and turn to the book of Acts. Acts 26. Acts 26. Let's pray together. Our Father, this evening we are
assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus, and we are able to
approach you upon the throne only by and through Him who is
the way. Realize, Father, we have no merit
of our own. We have no right to talk to you.
We have no right to approach you. We have no right to ask
you anything save for the merit of the righteousness
of Christ, Him in whom we are robed. Father, would You bless this
service tonight for Christ's sake? Would You, by Your Holy Spirit,
cause us to hear cause us to think upon these things that
are eternal. Bless the preaching, I ask you.
Bless the hearing. Bless it to your honor and our
good. For Christ's sake, Amen. The Apostle Paul has been brought to a place for
the purpose of preaching before King Agrippa, Festus, and a group of Jewish religious
bigots. And the message that he preached,
Agrippa told him, he said, you can speak for yourself. And Paul
said, I appreciate I appreciate that. And Paul gave a word of
personal testimony. What he did was he told what
the Lord had done for him. This is what God did for me. And that message that he preached
set forth that salvation was all of grace. Salvation is of
the Lord. Not by works of men's righteousness grace. He told them that Christ,
in verse 23 of Acts 26, should suffer. He said He is the Lamb, God's
Lamb. And the reason He came into this
world as God's Lamb is that He should be the first that should
rise from the dead and show light unto the people and to the Gentiles.
This is what Paul preached. He said the Lord Jesus Christ
came into this world to save His people. And He lived for
them, died for them, buried with them, raised with them, raised from the dead, first to
ever be raised on His own merit. Lazarus was raised from the dead,
but not on his merit. Lord Jesus Christ was raised
on his own merit. This is my beloved son, whom
I'm well pleased. God accepted his sacrifice." Here, Paul preached the truth. And while he was preaching, they
were listening. Now, what did Paul say that was
in any wise inconsistent? with the Scriptures. He didn't
say anything that was inconsistent. He preached Christ. He preached sovereign saving
grace. Salvations of the Lord. Men are saved not because they're
Jews, not because they're this, not because they're that. They're
saved by the grace of God. Almighty God had purposed before
the foundation of the world to save a people and chose a people,
a peculiar people out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue. Some He chose and some He left
to themselves. The potter, the potter that has
the right, souls are mine. All souls are
mine. I can do what I will with my
own." Well, they listen to that message. Pick it up in verse
24, and it says, And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said
with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself. Much learning
doth make thee mad, but he said, I am not mad, O noble Festus,
I am not crazy. I speak forth the words of truth
and soberness. For the king knoweth of these
things before whom I speak freely, for I am persuaded that none
of these things are hidden from him. For this thing was not done
in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou
of the prophets? I know you believe." King Agrippa was told by Paul. You claim to believe the scriptures. You've made a stand. You've set forth by your lips
that you believe what I've been preaching. You said you believe
the truth. King Agrippa, do you believe
the prophets? Let me ask you this. Do you believe what the scripture
sets forth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ? I'm asking you,
do you believe this? Do you believe what God Almighty
has said concerning His Son? Do you believe the report that
God has given concerning this. Paul said, look at verse 3 of
this particular passage, I mean chapter 26-3. Paul says, especially speaking
of Agrippa, I know thee to be an expert in all customs and
questions which are among the Jews. Wherefore, I beseech thee,
hear me patiently. Here's what he said. Now Agrippa,
you have made claims. to believe what all the prophets
preach. Now, Grippa was about to expose
his heart. Now, whether he spoke or whether
he remained silent, he was going to make a decision based upon
his relationship to Christ. King Agrippa, believest thou
the prophets?" You know, what a man thinks concerning
Christ. The way a man dies concerning
what that man believes concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. is going to be the state of his
eternal soul. I want you to turn to Matthew
10.32. Matthew 10.32. Paul asked King Agrippa this
question. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know thou
believest. That's what he said. You say you do. Matthew 10, 32. Whosoever, therefore, shall confess
Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is
in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before
men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to
send peace. but a sword. For I am come to
set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And
a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that
loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he
that taketh not His cross, followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his
life for my sake shall find it." Now let me tell you where Agrippa
is. Agrippa is sitting there, and he's in this room, and he's
listening to Paul preach. He's already claimed to believe
what the prophets have said. Hephaestus has just said, Paul,
you're crazy. You're crazy. That's what it
means, mad. You're crazy. What you're saying,
Paul, is ludicrous. You are beside yourself. You've
been way too much studied. You've been studying way too
much. Much study has made you mad. Now Grippa is sitting here, and you know who he's married
to? Bernice. It's his sister, his
real sister. He's sitting here married to
his own sister, and he's listening The Festus tell Paul that Paul
is crazy and he is listening to all of these Jews that have
been trying to call Paul out on the carpet. And Paul looks
at him and he says, Agrippa, you believe the prophets. Now here is what it is going
to come down to. Who do you believe? And that
is what it is coming down to tonight. Who do you believe? Now Agrippa is between a rock
and a hard place. What are you going to say? What
are you going to do? And Agrippa's answer is one that
as far as I know haunts him until this day. Scripture never reveals that
Agrippa ever repented. And I'm telling you that right
now, based on what I know concerning the Scriptures, Agrippa left this world and is
in hell right now. And he remembers this day right
here. He remembers. Then Agrippa said, verse 28 under
Paul, "...almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Almost. In a little. That's what
it means. Almost. It means in a little.
In a little more time. Paul, if you keep talking, in a little bit more persuasive
manner, Paul? In a little. That's what it means.
Almost. Just a little bit, little bit
more. Just a little bit more. Almost. I'm listening to what you're
saying, Paul. And almost you persuade me to be a Christian. I want to make five statements almost persuaded to be a Christian. What is it to almost be a Christian? Here is the first thing that
I know concerning a person that is almost a Christian. It is one that has heard the
gospel of free grace. But it has rejected Christ as
He's declared in the Gospel. To be almost a Christian is a
person that has heard the Gospel. Paul had preached the Gospel.
All of them that were there, they heard the truth. No one
can be said to be almost a Christian unless they've heard the message
that the Spirit of God blesses in regenerating grace. I'm telling
you, there are no Christians except those that hear the report
of Christ. Paul said over in Romans, turn
over a page or two or just listen, I'll read this, Romans 1, 16
and 17, Paul says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for
it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to
the Jew first and also to the Greek for therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith that is written, the just
shall live by faith. If any man preach any other gospel
than that which we've preached unto you, let him be accursed."
To be almost a Christian, a man's got to hear the gospel to be
almost a Christian. You might ask me, well, are you
saying that those that sit under a false gospel, that they're
not even almost a Christian? That's what I'm telling you.
They ain't even almost. There's nothing there to hear.
These men heard truth. They heard truth. They heard
Christ. Almost, a person that's almost
a Christian has heard the gospel. Here's the second thing. Almost
a Christian is one that has given at least lip service to the truth,
but has no heart to endure to the end of grip or hurt. Said he believed. Said he believed what the scriptures
said concerning Christ that Paul was preaching. The sower went
to sow. Some of the seed fell by the
wayside. The birds came and got it. Some of it fell in stony
ground. It sprung up. But when the heat
of oppression for the gospel's sake came out, it withered. There was no root there. Some
of it, though, looked as though that it was going to grow. It
stayed there. For a while, it was in Thorny
ground, but in time, the thorns came up, choked it out. It was
in thorny ground. Care of this world. Almost. Almost Christian. Isaiah 29, 13 says, Wherefore
the Lord saith, For as much as this people draw near to me with
their mouth and their lips do honor me, but have removed their
heart far from me, for their fear toward me is taught by the
precepts of men." Third thing I know about a person
that's almost a Christian. Almost a Christian has heard
the gospel. Secondly, they've given lip service at least for
a while. Agrippa did for a while until
Paul He called him on it and said, what do you believe? And
when it was between a rock and a hard place, he said, almost. Thirdly, almost a Christian is
one that still looks to the arm of flesh for salvation. Then Agrippa told Paul, Now listen
to this. You talk about the revelation
of a man's heart. Almost, Paul, thou persuadest
me to be a Christian. The sinner called out by God's
grace is born not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, Not
of the will of man, but of God. Almost, Paul. Man, you're good. That was some good preaching,
Paul. I mean to tell you, almost, Paul. You had me convinced. Faith cometh by hearing. and hearing by the Word of God,
not by works of righteousness that we've done. I'm telling
you, not by excellent preaching. I cannot convince you to do anything. If Almighty God calls a man out
of darkness, Almighty God called him out of darkness. The Lord
blesses the preaching of Christ, but the preacher is not the source
of life, salvations of the Lord. Almost, Paul! Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name
cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And He will say unto them, depart
from Me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you. Almost a Christian. one that's heard the gospel,
one that's given lip service to the gospel for a while, but
one that still holds to the arm of flesh. Now, you know, I grew
up in this church. Surely, I'm a Christian. I said
under Brother Scott Richardson. I said under Brother Henry Mahan,
what do you believe I believe? The Lord told Nicodemus, The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth.
So is every one that is born of the Spirit, not born of Paul. Paul said, I sowed this water,
but the Lord gave thee increase. Almost, Paul, thou persuadest
me to be a Christian. Here's the fourth thing I know
about a person that's almost a Christian. They exhibit the epitome of pride
and arrogancy. It is to say in one's heart,
I'll consider whether or not to make myself a son of God. Paul, you persuade me to be a
Christian. You know, if somebody came up
to me and said to me, you know, Marvin,
I think I've almost decided to be one of your kids. You know, Marvin, I think if
one of the women here, I think I've almost, I've almost, I've
almost decided to be your wife. I said, yeah, but you ain't. I've almost decided, I've almost
decided, I think I'm going to be, I think I'm going to become
your brother after the flesh, I think. I've almost decided
that." I said, really? Where in the world did you come
up with that arrogant statement? What makes you think you've got
the right? What makes you think you've got
the right? You've almost decided, almost persuaded. to be a Christian. Psalm 115 says, Him that hath
a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. First thing in Proverbs 6 that
the Lord says He hates a proud look. I think I've almost decided. I'm not there yet, but I'm kicking
it around. And I think I've Hmm. I may just become a Christian. That's arrogance. That's pride. Haughty. There's nothing. There's no humility. You don't
see yourself as needy. You see yourself as worthy in
your mind of giving yourself over to the Lord and kind of
elevating His Stature. Proverbs 16, 18 says, Pride goeth
before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. What do
you mean you're almost persuaded to be a Christian? And fifthly, and this one really
would sum up all of them, to be almost a Christian is to be
totally lost. Either a man is regenerated by
the grace and power of God or he isn't. I almost got here at
7 o'clock for the services. Yeah, but you didn't. I almost made the plane before
it took off. Yeah, but you didn't. I almost
made the boat before it sailed. But you didn't. I'd almost persuade
you to be a Christian. Yeah, but you're not. Almost. Either a man is in Christ or
he's not in Christ. Either the light of the glory
of God is shining in his heart or it hasn't. Either a man has
been brought down in the dust and he cries out for mercy before
God God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Lord, have mercy on me. Lord,
draw me to Yourself. Lord, I'm coming and coming and
coming. Either You're coming or You're
not. You're almost, you know, halfway, in and out, up and down,
once or twice, every once in a while. But maybe, maybe not.
No, You're not. You're lost. You're lost. Almost. I'm almost there. But
you're not. A man may be persuaded to be
moral. Maybe he might be persuaded to be a Baptist. Maybe he wants
to be Pentecostal. But the Scriptures never speaks
of almost being persuaded to be a Christian. He's either lost
or he's saved. My sheep hear my voice, I know
them, and they follow, and they follow, and they follow, and
they follow. You know the evidence of a man
that's inconsistent in the gospel? You know what it is? He's almost
a Christian. He's almost. That's just the
way it is. My sheep follow me. But I want you to notice something.
I want you to notice the attitude of one that is persuaded. Agrippa
said, almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And he
gave evidence of his heart. I want you to look in verse 29
at the evidence of a man that God had called out of darkness.
And oh, the blessedness of hearing One, that God has given life
to hear Him speak. And Paul said, verse 29, I would
to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day
were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. Paul said, I pray God called
you out of darkness. I pray the Lord be pleased to
shine His light, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ
in your heart. I pray the Lord reveal Himself
to you. I pray God have mercy on your
soul. The thought of one leaving this world, I was listening a
few minutes ago to a little bit on television of all the debate
of this country and the things they're trying to get pushed
through and how we're all up in arms. And I truly do. I hate to see this country the
way it's going. Oh, I love this country. I love
it. I love and appreciate all those
that have given themselves, men that serve, women that serve.
And I hate to see the way it's going, but I'm going to tell
you something, that's the least of a man's worry if he leaves this
world without Christ. Almost persuaded. Scripture says, and when, verse
30, he had thus spoken, the king rose up, the governor, Bernice,
And they that sat with him, and when they were gone aside, they
talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy
of death, or in bonds, then said Agrippa, unto Festus, This man
might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
No, no, he couldn't. The Lord told him that he was
going to Rome. He was going to Rome. The Apostle Paul had done
that which he was commissioned to do. The Lord had called him
out of darkness on the road to Damascus, and he said, You're
a chosen vessel unto me to preach to the Jews and to the Gentiles. I'm going to preach before kings.
I'm going to send you. I'm going to put you there. And
this faithful servant had done all that he was called to do. He could not give Agrippa or
Hephaestus or any of the others. He couldn't give them a new heart.
The only thing he could do in faithfulness was preach Christ
to them. He could tell them what God had done for sinners. And
that's what he did. And they mocked him. They ridiculed
him. The professors told him, you're crazy. And Agrippa told
him, he said, well, you know, you almost persuaded me to be
a Christian. After Paul pled with him in a
very scriptural way, he said, I would to God. Here's my final plea of hope
for you. I would to God that God would
show mercy to you. Call you out of darkness. After
Paul had poured his heart out to them. They all got up and
said, well, I guess that's all. May God Almighty have mercy upon
us. Almost a Christian. In the day
of judgment, those that were almost persuaded heard the gospel. For a while they gave lip service
to Christ, but saw no beauty in Him. They thought they were
righteous without a substitute, and arrogantly assumed themselves
to be worthy to be called His children, and left to themselves
they'll be cast out. I would to God, this is my prayer
this evening, that if there be any here that knows Him not,
I would to God that not thou only but also all that hear me
this day were both almost, almost and altogether such as I am except
these bonds. May the Lord bless this Word
to our hearts. May the Lord Jesus Christ have
mercy upon us for His sake and for our good. Amen.