Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Acts chapter 24. Acts 24. The Apostle Paul has now been in prison, in a Roman prison,
for quite a while. Obviously he has been put there
by the grace of God. Steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord. He has had a long time to think
about it. Felix and Drusilla had asked him to Come preach to them. I don't know what prompted it
in their mind. Last week we looked at the message
that Paul had preached before this couple. It was concerning verse 24, the
last part, the faith in Christ. That is, this message was concerning
believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, that He is the hope of sinners, and that He is the only way,
the truth, and the life before God. Paul the Apostle grew up
in religion and he was zealous in his worship of God. Paul the Apostle believed in
God's sovereignty. Paul believed in electing grace. He believed that God had chosen
the Jews. That is what he believed. He believed that the Messiah
was going to come. When the Messiah came, he was
going to redeem In particular, God's people, the Jews. I'm going to tell you something.
Paul had a lot of truth. He knew. Paul believed in the
resurrection. In fact, that's the reason he's
here. The only problem was that Paul like all those in darkness of
sin, trusted in himself that he was righteous. God was going
to do what God had said He was going to do, but it was up to
Paul. And he had a pretty good epitaph concerning himself. He'd tell you. And I tell you the reason that
Paul was so mad at these that were of the way is because they
were professing that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah and that He had come to save
His people which were Jew and Gentile. Boy, the day of Pentecost
kind of settled that issue from all over. And Paul is on his way to Damascus
to settle this issue about these people that were following this
Jesus of Nazareth. He was going to get those who
were of the way. And on the way, you know the
story, the Lord stopped him, knocked him down. He said, He said, I'll tell you who I
am. I'm Jesus of Nazareth, the one that you're persecuting. And Paul said, Lord, what would
you have me to do? He said, I'll tell you what.
He said, you go on into Damascus. It'll be told what you're going
to do. And the Lord spoke to Ananias,
and He said, Ananias, and one Saul of Tarsus. And Ananias said,
Lord, we've heard that he's dealt a
lot of trouble to your people. And the Lord told him, he said,
he's a chosen vessel unto me. He's going to preach. He's going
to preach before Gentiles. He's going to preach before kings.
And he's going to preach before Israel. And here's Paul the Apostle. One called by the grace of God.
And he's sitting in this Roman jail. And he's there to do just
exactly what the Lord's called him to do. And Felix and Drusilla
want to hear him preach. And he preaches, the Scripture
says, concerning the faith in Christ. There's the issue. The issue is what think ye of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul reasoned with them. The
Scripture says, verse 25, just to reiterate very quickly what
I said, he reasoned, he discussed thoroughly of righteousness. That is, the righteousness of
God which is the only righteousness accepted by God in that Christ
is the righteousness of His people. He reasoned of temperance, that
is, self-control, that a man regenerated by the grace of God
follows Christ. My sheep hear My voice. They come to Me. They follow
Me. They walk after Me. They yield
their members, servants, to righteousness. unto holiness. And then he reasoned
of judgment to come that there was a day coming in which all
the books were going to be opened and men were going to be judged
according to their relationship to Christ. Now listen to who
he is preaching to. He is preaching to Felix and
Drusilla, two people that are living very, very Shady, shady
lives. Paul preached to them. And as
Paul reasoned with them, the Scripture says, concerning the
faith in Christ, the response of Felix and Drusilla revealed
something that is absolutely so. Man by nature has no ability in himself to
reconcile himself back to God. I know that. But you listen,
man has absolutely no excuse for his denial of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He has no excuse. None. Men are commanded to repent. And your ability does not relieve
you of that responsibility. None. None. Paul was faithful in what he
preached. He was faithful. They want to
hear him preach? This is what he's going to preach.
He preached unto them faith in Christ. Paul said in Romans 1,
16, 17, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the
Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein in the gospel is
the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is
written, the just shall live by faith." That's what he preached
to them. Righteousness, temperance, judgment. There was nothing that Paul could
have said that would have been more profitable to Felix and
Drusilla that nothing, nothing. He couldn't have told him anything.
He couldn't have patted him on the back. He couldn't have told
Felix what a great job he had done. He couldn't have told him
how beautiful his wife was. Nothing, nothing, nothing. He
preached Christ to him. He was a friend to him. He was
a friend that day. I'm telling you, he was a friend
to these people. And the Scripture says when Paul
preached to them, Felix trembled. He was terrified. He was alarmed. He was fearful. He heard what
Paul had to say concerning faith in Christ. The faith of Christ. But I will tell you this, hearing
the gospel without the quickening power of the Holy Spirit only reveals that a man's conscience
has been cauterized by sin. Now, I'm going to make good on
that. 1 Timothy 4, 1 and 2. Let me read this to you if you
want to turn now. The Spirit speaketh expressly. That in the latter times. That's
an amazing statement that I just read. The Spirit speaketh expressly. Many times we hear of the Spirit
of God speaking the way He speaks. He speaks through the prophets.
He speaks by Christ. That is a word, and to be honest
with you, it's a word that is really not explained any other
way than this. And it's only used one time.
The Spirit speaketh Himself. That in the latter times, some
shall depart from the faith. Not from saving faith, but from
their profession of faith. from the false profession. Now
you know this. If God Almighty calls a man a
woman out of darkness, God keeps him. Men are not lost that God saves. They are kept by the power of
God through faith. But there are many that make
professions of faith, a false profession, a temporary, an outward,
a head knowledge, An understanding of doctrinal truths. Latter times,
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits
and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their
conscience seared, cauterized. You know what it means to cauterize
something. Burn it and just sears it. Having their conscience seared
with a hot iron. Felix and Drusilla, they heard
the Gospel. They heard Paul preach. And Paul
preached and Felix was scared. He heard it. A sower went to sow. And some of
it, the Scripture says, fell among some stony ground. And it seemed to have effect. It seemed it sprung up quickly.
It almost appeared as though that Felix heard something. He
almost thought maybe for a moment, maybe in Paul's mind, he thought
maybe the Lord's done something for him. He trembled. But here's another thing that
was revealed. Something that was even more revealing of the
depravity of a man's heart. And it's what was not said concerning
Drusilla. Nothing. Felix heard it. He trembled. Drusilla, here's
the amazing thing. Verse 24 says, Felix came with
his wife, Drusilla, which was a Jewess. She was born a Jew. A Jew by
birth. A Jew by religion. She had a
Jewish mom and daddy. She came up in the synagogue.
She was taught the Scriptures. She heard, I mean, every week.
I mean, that was the law. She was in church. She heard
day in, day out, from her youth up, came right on up, a Jewess. But salvation is not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor
the will of man, but of God. Man by nature, finds assurance
in everything except the Lord Jesus Christ. I have no idea
what Felix and Drusilla thought in their mind that day. But I
can tell you this, whatever it was in their mind, everything
is okay. They heard the Gospel. Felix
trembled. Drusilla was one that the sower
sowed the seed and it just fell by the wayside and the birds
just came, Satan just plucked it up. Vain in their own imaginations. There was something I know for
a fact that gave them assurance, but it wasn't Christ. How do
you know? And I'll tell you how I know,
by what they said and what they did. The Scripture says that
by a man's words he'll be justified. By a man's words he'll be condemned.
Out of the abundance of a man's heart, his mouth speaks. How do you know that God didn't
do anything for this couple right here? Well, the first thing I
know is that the word that Paul preached Christ Himself had no beauty to either one of
them. Go thy way this time. That's
what He said. Go thy way for this time. What
had He been doing? He'd been preaching to them.
He'd been preaching Christ to them. Oh, the difference that's wrought
in regenerating grace concerning God's Word David said in Psalm
119, 105, Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my
path. You know what is a believer's
guide? The Word of God. What's a believer's
hope? It's the Word of God. Heaven
and earth are going to pass away. Your Word is going to be forever. It's going to endure. The Word
of God. Here was Paul preaching. and
think of the disrespect that was given the Word of God. Here
we are sitting here and a believer hangs on every word. Let me hear of the glory of my
precious Lord. I was thinking as Brother Scott
was reading that Psalm 51. I'm thinking, oh, the plea of
mercy from one that God's called out of darkness. Have mercy on
me. My sin is ever before me. In
sin did my mother conceive me. Blot out my transgressions. Hide
not your face from me. Take not your spirit away from
me. These are things that you know the Lord's promise He's
going to do for His people. He's going to keep them. And
still a believer cries out for that. Lord, have mercy on me. Oh, forsake not your heritage.
And here was Paul preaching of the righteousness of God. And here was their answer. I've heard enough of this. Go
thy way for a little while. God's Word. That's the revelation
of God's thoughts. You don't know what I'm thinking
right now. You know the only way you're going to know? is
when I say something. The Word is the expression of
my mind. That eternal, blessed Word Himself,
the Lord Jesus Christ, the express image of God Almighty the Father. James 1.21 says, Wherefore, lay
apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness." That is, superabundance
of depravity. Lay it aside. "...and receive
with meekness." That is, Lord, I am what I am by the grace of
God. That's meekness. Bowing to the
good providence of Almighty God. That's meekness. Lord, You place
me in a place where I can hear the Word of God. You brought me. Zach, you don't
know how blessed you are. Grandparents bring you, let you
hear the Gospel. Receive with meekness the engrafted
Word which is able to save your souls. The Word of God. That's what we're concerned about.
What do you have for your kids? The Word of God. What do you
got for the young people? The Word of God. What do the
adults do? The Word of God. What else do you teach? Nothing. That's what we've got. Well,
how are they going to understand? Just like everybody else understands.
You preach to them and then when it pleases God, He calls them
out of darkness. That's what you do. You teach
them. Preach as you preach unto children
that they understand. I had a fellow tell me one time,
he said, Marvin, I love it when we have visitors, you always
go back to basics and you always try to be just as plain as you
can. I said, yeah, I know. I wish
I'd remember that. The simplicity of Christ. Here's the second thing I know
about the false assurance at this man they had. Number one,
the first one was that there was no beauty in God's Word.
Go thy way for this time. Here's the second thing. When
I have a convenient season. I don't have time for you right
now, Paul. I don't have time for you and I don't have time
for God. Now that's what he's saying. You know that's what
he's saying. When I have a convenient season, a favorable time of opportunity,
that's what it means. When I say that the time is right, procrastination is nothing more
than, number one, to doubt God's Word. and to toy with your own
eternal soul. 2 Corinthians 6, 2, For he saith,
I have heard thee in a time accepted. That is, a time to receive you. Now, let's listen to the words
of our God. I have heard you in a time that
I determined to receive you. And in the day of salvation have
I succored thee." I've aided you, helped you. Behold, now
is the accepted, the approved time. Behold, now is the day
of salvation. As I've said before, what do
you have but right now? This is it. We've said before, yesterday's
gone. Yesterday's faith is gone. When was I converted? What difference
does it make? When did I really trust the Lord?
Do you trust Him right now? That's the issue. Today, today,
today, this is all you've got. When I have a convenient season,
when I say, Paul, that it's going to be a better time. Paul, right
now, it's not a good time. I've just got stuff. I'm just too busy. I don't have
time. I don't have time to worship
God. I don't have time to listen to you. I don't have time to
listen anymore to what you've got to say when I have a convenient
season. Let me tell you this, the convenient
season is always established by Christ. The convenient season. Ezekiel 16, 6, And when I passed
by thee, and I saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto
thee, When thou wast in thy blood, live. Yea, I said unto thee,
When thou wast in thy blood, live. And I'll tell you this,
when He says live, you live. Because with that Word goes the
power. He speaks, and it is, when I
saw you, when I passed by. Verse 8, Now when I passed by
thee and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love. The Lord said, I said. It's the
time of love. The convenient season is right
now. That's when He said, I said. And I spread my skirt over thee,
I covered thy neck, and as yea, I swear unto thee, and entered
into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest
mine." That's when you do it. We were always His in electing
grace. Always His in His eternal purpose. Always His in love. He said,
but when I passed by and I said to you, this is the time of love. I spread my skirt. I covered you. But my righteousness
made it real to you. I tell you this, the only convenient
season, favorable time of opportunity, is God's. And thirdly, here's
the other evidence of false security. The unbeliever thinks that he's
going to... Well, number one, he thinks he's
going to live forever, which he is, just not the way he thinks. But he thinks he's going to be
saved on his terms. Now, I know that's so. I know
that's so, Neil, from experience. I know that's so. Here's what he said. I will call
for thee. Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season,
I'll call for you." I can remember in my mind, thinking,
growing up in false religion, you know the most ideal situation
as far as being saved is to be able to go through your life
doing whatever you want to do, and then before you die, get
things right with God. Now, you know what? Let me tell you something. I
guarantee you there's some people in here that agree with what
I just said. I mean, I'm talking about false, carnal, rebellious,
dead thinking. I don't want to go to hell. But I mean, one of these days,
I will call for thee. Procrastination
is nothing more than you soothing your dead conscience right now.
That's all it is. I'm going to call on the Lord
whenever I get ready to. Carnal heart. is the most deceitful
thing there is. It's desperately wicked. And
it's deceitful above all things. A dead heart tells the owner
of that dead heart, or the vessel, let me say it like that, all
the souls of the Lord. He does as He will. But it will
lie to you and tell you. Whenever it's good, I know it
ain't good right now. I know you're busy. I know you've
got stuff. But whenever it gets right, what,
whenever things get bad? What, when everything's gone?
What do you think is the right time? How many do you believe were
outside the ark when God shut the door? Everybody except Noah and his
wife. His three sons and their wives
and the animals. How many were alive in Sodom
and Gomorrah when God rained fire from heaven? When do you think the season
was going to get convenient for them? When do you think they
were going to call? How many Egyptians perished in
the Red Sea? I wonder how many of them decided
just before the waters came crashing in on them, I think I'm going
to repent. To procrastinate concerning coming
to Christ for mercy is an eternally dangerous decision. And here's
the bottom line. Men are responsible for refusing
to come to Christ for righteousness and acceptance with God. Nobody
is going to stand before God and say, the reason I'm going
to hell is because you didn't call me. No. I want you to turn to Proverbs
1. I'm going to tell you why men perish. Or I'm going to show
you. Proverbs 1 verse 24. Now you know the God that this
false religious world is preaching. The God of the false religious
world is a God that loves everybody, a God that wants to save everybody,
a God that's trying to do all that He possibly can. He's doing all He can do. Treated as if they're gods. That's the way men are putting
forth. Men of this world. Women of this world. Now you
listen to the Word of God. Proverbs 124, Because I have
called, and ye refused. I have stretched out my hand,
and no man regarded. But ye have said it not, all
my counsel, and would none of my reproof. I also will laugh
at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation,
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and
anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me. But I will not answer. You know why? Because a convenient
season is God's season. Men are not going to lay the
blame of their damnation at the foot of Christ and say it's your
fault. Now listen to me. Almighty God has said, I called
and you refused. Back in 28, they'll call upon
Me, but I will not answer. Men call in a time of distress. You know why? Because they're
under the judgment of God, not for the glory of Christ. They'll
seek Me early, but they shall not find Me, for that they hated
knowledge and did not choose the fear, the respect of the
Lord. They would none of My counsel.
They despised all my reproof. Therefore, shall they eat of
the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices
for the turning away of the simple. Shall slay them and the prosperity
of fools shall destroy them, but whoso hearkeneth unto me
shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil."
Lord willing, in the next couple of weeks I'm going to preach
on this passage. We're going through Proverbs. Listen. It is a dangerous dangerous
thing to procrastinate. Back in Acts, I'll finish this
up. Go thy way for this time. I don't
want to hear what you've got to say anymore. When I have a
convenient season, I'll call for thee. But you know what? Felix talked with Paul. A lot
of times after this day. A lot of times. How do you know? Verse 26, 27. He hoped also that
money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose
him. Wherefore, he sent for him the
oftener and communed with him. But after two years, Portius
Festus came into Felix's room and his Festus took over his
position. And Felix, willing to show the
Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. Paul, I don't really want to
hear what you have to say. God sent a preacher. And Felix and Drusilla heard
him. I tell you, it's a dangerous thing to hear the gospel preached
and shun it. It's a dangerous thing to mock
God. And that's what a man does. He
mocks Him. That's what the Lord said. He said, you mocked Me. A convenient season never came.
The Scripture reveals that Felix called oftener, but it was never
concerning the faith in Christ. Oh, the difference when the Word
of God is brought in power to a needy soul. Paul preached and
a Philippian jailer heard him. And the Spirit of God blessed
it. And that Philippian jailer said, Sirs, what must I do to
be saved? And Paul told him, he said, the
evidence of salvation is that you will believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ. The evidence of a new heart I'll tell you what it is. Christ
is precious to you. His Word is precious. His people
are precious. His time of convenience is precious. Salvation is of the Lord. He found me in mercy. A religious, arrogant sinner
that truly had the same exact attitude that Felix had. That's my attitude. Until Almighty God opens a man's
heart, he cares not for the Word of God. I tell you, a man that God's
done something for, He wants to be where God Almighty
in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, He wants to be where
He's honored. Where do you want to be? I want to be where He's
honored. I want to be where He's preached. Therein is my joy found. Listen to this last passage of
Scripture. Psalm 84.10. This was penned by David. King
David. A man, the Scripture reveals,
after God's own heart. Psalm 84.10, For a day in thy
courts is better than a thousand. I'd rather be a doorkeeper in
the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. I'd rather be a doorkeeper I'd rather be one that God Almighty
has just placed, as far as the world is concerned, the most
inconspicuous doorkeeper. What do you do, doorkeeper? But the Lord has given me a heart
to be here. And I'd rather be here than to dwell in the tents
of wickedness, that Almighty God would cause
a man to hear His voice in a time of convenience. What a blessing. I tell you this, if He's revealed
Himself to you, confess Him. Confess Him in baptism. Acknowledge. Acknowledge. That's what He said. Acknowledge. Thank Him. Bless Him. If He's made that revelation
to you afresh, Lord, thank You. Thank You that You did not feed
me to myself. For Christ's sake, amen.