Almost Persuaded
By Ron Graham
"Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts
26:28
On that fateful day in 1871, the Rev. Mr.
Brundage ended his sermon by saying “He who is almost persuaded is almost saved,
and to be almost saved is to be entirely lost.” Seated in the audience
was Philip P. Bliss who was so impressed with these words he was inspired to
write the wonderful hymn “Almost Persuaded”. This powerful hymn has become a
classic today. This song should be sung at the closing of every pastor’s message
just before or during the invitation.
The words “almost persuaded” can take on a chilling sense of loss. As believers
we know how awful it is to know the destination of those who won’t see the
truth. Many, many have heard the Gospel and were almost persuaded but for one
reason or another couldn’t or wouldn’t make the decision to ask Jesus to come
into their lives. They were almost persuaded but waited for a more convenient
day.
That’s what happened to King Agrippa. In the book of Acts, Paul was called
before the king by Porcius Festus to give an account of his innocence. Paul was
more concerned about the king’s eternal destination than that of his own
acquittal, and as Paul explained his actions and what had taken place in the
temple twelve days earlier, he went into his Damascus road experience,
describing in detail his encounter with our Lord Jesus. At the end of Paul’s
dissertation, King Agrippa made the following statement addressing Paul “Almost
thou persuadest me to be a Christian,” Acts 26:28.
That same statement is deafening throughout the pulpits of Christian Churches,
and when the altar call is given the most frequent reaction is “You almost
persuaded me, but go, Spirit, go thy way”. Today as we hear the message of the
Gospel preached, how often do we hear of how urgent that call is? Not one Sunday
service should pass without pleading (not pleading as in begging but as a nearly
debilitating burden on our hearts for the lost) the importance and the sheer
lack of time remaining for the nonbeliever to stop the procrastination. “I’ll
wait for a more convenient day”. People think they have forever to make that
decision, but all believers know there is no more befitting time than now.
King Agrippa undoubtedly had a huge entourage of servants, guards, and followers
who watched his every move. He could have made a decision right then and there
for Christ, but alas there were too many stumbling blocks in his path. He
probably would have lost his kingship, his castle, his servants, and of course
he would have also had to endure all the persecution that the rest of the
Christians were enduring at that time. The loss of materialistic wealth, as well
as the possibility of losing his friends and family probably weighted heavily on
his mind, certainly he regrets that decision now.
Just imagine, if you will, a different scenario unfolding in front of Paul that
day. King Agrippa stands for just a moment after hearing Paul’s remarks and then
falls to his knees. With his heart breaking and in the mist of his wailing, he
asks Jesus to come into his life. Right there in front of all those spectators,
Festus, Agrippa’s wife Bernice, all the chief captains and the principal men of
the city, not to mention the Jews that had assembled to see Paul thrown to the
dogs. What would that have done for all the others in attendance? Why there
might have been a huge revival right there in that auditorium. Alas, the words
keep returning to mind as a dread of panic comes over us “Almost Persuaded”.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness,” 1
Corinthians 1:18a. “Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud
voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" Acts
26:24. Festus had just heard the truth of the Gospel and declared Paul to be
mad; Festus saw the preaching of the cross as foolishness just as Paul wrote in
his first letter to the Corinthian Church.
Today it’s the same type of barriers that prevent the conversion of countless
lost souls from joining the ranks of the saved. All too often the excuses of
those lost souls outweigh the persuasive sermons of many compassionate Pastors,
“Go, Spirit, go thy way.” Not now, but if not now, when? A line from an old
Rocky movie comes to mind, it went like this. Rocky tells Apollo Creed, his
trainer, that he’ll pick it up (his training) again tomorrow. To which Apollo
declares in the most fearsome voice “There is no tomorrow”. People, there is no
tomorrow, today is the day and that is the message we should be proclaiming from
our pulpits, from our work places, and in the midst of our family members who
continually proclaim “Go Spirit, go thy way, I’ll wait ‘til a more convenient
day”.
Among the words written by Bliss are these “Harvest is past, doom comes at last”
Bliss speaks about the time of the rapture being past and the next thing to
expect on the world scene is doom. Certainly it will be a time of great
tribulation and most people remaining will not see the final disaster coming
until it’s too late, all because they were “Almost Persuaded”.
“En oligo” are the Greek words that are translated into the English word
“almost”. The literal translation is “in a few words”. Herod Agrippa, in a few
words from Paul’s mouth was almost persuaded to become a believer. Isn’t it
interesting how people can come to Church Sunday after Sunday and continually
hear the message of the Gospel without ever believing the message, or even
knowing they should make a commitment but not yet persuaded of the urgency? It
took just a few words to almost persuade Agrippa, and he probably never heard
the Gospel again, unchanged, unrepentant, lost and condemned to Hell.
Could there be something wrong with the message as it is delivered to the
congregation today that keeps people from grasping the urgency of the hour? Next
time you sit in the pew listening to your pastor’s message, give attention to
how often he presses the fact that there is very little time left to act.
This
could be an indication as to why many lost souls continually say “Not today”,
they aren’t persuaded of the urgency of the moment or the consequence of that
statement “almost persuaded”.
Bliss’ song continues with “Almost cannot avail; Almost is but to fail”.
Remember what the Rev. Mr. Brundage wrote, “almost saved is to be entirely
lost”. Almost cannot avail, it can only fail. As we head into the last of the
last days here on earth our message must be clear and succinct. The Gospel of
Christ isn’t difficult to understand and it isn’t for a select few. Christ came
to save the world (John 3:16).
It’s clear that all of civilization has heard the message of the cross but it is
also clear that many continually dwell in the false assurance that there is
plenty of time. If the message is muddled, full of funny little antidotes, and
little emphasis placed on the urgency involved, those who might be convinced may
very well wait for a more convenient day. Urgency is imperative especially now
that we can see the end of all things coming about on the world scene.
Bliss’ song was concise and to the point. “Sad, sad, that bitter wail – Almost,
but lost”. Almost just doesn’t get it, and we believers shouldn’t be satisfied
with hearing the words, “I’m almost persuaded, but I’ll wait for a more
convenient day.” For the believer there is no satisfaction in hearing those
words.
Paul had an occasion to preach to the Athenians at the Areopagus on Mars Hill.
Paul began at the beginning in Genesis because these people had no knowledge of
the scriptures. They knew not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they had
many pagan gods that they worshipped. When Paul got to the point where he told
them about Jesus’ resurrection most had heard enough. Some mocked him, others
said we’ll hear you again on this matter, but don’t call us we’ll call you. Yet
there were those few who followed Paul and believed. Paul’s message was simple;
it wasn’t full of funny little antidotes or long winded stories that have
nothing whatsoever to do with the Gospel. On the contrary, it was terse and to
the point.
I’ve included the words from Bliss’ song “Almost Persuaded” below. Use them if
you like as you address your family and friends with the truth of the Gospel.
Allow the Holy Spirit to work through you as you deliver a message to them, for
if they are lost they may be waiting to hear just the right persuasive words
that will lead them to Christ. If you allow the Holy Spirit to use you, your
words will be exactly what they need to hear.
“Urgent” is the hour to deliver the message of the cross to an unbelieving
world.
Almost Persuaded
By Philip P Bliss
“Almost persuaded” now to believe;
“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day
On Thee I’ll call.”
“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are lingering near
Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
O wanderer, come!
“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;
“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail—
“Almost,” but lost!
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