Is it Hard to Kick Against the Goads? Yup!

Acts 26:1-32 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

.... I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

¹² “While so engaged as I was journeying 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, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. ¹⁴ And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘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 get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; ¹⁷ rescuing you from the Jewish 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 dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’

¹⁹ “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. ²¹ For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. ²² So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; ²³ that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

²⁴ While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” ²⁵ But Paul *said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. ²⁶ For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” ²⁸ Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” ²⁹ And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

³⁰ The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, ³¹ and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

The text is Paul's defense before Agrippa, but again what we read is Paul testifying of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. Paul begins by telling how before he had encounter with Jesus, he worked to persecute believers, going against the will of God for his life.  Paul then shares the story of his encounter:

 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. ¹⁴ And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘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.

Jesus asks Paul "Is it hard for you to kick against the goads." A goad is a sharp pointed stick used to direct an ox or other animal as it pulls, particularly when plowing in a field. Generally it doesn't take too many times of the animal kicking against those sharp points before they realize that it is easier to follow the path of the one who is guiding them. Yet, I suppose there are some who require more prodding than others. Paul, like many of us, was one who kicked hard against the direction and prodding of God for his life. 

Paul says of his religious life before his encounter:  I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.      Paul was zealous to do what he believed was right. Zeal for God is a great thing, but unfortunately often zeal for God causes people to not hear and follow the voice of God. It is easy to become so focussed on a cause that we miss the leading of God, we miss following the path He has for us.

Paul had a high calling, God had a great work for Paul to do. But God needed to stop Paul and knock him down to get his attention. Paul says:   I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. ¹⁴ And when we had all fallen to the ground.    Having finally gotten Paul's attention, Jesus said to him:     " get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; ¹⁷ rescuing you from the Jewish 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 dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me."   

I don't know what your calling is. I don't know the plans and purpose God has for your life. But I know this. If you are not yet fully walking in the purpose and the call God has on and for your life, you are like Paul, kicking against the goads. Walking through this life against the will of God is an uncomfortable thing to do.

 Jesus has the answer to the discomfort of kicking against the goads. He says:  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”(Matthew 11:28-30)  

 Even if we are zealously serving God but are not following the path He has for us, we have no rest or peace. Taking on the yoke of Jesus gives us rest. It is not though a rest of slumber or inactivity. Rather it is a rest and peace that comes from being squarely in the will of God. It is a rest that comes with the assurance that Paul spoke of in Philippians 4:12-13      I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  

The text closes with an interchange between king Agrippa and Paul:  Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” ²⁹ And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”  

Paul, now yoked to Jesus, no longer kicking against the goads, was focussed on fulfilling God's call for his life. Paul declared the gospel, the good news of the kingdom of God, wherever he went.

We too have been called and commissioned by Jesus. He says:  “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”(Matthew 28:18-20) 

That's the call of being yoked to Jesus. The word nations is from the Greek word ethnos, from which we get  the English word ethnic. So it is not that we need to become missionaries to other countries to fulfill the commission of Jesus. The nations are all around us every day. It does not matter whether we, like Paul are called to testify in palaces and courtrooms or we testify, we declare the good news of the kingdom in houses, courtyards, livingrooms  and lunchrooms.

True rest, peace and comfort is only found as we are yoked to Christ. Walking in step with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ, I choose today to put on Your yoke. I choose to walk in the fullness of God's call for my life. Forgive me for the times and ways that I have resisted You, kicking against the goads. Forgive me for the things that I have been zealous for that have caused me to walk outside of Your will, Your call and Your purpose for my life. I do take on Your yoke Lord Jesus. Holy Spirit, I yield to You, guide and direct my path that I may know the rest and comfort of walking with You. May my life be the fulfillment of Jesus words in John 15:8-11

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.  Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.     Amen.