Almost Persuaded Acts 26:132

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Almost PersuadedActs 261-32

• Woodcrest Church Of Christ
• Spring 2004
• Edward T. Rangel

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Book Of Conversions

• Book of Acts is commonly known as the book of
  conversion.
• There at least 14 accounts of NON-conversions as
  well.
• One particular account is when the gospel was
  preached to a man.
• But he neglected to obey the gospel.
• And he realized that without obedience he would
  be eternally lost.

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Acts 261-32
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Acts 26, Failure to Be Converted

• Paul stood before Agrippa and preached the gospel
  to him.
• King Agrippa confessed that he was ALMOST
  persuaded to obey the gospel.
• Let us consider some interesting facts about this
  incident.

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Almost

• Slightly short of not quite nearly almost
  time to go almost asleep almost finished.
• Almost is a word of failure.
• Almost implies that there is something missing to
  make the thing whole.

almost
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Almost In Everyday Language

• Almost made a touchdown!
• Almost hit a homerun.
• Almost made the car run.
• Almost got the job.

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Almost Is Only Good In
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Agrippa Was Almost Persuaded To Become A Christian

• Acts 2626-28 "For the king knows about these
  matters, and I speak to him also with confidence,
  since I am persuaded that none of these things
  escape his notice for this has not been done in
  a corner. 27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the
  Prophets? I know that you do." 28 And Agrippa
  replied to Paul, "In a short time you will
  persuade me to become a Christian."

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Believe What?

• Was Paul asking if Agrippa believed
• That there were prophets?
• That Jeremiah existed and cried all the time?
• That there was a prophet that ran around naked to
  get peoples attention?
• That there was a crazy prophet that played with
  mud?

No!
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Believe WHAT The Prophets Said

• Acts 2626 "King Agrippa, do you believe the
  Prophets? I know that you do.

What Did The Prophets Say?
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Believe WHAT The Prophets Said

• Acts 2622-23 "And so, having obtained help from
  God, I stand to this day testifying both to small
  and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets
  and Moses said was going to take place 23 that
  the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of
  His resurrection from the dead He should be the
  first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people
  and to the Gentiles.

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Do You Believe?

• That Christ was buried and resurrected?
• King Agrippa did not even have a chance to speak.
• Acts 2627 "King Agrippa, do you believe the
  Prophets? I know that you do.
• Inspiration told Paul that the king believed the
  gospel! C.f. 1 Corinthians 15.

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Agrippas Response To The Gospel

• Acts 2628 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost
  thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
• Notice that even after believing (having faith)
  Agrippa, Paul and the Holy Spirit knew that he
  was not a Christian.
• Most denominations would teach that all one needs
  to do is believe in the gospel.
• Faith only (alone) will not save.

James 224 You see that a man is justified by
works, and not by faith alone.
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Who Was Doing The Persuading?

• It was not miraculous!
• Not a better felt than told feeling.
• Did not get shocked with a lightening bolt.
• Was not baptized with the Holy Spirit.

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Who Was Doing The Persuading?

• Paul was doing the persuading.
• Fulfillment of Christs charge to Ananias
• Acts 915-16 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for
  he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My
  name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons
  of Israel 16 for I will show him how much he
  must suffer for My name's sake. "

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Who Was Doing The Persuading?

• Paul was doing the persuading.
• Earthen vessels deliver the gospel message.
• 2 Corinthians 44-7 For we do not preach
  ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves
  as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God,
  who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is
  the One who has shone in our hearts to give the
  light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
  face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in
  earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of
  the power may be of God and not from ourselves

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Who Was Doing The Persuading?

• Paul was doing the persuading.
• Man preaches what God commands in His Holy Writ.
• Matt 2818-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to
  them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me
  in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make
  disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
  the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
  Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I
  commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even
  to the end of the age. "

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Who Was Doing The Persuading?

• Today the same is true.
• Man preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ to lost
  souls.
• Man either obeys or disobeys.
• The gospel is the power to save.
• Rom 116 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
  for it is the power of God for salvation to
  everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also
  to the Greek.

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Agrippas Attitude

• The king refused to obey the gospel when it was
  preached to him.
• He had the opportunity to do so.
• He confessed that he was ALMOST persuaded.
• Almost is a word of failure.
• If he did not eventually obey the gospel he has a
  judgment reserved for the devil and his angels
  (Matthew 721-23).

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Your Attitude

• Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple to understand (1
  Corinthians 15).
• Jesus crucified for the sins of ALL mankind.
• Jesus was buried.
• Jesus was resurrected on the third day.
• Jesus fulfilled the what Moses and the prophets
  said. (Acts 26)

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Will You Be Persuaded To Obey The Gospel?