Barney
Fife (Don Knox in real life) looks a little nervous, don’t you
think? In a way, its a little hard to notice, because he plays such a
goofy character on that old “Andy Griffith”show. But, this time
he is attending church and its not hard to imagine that he has heard
something that is causing concern. The proclaimed word will do that;
namely, cause you to consider your ways – and that is often an
uncomfortable situation. Here is an example…
Acts
26 ( World English
Bible )
[1] Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul
stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
[2] ”I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my
defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am
accused by the Jews, [3] especially because you are expert in all
customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you
to hear me patiently.
[4] ”Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up,
which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
[5] having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify,
that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. [6]
Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God
to our fathers, [7] which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night
and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the
Jews, King Agrippa! [8] Why is it judged incredible with you, if God
does raise the dead?
[9] ”I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] This I also did in
Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having
received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to
death I gave my vote against them. [11] Punishing them often in all
the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly
enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
[12] ”Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and
commission from the chief priests, [13] at noon, O king, I saw on the
way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me
and those who traveled with me. [14] When we had all fallen to the
earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against
the goads.’ [15] ”I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I
am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [16] But arise, and stand on your
feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a
servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of
the things which I will reveal to you; [17] delivering you from the
people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, [18] to open their
eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of
Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an
inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
[19] ”Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the
heavenly vision, [20] but declared first to them of Damascus, at
Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy
of repentance. [21] For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple,
and tried to kill me. [22] Having therefore obtained the help that is
from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great,
saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
[23] how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the
dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to
the Gentiles.”
[24] As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice,
“Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
[25] But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but
boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. [26] For the
king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am
persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has
not been done in a corner. [27] King Agrippa, do you believe the
prophets? I know that you believe.” [28] Agrippa said to Paul,
“With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
[29] Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with
much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become
such as I am, except for these bonds.”
The
apostle Paul had appealed to Caesar for judgment and while detained,
he was brought before king Agrippa. When offered the opportunity to
speak, he related to the king his story of conversion and eventually
made an appeal to Agrippa himself. Needless, to say, this made
Agrippa uncomfortable, because he obviously did not want to convert
to Christianity.
Being
uncomfortable can be a good thing, even if it does make you look a
little nervous. God can change people’s lives; Paul is the best
example of this I have ever read about! And that change can be
wonderful, if you will just let God get past your “I want to live
my own life, my own way” business.
Its
time for a change – and I don’t mean changing Barney’s bow-tie,
either.