(Acts 26:27-29 KJV)  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. {29} And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

 

INTRO. 

Was Agrippa sincere? Mocking? With so many words…..?

Paul was sincere!

Acts 26:29  … paraphrase  , “Agrippa, I wish you were a Christian!”

                “I wish you were a Christian in the ‘All togerther’ since”  mot nominal, or half-hearted.

 

Known for sure:  By his own admission Agrippa was not what Paul wanted him to be, (a Christian).

 

POINT OF LESSON – What was Paul trying to persuade Agrippa to be?

 

I.                     WHAT WAS PAUL NOT TRYING TO PERSUADE AGRIPPA TO BE?

A.                 Born in a certain country.

1.                    Not a silly as sounds.

2.                    India = Hindu, Thailand = Budhist, Afghanistan = Muslim, American = Christian

3.                    Madelin Murry O’hare, a christian by this logic.

B.                  Have a certain disposition.

1.                    Some called Christian because of their disposition

2.                    Kind, Gentle, Sharing, Loving, Generous, Family Values, Moral, etc.

3.                    Good Citizens, Great Emplyees, Good value to society,  NOT Christians

C.                  Simply believe in your heart that Jesus in the Son of God

1.                    Televangelist, Radio preachers, etc.

2.                Bible, (James 2:19 KJV)  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

(Mat 8:29 KJV)  And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

                MARK – Destroy

2.                    Might believe or even have affection for Christ,  Don’t obey, Why?

a.                    Not taught. (John 8:32 KJV)  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

(Acts 8:30-31 KJV)  And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? {31} And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

b.                   Waiting for God to show them a sign. (Luke 11:29 KJV)  And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

c.                Follow a creed. (Gal 1:6-8 KJV)  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: {7} Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

 

 

 

 

II.                   PAUL PERSUADING AGRIPPA TO BE WHAT HE WAS (A CHRISTIAN)

A.            TEXT. (Acts 26:28-29 KJV)  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. {29} And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

                Notes:  Before ROMAN KING… What did he tell Romans…

B.                  A FORM of doctrine to be obeyed. (Rom 6:17-18 KJV)  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. {18} Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

1.                    A form of doctrine.

2.                    Obeyed from the heart.

C.                  Something Formal must be done to become what Paul was.

1.                    Informal society

Dress, eating, christianity

2.                    Formality sometimes viewed as BAD

Sometimes is BAD. (Luke 11:42 KJV)  But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

3.                As read in Rom 6:17, formality in religion is GOOD, let’s see what else Paul said to the ROMANS -- (Rom 6:3-4 KJV)  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? {4} Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   WHAT IS THE FORM>   death, burial and resureection deomonstrated in the formaility of BAPTISM.

3.                    Some argue Baptism is ONLY A FORM.  Is that BAD?

Confession is a FORM see Acts 8: 37 the Eunich formally confessed his belief.

(2 Tim 1:13 KJV)  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

(Phil 2:6-7 KJV)  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: {7} But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

We read in Gal 1:6-7  about a perverted or deformed gospel.  If you can deform it, it had to have a form to start with didn’t it?

NOTE: We must maintain the FORM by faith, from the heart, and submit our will to the FORM of Baptism in the BIBLE to become what Paul was.

 

4.                    Some forms in religion are BAD.

5.                    How is it we recognize some FORMS as necessary, but not those in the BIBLE?

A.                  Naturalized Citizen – NAT

Believe in heart that America is a good place to live?

Show by his disposition that he wants to be an American (act like one)?

                Wear pin?  Fly flag?

Claim to be a Citizen in an informal way?  What would Dept of Immigration say to that?

 

B.                   Husbands?

Believe in your heart that you would be a good one?

Have a certain disposition?

                Stop all association with other women?

                Some people even move in together and act married?

Claim to be a husband in an informal way?

                                                                Something FORMAL you had to do. 

NOTE:  Really proud when you do that formal thing!!!!

6.                    When do you formally become a christian?  Obedience.

Rom. 6: 17 obeyed from the heart that FORM of doctrine.

 

7.                    Form – meaning a MOLD—you are poured into.

(Gal 3:26-27 KJV)  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. {27} For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

POURED INTO CHRIST BY THE MOLD OF BAPTISM.

8.                    Accusation of dragging through the water.  The rest of the FORM,

(Mark 16:16 KJV)  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

(Acts 2:38 KJV)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 8 Eunich – made confession.

 

III.                 ALL TOGETHER CHRISTIANS!!!

A.            Obeying this FORM is not all there is to becoming a Christian or all there is to BEIGNG a Christian, but it is the FORMAL beginning of a life devoted to
Christ.  (Gal 2:20 KJV)  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

B.              God does not expect a full-grown Christian when one becomes his child.

1.                    (1 Pet 2:2 KJV)  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

2.                    2 Pet 1:5-7 “Christian Graces”

3.                    (Rom 3:23 KJV)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

4.                    2 assurances for Babes in Christ.

(1 Cor 10:13 KJV)  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

(1 John 1:9 KJV)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

WHAT MORE WOULD YOU ASK FOR?????

IV.                 IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN.

A.                 I WISH you would obey GOD today!

B.                  If you don’t see the need to obey this FORM of doctrine, You, like Agrippa, still need to be persuaded to be a Christian!