Acts 26:19-23 - Paul recounts his post conversion experience

Having established his commission, verses 19-23 reveal that Paul had been obediently carrying out the Lord’s instruction. As a servant and a witness, he brought the Gospel by preaching first in Damascus, then Jerusalem, then all of Judea and lastly to the Gentiles. Everywhere he went, he made his characteristic appeal to the people to repent, to turn to God and to act appropriately to demonstrate their repentance. What Paul was saying here refers to a person’s radical change of heart and mind concerning sin and self, and a turning to God to follow Him. The real indicators of such a genuinely repentance would be seen in a life that is characterized by good works.

 

Paul’s ministry was not entirely smooth sailing. In verse 21 he recalled about the mob of Jews that came upon him in the temple, arrested him and attempted to kill him. But God was true to his promise and helped him in that instance and other similar situations, and rescued him from them all. Steadfastly, he, Paul had remained faithful and true to his mission. Geographical barrier did not stop him, neither did social barrier. Whether before the small or the great, ordinary people or dignitaries, he had boldly declared the message given to him. He maintained before Agrippa that he had adamantly declared the message of Christ up to this very moment where he now faced him.

 

His message about Jesus Christ was not new and was definitely not an addition to what the Prophets and Moses in the Law (the Old Testament Scriptures) alluded to. Three things the Scriptures said about the Christ, Paul here affirmed: (1) that Christ would suffer; (2) that He would be the first to rise from the dead; and (3) that He would proclaim light to His people, the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

 

This passage reminds us to remain faithful and true to the message and our God-given ministry. Faithfulness for Paul was to declare the Gospel regardless of who he was confronting. It meant declaring the message no matter where he was at or what he was facing. He was relentless in his mission and so must we! Like Paul, we serve the same God who would stand by us faithfully to help and rescue us. We must reciprocate by being faithful to our faithful God!