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In Acts 26, when Paul is brought into that courtroom before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, he is invited to speak in his defence, and what does he do? He gives his testimony. What was the biggest change in Paul's life? The big change was this - he had been delivered from an exclusive religion - and brought into an inclusive faith - a faith that was open to all who believe in Jesus Christ. He had been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, and only Jesus Christ can bring about that transfer.

The sort of religion he had been involved in cut him off from people. He had shut some people out. He had excluded people. There were people for whom Paul had no time. He had no room for Gentiles. I am a Gentile - Paul would not have given me the time of day! He had no room for certain other Jews. He even tried to arrest and imprison them at one point. Even more importantly, he had no room and no time for Jesus. A religion that has no room for Jesus has something devastatingly wrong with it. If Jesus Christ is not at the heart and centre of it, then it is not of God. It might have been of God - but because of the people it was no longer of God. It is now on the wrong lines - and it begins to exclude people - until it becomes something like a club.

That day, when Paul met Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road - 26 verse 14 - Jesus said to him - "Saul, it is only yourself you are hurting. You are like an ox kicking against the sharp pointed stick that was to get it moving on, and as it lashed out against its master, it only hurt itself. Saul, this religion of yours is only hurting yourself. Don't kick against it any longer. Don't rebel any longer. Don't go on fighting ME. Don't keep resisting ME." And he submitted and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Not long before he met Jesus, Saul had seen a disciple die as a consequence of his faith - Stephen.

Acts 26:9-11 is a catalogue of his misdemeanours against the Church. He had been responsible for the death of that disciple of Jesus Christ. It must have been hard to live with the memory of that - with that in your mind, and upon your conscience. That man had died so serenely, and looking to Jesus. Stephen was so inclusive. He wanted everyone to come to Jesus. He would have included everyone, and when he died the final words upon his lips were - "Forgive them - Forgive them".

That must have hurt Paul, because Paul could not pray that prayer - not then. Paul was never able to erase these thoughts from his mind. That can happen to us too, but God gives us the strength to carry such emotional scars. We are reminded in this passage about forgiveness - being forgiven - and forgiving. Paul had been forgiven much. The Blood of Jesus had washed all that past away, and he was healed of what was hurting and wounding and sore. Verse 18 makes that clear.

What a word before such an audience. It is as if God has forged into this man's heart faithfulness and courage and boldness. He wants to give these qualities to us today. Receive them. We need everything God has to offer for service in the Kingdom.

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

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