Skip HeitzigSkip Heitzig

Skip's Teachings > 44 Acts - Topical - 1985 > Procrastination: The World of Manana

Message:

SAVE: MP3
Player will resume where you were momentarily. Please wait...

Cancel
Loading player...
Enter your Email Address:

or cancel

Procrastination: The World of Manana
Acts 24:22-27
Skip Heitzig

Acts 24 (NKJV™)
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case."
23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you."
26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Previous | Next Cookies must be enabled to support these options.
44 Acts - Topical - 1985

In this series, Skip Heitzig takes a topical approach to the book of Acts, touching on some of the most significant stories of the early church, its leaders, and the power of the new covenant.


FREE - Download Entire Series (MP3) (Help) | Buy audiobook

Transcript

Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

Procrastination: The World of Manana

Father, we invite Your Holy Spirit to come inside this auditorium this morning for the purpose of making alive Your word to our hearts. You said that He would guide us and lead us into all truth. He would be the comforter. He would bring to our remembrance of things that You have said. We're counting on Him to do that today, Lord. We invite You, Lord, to speak to us. And we pray that we could have ears to hear as You do. For we ask this, Lord, in Jesus's name. Amen.

Verse 22 says, "But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, 'When Lysias, the commander, comes down, I will make a decision on your case.' So he commanded the centurion into keep Paul and to let him have liberty and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.

"And after some days, when Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now, as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, Felix was afraid. And he answered, 'Go away for now. When I have a convenient time, I will call for you.' Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul that he might release him. Therefore, he sent for him the more often and conversed with him. But after two years, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix. And Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound."

Last week, we saw Paul standing before his enemies, loving them, confronting them. He was in Jerusalem. This week, we see Paul standing before governor Felix in Caesarea. Felix, who is the procurator, the governor of the area of Judea and now and Caesarea, Paul is giving his defense, a defense speech before the governor.

As he gives his speech, Felix listens. But then he utters the most tragic words probably in all of the Bible. He says, "When I have a more convenient time, I'll call for you." And he let Paul go. Now, Felix has good intentions here, very good intentions. He's listening. He called for Paul to listen to the message. He had great intentions. But as it has been often said, the way to hell is paved by good intentions.

You know, it's interesting, in the scripture, in the New Testament, there are two men who tremble at the gospel message. The first one is the Philippian jailer. As Paul and Silas are singing songs in the jail at midnight, the Philippian jailer comes trembling and falls on his knees and he says, "What must I do to be saved?" The next one is this person here, Felix, who also trembles at the message, but then procrastinates and he says, oh, when I have a more convenient time, then I'll call for you. Don't call me. I'll call you.

Now, this morning, we want to look at this incident, especially in verses 23, 24, and 25 and follow the steps from the curiosity of Felix to the conviction that he felt in his heart to the case where he procrastinates the gospel away. First of all, in verse 24, it says, "After some days when Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning his faith in Christ."

Paul was sent from Jerusalem from Caesarea because the Jews had a charge against him of blasphemy in the temple. He was taken away to Caesarea, placed on trial before the governor, whose headquarters was in Caesarea.

Now, this man, Felix, was a governor, a procurator of Judea, a very powerful Roman leader. But he was corrupt. He was a selfish Roman leader. And he would accept a bribe. In fact, he often used prisoners when they would come in to get money. If they could fund enough bucks, then he would let them go. In fact, look at verse 26.

Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore, he sent for him more often and conversed with him. He would send for Paul. He said, hey, Paul. I hear that you're pretty well off. Now, I don't know where he got that idea except that in the speech in verse 24, Paul says that he went to Jerusalem to give alms in the temple. And so this governor, Felix, was corrupt. He was selfish. He was willing to accept a bribe. And he sends for Paul more often so that money could be given to him.

Now this woman that's mentioned in these few verses, Drusilla, was perhaps the most beautiful woman in the Roman Empire. She was known worldwide for her beauty, just a good-looking girl. She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa. She was Jewish. Now, at age 16, she got married. And she was married several times after that.

And she used her beauty to advance her position. She always wanted to be in the high social circles. She wanted to be renowned. And so she would use her beauty to get into these places of political prowess.

Then, finally, Felix came into her life. And Felix enticed her to leave her husband and run off with him. And so they did. And they were married without annulling the first marriage, and so they were now living in adultery.

Felix was a wild kind of a person. He was known for cruelty. He had so much power, the whole Roman Empire was backing him. And now Paul is standing, giving his testimony and his defense before Felix.

Now, in verses 1 through 21-- we're not going to read them all. But Paul is standing in front of this governor. He's called on the carpet for the gospel of Jesus Christ. To Felix, this is nothing more than just another religious squabble, an argument-- oh, those Jews coming again bothering me. And the Romans knew that the Jews often had religious squabbles. And so they would listen to them, especially around Israel and Jerusalem.

But this was a different kind of an argument, for Paul speaks about the resurrection from the dead in verse 15 and 16. He says, "I have hope in God which they themselves also accept that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself also strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and toward man."

This struck a chord of curiosity in the heart of Drusilla and Felix. They'd heard about Jesus before. The whole Roman Empire heard about Jesus. But they're curious.

Now, here's something interesting. Drusilla's great grandfather was the Herod the Great, who killed all of the babies in Bethlehem at the time of Christ's birth. Her great uncle was Herod Antipas, who put John the Baptist to death and was also the one who had Jesus stand in front of him at the trial before the crucifixion and asked Jesus to do a magic trick. Hey, I heard about you. Let's see some Houdini magic. And he wouldn't do it. He had nothing to say.

So Drusilla knew this Jesus, heard about him. Felix heard about this Jesus, this resurrection from the dead. And so they were curious. They said, hey, let's get Paul in here. Let's talk to him. And so it says, when Felix-- verse 22-- heard these things, having a more accurate knowledge of the way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, now when Lysias the commander comes down, I'll make a decision on your case.

He let it rest. But notice what happens. He commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide or visit him. And after some days, when Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul-- and notice-- heard him concerning his faith in Christ. He was curious. He sent for him. He asked to hear about his faith in this resurrected Nazarene.

Now it's been said that curiosity killed the cat. But you know curiosity has also led people to Jesus Christ? Curiosity has often been that first step that brings a person in.

Remember the two disciples of Jesus who heard Jesus after John the Baptist would preach? And they heard him and they started following him and they said, "Master, where are you staying?" Jesus said, well, come and see. They were curious. Jesus said, come on and see. I'll show you.

Then Nathanael and Philip were also curious. Peter was curious. And it was that first curious step that led those people on their way to a relationship with God. Nicodemus, seeking Jesus by night, curious. Who is this man? What does he have to say? We've heard a lot of things about Him. We hear Him in the temple. And curiosity was the first step.

When I grew up as a Christian-- that is the last 13 years, 12 years-- I became a Christian during what was called the Jesus Movement in Southern California. And it was a time of curiosity. And I remember going to church. And at some of the Saturday night concerts, our church was a circus tent at that time. And there were thousands of hippies crowded in there, bare feet and long hair, wanting to hear the gospel.

And all of LA and Orange County in California were so curious, many of the church leaders would come by just to see what kind of a place this is. Time magazine would come. Newsweek would come. The network TV crews would be out there at the concerts filming, curious as the world watched. And I remember that God used their curiosity.

I watched one Saturday night some of the network crews as they were filming the concerts. At the time of the altar call, they abandoned their cameras and they went up to accept Jesus Christ. They said, hey, forget this. And their curiosity led them to Jesus. I remember watching television. I was curious when I saw Billy Graham come on. He was curious to me. But that curiosity led me to Jesus Christ.

This curiosity in Felix and Drusilla-- as Paul stands before them giving his defense, he tells them about his faith in Christ. There might be some here today who are a little bit curious as to the gospel. You're curious. What sort of a church would meet in a store anyway?

[LAUGHTER]

What are they up to? Music's a little different. Their style's different. Welcome, my curious friend. Come and see, like Jesus told those two disciples. Curiosity has often been that step. And it was that first step that God was using to draw these two, Felix and Drusilla to the gospel.

Now, what do you think Paul should say to these two people? What do you think Paul the Apostle, this notorious prisoner, this preacher of righteousness, should say to the governor of Judea? Now remember, Paul's on trial for his life. Whatever he would say would determine his future as to his imprisonment or his freedom.

Felix was one of the most wicked, powerful, wealthiest, people in the Roman Empire. With a snap of his fingers, he could command people to be burned at the stake or thrown to the lions.

What do you think Felix thought he would say? As he was curious and sent for Paul, he was probably waiting to hear some new, mysterious kind of a doctrine, and just something that would tickle their ears. They were curious.

But he hears more than he bargained for. You know, I've often put myself in Paul's place. What would I say to these two? I mean, these people can control my life in a sense. I believe in the providence of God, but they could command me to be burned at the stake if I was Paul the Apostle before them.

What do you say to people like that? You should usually be nice to people like that. Hi, guys. How are you doing? Heard a lot about you. Nice dress, Drusilla. I really like it. It's your color. He's on delicate, tender ground.

Let's go on, verse 25. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid. And he said, go away for now. When I have a convenient time, I will call for you. This is the conviction.

And let's look at that for a minute. This word here, he was afraid. I really like how the old King James translates it-- he trembled. And that's probably a more accurate description of what happened. He trembled. He was shaken. As the amplified version says, as he heard him, he became alarmed and terrified.

Now, this scene, I laugh at. Because over here, we see in Caesarea, high on a platform, on a throne, is this great governor, Felix, with all the power and might of Rome. He has an army behind him. He can do anything at the snap of his fingers. People listen to him. When he talks, people listen. And down below this platform in rags and chains is this prisoner, a preacher.

And as you look at the scene, as this preacher delivers his message, an unusual, strange thing happens. The governor, who has all the authority, begins to start shaking. Now, that's weird. Here's a prisoner who has all the confidence in the world, standing boldly before Felix. And Felix, who has all the power on the throne, is trembling. He's shaking.

What made him shake? It was a message that Paul delivered. And he included three things in it. It says in verse 25, as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, Felix was afraid or he trembled. He was shaking.

Now, some of your Bibles may say, if you have headings in them, it might say before this little scene, "Paul's defense before Felix," which I totally disagree with. I think that the tables were reversed at this point. It really wasn't Paul who was shaking for his life. He knew God was in control. He didn't have to defend himself. He just said it like it was.

But it's Felix who's sort of on trial before Paul. As he's convicted in his heart for his own sins, he begins to shake. He begins to tremble. This is sort of like Jesus and Pilate. As Jesus stood before Pilate, Pilate felt the uneasiness. This is a different kind of a prisoner. I've never seen one like this. And Pilate was on trial because the decision that Pilate would make concerning Jesus Christ would determine his own destiny in eternity. And now Felix, this great pompous governor on the throne, starts shaking. And this just sort of cracks me up as I read it.

Now, look at the three things here in the message. He reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. First, righteousness. Paul spoke to the governor about righteousness, which means the quality of being right with God. It would be also translated "rightness," how a person can have a right relationship with God.

I'm sure as Paul stood before Felix, he was telling Felix how that Felix was unrighteous, that all of the righteousness of man is as filthy rags to God. You know, Felix, you might be a pretty good guy in your own heart, but your righteousness is as filthy rags.

But there is a righteousness, that of Jesus Christ. He has paved the way for you by his own blood. You can have a right relationship with God. He can declare you to be righteous. He died on the cross. And I'm sure, knowing Paul and how bold he was, he just shared a straight line, the pure gospel. He reasoned with him about righteousness, how to be right with God.

Now what's interesting to me is Felix's name, the word "Felix," means happy. That's what it's literally translated, one who would be happy. And yet, Felix was anything but happy. He was empty. He's curious. He's got all of the splendor of Rome, all of the wealth of Rome, all of the power of Rome. But he's not happy. If you read secular history about some of the things that this man and his personality, he was anything but happy. He was miserable. He was empty.

And, you know, I've often seen this. Among the few people that I know who have a lot of political power and excessive wealth who are very powerful and very wealthy, often comes this very-- this state of emptiness and misery, often in those people who have so much power that they can reach any dream that they have. They can do anything they want to. They can chase their wildest imagination and it can come true because they have the wealth and they have the power to do it.

Often, I see this burnout among them. Because they chase a dream, it doesn't satisfy. They chase another dream, it doesn't satisfy. They try something else, it doesn't satisfy. And at the end of their lives, they're bitter, they're miserable, because they've tried everything and nothing satisfies. There's no more water left for them to drink. He's not happy. He's miserable. And Paul reasoned with him, first concerning righteousness, how he can have a right relationship with God.

Second of all, self control. Now, this word doesn't mean what a lot of people think it means. A lot of people think self-control means, I'm in charge. I'm in control of every situation. I'm the boss of my life. I have self-control.

It doesn't quite mean that. Self-control means to literally have restraint over one's passions or one's lusts. That's what self-control means. And Paul was reasoning with Felix and Drusilla about having restraint over his own passions. And self-control-- speaking of a life that is not governed by the flesh, but actually a life governed by God, where the lusts of the flesh are not in control.

Now, remember whom Paul is speaking to-- one who is living in adultery, one who is having an illicit sexual affair. And Paul's talking to him about self-control, control over his passions. That's spooky stuff for a guy like Paul to talk about in front of these two people. He's nailing them right on the sin that they're committing. He's speaking to them about the fact that they don't have any self-control. And he's on delicate ground. Remember, his neck is at stake. And Paul's telling them about self-control.

What do you think Paul said to them concerning self-control? Probably a lot what John the Baptist told Herod Antipas concerning self-control. You're living in sin, King. You're committing adultery. God wants to have control over your life, but you're being led by your own lust, by your own passions. Your passions are controlling you. You're not in charge. You're being led. You're in bondage to them. Told him about self-control. Give your life to Jesus, Felix.

And I'm sure Felix heard more than he bargained for. And, you know, when a person is touched at his own sin, he begins to squirm, begins to tremble a little bit. You know, it's interesting. You can talk about everyone else's problems. But when you get close to home and you put your finger on that sensitive nerve of someone else's sin, and they're present, they start to tremble a little bit. They squirm.

Felix knew it was true. He knew he was living in sin. He had a guilty conscience as Paul reasoned to him about self-control. Now today, just mentioning this sin, we might be nailing some people. There might be those among us who've had illicit sexual affairs. And God is putting His finger on it. Might feel a little bit itchy even as we speak right now-- inside, a little uneasy. You know it's true and you're crying out for help. Well, let's go on and see what Felix did about that.

First of all, in verse 25, he not only reasoned about righteousness and self-control, but notice, the judgment that was to come. In other words, he mentioned to the governor that there was the certainty of judgment, that God will certainly judge people's sin, and that there will be a coming judgment as penalty upon the sins of the world.

You know, Felix, one day you're going to stand before God. Right now, I'm your prisoner. I'm standing here before your throne with these chains and you're on the throne. But one day, God's going to be on the throne and you're going to stand before Him. Then what are you going to say?

All that you've done will be called in account before God. There is a coming judgment, O King. And you will be responsible before God at that day of coming judgment. There's a day of reckoning, a day of accounting. Life is not a free-for-all. You just can't do what you want. There will be a day of final accounting before God.

And as he said this, old Felix began to shake. He knew it was true. He wasn't ready to face judgment. He knew that he was living in sin and didn't have control over the passions of his life. He knew that he wasn't righteous before God. And he knew that God was going to judge him. And it says, as Paul reasoned with him concerning these things, he began to be afraid or he began to tremble.

Now I want you to notice the balance in verse 25-- in those short little phrases, the balance of Paul's message, that Paul did not only share the righteousness that God had for him, but judgment that God had for him if he rejected it. And that's the gospel. We can never preach the love of Jesus Christ without the judgment of Jesus Christ. We cannot delude people by saying, oh, God loves you and just do anything you want to in life.

We must tell people God loves you. God died for you. God has a plan for you. But if you reject, the certainty of judgment will fall upon you. There is a balance there to tell people what God has for them, but if they reject, what God has for them in judgment. Paul the Apostle-- I'd like to read this to you-- said in 2 Corinthians 5. Listen to these words.

"We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in his body according to what he has done, whether good or bad." Knowing this, he said, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. He shared righteousness, self-control, and also the certainty of judgment that was to come.

Felix was shaking. It was like arrows going inside of his heart, piercing him. He knew that it was true. And he was scared. And you know what? I never used to think so, but I think now that being scared of judgment is very, very good. I've heard people say, well, he didn't come to Christ for the right motivation. He was scared of Hell. Good! You should be scared of Hell.

You know that Jesus spoke about Hell more than any other person in the Bible? And the things that He said concerning it were devastating. He said it would be better that you cut off your hand and your arm and your eye than your whole body be perishing in Hell. He spoke about it with such intensity. And I believe it's because Jesus had seen Hell. He knew what it was like. He was the Creator of the universe. He created it for Satan and his angels. And He was warning men to flee from it. And it's good to be scared of that. It's not a bad motivation to get saved.

There was a preacher one time in the 1700s in America named Jonathan Edwards. And I'm fascinated at him. I read this sermon every now and then. And in fact, I was reading over it last night. And Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." He wasn't much of a grace preacher.

And he had poor vision and he had a monotone voice. And he would have his Bible in one hand and his sermon completely spelled out. He would just be reading it at a monotone voice. But when he would preach, people would be crying out in the aisle saying, stop! I can't take any more. And they would be weeping and crying to repent, accept Christ.

Incredible. Because he spoke of the sinner walking an icy plank over the fires of hell and it was ready to break any moment, people were terrified when he would preach. Felix was terrified when Paul was preaching. But he's curious. He's convicted. He's trembling. But let's see what happens. Look at the rest of that verse, verse 25.

Felix was afraid, but he answered, "Go away for now. When I have a convenient time, I will call for you." The new English Bible puts it this way-- "You can go now, Paul. And I'll call for you when I get a chance." I'll call you when I get a chance. In other words, don't call me, preacher. I'll call you. Don't call me, God. I'll call you. He trembled. He was afraid.

But that's not good enough. Don't be fooled every time someone has an emotional reaction to the gospel. You know, I have seen a lot of people shed tears when they come to receive Christ. And that's good. I think it's neat as I see God breaking them. But that in itself is not enough. Tears aren't enough to get a person's commitment all the way through their life going.

It takes more than just tears, takes more than just trembling. And I've seen some of the most emotional conversions, and people just touched as they receive Christ. And I've spoken to them a couple weeks later, and they're hard as a rock. What happened? It was all emotionalism. Wasn't a sincere commitment from their heart.

So Felix is trembling. He's convicted. But he says, hey, go away, Paul. When I get time, when I get a chance, I'll call for you. He heard the message of Paul. But he listened to another voice, the voice of procrastination. And we all know that voice very well.

It's the voice that comes in says, hey, what's the rush? Why hurry? You've got a long time. You don't have to make a snap decision now. You don't need to receive Christ as your Savior today. You can wait. Think about it. It's a big step. You're too young, he says to the people who are young. To the middle-aged, he says, you're too busy. To the elderly, he says, you're too old. Wait.

You see, the response of this man, Felix, was not a blatant denial of Jesus Christ. He didn't say, hey, there's no Jesus! There's no Heaven! There's no Hell! Simply there's no hurry. The tragedy is this-- that convenient season never came. He died a miserable man without Christ.

And he says in verse 26, "Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him that he might release him. Therefore, he sent for him more often and conversed with him." But it was for monetary reasons. It wasn't to hear the gospel this time. But after two years, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix. And Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound. The old, favorite catchword, mañana-- that was his philosophy.

Now, one commentator called these words the most tragic words in the Bible. And I thought about that-- the most tragic words in the Bible. There's a lot of scary words in the Bible. For example, think of the children of Israel as they were going out of Egypt and they were in the wilderness.

And they were so angry and bitter at God that they finally declared, oh, would to God, or, would that we had never heard of God and ever come out here in the wilderness. I wish we would have died in Egypt and never followed Moses or God. Boy, that's a scary kind of a sentence for someone to say. For someone to just say, I wish I never would've followed God out here-- that's tragic.

Or what about Job's wife after Job had this calamity come upon him and lost his family and was sick? And his wife said, curse God, Job, and commit suicide. That's scary.

But these words, "I'll call for you when I get a chance," I think are the most tragic simply because everyone is saying them. You see, most people won't deny blatantly that God doesn't exist. They won't say, oh, I don't even believe in God. But they'll say tomorrow. When I get a chance, I'll give my life to Jesus Christ. When it's convenient for me, then I'll call upon the Lord.

Do you realize that most people never intend to be damned? Now I'll just be gut-level with you now. Most people never ever intend to be damned and fall into Hell. Most people intend to be saved. But it's tomorrow that they intend to be saved, when I get a chance, when life isn't so busy. After I pursue this or that, then I'll get saved.

And I think that is one of Satan's best tricks, procrastination. You see, Satan won't come and whisper in your ear, there is no God. The Bible is inaccurate. Oh, he'll do those tricks too. But often, Satan will come and whisper to people, there is a God. He is the Creator. He sent his son, Jesus Christ. And He is the only hope. And the Bible is the word of God. But why hurry? Wait. You've got a long time to think about it. You're too young. And all of the flaky excuses for procrastination.

But eight years ago, I knew a man. God spoke a lesson to me through this man. I had been preaching the gospel to him for about three, four years every time I saw him, which was quite often. One night, I was giving a Bible study in the city where he lived. And God told me to go over to his house, preach the gospel to him.

So I knocked on his door and woke him out of bed. I said, [GULP] I want to talk to you about your soul. And he listened to me. Very congenial person. He listened to me, what I had to say. Before, he used to get angry with me. I said, you know, you don't know how long you have to live. You might die in the next few weeks. He was a motorcycle rider. You might die and be forever in eternity without Jesus Christ. Are you ready?

I mean, think about that. That's not just a little preacher talk, are you ready for it? So that's the chance I'll have to take. Two weeks later, he was killed. The reason that spoke to me is that he was my brother. And it was such a message to me that procrastination kills people, steals their salvation forever.

You see, atheism has slain its thousands. Procrastination has slain its tens of thousands. Everyone intends to be saved, but later. That's why this morning, I beg of you, don't wait another day. If you don't know Jesus Christ, you're fooling yourself.

Now, to the Christians, we also can be fooled. And I want to say, beware to all of us who also procrastinate. We can say these same things, can't we? I'm going to rededicate my life to Jesus tomorrow. I'm really going to serve God and live for God when I get a chance. I'm really going to get my marriage straightened up and together later on. I'm really going to be dedicated some other time.

But take another look at that attitude. That's a con job. That's a lie. Tomorrow really never comes. That "later on" has a capability of slipping farther and farther away from us till we can't grab on anymore. It's just a con job. "When I have a convenient season" is a lie of Satan. I'll serve God and pour out my life later on.

The word that you and I need to use as Christians, or if you're a non-Christian, is the word "now," "today." If we're going to serve God, it's got to be today, not later on. Christian life must be lived in the present, not the future. I'm going to serve God now. I'm going to dedicate my life to Jesus now. I'm going to fully live for Him and be dedicated to Him now. I'm going to consecrate my marriage to the Lord today. I'm not going to wait any longer. I'm not going to walk away from God this time. That's what we need to say.

I'd like to read something to you. Before I do, I want to tell you a story. This is a true story. There was a preacher in Texas who lived in a small town. And he tells a story of a young couple, husband and wife, who lived in Texas, tiny little town. And they raised two beautiful, little children.

But early in their marriage when the kids were just starting to grow up, the husband left the wife, ran off, lived with another woman. And this woman had no money-- who was left with the two children. Her husband left her. She was forced to sell the-- to actually leave the house and get an apartment on the other side of town where she was poor.

And for a living, she would wash people's clothes. She would do laundry in the neighborhoods to support her two children, to raise them through school. And she managed to pour out her life and sacrifice and get enough money to send her children to school, give them piano lessons. Childhood years turned into teenage years. The teenage teenagers finally brought forth adults.

Finally, when they were adults, two young, beautiful ladies-- and this woman had spent all of her life raising these two kids-- and they finally left, one day, a knock [KNOCKING] at the door came. She opened the door. And she looked into a face that was faintly familiar, but sort of looked like a stranger. It was her husband. Sin had left its mark on his face. And he looked at her, and he said, dear wife, will you let me come back home? Will you receive me back again? Will you forgive me?

Now, to the astonishment of the neighborhood, she did. She let him back in and she took care of him and he died several years later. She took care of him till the day that he died.

Now, one part of that story is beautiful-- the forgiveness, the love of this woman to pour out her life for her children when her husband left, and then to receive him back and forgive him at the end. But you know what the sad part is? Is that this man went out and lived everything for the world and for sin. And then at the end of his life, when he had a few short years, he dumped his carcass at the feet of his wife and he said, take me back.

Now, that story is to illustrate this truth. God will always use us and take us back. But as Christians, why waste a life doing things that don't count, and then at the very end, after the procrastination, has taken its toll? We dump our carcasses at the feet of God and say, now use me.

Around the corner, I have a friend in this great city that has no end. And he's lost. A fine, strong man, but he's lost. And I always plan to speak to him about God's love, of Christ who came down from Heaven above, and of how He died and the cross to pay the sinners' debt.

I think each day, somehow, I must speak my heart to Jim. Tomorrow, I'll speak to Jim somehow. Tomorrow comes and crowding cares cluttered my day with busy affairs. The day is gone. And again, I vow, tomorrow, I'll speak to Jim somehow. My friend is lost. He does not know the peril he risks.

He must not go year after year like this and die before I tell him how truly I desire to see him give to Christ his heart, repent, believe, and make a new start. But tomorrow comes, tomorrow goes. The difference between us grows and grows. Around the corner yet miles away, here's a telegram, sir. Jim died today. While I delayed, thus came the end. Jim lost his soul and Christ lost a friend.

That's to us Christians not procrastinating on serving God. God will use you today. Pour out your life. I'm not saying that you should all sell your houses and move to Nigeria or China. But I am saying that attitude of serving God and giving God your all must be made today because you'll never make it tomorrow. That convenient season will be like Felix. It never came.

Now, Felix was an unbeliever. And there are some in this room this morning who have heard the gospel message. Every now and then, you're touched a little bit. You might shake a little bit. You know it's the truth. God speaks to your heart. But you say later. I'll just hang around a while and listen to a few more studies, a few more sermons. And as the months go by, it's just a procrastination game.

The final result in verse 26 and 27 staggers me because he sent for Paul often and conversed with him. And then finally after two years, when the other fellow succeeded him, wanting to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul bound. The final result to procrastinating, the conviction that God put on his heart was that pretty soon, he was unable to respond.

Now this is the danger of hearing the gospel message and not responding, is that you first hear it, it moves you. You tremble inside. You know it's the truth. But you put it off. The next time you hear it, you tremble a little less. The next time you hear it, a little less. The next time you're moved even less. So pretty soon, it's easy to just say, don't need it. That's what's so scary, is that you can be paralyzed in your soul.

You know, if I took my arm and if you bound it to my body and left it there long enough and I didn't use it-- you took off the bandages, it would be paralyzed. I couldn't use it. The nerves would atrophy.

A soul can atrophy. If it is not exercising, spiritually, it can atrophy. We become dull in the senses. Remember that people that Jesus spoke to-- He went one time and He says, and they could not believe because of the hardness of their heart. They couldn't. It rejected so long. That's what procrastination can yield. Now I'd like all of us to bow our heads and pray.

Father, I pray right now for those who are curious, those who are convicted, those who have come and have heard. And this isn't their first time. Maybe it is for some of them. Lord, they have run with Christian crowds. They've said Christian things. But they've never yielded their lives to Jesus. And they keep saying, oh, I'll do it someday. Lord, it's for those that I specifically pray right now.

And Father, I would ask that as You speak to their hearts, they will not listen to that old enemy, that thief, procrastination. They won't say mañana. They'll say today. Today is the day of salvation. Lord, I just plead with You, Lord, to touch their hearts, to bring them that conviction. Give them the strength to yield to You that decision.

Additional Messages in this Series

Show expand

 
Date Title   Watch Listen Notes Share Save Buy
3/10/1985
completed
resume  
The Normal Church
Acts 2:40-47
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
3/17/1985
completed
resume  
Eavesdropping on a Powerful Prayer
Acts 4:23-31
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
3/24/1985
completed
resume  
Gifted to Serve
Acts 6:1-7
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
3/31/1985
completed
resume  
Paradox of Persecution
Acts 8:1-8
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
4/7/1985
completed
resume  
Blueprint of Saul's Life
Acts 9:15-16
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
4/14/1985
completed
resume  
Barnabas: The Man and His Message
Acts 11:22-23
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
5/19/1985
completed
resume  
Paul's Sermon on the Sabbath
Acts 13:38-41
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Transcript Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
5/26/1985
completed
resume  
Religion and Relationships: What's The Difference?
Acts 15:1-12
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Transcript Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
6/23/1985
completed
resume  
Alone in Athens
Acts 17:15-17
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
6/30/1985
completed
resume  
Which Way Should I Go?
Acts 20:1-3
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
7/7/1985
completed
resume  
Facing Your Enemies
Acts 20-22
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
7/21/1985
completed
resume  
A Fool for Jesus
Acts 26:24-26
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
7/28/1985
completed
resume  
Storms That Bring Change
Acts 27
Skip Heitzig
  Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Audio (MP3)
 
There are 13 additional messages in this series.
© Copyright 2024 Connection Communications | 1-800-922-1888