What Are You Waiting For?
Series: Acts
Chuck Sligh
February 11, 2018
TEXT: Acts 24:24-25 - "And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance [self-control], and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee."
INTRODUCTION
Illus.- At exactly 8:02 pm on May 8, 1902, almost 30,000 people died instantly in one of history's worst natural disasters. The IMMEDIATE cause of their deaths was the violent volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée (pron. Pey'lay) on the French colonial island of Martinique which hurled millions of tons of rock and boiling lava and a terrible blast of super-heated air at the town of St. Pierre. - Once the volcano erupted, the townspeople never had a chance. The INDIRECT cause of the catastrophe was the sordid record of human stupidity, greed and political opportunism. The volcano first began misbehaving a full week before the final disaster with a number of clear signals that danger was ahead. But, with few exceptions, none of those in authority made any effort to evacuate the town which lay at the foot of the rumbling volcano
The question should have been asked of every official: "What are you waiting for? Danger is ahead. Why aren't you taking action? What are you waiting for?" Once responsible actions had been initiated by authorities, the same question should have been asked of every citizen: "What are you waiting for? The mountain could blow at any time. Your life is in danger. You must leave to save your lives. What are you waiting for?"
One of the great tragedies of life is that people procrastinate, gambling with their lives. Even more tragic is when people gamble with their souls and their eternal destiny by putting off important spiritual decisions.
In our text, the Roman procurator of that area had a prisoner in custody named Paul, and after an initial hearing, he asked to have a private meeting with him. Perhaps he was intrigued by these Christians and was truly searching for answers. Many scholars believe Felix met with him privately only in hopes of extracting a bribe
Not one to be corrupted by a bribe to get a free pass from prison, Paul did what he always did when he had the chance: he preached the Gospel with Felix and his wife.
1) He spoke to them of FAITH IN CHRIST.
You can have all the good deeds and religion in the world, but they will never impress God one bit. A person must come to a living, abiding FAITH in Jesus Christ.
2) He reasoned with them about RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TEMPERANCE (self-control).
Like most Roman leaders, Felix and his wife were wicked and debauched, so Paul got right to the nub of the matter of the sin in their lives. They desperately needed salvation from their sin through Jesus Christ.
3) And he reasoned with them of JUDGMENT TO COME.
Hebrews 9:27 says, "…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
Every one of us will die, then we'll have to face our Maker. And anyone who has not received God's gift of salvation provided through His Son, Jesus, will be judged by God and cast into the lake of fire.
Paul shared all of this, and whatever Felix's initial motivations were, it made a profound impression upon Felix. Luke, the author of the book of Acts, tells us that Felix trembled with fear. Not everyone responds so dramatically to the Gospel like this, but I've preached before and seen people's literally trembling before God in their seats at church.
I'm sorry Felix didn't turn to the Lord and become a believer that day. He should have done it when the Lord was working in his heart. He should have responded when the Holy Spirit had brought him to the place of conviction and fear and shame before a holy God. I can imagine Paul waiting for Felix's response, thinking to himself, "Come to Christ now before it is everlastingly too late. Felix, what are you waiting for?"
But Felix DIDN'T trust the Lord that day, and there's no evidence he every did. He said to Paul, "Go away for now; I will call for you at a more convenient time." But you know what?-It's never convenient to trust the Lord. Satan will always give you an excuse to put off your most important spiritual decisions. Today in the pit of hades, awaiting his day of judgment before the holy Judge, Felix is wishing he had responded to God when he had a chance.
The writer of Hebrews asked this question "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation." (Hebrews 2:3a)
The great dangers to the souls of mankind are procrastination and neglect of the truths God reveals to you in His Word. Our great task is to challenge people with a question-the same question the authorities of St. Pierre should have asked themselves and their citizens and the same question Paul must have asked Felix. That question is this: "What are you waiting for?" For instance, …
I. SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, "I'LL START LIVING FOR GOD…SOMEDAY."
You've been saved, but you've not given everything over to the Lord in your life. You're holding back in some area that you know God wants you to surrender. Or you've just not gotten around to getting serious for God.
You've been happy as simply a believer, when Jesus calls you to the strong demands of discipleship. Disciples of Jesus are those who have dedicated themselves to God totally. Jesus is the Lord and Master and King in their lives. If God commands, they obey-not perfectly, but that's the overall arc of their lives.
That's what God wants for every single one of us, and you know that-but you've just been putting it off. Let me ask you a question: "What are you waiting for?"
Remember the decisiveness of Joshua? When he came to the River Jordon, he boldly declared, "You folks have a decision to make. You've either got to serve the Lord or the gods of the world. You do what you want. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." That's what you need to say today.
We sing that song, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus." That first verse has to do with being saved - "I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back. No turning back." But sing with me the rest of the song: Though none go with me, still I will follow (3x), No turning back, no turning back. / My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; No turning back (3x), No turning back. / The world behind me, the cross before me (3x), No turning back, no turning back.
God is calling EACH of us to commitment and faithfulness and holiness. What are you waiting for?
II. SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, "I'M GOING TO BE BAPTIZED…SOMEDAY."
The Bible is very clear about the subject of baptism.
First of all, baptism has NOTHING to do with getting you into heaven. Sprinkling a baby doesn't make him a Christian; it just makes him cranky! You can be baptized twenty times any way you want, and if you've never been saved, you'll just go down in the water a dry sinner and come out a wet sinner! Baptism does not, cannot, never could and never will save ANYBODY.
The Bible teaches that we're saved by God's GRACE, through faith in Jesus Christ-PLUS nothing and MINUS nothing. The thief on the cross was never baptized, yet Jesus said, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:42)
Jesus said, "…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3b) So, it's by being "born again," as Jesus calls it, which the Bible also calls "being saved,"-that you enter into a right relationship with God and are made fit for heaven-not by some ordinance or rite called baptism.
But that doesn't mean baptism is not important. Note four things the Bible teaches about water baptism:
1) First, it's commanded by Jesus and the apostles of all who have been saved. - Remember, a disciple OBEYS His Lord and Master.
2) Second, Bible baptism is only to be administered AFTER true salvation.
This is why infant baptism is unscriptural. A baby cannot believe and be saved. Every case of baptism without exception in the Bible was an adult or a child old enough to trust Christ as His Savior.
3) Third, baptism is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. - That's why the only biblical form of baptism is immersion, which means complete submersion under the water. (ILLUSTRATE: arm pointing up = death on cross; arm horizontal = burial of Christ; arm up again = resurrection)
4) Last, the Bible says that baptism is a public confession that you belong to Christ.
Matthew 10:32-33 - "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
Illus. - I often illustrate the power of confession through baptism with the wedding ring illustration. When Susan and I were married, the preacher said that our wedding rings were symbolic of our relationship: The roundness symbolizes unending love; its gold represents the value God places on marriage.
Now if I don't wear a wedding ring, that doesn't mean I'm not married any more than not being baptized means you're not saved. My ring is not my marriage; it's only a symbol of it.
So why do I wear a wedding ring?-As a confession to everyone I come into contact with that I belong to someone and that I am committed to someone, and I'm not ashamed for everyone to know it. And when you are baptized, you're saying you belong to Christ, and you're fully committed to Him and you're not ashamed to declare it.
It's true: baptism is not necessary for salvation-but I'll say this-it's a very important and significant EVIDENCE that you are truly saved. It means you mean business with God. It means you're not going half-measures with God.
So, if you're saved, but haven't been scripturally baptized, "What are you waiting for?"
III. SOME HAVE SAID, "I'M GOING TO GIVE UP THIS OR THAT SIN…SOMEDAY."
You know what sin does to your relationship with God. You know how sin not dealt with in your life stunts your spiritual growth. You know Ephesians 4:30 says, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God…" You know that 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says "Quench not the Spirit."
Whenever we sin we both grieve and quench the Holy Spirit in our lives. Now if God has pinpointed a sin in your life to deal with, what are you waiting for? What sin could possibly be more important than loving God with all your heart?
Jesus said, "If ye love me ye will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
If you really love the Lord the way you sing about in church, how can you willingly disobey the Lord? How can you nurture and excuse and hold onto sin in your life?
Oh listen, clear that out of your life today! Claim 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Confess and forsake your sin and get victory from the Lord today! THAT'S what you need to do, so what are you waiting for?
IV. SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, "I'M GOING TO START TITHING…SOMEDAY."
You already KNOW what the Bible promises to those who tithe. You've just about got Malachi 3:8-10 memorized: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, How have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me…10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
You know all that up in your head already, but in your heart, you haven't had the FAITH to trust the Lord to honor His Word and keep His promises. But let me share one very important truth in the Word of God with you.
The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
You know that stepping out and trusting the Lord in this matter would please the Lord. What are you waiting for?
V. SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, "I'M GOING TO GET AROUND TO READING MY BIBLE AND SPENDING TIME EACH DAY WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER."
And oh, you know you need it! You know that because when you don't, your Christian life isn't what it should be. You know that when you start the day without spiritual food, you find yourself spiritually hungry and weak in the time of temptation. You know that Job said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12)
You know all that-but you're lazy. Christian Felix Weisse said, "Tomorrow, tomorrow, not today / Hear the lazy people say."
Yes, you're busy and you fill your life with too many lesser things that consume your attention and take away your time with the Lord. And so, you know that tomorrow morning, you OUGHT to start your day, and every other day, with a quiet time with the Lord in His Word and prayer.
So, what are you waiting for?
VI. SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, "I'M GOING TO BE SAVED…ONE OF THESE DAYS."
You KNOW you need to have your sins forgiven and be saved from God's judgment. You know you cannot save yourself or even do one thing to earn your salvation. You know that salvation is received only by faith in Jesus Christ. And you know that Paul said, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
You've heard the Gospel and have been encouraged to come to Jesus in repentance and faith as your only hope of salvation-not through good works, or religion, or baptism, or a church or denomination.
No, salvation cannot be earned through ANY amount of human works or effort or through any church or religious rite or activity because Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Now, you know all that.-So what are you waiting for?
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 - "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Jesus has given the invitation. He stands with open arms to receive every repentant, trusting sinner. So, what are you waiting for?
Illus. - The story is told of the steamship Central American which sprang a leak in mid-ocean on a voyage from New York to San Francisco. A vessel, seeing her signal of distress, bore down towards her. Seeing her danger to be imminent, the captain of the rescue ship spoke to the Central American, asking, "What's the problem?"
"We're in bad repair, and going down; lie by till morning," came the reply.
"Let me take your passengers NOW," said the rescue ship captain.
Well, it was night, and the captain of the Central American feared transferring passengers in the dark, lest some might be lost in the confusion, so thinking that they could keep afloat several hours longer, the captain of the Central American replied, "Lie by till morning."
Again, the rescue captain insisted, "You had better let me take them NOW."
But the Central American captain replied again, "Lie by till morning."
About an hour-and-a-half later, her lights were missed, and the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean, all on board perishing in a watery grave because [SAY SLOWLY:] it was thought they could be saved at another time!
A. Dear friend, while salvation is offered to you now, let me urge you to obey the promptings of God's Spirit NOW, or you may be like Felix who procrastinated, thinking he could be saved another day, but that day never came.
CONCLUSION
1. What are you waiting for my friend?-Come to Christ TODAY.
2. What are you waiting for wavering Christian?-Commit yourself again and anew to whole-hearted commitment NOW.
3. What are you waiting for disobedient believer? Delay no longer to be baptized in obedience to Christ's command! If there's unconfessed and unforsaken sin in your life, then turn from it TODAY.
4. What are you waiting for, Christian, about the matter of tithing? - Test the Lord, starting this month and see if God will not bless you above measure.
5. What are you waiting for to reestablish a daily quit time to hear from and worship God? - It will keep you strong and close to the Lord.
