Textual Sermons                                                                                                                    Power Point Show

Scripture Reading:  Acts 24:22-27

Lessons from Felix

Intro.

1.  Paul accused of being a dissident before Felix, governor of Judea (Acts 24).  Felix had “accurate knowledge of the Way” & delayed a judgment (politically & personally expedient for him to do so).

2.  Felix & his brother (Pallas) had been slaves of Agrippina, Claudius Caesar’s mother; Freed appointed Judean governor by Claudius.

-“With every kind of cruelty & lust, he exercised the authority of a king with the temper of a slave.” (Tacitus)

3.  Felix seduced Drusilla (now 20 yrs old), the wife of Azizus (king of Emesa) & daughter of Herod Agrippa I (murdered James) & sister of Agrippa II & Bernice to leave her husband & marry him. (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XX:7)

4.  Felix: Name means happy, fortunate; He was given an opportunity (through the gospel) to find real & lasting fortune; he rejected it.

5.  Valuable lessons about gospel, the sinner & the urgency of salvation.

I. THE UNIVERSAL NEED OF THE GOSPEL, Acts 24:24.

  A.  Everyone Needs to hear the Gospel, Mk. 16: 15; Col. 1:23.

    1.  Gospel confronts problem of sin, Rom. 3:23; 1:16; Acts 17:30.

    2.  Paul did not prejudge how Felix would react to the gospel; he taught him without charging him with evil motives, Matt. 9:10-13.

    3.  We must speak the gospel without reservation, fear or favor.

II. THE FAITH (GOSPEL) IS REASONABLE, Acts 24:24-25.

  A.  The Gospel:  Words of Truth & Soberness, 26:24-26.

    1.  Truth is reasonable, though not as man would devise it, Isa. 55: 8-9.

    2.  Gospel is both the wisdom & power of God, 1 Cor. 1:18-25.

  B.  We Must Reason from the Gospel to Persuade Sinners, 24:25 (2 Cor. 5:11).

    1.  “To converse, discourse with one, argue, discuss...dispute” (Thayer, 139).

    2.  From the scriptures (Acts 17:2-3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

    3.  Every opportunity (Acts 18:4).

    4.  Must be equipped & ready to do so (1 Pet. 3:15).

III.  WE MUST ADDRESS WHAT OUR AUDIENCE NEEDS TO KNOW & DO, Acts 24:25.

(Treachery / Murderer / Deceit & Adultery…living is open adultery with Drusilla.)

  A.  Courage to Speak the Gospel, Eph. 6:19-20.  Why?

    1.  Souls are at stake (hearer & teacher), Acts 20:20, 26-27.

    2.  Responsibility of every gospel preacher, 1 Cor. 9:16.

    3.  Responsibility of every Christian who loves the lost, Gal. 6:10.

    4.  Resistance & hardship accompanies this work, 2 Tim. 1:8.

  B.  Paul Preached:

    1.  Righteousness, Jno. 16:8-10.

      a.  “Integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, & acting” (Thayer, 149).

      b.  Their sins needed to be exposed, & God’s means of righteousness ex­plained to them, Rom. 1:17.

      c.  Spoke of faith in Christ in order to be righ­teous, Rom. 3:21-22

    2.  Self-control (temperance, KJV), 1 Cor. 9:25.

      a.  “The virtue of one who masters his desires & passions, esp. his sensual appetites.” (Thayer, 167)

      b.  With knowledge, need self-control to do right thing, 2 Pet. 1:6 (Jas. 4:17).

      c.  Where repentance is applied (Acts 26:20).

    3.  The judgment to come, Acts 17:30.

      a.  We face that day, too!  Rom. 14:12

      b.  Fearful to fall into God’s hands a sinner (Heb. 10:31).

IV.  GOD’S TRUTH FRIGHTENS SINNERS, Acts 24:25.

  A.  What the Sinner Does at this Point Determines Eternal Outcome.

    1.  “Thrown into fear” (Thayer, 209).

      a.  Fear leading to obedience, Acts 10:35.  Or…

      b.  Fear leading to denial & rejection of truth…lost, Jno. 3:19-21.

    2.  How does truth affect us?

V. URGENCY OF THE GOSPEL:  NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION, 24:25.

  A.  The Gospel Invitation. 

    -Just saying “If you have a need…” assumes…

    1.  Lost know they have a need.

    2.  Lost know what it is they need.

    3.  Lost know they need to do something to meet their need.

    4.  Lost know what they need to do.

    5.  Lost do not need to be told what to do about their need.

    6.  Lost do not need persuasion to do what they should to be saved.

  B.  Convenience is Sought by One Who is not Willing to Put God First in his Life, Matt. 4:18-22.

    1.  Opportune, personally advantageous (Acts 24:26).

    2.  Following Jesus will always involve sacrifice, 2 Cor. 6:2; Lk. 14:25-27.

Conclusion

   The gospel saves sinners like Felix & Drusilla. Are you lost? Be saved now! (Acts 2:40-41)