Mar 16 Almost Is Not Enough

Mar 16

Almost Is Not Enough

Ac 26:28 Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

The Wiley coyote cartoons were so funny because the coyote came so close to catching the road runner. Then an Acme safe would fall on him. Or he would run off a cliff and almost get back. The funny part was all the ways coyote almost caught the roadrunner, but never succeeded. That is the problem with almost. It never succeeds.

     In our thought for today we are looking at King Agrippa and Paul. The events leading up to this verse in Acts 26:28 are pretty straight forward, but the role of the people involved can be confusing. So let’s start with Paul creating a riot in Jerusalem. (Acts 21-22) After several riots, over forty Jews made a pact to kill Paul. (23:12-14) Claudius Lysias, the Roman Chief Captain, knew Paul was a Roman citizen and had to be rescued from a riot. When he heard of plans to kill Paul he decided to move him to Caesarea in the middle of the night. Claudius ordered 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen to guard Paul on the trip. (acts 23:23)

    Paul arrived in Caesarea and was turned over to Felix, who was the Roman governor of the territory. Paul was able to present his case to Felix and declare the Gospel of Christ and the judgment to come. Felix was moved to trembling, but decided he would put off any decision about Paul. (He was waiting for a bribe!) Paul spent two years under house arrest in Caesarea. (24:27)

     Rome finely was wearied with the corrupt Felix and replaced him with Festus, the new Roman Governor of that region. When Festus arrived at his new job he toured the area, and stopped in Jerusalem for several days. The high priest and prominent Jews in Jerusalem gave Festus an ear full about the problems that Paul was creating. They wanted Festus to bring him to Jerusalem, but Festus knew they were plotting to kill Paul and told them no.

    So the Jews from Jerusalem went to see Festus in Caesarea to make their case against Paul. Festus decided Paul had done nothing to violate Roman law so he asked Paul if he would go back to Jerusalem with the Jews. Paul knew that was a death sentence so he appealed to Caesar to prevent going to Jerusalem.

    While Paul was waiting to be transported to Rome King Agrippa, the Jewish King and his sister Bernice came to town. They wanted to meet with the Roman governor, Festus. The subject of Paul came up in conversation and King Agrippa said he wanted to meet Paul.

     That is how Paul, under house arrest, wound up talking to the Jewish King Agrippa. Oh, Agrippa was his first name. His last name was Herod II, grandson of Herod the great.

     Since Agrippa was a Jew he was well versed in the Jewish law and prophecies. First Paul told of his own testimony. He persecuted the Christians, but then had the miracle that converted him. Then Paul explained how he understood the prophecies were about Christ, who was the Messiah they had been waiting for. Agrippa was very familiar with the prophecies. Finally Paul put the question to him.

Ac 26:27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?

 I know that thou believest.

As the figurehead King of the Jews, Agrippa could not say he did not believe the prophets. But if he said he did believe the prophets he would have to agree with Paul, that the messiah had come, and the Messiah was Jesus Christ. So Agrippa avoided the question.

Ac 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou

persuadest me to be a Christian.

When Paul had given his testimony to Felix, the former governor, it produced trembling. When Paul told Festus that Christ was the Messiah, Festus said Paul was mad. When Paul explained to King Agrippa the Messiah had come, Agrippa was almost converted.

    All this happened only about 20+ years after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Who better to explain Christ’s redeeming love replacing the Jewish traditions than Paul. Yet 2 governors and a king were not convinced.

    You can excuse the Roman governors. They had been raised in idolatry. Their culture worshipped Diana, Zeus, etc, even to the teaching that Caesar was divine. They were stationed in a foreign country filled with contradictory religious practices, and Sadducees arguing with Pharisees. They were just there to collect taxes and pay the Roman soldiers. They did not have any interest in the foolishness of these Jewish troublemakers.  

      But then you come to Agrippa. He was almost persuaded. What stopped him? He understood Paul’s message. He knew the prophecies that Paul spoke of.  He certainly had heard of Jesus and the miracles he had performed.

     There are a number of reasons Agrippa and others are almost Christians. The “little thing” that keeps them unpersuaded maybe one of many things;

a.    The love of some sin and an unwilling spirit to part with it.

b.    His grandfather (Herod the Great) had tried to kill Christ as an infant. Would accepting Christ be a rebuke to the family.

c.     Temptations of the world. The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

d.    Fear of losing some position, or office or place of public esteem.

Whatever the reason for his decision, we do not read of Agrippa Herod II ever accepting Christ.

          The lesson and our mediation from all this is we should not be discouraged when we speak a word for Christ. Paul was an Apostle and he did not convert either governor or king. We may arouse someone’s interest and yet they are not saved. Do not count that a failure on your part. We need to have the heart attitude of obedience and keep on keeping on.  It is God that gives the increase.  

Ga 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.