“Almost Thou Persuadest Me”
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But they were destitute of the traits of character that God esteems. They
were transgressors of His law, corrupt in heart and life. Their course
of action was abhorred by heaven.
The aged prisoner, chained to his soldier guard, had in his appear-
ance nothing that would lead the world to pay him homage. Yet in
this man, apparently without friends or wealth or position, and held
a prisoner for his faith in the Son of God, all heaven was interested.
Angels were his attendants. Had the glory of one of those shining
messengers flashed forth, the pomp and pride of royalty would have
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paled; king and courtiers would have been stricken to the earth, as
were the Roman guards at the sepulcher of Christ.
Festus himself presented Paul to the assembly with the words:
“King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see
this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with
me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to
live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing
worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have
determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write
unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and
specially before thee, O King Agrippa, that, after examination had, I
might have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to
send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.”
King Agrippa now gave Paul liberty to speak for himself. The
apostle was not disconcerted by the brilliant display or the high rank
of his audience; for he knew of how little worth are worldly wealth
and position. Earthly pomp and power could not for a moment daunt
his courage or rob him of his self-control.
“I think myself happy, King Agrippa,” he declared, “because I
shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things
whereof I am accused of the Jews: especially because I know thee
to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews:
wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.”
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Paul related the story of his conversion from stubborn unbelief to
faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the world’s Redeemer. He described the
heavenly vision that at first had filled him with unspeakable terror,
but afterward proved to be a source of the greatest consolation—a
revelation of divine glory, in the midst of which sat enthroned He
whom he had despised and hated, whose followers he was even then