08/29/2026
August 29, 2026
Greetings Living Hope Family,
Have you ever eaten something so good that compelled you to make sure that you made someone else try it so they could have the same experience?
Many years ago I traveled to Hawaii and when I returned I had countless people ask the typical question "what was your favorite part?" My answer surprised most people because I didn't tell them about a beautiful waterfall, or seeing a whale breach, instead, I answered very simply "Hawaiian Shave Ice, and you have to try it!"
Funny enough, everyone (that had not had it before" would react the same way and reply "oh, I love shaved ice!"
This response was funny because it proved they had not experienced the delight that I had - you see there is HUGE difference between shaved ice and shave Ice
Shave ice is a Hawaiian delicacy that combines the rich creamy flavors of sweet and condensed milk mixed with all natural fruit flavors that cascade down a microscopically thin sliced mountain of the world's finest ice - It is truly a full flavor pallet experience.
Shaved ice is a glorified snow cone that I could make at my house with a few artificial syrups and chunks of ice...
These two things are not the same. And yet, many would claim they knew what I experienced - but my experience compelled me to bring others into that same experience.
Strangely, the scripture we are going to dive into this weekend has a lot of similarities to this experience as Paul will stand on trial before a Governor, a High Priest, and a King and try his best to share with them that all he wants is for them to experience what he has in knowing Jesus.
King Agrippa asks a question in the end of his time with Paul... " In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?"
And Paul replies "Whether short or long, I would to God not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am"
So how does answer the Kings question of whether he can convince him to be a Christian?
He simply says "I want you to have what I have"
This is because Paul knows about Jesus what I knew about Shave Ice - anything else that claims to be the same cannot satisfy.
That is how we witness in it's simplest form - we share what we have received because we want all to have the Joy that we have experienced in Christ alone.
Please read:
Acts 24-26
Sermon Focus: Acts 26:24-29
We love our church!
Blessings,
Pastors Doug, Dawn, and Mack
