Almost Pursuaded

How many have ever heard ALMOST is not good enough? ALMOST - is a sad word in anybody’s dictionary. It keeps company with expressions like “If Only” and “Near ‘Bout’ Almost is a word that smacks of missed opportunities and fumbled chances. It’s a word that is normally associated with excuses.

How many times have we heard? •

“He almost got it together”

• “We were almost able to work it out”

• “He almost made it to the big leagues”

He almost made it to the NBA

Sadly we seldom ever remember those who almost. Why because is an admission you fell short. •

As it is often said - almost doesn’t count except in horseshoes and hand grenades

In our text we find FESTUS, the newly appointed governor, consults with AGRIPPA about an unusual prisoner left over from the days of his predecessor by the name of FELIX. Agrippa has heard about this controversial Christ follower, so he requests an audience with Paul. The next day, amid great pomp and circumstance, Agrippa and Bernice parade into the Hall of Audience to listen to Paul speak.

This, to me, is one of the saddest incidents in the entire Bible. Looking upon this narrative we can see that this is an example of God reaching out to the sin stained heart of a man to give that man a chance to be saved. And yet that man would not hear because of the love of the world and the circumstances of his life.

Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, was on trial once again. This old warhorse for the Kingdom of God had faced many trials and tests to this point in his life, but this one was going to be his final exam to prove once and for all, his faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ.

• I Always admired Paul and all he went through and remained faithful

• Shipwrecked

• Stoned and left for dead

• Imprisoned multiple times

• Let down a wall in a basket

• Through all this he remained faithful

• We let the Summer Heat

• We let the Rain and Wind

• We let the Cold Air of Winter

• We let the Traffic

• We let the Complaints of Others

• We let misunderstandings

• We let so many factors influence our Faithfulness or lack thereof

God was going to use Paul to bring forth a message as he stood before King Agrippa and Festus, the governor, to proclaim the gospel and to give testimony of his conversion on the road to Damascus. Paul was fighting for his very life. He had been arrested and put under protective custody of the Roman Army because the Jews had determined to kill him. Paul had appealed to Caesar, since he was a Roman citizen by birth.

As Paul stood between his Roman guards that day, waiting for his audience with Agrippa, I cannot help but believe that he stood there in silent prayer. He was seeking God for wisdom, asking the Lord to give him the right words to say in presenting his case for innocence. He had been charged with many false charges because of his preaching of the gospel.

• What a hard thing to bare – to know that you are only preaching and teaching the truth, in love, to reach out to a hurting world – and then to be condemned for doing so

• I can only imagine the hurt that Paul must have felt at times

• He was human just like you and me

I can understand how Paul must have felt that day and many days prior to that as a Preacher of the Gospel. Years of Preaching and Teaching and we still see those around us that will not listen, no real change in their life. There may be some here right now who won’t hear what this message has to say to you simply because your mind and your heart are occupied with the things of this world.

• Perhaps it’s your children

• Perhaps it’s your job

• Perhaps it’s your duties around the home

• Perhaps it’s what you must do after church

• Perhaps it’s any one of a thousand things that occupy your mind Whatever your mind is dwelling on, that is the work of the enemy of your soul to keep you from hearing what God has to say to your heart

• If we aren’t careful to give God our attention, Satan will surely steal the truths that we hear from God’s Word

• Then all we are able to see and hear is why isn’t the church getting along

• Then all we are able to see and hear is why is the church divided

Then all we are able to see and hear is why are some members treated different from others

• The enemy of our mind and soul has placed our attention on everything but the Message that God is attempting to send to us week after week

In all five trials, Paul circles back each time and places all focus of his argument on the Resurrection. Paul proclaimed to the Jewish leaders, “I AM ON TRIAL CONCERNING THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.” He declares to the Roman officials, “It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” He poses to Agrippa and his court the Rhetorical Question, “Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?”

At this point, Festus blows a gasket and interrupts Paul in the middle of his witness -

• Paul, you’re crazy!

• You’ve read too many books

• You’ve spent too much time staring into space!

• Get a grip on yourself

• Get back in the real world!

Oftentimes when we are giving God the praise and Lifting His holy name it will anger the Adversary. Festus regards it as sheer nonsense for a king to ascend to the throne through suffering and death. Paul now appeals directly to Agrippa. “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” We know the tragic response of the King – I AM ALMOST PERSUADED TO BE A CHRISTIAN. King Agrippa said, Paul, that was good, I feel something, but, you know what, I Am Almost Saved.

• I am almost Committed

• I am Almost Sold Out

• I am Almost Turned Around

• I am Almost Changed

You almost persuade me to be a Christian. Now, Bible scholars are not certain whether Agrippa actually said this because he was really almost persuaded to be a Christian, or whether he said this as a form of sarcasm. But we do know that Agrippa is never heard of again. You can't help but wonder how much different his life might have become if he had become an altogether Christian instead of an almost Christian.

Can we take a brief look at some of the people in Biblical history who were almost persuaded, but lose out on the blessings of God, because they were not altogether persuaded.

• PERSUADE means "to convince by argument and reason, to draw on incline the will to determination by presenting motives to the mind"

• Paul was not trying to appeal to the mind, he was trying to appeal to the heart

There are many in the Army of the Almost Persuaded

• My brothers and sisters I need to tell you that being Almost Persuaded is the same thing as being Totally Lost

King Agrippa was seated upon his throne.

• Oh how he loved the praise and adoration of his people

• He loved the long, flowing robes of royalty

• He loved the pomp and wealth of being the king

• He loved the way that everyone would see to his every desire and that he wanted for nothing

The heart of man is always swayed so easily by Praise and by Prosperity in the things of this world. That’s why Prosperity Preaching is so dangerous and making spiritual midgets out of many in the church. A man or woman who has everything that life can offer and who are living in prosperity and self-sufficiency will find it very hard to be reached with the message of the gospel. They don’t see a need for God. Their God is their lifestyle.

What can we offer to a dying world to help them make the decision to follow Christ? What are you offering? I can’t offer ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS as proof and I’m not going to get into some deep THEOLOGICAL DISCUSSION because that may gender strife. Convincing you of the reality of Christ is probably the most difficult. I am convinced that Jesus does exist and I do believe the Bible is the Word of God and I am more convinced by the work that He has done in my personal life.

Many today are seeking to be convinced of the importance of Salvation by going to the Bookstore. We are buying and being handed books and being told this is the way. We can hardly go to Church without some Pastor/Preacher pushing their latest book on us. We are looking for all this other stuff outside of the working of the Holy Spirit to prove that there is only one way, any of these books could be convincing and obviously many are. So how do I convince you that Christ is the way? I don’t believe we can convince one another. That is not our purpose of preaching and teaching. Unless you receive a personal revelation from God to convict you, it is by the life we live that is our only avenue.

Paul is being questioned by Agrippa and Paul is testifying of Jesus as being the Christ. He gave his own testimony as witness to Christ’s saving grace. He used Old Testament Prophesies about the Christ to show that Jesus was the Messiah.

• Yet Agrippa says almost you convince me to be a Christian

• Almost do you convince to accept Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior almost

Agrippa was almost persuaded to become a Christian. ALMOST IS NOT AN ADVERB WHICH CAN BE USED WITH INTEGRITY TO MODIFY THE NOUN “CHRISTIAN.” You can’t be an almost Christian. Either you are a Christian or you aren’t. REVELATION 3:16 “SO THEN BECAUSE THOU ARE LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH.” We are told through this scripture that we are either hot or cold, we cannot have it both ways. Some people are almost Christians. They are almost persuaded, but almost doesn’t count