The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-13
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR OCTOBER II.
Subject: Paul a Prisoner-Beforo
Felix, Acts 24-Golden Text:
Acts 24:16-Commit Verses %,
26-Commentary on the Lesson.

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Felix, Acts 24-Golden Text:
Acts 24:16-Commit Verses 25,
26-Commentary on the Lesson.
TIME.-A. D. So or SO.
PLACE.-Caesarea.
EXPOSITION.-I. Paul's Defense
Before Felix, 1923. Paul was in the
best sense a gentleman and a diplo-
mat (cf. CHI. 26:2). By all proper
means he sought to gain the favor of
those he would win for Christ. One
can be faithful without being brusque
and boorish. This Spirit-given tact
and winsomeness is as much needed
by the one who would acceptably
serve Christ as is Spirit-flled boldness
Of u%tterance. Paul took up the terms
of the indictment brought against
him ". s. and met them with a fiat
and unanswerable denial. 1t is one
thing to make accusations; tits anoth-
or thing to prove them ". 49,. Paul
was a model preacher, he believed
all things which are written in the
law and the prophets" ". 14). Hap
Ply Is the man, who car say what Paul
says here (cf. Luke 24:27, A; John
1926; Matt. 5:18; Mark 7:13). His
enemies accused him of departing
from their ancient Scriptures: he
showed them that, on the contrary,
he believed more fully than they did.
1t is often the case that the real inf
dels call the believers heretics. AS
an athlete keeps himself in rigid ply
steal training, so Paul kept himself
in rigid spiritual training ". 16;
l Cor. 9:24-2D. The object of
this spiritual discipline was Ito
have a conscience void Of Of
Tense" - that is, a conscience that
did not stumble or cause others to
stumble. He sought diligently and
disciplined himself strenuously to
have such a conscience, not only to-
ward God but also toward man. He
sought to,have it not only most Of the
time, but all the time. The kind of
athletics Paul cultivated are sorely in
need of cultivation to-day. 1t was to
bring aims to his nation and not to
do wrong to his nation that Paul had
come to Jerusalem.
III. Felix Terrified, 1926. The
! schemes of the enemies Of Paul and
If Christ had already resulted in CIV
ing Paul an opportunity to preach
Christ to persons who would other-
wise been beyond his reach (cf. PSI
1910. There were few who more
sorely needed preaching to than this
same man Felix and this same woman
Drusilla. How many preachers have
received inspiration and instruction
from Paul's dealing with these. two
profigates in high society. How
many hesitating people have been
brought to an immediate decision for
Christ through the study of the folly
Of Felix. Felix had a mere specula'
tive curiosity in the matter ". "a:
but Paul gave a very practical and
personal turn to his exposition OF
1.-The faith in Christ" He showed
Felix it was not some faraway thing
in the region of metaphysics and
speculation, but something close
home to his own misconduct. Paul
always adapted his preaching to his
audience, but not in the way some
modern preachers adapt their preach
ing to their audience, studying to say
nothing to offend. He went right af-
ter the conscience of the people before
him. Righteousness and s~elf-control
we're just where Felix and Drusilla
we're offenders. Paul had an inf1uen-
tial audience of high social standing,
but he preached the preaching that
some would have us believe is only
adapted for the slums. Felix was
terrified" Well he might be. He
was conducting himself in just the
way that makes 1.-The judgment of
God" a terror. We would do well II
we would so preach that we should
! strike with terror offenders in high
places. Terrifying preaching is great,
ly needed to-day. Indeed, just as
much in our fashionable churches,
where. there is many a modern Felix,
as in our mission halls. 1t is true the
terror of Felix did not do him much
! good, but it came near saving him,
and there are many rich sinners and
many poor sinners to-day whose only
hope is that they may be so terrified
that they will forsake their sins and
accept Christ. What a fool Felix was.
He had seen the blackness of his sin;
he had seen the certainty and the aW-
fulness of the judgment to which he
was hurrying; he had been terrified
and there was but one wise thing to
do, turn from sin and accept Christ,
and only one time to do it-at once
But he waited for a convenient sea-
son, which never came. 1t nev does
for those who wait for it. With many
it is now or never; repent to-day or
be lost eternally. In a few days all
that Felix was thinking about was
how he could make money out of the
man who had opened to him the gate
of heaven.