Not Quite Persuaded (Acts 26:22-32)

What made you decide to become a follower of Jesus?  I’ll be honest. For me it was a combination of

• the fear of hell and
• shame over the feeling that my sins had sent Jesus to the cross and
• excitement over the notion that God had made his truth known in the Bible and
• a strange romantic enthrallment with the heady and manly idea that I could actually follow Jesus Christ with my life.

Those are the things that worked together to persuade me. What about you?

Let’s talk about persuasion today. We are looking at one man trying to persuade another to follow Jesus. Actually, the apostle Paul is trying to persuade a whole gaggle of people that Jesus is Lord. In that impressive judgment hall were assembled

• the Roman governor of the province of Judea, Festus, with several of his key lieutenants,
• Ananias, the high priest of the Jews along with some leading members of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, and
• Agrippa, the king of the Judeans, with his glittering sister Bernice.
• Agrippa, the puppet king of the Judeans whom the Romans kept propped up to maintain the illusion that the indigenous population of Judea were actually ruling themselves.

Paul has been explaining to Agrippa why Paul is not guilty of the crimes that Ananias and the others are charging him with. More importantly, Paul, true to form, has been using the occasion as an opportunity to preach Christ to anybody who will listen. On this day, a whole audience has gathered, brought him before them, and commanded him to speak. That’s like asking Andy Andrews to eat ice cream.

Now Paul is bringing the whole discussion to a head. Governor Festus will blurt out that Paul has clearly gone insane, and Paul will reply by appealing to Agrippa to vouch for the accuracy of the facts that Paul has adduced, related to the crucified man Jesus Christ. Now Paul is homing in on Agrippa himself, and the king is getting pretty uncomfortable.  It has suddenly become shockingly clear that Paul is not pleading for his own safety and freedom and safety. He is, but actually pleading for Agrippa and the rest to come to Christ for salvation.

Acts 26:22-32

Let’s look at this story a little more carefully and make four observations about how one lost man interacted with the gospel.

ONE He knew the public facts about Jesus of Nazareth

. ²⁶ For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Agrippa is a Jew, who has grown up in the ruling Jewish dynasty. His grandfather, Herod the Great, had tried to kill Jesus when he was just a baby. His uncle, Herod Antipas, was there for the trial of Jesus rthe night before his crucifixion. Of course, prior to that, he had ordered the beheading of John the Baptist. This Herod’s father, Herod Agrippa I, had ordered the execution of James the apostle, the brother of John. Now here is Herod Agrippa II, with the apostle Paul standing before him. He knows all about Jesus and the whole Jesus movement. He absolutely can vouch for the accuracy of what Paul has been saying. He grew up watching it all happen at the hands of his own family. He knows. Everybody knew. The way Paul put it, the events surrounding Jesus and the birth of his movement did not take place in a corner. The whole population had full access to every bit of it. It was public knowledge that Jesus of Nazareth had died on a Roman cross, crucified under the accusation that he was the king of the Jews. People knew that the Christians believed andthat Jesus had risen from the dead three days later. They preached that Jesus had died as a sacrifice for sins, and had risen from the dead three days later to be Lord of the Nations. This was no secret.

I’m making this point today because even now, 2000 years later, there are a many people who know a lot of facts about Jesus, but who do not benefit from that knowledge in the least. Simply knowing facts about Jesus doesn’t help anybody. I promise you do not know as many facts about Jesus as the devil knows. I can also promise you that it won’t do you any more good than it has done him unless you trust and follow Jesus.. If you do know a lot about Jesus, I’m glad. In fact, I’m grateful. Unless, of course, you treat that information as mere information. If all the story is, is just a story; if all the facts are, isare just a few irrelevant pieces of trivia from ancient history, knowing them won’t help you. It’ll just ensure that you have even less excuse than anybody else when you have to stand before Jesus to give account for your life.

Knowing the public facts about Jesus didn’t do much to help Agrippa. Merely knowing the facts won’t help you or me either.

TWO He believed the scriptural revelation about the Christ

²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 

Agrippa went to Hebrew school. Like any good Jewish boy he studied the Law and the Prophets. In fact, with a royal education, he probably knew them better than most. He was thoroughly familiar with the prophecies of a coming Christ. Remember, his granddad was so freaked out by the prophecies that when those 3 strangers showed up from the east to find the boy born king of the Jews, he slaughtered every baby boy in Bethlehem and the countryside around. The Herods knew the prophecies. They feared the prophecies. When Paul said that he knew that Agrippa believed the prophecies, he wasn’t bluffing. Everybody knew.

If you believe the Bible is true, but you don’t trust Jesus with your life what good will your belief in the Bible do you? In the end, your familiarity with and your confidence in the scripture will only serve to solidify your judgment.

There are any number of us in America these days who look at the secularists and the unbelievers and sort of scorned them because they don’t believe the Bible. In point of fact, not believing the Bible might actually help them a little in the end. It might lower the temperature by a few degrees in the hell, because they might have something a little closer to an excuse for not believing in Jesus. Of course they also will be without excuse. I’m just saying that those who believe the Bible, but don’t act on that belief, are in far worse shape than those who don’t believe the Bible at all.

We should most particularly be concerned with people who are constantly wondering and worrying about the prophecies of the Bible but are not actually living for Jesus. They read the newspaper and they wonder if this might be the final day. They listen to the latest prophecy preacher on the radio or the Internet, and they buy another book about Bible prophecy. But they never gather with the people of Christ as they see the day drawing near.

Instead, they forsake the assembling of Christ’s people, Exactly as they’re warned not to do in Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Their mouths were full of gossiping and complaining even as they learn more and more about what different people have said about the prophecies of the masters return. It’s almost like they’ve never read the book of James.

James 5:8-9 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Their bedroom behavior is almost exactly like that of the world, Many of these prophecy aficionados, in spite of what Paul says we should do as we prepare ourselves for the moment when the light drives the darkness away, maintain a bedroom behavior that is almost indiscernible from how the lost people all around them live. Do they recall his words to the Christians in Ephesus?.

Ephesians 5

¹ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become partners with them; ⁸ for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”. 

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 

No, am not saying that anybody who struggles with any of these things must be just a fraud, a hypocrite, a fake Christian. All of us struggle from time to time and in various ways. What I am saying is that simply knowing a lot and even caring a lot about Bible prophecy and other types of Bible knowledge is not the same thing as really following Jesus. You need to know him personally and follow him with persistence and purity. It’s not enough to be able to say that you repented of your sins 30 years ago when you learned some facts about Jesus from the Bible. Real Christians live a life of repentant faith. Not perfectly. None of us is perfect, not even close. But if you really know Jesus, your repentant faith in him will be persistent and growing more pure throughout your life.

Agrippa believed the scriptural revelation about the Christ, but in the end it didn’t help him in the least.

He knew the public facts about Jesus of Nazareth

He believed the scriptural revelation about the Christ

THREE He felt the pull of the gospel of Christ by the Spirit of Christ

²⁸ And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 

All right, then. Various translations handle this verse in noticeably different ways. Listen to the King James version of Acts 26:28, for example: Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. That’s noticeably different, isn’t it? And if you check with other translations, you’ll find other options, too.

This is partly because there was no such thing as a question mark in Greek, so translators need to rely on context clues to know whether something is a question or a statement. It’s also because of the specific words that Luke uses to communicate what Agrippa said to Paul. If we were to strip it down to its basics, the king is either telling the preacher “in a little you are persuading me to be a Christian,” or asking him, “are you persuading me to be a Christian in a little?” It’s not specific whether he means in a little time or with a little effort or exactly what. The option that the King James translation committee decided on has probably been the most popular down through the centuries. Having looked at the matter pretty carefully, I believe it’s the best option available. If you want to have a technical discussion about why, I’m more than happy to talk to you at the door when we’re done. For now, we’re all just going to go forward assuming that the King James’ handling of the passage is more nearly the correct one. So we will read 26:28 as  And Agrippa said to Paul, “A little more and you’ll talk me into being a Christian.”

Now that poses its own problems to those of us who are more Reformed in our understanding of how conversion happens. You’ve heard me say repeatedly that it is the Holy Spirit that does the work that gets people to Jesus. So why would I say here that Paul’s powers of persuasion were moving the king toward the King of Kings?

Remember, the sovereign God normally attains his ends through specific means. Every once in a long while he’ll do a total miracle completely out of the blue. But normally he uses visible means to accomplish his ends. Specifically, the Holy Spirit uses the gospel on the lips of real human beings to convince them to come to Christ. God works through our prayers and our plans and our pleadings to propel the lost to the Savior. And what that means is that if we fail to pray or plan or plead, we shouldn’t be surprised if nobody gets saved. God normally works through ordinary means to do his miracles of grace by his Holy Spirit. In other words, it wasn’t Paul’s powers of persuasion that we’re moving the king. It was the holy spirit of God using Paul to persuade the king.

So look at Paul, standing here in front of King Agrippa. He is pouring himself out before this lost man to beg him to come to Christ. We’ll spend the whole sermon next week thinking about this and asking ourselves how our lives should be changed because of what we see Paul doing right here.

For now, what we really need to notice is not Paul but Agrippa. Agrippa is in the grips of the gospel of Jesus Christ on the lips of an apostle of Jesus Christ, as the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ wields his sword to reach the king’s heart. And Agrippa clearly feels the pull.

He knew the public facts about Jesus of Nazareth

He believed the scriptural revelation about the Christ

He felt the pull of the gospel of Christ by the Spirit of Christ

FOUR He panicked and left the hall before he could be persuaded

³⁰ Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.

No, this does not explicitly say that Agrippa got up because he was panicking under the pressure of the Spirit of God, and the whole bunch left with him. It doesn’t say anything specific about why Agrippa and everyone else left. It just says they did. We are left to surmise and speculate what might have motivated the king. It’s likely that the rest of the crowd left because the king left. That explanation makes perfect sense. But why did the king get up and leave? He was there to hear Paul’s defense and then give his opinion. Nothing is said about any opinion or any verdict. The story continues with no resolution to the trial. It’s like the whole courtroom experienced an emergency adjournment for unknown reasons. Like there was a fire alarm or something.

I think there was a fire alarm. I think the king was afraid that he was about to become a Christian. And I’m not alone in that opinion. That’s why the way the King James translation handles the Greek of this passage is its the best-attested interpretation throughout history. It just makes sense. The king panicked and left the hall before he could be persuaded.

That also gives something of a problem to some Calvinists. We say we believe that the grace of God is irresistible. Agrippa didn’t just resist. He ran away! What’s up with that?

Remember, the Doctrines of Grace do not include the idea that the grace of God cannot be resisted or refused. That’s not what the words “irresistible grace” are referring to. What the Bible teaches is that human beings will always resist and even reject the gracious work of the Spirit of God—until the Holy Spirit removes their resistance by giving them a new heart. The gracious Spirit of God conquers our resistance.

But “grace” means “gift,” Something that is not owed and cannot be earned. The Spirit of God is under no obligation to graciously overcome anyone’s resistance. Sometimes it is within the mysterious plan of God to allow people to have things their own way and simply say “no.” Herehere in America, in our immense wisdom, we’d often rather have our own way and be damned then see God have his way and save us. Having things our way is that important to us—well, many of us. The truth is, we’d all be that way, and we all are that way, until  God in mercy changes us.

Four observations:

He knew the public facts about Jesus of Nazareth

He believed the scriptural revelation about the Christ

He felt the pull of the gospel of Christ by the Spirit of Christ

He panicked and left the hall before he could be persuaded

So what do you do with this?

If you’re already a believer, you live your life full of Jesus before the eyes of the lost people you know and love, trusting the Holy Spirit to use your transformed life to help persuade those lost, loved people to come to Christ. You also pray for those people passionately and persistently, trusting the gracious Spirit of God to change their hearts and bring them to Jesus. When the Lord opens the door for the conversation, you talk to them about Jesus, and you played with them to come to him

If you’re not yet a believer, and you find in your heart even an inkling of a pull toward Jesus, come to him today, while the Spirit of God is still working with you. He does not owe it to you to work in your heart like this. The next time someone talks to you about Jesus, you may find yourself completely cold and unmoved. If you find it in your heart today to come to Jesus, come to him today. The scripture says behold today is the day of salvation now is the acceptable time. Turn from your sin and trust in the Savior right now. Choose in your heart to belong to him. And then on your way out of the building today tell me about the choice you are making in your heart and we’ll talk to you about the next steps that the Lord wants you to make in your life with him.

In just a few moments, most of the other people in this room are going to take a little bit of bread and a little bit of the blood of a grape, and swallow those things. Disciples of Jesus Christ have been doing this for thousands of years now in response to his orders on the night before his crucifixion. We are thrilled beyond words, if you are not yet a believer, to have you here today to watch us do this. We want you to be doing it with us, when you two have become a disciple. For now, let’s all pray.

Eternal Father, in this very moment, we turn again from our sin and ourselves to you and your glory,

Trusting only in your Son’s sacrifice for our sins to make us right with you.

We want to shelter ourselves in the shadow of his cross,

Bathe ourselves in the blood that he shed there for us,

Robe ourselves in his righteousness,

Renew ourselves in his resurrection,

Lose ourselves in his Lordship,

And find ourselves in his friendship.

We want him to become for us, for today and forever, wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and salvation.

For he is the One who suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to you, our Father.