Acts 24 “Not Today!”
Have you ever thought about doing
something, maybe something you really wanted or something you really
needed to do, but then you put it off never getting around to doing it
at all? We call that procrastination. And today as we look at Acts
chapter 24, we see a man who does just that.
A Little Background:
After Paul returned to Jerusalem and was arrested in Chapter 23 we
read about the plot of some 40 radical Jews who plan to kill Paul. After
learning about this plot the Roman commander there in Jerusalem puts
together a small army of men to protect and escort Paul out of Jerusalem
to Caesarea and into the hand of Governor Felix. In chapter 24, we read that the Jews come
down to Caesarea and lobby their charges against Paul before Felix. And
after they lobby their charges, Paul has an opportunity to give his
defense. Felix then told them that he was going to put off his decision
until the Commander Lysias arrived. But what I find interesting in this story
is the fact that Felix, who was said to be well acquainted with the Way,
(that is familiar with Christianity) decides to meet with Paul on
another occasion.
Read Acts 24:24-26 “Several
days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent
for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25
As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to
come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave.
When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. 27
When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but
because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in
prison.”
Have you ever had an experience that left
you a bit shaken? Like losing a loved one? Or being involved in or
seeing a terrible accident? How about when someone close to you has been
diagnosed with a life threatening illness? — all of these experiences
can shake us up. How about when God’s word shakes you up,
like when He uses His word to speak to us directly.
In Isaiah 55:11 God
spoke thru Isaiah saying, “So
will My word which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me
empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in
the matter for which I sent it.” (NAS)
God’s word is powerful and always has a purpose, and as a result, we can be left shaken (or convicted) .
Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For
the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is
uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give
account.”
God’s word is powerful. Never underestimate it effect. Many times in the Bible God, used those
“Shaking Experiences” to get someone’s attention, and as a result lives
were changed. For example: The Apostle Paul himself. His life was
changed after he was shaken up on the road to Damascus, when he saw the
light of God flash around him and when he heard the Lord speak to him.
Paul was shaken up, and we read that after he was led blind into
Damascus blind, he did not eat or drink for 3 days. If that isn’t being
shook up I don’t know what is. As a result, he was saved (Acts 9).
The Philippian jailer was left shaken after
the jailhouse was rocked by an earthquake (Acts 16) We read that Paul
and his companions were in his jail; and knowing Paul he was probably
sharing the good news about Jesus and singing songs of praise to Him.
After the earthquake and all the prison doors open, the jailor having
been shook up fell at Paul’s feet and asked what he needed to do to be
saved.
In Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, we read
that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were poured out on the believers and
they started doing miraculous things like prophesying and speaking in
different languages, and more. When the Jews came to inquire as to what
was going on, Peter told them that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
He also told them that they had murdered the One who was to come, their
Messiah, Jesus. When they heard this they were shaken to the core and
asked Peter they needed to do. God’s word stirred and convicted their
hearts.
However, not all the life shaking
experiences in the Bible led to salvation, for example, Felix , who we
will look at today. He was shaken, but not saved!
Who is Felix? – He was a cruel ruler whose
name brought terror to his people. Historians tell us that his cruelty
knew no bounds, crucifying 100’s of Jews accusing them of being
thieves. the Roman goverment even took away his job as governor and
brought his back to Rome and charged him with excessive cruelty on his
subjects. He was also known for taking bribes which led to the downfall
of morality in Jerusalem. Drusilla became his wife having left her
husband for Felix when she was 16. She was about 22 years of age when
she came with her husband Felix to hear Paul. I have no doubt she was
somewhat acquainted with the teachings of Christ. Her father was king
Herod Agrippa I, who killed the apostle James in Acts 12. Her
great-uncle, Herod Antipas, had killed John the Baptist at the request
of his wife’s daughter. Her great-grandfather, Herod the Great, killed
many innocent children of Bethlehem in his unsuccessful attempt to
destroy the baby Jesus.
Felix and Drusilla would do anything to
gain power and maintain their lifestyle. They were unjust, irreligious,
and immoral—unafraid of God and man.
Why did Felix want to meet with Paul? No one knows for sure…
1. It may have been out of curiosity. Vs 22
indicates that he knew of the gospel. Many people in our day visit a
Bible based church out of curiosity. They see the life of one of its
members; they notice a change in the life of a family member or old
friend. They want to know what’s going on.
2. It may have been out of boredom (to get the latest news about the Christian movement).
3. It may have been for material gain.
Verse 26 seems to indicate this possibility. He was looking
for a bribe. Felix may have thought the early church
would pay to get Paul released.
4. Or was it because of a hungry heart?
They may have longed in their soul for a better way of life, they may
have been burdened for the way they were living their life and had
thoughts of God, eternity, and judgment. Some people search for the answers. They know that there is something more than this life.
Paul’s Message
Here is Paul, who is innocent coming before the man who had the power to
release him. Paul could have easily been tempted to argue or plea for
his release, but he wasted no time at all. As a matter of fact, I think
Paul chose to stay there so that he could talk more with Felix. At
every opportunity he preached Christ. The latter part of verse 24 says
that he spoke about faith in Christ. And in Verse 25 it says that he talked about righteousness, self control, and the judgment to come. Felix must have been affected by what Paul
told him, because the text goes on to tell us that he was afraid. The
original Greek word mean: ‘thrown into fear, terrified.’ What Paul told him shook this hard man to the core. As I see it, Felix had two choices just
like the rest of us when we hear the truth of the Gospel, either accept
it and change, or reject it. Felix didn’t do either, rather he just put
it off. He didn’t do
anything,
- he procrastinated. He didn’t deny what Paul preached, neither
did he outright reject it. He did not laugh, he didnot sneer, he didn’t
cry. He trembled and he trembled with conviction.Felix knew that everything Paul was saying
was true. Here was a man, who was married to another man’s wife, whose
very name means pleasure. He was living his
life with the attitude of eat, drink and be merry. He was a lost sinner
who had the opportunity to listen to Paul preach and the effect of God’s
word made him tremble.Felix did not deny Gods word or outwardly reject it. All he did was put the decision off until later. Why did he put it off?
No reason is given in the text. This was a bad move. It’s like ignoring
the oil light when it comes on in your car. Ignored that light too
long and it cost you a new engine. If you ignore the warning light of
Jesus Christ it will cost you your soul and an eternity in hell.
Someone once said, “A vast
majority of the time the things that God wants to do with us and in us
will come at the most inconvenient times of life.
(He goes on to say) A high
charge, a noble calling, a holy resolution visits us. It stands at the
door and knocks. But we reason, this is going to wreck my schedule, this
will disturb my comfort, this will be a great hindrance to my
selfishness. Procrastination is the mother of failure.”
So we dismiss the convicting pull of the
Spirit to turn from a sinful practice and convert, to grow spiritually,
to nurture our relationship with God . . .to a more convenient time. We think, or say: • Tomorrow, I will
pray. • Tomorrow, I will stop doing this or that , and fast. •
Tomorrow, I will find a talent to devote to God. • Tomorrow, I will
allow God to use my life in the way that He wants. • Tomorrow I will
tell so and so aboutJesus • Tomorrow, when I am older and more
mature, I will find time for God. • Tomorrow, Tomorrow… We hear a sermon that convict us to pray,
or to lift the burdens of others, or to hunger and thirst for God, and
desire for spiritual maturity. . . . but we we put those things off because it just isn’t a convenient time in our life to peruse those things. Or we put off a brother or sisters advice, or push aside a scripture verse that speaks to us. How many spiritual blessings have been lost
and or silenced because it just wasn’t a convenient time in our life?
My encouragement this morning is not to become like Felix. Don’t
procrastinate when it comes to spiritual things; when that warning light
comes on in your heart! In closing I would like to share with you a story that reminded me of Felix.
The Danger Of Delay
A German farmer settled in Guatemala
and became very prosperous. After a while he decided he would go back to
visit his family in Germany. So he saved his money and got on a ship.
After a few days at sea he noticed he had an infection in his toe and
realized that a small tropical flea was under the nail and had laid its
eggs. This caused him terrible itching and inflammation. The cure was to
take a needle and bore through the nail and remove it. The German farmer decided to do that.
So he got a needle and sat down. Then he thought, “My uncle and his
family in Hamburg have never seen one of these tropical flees.” So he
decided to leave it under the nail and after he had shown them he would
remove it. By the time he reached Hamburg his toe
was swollen and his foot was hurting terribly. He showed it to his Uncle
Otto who looked and said, “Aw, the whole family would like to see
this.” So he left it in until all the family could see it. But the
difficulty was that the infection got out of control and got into the
blood and he died.. (Adapted from The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, Charles
Swindoll, p. 471) The German farmer procrastinated and lost his life. Jesus taught
parables about not putting off what you should do today till tomorrow,
because you don’t know if tomorrow will come.
What about you?
