Verses to Memorize:
• Acts 26:28
“Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’”
• Acts 27:25
“Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.”
• Acts 28:31
“Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”
In Acts 26, Paul is standing before King Agrippa, and once again, he shares his story. He tells them what Jesus did in his life. And Agrippa’s response is one that always stands out. He says, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Almost. That’s a tough word. Almost isn’t enough. Close isn’t enough. Hearing the truth isn’t the same as responding to it. That’s a reminder for us. We don’t want to just be close to Jesus. We want to fully follow Him.
In Acts 27, Paul is on a ship headed to Rome, and everything goes wrong. A massive storm hits, the ship is breaking apart, and it looks like everyone is going to die. But right in the middle of that storm, Paul stands up and says, “Take heart… I believe God.” That’s faith. Not when everything is calm, but when everything is falling apart. And that’s what real faith looks like in our lives too. When things don’t make sense, when life feels out of control, we still trust that God is who He says He is.
Then in Acts 28, Paul finally makes it to Rome. And even though he’s under guard, even though he’s not completely free, what does he do? He keeps preaching. He keeps teaching. He keeps pointing people to Jesus. Nothing stopped him. Not chains, not storms, not setbacks. He just kept going.
And that’s how Acts ends. Not with a big finish, not with everything wrapped up neatly, but with the mission still going. Because the story wasn’t over.
And honestly, that’s where we are.
When you step back and look at Acts 26–28, you see someone who stayed faithful all the way to the end. Through opposition, through storms, through uncertainty, Paul just kept going.
That’s the goal.
Not almost following Jesus… but fully following Him. Not quitting when it gets hard… but trusting Him in the middle of it. Not stopping short… but finishing what God started in you.
And the same is true with this challenge. A lot of people will get close. A lot will almost finish. But the goal is to finish.
So finish your miles.
Finish your reading.
And most importantly… keep walking with Christ long after this is over.