Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Share Jesus | New Testament | Acts 26

Episode Date: September 7, 2023

If Jesus changes everything, why is it so hard to share him with people? What's stopping you from telling people about Jesus? Fear of judgment? In today's episode, Patrick looks at Acts 26 as an example of the right way to share your faith. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Join the TMBT community in reading the entire New Testament in one year. Get your FREE reading plan here. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Acts 26

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Patrick Miller. Do you ever meditate on the reality of hell? To be honest, I don't do it that often. Perhaps that's why I feel less urgency about sharing the gospel with friends. Or perhaps that's because I'm just afraid they'll judge me or they'll feel judged themselves. A recent Barnas survey found something similar amongst a lot of Christians, and it's kind of contradictory. Most Christians in America agree that following people, Jesus is the best thing that could happen to someone. The majority also feel equipped to talk about

Jesus to someone else. And yet, that very same majority, they also reported that trying to convert someone to your own religion is wrong. It's kind of strange, isn't it? Jesus is the best, but I don't want to share them because that would be wrong. Again, I think this is reflective of our own cultural context. We think it's judgmental to tell someone they're wrong or to question their self-expression, but if we stop and think about it, is that really right? There's a famous stage magician. His name is Penn Gillette, but he's also a famous atheist. And after a show, a Christian businessman came up to him and told him how much he appreciated Penn's performances. But at the end of that conversation, he gave Penn a Bible and told him that he hoped Penn would one day come to know Jesus. Did that offend Penn?

Did he feel judged? No, quite the opposite. He actually felt cared for and respected. Here's what Penn said. I've always said that I don't respect people who don't proselytize. In other words, people who don't share their religion with others. I don't respect that at all. If you believe there's a heaven and a hell and people could be going to hell or not going to eternal life and you think that it's not really worth telling them this because it would make them feel socially awkward, how much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe the truck was bearing down on you,

there's a certain point where I tackle you, and this is more important than that. He's totally right. If knowing Jesus is the best thing in the entire universe, it would take universe-sized selfishness to keep him to yourself. But so often it's easy to forget that. Or maybe you just find yourself saying, okay, I believe that, but how do I share him with others? I think that the Apostle Paul gives us a simple vision of how to share Jesus in Acts 26. Let me remind you about this context. Paul has been imprisoned by his fellow Jews in Jerusalem, and they march him off to a Roman headquarters to the west on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. And while Paul is imprisoned there, he presents his case to various Roman officials, just as Jesus said his disciples one day would.

And in this instance, he's explaining his case to a guy named Agrippa, a descendant of Herod the great. That was the guy who ruled the region when Jesus was born. And alongside Agrippa, there's also two other Romans, Festus and Bernice. Anyways, here's what I want you to notice, because it's remarkable. Paul is defending himself from wrongful imprisonment. It's a dire situation, life or death situation. But what does he do? He evangelizes them. He shares his testimony. And I would argue with you that the best way to point people to Jesus is by doing exactly that, sharing your testimony. Let's see what Paul does in Acts 26, verse 12. On one of these journeys, I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priest. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road,

I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And then I asked, who are you, Lord? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, the Lord replied. Now get up, stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness to what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. So then, King Agrippa, I was not

disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. That is why some of the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But God has helped me to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what all the prophets and Moses said would happen, that the Messiah would suffer and as the first to rise from the dead. would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles. At this point, Festus interrupted Paul's defense.

You're out of your mind, Paul, he shouted. Your great learning is driving you insane. I am not insane, most excellent Festus, Paul replied. What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to become a Christian? Paul replied, short time or long, I prayed to God that not only you, but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains. The king arose, and with him the governor and Bernice, and those sitting with them. After they left the room, they began saying to one another, this man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment. Agrippa said to Festus, this man. could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. Agrippa sees what Paul is doing. He knows that

Paul is calling him to follow Jesus, but he's not offended. Instead, he's convinced of Paul's innocence. One of the best things that you can do for your friends and for those who don't know Jesus is to share your testimony. When people ask you why you serve, why you care, why you're kind, why you're present, why you work with such excellence, how you care so well for your friends and family, whatever it is, don't tell people that it's because I'm so wise and smart and moral. No, tell them your testimony. Even if you grew up a Christian, you have stories of how Jesus has been at work to change your heart and life. Tell them that story.

Point them to Jesus. Love them enough to share the best part of your life with them.