ALMOST IS JUST ALMOST
Rev. Raymond Woodward

Acts 26:28-29 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 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.

• Paul had appealed to Caesar to avoid being turned over to the Jews; Festus needed to determine charges against him so he enlisted the help of King Agrippa who was more familiar with Jewish law.
• Paul said, “I’m on trial because God raises the dead!” (v. 7-8) Festus, being a Roman, thought this was ridiculous (v. 24), but Paul appealed to King Agrippa who knew the Scriptures taught it (v. 26).
• This is the most famous “almost” in history; King Agrippa was the one who ended up being on trial!
• ALMOST means “a little less than” or “nearly” – not good enough in matters of salvation!
• ILLUSTRATION: Caesar’s wife had a dream the night before the Ides of March (March 15, 44 BC) in which she held him dying in her arms. She begged him not to go to the senate the next day; he ALMOST stayed home, but one of the conspirators asked what his enemies would say if he stayed home because of a woman’s dream. On his way through the street the next day, a friend who was aware of the plot thrust a paper into his hand saying “Read this, Caesar, alone and quickly!” He ALMOST read it, but he thought it was merely a petition. The fate of the Empire hung on ALMOST.
• Your eternal destiny is too serious a matter to play around with “ALMOST”!
  
• HELL: Translated from the Greek “Gehenna” which meant “The Valley of Hinnom.” In this valley south of Jerusalem the ancient Canaanites once sacrificed their children to the fire-god Molech. Even Ahaz and Manasseh, kings of Judah, were guilty of this idolatrous practice. King Josiah later defiled this valley, making it the city’s garbage dump so these sacrifices could never happen again. To consume the garbage, fires burned constantly. Maggots worked in the filth, and wild dogs howled and gnashed their teeth as the fought over the garbage every night. When the wind blew from that direction, the stench was unbearable. Jesus said hell was a place where the worm would not die and the fire would not be quenched. He said there would be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. In effect, He was saying, “If you want to know what Hell is like, look at Gehenna!”
• NT has 27 books, 264 chapters. Hell mentioned 234 times. Example: 27 miles, 234 danger signs!
• Satan has thrown “ALMOST” in the face of God many times as he talks people into procrastinating life’s most important decisions. Sometimes, he is successful in getting them to put these decisions off until it is too late! QUOTE OLD ALTAR CALL SONG: “ALMOST PERSUADED”
  Almost Persuaded, now to believe, Almost Persuaded, Christ to receive
  Seems now some soul to say, Go Spirit, go away, 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!
• BUT IF YOU CAN BE “ALMOST SAVED,” YOU CAN ALSO BE “ALMOST LOST!” If you can narrowly miss salvation, you can narrowly escape damnation! ALMOST IS JUST ALMOST!

1. YOU CAN ALMOST LOSE FAITH IN THE WORD DURING DRY TIMES, BUT NOT DO IT!
   Psalm 119:83, 87 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes … They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
2. YOU CAN ALMOST FORGET GOD’S GOODNESS BY LOOKING AT OTHERS, BUT NOT DO IT!
   Psalm 73:1-3 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
3. YOU CAN ALMOST GIVE UP ON YOURSELF WHEN YOU FAIL GOD, BUT NOT DO IT!
   Psalm 94:17-18 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
4. YOU CAN ALMOST DECIDE JUST TO LIVE WITH YOUR SECRET SIN, BUT NOT DO IT!

Proverbs 5:14, 22 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.