Make a decision.....

Let's take a look at Paul in Acts where he was imprisoned (really, when was the dude NOT in jail for being a Christian?) and was about to stand trial for defiling the sanctity of the temple. What they really arrested Paul for was his profession of Jesus Christ.

Paul is due to stand before the King to plead his case.  The King at the time was King Agrippa.  He was accompanied by his evil sister, Bernice and the prosecutor at the time, Festus.  Although Paul was facing further imprisonment and possibly death, he used the opportunity to talk about Christ before and audience of these people who did not believe.  Paul's motive was to bring the Gospel of Christ to them, to persuade them to believe.  Paul does this by talking about his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian himself - this is what he said to them:


“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, andfrom the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”


He goes on to tell the King that because he tried to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, the Jews arrested him.  No other reason.  This is what he said:  


“For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come; that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”


What a testimony Paul had given before the King.  What an amazing transformation God had made in Paul's life.  After Paul pleads his case, after he has told them about his conversion and how God had changed him.  After he had carried the message of Jesus Christ to them Festus tells Paul that he is crazy, that he has gone mad for believing such a thing.  King Agrippa, after listening to Paul's testimony, then tells Paul that he ALMOST persuaded him to become a Christian.  ALMOST?  Maybe King Agrippa was reluctant to believe and to become a Christian because he was afraid of what people might think.  He may lose the respect of the people that follow him and apparently that was more important than following Jesus Christ.  Maybe he was afraid that Festus would think that he was crazy too if he became a Christian.  


I believe that some of us are just like King Agrippa.  We hear the message of Jesus Christ week after week at Church or in Bible Study or at a Youth Meeting/Fellowship but we just are not quite persuaded to accept Jesus and live as an unashamed Christian.  What is hindering your decision? What is stopping you from fully embracing Jesus Christ and living your life as an "out of the closet" Christian? Are you afraid of what your friends might think? Do you value the opinion of others and your popularity more that a relationship with Jesus Christ?  My prayer for you is that you ALL decide to live for Christ in the open, not ashamed to tell people that you are a Christian, and more importantly not ashamed to live like one.  Do not allow yourself to be like King Agrippa.  Having heard the Gospel and heard of the marvelous and miraculous work of Jesus and then reject Jesus because of fear or not wanting to change.


Make a decision to live for Christ.........


Scripture reference:
Acts 26 - read it all...


As always, if you have any questions/comments hit me up on email: Myers0608@gmail.com or Twitter @Marshajoi - For those of you I see on a regular basis, you know where I am...get at me...


Love you all!