1459. Paul's Sermon at Caesarea

Paul's Sermon at Caesarea

PAUL'S Conduct as a Youth (Act_26:4).

PAUL'S Conversion (Act_26:13).

PAUL'S Commission (Act_26:16-18).

PAUL'S Continuous Journeyings (Act_26:19-20).

PAUL'S Conflicts (Act_26:21-22).

PAUL'S Confession of Faith (Act_26:23).

PAUL'S Concluding Words (Act_26:24, Act_26:29).

We have before us the epitome of perhaps the most marvelous life ever lived among men, not including, of course, the life of our Lord Jesus.

Paul stands as a peer among preachers. He was chosen and called that he might preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. His travels and his service, his teachings and his sufferings startle us as we study them.

The subject before us now sums up, in one remarkable address, the whole of Paul's experiences; it reaches back to Paul's youth and life before conversion; it then relates Paul's conversion and call to the ministry. It next sums up, in a brief word, the three great missionary journeys of Paul and the conflicts which he met by the way. It continues by giving us Paul's confession of faith, that is, the great outstanding message which he preached, Finally, it gives us Paul's concluding words, which present the very passion of his soul in behalf of sinners.

Let us introduce the subject by bringing before our readers briefly,

1. The oath of forty men to slay Paul (see Act_23:12-13).

2. The hurried flight to Caesarea (see Act_23:23-24).

3. The trial before Felix (see Act_24:2-27).

4. The later trial before Festus (see Act_25:1-12).

5. The present resume before Agrippa (see Acts 26).

Agrippa came down to visit Festus. After so many days, Festus told Agrippa about his noted prisoner Paul. Agrippa desired to hear him. This desire brought about Paul's audience before the king, and Paul's defense.

To say that this defense stands before us as a marvel of argument, of logic and of conclusion is to say but little. The 26th chapter of Acts is one of the great outstanding chapters of the Bible.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR