Almost Persuaded to Believe?

Almost Pursuaded to Believe? 

Acts 26:19-32

Paul's Post-Conversion Life

19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

Agrippa Parries Paul's Challenge

24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!"

25 But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. 26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."

29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains."

30 When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; 31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains."

32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

Paul continued his testimony of God’s work of grace according to faith through repentance by recollecting his obedience in response to his regeneration.  He went and prea this good news as he was called to do along with the other disciples and us (Matthew 28:19-20) in the final words of Jesus before he ascended back into heaven from the lower parts of the earth He had come down to be incarnated as a man.  His mess was the same which we tell others today, that people must repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.  That is, we and they are to turn from sin to Him and in joyful obedience demonstrate our thanksgiving in this new life we are given, not going back to our former idolatrous and immoral desires (1 Peter 1:14) but seeking righteous conduct (1 Peter 1:15-16) as we are being slowly transformed into the holy likeness of our Savior.  Our works are not and cannot earn our salvation or grace of God, but are a response that tests our hearts in return for all the good God has provided for us forever in the heavens before His face.  Paul explained this to the king and all there with him as an apologetic explanation of the gospel as seen in his own calling and life lived since that conversion.  He was preaching and teaching exactly what his antagonists claimed they believed which was the writings of all the prophets and their spiritual father Moses had written (Luke 24:26-27) that pointed to the Christ whom he testified of and proclaimed in good faith and desire for their own deliverance from sin.  He went on to further explain that these writings from God’s mouth through those men (2 Timothy 3:16-17) was proof of this gospel which was proven by the resurrection of Jesus from death to life (Galatians 2:20, John 5:24) for our own new life from death now in the spirit and after physical death into eternity in heaven with Him.  This message of hope was for both Jew and Gentile as the hope of all who God calls to Himself through His Son and the reason the Jews wanted Paul dead because they wanted to keep the Messiah for themselves only.  They missed the mark of understanding what it meant for Israel be the chosen people of God.  It was the calling before their existence as a nation through Abraham to reach all nations as the channel of redemption to the world.  Even Festus the governor thought Paul was insane with too much book learning when he told of the resurrection to life!  Paul calmly and imploringly begged him to consider that he wanted him to be in the same position before God as reconciled and unchained by sin as he was.  His truth and reason was also given to the ears of Agrippa who believed Old Testament prophets and answered, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”  The king and governor admitted Paul had not done any crime worthy to be put to death as the Jews demanded but also realized the legal appeal to Caesar kept him in custody until he could get a chance to be heard in the highest court in the Roman empire.  Paul as not destined by God to be freed because he was chosen to go and spread the gospel to the heart of the empire instead according to God’s will and Paul’s calling.  May we be likewise focused on the message and not the circumstances as we bear witness to the same.  Many may hear and be almost persuaded as we plant the seeds (1 Corinthians 3:6) and trust God’s leading to put us where the gospel needs to be heard that as many as are appointed to eternal life will believe and receive (Acts 13:48) Jesus Christ.