Jump Start # 1693

Acts 24:25 “But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘God away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.’”

Our verse finds the apostle Paul in prison. The apostle had been arrested once again for preaching that Jesus was the Christ, which means the Messiah. The Jews were fed up with him and that message. They brought charges against Paul to the Roman governor Felix. After a few days, Felix summons Paul and allowed him to speak about the faith in Christ Jesus. This is where our verse is found.

Notice from Paul’s perspective:

1. He didn’t small talk nor avoid the topic of why he was arrested. He preached Christ to Felix.

2. He didn’t try to make all of this one big misunderstanding. He didn’t try to find a way to get out of prison. He didn’t make this about himself.

3. He didn’t say things to make Felix feel good. He didn’t drop names. He didn’t butter Felix up.

Notice the perspective of the message:

The text identifies three things that Paul talked about, righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come.

1. He didn’t talk about how nice Heaven will be, nor paint a picture that we will all be there.

2. He didn’t avoid talking about application. These three things were missing in Felix’s life. Roman governors were not known to be righteous. Immoral, yes. Ruthless, yes. Corrupt, yes. But, righteous, no. They were not known to have self-control. Anger and hastily made decisions were common. And a coming judgment is something that this Roman would not have thought about. His biggest fear was keeping Rome off his back and his next move up the political ladder.

3. The message was exactly what Felix needed to hear. It prompted a personal response. It wasn’t theories and logic and ideas. It was a message that landed on his front porch.

Notice Felix’s perspective:

1. He became frightened. I doubt he expected that. Had he known that he would not have called Paul in. He was expecting a nice message that was probably boring. Instead he was hit with righteousness, self-control and the coming judgment.

2. He sent Paul away with the thought, “when I find time I will summon you.” He never did find the time. The next verse tells us that two years past. In two years he never found the time. Then he was replaced. He moved on. He didn’t find the time.

This one verse speaks volumes about what we expect and what ought to be preached while in worship services. Some go to church on Sunday because that’s what nice people do. They give up an hour and they want the benefit of a nice message, a pat on the back and an encouraging message to keep it up. And for many, this is exactly what they get. Week after week, it’s “You’re ok and I’m ok.” If that’s the case, why even go? Are we simply needing our egos built up? Do we feel that God is saying the same thing that the preacher is saying? What good people we are. What a nice crowd this morning. What nice, nice, nice things.

Paul didn’t do that. He told Felix what would help him with God. He told Felix what would prepare him for Heaven. He told him the truth. Righteousness, self-control and being judged by God are life altering messages. Those things would prompt changes. Those things would make a person move closer to God. Felix became frightened. It wasn’t the message he wanted. He never came back. Some will do that today. They come wanting to laugh. They come wanting to hear nice things. When they are challenged. When the message is too personal, some stop coming. Some get mad. Some find another place and another preacher that will say nice things. The “ear tickling” preaching is still very comforting and popular today. The line is long to hear such preachers. They are viewed as great. They entertain. They make people feel good. They know just how to win a crowd. But righteousness, self-control and a coming judgment don’t make it into their sermons. Too stiff. Too much doctrine. Too negative. Too demanding. Crowds won’t like it. It might even scare some.

Paul told Felix what he needed. Felix didn’t want to hear that. When I find the time, I will summon you. When I’m not so busy, I’ll come to church. When things slow down, I’ll visit. The response of Felix is repeated every week. It’s an easy excuse, just like a soft bed. It’s easy to get into it, but hard to get out. It takes effort. It takes will power. It takes an understanding that I need God’s message. I need to be righteous. I need self-control. I need to know that I will be judged by God.

Help us to have the heart that when I am scared, I will continue on with the Lord. When I must change, I will continue on with the Lord. When I hear a message that is personal and it bothers me, I will continue on with the Lord.

Finding time…there is no such thing. Everyone has the same amount. There is no bank that you can go to and borrow more time. You can stock pile some time for another day. We all have the same. The professional and the student. The young mother and the retired person. Same amount. Everyday. It doesn’t change. There are not some days that we get a few more hours. Nope. Finding time, really means, priorities. It means adjusting schedules. It means doing what you want to do. You find time to watch the shows you love on TV. You find time to text, email and keep up with others. We can waste time by doing a bunch of nothing or being so disorganized that we can’t find anything. But listening to God’s message, it’s not about finding time for that, it’s about wanting to. If you want to, you will.

Felix didn’t want to. And he didn’t. And unless there was something that we don’t know about, he went on his way, busy in the Roman political system and died and never believed in Christ. And thousands are doing the same thing today. Too busy for God. Don’t want to change. Don’t want commitment. They live busy lives and one day they die. They die never believing in Christ.

Paul and Felix and four words: righteousness, self-control, coming judgment. Paul spoke the truth. Felix ran in fear. And we are left wondering what we would do. Would we say what Paul said? Would we run like Felix did?

You and me and four words: righteousness, self-control, coming judgment.

Roger

Jump Start # 726

Acts 24:25 “But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find the time I will summon you.”

We had a time change yesterday. We call it, “fall back.” It’s when we turn our clocks back one hour. Most like that day. An extra hour to sleep in. It’s hard to realize how many clocks a person has until they have to go around are reset them. Time is an important part of our lives. Our world surrounds itself around time. We are to be at a certain place at a certain time. Games start at a certain time. There is a time that my favorite show comes on TV. We get out of bed at a certain time. Even our church services begin at a specific time.

Some are real good at keeping time, others are always late. Time has become a part of our vocabulary. There is “half-time”, “part-time,” “full-time,” “solar time,” “over-time,” “time-out.” We speak of running out of time, needing more time, can’t find the time, and “look at the time.” The busier our lives are the more conscious we are of time. When you have to be somewhere at a specific time, keeping an eye on the time is essential.

Our verse speaks about time. Paul had been arrested and was in prison. He would eventually be sent to Rome. In the mean time, he was brought out to speak to Felix. On this occasion, Paul discussed three things. These are important things. He didn’t talk about how the Romans were doing in war. He didn’t ask about politics. He didn’t talk sports. Three topics. All connected together. All involve our relationship with God. All require personal responsibility. These three things we ought to discuss with our family and friends.

1. Righteousness. This is the state of being right. Only God can determine and declare a soul to be right. Jesus said to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt 6:33). Righteousness is opposite of “wrongness” or wickedness. God wants all of us to be right. There is only one way to be right with God and that is to obey Him.

2. Self-control. Interesting topic to bring before Felix. Self-control is the control of self. Many things fit under the heading of self-control. Controlling our anger or temper heads the list. An angry leader will lop off the head of someone who disagrees with him. That’s not good leadership skills. Self-control includes our mouth. Some folks are too “mouthy.” They talk too much. They share too much. They reveal too much. Facebook is becoming a big problem with this. Too many air personal and private feelings that should not be read by the world. We teach our kids in Bible class the song that says, “Be careful will mouth what you say…” Adults need a newer version of this. “Be careful little fingers what you type…” Self-control includes lust and passion. There is a place for intimacy and it is in marriage. Before marriage one gets in trouble  if passion is allowed to run wild and free. Self-control. Many of us need that. Felix did.

3. The Coming Judgment. This is why the first two topics matter. We need to be right and we need to be in control because there is a judgment coming. Without a judgment, those things do not matter all that much. Jesus is coming. Matthew 25 teaches that. The apostles preached that. We will be judged. We will stand before God. Mercy and grace will come to those who have believed and trusted God. Without mercy, no man can face the judgment with confidence. All will be judged. There is no escaping it.

When Felix heard those things he became “frightened.” That’s something. We don’t “scare” many with our teaching and preaching any more. We’ve softened it and made it nice so none are offended. Not Paul. He laid it out there just as plain as it could be. He didn’t try to win points with Felix. He told him. Felix got scared. When was the last time talking about the Bible scared you? Maybe we’d be a better people if we were scared more.

Then Felix brings up time. He says, “When I find the time, I will call you.” He was mistaken. We never find time. Have you ever gotten up in the morning and found a couple of hours sitting on the kitchen counter? Never. We make time. We squeeze things in for time. We never find time.

The KJV uses the expression, “more convenient time.” Christianity isn’t “convenient.” It demands of our heart, time and energy. It’s not convenient, not at all. There are convenient stores. Some places will open up more check out lines when crowded to be convenient. There are machines that make things more convenient for us. But there is no convenience with Christ. He demands to be first in your life. He won’t settle for second. Not at all. His way must be the way. He demands to be Lord of your life. He’s not just a divine option. His way or nothing. We need to get this.

The “Felix” of our times are looking for a convenient faith and a convenient church. They want something easy and nice. They want something comfortable and satisfying. A nice church building. A nice audience. A nice message. And a nice commitment. Nothing over the top. Nothing too heavy. Nothing that is going to make a person make a lot of changes. Nice. Convenient.

Remember, that Old Rugged Cross wasn’t very nice nor convenient. It wasn’t sanded smooth. It wasn’t polished with a nice finish. It was rough hewn lumber that would put many splinters into our hand if we rubbed across it. There wasn’t anything pretty or nice about the cross. He went there for us. Remember that.

Convenient time…convenient faith…convenient church…or righteousness, self-control and coming judgment. A faith that makes demands. A faith that makes some frightened.

Don’t settle for what is easy, nice or convenient. Settle with God.

Roger

Jump Start # 287

Acts 24:25 “But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go way for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.’”

  The apostle Paul had been arrested for preaching Jesus Christ. The Jewish hierarchy followed and harassed Paul most of his Christian life. This arrest would begin a long process in which the apostle would stand before different governors, kings and eventually Caesar himself. He would be in and out of prison and finally shipped off to Rome.

  Our passage finds Paul standing before Felix, the appointed governor. I find it interesting what Paul preached about. Our text tells us three things: righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. Those are all personal topics. They involve a look within. The apostles were charged with preaching the gospel. The gospel included our relationship and our responsibility towards God. I doubt that Felix expected those topics to be the discussion of the day. What is refreshing to see is that Paul didn’t discuss wars, world hunger, politics and all the things that one might anticipate. He didn’t even talk about the grand differences between the Jews and the Christians. His words were personal. At the end of the day, this Roman official, was a man, a man like Paul. At the end of the day he needed what all men need and that is the Savior Jesus Christ.

  That is a good lesson for us to remember. The position that one holds does not change his status with God. The boss, the school teacher, the cop, the attorney, the doctor, the governor, the CEO, the senator, the president, at the end of the day all need the same thing that you and I need, and that is to stand right before God, to walk humbly in His ways and to be subject to His will. We are the same in that way.

  Paul talked about three things.

• Righteousness. This is a legal word and it means to be right, or not-guilty. It is God who makes us right. Wrong people, or guilty people can be right by the blood of Jesus Christ. Righteousness is not just a one time event, it is a way of life. God’s people are to walk in righteous ways or “right ways.” There are right ways and wrong ways to about everything in life. There is a right way to be spouse and a wrong way. There is a right way to parenting and a wrong way. There is a right attitude to have in life and a wrong attitude. Righteous ways belong to the Lord. Paul was talking to a low ranking member of the Roman political system that was heaped in corruption, murders and indecencies. Doing right and being right most likely didn’t cross the radar of Felix very often. They operated upon what pleased Caesar and what would advance their career—not unlike what a lot of folks do today. Doing the right thing means a person has a moral compass that is pointing to God. They are thinking about what words they are going to say and what affect their decisions will have. Righteousness is something we all need to think about.

• Self-Control. This is listed as one of the virtues in 2 Peter. Flipping the word around tells us what this means, it is the control of self. Often, folks act as if they are on a run away train and they can’t help the anger or the explosive words or the passion that builds up in them. Under control. Language under control. Thoughts under control. Desires and passion under control. Attitudes under control. Self-control is linked and connected to righteousness. The righteous person wants to be under control. He knows when he is not, he is no longer righteous. Losing his temper and throwing a fit is not very righteous. Letting lust rule your heart is not right. Controlled by self, which is controlled by Christ. How do you get under control. First, you can’t just let things happen. You must think. You must fill your heart with Christ. Every notice a Nascar race when a car is spinning out of control? The driver turns the steering wheel a certain way and holds it there and then he turns it very fast the other way and in an instant the car quits spinning, often avoiding hitting the wall. Do you see a lesson there? Something happens and your attitude, your language is spinning out of control. You grab the wheel of your heart and turn it and you bring it back around. Prayer helps. Looking at Jesus in the gospels is a great help. Under control. Great lesson for Felix. Great lesson for us.

• The Judgment to Come. We will be judged by God. This world will end. Christ will gather the dead. The books will be opened. Those whose names are found in the book of life will enter Heaven, all others will be cast out. This is serious. We are accountable. We can’t live and act and say things without consequences. Our actions point us to Heaven or to Hell.

  Three very serious and very personal topics. Before our verse ends we are told that Felix became frightened. He should have. It ought to frighten us as well. Are you right with God? Is your heart under control? Are you ready to stand before God and be judged? Serious questions. These questions cross all generations. I must think about this as well as Felix had to. He got scared and sent Paul away. Today, about the only place we will hear these topics is in church. And many of us would not return the next week if the preacher talked about these things. These topics won’t make us laugh. We don’t leave thinking what an amazing place. If we listen, these things stun us. They make us reflect. They make us see massive areas that we need help with. They either bring us to God or make us run away. But run all you want, they won’t go away and someday you’ll be faced with these. God wants to know why you are not righteous, why you are not under control and why you are not ready for the judgment.

  Paul did well. He spoke what all needed to hear, even today. Righteous, self control and the judgment. Chew on those today. Give it some thought. Adjust. Make changes. Don’t run from God but run to Him. We need help. We need Him.

Roger