Procrastination

The message was brought by Rev. Eddie Foster on May 19, 2024.

Acts 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 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.

If I wanted to make a one-word title from reading this it would be “Procrastination.”  It means to put off or postpone.  The Holy Spirit was dealing with the heart of Felix but he put off salvation.  In Chapter 26 Paul preached to King Agrippa. He told him about his salvation experience on the Damascus Road. Agrippa told Paul he had “almost persuaded” him to become a Christian. He got really close but missed it. I don’t know if a convenient season came for Felix or Agrippa again.

In Matthew 7 we see some contrasts:  houses on rocks or sand.  When storms come I’m glad my life is built on the Rock of Jesus Christ instead of the sinking sand. Is your life on the Rock or the sand?  You’ll perish in the sand. Matthew 7 also speaks of two roads: a broad one where many are headed to destruction and a straight, narrow one with few who are headed to heaven. Get on the straight and narrow road. It may have a minority of people, but you’re saved from the destruction of hell.  There are only two destinations for us after this life:  heaven or hell.  We go to heaven if we trust Jesus Christ as Savior. We don’t get good enough. We can’t do enough good work. What Jesus did on Calvary saves us when the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and we ask God’s forgiveness.  Hell is not a person’s final destination because he/she is an addict or an adulterer. Rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior is the deciding factor. Sins are the byproduct of not receiving Christ. Jesus knocks on the heart’s door, but every person must personally open the door to allow him entrance.

Another contrast is Cain and Abel. They were brothers but very different. Abel wanted to please the Lord and brought the proper sacrifice. Cain wanted religion; it wasn’t good enough. God rejected his offering. Religion won’t get you to heaven. Church membership won’t get you there either.  Elijah/Ahab: what a contrast! The former was a godly man of God; the other was the most wicked king Israel ever had.  David/Goliath are another contrast. David was a young shepherd boy, not a trained warrior. Goliath was an almost 10 foot tall giant, a warrior of the Philistines. David didn’t stand a chance fighting against Goliath. He realized the battle wasn’t his; it was the Lord’s!  He fought in the name of the God of Israel. If your giant is bigger than the god you serve, you need to change gods.

Paul suffered a lot after being saved: many shipwrecks and beatings and perils. Why keep going? I believe he’d say “I can’t without the comforting hand of the Holy Spirit.” That’s what gets us through the storms.  We look at the life of Felix, and we know it was rotten to the core. He connived his way to the top. He took Drusilla away from her husband and they lived in open sin and adultery. Paul was in prison for preaching the gospel. Felix called on Paul to deliver the entertainment on this day. Even preaching to the Governor, he still preached the truth. He didn’t compromise. What was sin years ago still is. We are to hate sin but love the sinner. That’s how we win them.

Paul preached righteousness. God is righteous and demands it from us. The only means we have of attaining it is through Jesus. We receive his righteousness. Adam and Eve’s covering of fig leaves didn’t fit the bill for God. He provided the covering. Isaiah tells us our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. He provided what we needed through his Son’s death on the cross.  Felix fell under conviction. 

Paul preached temperance. This means self-control. No doubt at this event a lack of self-control was on display by all those present. We must have self-control over our flesh so that the Spirit controls our lives.  The Holy Spirit helps us in all matters of the flesh to overcome the temptation to sin.

Paul preached of the judgment to come. Hebrews tells us that it is appointed unto men once to die and after this we all face God in judgment. The saved person will face God at the Judgment Seat of Christ, not to determine salvation–that was decided on this side of death. It’s to receive rewards for what we have done since salvation. The unsaved meet God at the Great White Throne Judgment because they rejected Jesus as Savior. Rest assured we will all appear before God.

What was the response to Paul’s sermon? Felix trembled.  When I preach, it is the Holy Spirit that convicts and God who saves; it’s not me.  Felix trembled but did not receive Christ as Savior. We can avoid hell by coming to Jesus. You DO NOT want to go to hell.  Most people intend to trust Christ but keep putting it off—in other words–procrastinating.  The lie of the devil is tomorrow.  One day there will be no tomorrow for us.  Where will you stand then?  Almost won’t save you. You must accept Jesus Christ in order to go to heaven and avoid meeting God at the judgment of the unsaved.  What about it?