The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-10-21
LESSON FOR OCTOBER ~
PAuL's DEFENSE BEFORE
AGRlPPA.

unto the heavenly vision.-Acts 26:1s.
It is possible to use the Bible either
as a music box or a telephone. We
should let 1t speak the words Of the
Lord Jesus to us and our pupils. This
lesson occurred probably A. D.. so, per-
haps in August, the day after last Sun
days lesson. This was the same hall
where Agrippa had heard the people
calling him a god (Acts 12). Paul,
the center of all interest, is chained
to his Roman guardians. The prisoner
has been vehemently accused as one
worthy of death and had appealed to
Caesar, but Festus, not being well &C
quainted with Jewish laws and Gus
toms, could not make any definite
charge against him before the Roman
court. Hence he turns him over to
Agrippa, who was well acquainted
with matters Of Jewish law.
l.. Paul, the Preacher wv. 1887.
This was one of the great occasions
in the life of this great Paul
was preaching to a king and a m
of great influence "a sermon which
little changed their lives evidently,
and also to the coming ages. This
king and queen were welded to their
infamy. God had In mind on that
day an audience in comparison with
which that which Paul saw faded into
oblivion. Notice his argument. ~
He begins with his own experience.
In these verses there are over forty
personal pronouns. He, himself, was
u living fact of the wondrous change
which Jesus wrought in the life Of a
man. Such testimony is the most eff
fective teaching.
Men do not need so much light as
they do need heat, and Paul was
speaking out of the hot throbs Of his
personal experience. Paul stood be-
fore them a living miracle, an incar-
nate argument. We might tremble at
the doctrine of the resurrection. He
knew 1t was a marvellous thing that
God should raise the dead, but that
change had been wrought in him
Which, was equivalent to the miracle
Of raising one from the grave.
Paul's plea was for the Roman rs
we'll as the Jew. Considering his per-
sonal testimony, he declares that he
is a true Jew of the strictest sect wv.
4-S), and as such he lived in the
hope of the promise" as predicted by
Isaiah and Daniel. That promise has
been fulfilled in Jesus, the crucified,
who rose again from the dead, and
Paul adds, 81 have seen him, for
which hopes sake, King Agrippa, l
am accused of the Jews" (2) wv. O.
15) Paul tells the audience that he,
himself, was once a jealous peIse-
cutor of the Christians, more so than
those who are now prosecuting him,
being exceedingly mad against
them" He then relates his Damascus
journey and the conversation held on
the road with the risen Lord. The
metaphor of. kicking against the
prlcks seems to be that the more you
resist the power that is urging you on,
the more painful 1t will be. 1t is of no
use to resist. (8) Paul shows the aim
and purpose of the religion of Jesus.
He, the servant, is to be a minister.
First of all he had received forgive
ness. That forgiveness carried with
L IGSDOhSlDlllly vi a LWOlOlu uuluIcg
(a) to be a minister, literally an as
sistant, and (b) a witness (martyr),
the human side, a witness of the pres
ent as well as the things which should
happen in the future, as God gave
him revelation during his experience.
(See II Cor. 4 g; Eph. 1 :18.) Second,
1t turned them from darkness to light,
the darkness of ignorance and sin unto
hin who is the "Light of the World"
(John 9:5), and from the power Of
Satan, the inveterate adversary of God
in all that is good (see Eph. 1:21;
6:12; Col. 2:1-15; II Thes. 2:9) INTO
God.
The gospel Paul preached was to
lead men into the kingdom of God
that they might receive forgiveness
of sins and an inheritance among
those who were fitted for that inheri-
lance, who were the sanctifed. For
this the Jews wen about to XIII
him.
II. Aarippa, the Doubter wv. 2432).
Five ways are suggested as to the
reception Of Paul's message. The
high priests way was to hate him and
oppose. Felix's way was Ego thy way
this time. When I have a more con-
venient season I will CALL" Festus'
way wv. 24-26) was to charge Paul
with madness. Much learning Qiteral-
ly, many writings) was turning him
mad, making him a ~lunatic, a dreamer.
one who lived In the atmosphere Of
wild imaginings. Paul's reply was
not harsh. Most noble Festus" Gam.
R.) 81 am not mad, but speak words of
soberness," words of eternal life INT
spiritual life (of sound sense) that
were true and earnest. Paul ~thereupon
appeals to King Agrippa to confirm
his statements ". 2-6). The crazy
man Is he who lives for this world
rather than for eternity. The devil
has cheated many a man out of eter-
nal life by the method which Festus
followed. He has also cheated many
a Christian out Of the larger life In
the same way. Paul's appeal to Agrip-
pa wv. 27-29) Is very suggestive.
Some people believe that the con
tents Of the prophecies are of no pres
ent day value, and some are trying to
break their force. Some declare they