26:1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Twenty-six:1: “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.” There he goes. You don’t ever give Paul a chance to speak. He’ll lower the boom on you.

“Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions.” Get him ready for the kill, you know.

“I know thee to be an expert.” Which is probably so. He wouldn’t lie. But you see all these kings know what’s going on? They all know what’s going on. This crucifixion of Christ, when you pick up the history books, it doesn’t mention it, because the devil writes the history books. Here’s the account: Herod knew about it, Pilate knew about it, Agrippa knew about it, Festus knew about it, Felix knew about it. They all knew about it. Now if all the Roman kings knew about it, don’t you know the Roman garrisons knew about it? And the legionnaires knew about it? And if they knew about it, don’t you know their girlfriends knew about it? Where they were stationed in the army occupation of Great Britain and Germany and France and Italy and North Africa? See? That word of God’s not bound, boy, it runs like a deer! This thing isn’t drawn in a corner; it isn’t shut up over in Palestine.

So he says, “I know thee to be an expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.” Now notice he’s polite, and he gives honor to whom honor is due, and he’s polite about it. And you can afford to be polite; you don’t have to be like Micaiah, you know. Micaiah, you know, he comes in there, you know, and just doesn’t even say “Hello” to the king; he sits up there and says, “You’re gonna get chastened under a bombshell, and Assyria’s going to take your place.” Amos says, “Your wife’s going to be a harlot, and the city’s going to go into captivity. Goodbye!” and walks out the door.

But you don’t have to be that way. And a Christian ought to have more grace than that. And honor to whom honor due.

“My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.” Now their religion was Judaism. But the straitest sect — the narrowest sect — of Judaism was a Pharisee.

Now, the Sadducee was a Jew, but that was a liberal sect. And they had the Essenes and the Herodians and the Zealots and all this and that. But the straitest sect was the Pharisee.

“I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.” Of course, when he says “promise” he means Christ coming.

“Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.” For a Jew it’s the resurrection.

“For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” Now look at that direct address. Look at that thing in verse 8. That guy is talking to a king. And he puts his finger right up there, and says, “Why should it be thought incredible with you?” See that direct address? That’s second person singular.

Then there’s this: “Why, why should not we believe in the dead? If we do not believe in the dead, are we really being sound and reasonable and intelligent? After all, there’s so many people who believe in the raising of the dead, we should believe in the raising of the dead, too.”

It’s YOU! See that direct business? That bird takes out that sword, pulls that thing out — WHHHACCCCKKK! — and goes.

“I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” Now, you — boy, you ought to — you look how that sermon’s put together. “Why should it be thought incredible with you? I thought too to do things contrary.” You know what he’s told that king? Ha! He’s told that king, “You’re doing things contrary to Jesus of Nazareth.” Just laid it right on him! And there’s nothing, there’s no third person plural, “he” and “they” and first person plural “we” — it’s YOU and ME, is where it is.

QUESTION: Can Christians do that like in witnessing?

ANSWER: Yes sir. You’ve got to get them lost before you can get them saved.

QUESTION: Yeah, but isn’t that kind of condescending?

ANSWER: How do you mean? How do you mean “condescending”? Bringing him down? Yeah, bring him down, all the way down. Drag him all the way down.

I walked in the office one time. There was a medical doctor there. His little boy had been electrocuted when he was about ten years ago. That doctor was staying up late at night reading the Bible all night. And people in town said he was going crazy. That’s what they’ll do if you get reading the Bible all night. And I went into his office, and I came across the floor. I said, “How you doing, Doctor? I hear you got saved.” Which I hadn’t heard, but it was a way to open the conversation.

And he said, “Well, I’m an Episcopalian.”

I said, “I was an Episcopalian too before I was saved.”

And he said, “Yeah, but I had a godfather and a godmother.”

I said, “I had a godfather and a godmother too before I was saved.”

And he walked right up next to me and turned red in the face. He said, “But I was christened and confirmed.”

And I said, “I was christened and confirmed too before I was saved.”

And he said, “What do you mean?”

Now you got him! I said, “I’ll show you what I mean.” Pulled out the Bible and led him to Christ. That boy got saved.

Yeah, do it nicely. You can do it nicely, but always take advantage of your testimony. Always take advantage of it. If you were a Catholic before you were saved, don’t hesitate to tell him. Identify yourself immediately. Say, “I was a good Catholic. I did this and that — yes sir, I was raised Catholic. All my family was Catholic. Boy, let me tell you, when I got saved, it was really an eye-opener!” Put it on!

Nine: “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.” He was a murderer! That guy had them killed. “When they were put to death.” That’s no Boy Scout. Not Paul. Paul’s like Toquemada, Spanish inquisitor.

“And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme.” He was torturing them. People get Paul wrong. They think he was just a nice theologian, you know. That guy was a murderer and a torturer. He was like a Spanish Jesuit inquisitor.

“And compelled them to blaspheme.” Tortured the Christians till they denied Christ.

“And being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.” Many people want to be saved like Paul. They want to get knocked down on the ground and see a bolt of lightning or a light or something come off. But they forget that they’re not the man Paul was. The Lord isn’t going to take time out to do that with the average person. Paul’s not the average person. He’s a killer.

“I persecuted them even unto strange cities.” I often get to thinking about it. When he got caught up, you know, in 2 Corinthians 12 and got caught up to the third heaven, I’ve always thought — I couldn’t prove this — but I’ve always thought he saw Stephen. I’ve always thought that. Stephen was up there. Stephen was up there.

And, you know, when he came back down, you know what they kept doing with him, they kept whipping him. And when he went up there, he’d just been beaten within an inch of his life and left for dead. And, don’t you know, I’ve always thought when he got up there the Lord said, “Now, do you see why I’m doing this?” I mean, see, there’s Stephen, and here are these people he killed, put to death, and they’re standing there waving at him. And He said, “OK, now you tortured them, right? OK, now, you get yours.” I mean, you reap what you sow.

26:12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Twelve: “Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, —” he’s got him. He’s got him. The king’s just sitting there listening.

“At midday, O king.” And ol’ Festus is getting upset. He’s getting ignored.

“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun.” That’s a cobalt bomb.

“Shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” That’s a picture of conscience. His conscience killing him.

“And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Notice persecuting Jesus, in His members. The people he’s persecuting are in Christ. So when he persecutes them, he is persecuting Christ.

“But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.” Now notice the middle of verse 16, the two callings — “a minister and a witness.” Every Christian is a witness. Not every Christian is a minister. Paul said, “He put me into the ministry.” So every Christian is a witness. You don’t want to confound the call to preach with the call to ministry. Every Christian should preach in the sense that every Christian is a witness. But some the Lord has called to put into the ministry. That’s a full-time life job of preaching.

“To make thee a minister and a witness.” Both. “Of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.”

Now here’s the commission — one: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee.”

Two: “To open their eyes.”

Three: “To turn them from darkness to light.”

Four: To turn them “from the power of Satan unto God.”

Five: So they can “receive forgiveness of sins.”

Six: “And inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” That’s coming in on the king again, moving in close. “I wasn’t disobedient.” I mean, the obvious implication is, “How about you?”

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa.” See how personal that thing is? “I” — “you” — “I” — “you.”

“I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should —” ONE: “— repent and turn to God, and —” TWO: “— do works.” Boy, how’s that? “For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not unto yourselves.”

“Do works meet for repentance.” When that old boy preached, he preaches righteousness, temperance and judgment. And when the guy said, “OK, I believe,” Paul said, “OK, let’s see it. Let’s have some evidence.” I mean, it’s one thing, boy, to quote passages out of the Pauline epistles that deal with doctrinal truth, and it’s another thing to get down into his ministry. Boy, his ministry is something else.

COMMENT: A Campbellite uses that to prove works.

ANSWER: “Do works meet for repentance?” Well, that’s OK, grant that. Grant that. Say, “OK, that’s meet for repentance. Now what are you going to do to get saved?” That’s the mean thing you can spot about that bunch is the fact that that bunch will not preach on repentance. They won’t teach “repent.” Repent, repent. Repentance is a good message for anybody. It’s good for Christians. A Christian about twice a week needs to turn from what’s wrong and turn to what’s right.

All right, verse 21: “For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.” For what causes? Verse 20 — preaching to the Gentiles, trying to get the Gentiles right.

“Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead.” Now a hyperdispensationalist will take verse 22 and say, “You see there? As late as Acts 26, Paul has only been preaching the Old Testament kingdom. Therefore, the church doesn’t begin until Acts 28. That’s a hyper verse.

And he’s take the verse which says, “Saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.” So he said, up to here, Paul hasn’t been telling anybody about the church, but only preaching the Old Testament.

But obviously that isn’t true. I mean, obviously, you must interpret verse 22 in the light of verse 23. Because, back in chapter 20, didn’t he just say he was testifying of the gospel of the grace of God? Well, that thing isn’t what Moses said should come. And back in Acts chapter 20, you read also that he preached about the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of Heaven. So you interpret 22 in the light of verse 23. When he said, “I’m only preaching what Moses and the prophets said should come, he means in regards to verse 23 — in regards to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He hasn’t had his message limited to Genesis to Malachi.

“That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”

26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

“And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself.” There are two of him, see. Schizophrenia. You’re here, and you’re over here. You are standing alongside yourself. You’re beside yourself.

“Much learning doth make thee mad.” You’re crazy. Notice the magic word again is “Gentile.” When he says “Gentile,” boy, the fur hits the fan.

“And of the Gentiles. ... Paul, thou art beside thyself. ... Much learning doth make thee mad.” Now, that’s the kind of response you’re gonna get from a high-class intellectual when you begin to talk about those things.

“But he said, I am not mad.” Notice how he answers. I mean, keeps his temper.

“I am not mad, most noble Festus.” Doesn’t forget to be polite. Gives him the honor due, you know, “your majesty,” or “honorable so-and-so,” whatever it is.

“I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak... King Agrippa?” You see how quickly he got rid of Festus? I mean, just shelved him, man. The guy come there and start saying, “You’re mad.” “I’m not mad, but I speak, for the king knows...” and then right back on the king again, see. That’s a good example of witnessing and preaching, see. I mean, it’s just like silver-tipped rifle shell just fired right in the bull’s eye every time — never misses. Never misses. His mind going just all the time like that. Never misses a trick.

“For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa...” Now, right in the middle of the message, puts it right on him, see. Direct. Direct address.

COMMENT FROM A FEMALE MEMBER OF THE CLASS.

ANSWER: Yeah, and try to think of something to say like that that’ll ditch him. I had a hard time learning it. I can do it now, but on my first couple attempts at it, really rough. But pray. You have to pray and say, “Lord, give me something to say. Show me what to say. Show me what to say.” And then turn and say it, and cut her off, and then start back again.

I’ve dealt with a person about their soul and had a Catholic sitting next to me who interrupted me fifteen times in fifteen minutes — that is, once a minute for a solid fifteen minutes. And the thing broke up without the person getting saved. But a year later they got saved. And the Catholic left town. Probably was in a liquor store.

All right, 27: “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.” You talk about rudeness, man! Look at that. “Do you believe? I know you believe.” Didn’t even give him a chance to answer.

Isn’t that a long way from Brother John R. Rice? I mean, “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?” “I am fully persuaded there are many good men who have different opinions on these things, and we’d like to respect each other’s opinions. The may have been some godly men who recognized these truths, but perhaps you haven’t had this particular light, but we’re praying for you, brother, that God may open your heart.” Baloney, brother!

He said, “Do you believe? I know you believe.” And goes right on preaching.

“I know you believe. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” He just about got him sacked. And the thing about it is, you got to remember Paul’s appearance now. When Paul shows up here, he’s been whipped something like four times, and beaten with rods twice, and stoned three times. That old boy is standing there, probably almost blind, those eyes, whatever eye trouble he had like that, you know, and stone bruises all over the face, whip marks all over the neck. Manacles on the hand. Probably white-headed before he was forty. That life will give you white hair, man, before you’re forty. That old guy standing there sun-burnt. Probably just brown as a berry, you know. Open air, walking right outdoors. Standing there like that looking at him, and the old king looking at him like that, and the Holy Spirit’s got him, boy, and just tearing him up.

And he says, “You almost got me convinced!”

And from this we get “Almost Persuaded.” The psalm.

“Almost thou persuadest me.” Said like that. “You’re on about to persuade me. I’m king.”

“Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, —” don’t let him up a minute! Don’t let him up a minute, man. I mean, he isn’t flattered. The fellow said, “You’re almost persuading me to be a Christian?”

Paul didn’t say, “Well, I hope I’d get around that thing, you know. I’d hoped you’d look at it that way.” He doesn’t answer that way. I mean, never lets up.

“I would to God that not only you, but everybody in this place...”

“I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, —” see, quoting him sarcastically.

He said, “You almost persuaded me?”

“That isn’t enough, king. I wish you would just almost, but altogether.”

“Were both almost and altogether.” Not “almost,” king — all the way.

QUESTION: It seems as though the king is way ahead of Paul. Seems like Paul hasn’t really finished what he wants to say. He says, “You believe the prophets?” And it’s like he’s waiting, he wants a response from that, and then he’s going to say something else. It’s like King Agrippa knows just what is going on.

ANSWER: Yeah, but the thing is, Agrippa’s ahead of him, but only in the sense that Agrippa’s under conviction and just about ready to get to the altar. I mean, Paul doesn’t have to lay it on him any more; he’s about through.

And he said, “Also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether, such as I am, except these bonds.” Now, you talk about a dogmatic statement. You know what that fellow said? He said, “I wish everybody in this room was half-blind, and whipped, and beaten, and shipwrecked, and no family, and no church, and no money, and no stocks, and no property,” is what he said — everybody in the room. Have you been saying anything like that? Talk about, brother, you talk about you think you’re right and everybody else is wrong, what do you think about that? That guy said, “Everybody in this room would be exactly like I am, except —” and hold up his hands with the manacles on his hands.

And, as far as Paul is concerned, the only thing he didn’t like were the chains. The rest of it was just fine.

Ohhh, you talk about dogmatism, man! That’s something there!

“Both almost, and altogether, such as I am —” single “— except these bonds.”

“And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up.” And that rising is almost, it’s almost like one, you know, one king meeting another.

“When he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them. And when they were gone aside.” Now, they didn’t rise up to go aside. They just rose up. That fellow, when he said, “All everybody, except for these bonds,” the king stands up. The queen stands up beside him. Then everybody sitting around has to get up too. That king is impressed.

“And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.”

But God’s going to use that to get Paul to Rome.

QUESTION: Couldn’t they have freed Paul right there? He hadn’t heard that Paul had appealed to Caesar.

ANSWER: No, but the trouble, Agrippa is telling it to him. Agrippa has heard him say it. And Agrippa says to Festus, “If he appealed, he appealed, well then, he’s got to go.” Agrippa’s got to back up the law.

But then the God who makes the wrath of men to praise Him works it for Paul’s good. He wanted him to go to Rome to start with, and now he’s going to go. Except he’s going to go second class instead of first class.

You know, if you’re a second class Christian, just thank God you’re a second class Christian and let it go at that. Christians worry too much. They say, “Well, boy, the mess I made of things my past life, and all this and that, and I just never can be what I ought to be, and so forth and so on.” I’ve seen God take a second class Christian and use him more than a first class Christian. And I’ve seen some of the folks up in the first class compartment sitting up there, you know, at the front end of the plane, some of those Christians up there too good sitting in the back with the rest of them. I’ve seen God just put them on the shelf and leave them on the shelf, some of them, for ten and twenty years.

QUESTION: What is the definition of “eloquence”?

ANSWER: Eloquent? An eloquent man is a man who has no trouble saying what he wants to say. Eloquent man is a man, whatever he thinks, he can take what he thinks and put it into words. So he’s never at a loss to express what he means with words. That’s eloquent. And every preacher should be eloquent. Every preacher, if he wants to say something, should be able to say it so that the audience understands exactly what he’s got in mind. That’s why we try to get you, you know, start in and reading and try to broaden your education a little bit. We’re not going to make, you know, Ph.D.s out of you, but we want to have you learn how to speak and how to read and how to write.

QUESTION: Chapter 26, verse 11, “I persecuted them even unto strange cities.” Does that mean he made them go to different cities?

ANSWER: No, it means that he went to different cities to get them. He left Jerusalem. He went to cities outside of Jerusalem to get them.

All right, we’ll take a break.

Here’s a news item. “A young Jewish medic has been arrested in Moscow after police broke up a clandestine prayer meeting where he was seeking support for a dissident Baptist reportedly harrassed for his beliefs and arrested earlier by police. The Baptist prayer meeting was set up and organized without the approval of the official recognized Soviet Baptist church. And other Christians at the prayer meeting were arrested.” So in Moscow, if you start a prayer meeting, you could be arrested if you don’t have the approval of the official —

{Some student interrupted Dr. Ruckman talking about a job opening as a brickman.}

ANSWER: Brick what?

STUDENT: Brick tender.

All right, a job brick tender at $2.50 an hour, out where Brother Degon’s working. Anybody interested in that? Good, hard work. All right. See Neftus after class tonight.

All right, if you’re starting a prayer meeting, you have to be officially recognized by the official Soviet Baptist church, which means in Russia now you have a state church exactly like you had under the Czar. The Czar had a state church and Greek Orthodox. Now in Russia the government controls all the churches.

“Church stockholders have reached an agreement with General Motors Corporation that it not expand its operation in South Africa unless that country finds a solution to social problems that is just an echo of a law related to racial groups. The NFA center on the corporate responsibility said eight Protestant and Roman Catholic groups with stock in the company withdrew a resolution against GM expansion after the agreement was reached.”

What that means is, the church now owns stock in corporations. The money that you put in the plate bought GMC stock. And now the churches, since they hold stock, can tell the corporation, “You play politics in this country the way we want to, or we’ll drop our holdings, and shares.”