Paul’s Testimony and Call to Salvation (Acts 26)

Clair Sams February 10, 2026 Community Faith Family

From Acts 26:1–18, the message follows Paul’s defense before Agrippa as he recounts his conversion and Christ’s commission. The sermon emphasizes how God saves, transforms, and sends believers to bring others from darkness to light and into the family of God.

Scriptures

Acts 26:1-18

Key Takeaways

Religious zeal and good intentions cannot replace true faith in Jesus; a person can be sincere and still be spiritually blind.
Jesus identifies with His people—how we treat Christians reflects how we respond to Christ Himself.
Conversion involves a real turning: from darkness to light and from Satan’s power to God, resulting in forgiveness and a new inheritance.
God saves believers to send them; every Christian is called to be a servant and witness of what Christ has done.
No past is too hostile or too hardened for Christ to transform, as seen in Paul’s conversion.

Scripture Reading

Acts 26:1-18 (KJV)

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Sermon Review

The sermon centers on Acts 26:1–18, where Paul stands before King Agrippa and is permitted to speak for himself. The speaker highlights that Paul does not merely argue legal details; he gives a spiritual testimony meant to persuade. Paul begins by acknowledging Agrippa’s familiarity with Jewish customs and controversies, then moves quickly to the heart of the matter: what God has done in his life and what God is doing through the gospel.

Paul’s story starts with his former identity—an intensely religious life within the strictest sect of Judaism. The sermon underscores that Paul’s problem was not a lack of zeal, morality, or religious activity; it was that he was sincerely wrong about Jesus. Paul had opposed “the name of Jesus of Nazareth,” imprisoning believers and casting his vote against them, even pursuing them beyond Jerusalem. This section is used to show how far a person can go in religion and still be in darkness, and how destructive misguided zeal can become when it is not submitted to God’s truth.

The message then traces the turning point on the Damascus road. Paul describes a midday light brighter than the sun and a voice from heaven: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” The speaker draws attention to Christ’s personal identification with His people—persecuting Christians is treated as persecuting Christ Himself. Paul’s question, “Who art thou, Lord?” and Jesus’ answer, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest,” are presented as the moment Paul’s entire worldview collapses and is rebuilt around the risen Christ.

From there, the sermon focuses on Christ’s commission in verses 16–18. Jesus raises Paul up not only to forgive him but to appoint him as a servant and a witness—someone who will testify to what he has seen and to what Christ will yet reveal. The speaker emphasizes that salvation is not merely rescue from judgment; it is enlistment into God’s mission. Paul is sent to Jews and Gentiles alike with a clear purpose: to open their eyes, turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Christ.

The sermon concludes by pressing the practical implications of Paul’s testimony. Listeners are urged to see that no one is beyond Christ’s reach—whether openly sinful or outwardly religious—and that the gospel calls for a decisive turn from darkness to light. Believers are challenged to live as witnesses with a clear story of Christ’s saving work and to participate in God’s work of bringing others into forgiveness, holiness, and the shared inheritance of God’s family.