Acts 26:1–8 (ESV)
So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?”
Paul has already appealed to Caesar; this hearing does nothing for him. So, what does he do?
Preach, of course. Paul is going to make a thoughtful point, and he’s pleased that Agrippa, being familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews, will be able to follow his reasoning. Still, Paul warns him by saying, “Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.”
The key word in Paul’s explanation is “hope.” “And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!”
It’s about hope. Judaism has always been about hope. Paul doesn’t come right out and say it, but his point is that the Jews were so wrapped up in the details of the law that they forgot what it’s all about. The dream came true and they didn’t even notice. Now they seem to resist the good news.
“Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?”
We all have a tendency to lose sight of our goals—if we even have them. We’re busy doing whatever we think needs doing and we don’t usually think about why we decided it needed doing in the first place.
That emotional inertia keeps us from making real progress. Everyone should occasionally take a step back and take stock of where they are. The start of a new year is as good a time as any.
But unfortunately, the standard practice is to make a New Year’s resolution without the assessment that should go with it.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Find something that needs to change—and resolve to change it.
