The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1916-10-19
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 22
PAuL'S DEFENSE BEFORE
AGRiPPA.

GOLDEN TEXT was not disobedient
unto the heavenly vision.-Acts 26:1S
It Is possible to use the Bible either
| as O music box or telephone. We
should let it 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 oil 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 we'll ac-
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.
I. Paul, the Preacher wv. 1-23).
This was one of the great occasions
In the life of this great man. Paul
was preaching to king and woman
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. ID
He begins with his own experience.
In these verses there are over forty
personal pronouns. He, himself, was
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 living MIRACLE, an incar-
nate argument. We might tremble at
the doctrine of the resurrection. He
knew it was a marvellous thing that
God should raise the dead, but that
change had been wrought in him
raising one from the grave.
Paurs plea was for the Roman as
well as the Jew. Considering his per-
sonal testimony, he declares that he
is a true Jew of the strictest sect (vv.
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 Agrlppa,
am accused Of the Jews" (2) wv. y
15) Paul tells the audience that he,
himself was once Jealous perse-
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
pricks seems to be that the more you
resist the power that is urging you on,
the more painful it will be. It is Of no
use to resist 60 Paul shows the aim
and purpose of the religion Of Jesus.
He, the servant, Is to be minister.
First of all he had received forgive
ness. That forgiveness carried with
1t responsibility of twofold nature,
(a) to be minister, literally an as
sistant. and (b) witness (martyr),
the human side, a witness of the pres
ent as we'll as the things which should
happen in the future, as God gave
him revelation during his experience.
(See III Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1 :1S.) Second.
it turned them from darkness to light.
the darkness of ignorance and sin unto
him 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. :21
6:12; Col. Ellis; II Thes. 2:0) unto
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 sanctified. For
this cause the Jews went about to kill
him.
II. Agrippa, the Doubter wv. 24-32).
Five ways are suggested as to the
reception Of Paurs message. The
high priests way was to hate him and
oppose. Felix's way was Ego thy way
this time. When I have more con-
venient season I Will CALL" Festus'
way wv. 24-26) was to charge Paul
with madness. Much learning Citeral-
ly, many writings) was turning him
mad making him lunatic, dreamer,
one who lived in the atmosphere OF
wild imaginings. PauTs reply was
not harsh. Most noble Festus" Gam.
R.) 81 am not mad, but speak words OF
soberness," words of eternal life and
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 man out Of eter-
nal life by the method which Festus
followed. He has also cheated many
q Christian out of the larger life In
the same way. Paul's appeal to Agrip-
pa (vv. 27-20) is very suggestive.
Some people believe that the con-
tents Of the prophecies are OF no pres
emit day value, and some are trying to
break their force. Some declare they