What does it mean to make the most of every opportunity? If we are going to make the most of a moment, we are going to need to be fully present and engaged in what is going on. This is not a passive position, because engagement requires making a connection with God and others.
“Making the most” takes a decision and desire to experience the transformation God has in mind for us personally and in our relationships with others while we place our faith in Christ’s life, love, and power. If we are truly connected to Christ and we build relationships with others, we will experience personal and relational growth in our lives, learn to operate our lives in the power of God’s wisdom, and bring a passion to serve others as an extension of Christ’s love.
No one in Scripture knew this Truth like the Apostle Paul. He came to that understanding in a very traumatic way, but he had an experience with the resurrected Lord and nothing was ever the same for him. He stepped away from fighting against God’s will and began to live as a powerful disciple and servant of Christ’s love. Therefore, Paul sought every opportunity to carefully live in the wisdom of Christ, because he knew evil was always present (Eph 5:15-16).
In our passage today, Paul retells his story to King Agrippa about meeting the living Lord and how his life was transformed by God. This retelling takes place about twenty-three years after his initial conversion of becoming Christ’s apostle. Paul is on trial for antinomianism—the belief that Christians are freed from all obligations to obey Mosaic Law. This accusation against Paul comes from the religious Jewish Council, but they do not remember Messiah is the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets and Jesus is the Messiah.
Paul basically explains his position this way: the Law teaches valuable principles and gives people guidelines for grateful living in God’s love, yet observing the Law does not bring salvation or eternal life. Paul explains we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Eph 2:8-9). God loves, forgives, and saves us; God’s system is grace-based. Yet, once we receive that precious gift of salvation, the work of Christ in and through us begins. We become God’s Masterpiece, because Christ transforms us by his grace and power (Eph 2:10). Christ is perfect love and the Mosaic Law is about how we love God and others, so as we grow in Christ we find ourselves living more obediently to the Law. Are the commands from God? Absolutely, and Jesus is the Helper we need to obey them while on earth.
Acts 26:1-18 NLT
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.”
So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: 2 “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, 3 for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!
4 “As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. 6 Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. 7 In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! 8 Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?
9 “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene [from Nazareth]. 10 Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers [God’s holy people] there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. 11 Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse [blaspheme] Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.
12 “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 13 About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 14 We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will [kick against God’s oxgoads].’
15 “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.
“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. 17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
Prayer: Lord, thank you for every opportunity you bring to us so we can reveal your glorious and loving presence abiding in us. Continue to transform and grow us in your beautiful nature and character, so we live more faithfully to your commands of love. You are the living Vine and we are the branches who live dependently upon what you can do in our behalf to bring eternal life into a fallen world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.