Would you turn back to Acts chapter
26? Lord willing, in the next couple
of weeks, we're gonna start a landscaping project in the front of the building,
and there's going to be brick and gravel, so please make sure
there are no children around this area where they could injure
themselves. Verse 28, Then Agrippa said unto
Paul, almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. I've entitled this message, It
Does Not Work Like That. I've heard it said that Agrippa
was almost persuaded, but altogether lost. Now, I would agree with
the second part of that statement. He was altogether lost. But with regard to the first
part, Agrippa, you're almost persuaded. You're
right at the edge. It doesn't work like that. You do not hear arguments and
decide whether or not you're going to become a Christian any
more than you hear arguments for or against being born again
and you decide to become born again. That is foolishness. You know, Billy Graham wrote
a book on how to be born again. He entitled that, that is utter and complete folly. The leper, did not say, I am
almost persuaded to become clean. You can be sure nothing like
that ever entered his mind. Lord, if you will, thou canst make me clean. It does not work like that Agrippa. Now what led to this? In chapter
25 Festus told King Agrippa about Paul and the Jews desire to kill
him. Look in verses 13 and 14, and
after certain days Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea, this
is chapter 25, to salute Festus. He's the one who had Paul in
prison, and when they'd been there many days, Festus declared
Paul's case, or cause, unto the king, saying there's a certain
man left in bond by Felix, and he was going to tell King Agrippa
all about this man, the apostle Paul, and Agrippa was very interested
in this. He wanted to hear about this
first 22, then Agrippa chapter 25, verse 22. Then Agrippa said
into Festus, after Festus had told him about Paul, I would
also hear the man myself. Tomorrow said he Festus thou
shalt hear him. And on the morrow. When Agrippa
was come and Bernice with great pomp." This is one of Luke's
editorial comments. He talks about them coming in
with great pomp. They thought they were somebody,
they thought they were important, and they were going to grace
Paul by letting him speak to them. They come with great pomp
and ceremony. and circumstance, and I have
no doubt that Luke is saying this with sarcasm with regard
to them. And when he was entered into
the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal
men of the city at Festus' commandment, Paul was brought forth. And Festus said, King Agrippa.
And all men, which are here present with us, you see this man about
whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both
at Jerusalem and also here crying that he ought not live any longer. They wanted him dead. They wanted
him dead. They hated him. Verse 25, but
when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and
that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined
to send him, of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my
Lord, wherefore I've brought him forth before you, and especially
before thee, O King Agrippa, that after examination had, I
might have something to write. Maybe you could help me in bringing
him to Caesar. I don't even know what to say
he's accused of. I'm bringing him to Caesar, but maybe you
can help me here, for it seemeth unreasonable to send a prisoner
and with all to not signify the crimes laid against him. Then a group is said unto Paul,
chapter 26, verse one, thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the
hand and answered for himself. Now notice how respectful and courteous Paul
is. He said, I think myself happy. Now he is in chains. He's been
in prison for two years. Everybody wants him dead. And what does he say? I think
myself happy. King Agrippa. Now, every one of us, no matter
what sorrow we may have, have every reason to say, because
God is on the throne, I think myself happy. That's what Paul does. Because I shall answer for myself
this day, verse two, before thee touching all the things whereof
I'm accused of the Jews, all the accusations that were leveled
against him, especially because I know thee to be expert in all
customs and questions, which are among the Jews. Wherefore
I beseech that you hear me patiently." Now, Paul was excited about bringing
this message before Agrippa because he knew something about him.
And Agrippa had a great interest in the Jews, their religion.
He'd studied it, thought about it. Somehow Paul knew about this.
And he says, I know you're an expert with regard to the Jews
religion. Verse four, my manner of life
from my youth. which was at the first among
my own nation, at Jerusalem know all the Jews, which knew me from the beginning.
If they would testify that after the most straightest sect of
our religion, I lived a Pharisee. Now what he's telling Agrippa
is I out-Jewed the Jews. I was more of a Jew than they
were. I was living according to the straightest sect, the
most strict, rigorous sect of our religion. Verse six. And now I stand and
am judged by them for the hope of the promise made of God unto
our fathers. They're judging me for believing
what the Bible actually teaches is what he's saying. I'm the
one who truly believes the Jews religion, not them. I'm being
judged for what the Bible actually teaches. Verse six, and now I stand and I'm
judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers,
and what is that hope? Under which promise are 12 tribes
instantly serving God day and night? Hope to come, for which
hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should
it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise
the dead? Now, he's saying, my hope, my hope, what is hope? A confident expectation with
regard to the future. My hope is wholly founded in
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And you listen
to me right now. My hope is wholly founded 100%
on the resurrection of Christ from the dead. When he was raised
from the dead, I was justified by what he did. That's all my hope. That's why I continue to repeat,
I hate that teaching that says Jesus Christ can die for somebody
and they wind up in hell anyway. There's no gospel in that message.
That takes away the only hope I have because my hope is it
was Christ was raised from the dead. I was saved by what he
did. Now, Paul asked this question,
why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God
should raise the dead? God created the world from nothing. He spake with almighty power
this universe into existence simply by willing it. And everybody
deep down knows that's so. Everybody does. Everybody knows
that God created the universe as an act of his will. This place
came from his will. Now, if he can create the universe
from nothing, it's no trouble to him to raise the dead. Why would you think this to be
incredible that God should raise the dead? Now he says in verse
nine, I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. I thought I ought
to do everything I can to stamp out his name, to arrest, to put
to death people who believed on him, which thing I also did
in Jerusalem. And many of the saints did I
shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests.
And when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them off in every synagogue and compelled them
to blaspheme. And being exceedingly mad against
them, I persecuted them even under strange cities. This is how bad I wanted everyone
that believed on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be blotted
out. That's how bad I hated Jesus
Christ. And I thought it was my duty
to do so. I thought I was serving God. in doing this. Verse 12, whereupon as I went
to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priest
at Middale King. And he's talking about what happened
in Acts chapter nine when the Lord appeared to him. And he
had given testimony of it once again in Acts chapter 22. And
here we read the third time of the Lord appearing to him. At midday, O King, I saw on the
way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun. Now, I don't even know how I
could even imagine something being brighter than the sun.
We can't even look at the sun. And here, the brightness of this
one who appeared before Paul in the glory of his deity shined
above the brightness of the sun. Verse 14, and when we were all
fallen to the earth. Now that's what happens when
somebody sees Lord Jesus Christ down. Right now, when we were
all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, saying
in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Now,
how in the world is Saul going to persecute someone who shines
above the brightness of the sun? Well, when he was persecuting
his people, he was persecuting him because they are all united
to him. And so he could say, Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting me? It's hard for thee. to kick against
the pricks. So you're making things real
hard on yourself. When you fight against me, all you're doing
is kicking against the pricks that go to sticking in you. It's
impossible to fight against me. You're going to fail. And I said, verse 15, what a blessed thing. When somebody
asked this question, who are you Lord? Who are you? You know, it's a blessed thing
when a man finds out he doesn't know the Lord. And he says, who
are you, Lord? And hath the Lord answered? I
am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. I couldn't help but think of
when they came to arrest the Lord and he said, whom seek ye?
And they said, Jesus is Nazareth. I am. What happened? They fell
backwards. I love the way the Lord is gonna
make sure that they know he's not a victim. He's in control
of everything at all times. And he's letting these fellas
who are coming to arrest him and bind him, he's letting them
know, you're only doing this because I'm letting you do it.
That's the only reason. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest,
but rise. He was afraid to look up in the
dirt. Stand upon thy feet, for I have
appeared unto thee for this purpose. I love that word, purpose. You
know a word that's never found in the Bible, plan. God's got
a wonderful plan for your life. I despise that kind of thinking. God doesn't make plans and hope
they end up happening. If you just make sure that no,
he's got a purpose for this purpose, the eternal purpose, which he
purposed in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Rise and stand upon thy feet
for I've appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister. Now that word minister is an
under rower. Do you know, it's the lowest
form of a servant, a galley slave underneath with oars. I've appeared
to thee in your haughtiness to make you the lowest form of a
servant, but isn't it good to be a servant of his? What greater blessing there could
be than to be his servant and a witness first a galley
slave. Don't think too highly of yourself.
And a witness, not a secondhand information, not witnessing what
somebody else has told you. A witness, both of these things,
which thou has seen. and to those things in which
I will appear unto thee." And I couldn't help but thinking
about Acts 22 when he's giving his account to the Jews about
what took place. He said, the God of our fathers,
Ananias came to me and said this, the God of our fathers hath chosen
thee that thou should know his will. See that just one and hear the
voice of his mouth for thou shalt be his witness to all men of
what you've seen and what you've heard. Now he appeared to make
you a galley slave and his witness. You know, if you think of yourself
any more than a galley slave, you can't be his witness, can
you? Delivering thee from the people,
the Jews, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, Agrippa,
you are part of God's purpose right now for me. I've been sent
to preach the gospel to you, a Gentile. You are experiencing
God's purpose. Now, here is what happens when
God speaks. Verse 18, to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness
to light and from the power of Satan, unto God, that they might
receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which
are sanctified by faith, which is in me." Now, here is what
happens when God saves a man First of all, that man begins
being spiritually blind. Now here's how God saves. Here's
how God finds men when He comes and saves them. They're spiritually
blind. They can't really see who God
is. That's why men have such false conceptions of God and
why they believe in such a weak, powerless God that is subject
to man's will because they've never seen who he really is.
They're blind concerning who he is and this blindness concerning
the true character of God is evidenced by the high thoughts
they have in themselves. They don't really see themselves.
They're blind. They think they have ability.
They think they have the power of free will. They think they
have the power to please God. They're blind. They're blind
concerning how God saves by Christ. Blind. That's every natural man. When God saves a man, he gives
him sight concerning who he is. That's where salvation begins,
a knowledge of the true character of God. And if you and I ever
see the true character of God, we're gonna have some idea of
how sinful we really are. You know the only reason people
don't see themselves as sinful is because they've never seen
who God is. If you ever see who God is, you'll see yourself for
who you are. And you'll see the complete, perfect, glorious salvation
that's in Christ without your works. You remember what the
Lord said in John chapter nine when he said, for judgment I'm
coming to this world, that they which see not might see. Somebody can't see why God would
ever save them. You're made to see. And that
those that say, we see, I can see why God had saved me. Look
what all I've done. I mean, I, I, I, I, I. They're
made blind. And then it says, not only to
open their eyes, but to turn them. from darkness to light. Now who does the turning? God
does. He's the one who does the turning.
You know what happens when he turns? You turn. You turn. If you don't turn, he never turned
you. And if you don't turn, you will
not be saved. He turns there. I love what Jeremiah said, turn
thou me and I'll be turned. Turn me, Lord. And what's he
turning from? Well, the scripture says from
darkness to light. Now, God is light. In him is
no darkness at all. And when you're turned from darkness
to light, you have light concerning who God is. and how he saves
by his glorious grace. How he saves by Christ. Now,
if you believe in salvation by works in any way, listen to me. If you believe man has anything
to do with him being saved, something he must do, you're still in darkness.
God has never given you the light of the gospel. When he gives
you light, you see, And this turning goes
on. You're not only turned from darkness
to light, but from the power of Satan unto God. Now, every natural man is under
the power of Satan. Let me show you that in scripture. Hold your finger there. Ephesians
chapter two. You know, these people who you see
and have what you are by nature. Ephesians chapter two and you. hath he quickened who were dead
in trespasses and sins, wherein in times past ye walked, according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children
of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in
times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children
of wrath, just like everybody else. Now, if the Lord hadn't
saved me, that means I'm under the complete dominion and control
of the devil himself. That's a scary thought, isn't
it? But when God saves somebody, they're delivered from the power
of Satan to the power of God. Oh, the
power of God in salvation. Same power that raised Christ
from the dead. What power that is. is used in
giving you life and giving you eyes to see the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, if you look to Christ
only right now, that's the result of the omnipotent power of God
in giving you life. You've been turned from the power
of Satan to the power of God. Look what he says next in verse
18, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins. Ephesians 4, 32 says, be kind,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you. Receive that. Receive that. in whom we have redemption through
his blood. The forgiveness of sins. You don't do something to be
forgiven. You find out you've been forgiven. And you receive
it. You receive it. All of your sins
are forgiven sins. That's the only way they're to
be looked upon. forgiven sins and an inheritance. Not only
do we receive the forgiveness of sins, we receive an inheritance. Oh, joy and heirs with Christ.
What an inheritance we have. You know, people that have rich
parents probably think I'm going to be rich one of these days.
Not really. Not really, you'll probably end
up losing it all anyway, but the inheritance, every believer
has it. Sure. It can't be taken away. What an inheritance likeness
to Christ among them, which are sanctified now. That word sanctified is in the perfect voice in the
passive tense, little grammar lesson. What's that mean? That
means I'm perfectly sanctified and it means God did it. It's
exactly what that means. uh... most people believe in
what's called progressive sanctification. You progressively become better
through your efforts of obedience, your denial of sin. Listen, we ought to have efforts
of obedience and we ought to have denial of sin. I'm not saying
anything against that, but what I'm saying is this. If I'm sanctified,
it's God that sanctifies me. I was sanctified by the Father
in election. That ain't progressive, is it?
I was sanctified by the Son in redemption, declared to be holy. That's certainly not progressive,
is it? I was sanctified by the Spirit of God in regeneration. That's not progressive. It's
completed. Sanctification is the word that
most completely described salvation, God's salvation, sanctified by
the father in election, sanctified by the son in redemption, sanctified
by the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Now, what is the evidence of
being sanctified? What is the evidence? By faith that's in me. That's the evidence. The evidence
that God has turned me from darkness to light, the evidence that God
has delivered me from the power of Satan to the power of God,
the evidence that God has given me a great inheritance, the evidence
that God has sanctified me is faith in Christ. Now, if you
look within your heart and find reason, well, I can see in me
that God has done something for me. It's false. It is false. The only evidence that God recognizes that He allows you to see is
you look only to Jesus Christ as everything in your salvation. Verse 19, whereupon, O King Agrippa,
I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but it showed
first unto them at Damascus and at Jerusalem, throughout all
the coast of Judea, everywhere I went, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for
repentance." Repent. You know what that means? It means change your mind. Change your mind about all your
false thoughts about God, all your false thoughts about yourself,
all your false thoughts of salvation. Change your mind. Now I know
your mind won't be changed unless God changes it, but when he changes
your mind, your mind's changed. Repent. Repent. And here's what folks do when
they repent. They turn to God. And don't miss this. This is
very important. They do works. meet for repentance. You see, faith in Christ is not
just cognitive assent to some facts you hear. There is works
meet appropriate for someone who's truly repented. Now I could
say so much about that, that deserves a whole message. But
let's say somebody hears the gospel and believes, but they
keep going to a religious organization where the gospel is not preached.
That's not what works for repentance, is it? Let's say someone says
they hear and believe the gospel, yet they don't feel any need
to be there where the gospel is preached. That's not works
meet for repentance. You see, there are works meet
for repentance, and we could go on and on about that. Repentance,
true repentance before God is, there's gonna be works that prove
that you really have, works meet for repentance. Verse 21, for these causes, The Jews caught me in the temple
and went about to kill me. They wanted to murder me over
all this. They disagreed so much with what they were hearing.
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this
day. witnessing both to the small and great, saying none other
things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. I'm only preaching what the Old
Testament scriptures have always declared, that Christ, verse
23, that Christ should suffer. Notice not that he would suffer,
but that he should suffer. Why should he suffer? Because
it's God's purpose. Because he was guilty. The sins
of God's people became his sins and he was guilty. Therefore
he should suffer and that he should be the first that should
rise from the dead. It's all a part of God's purpose.
He's the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He's
the lamb resurrected from the foundation of the world. When
he was raised from the dead, all of the sins of all of God's
elect were put away. Therefore he should be raised
from the dead and should show light unto the people and to
the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself,
Thestas said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself. You're a raven maniac. Much learning does make thee
mad. You've gone crazy. You've passed
the edge. You've gone over the line from
being a genius to a raving maniac. Now that's how Festus interpreted
what Paul was saying. He heard all this. He said, Paul,
you are crazy. You spent too much time reading
the Bible. You've been spent too much time
reading books. You have gone mad. Verse 25. But he said. I'm not mad. Most noble Festus, and I can
hear the way he said he said it. I'm not the one that's mad
Festus. You are. Now, understand this. Anybody who believes. Anything other than the gospel is mad. A lost man, a man that
believes in salvation by works, he's mad. He's crazy. He's insane. I'm not the one
who's mad, most noble Festus. but speak forth the words of
truth and soberness, soundness of mind. You say what I'm saying
is bad. No, it's the truth. And really
it's the only thing that makes sense. Soundness of mind. Verse 26, for the King knoweth
of these things, for whom I speak freely, boldly, and unashamedly. For I'm persuaded that none of
these things are hidden from him. For this thing was not done
in a corner. This thing of God having a son
nailed to a cross, it was done in front of all of Jerusalem.
It wasn't done in a corner. He was witnessed by 500 witnesses
at once with regard to his resurrection. None of this thing has been done
in a corner. God did it for everybody to see.
Agrippa knows this. Verse 27, King Agrippa, believest
thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul,
almost. Thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Now Agrippa gave intellectual
assent to what Paul said. He didn't disagree. He gave assent
to what Paul said, but let me tell you what he didn't do. He
didn't hear Paul as a sinner. He thought he had power to accept
or reject. And he proved in his statement
to Paul that he had no understanding of his own sinfulness. He would not have said that had
he understood who he really was. Now he's saying to Paul, you've
presented the arguments and I have almost been persuaded to become
a Christian like you are a gripper. It doesn't work like that. Salvation
is altogether out of your hands. You don't decide to become a
Christian. You're in the hands of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And he can do with you whatever
he's pleased to do. He can save you or he can send
you to hell. Whatever he does is right. Don't think that you have any
control in this. Don't think you can just up and
decide to become a Christian. You don't decide to become a
Christian. You do not choose to believe. You believe because you have
no choice. If you choose to believe, you've
never believed. You only believe when you have
no choice. Lazarus, come forth. Well, I'm almost persuaded to
live. It's ridiculous, isn't it? There's no, will I become a Christian
or will I not? No. Save me. God be merciful to me, the sinner. He didn't pray, I'm going to
almost persuaded to become justified. You see how ridiculous that whole
way of thinking is? And that was the thinking of
this heathen Agrippa. Almost. Thou persuadest me to
be a Christian. I remember one time somebody
actually said to me, I'm leaning toward grace. Oh, oh. And Paul said, verse 29, I would to God. Now here he is
in chains. He's been incarcerated for the
last two years. And what does he say to this
King who is seemingly such a powerful man? I would to God that not only thou,
but also all that hear me this day. We're both almost in altogether,
such as I am, except to these chains. I'm not wishing these
chains on you, but I wish you were all together as I am. What
are you, Paul? I am what I am by the grace of
God. You know, I bet when people were
listening to Paul, they probably, some of them started snickering.
He wants us to be like him. But you know somebody I bet didn't
snicker? Agrippa. Agrippa. And when they were gone
aside, they talked between themselves, saying, this man doeth nothing
worthy of death, and said, Agrippa undefestus. This man might have
been set at liberty if he had not appealed to Caesar. Too bad,
he did that. No, it was God's purpose for
him to appeal to Caesar because it was God's purpose for him
to go to Rome and stand before the Roman governors and to write
the epistles that he would write from that Roman prison cell. It was God's purpose for all
this to take place. I mean, a group would say, you
know, too bad, too bad. You know, I mean, we can let
him go. No, you couldn't Agrippa. Agrippa just thought he had too
much power. Agrippa, you don't have any power. None at all. Nor does any other
man. Power belongeth unto the Lord. Agrippa, it does not work like
that. Here's the way it works. God,
be merciful. When you pray that, you know
you don't have any control. It's all up to him. God, be merciful
to me, the sinner. May the Lord put that prayer
in the heart of everybody in this room. Let's pray. Lord, give us such a sight of
thy son. That there are two things we
see from that site, our own sinfulness and our need of him. Lord, that's the supernatural
work of your grace. We ask that you would do that
for us and in us for Christ's sake. Bless your word. In Christ's
name we pray.