May 17, 2026 - “Second and Last Place Are the Same

Acts 26:1-18, 28-29 (KJV)

¹ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

² I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

³ 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.

⁴ My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

⁵ Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

⁶ And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

⁷ Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

⁸ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

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.

¹² Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

¹³ At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

¹⁴ And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

¹⁵ And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

¹⁶ But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

¹⁷ Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

¹⁸ To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

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.

The whole world loves a close call. Olympic medalists who came within a hundredth of a second. Buzzer-beaters that nearly went in. The lottery ticket that was off by one number. In nearly every arena of life, almost earns admiration. We say things like, “Hey, at least you tried.” We hand out medals for second place. We post the runner-up’s picture too.

But there is one room in all of existence where almost earns nothing at all.

Look at King Agrippa.

He sits on a throne. Paul stands before him in chains. The apostle has just preached one of the most powerful sermons ever recorded — his own testimony, beginning to end. Paul tells the king about his old life as a Pharisee, his persecution of the church, his collision with the risen Christ on the Damascus road, and the calling that turned him from prisoner-maker to prisoner. And when Paul finishes, the king — moved, stirred, intellectually convinced — leans forward and says:

“Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

Almost.

Beloved, do you hear that word? It is one of the saddest words in all of Scripture. Because in the courtroom of heaven, almost doesn’t count. Agrippa walked away that day not as a saint, but as a sinner who was nearly saved. And nearly saved is still lost.

This is why Paul’s reply hits with such force: “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 is saying — King, I don’t want you almost. I want you altogether. I want you all the way in.

Here is the hard truth: when it comes to salvation, second place and last place are the same place. Both are outside the kingdom. Both are on the wrong side of the door. The man who refuses Christ outright and the man who comes within an inch of stepping through — they end up in the same room.

How many of us are walking around as almost Christians?

Almost surrendered.

Almost forgiving.

Almost obedient.

Almost honest.

Almost generous.

Almost free.

Almost present in worship.

We applaud ourselves for how close we are getting. But God is not impressed with proximity. He calls us to passage. He doesn’t want you near the cross — He wants you under it. He doesn’t want you near the throne — He wants you bowed before it. He doesn’t want you near the church — He wants you in it.

What is your almost today? What is the one thing you keep walking up to and never walking through? You know what it is. The Holy Spirit knows what it is. And He is not letting that conviction die down in your chest by accident.

Don’t be a King Agrippa — the man who heard the gospel up close and walked away applauding the speaker. Be a Paul — bound in chains and still free in Christ. Altogether. All the way.

Because in the kingdom of God, there are no podium finishes. No participation trophies. No silver medals.

Second place and last place are the same place.

So today — come altogether. Come the rest of the way.

We’ve saved you a seat.