A Convenient Season

A Convenient Season
(Acts 24:22-27; 26:27-29)

Today, we will see two of the most terrible statements ever made in the Bible. One is from a man named Felix and another is from a man named Agrippa. The one thing that both have in common is a man named Paul who preached to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will read in these passages the most tragic words any man could ever utter. We will see today, two men who refused the Gospel call and the Spirit of God’s convicting power.

I. Foolish Felix (Acts 24:25- And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.)
Here in Acts 24, we see Paul is a prisoner in the Praetorium of Caesarea, the Roman capitol of the Judean province, and Paul has been called before the appointed Roman governor Felix. The Apostle Paul is called to the audience of Felix and his wife Drusilla (Bible refers to her as a Jewess). Paul had earlier in this chapter defended himself against false accusations of the Jews earlier but now is given audience to Felix and Drusilla to hear him explain his ‘new‘ religion “concerning the faith in Christ”. They were interested in hearing about the miracle worker Jesus Christ, I’m sure they had heard the stories and what attracted people to this new religion. But Apostle Paul always recognized an open door of opportunity from God and he begins to preach the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. I imagined it was not as they expected, they were expecting a nice little presentation of a new philosophy but what they got was the uncompromised preaching of the Word of God. The Bible says as Paul preached that Felix trembled. Paul is the one on trial and in chains and imprisoned. Paul is the accused and prisoner standing at the bar and Felix is the judge. But Paul is not the one who is trembling, it’s Felix. Felix is the one who is in the position of power and influence whose subjects lives are in his hands but he is the one trembling that day. He is trembling before Paul because of the message about the condition of his soul as seen before the God of heaven and earth. Felix and Drusilla were expecting Paul to recount some kind of new mystical religion. Some kind of new age experience or philosophy that would tickle there ears and stroke their sinful egos. They wanted to be entertained by some fantastic story of this prophet and troublemaker named Jesus that Paul worshipped. But Paul simply and powerfully preached the holy Word of God. It says that as he preached that “he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come”. The Apostle Paul although he was before the one who was an earthly judge over him became the one who brought Felix before the One who stood as Judge over all. Paul revealed through the scriptures just how Felix stood spiritually before God and that was like anyone else, he stood before God as a sinner. A sinner that was in need of a Savior because we all will stand before God when we die and we will be judged (Heb. 9:27 - “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment ”). Paul preached the Gospel to this man and showed him the One that could save him from his sins and the judgment to come and it says that Felix trembled at the preaching of God’s Word. The Spirit of God was convicting Felix of his sins, the Holy Spirit was drawing this man to a place of an eternal decision, and He was telling Felix that this was his day and hour to come to Christ. Felix trembled under the mighty call of the mighty God. It came to the time of decision and what was Felix’s answer? It would have been glorious if he said, “Paul, I give my heart to Jesus!”, but those words never came from his lips. Felix’s answer was one of the most terrible words that can be spoken by anyone, it was his answer, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee, some other time Paul, some other day. When the time is right for me but not right now”. Felix simply refused the hand of God’s mercy and grace that was extended to him through the convicting power of God’s word and God the Holy Spirit. Paul presented Christ the Savior for his soul and Felix refused the Son of God. The opportunity of grace and mercy with God’s arms open wide to receive him through Christ and he refused the his appointment with destiny. There is no record of Felix ever coming to a saving knowledge of Christ but the Bible says that two years later he was replaced by Festus. Other historical sources record that Felix was recalled back to Rome in disgrace by Emperor Nero where he was never again given any title or position and that he ended his life by suicide. Felix’s convenient season never came. God’s call to repentance came that day, God’s day of salvation was offered to this man, and the conviction of that man’s heart was that day and he refused the Spirit of God. What a dangerous thing to do and how easy the words came, “No, some other day God”. He preferred to be lost and without God, willfully and foolishly rejected the call of the Spirit of God, and went into eternity to his judgment in Hell. Hebrews 10:26-27 says this, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” This was the result of Felix missing God’s convenient season.
II. Almost There Agrippa (Acts 26:28 - Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian.")
Paul was imprisoned at Caesarea right around 3 years and Paul used every opportunity to preach Christ to the lost. When given another opportunity to testify on his own behalf before governor Festus and King Agrippa II, Paul used it to give his personal testimony of how Jesus saved him. Paul boldly preached Christ to these two powerful leaders. Paul told of his training as a Pharisee, how he persecuted the church, about how he met and talked with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and how he was saved through faith in Christ. Festus openly mocked Paul and did not believe Paul’s testimony of Christ. But Agrippa’s remark to Paul was interesting. Paul directly asked Agrippa this question, “do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe”. Paul appealed to Agrippa’s raising in Judaism to bring him to a place of decision spiritually. Paul had preached to him the Gospel of Christ and now directing him to a place to believe in Jesus as Savior. Agrippa’s answer was this, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian”, so close yet so far away from the One who could save his soul. Agrippa is like so many who are in churches today hearing the gospel message of Christ. They know and believe God’s word but never came to the place of decision to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. They’ve been raised in church, still go to church, and probably like the preacher but they are as lost as a goose. They have been so hardened to the gospel that they hardly even hear it anymore, their almost persuaded.
III. God’s Convenient Season (2 Co. 6:2b - Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 6:2, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation”. I think he wrote that in remembering all the times those who so foolishly rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When Jesus is preached that He suffered and died on that old rugged cross to shed His blood to cleanse us from our sins and three days later physically arose from the tomb alive forever more to save us from our sins and give us eternal life in Him that’s the Gospel message. Romans 1:16 says that the gospel of Jesus Christ “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”, and in Rom. 10:17 tells us that, “…faith (saving faith) comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. The Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of men by convicting us through the preaching of God’s word. That’s why when we Christians heard the gospel of Jesus Christ that we were drawn by the Spirit of God to saving faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit brought us to the cross of Christ and produced in us the faith to receive salvation in Christ. When people refuse the word of God and the Spirit of God they are putting themselves into dangerous place. When God calls you and draws you to Christ that just might be the last time. We don’t know our appointment with death. When God calls you that is the day of salvation. Salvation is not on your terms or in your time, it’s when God calls your name because your not promised another call. Today if God is calling you to salvation in His Son Jesus Christ don’t refuse Him, don’t harden your hearts (Heb. 3:15 - Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts). Listen to these words from the hymn “Almost Persuaded”:
“Almost persuaded” now to believe;
“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day
On Thee I’ll call.”

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;
“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail—
“Almost,” but lost!

Friends, today is the day of salvation in Christ. Today is the day that He can change your life. Don’t be a Foolish Felix or an Almost There Agrippa. Come if Christ is calling you today.

Sermons from Acts: Paul at Athens

Paul at Athens

(Acts 17:16,17)

As we continue in the book of Acts, we come to Paul in the famous city of Athens.  We see Paul looking at the city of Athens, seeing the city full of idols of false gods, and the Bible says that his ‘spirit was stirred within him’ because it seemed every place he looked were these idols.  Because of this Paul began preaching Jesus in that city and he again used the strategy of going to the synagogues first preaching to the Jews and the ‘God-fearers’ (God-fearing Gentiles) then to the heathen of that city.  Today, we will discuss what Paul saw, what he felt, and what he did to reach that pagan city.

I. What Paul saw. (v. 16- “…he was beholding the city full of idols.)

   Paul was in the philosophical and educational center of the world at that time and it greatly influenced the Roman Empire. There waiting on his friends and fellow workers in Christ, Paul looked around him and saw in every corner, nook and cranny, anywhere someone could put an idol there was an idol.  Temples to false gods, huge statues, groves, and towering above it all was the Parthenon, which was the one of the greatest buildings of architecture that housed the massive statue of the patron goddess Athena.  It was the epitome of paganism and idolatry and here Paul is witnessing this massive city that is supposed to be the most educated and enlightened city in the world and it is one of the spiritually dark places in the world full of people that are spiritually blind to the true light of the Gospel.  

   Athens was the center of the world for it’s culture, art, intellect, and ideas.  This city influenced the whole Roman Empire in every area of life, politics, philosophy, and religion.  But in all its educational and cultural achievements it was a place of great spiritual blindness.  Could there have been places of worse condition than Athens? Probably so, but it was one of better examples of paganism and spiritual corruption.  One thing we can learn about this place is that it shows that without a doubt it is a place that is in absolute need of Divine revelation. Leave a man in society without a Bible and he will make a religion of some kind to try and fill the great void in their soul but it will be a corrupt religion that usually worships the creation rather than the Creator.  We see that Athens worshipped the works of their own hands.  They had a religion without peace, without light and without hope.  Something we can learn from what Paul saw at Athens is that irregardless of the highest intellectual minds and the highest excellence in the material arts that these things will not reveal  the true light of God’s love or salvation from sin.

   If you were to ask the greatest philosopher’s in the world and the most intellectual minds the question ‘What must I do to be saved?’, they could give no answer that could cleanse a soul from sin.  Of all the great artistic and architectural wonders of Athens although it may be pleasing to the eye it could not bring the joy and peace that comes from knowing the love of Christ.  Only through the Word of God proclaimed by the Spirit filled Christians can may know and see the glorious light of God’s love in Christ.  This is a picture of the modern western world today. Though we may not have all the idols of stone, wood, and metal we have the idols of worldly success, wealth, political power, fame or pleasure.  This is what Paul saw then and it is what we see now.

II. What Paul felt (v.16- his spirit was stirred in him…).

   In verse 16 we see that the sight of this city provoked Paul’s soul.  What does that mean?  It shows that the gross idolatry angered and grieved Paul.  This was a place of pagan worship and it usually involved perverted sexual practices, mutilation, drunkenness, or mind altering drugs.  Of course, any worship of a false god or goddess has a demonic spiritual involvement of some kind (basically worship of a demon).  The gross perversions and pagan idol worship angered and sickened Paul.  We must be like Paul when it comes to our society and be angered and sickened at the perversions that are going on around us.  Drug and alcohol abuse at an all time high, the party lifestyle of the rich and famous in Hollywood being played out all over the T.V.; the Paris Hilton’s and Lindsey Lohan’s addictions and immorality glamorized by the media.  The homosexuals parading around and flaunting their perverted lives out in front of the cameras and those who speak out and condemn their actions are shouted down by saying they are hate mongers.  Couples living together and thumbing their noses at God who has ordained marriage and marriages dissolving in divorce because of spouses who can’t obey the vow of fidelity commanded by God.  Young men and women who have children out of wedlock and don’t have fathers and being raised by grandma and grandpa because mom and dad refuse to raise them.  Sexual immorality destroying lives and STD’s at an all time high and the world thinks the problem can be fixed with a condom or a birth control pill.  

   Are we like Paul? Is there something stirring in your soul that is sick and tired of all the sin and perversion that is flooding our world and damaging our society.  Does it still anger you that this sewage of sin is flooding our homes through the TV, radio, internet, and other media outlets.  We were once a society that cared about our neighbors and cared about the people in our cities and towns and the condition of peoples souls.  Today, we don’t care who lives next door, if they stay out my business then I’ll stay out of theirs. A good neighbor was once someone we could depend on and help out if they needed help, today a good neighbor is someone who minds their own business and stays out of mine.  We once got up in arms if stores opened on Sunday and now they sell beer and liquor on Sunday.  Today, people would rather speak down on the church and Jesus and if the church openly condemns anything sinful we are told not to judge.   

   Do we still get provoked in our souls at the unrighteousness around us.  But most of all, are we burdened by the souls of the lost around us.  To see our neighbors and fellow citizens walk down the path of destruction blinded by sin and Satan does it stir our soul to tell them about Jesus (Mt. 7:13 ‘…wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”).  This world and the god of this world wants to keep the lost in spiritual darkness and keep them blind to the glorious truth of the Gospel (2 Co. 4:3-4, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.)  We should be stirred by the same love and compassion of Christ that He has showed and given to us, because many are on that road to destruction.  It is true that we must guard our hearts and homes from the evil around us by the power and the word of God but we must also change our society by proclaiming the truth of God’s word and reaching mankind one soul at a time.  This sinful, idolatrous city provoked Paul to action and now we will discuss what Paul did.

III. What Paul did (v. 17)

   You have heard what Paul saw and you were told what Paul felt and now we will see that Paul did. He was active with his faith in Christ.  He just didn’t sit around and moan about the condition of the world around him.  He went and began to change his world around him and the way he did that was by the powerful, world changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul had a plan that he knew could change the lives and souls of that sinful city. It involved teaching, preaching, discussing, and sharing the gospel message.  It always had an impact on whatever city he went to.  We see it in Acts 17:4-6, we see Paul was teaching and preaching the Word of God and preaching Jesus is the Christ and Savior of mankind and we see the impact, “4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. 5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6 but when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too”.  

   We see two things that happened when the word of God is preached: 1. People are saved and 2. People are offended.  This glorious gospel is what Romans 1:16 says is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”, but it will offend the reprobate and sinful society.  When we tell people about Jesus it condemns the sinner because it shows he needs a Savior.  Those who reject the message of Christ will usually hate us for Christ’s sake.  Remember what Paul did and what he preached Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected, we see that in verse 18.

   Remember, God uses His children to reach the lost.  When the early church here in Acts was persecuted, His children went into different countries and lands taking the message of the Savior with them and changing the world.

   We must see and follow the example of the Apostle Paul.  When we see the sinful and idolatrous world around us openly defying God and His word, we must allow the Holy Spirit in us to stir our hearts and souls to action.  God can use all of us to change the world around us by His power; all we have to do is allow God to use us to accomplish His will through us.