Sermon by Rev Erlo Stegen, 7 October 2001

KSB SUNDAY SERVICE 10/07/2001 11 AM

Text:  Acts 24:24-26:32

"And Festus said, 'King Agrippa, . behold this man
.Jews declaring that he ought not to live any longer .
he had committed nothing worthy of death . I have
brought him before you all and . King Agrippa, .
absurd . not to indicate the charges against him'
Agrippa said to Paul, '.speak for yourself'.  Then
Paul . made his defense . 'King Agrippa, do you
believe.?' Agrippa replied . 'In a short time you will
persuade me to become a Christian.'  Paul said, 'I
would to God . all who hear me this day, might become
such as I..'They began talking . 'This man is not
doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.'."

MESSAGE:

Paul was first before Festus, who was the Roman
Governor in that area.  The Jews had set in their
hearts to kill Paul and had conspired and promised not
to eat or drink until Paul was dead.  Paul found out.
At about 9 p.m. a garrison of soldiers arrived to
protect Paul and transfer him to Felix, the Judge and
representative of Rome. 

BACKGROUND:

Felix was unrighteous and unjust in his rulership and
arrived with his wife Drusilla.  She had an infamous
reputation.  Felix was like Herod who chopped off the
head of John the Baptist.  This Felix had also taken
the wife of someone's husband.  Just like Drusilla had
been betrothed to another.  But first the man had to
be circumcised; however, the marriage didn't last long

Fetus was enticed by Drusilla's beauty, so he wooed
her and enticed her to forsake her husband who was a
King, and marry him instead.  She divorced Festus for
Felix.  We don't know for certain if they got married
properly, or if they just lived together.  So Felix
had robbed Festus of Drusilla.  That's the kind of
woman Drusilla was and remember, these were leading
men in the government.  Felix was driven by desire,
showing no honor to the marriage bed.

MESSAGE:

Paul stood before Felix and Drusilla, a Jewess.  Paul
wasted no time, a man of the Gospel.  Felix inquired
about this Christian faith.  Paul spoke to the heart
of the matter,   " .righteousness, self-control and
judgment of God.." 

Felix trembled with fear.  "Go away for the moment,
I'll see if we get another time on another day..." You
see, Felix loved money, women, honor and fame more
than hearing about the Judgment of God.  Are there any
in our midst today who also do this?

In Greek, the word for "time" is "Kairos".  It means,
"this is the moment for decision".
The Greek word "Chromes" means, "passing of time in
general".

Paul spoke of "Kairos".  When he spoke of repentance,
"This is the time - the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."

Felix said, "Go away for a better time" or "Kairos".
Felix would never again have such an opportunity to
depart from sin.  He likes to discuss or debate, but
Paul cut through all that.  "You are going to face
judgment.."  The "Kairos" moment.

Why did he not repent?  Perhaps because he knew
Drusilla didn't like Paul.  Felix said, "I won't use
this Kairos (time) but another Kairos (a more convenient
time").

He imprisoned Paul two years, visited with him often
because he was looking for Paul to pay a "bribe" to be
free.  Rather, Paul stayed in prison.  It was illegal
for a Roman citizen to seek a bribe.  A Roman caught
doing this would be deported and the bribe
confiscated.  Felix was a corrupt man.

Today in South Africa, bribery and corruption is
common among government officials.  Paul spoke of
righteousness, therefore, we must also be righteous.
In marriage, parting I only permitted through death or
adultery.  Felix was convicted.  There is a righteous
God of heaven. 

EXAMPLE:

An immoral woman went to see a doctor who was a
Christian.  While sitting in the waiting room, she
wondered, "What are the 10 commandments".  She'd never
been to church.  Suddenly she saw a black book on the
magazine table in the reception room.  "Is it a
Bible?" she wondered.  She picked it up, and quite by
chance and the leading of the Holy Spirit, opened to
Exodus 20, and read, "Do not kill." 

These 3 words hit her like a bolt of lightening from
heaven, and for the first time in her life, she began
weeping.  She couldn't stop.  She cried and cried
until finally the receptionist noticed.  She told the
doctor.  He decided to take her as the next patient.
She began, "I'm not a believer, I've never been to
church, but doctor, I've been pregnant 16 times and I
aborted all those children . I'm going to hell . how
can I stand before a righteous God?"  The doctor
counseled her to repent, and told her of God's
forgiveness.

You can't bluff your way out of Judgment and think
that God won't see it.  Felix should have been afraid.
 Perhaps he remembered his sins at home, at school,
during his college days, and as a leader.  When it
comes to self-control, where do you stand?  Perhaps
Drusilla's conscience was dead.  If you resist His
voice, you become hardened. 

Paul painted a picture for Felix, "Though you are a
Judge yourself, you will be judged."  Many preachers
cannot preach like this today.

In the book of Revelation, John, even as an old man,
saw the Lord Jesus.  He fell down like a dead man.
When he was younger, he had even rested his head on
Jesus' chest.  But now, he saw Jesus' face, which
shown brighter than the sun; His hair was whiter than
snow; He wore the Judge's gown; His feet glistened
like bronze from the furnace.

The problem today is that many churches do not know
what He looks like when He walks among His people.  If
they knew how He was, they would see His
righteousness, as John did.  This would convict people
of their sins in churches today.

CONCLUSION:

Are you ready for Judgment Day?  Are you living a pure
life?  A moral life?  Not according to what YOU think
you are, but according to what you THINK?  Your
"Kairos" moment has come.  Don't be like Felix.  What
steps will YOU take?  What decision will YOU make?

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