Last Sunday we ended our time by looking at how encountering Jesus changes the way we see our lives: our past, present, and future. Paul has been thrusted into a season of trial and waiting, but he never loses sight of Jesus who lives in his story. While he has already appealed to Caesar, Paul sees every encounter as an opportunity to tell his Jesus story and now it’s King Agrippa’s turn.
He is about to use a situation from which some of us would try to escape in order to draw attention to the One he could not escape: Jesus! This Sunday, we’re going to study part 1 of Paul’s Jesus story, which consists of: (a) his life before encountering Jesus and (b) how he encountered Jesus (Acts 26:1-20).
Next Sunday we will explore what happened after he encountered Jesus (26:20-27). This text begs an important question—why does Paul see both good and bad circumstances as opportunities to proclaim Jesus rather than pursue his life dreams or preoccupations? The answer: he had a real encounter with Jesus that left him with a story worth telling—something better than any other life could produce! All this leaves me asking, “What is my Jesus story?” How about you? Do you have a Jesus story? Are you living it? Are you sharing it?
May we also look for opportunities and tell our Jesus stories.