QT 06/06/2024 Thursday. Acts 26. God directed freedom. 神所指引的自由。
QT 06/06/2024 Thursday. Acts 26.
READ & LISTEN here
https://www.esv.org/Acts+26/
The next judge also found that Paul did NO wrong! Luke is portraying again in Acts that Christianity should be allowed to exist in the Roman Empire.
It was to Paul's ADVANTAGE that King Agrippa was "familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews" (Acts 26:2-3). He TAPPED on this familiarity and entered into a theological discussion plus personal testimony (Acts 26:4-23).
Although Festus, sitting with King Agrippa, shouted in response "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind" (Acts 26:24), King Agrippa concluded that "This man could have been SET FREE if he had not appealed to Caesar" (Acts 26:32). Others concurred (Acts 26:31).
Paul's theology & testimony were so persuasive that Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28)
REFLECTION (1): Should Paul have retracted his appeal to Caesar? If Paul did not appeal to Caesar he would have been, perhaps, a FREE MAN already?
No. Paul's imprisonment was "NECESSARY" to PAVE THE WAY for his audience and testimony before the superpower's leader of those days–the Caesar (Emperor) in Rome. Paul's personal liberty was subordinated to the freedom and advancement of the gospel.
REFLECTION (2): Do you see God's mighty hands? Journeying to meet the Roman Emperor under the guard of Roman soldiers seemed the cheapest and safest way to go to Rome to FULFILL Paul's LIFE MISSION of carrying the Lord's name "before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name" (Acts 9:15b,16).
APPLICATION: Be willing to RESPOND by STARTING to subordinate more of our so called "freedom" for the sake of the gospel's advancement.
星期四 2024年6月6日 今日读经：使徒行传26章。 神所指引的自由。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Act/26/
听音频
https://www.bible.com/bible/41/act.26.cnvs
下一个法官也认为保罗没有犯罪！路加再次地在使徒行传刻画，基督教应当被允许存在于整个罗马帝国。
保罗是幸运的因为亚基帕王“熟悉犹太人的一切规例和争论”(徒26:2-3)。他借着这种熟悉进入了神学的讨论和自己的见证(徒26:4-23)。
虽然非斯都与亚基帕王同坐，喊出回应：“保罗！你疯了；你的学问太大，使你疯了！”(徒26:24)，亚基帕王得出结论说：“这个人若没有向凯撒上诉，早就可以释放了”(徒26:32)。其他人也认同(徒26:31)。
保罗的神学和见证太有说服力，以致亚基帕对保罗说：“你想用这样短短的时间就可以说服我作基督徒吗？”(徒26:28)。
反思(1):保罗是否应该撤回对凯撒的上诉？如果保罗没有向凯撒上诉，或许他已是自由身了？
不。保罗的入狱是“必要的”，为他在当时超级大国的领袖——罗马的凯撒（皇帝）面前宣讲福音和作证铺平了道路。保罗的个人自由服从于福音的自由和进步。
反思(2)：你看见神大能的手了吗？保罗要去罗马完成他这一生的使命--背负主的圣名“传给外族人、君王和以色列人。我要指示他，为了我的名他必须受许多的苦”(徒9:15b,16)。在罗马士兵的监护下去见罗马帝王似乎是最经济和最安全的方法。
应用：为了福音的传播，让我们愿意顺服，放弃更多所谓的“自由”。
