Law Abiding Citizen

Acts 26:28-29

Agrippa said to Paul, Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian? Paul replied, “whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.

I saw a movie Saturday night called, “Law Abiding Citizen” starring Jamie Foxx, about a man whose family was brutally murdered, his wife and daughter, right in front of his eyes. All he wanted was justice but the court failed him. From that point on he set out to murder everyone who had a hand in the mishandled case. At one point he stands up to defend himself in court and says, “Your honor I am a Law abiding citizen…” Indeed at one time he was but since his heart had been filled with vengeance he began to make up his own law. A law of revenge and murder.

The Apostle Paul stood trial as well. He stood up before the court with the opening statement found in Acts 24:16 “Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward God and all people.” He was a law abiding citizen. He followed the law of his fathers, and worked as a religious mercenary bringing down those who were followers of Jesus. He even gave consent to murder them. Until one day he had an encounter with the risen Savior, Jesus. That day he really became a law abiding citizen of God’s kingdom and stopped killing and started saving people by preaching Jesus crucified and resurrected. He started preaching that people should repent of their sins and be baptized. Paul made this appeal to King Agrippa. He had a grip on King Agrippa’s attention and the king was almost persuaded. The king said, “Are you trying to quickly persuade me to become a Christian? Paul said, “I’m not worried about how long it takes but my prayer is that everyone listening to me today would be just as I except the chains. Powerful!

When people listen to you today, will they hear a law abiding citizen filled with the Love of Christ or will they hear someone filled with the vengeance of a killer? Will your mission be to save more or kill more?

I want the people listening to me today to experience Jesus like I have, minus the chains. My chains were necessary to get me in front of the king. My chains got me close to the people who denied me justice but I don’t want you to have to be in chains to get the joy I received. I do want you to be persuaded to follow Jesus. My chains are the consequences of my choices but they have worked out for my good because I never would have had the opportunity to share with you had it not been for my chains. The reason I share my devotions is because I don’t want you to have to experience my chains, just my Joy.

I am a law abiding citizen of the Kingdom of God and as much as it depends on me I’m going to live with a clear conscience before God and people so you too can be persuaded to be a Christian.

In Jesus Name.
Amen.