A couple of years ago, Monica and I went through this brief stent where we were really into TV shows about preppers, people who are prepared for disaster. We’d watch these shows, and it would always go like this. “Katie lives in downtown Salt Lake City, but she’s been stockpiling canned goods, dried food, and has a bug-out bag ready to go if she needs to leave in a hurry. Katie is afraid that the famous salt-lake city volcano could erupt at any moment, and she is always prepared.” There’s footage of her apartment stacked full of canned goods, buckets of food, and a bug-out backpack ready to go.

And then they run Katie through a scenario. “Alright, Katie, you receive word that the Salt Lake volcano will erupt in 90 minutes. What do you do?” And instead of her getting in her car and driving away, she rushes around, grabs her backpack, and hikes through the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. And at the end, they rate Katie, “Katie, next time, leave the paper towels” or “Katie, just get in your car and drive to grandma’s.” Monica and I loved this show so much we also bought a prepper’s kit, so if the world ends, we’ll have freeze-dried carrots and powdered cheesecake ready to go.

What’s the message? Always be prepared. Always be prepared for what? For the Salt Lake volcano? For a tsunami? For a famine? For a pandemic?! . . . It’s too soon.

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

As followers of Jesus, we don’t have to be freaking out about the Salt-Lake biggie, the next market crash, the next failed job interview, or the next terrible event in the news. Why? Because we have hope? And when we display that hope, people are going to wonder why. “Why are you so hopeful? What’s there to be happy about? You say you have peace. Why is that?” So, are you prepared to answer?

Notice, Peter doesn’t say, “Give the best answer,” or “list 20 reasons why we can trust the New Testament manuscripts” or “argue apologetics for Jesus, reasons to believe.” Instead, it seems to suggest that we are the apologetic. Don’t just preach apologetics, but be the apologetic. Live your life and share your hope in Christ.

God gives the Apostle Paul an opportunity to explain his hope, and it’s in the most unusual of circumstances. He’s been in prison for two years. He’s appealed his case to Caesar Nero. But before the local ruler, Festus, sends him to Rome, he hears his case, joined by Agrippa and Agrippa’s sister-girlfriend Bernice.

As he stands before Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice, Festus gives Paul a chance to share his hope. He says to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Paul defends himself, but not how we might do it if we were accused. Instead, Paul gives a three-part testimony, which I want to go over with you today. If Paul, or perhaps the author of Acts, Luke, were to explain Paul’s outline, his testimony outline might go like this:

My life before Jesus

How I met Jesus

How Jesus has changed me

This is the basic format Paul gives for his story, and I want us to go through it today. In the first couple verses, 1-3, Paul acknowledges King Agrippa’s authority and his familiarity with Jewish customs.

My life before Jesus (vv. 4-11)

Paul talks about his life, religious upbringing, and strict adherence to Jewish law and teachings. Paul was a Pharisee who honored and respected the Hebrew scriptures, the law, prophets, and writings and believed in the resurrection of the dead. Paul then identifies his beliefs with those of the Jewish patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the fathers of the Hebrew people. He’s on trial for that hope. “And for this hope I am accused…” What’s Paul doing? He’s describing his life before Jesus, its connection to his Jewish identity, and the hope he has now, and we can each do something similar.

But Paul doesn’t just highlight the good parts; identifying