Three Pictures! And which is mine? sermon by J.C. Ryle

In this sermon by J.C. Ryle, we are given three pictures taken from Acts 26:24-29, Festus, Agrippa, and the Apostle Paul. Which one describes us?

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Call to Worship

Sunday School

Pilgrim’s Progress Part 2
by John Bunyan

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah

Song

The Works of His Hands

Chorus:
I give thanks to the Lord, Sing Praise to His Name
Declaring His Love in the Morning
For You O Lord, have made me glad
And I sing for joy at the works of Your Hands

Verse 1:
The works of His hands, my heart will praise
In the company of His people
Splendour and majesty are my delight
And His goodness endures forever

Verse 2:
The works of His hands, His wonders declared
Providing for those who fear Him
Gracious and merciful, is our Lord God
Remembering His cov’nant forever

Verse 3:
The works of His hands, are faithful and just
Shown through His pow’r to His people
All of His precepts are worthy of trust
And they are established forever

Verse 4:
The works of His hands, His promise made firm
Redemption sent to His people
Holy, and Awesome, is His Name!
His praises endure forever

Offering Song

It Was Finished

Verse 1
How I love the voice of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary
He declares his work is finished He has spoken this hope to me
Though the sun had ceased its shining though the war appeared as lost
Christ had triumphed over evil it was finished upon that Cross
Verse 2
Now the curse it has been broken Jesus paid the price for me
Full the pardon He has offered great the welcome that I receive
Boldly I approach my Father clothed in Jesus’ righteousness
There is no more guilt to carry it was finished upon that Cross
Verse 3
Death was once my great opponent fear once had a hold on me
But the Son who died to save us rose that we would be free indeed
Yes He rose that we would be free indeed free from ev’ry plan of darkness
Free to live and free to love death is dead and Christ is risen
It was finished upon that Cross
Ending
Onward to eternal glory
To my Saviour and my God
I rejoice in Jesus’ victory
It was finished upon that Cross
It was finished upon that Cross
It was finished upon that Cross

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Scripture Reading

Acts 26

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?

“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language,[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”[b] 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Preaching the Word

Three Pictures! And which is mine?
sermon by J.C. Ryle

Closing Song

Crown Him With Many Crowns (TH #295)

1 Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne;
hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns
all music but its own:
awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

2 Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
rich wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified:
no angel in the sky
can fully bear that sight,
but downward bends his burning eye
at mysteries so bright.

3 Crown him the Lord of peace;
whose pow’r a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
absorbed in prayer and praise:
his reign shall know no end;
and round his pierced feet
fair flow’rs of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.

4 Crown him the Lord of years,
the Potentate of time;
Creator of the rolling spheres,
ineffably sublime:
all hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me:
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.