The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-10-21
LESSON F0R OCTOBER p
PtyL'S DEFENSE BEFORE
ACRi PPE.


Lord jesus 20 Us and our pupils This
lesson occurred probably A. l.. ~ per
haps u August. ~" day after .aS' sun
days lesson This was ~. same hall
where Agrippa had heard t'.- people
calling him d god tActN ~. Paul.
the c+ute- IF all in,ereS, j. chained
20 his Roman guardians. The prisoner
has been vehenently accused as one
worthy OF death and had APPEALED 10
Caesar. but Festus. not being well &C
Quhinted with Jewish laws and Gus
toms could not make any definite
charge against him before the Roman
court. Hence he lurns him over 20
Agrippa who was well acquainted
with matters OF Jewish law.
/. Paul, the Preacher wv. l-23).
This was one Of the great occasions
In the life Of this great man. Paul
was preaching TO d king and woman
Uf great influence Ga sermon which
little changed their lives evidently,
and also 10 the coming ages. This
king and queen were welded 10 their
y.
day al audience In comparison with
which that which Paul saw faded into
Oblivi on. Notice his argument. %
He begins with his own experience.
in theSe verses there are over forty
persona. pronouns. He, himself, WAS
living fact Of the wOndrous change
which Jesus wrought IN the life OF
man. Such testimony is the most ef-
fective tea ching.
Men do not need 50 much light as
they do Iced heat. and Paul was
speaking Otlt OF the hot throbs Of his
personal Experience Paul stood be-
fore them Il living miracle, an incar-
nate argume Ut W. might treInble at
the doctrine Of the resurrection. He
knew II was marvellous thing that
God should raise the dead, but that
change had been wrought In him
which was 20 uivalent 10 the miracle
OF raising one from the grave.
Pauls plea was for the Roman as
well as the Jeys. Considering his per
sonal testimony, he declares that he
Is a true Jew Of the strictest sect wv.
49,, 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, al have seen him. for
which hopes sake, King Agrippa, l
am accused Of the Jews" ca wv. o
80 Paul tells the audience that he,
himself, was once Jealous perse-
cutor OF the Oh ristians, more so than
those who are how prosecuting him,
being exceedingly mad against
them" He then relates his Damascus
Journey and the con versatiOn 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 ,rging you on,
the more painful II will be II is OF no
use TO resist. (3) Paul shows the aim
and purpose OF the religion Of Jesus
He, the servant, Is 10 be minister.
First OF all he had received forgive
ness. That forgiveness carried with
(a) 10 be a minister, literally an as
sistant, and (b) a witness (Inartyr),
the human side. q 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. 49, Second,
II turned them from darkness 70 light,
the darkness Of ignorance and sin unto
him who is the Light of the World"
John $50. and from the power OF
Satan. the inveterate adversary Of God
In all that is good (see Eph. "a
6:12; Col. 2:1-l5; II Thes 900 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 10 kill
him.
u. Agrippa, the Doubter wv. 2432).
Five ways are suggested as TO the
reception Of Paul's message. The
high priests way was TO hate him AMI
oppose Felix's way was "gO thy way
this time When | have q more con-
venient season | will call" Festus'
way wv. 242G) was to charge Paul
with madness. Much learning Qiteral-
~, many wrttings) WAS turning him
mad. making him lunauc, dreamer,
one who livel in the atmosphere Of
wild imaginings. Paul's reply was
not harsh. Most noble Festus" Gam.
r. IL 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 Agippa to confirm
his statements ". 26). 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
q Christian out of the larger life IN
the same way. Paul's appeal TO Agrip-
pa wv. H-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 20
break their force. Some declare they
cannot be true, yet these prophecies
are the ones that declare that Jesus