King Agrippa was…

ALMOST PERSUADEDALMOST PERSUADEDTo Be A Christian

(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.

King Agrippa was

Almost Persuaded Was Agrippa sincere? Paul was sincere! Agrippa was not what Paul wanted him

to be -- A Christian. Acts 26:29 Paul wanted him to be a

Christian in an “all together” since.

What Was Paul Trying To Persuade Agrippa To Be?

• Not trying to persuade him to….

– Be born in a certain country.

Be Born In A Certain Country

• Not as silly as it sounds….

• Country determines your religion in the eyes of many.

– Afghanistan / Iraq = Muslim

– India = Hindu

– Thailand = Budhist

– America = Christian

• Madeline Murray O’Hare is a “Christian”

What Was Paul Trying To Persuade Agrippa To Be?

• Not trying to persuade him to….

– Be born in a certain country.

– Have a certain disposition.

Christians Should Have a Certain Disposition…...

• Some called Christian because of their disposition.

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

• This disposition makes them … Good Citizens, Great Emplyees, Good value to society, But… It doesn’t make them Christians

What Was Paul Trying To Persuade Agrippa To Be?

• Not trying to persuade him to….– Be born in a certain country.

– Have a certain disposition.

– Simply believe in his heart that Jesus is the Son

of God.

Simply Believe in Your Heart….

• Televangelist, Radio preachers, etc. Say this makes you a “Christian”

• Bible says, (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

• Many Believe--But do not obey…Why?

Many Believe but do not become Christians…. Why?….

• They are not taught.

They Must Know the Truth...

• (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.

Many Believe but do not become Christians…. Why?….

• They are not taught.

• Waiting for God to show them a sign.

Waiting for a sign from God...

(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.

Many Believe but do not become Christians…. Why?….

• They are not taught.

• Waiting for God to show them a sign. • Follow a creed instead of the Bible.

Following Man-Made Creeds...

(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.

What Was Paul Trying To Persuade Agrippa To Be?

• Not trying to persuade him to….– Be born in a certain country.

– Have a certain disposition.

– Simply believe in his heart that Jesus is the Son

of God

• Trying to persuade him to be what Paul

was…. A Christian

Becoming A Christian...

• 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.

• 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.

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

Some Thoughts About Formality…

• Our Society is becoming more informal…– Dress, Eating, Religion (Some people want to

be Christians in an informal kind of way).

• Sometime Formality is considered BAD just because it is formal.

Formality -- Sometimes Bad and Sometimes Good…

• Example of Bad Formality -- (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.

• Example of Good Formality -- (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.

Some Thoughts About Formality…

• Our Society is becoming more informal…– Dress, Eating, Religion (Some people want to

be Christians in an informal kind of way).

• Sometime Formality is considered BAD just because it is formal.

• Some argue Baptism is a “Form” -- Does that make it Bad?

Baptism -- It’s only a “Form”...

• Baptism is a form.– The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are

demonstrated in the Formal Act of Baptism!

• Some Other Forms…

Confession is a “Form”…

• The Eunich formally confesses his belief in Jesus Christ…– (Acts 8:37 KJV) And Philip said, If thou

believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The Word of God is a “Form”...

• Since it can be de”formed” it must have a form to start with...– (Gal 1:6-7 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.

• The Sound words have a form...– (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.

Christ Was a “Form”

(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:

2 Examples Showing We Know That Some Forms are Necessary...

• Naturalized Citizen.– Believe in your heart that America is a good place to live.

– Show by your disposition that you are like an American.

– Claim to be an American in an informal kind of way.

– Would these make you an American Citizen?

• Becoming a Husband.– Believe in your heart that you would make a good husband.

– Demonstrate that your disposition is like that of a husband.

– Be a husband in an informal kind of way.

– Would any of that make you a husband?

A FORMAL PROCESS IN NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH EITHER ONE!

So, When Do You Formally Become a Christian?

• When you obey…– Rom. 6: 17 obeyed from the heart that FORM of

doctrine.

• We are poured into the “mold”– (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.

• The rest of the “form”– Believe, Repent, Confess

“All Together” Christians

• Obeying the “Form” is not all there is to being a Christian….– It is the “Formal” beginning of a life dedicated

to service to God.– (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.

Even “All Together” Christians Start Out as Babes…..

• Newborn Christians need to be fed….– (1 Pet 2:2 KJV) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,

that ye may grow thereby:

• Add the “Christian Graces” to faith.– Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness

and Love.

• 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.

If You Are Not A Christian...

• What more could you ask for?

• I, like Paul, wish you were a Christian.

• If you do not see the need to obey this “FORM” of doctrine, you, like Agrippa, still need to be persuaded to become a Christian.

• Won’t you become a Christian now?