A Terrifying Sermon

by Clem Thurman

Gospel Minutes, Vol. 52, No. 12, March 21, 2003

Revised and outlined by Robert Waters

Introduction:

I.  Text:
"But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard 
 him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.  And as he reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the 
 judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for this time; and when I have a convenient 
 season, I will call thee unto me."  (Acts 24:24,25)
II.  Some of the apostle Paul's most memorable sermons were preached while he was in prison.  

    A.  In this case, Paul had been "arrested" for preaching Christ in Jerusalem.  
        1. Because the Jews plotted to kill Paul, the Roman army officer in charge sent him to Caesarea for 
            his own safety.  
        2. Felix was the proconsul (or governor) at that time, and he hoped to hear Paul and maybe get a bribe 
            from him (vs. 26).  
            a. But when he was brought before Felix, Paul just preached Christ.  
            b. The summation of that sermon was what I just read.

    B. I think it is interesting that Paul make little defense for himself when he was 
        imprisoned in various places.  
        1. He just mainly preached the gospel of Christ.  
        2. Paul later wrote, 
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every 
one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is revealed a righteousness of 
God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:16,17)
            Paul preached that gospel, and no opportunity to preach was wasted -- even in prison!  

III.    Felix is portrayed by historians as a corrupt Roman governor: 
        self-indulgent, dishonest, unjust and immoral.  

        A. It is reported that he took bribes, he kept back funds that should have been sent to Rome, etc.  
            1. History records that shortly after Paul preached to him, Felix was arrested for corrupting his office 
                as governor and was brought to Rome for trial before Caesar.  
            2. After the court found him guilty, he was banished into exile where he died about two years later.  

        B. Such was the character of the man who "was terrified" at the preaching of Paul.  
         
IV.  Now, let us look a little closer at this sermon which Paul preached, and also look more closely at 
       the result of it.


Body
I.    PAUL REASONED OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:

    A. From what we know of Felix, one would be sorely pressed to find a more unrighteous man.
        1.  Bribe-taking, extortion, sexual immorality, theft, drunkenness and such like seemed to be his way of life.  
        2.  Surely, as Felix heard of God's righteousness, and looked at himself and his life-style, he had reason 
             to be terrified.  
        3.  When people on the day of Pentecost heard the gospel, 
"They were pricked in their heart, and asked...What shall we do?"  (Acts 2:37).
            a.  The gospel is designed to "prick the heart" -- that is, to "convict the world of sin"  (Jno. 16:8).  
            b.  So the apostle Paul uses the gospel to do just that.

    B.  One purpose of the gospel is to make people righteous.  
"For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent 
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and 
godly in this present world"  (Titus 2:11,12)
    C.  And if people are to become righteous, two things are necessary: 
         1. Hear the gospel, for "Therein is revealed a (the) righteousness of God"  (Rom. 1:17). 
         2. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ, "That we might become the righteousness of God in him"  (2 Cor. 5:21).  
             a. That was required of kings and governors.  
             b. It is also required of you and me today.


II.  PAUL PREACHED OF SELF-CONTROL

    A.  Immoral, self-indulgence, glutton, drunkard -- few people ever needed a sermon on self-control 
         more than Felix!  
        1.  But we all need that sermon, for we are warned to "abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the 
             soul" (1 Pet. 2:11).  
        2.  And there is as much need for us to practice self-control as there was for Felix.  
             a.  We face the same temptations to which he gave in.  
             b.  Felix needed to learn that he could not do as he pleased without regard to God's will, but 
                  must learn to discipline himself to what is right.  
             c.  But we must all learn that, from the same gospel Paul preached to him.

    B. The "backbone" to do a thing, the grit to stick to the job until the work is done, takes discipline or 
         self-control.  
        1.  The apostle Paul refers to the athletic events as he writes, 
"Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?  Even so run; that ye 
may attain.  And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things.  Now they 
do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible" (1 Cor. 9:24,25)
         2. The dedication and perseverance of top athletes is an excellent example for those who seek 
             to serve Christ and win the crown of life.

    C. Both the positive and the negative are vital to self-control.  
        1. We must have the courage to "stand fast in the faith" (1 Cor. 16:13) and the strength of will to "flee 
            the evil" when we must (2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Cor. 6:14; 10:18).  
        2. The devil is a constant adversary, and Peter warns, 
"Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom 
he may devour, whom withstand stedfast in your faith" (1 Pet. 5:8,9)
          3. To "resist the devil" (Jas. 4:7) and "do that which is right" (Deut. 6:18) requires self-control.


III.  PAUL PREACHED OF THE JUDGMENT TO COME:

    A. For such an ungodly man as Felix, there must have been special terror to hear about the 
        judgment to come.  
        1. The authority of Caesar was enough to terrify law-breakers.  
            a. But a higher power than Caesar was preached by the apostle Paul!  
            b. And what must Felix have thought when he considered standing before God's throne in the 
                final judgment!
        2. Some would scoff, in our "enlightened age," at the "judgment to come."  
            a. But it is certain.  
            b. As God said in Eccl. 12:14, 
"For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden 
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."  
            c. Again, we read clearly, 
"And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this 
cometh judgment" (Heb. 9:27)
              d. And the same apostle Paul who preached to Felix also wrote to the church at Corinth, 
"For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the 
things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad"  (2 Cor. 5:10)
          3. For anyone who is living in a way that he knows violates the will of God, how terrifying it must be 
            to contemplate that "judgment to come."

    B. When Christ describes the "torment" of the unrighteous, he speaks of punishment with fire 
        (Matt. 25:41,46; Mk. 9:48; Lk. 16:24).  
        1. Sophisticated unbelievers have scoffed at the idea of "hell fire," but we find it in God word, 
            which warns us of it!  
            a. It is "the lake of fire and brimstone" where the devil and those that serve him "shall be tormented 
                day and night for ever and ever" (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).  
            b. Is it any wonder that Felix, ungodly and unprepared to meet God in judgment, was "terrified" 
                by the prospect?!  Who wouldn't be?
        2. In view of the judgment to come, how could anyone have  peace with himself if he is not living for Christ?


IV.  THE RESULT OF THIS TERRIFYING SERMON:

    A. Felix replied to Paul's sermon in the same way a lot of folk do today: 
"Go thy way for this time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me" (Acts 24:25)
        1. When Paul reasoned of "righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come," a decision was 
            called for!  
        2. But Felix failed to act: "Go thy way for now", he said.  
        3. But there is nothing in the Bible, nor in secular history, to indicate that Felix ever responded to the 
            demands of the gospel Paul preached.

    B. Felix made a fatal mistake that is still being made by many folk today; he said: "When I have a 
        convenient season."  
        1. But following Jesus Christ is not a matter of convenience, but of conviction! 
            a. Listen to Jesus:
 "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross 
 and follow me" (Matt. 16:24)
              b. Again, the Lord emphasizes that following Him is not a matter of our convenience:  
"Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to 
destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.  For narrow is the gate, and straitened 
the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it" (Matt. 7:13,14)
          2. It is going to cost you something to follow Jesus and partake of the blessings He offers, but, in the long 
            run, it will cost a lot more if you don't!

Conclusion:
I. It is never a convenient time to begin doing the righteousness of God (Psa. 119:172).  
     A. It is not a matter of convenience to practice self-control.  
     B. And the "judgment to come" is not going to be held at our convenience!  
"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  When they 
are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman 
with child; and they shall in no wise escape...Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your 
Lord cometh" (1 Thes. 5:2,3; Matt. 24:42)
II. Living right (putting Jesus first), and thus being ready for the judgment is never a matter of convenience.
     A. The "right time" never came for Felix.
            1.  And it will not come for you and me if we reject dealing with the matter now!
"Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2)
            2. And now is the time to live for God.  
     B. Don't make the mistake Felix did - listen to God, and do what He says.