Acts 26 v. 1 - 32 Paul's Life Story
I. Paul’s Company - He Loved The Lost
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.
i. Festus the governor – He had no accusation to write to Caesar against
Paul. (25:26) This was a dilemma to him. To send a prisoner to Caesar
without formal charges against him would underscore his
incompetence and imperil his position as a governor.
ii. Herod Agrippa II – The last king of the Herodion Dynasty and also the
last earthly king of the Jews. His father was Herod Agrippa I who
beheaded the Apostle James. (Acts 12) He was only 17 when his father
died. Drusilla, the wife of the previous governor, Felix, was his
youngest sister.
iii. Bernice - She was the “daughter of Herod Agrippa I, and sister of
Drusilla and Agrippa II. She had been married to her uncle Herod king
of Chalcis, and since his death she had been living with her brother
Agrippa in a relationship that was widely rumored to be
incestuous...Later she became the mistress of both Vespasians and
Titus, and lived in Rome.”
iv. Chief captains – These were the military tribunes (or commanders) of
the auxiliary Roman cohorts stationed at Caesarea. Josephus, the
Jewish historian, mentioned in his works there were five cohorts
stationed at Caesarea then, therefore it means that there were five chief
captains present on that day.
v. Principal men - Men of eminence and dignitaries in Caesarea attended
the hearing that day.
2. Paul’s Conviction - He lived a Pharisee
Paul reviews his life as a religious man
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
“Dogmatic, legalistic, blameless in the law, vengeful”.
3. Paul’s Conversion - He saw a Light
Paul reviews his life as a redeemed man Act 26:12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and
commission from the chief priests, 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way
a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about
me and them which journeyed with me.
4. Paul’s Commission - “He heard a voice.” – (or Call) Act 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice
speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
1. “They are blind; go and open their eyes”.
2. “They are in darkness; go and turn them from darkness to light”.
3. They are under bondage to Satan; go and turn them to God”.
4. “They are under the wrath of God; go and offer them the
forgiveness of sins”.
5. Paul’s Commitment - “He was not disobedient.” – Act 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the
heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at
Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for
repentance.
Paul regarded the voice as what it really is – the voice of God. The voice was the voice of God. The call was the call of God. The commission was the commission of God. The word was the Word of God. Paul called that a “heavenly vision”.
6. Paul’s Concentration - He was not mad 24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. A . W. Tozer said: “A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. a. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen. b. He talks familiarly every day with Someone he cannot see. c. He expects to go to heaven on the virtue of another. d. He empties himself in order to be full. (Eph 5:18) e. He admits he is wrong (sinful) so he can be declared right. (Righteous) f. He goes down in order to get up. g. He is strongest when he is weakest. (2 Cor. 12:10) h. He is richest when he is poorest. (James 2:5) i. He is happiest when he feels the poorest. (2 Cor 12:9) j. He dies so he can live. (Gal 2:20) k. He forsakes all in order to have. (Luke xiv.33) ”Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” l. He sees the invisible; hears the inaudible; and knows that which passeth knowledge.
7. Paul’s Conclusion - He Challenged the Lost 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. I. Christian - The DESPISED word
It is a name that identifies the believer with Christ and Christ with the believer. The suffix ian means, "belonging to the party of." It identifies a people who attest to a change (II Corinthians 5:17), accept a call (II Cor. 5:18-20), and are assured a cross (Philippians 1:29). Christians are a people who stand out from the crowd (Acts 11:25,26), speak out for the Lord (Acts 26:28), and sing out in their afflictions (I Peter 4:14,16). II. Persuade -The DECISIVE word
Persuade means "to convince by argument and reason,
A. Persuade men by our life (4). Note continuance in verse 22.
B. Persuade men by using the Word (verse 22).
C. Persuade men by lifting up Christ (23).
D. Persuade men by our persistency (29).
III. Almost - the DANGEROUS word
Almost persuaded to be a Christian is like the man who was almost pardoned, but he was hanged; like the man who was almost rescued,
but was burned in the house. A man that is almost saved is damned.
A. Note Agrippa’s fear - To become a Christian invited ridicule
B. Note Agrippa ’s folly - He rejected the message of Jesus
C. Note Agrippa’s fate - As far as can be determined, he never heard Paul again.
What you might be if you are an almost Christian
1. Born in a Christian country
2. Brought up in a Christian family
3. Member of a Christian church
4. Abound in Christian character and morals
What is it to be an almost Christian
1. It is to see your need and yet not confess it
2. It is to wish to be saved and yet remain undecided
3. It is to be at the door, but yet still outside
Almost is dangerous because of the peril of sudden death (Proverbs 29:1). He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck,
shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Almost is dangerous because of the peril of lost conviction
"My spirit shall not always strive with man."
Almost is dangerous because of the peril of lost faculties (I Samuel 25:37,38).37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.
Almost is dangerous because of the peril of imminent return of Christ.
Cain almost did what God said. Gen. 4: 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Heb. 11:4 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Rich Young Ruler. Almost justified for Eternal Life. Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him,
One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. Foolish Virgins Almost made enough preparation. Matt. 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. King Agrippa Almost became a Christian What will become of those that have grown weary before they got half way to heaven? Why, man, it is he that holds out to the end that must be saved. It is he that overcomes that shall inherit all things--not every one that begins. Agrippa gave a fair step for a sudden, he steps almost into the bosom of Christ in less than a half an hour. "thou", said he to Paul, has "almost persuaded me to be a Christian." Ah! but it was almost; and so he might as well have been never a whit. He stepped fair indeed, but yet he stepped short. he was hot while he was at it, but he was quickly out of wind. All this but almost! I tell you, this is but almost, it lost his soul. Sometimes I imagine how these poor wretches that get but almost to heaven, how fearful their almost, and their but almost, will torment them in hell. They shall carry it in the bitterness of their souls, saying: "I was almost a Christian. I almost got into the Kingdom. Almost out of the hands of the devil. Almost out of my sins. Almost from under the curse of God. Almost and that was all. Almost, but not altogether. O that I should be almost at heaven, and should not go quite through!" Friend, it is a sad thing to sit down before we are in heaven, and to grow weary before we come to the place of rest. If this should be your case, I am sure it is because you did not so run as to obtain.
--John Bunyan, from "The Heavenly Footman"
