Such As I Am!
Acts 26:29
Most everyone here this mourning knows about the story of Paul and King Agrippa. It was king Agrippa who said the most famous heart wrenching words “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” I could park and preach right here this mourning but this isn’t what I believe God wants us to look at today. It’s Paul’s answer that I think we need to study.
Why can’t we make the same statement today? When you try to win someone for Christ and they say, “we’ll it sounds good, but” the only “but” Paul used was “except these chains” what holds you back from being all that Jesus wants you to be?
If we were to make this same statement today what would our “except” be?
Altogether such as I am, except
I. for my lack of devotion
A man walked up to a vending machine, put in a coin, pressed the buttons labeled, “coffee, double cream, sugar.” No cup appeared, but the nozzles went into action sending forth coffee, cream and sugar. After the proper amounts had gone down the drain, the machine turned off. “Now that’s real automation,” said the man. “This thing even drinks it for you.” That is just how some people want their faith. They want to make a deposit, put in some money and let the rest be taken care of automatically. But, there is no such thing as automated prayers, devotion, worship in song or service. The religion of Jesus requires personal discipline.
Webster’s defines devotion as a religious exercise or practice other than the
regular corporate worship of a congregation.
In the preceding verses Paul could talk about devotion because he was devoted
First to the Jewish Law.
9. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10. Which thing I also did in
Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having
received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to
death, I gave my voice against them. 11. And I punished them oft in
every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being
exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Then to Jesus
Phil 1:0. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in
nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now
also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by
death.21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Say what you want to about Paul but you can not miss his devotion look at
what happened a Lystra in Acts 14: 19. And there came thither certain
Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having
stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20.
Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into
the city:
Our devotion shouldn’t be any less. Mark 12: 30. And thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
II. For my lack of compassion
The pilot was Jewish, and the co-pilot was Taiwanese. It was the first time they had flown together, and it was obvious by the silence that they didn’t get along. After 30 minutes, the Captain finally spoke. He said, "I don’t like Chinese." The co-pilot replied, "Ooooh, no like Chinese? Why is that?" The pilot said, "You guys bombed Pearl Harbor. That’s why I don’t like Chinese." The co-pilot said, "Nooooo, Noooo... Chinese not bomb Pearl Harboh. That JAPANESE, not Chinese." The pilot answered, "Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese... it doesn’t matter. They’re all alike." Another 30 minutes of silence. Finally the co-pilot said, No like Jew." The pilot replied, "Why not? Why don’t you like Jews?" "Jews sink Titanic." The pilot tried to correct him. "No, no. The Jews didn’t sink the Titanic. It was an iceberg." "Iceberg, Goldberg, Rosenberg. No mattah..all same!"
Webster’s sympathetic consciousness of others distress together with a
desire to alleviate it
Acts 8:1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there
was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and
they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and
Samaria, except the apostles. 2. And devout men carried Stephen to his
burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3. As for Saul, he made
havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and
women committed them to prison.
Acts 22: 19. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every
synagogue them that believed on thee: 20. And when the blood of thy
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto
his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
Acts 26: 9. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10. Which thing I also did in
Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having
received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to
death, I gave my voice against them. 11. And I punished them oft in
every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being
exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange
cities.
Our compassion Mark 12: 30. And thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31. And
the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
III. For my lack of Sacrifice
In a Leadership magazine, Dave Wilkinson writes the following to pastors… Have you ever wondered why your pastoral resume doesn’t evoke more enthusiasm? Do you ever think, "What are these people looking for?" Perhaps the question should be, "What aren’t they looking for?" because with the numbers of applications pastor nominating committees receive, their first task is to eliminate applicants. Here, then, as a public service, are statements certain to stop a resume dead in its tracks. · "I believe empathy is overrated." · "In the five churches I have faithfully served over the past two years ..." · "My hobbies are pit bulls and automatic weapons."· "I have learned to cope with financial crisis at every church I’ve served." · "I require an attractive secretary and/or organist." · "My extensive counseling of church members has proved a rich source of pointed sermon illustrations." · "Amway taught me everything I know about evangelism." ·and "I am willing to sacrifice my family for the sake of the ministry. I am also willing to sacrifice yours.” Webster’s; To suffer loss of, give up, renounce injure or destroy
especially for an ideal, belief, or end. The destruction or surrender
something for the sake of something else.
look at the sacrifice’s Paul made. Acts 22:3. I am verily a man which am
a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the
feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law
of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Paul gave up Power, Prestige, Position, Future. He would have had it made.
Matt 19: 29. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s
sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Romans 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
Can you say I wish everyone was just like me? Paul did. I know that I’m no Paul. Not by a long shot. I’m not even close. But just like Paul most everyone here is chained in one way or another. The thing to remember is this Jesus came to set us free. To break our chains. We should be able to tell anyone, “I wish you could be just like me!”
All illustrations are from SermonCentral
