Paul went to Jerusalem against the advice of his friends (prophet Agabus).
- He was warned hardship and prison awaited him there.
- Compelled by the Spirit.
- Falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple.
- Requested to speak to the people.
Standing before the Sanhedrin (gets punched) There was an assassination attempt on Paul’s life. In Caesarea Paul appears again before the Sanhedrin as well as Felix. Felix left Paul in prison 2 years-Fetus takes over.
Paul is now before Herrod Agrippa II, his wife, high-ranking military officers, prominent men of the city and Governor Festus. Paul is giving his testimony and has already told us who he was before and how Jesus saved him. Paul has also given them and us the commission he received from Jesus.
- I am sending you to open peoples’ eyes
- To turn them from darkness to light
- To turn them from the power of Satan to God
- So they may receive God’s forgiveness of their sins
- And receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus
Acts 26:19-32 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. **I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” 24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” 25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. **26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (NKJV “You almost persuaded me to become a Christian.”) 29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—**I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” 30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Paul delivers one of his most powerful messages, king Agrippa says, Vs28 “You almost persuaded me to become a Christian.” “Paul you got close…just not close enough. ALMOST – is the saddest word in this story.
It’s as if Agrippa came to grips with the gospel, but he never allowed the gospel to grip him.
Listen. You can do good things and live a good life and think you’re headed to Heaven but still end up in Hell. You can be close to receiving Christ and yet still be unrepentant. You can be almost persuaded and yet remain at an eternal distance from Jesus Christ.
I want you to know that you know you are saved! And God’s desire is for you to know that you are saved.
1 John 5:11-13 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Either you have the Son, or you don’t. You are either saved, or you’re NOT. You either know or you don’t. There is no ALMOST.
*I don’t want to know that you are a member a church… that you haven’t missed a Sunday in 40 years… that you’ve been baptized 5 times… that you said a prayer oneday…
*I don’t even want to know that you believe Jesus is the Son of God… Or that you believe Jesus died on a cross…or that he rose from the dead.
James 2:19 tells us even the demons believe and tremble!
* I WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU BOWED BROKENHEARTED BEFORE THE THRONE OF GRACE, WHERE MERCY FLOWS.
I WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU ASKED JESUS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS AND HAD THE BLOOD OF JESUS APPLIED TO YOUR LIFE.
I WANT TO KNOW THAT JESUS IS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR…AND YOU KNOW HIM AND HE KNOWS YOU..
So many people think that the way to heaven is just to make sure the good outweighs the bad BUT the problem is that we are using worldly scales to weigh our good deeds. When we put our good on God’s scale, we will never be good enough…
Romans 3: 10 “There is none righteous, not even one;
Romans 3: 23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Matthew 7:21-22 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?” Now that would be awesome information for my portfolio of good deeds.
But listen to how Jesus finishes these verses: Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
It’s not what you do for Jesus, it‘s about receiving what He’s already done for you. It’s ALL about KNOWING HIM…AND JESUS KNOWING YOU!
Hell will be full of “Good people.” Someone said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions…
And if you’re thinking right now that God would not send a good person to hell; you’re right! God allows each of us to make that decision for ourselves.
So many are trying to build their own road to heaven when Jesus said, John 14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Being good will almost get you to heaven…But Almost saved is to be eternally lost.
Do you KNOW you’re going to heaven or do you THINK you’re going to heaven? Let me just say that to be 99.9% sure is to be 100% lost.
If you choose to put off salvation that comes only through Jesus and you die in your sins, you will spend eternity in hell remembering, for the rest of eternity, that you refused this opportunity you had today to be born again.
You know there are some other people in the bible who were almost persuaded, but lost out on the blessings of God.
- LOT’s WIFE escaped the fire and brimstone as it destroyed the twin cities of Sodom and You can be close to receiving Christ and yet still be unrepentant. You can be almost persuaded and yet remain at an eternal distance from Jesus Christ. but because she was only almost persuaded to not look back upon its destruction, she looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.
- The FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS were almost persuaded to keep their lamps trimmed and burning bright, but they let them go out and could not enter in.
- The RICH YOUNG RULER was almost persuaded to Follow Jesus but instead his riches and wealth prevented him from being fully Persuaded. Don’t make the same mistake.
About 1830, a man named George Wilson killed a government employee who caught him in the act of stealing mail. Wilson was tried and sentenced to be hanged. The President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, sent Wilson a pardon. But, Wilson did a strange thing: he refused to accept the pardon.
No one seemed to know what to do because of this, so Wilson’s case was sent to the U. S. Supreme Court. Chief Justice Marshall wrote this opinion: “A pardon is a slip of paper, the value of which is determined by the acceptance of the person to be pardoned. If it is refused, it is not a pardon. George Wilson must be hanged.” And he was.
The death of Jesus on the cross is the pardon God has sent. But before it becomes a pardon, it must be accepted by faith. It is through the cross, and only through the cross that we can be saved from sin and sins consequences of eternal separation from God in hell.
My heart breaks every time I hear someone say “I think I’m going to heaven.”
I’m so glad today that I am 100% Saved, that I have yielded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and have made Jesus my Lord and Savior. And because of that Heaven will be my Home. I’m so glad today that I know Jesus and Jesus knows me.
CONCLUSION During Jesus’s time on this earth, He either made people angry or left people astonished and amazed. People either fought against Him, or put their faith in Him. The same is true today. You will either reject Him, or you will receive Him. There is absolutely no middle ground.
When Agrippa had heard enough, he abruptly shut down the conversation in: Acts 26:30-31 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room,
Instead of getting saved, they blinked and walked out of the room. Instead of taking the final step of salvation, they walked away from the Savior.
THERE IS A GREAT LESSON HERE FOR PERSONAL EVANGELISM. While the number of people who are “almost persuaded” to believe but then turn away is disturbing, what’s even more disturbing is the number of Christians who are “almost persuaded” to boldly speak for Jesus when they are given the opportunity, only to let the opportunity pass them by.
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