February 19, 2023 – Acts 25 – 26

Lesson Date: February 19, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Acts 25:13 – 26:32

AIM: To lead students to recognize that Paul used every opportunity to tell people about Jesus, and to encourage them to make a commitment to witness whenever the Lord gives them opportunities.

Before class: Read the notes on Acts 25:13 – 26:32 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Read 1 Peter 3:15, which says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

Ask: “What does that verse mean?  What is it telling us?” (to keep our hearts right with God and to always be ready to tell people how Jesus has changed our lives).

Ask: “Are there times you feel too intimidated to talk to people about Jesus?  Are there times you’re afraid to witness?” (undoubtedly there are).

Read 1 Timothy 4:2, which says, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Ask: “Are those instructions only for preachers, or for all of us?” (they are for all of us).

Ask: “Is it sometimes uncomfortable or difficult to teach, reprove, rebuke, and exhort people with the Bible?” (yes, certainly).

Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is Witnessing Always.  Tell them as we study Acts 25 and 26, we will see that Paul used every opportunity to tell people about Jesus.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson from Acts 24 and 25 about?” (Bold and Fearless; we should be bold and fearless in the face of anti-Christian hostility).
   • Remind the students that the Jews wanted to kill Paul, but the Roman governor had held him in prison for two years in Caesarea (locate on the Map).
   • At the end of last week’s lesson, Paul appealed his case to Caesar, and Governor Festus agreed to send Paul to Rome (locate on the Map) to stand trial before Caesar.
2. Governor Festus Asked King Agrippa to Hear Paul.
   • Read Acts 25:13.
   • Explain the following:
     • King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet the new governor, Festus.
     • This was Herod Agrippa II, the son of Herod Agrippa I who killed James and imprisoned Peter (see Acts 12:1-4, 20-23), and the great-grandson of Herod the Great who ruled at the time Jesus was born.
     • Bernice was Agrippa’s sister with whom he carried on an incestuous relationship.
     • Their other sibling was Drusilla, the wife of the former governor Felix.
     • The title of “King” was mostly honorary since the Romans governed Judea.
   • Read Acts 25:14-22.
   • Tell the class that Festus recounted to Agrippa the things that had transpired concerning Paul and why he was sending Paul to Caesar.
   • Read Acts 25:23-27.
   • Ask: “What did Festus say about Paul’s guilt or innocence in verse 25?” (Paul had done nothing worthy of death).
   • Ask: “How did Festus think Agrippa could help him?” (by telling him what to write to Caesar about Paul).
   • Summarize: Governor Festus did not know what to tell Caesar about Paul, so he asked King Agrippa to hear Paul.
3. Paul Witnessed of His Life Before Jesus.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 26:1-3.
   • Ask: “Why did Paul say he was happy to appear before Agrippa?” (because Agrippa was a Jew [at least in name], and thus familiar with the Jewish scriptures and Law).
   • Read Acts 26:4-5.
   • Explain the following:
     • Paul was once again going to share his salvation testimony.
     • We previously read Paul’s testimony in Acts 9 and Acts 22.
     • Paul’s testimony, like our testimonies, consisted of three parts:
       1. His life before he knew Jesus.
       2. When and how he came to know Jesus.
       3. How Jesus changed his life.

1. • Ask: “How was Paul raised?” (as a Pharisee, the strictest sect of Judaism).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 26:6-8.
   • Tell the students that Paul said he was on trial for his belief in Christ’s resurrection from the dead, which Agrippa knew was prophesied in the Old Testament scriptures.
   • Read Acts 26:9-11.
   • Ask: “What did Paul do before he knew Jesus?” (cruelly persecuted Christians).
   • Summarize: Paul told Agrippa that before he came to know Jesus, he was a strict Pharisee and so zealous that he persecuted Christians.

4. Paul Witnessed of How He Met Jesus.
   • Tell the students the next verses tell when and how Paul came to know Jesus.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 26:12-13.
   • Ask: “What did Paul tell King Agrippa?” (as he was traveling to Damascus to apprehend Christians, a light from heaven brighter than the noonday sun shined all around him).
   • Read Acts 26:14-15.
   • Tell the class that Paul and his traveling companions fell to the ground and heard a voice speaking in Hebrew, asking why Paul was persecuting Him.
   • Ask: “Who was the voice speaking to Paul?” (Jesus).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 26:16-18.
   • Ask: “According to verse 16, what was Jesus’ plan for Paul?” (to make him a minister and witness for Jesus, especially among the Gentiles).
   • Tell the class in verse 18, Jesus named five things that would happen when Paul witnessed to the Gentiles about Jesus:
     • God would open their eyes.
     • God would turn them from darkness to light.
     • God would turn them from the power of Satan to Himself.
     • God would forgive their sins.
     • God would give them an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus.
   • Stress the fact that these same things happen when people we witness to receive Christ.
   • Summarize: Paul told Agrippa how Jesus appeared to him in a flash of light on the Damascus road, and then revealed His plans for Paul.
5. Paul Witnessed of His Life Since He Met Jesus.
   • Tell the class that next, Paul told how his life had changed since he met Jesus.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 26:19-20.
   • Ask: “Did Paul obey Jesus’ instructions?” (yes).
   • Tell the students after being saved, Paul preached in Damascus, Jerusalem, and to the Gentiles.
   • Ask: “According to the last part of verse 20, what was Paul’s message?” (he told people to repent and turn to God, and then do works that give evidence of their repentance).
   • Read Acts 26:21-23.
   • Ask: “According to verse 21, why did the Jews grab Paul and try to kill him?” (because he preached to them about Jesus and their need to repent).
   • Ask: “According to verse 22, to whom did Paul witness?” (the “small and great;” in other words, he witnessed to everyone regardless of their status).
   • Ask: “According to verse 23, what did Paul say when he witnessed?” (that Christ suffered and died for our sins, but then arose from the dead to give the light of salvation to Jews and Gentiles).
   • Tell the students these are the same things we should tell people when we witness.
   • Summarize: Paul told Agrippa that he was obedient to Jesus’ commands, that he preached about Jesus, and that he witnessed to everyone he could about Jesus.
6. Paul Witnessed to King Agrippa.
   • Read Acts 26:24-26.
   • Tell the class that Festus interrupted and said Paul was crazy, but Paul replied that he was speaking the truth and that King Agrippa knew the well-documented facts about Jesus’ death and resurrection.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 26:27-29.
   • Ask: “What did Paul ask the Jewish King Agrippa?” (Do you believe the prophets?).
   • Explain that Agrippa was a politician; if he denied believing the prophets, the Jews would reject him as a heretic.
   • Tell the students that as a skilled politician, King Agrippa dodged Paul’s question (v. 27) with a question of his own (“Do you think you can persuade me with so few words to become a Christian?”).
   • Ask: “According to verse 29, what was Paul’s desire?” (that Agrippa, Festus, and all who heard him would trust Jesus for salvation).
   • Summarize: Paul challenged Agrippa to believe that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied by the Old Testament prophets, but Agrippa dodged the question.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Read 1 Peter 3:15 and 1 Timothy 4:2 once again.  Ask: “Would you agree that Paul exemplified those verses, that he was always ready and eager to talk to people about Jesus?” (yes).

Tell the students that Paul used every opportunity to tell people about Jesus.  Ask: “What are some kinds of places and occasions when Paul witnessed about Jesus?” (he witnessed in Jewish synagogues and among Gentiles, he witnessed to angry mobs and to the highest Jewish religious leaders, and he witnessed to powerful people such as governors and kings).  State that Paul was “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh” about the hope and faith he had in Jesus Christ.

Remind the class that 1 Peter 3:15 and 1 Timothy 4:2 were written to us.  Remind them that the title of today’s lesson is Witnessing Always, and we must always be ready to tell people about Jesus and the hope He puts in our hearts.

Ask: “Do you need God’s help to do that?” (yes).  Ask: “Are you willing to ask God to enable you to witness for Him?”  Ask: “Will you make a commitment to God to witness every time He gives you an opportunity?”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them to ask God to make them witnesses for Him, and to commit to witnessing every time He gives them an opportunity.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Acts 26:23.  Encourage them to make a point to tell people about Jesus this week.