sign in sign up
<<
Home , Paul the Apostle

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES PART ONE Scripture: :24–27

I. INTRO: - The gives many examples of missed opportunities concerning and service. The philosophers at Mars Hill (:32), “We will hear you again on this matter.” Paul soon left , never to return. - Luke 9:57–62 records the last opportunities of some would-be disciples, but each came up with their own excuses. Remember, let me first bury my father; let me first say good-bye to my family, etc. - Personal Lost Opportunities - No high school reunions - Janet’s college opportunities - Surgery permitting no more children - Missed last opportunity to visit Mom - Funerals I should have done - Weddings I should have done II. THE CHANCE GIVEN TO FELIX | Verse 24 - What’s the chance of Felix meeting the Paul? A. WHAT HE KNEW | Verse 22 - “having more accurate knowledge of the way”: Felix knew but wouldn’t obey. - Possibly from his Jewish wife, Drusilla. She was the youngest daughter of I (the Herod of Acts 12) who had James, the brother of John, killed and wished to kill Simon Peter. - Her brother Agrippa II is the one before whom Paul would soon stand. - Drusilla’s family was well acquainted with , , the disciples and now Paul the Apostle. - “way”—common designation of - “more accurate knowledge”—Felix had acquired accurate knowledge about Christianity. He understood what was being taught as to what it takes to belong to . The “way” had been expounded to him more perfectly, (:26); well acquainted. B. WHO HE WAS | Verse 22 - Drusilla was Felix’s 3rd wife. His first had been a granddaughter of Anthony and Cleopatra. While in her teens, Drusilla had been given in to a king from . With the help of a magician, Felix lured her away from her husband. III. THE TO FELIX | Verses 24–25 - “heard him concerning the in Christ” - Jude 3, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the .” - Paul discussed the and Christian beliefs with them. He zeroed in on every sinner’s dilemma. - This is a picture of :1–5 - “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” - Note how the charge centered in with laser beam on a person’s greatest need. Some scholars believe that it was Drusilla’s curiosity to hear Paul that made her responsible for the interview. A. REASONED ABOUT —HIS PRESENT NEED | Verse 25 - The absolute standard demanded by God’s holy nature. Righteousness means being acceptable to God; a person becomes acceptable to God, “righteous” before Him, through relationship to the only truly righteous one, Jesus Christ. He gives us a right standing before God. - :20–26, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of . But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His through the that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” - :18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit...” B. REASONED ABOUT SELF-CONTROL—HIS POTENTIAL | Verse 25 - Here is a couple who knew nothing of such self-control; a young girl, following her passions into a sinful union with her lover; a worldly-wise man used to getting his own way at all costs by the ruthless exercise of power. - As one receives Christ’s righteousness, they take on His nature, disposition, etc. Lustful passions can become passions of purity by Christ-righteousness. The Spirit-filled life bears self-control as its fruit. C. REASONED ABOUT JUDGMENT TO COME—HIS FUTURE PROSPECTS | Verse 25 - :31, “...because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” - Revelation 20:6, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first . Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” - Acts 24:15, “I have in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” - :27, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment...”