Almost Persuaded Acts 26:9-32

Introduction

Paul here is reasoning for the faith to King Agrippa and all of those who will listen, Last week he reasoned with the hope that even their fathers had which was the coming of the Messiah.

Paul is going to continue his testimony, by testifying of his life before Christ, His Salvation experience and the gospel explained, and then he brings Agrippa to the point of decision.

God can use our lives to lead others to Christ, and while they might not always get saved, you have at least planted a seed in their life.

Paul’s life before Christ vs. 9-11

Before Paul met Christ he did things that were contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. vs. 9

The word contrary means opposite, or contradictory.

Paul here is saying that before he met Jesus he was doing the opposite of what Christ would have him to do.

May I remind us this morning that before we met Jesus, we might not have been doing the same things that Paul was doing but we were living a life contrary to What Jesus would have us to do as well.

Paul tells them what he did to Christians at Jerusalem before he met Christ vs. 10-11

Paul tells them how he shut many of the saints up in prison for being a Christian.

When the Christians he put in prison were being put to death, he consented to their deaths.

In Acts 8 we see that Paul was a witness to Stephens death, the first Christian martyr, and in Acts 22, we see Paul confessing to witnessing his death and consenting or approving of it as well.

He then tells them that he punished them in every synagogue.

Their wasn’t a synagogue in that region who hadn’t heard of what Paul was doing to Christians.

Paul even went so far as to make them blaspheme

the word blaspheme here means to speak evil of

Paul wanted them to deny Christ

The Christians had made him exceedingly angry, so the persecution didn’t stop in Jerusalem, but continued to the strange cities.

The persecution that Paul brought on the early church caused the gospel to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and Paul would eventually help the gospel get to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Before Paul met Christ, he wanted nothing more than to stop the spread of Christianity

Pauls salvation experience vs. 12-20

Paul shifts to his road to Damascus experience vs. 12-18

Paul was headed to Damascus to arrest any Christians that he found along the way and would be taking them back to Jerusalem to go to jail.

He had the authority and the commission of the chief priest to go arrest any Christians along the way.

As Paul was making his way to Damascus a light shown from heaven and blinded him and as he was on the ground he heard a voice speaking to him in a Hebrew tongue, the language of the Jews.

The voice asked “Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me? is it hard to kick against the pricks.”

In Morris’ commentary he wrote this “Apparently Paul had been increasingly smitten in conscience, especially by the remembrance of the demeanor of Stephen when he died, as well as the willingness of Christians everywhere to suffer and die for the faith if need be.”

Saul asked who was speaking to him, and here we find more detail than Lukes first writing of this encounter.

The purpose of the road to Damascus experience is outlined here for us

To make him a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen and what you will see

To open their eyes from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, so they will receive the forgiveness of Sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

2 Corinthians 4:4 “4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Colossians 1:13 “13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

God saved Pauls life so that he could share the Gospel with those around him who were lost in darkness to share the light of the glorious gospel

If you are a Christian this morning, no matter our vocation, this is what God has saved us to do as well.

Paul then explains to Agrippa that this is what he has been doing since that time. vs. 19-20

Paul obeyed the heavenly vision and shared the good news of the Gospel first in Damascus, then Jerusalem, then throughout all the coast of Judaea and then to the Gentiles and preached that they should repent and turn to God and to obey his commandments.

God has saved us for the same reason, and he is using the church to bring light to a dark world. Are we following the commission God has given us?

Paul shares the Gospel with Agrippa vs. 21-23

Paul tells Agrippa why the Jews wanted to kill him in the temple when they caught him.

He then tells Agrippa that it was only by Gods help that he could continue.

Because of God’s help Paul was able to witness to both small and great, and he didn’t share anything that the Prophets and Moses told of and believed

Romans 3:21 “21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;”

John 5:46 “46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”

Paul started by telling Agrippa that he preached the hope that was promised to their fathers and now he tells him that he preached of the promise of a saviour

Then he shares the Gospel in verse 23

Jesus suffered for our sins when He died on a cross and three days later he arose from the dead

Jesus showed light to the Jews and they rejected his light so he shared it with the Gentiles

Isaiah 49:5–6 “5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, To bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, Yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, That thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”

Paul Brings Agrippa to a point of decision vs. 24-29

After listening to Pauls defence Festus pretty much tells him to stop because he has gone mad because of all the learning he has done. vs. 24

Paul tells Festus he isn’t mad, he is speaking the words of truth and soberness

Paul then tells Festus that Agrippa knows what he is talking about. vs. 25-26

Phillips said this in his commentary “Nobody could factually deny the resurrection of Christ. Christ had appeared again and again — on one occasion to more than 500 credible witnesses. Nothing but deliberate refusal to face the facts could account for unbelief.”

Paul then tells him, that its not like this was done in a corner or we might say something to the effect its not like he lives under a rock.

The facts of the resurrection were public knowledge and the conversion of Saul their was no factual evidence to disprove the resurrection.

Agrippa is brought to a point of decision.

In verse 28 we find one of the saddest verses in the Bible “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian”

This isn’t the first time Paul shared the Gospel and they knew their need for a saviour, but rejected Him.

Remember Felix and his wife Drusilla, when they heard the Gospel, they told Paul they would call for him at a more convinient season

I think about the Hymn entitled almost persuaded

Almost persuaded, now to believe, Almost persuaded, Christ to receive. Seems now some soul to say, Go, Spirit, Go thy way; some more convinient day On Thee I’ll call

Paul ends by saying that he wishes that everyone was a Christian like him

This wasn’t said out of pride, but out of purpose.

Paul had one theme — Christ; and one aim—To turn all men to Christ

What is our theme and our aim?

Agrippas findings vs. 30-32

As Paul finishes out his defence, all of those that came to hear it went and talked among themselves about what was just said.

They decided that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or of bonds

He could’ve been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar

Conclusion

Christian this morning are we willing to share the good news of the gospel with those in need, to share the light of the glorious Gospel with the world that is filled with darkness?

Maybe this morning you have been like Agrippa where you were almost persuaded, come this morning and we can show you from the Bible how you can be saved. Don’t delay, all you have is today