Later ... Lord!

Standing before those who have the right and power to say off with his head, he decides to preach on this. It's like going to New Orleans during Mardi Gras and preaching from Proverbs that drunkenness and immorality can destroy your life. And it is amazing that this man at this moment has moved right into their front yard, into the front door, through the living room, into the parlor, beyond that into the bedroom.

And he looks them in the eye and he says, I have news for you. According to the righteous standard of God, you are morally corrupt. When's the last time you procrastinated and put off doing something that was really important? Have you ever put off doing something to the point that it was actually too late and the opportunity was missed? There's a proverb in our culture that goes like this. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. One area of life where that proverb is critical is discipleship. But postponing discipleship is never a good idea. We need to seek God today when he can be found.

Tomorrow might be too late. Here's Stephen Davey with a message he's calling, Later, Lord. For the Apostle Paul, I think that life turned out differently at this juncture. Sure, the Holy Spirit, as we have studied, told him that he would be the subject of ridicule and face impending danger. But I'm sure he never imagined as he finally arrived in Jerusalem for the church to refuse to defend him. His own nation, whom he loved and had given his life to, would riot and attempt once again to take his life.

He would now stand before a crooked judge and face two years of imprisonment. I think these were all surprises. Whether he was prepared or not, it was about to happen. And so I invite you this morning to pick our study up where we left it in Chapter 24 in the book of Acts. You may remember that Paul was recently rescued from an assassination attempt. Masterminded, no doubt, by the Sanhedrin. Men who were to uphold the law were breaking the law. And Lysias, the Roman commander, you remember, rescued Paul and saved his life and surrounded him with several hundred soldiers. And they marched out of Jerusalem, Paul protected by these men, and they marched to the governor's palace in Caesarea.

Let's rejoin there with verse one. And after five days, the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a certain attorney named Tertullius. And they brought charges to the governor against Paul. And after Paul had been summoned, Tertullius began to accuse him, saying to the governor, Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, We acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But that I may not weary you any further, I beg you, grant us by your kindness a brief hearing. Talk about piling it on here.

I imagine he's covered with shoe polish at this point. It's interesting, the word translated attorney in verse one is the Greek word, or retour, which gives us the word rhetoric. Tertullius was a golden tongue orator.

And the Jewish leaders knew that if anybody could put Paul behind bars without a shred of evidence needed or demanded, it would be this wordsmith, Tertullius. And he basically began by flattering the governor with lies. Verse two.

We have attained much peace through you. That's a lie. In fact, there was more turmoil and less peace in Judea under this governor than under any governor to date. Then again, in verse two, by your wisdom or foresight, many reforms are being carried out. Another lie under Felix. The people were so frustrated that one uprising followed another.

It was daily news. Then in verse three, Tertullius awards Felix with the title most excellent or most noble one. The truth was far different. Antonius Felix was actually the first slave in the history of the Roman Empire to reach the high form of office that he held, not because he deserved it, but because his older brother was a close friend of the emperor. We know him as Nero.

The emperor had been persuaded by Felix's older brother to give him a position as governor of Caesarea. So after deposing the one who held that position, Felix took the role and became, historians tell us, as cruel as Nero. He had a penchant for crucifying his enemies on wooden crosses. Tacitus, the Roman historian, described him as a master of cruelty and lust who exercised the powers of a king with the spirit of a common slave. I say all of that to help you feel a little bit of what Paul probably felt like standing in this courtroom with a with a crooked judge, listening to the flattering of religious leaders who were lying about this man's role and now saying that he was a most noble one. In fact, this is a wonderful illustration of how the world perverts the truth. Felix is called noble.

The apostle Paul is standing there in the courtroom. He'll be called all kind of names. And he is the noble one. This is how the world can call darkness light, evil, good, sin, acceptable. And they will call you as righteous men and women out of touch, old fashioned.

Right wing tangent, strange fanatics. And all you're trying to do is fulfill the scriptures for life. But Paul told Timothy, I remind you, all who live godly in Christ, Jesus shall suffer persecution. And second Timothy, three, twelve in Luke, chapter six, verse twenty two, Jesus Christ prophesied that because you follow me and live a godly life, men will hate you and they will avoid you from their company.

An interesting phrase. So if you're going to live a godly life in the midst of an ungodly culture, you will make waves and you will upset apple carts and you will cause some sort of trouble. And you will be on the receiving end of flak.

In fact, if you're not on the receiving end of criticism at some point, it may not be because you are living such the right kind of life. It may mean that you are not living a godly life for those who live godly will suffer persecution in some form or fashion. Now, having given Felix a heavy dose of empty adulation, he begins to accuse Paul. Verse five, For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. And he even tried to desecrate the temple. And then we arrested him. We wanted to judge him according to our own law. But Lysias, the commander, came along and with much violence took him out of our hands, ordering his accusers to come before you. By examining him yourself concerning all these matters, you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.

The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so. Now, let's break this down into its three accusations that are primary against Paul. Number one, he's a troublemaker. The word used in verse five, the first part is pest.

It could be translated more seriously. He's a plague. It's a calculated move, which is intended to stir up Felix. Felix Paul is guilty of sedition. He's a threat to the peace of Rome.

And there's the implication. May I remind you that you're supposed to uphold the peace of Rome. He's a threat. He's causing dissension throughout the whole world. Accusation number two, he's not only a troublemaker, he's a ringleader. He's the ringleader, you notice, of the sect of Nazarenes. A derisive slur, by the way.

Nazareth was considered backward and illiterate, a town filled with lazy no-goods. But I want you to follow the prosecutor's masterful line of reasoning. Basically, he's linking the Nazarene sect, Christians, with his first accusation, guilty of sedition. Tertullius is implying then that Christians as a whole are a threat to the peace of Rome. So in other words, if this accusation proves true of Paul, Christianity at large is now in great risk of being in trouble with Roman peace and law.

Accusation number three, Paul is not only a troublemaker and a ringleader, he's also a blasphemer. Verse six, he tried to desegrate the temple, it says. Now, by the way, what he's doing here is cleverly reminding Felix that the Sanhedrin should be allowed to try Paul, because Paul desecrated the temple.

Roman law allowed the Jewish Sanhedrin to prosecute and execute those who desecrated the temple. It had been done in the past, and so in a very nice way, he's saying, Felix, listen, you don't need to be troubled with this case, may I remind you that this is sort of our thing, this is our deal, and if you'll just kind of walk away from it and turn your head and put it back where it ought to be with us, everything will be just fine. Five minutes with those men would have found Paul dead. Verse 10, when the governor had nodded for him to speak, in other words, he doesn't respond. He just looks at Paul and nods. Paul responded, knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. Now, there's no shoe polish here, just the statement that since Felix had experience judging matters of Roman and Jewish law, he's confident that he'll receive a fair trial, so he cheerfully makes his defense. Verse 11, since you can take note of the fact that no more than 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship, and neither in the temple nor in the synagogues nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot, nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. But this I do admit to you, that according to the way which they call a sect, by the way, the word sect heiressus gives us our word heresy, what they're calling a heresy, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the law and that is written in the prophets, having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience, both before God and before men. Now, after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified without any crowd or uproar, but there were certain Jews from Asia who ought to have been present before you, and to make accusation if they should have anything against me, or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the council, other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, for the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today. In other words, what Paul is saying is that those who accuse me aren't here to testify. I'm not guilty of causing an organized plot against the empire of Rome.

In fact, I've only been in Jerusalem for 12 days, hardly time enough to mastermind some conspiracy. However, Paul does say, I am guilty of this. Back in verse 14, I am a member of the way, a favorite term of his and the early Christians, as they followed the one who was the way, the truth, and the life. Now, interestingly enough, a phrase used for that which is indeed heresy. But he says, as he goes on to clarify, that that way simply fulfills the Old Testament law and the prophets, and the scriptures which declare there is a resurrection coming of the dead, those who are righteous and those who are wicked will stand before God. So he gives his defense here.

Now, I want you to notice verse 22. But Felix, having a more exact knowledge of the way, put them off saying, when Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case. The words translated, put them off, Fana Baleta could be translated, he adjourned the proceedings. And he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him. Felix here is avoiding making a decision. He wasn't waiting for Lysias's report. If you were with us in a previous discussion, we read the report from Lysias. He sent it to this man Felix and said, this man Paul is not guilty of sedition. He's not guilty of a crime deserving imprisonment or punishment.

So we've already seen the report. In fact, Felix probably had it in his lap. But he didn't want to decide because if he decided against these leaders, he had basically in front of him a very powerful Jewish lobby. He didn't want to offend them and he didn't want to turn Paul over to them either.

So as a result of that, he fails to do anything. Now, here's where the story takes an unusual turn and a very interesting one at that. Verse 24. But some days later, Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. The Western text, by the way, tells us that Drusilla requested the meeting of her husband. And Luke sort of drops a biographical bombshell on his readers as he says, Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess. In other words, this is a woman who had sold her national birthright for a mess of royal pottage years earlier. Here's a woman who had long ago walked away from the God of her fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She had betrayed her own people by marrying this corrupt Roman leader. She was a raving beauty historians have passed down to us. By age 14, she was the wife of a Syrian prince. But she was mystical and superstitious.

She had kept only the worst of her Israelite past. And Felix, when he saw her and wanted her as his third wife, used the magician by the name of Atamosa to persuade her that the stars and the spirits said that it must be that she leave her husband and be married to Felix. And so she obeyed. She followed the mystics advice.

She left her husband and at age 16 became the wife of this powerful, wealthy man named Felix. But she wanted to hear from this strange man. So she persuades her husband to hold a private hearing. And so here comes Paul. There's a private hearing and he's in the the court chambers, just the three of them. And and there they sit in the world standard.

They are successful and powerful and beautiful and corrupt and immoral. What in the world is Paul going to say? We're told in verse 25. And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened.

Stop here. Paul knew their story. Everybody knew their story. They knew how this couple lived fast and loose and their escapades were front page news. But instead of skirting the issue, he preaches to them on the subject of self-control.

It is a word specifically related to the control or in their case, the lack of control of sexual desires. He could have preached on a thousand passages of scripture. He could have chose a hundred different topics. And I am amazed at his courage here. Standing before those who have the right and power to say off with his head. He decides to preach on this. It's like going to Las Vegas and getting on the platform of Caesar's palace and preaching on fiscal responsibility. It's like going to New Orleans during Mardi Gras and preaching from Proverbs that drunkenness and immorality can destroy irretrievably your life. So be like going to Disney World during gay week and preaching from Romans Chapter one that God has delivered over homosexuals to depravity of mind to do those things which are not natural.

You look at this text and it is amazing that this man at this moment has moved right into their front yard, into the front door, through the living room, into the parlor, beyond that, into the bedroom. And he looks them in the eye and he says, I have news for you, according to the righteous standard of God, you are morally corrupt. Now, if if it isn't heated enough in that room, as Paul delivers the message to this royal couple, he moves on to wrap his sermon up with his third point, the judgment to come. Now, this is obviously a reference to the great white throne that is detailed for us in Revelation Chapter 20.

He concluded his sermon the same way as he preached to the Athenians. He looks at this powerful couple who had power over his life, as it were, from a human standpoint. And he says to them, hey, I want you to understand something. There is a higher courtroom. There is a more powerful judge than you. There is a righteous standard and you too will one day stand before that righteous God and give an account for your immorality. There is a judgment day coming.

And you have no hope. Now, earlier in his sermon, he preached about the faith of Jesus Christ. That is the gospel story. And so we know that he included in this message that they were without hope unless they fled to the refuge of the redeemer.

Jesus Christ. Notice the response again of Paul's audience. Felix became frightened and said, go away. The translation Felix became frightened is not quite vivid enough. MFO boss gives us our word phobia literally means Felix became terrified. Felix, you could render it began trembling, literally shaking with fear.

We have lost this sense today. Of fearing a holy and righteous God. But here is a man now for the first time in his life who understood he was a guilty sinner before a righteous God and the judgment day was coming. And he began to shake with fear. And then he said in the first part of verse 25, go away for the present. And when I find time, I will summon you get out of here as he shook with fear. When I find time, I will summon you when I find time is a is an idiom that could be rendered when I have some spare time and I have nothing to do. Then I'll call you back and hear from you again.

Eventually stopped shaking. And he, in effect, said, look, Paul, I may want to hear more about this later, but I'm busy now. It's as if this man said in the presence of God, those words that could haunt him forever. Basically, later, later, Lord, if I have some spare time in my life, I'll get into this religion stuff. Paul, don't you call me, I'll call you.

Well, he eventually stopped trembling and pushed off your side. And with several conversations with Paul, put on the front burner what really mattered the most to him. It was money.

Look at verse 26. At that time, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul. He was hoping Paul would bribe himself out of jail.

The church had just received this large gift. He'd known Paul had brought it. Perhaps he thought Paul had connections and maybe he had more money. Therefore, he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him.

Can you imagine that? The great apostle conversing with him about the truth of his life, never responding. Verse 27. But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Portia Festus and wishing to do the Jews a favor. Felix left Paul in prison.

Did you catch the reference to time there in verse 27? After two years. Two years. Paul was waiting on a decision by this corrupt man for two years. Have you ever had to wait on somebody's decision for two hours? Have you had to wait for a doctor's report for two weeks? Have you applied for a job and you've waited by the phone for two months?

Can you imagine your life hanging in the balance, not knowing for two years? But every once in a while you'd get this invitation. Hey, Felix would like to talk to you again.

And your hopes would be stirred and you'd go and meet with Felix and talk to him and discover all he wanted was your money. And as we know it, he never received Christ. The savior Nero finally deposed him because he didn't quell a riot that he should have. He later died a tragic death. Two thoughts very quickly here as we run out of time. Number one, it is a tragic thing to have never trembled over sin.

At least Felix did that. Have you? Yet I fear there are many people that consider themselves part of the body of Christ who've simply added Jesus Christ to their bag of escape tricks. We thought it'd be a nice thing to do to get religion and nice people go to church. And yeah, I believe in God and and I certainly don't want to go to hell. I want to go to heaven and the people who've never acknowledged nor repented of the weight of their sin. In our day of easy believe ism and sign a card and come down front and you're in has distorted not only the righteousness of God, but the weight of the guilt of sin that a sinner should feel as he comes to faith in Christ. So you ask yourself, have you ever felt the weight of your sin upon your life and the guilt of it all before God?

Number two, while it's while it's a tragic thing to have never trembled over sin, it's even more tragic to have trembled without ever trusting Jesus Christ. As your personal savior. Emotionally moved. But not converted.

Intellectually enlightened. He knew the way more perfectly, the text said. He knew all about Christianity and a wife who was Jewish. She had heard and she knew and he knew all about her former past life, heritage, the God of the fathers. He knew all of that.

But he never acted upon it. During one summer break from college, I worked at a construction site with another young man. And as we worked, I've shared the gospel with him throughout the summer. And he'd always end up by saying, yeah, you know, I need to do that. I need to do that.

I know I'm guilty. I, as we worked, would spend time talking to him and I was passionate about him understanding where he stood. And he'd say, you know, in fact, a couple of times, he said, I tell you, I'm going to I'm going to when I go home tonight, I'm going to pray and ask Christ to be my savior.

I'm gonna do that tonight. And he'd come back the next day and I'd say, well. And he'd say, oh, you know, I had this come up or some friends called and I didn't I didn't do that. He was always saying, I'm going to be saved soon. One of these days. There's a British proverb that says one of these days is none of these days.

Have you been saying that? You know, one of these days, I'm going to give my life to Jesus Christ. I'm going to turn a corner and and things will change. And and I'll go to him.

I know I ought to, but not now. One of these days, my friend, learn it from this man and learn it from the writings of scripture. If you're here with a load of sin before your eyes and you're trembling, as it were, inside, knowing you do not have confidence before a righteous God. The guilt of sin is upon your life.

You're wondering even if you've been self-deceived because you've trusted Christ supposedly, but your life has not changed. Then, as Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, he said, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. You know, the most wonderful time to accept Jesus Christ, if you've never accepted. Is now.

Change the words. From later. Lord. To yes, Lord. I'm glad you were with us today for this time in God's Word. This is wisdom for the heart. This current series through the last chapters of Acts is from our Vintage Wisdom archives.

Stephen Davey first delivered this series back in 1998. We're airing it again now as we examine the important events of the early church and its leaders. Today's message is called Later, Lord. I encourage you to take a few minutes and install our app to your phone. The Wisdom International app will work with your smartphone, your tablet, or a smart TV.

It's free to install and it's free to use. It's a great companion for your personal Bible study. You'll find the Wisdom International app in the iTunes and the Google Play stores. If you have a comment, a question, or would like more information about our ministry, you can send us an email if you address it to info at wisdom online dot org. Once again, that email address is info at wisdom online dot org. Thanks again for joining us today. Please make plans and take the time to join us again next time. Stephen will continue through this series right here on Wisdom for the Heart. Thank you.