case.
And so Paul stands up, and he tells his story. Right through chapter 26. Very politely. Verse 2. "King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews. Especially because you're so well informed about the Jews." As he is. Because Julius Marcus Agrippa is Jewish himself. A grandson of the great Herod family. Who'd accommodated themselves so comfortably with Roman Rule. And he's constantly trying to hose down Jewish controversies. And keep the peace.
Paul says, "you're well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently."
And on he goes. In detail. With the story of his own turn around. His own repentance. As he makes his defence to Agrippa and the "A-list" audience.
And it's quite a story. He says, I'm the guy who used to hunt down Christians and vote for the death penalty. Now I am one.
Which is almost like Osama bin Laden turning up here to church. As a convert.
And as you run your eye down his words, look for everything he said he was. Everything he used to be.
Because he says in verse 4, the Jews have known me since I was a boy. I was a Pharisee, verse 5… living according to the strictest sect of our religion. Tithed on the herb garden. Measured the number of steps you'd walk on the Sabbath. And no more.
And I was convinced, he says in verse 9, that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that's exactly what I did. He says, on the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
So passionately against them I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and tried to make them blaspheme. In my obsession against Christians, verse 11, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
And now Paul's on trial for being A Christian himself.
Which is an incredible turnaround. So what happened? What happened is Paul ran into the ultimate wrong way go back sign.
Which he describes in verse 12 to 18. The confrontation with the risen Jesus Christ. Who appeared to him on Damascus Road in a blinding light. And commissioned him with a simple message.
Verse 14. He said there was a light from heaven. Incredibly bright. And a voice that said Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It's hard for you to kick against the goads.
As if Jesus knows that somehow deep inside, this Saul who's going to become Paul knows he's doing wrong. As maybe you do if you're in the same situation. Knows he's persisting in going the wrong way. As if he's bruising his ankles at every step.
So Jesus turns him round. And commissions him. With a message.
Have a look at the wording. Verse 18. And notice the heart of what Jesus wants him to do. Because the fact is, no matter who you are… you need to turn around. And it may be that you're not like the guy on the TV ad at all, because it's not that you're the only one going the wrong way. Maybe there's plenty of company. And you're just going with the flow. And it's the whole flow that needs to turn around. Which must be what it sounded like to Paul. A message for everyone.
"I'm sending you," Jesus says in verse 18, "to your own people and the gentiles as well… to everyone… "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God… so they may receive forgiveness of sins… and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me."
Now this is one of those times where I've got to say if you're not a person who's taken the step of becoming a Christian, if you're sort of vague what it's all about… or if you've been a Christian for years and you're still vague what it's all about, here's one of those times where it's spelt out very clearly.
Turn around. From darkness to light. Stop kicking against the goads. Because ultimately, you do know the difference. Turn from the power of Satan to God. And receive forgiveness of sins in Jesus name. And a place among the people of God.
Paul says to Agrippa, that's exactly what I've been preaching. And if you look at verse 20, he sums it up again.
Paul says, I did what I was told. First in Damascus. Then Jerusalem and Judea. Then to the Gentiles also. "I preached that they should repent and turn to God, and prove their repentance by their deeds."
Now I do want you to notice that last bit. Because it's a mistake to think when you read about repenting that it's just a matter of crying some crocodile tears then keeping on doing what you like.
I mean, repenting isn't just a matter of just saying, Gee i'm driving the wrong way on this one way street. It's not just even saying I'm really sorry I'm driving the wrong way on this one way street. Repenting is when you turn around. Paul says, I'm telling you, you should prove your repentence by your deeds. Show your repentance … by what you do.
Simon Hannes was sent to jail on Friday for insider trading on the share market. Made millions. Trading on inside knowledge on a TNT transport share deal. The judge added four extra months to his sentence. Because, he said, there was no evidence of contrition. And poor prospects of rehabilitation. No evidence of any real sorrow. No evidence of any real change of heart. No prospect for any change of action.
No real repentance at all.
Paul's message is, repent. Turn to God. At which point you'll receive absolute forgiveness for all your sins. But real repentance is always going to show from that point on … in a whole new way of living. prove it. By your deeds.
So you say you'll take Jesus seriously and you won't live anymore for wealth and status. Prove it by your deeds.
You say you'll take Jesus seriously and you won't sacrifice your family and your eternity for the sake of ambition and overwork and getting ahead and paying off the bigger and bigger mortgage. Prove it by your deeds.
You say you'll take Jesus seriously and won't be so consumed by yourself that you're totally insensitive to the people around you… well, what are you actually proving every day? By the way you're living?
In the end, maybe you're not convinced. Festus and Agrippa certainly aren't. Festus thinks he's crazy. Agrippa laughs. Verse 28, he says "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
To which Paul says, I don't care how long it takes. "Short time or long—verse 29—"I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
That you and everyone else… would know what it means to really repent. And have your sins forgiven in the name of Jesus. Would know what it means to really turn around. In a way that turns around the way you live your life. As forgiven followers of Jesus.
Billy Graham, the famous American evangelist, was here on a preaching tour back in 1959. Preaching exactly the same message Paul preached.
3 million people heard him speak. And the effects were dramatic. One guy who heard him was a safecracker. The night he came along, he was in the middle of planning a robbery with his mates. He came along; he heard he had to repent. so he did. And the next day, fronted up to the gang and told them he couldn't do it. Turn around. And prove it by what you do.
Another guy was cheating on his wife – actually went to hear Billy Graham with his girlfriend. It was their last date. Because when he heard the gospel he was cut to the heart. The next day he was back apologising to his wife. Begging her to take him back. A changed man. With a changed life. turn around. And prove it with your deeds.
Or the bank clerk. Who'd been embezzling money and he'd never been caught. The next morning, he confessed; and offered to pay back every cent.
Real repentance means real change. Paul said repent. Turn back to God. And prove it by the way you live. And I can guarantee there are people here today who need to hear that. And do something about it. Stop kicking against the goads. Stop playing the Christian. And be real.
And the great news is, when you're real… there's real forgiveness waiting at the end of the road.