From the pulpit
Sparks From The Gospel Anvil Acts 24:25
Here is a picture that is worthy to paint. We see three people, one is God’s messenger, the other two are a man and woman who were living a very sinful life. But something about the Apostle Paul fascinated this man named Felix and so, “He sent for Paul and heard him concerning faith in Christ.”
There are those that can preach to the crowd, but it takes a man with the vision of the cross to preach to only two people. And when we have the right spirit we shall see in one person something worth preaching to. There sat Drusilla, there sat Felix and here stood Paul, shackled with chains, but freedom in Christ, while Felix and Drusilla were shackled in sin. They were bound to their lust, for Felix had another man’s wife.
The Apostle Paul was there to speak and say, “Thus saith the Lord.” And Paul seemed to take in the whole situation and to realize that this was his only chance of dealing personally, pointedly, piercingly with this sinner in front of him and the other sinner beside him. And so Paul reasoned – of the cross? Not to begin with. Of the shed blood? No. Did he preach from the Scriptures, “For God so loved the world…” No. Did he say, “He that believeth on the Son shall be saved.” No. He reasoned of righteousness, he talked about God’s holiness. He talked about God’s love for holiness and righteousness and how it was His purpose to lift men into that atmosphere. And Paul talked about God’s hatred for sin and Paul made sin appear as sin. Paul did not excuse sin. He brought his listeners to the light and into the presence of God’s purity.
He talked of righteousness and I don’t think that that side of the truth in these days is enforced as it ought to be. We have preached the love of God till some are lovesick. You know God’s love; what you need to be told and what I mean to tell you before I get through, is that God hates sin as much today as when Christ hung on the tree to put it away, and that He does not look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
Paul reasoned of righteousness to a man who was unrighteous, he talked about self-control – temperance – to the man who was intemperate and whose passion was running wild. The man within was a riot and his whole being was in a state of anarchy, a rebel.
Oh, to have listened to Paul, to have heard him as he waxed fiery as he talked of righteousness and of judgment! Oh, to have seen the flash in his eye and his finger pointed as you can hear the chains rattle as he lifts his hand, pointing to the great white throne. Just to see Paul as he spoke the truth upon those two people like a mighty thunderclap into their conscience and into their brain until they shook, until the seat shook on which they sat, until Felix clutched his seat and said, “Hold on Paul! That will do. I know it is true, I have heard as much as I can carry, I have got as much as I can bear; that will do, when I have a convenient time I will call you.”
Listen, Felix had his chance and he denied Paul and Paul’s Christ. It is a choice between sin and holiness. It is a tremendous choice, but there can be no two opinions about it. If you look at it wisely and well, it is a choice between the high and the low, the earthly and the heavenly, time and eternity, the perishable and the imperishable.
Men, women, boys and girls of the Lord Almighty, let us rise to the occasion and take hold of the Master’s hand. Don’t hug your sin. God wants to not only save you, but those around you. “He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” is what God’s Word says. It is not God’s fault if a man goes to hell, God does not send him or her there, they send themselves. You don’t go to hell because you are a sinner, but because you refuse to surrender your life to Christ and be saved. Only God has made this possible to all of mankind.
(Lieutenant Charles Smith is commanding officer of the Salvation Army of El Dorado).
Ancient Words— Power of the Covenant
After Hannah gives birth to Samuel, the Ancient Words record historical events involving the transition of Israel from a nation ruled by judges to a nation ruled by a king. The events leading to Samuel becoming judge, prophet and priest are recounted in 1 Samuel 3-7.
Israel is at war with the Philistines and Israel is not faring well. Over 4,000 soldiers are killed in a defeat from this enemy so a plan is followed to bring the Ark of the Covenant out from its resting place in Shiloh to the battlefield. The wicked sons of the priest, Eli, attend to this move.
Remember the sons, Hophni and Phinehas, have been anything but honest and dedicated to the commandments, the covenant, inside the ark. Stealing and adultery have not been one-time mistakes; they have been a way of life for them…. and Eli, their father, has turned a blind eye to his sons’ evil actions for years. The Philistines are alarmed, as the shouts which “shook the ground” echo from the Israel camp and as the Ark of the Covenant is delivered.
Nonetheless, the Philistines engage the forces of Israel and to Israel’s dismay, defeat their opponents and Israel loses 30,000 foot soldiers, loses the Ark of the Covenant, and loses the two priestly sons of Eli. A messenger brings word of this great loss to Eli and the event is described in 1 Sam. 4:18, “When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died for he was an old man and heavy.
He had led
Israel 40 years.”
Samuel had received the prediction of Eli’s death back in 1 Sam. 3:11-14 directly from the Lord, himself. “For I (God) told him (Eli) that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, the guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”
The covenant was not honored by Eli or his sons. Eli had plenty of time to restrain and teach his sons—about 40 years—but he failed. When the covenant was honored and respected by Joshua, victory was always certain for Israel because of the power of the covenant. When other leaders or judges placed their trust and obedience to the covenant, like Gideon or Sampson, victory was certain for Israel because of the power of the covenant. But when the nation’s leader, Eli, allowed the covenant to be shamed by the lives of his sons, the power of the covenant was turned against the very ones who claimed it. Eli is out and Samuel is in!
Jesus, as Priest, is the mediator of the New Covenant as taught in Hebrews 7-10. He has become the guarantee of a better covenant and an even more powerful covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance of eternal life.
But just like Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (Heb 10:26-31).
The Ancient Words record, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Heb 10:37-39).
The power of the old covenant contained in a wooden chest is seen in the Ancient Words. The power of the new covenant contained in the heart of our chest is seen by the life we live through Christ our Lord and our Redeemer. The blood of the new covenant is powerful to forgive, the flesh of the new covenant is powerful to renew. “This is the covenant I will make with them…I will put my laws in their hearts and I will write them in their minds.”
(Scott Johnson is pastor at East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible).