The godly couple

Luke 2:22-38

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” ^j

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you may now dismiss your servant in peace.

³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,

³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. ^u She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. The New International Version.

40 days after the birth of Jesus his parents came to the temple to dedicate him as the first born son to God.  This was a requirement of every Jewish family and Joseph and Mary were obedient parents.

When they arrived at the temple there were two people they would meet who would have a tremendous impact on their lives through the revelation they shared with them.

Tonight I want to look at these two special people and draw applications to our lives.

Simeon's name means "God hears". He is an example of one who was dedicated to serving the Lord and living a righteous life.  He was waiting for the promise given to him that he would see the fulfillment of the Promised Messiah.  He was one who walked with God and was led of the Holy Spirit to go to the temple at the exact time Joseph, Mary and Jesus would be there.  It was a divine appointment orchestrated by God to reward Simeon for his righteousness and devotion.    We do not know how long he waited from the time he was given the promise until it was fulfilled.  It may have been a short time or possibly several years.  Timing is always in God's hands.  Though Simeon was elderly, he did not lose hope that he would see the Messiah.  When we experience delays in seeing God's promises come to pass it can be discouraging if we do not see things from God's perspective.  His timing is always the right timing.  We cannot lose hope when there are delays but like Simeon be constantly serving while we wait and watch with expectation that God will fulfill his promises to us. While we wait we must continue to be faithful to the life God has called us to live and serve Him whole heartedly.  Simeon did just that.

In my own life there was a period of waiting upon the timing of God to fulfill the desire of my heart to be in full time ministry.  While attending Bible school in Montana I felt that God was calling me into full time ministry and made plans to join the ministry after graduating from the Bible school. I was married at that time and when my wife became pregnant we decided to move back to Minnesota to be nearer to our families when our daughter was born.  I had to find a job and daily searched and took temporary jobs that paid little money.  I finally received a job teaching in a Christian school which provided a steady income and opportunity to work with students.  At the end of the school year, my college roommate contacted me and told me about a job at his dad's church and Christian school.  We decided to take the job working with the youth of the church and teaching at the Christian school. We were there for 3 years and then moved to Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN where I wanted to pursue a master's degree.  This plan did not work out and I returned to teaching at a Christian school for 4 years.  The job was terminated due to low enrollment so I had to seek for work and was hired by the Minneapolis Public Schools as a long term substitute teacher for the next two years. During this time, my wife left and I was served divorce papers.  It was a very difficult time for me and my daughter.  I felt as though the call of God to be in full time ministry was virtually gone.  I spent the next 7 years working with the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center and enjoyed the work that we did.  Yet in my heart there still was this longing to be in ministry but I did not know how or if it would ever come to pass.  Since my desire to go to Seminary did not work out as I thought it would, I began to study through a Seminary that offered a distance learning program. I benefitted greatly from these studies and it kept my hope alive that one day I would have open doors because of the degrees I earned and be able to return to full time ministry.  During these 7 years of working in a non-ministry field God prepared me to be released into full time ministry.  It really was a miracle of his making and he fulfilled the desire of my heart.  His timing is always right and though it may seem slower than we want, it is always for our best.  Wherever you are at in your life, whatever you are waiting for, do not lose hope.  Keep moving forward, stay faithful and devoted to the Lord and he will bring to pass what he has for your life.  Simeon waited and he was rewarded.

Simeon was also a man controlled by the Holy Spirit. Before the Holy Spirit was poured out in Acts 2, the Spirit operated differently by coming upon a person and directing them. This is what happened to Simeon. When the Holy Spirit moved upon him to go to the temple he went.  Had he delayed he may have completely missed the opportunity to see the Savior he had been waiting for.  Being led of the Spirit is an identifying mark we have as children of God. 

Romans 8 .14 for all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 

We have the advantage of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, he is constantly with us. Being Spirit led is something that should be normal in our lives as believers. The challenge we have each day is to choose who will lead us: our fleshly desires, a carnal mind or the spiritual desires.

Being led of the Spirit involves being dead.  As God's children we must put to death our fleshly life so that the life of the Spirit can lead us.  We have this assurance and we can count on the Spirit to be active daily in our lives to lead us into the things of God.  '

Galatians 5:22, 23 

²²But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control;

(NLV)

These are benchmarks we can use to test to see if what we want to do is really in agreement with the Holy Spirit.  If any of these are not evident in what we are planning to do then it should be a check point for us to stop and not proceed with whatever we plan to do.

Being led of the Spirit also involves sensitivity on our part to understand how the Spirit speaks to us.  For many people it is an inner voice, impression, thought or just a word that comes to your mind.  As you walk with the Lord his voice and the leading of the Spirit will become more defined.  As we respond in obedience we will see how the Spirit is guiding us.

We do not know how Simeon was led but we know that he responded to the form of leading he was given. He met Jesus and for him that was all he needed to be fulfilled in this life.  His bucket list was completed. He was now ready to die, his salvation had come.  What a joy it must have been for him to hold Jesus in his arms and make the declaration about him being a light that will shine upon the nations and be the glory of the people of Israel.

In our lives Jesus also must be the one we seek and the one we want to see manifested in our lives.  Simeon saw Jesus in person and it meant the fulfillment of a promise he was given.  He longed to meet the Messiah and was rewarded for his life of devotion to the Lord.  Jesus must be the longing of our hearts as well.  I think all of us want to see him dominate and control our lives.  We want to be like him and experience greater intimacy with him in our daily lives.  As John the Baptist stated, "He must increase and I must decrease."  Jesus wants to be our life as we walk by faith in his promises to us.  It is Christ in us that is the hope of glory.  As we seek him he promises that we will find him and receive all he has for us. I pray that during this next year we will all become greater seekers of Jesus and allow him access to every area of our life so he can make us more like him.  I pray that each of us will grow in intimacy with him and receive fresh revelation from him in our seeking him.

Simeon not only was led of the Holy Spirit to go to the temple but he was used by the Holy Spirit to give prophetic words to Joseph and Mary that predicted the hardships that would come but also the joy that will be the result of what will happen in the future.  The prophecies noted that Jesus would experience rejection and that his mother's heart would be pierced by the pain she felt when this would happen.  But there would also be great joy in others who receive Jesus as the Messiah.  Further he declared that the hearts of the people would be revealed as they accepted and rejected Jesus' identity and mission.

Being led of the Spirit directs us where we should go as well as the words we impart to people under the anointing of the Spirit.  We can count on God to speak to us and through us as we live our lives in holiness and devotion to him.  God will use us to bring words of encouragement and warning to people as we walk closely with him as Simeon did.  He wants to use each one of us as his mouthpiece and by the power of the Holy Spirit he will do it.

The second person in this godly couple was Anna.  She was another person who was rewarded for her devotion to the Lord.  She had been a widow for many years and spent her time in the temple in fasting and prayer.  I love how the Lord connected her with Mary, Joseph and Simeon just as he was speaking to them.  The prophetic words Simeon spoke must have brought great joy to her heart.  She was at the right place at the right time because the Holy Spirit was orchestrating her life.  God is the divine arranger.  He puts people in our lives at the right time and right place to be a blessing to us.  I think he finds great pleasure in doing that for us, giving us surprises along the way just to show us how much he loves us and wants to bless our lives.

When I look back on my life I see many divine appointments, people I met and situations that happened that God orchestrated to bless my life and guide me in decisions I made. I think of our recent outreach to India and Nepal and how God led us to different people at the right time and right place.  One day we were out exploring a community and praying for the people and we met a Hindu man who spoke excellent English.  He helped us get into the community where we shared the gospel with the children and adults and gave some food to the children.  He told me that word got out that we were coming and some of the people in the community called him to ask him why he was helping the Christians, not everyone was in favor of us coming there.  He was more open minded about hearing what other people believed and he had a desire to help people so he saw no problem aiding our group.  We had a great time with the children as well as the adults and I was really thankful for God directing us to meet him.  We had other divine appointments along the way and we saw how God was orchestrating these surprises.

Anna was a prophetess and I am sure she was very familiar with the Messianic prophesies and like Simeon was waiting for their fulfillment.  When she saw the Messiah she must have been thrilled.  I love her response, "she began thanking God and telling everyone in Jerusalem who had been awaiting the coming of the Savior that the Messiah had finally arrived."  She could not contain her joy and had to share the good news with those who like her had been waiting.  I don't think we as Gentiles can fully appreciate what it was like for the people of Israel to finally see the Messiah.  When you look at their history you see all the struggles, times of trial and testing, failures, imprisonment, captivity, abuse but also the times of great blessing they also experienced because of the covenant God had made with them and his great love for them.  The coming of the Messiah had great significance for them.  The Messiah was their hope of finally being delivered from all the troubles they had experienced.  For them it would the beginning of a new age where they would no longer be dominated by other nations and oppressed.   They had great expectations of what would happen when the Messiah came.  When Anna met the Messiah she was thrilled.  Jesus came first for the household of Israel as prophesied but he came also for the Gentiles like you and I.  Meeting Jesus is still the greatest gift one could ever experience.

When people meet the Messiah and receive the gift that God has made possible through him, the response is like Anna's, one of great joy and thankfulness. I received a newsletter from the YWAM Chennai, India base this week and the testimonies of God's power to save and heal were very inspiring.

"Our teams ministered in villages where there were no churches.  Many people heard the gospel and were saved.  They prayed for a paralyzed ex Hindu priest he got saved and later he also began to walk. He was so filled with the Holy Spirit he could not stop crying and praying to Jesus. "

The gospel message is Good News!  It sets people free from all the lies and deception of the devil who loves to keep people in darkness.  We may not always see these kinds of responses but we must continue to share the news with all who are willing to listen and especially with those whom God has prepared to receive the message.  May we have the enthusiasm of Anna to share the gospel at every opportunity.

There are other examples from Anna's life for us to learn from as we approach the New Year and think about what we would like to change or see changed in our lives and ministry.  Anna's dedication to prayer and fasting challenges me.  Here was a widow who could have been doing many other things but she dedicated her singleness to serving the Lord in the temple every day with prayer and fasting.  She was an intercessor and a prophetess whom God gave a great honor in meeting the infant Messiah.  Her life of prayer and fasting indicate her intense desire for the Lord and the relationship she had with him.  Being known as a person of prayer and fasting is a reputation we all should desire.

  The flesh does not want to pray and the devil seems to make sure that we do as little as possible because he does not want us to be in tune with God and led of the Spirit.  When Jesus began his ministry his popularity skyrocketed.  Huge crowds gathered to listen to him and see the miracles he performed.  He was in high demand and had very busy days of ministry.  Yet he made it a point to get away into the wilderness where he previously spent 40 days in prayer and fasting to connect with his Father and receive what he needed to carry out his ministry.  As ministers grow in popularity the demands on their time become even greater and it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you have to say yes to every invitation or fall into pride thinking that you are really someone special.  We must never be too big or too busy to pray. 

As we end this year of 2014 and look forward to the New Year I pray that all of us will make a more concerted effort and spend the time daily in prayer, waiting upon the Lord and being responsive to his directives he communicates to us in prayer.  It is so easy to let the work of the day or other things push out our time of prayer and seeking the Lord.  Our daily communion and connection with the Lord is critical but we also need to set aside special times, maybe even parts of the day or a complete day to really seek Him in prayer and fasting.  We are living in difficult times and I believe that we need to focus more of our time in intercession for our fellow ministers and ministries as well as the billions of lost souls.  Individual prayer as well as corporate prayer are needed desperately in this hour.  Our prayers do accomplish things that we could not accomplish by ourselves.  We underestimate the importance often because we do not see immediate results.  Prayer is an act of faith in a God who calls us to pray because he will respond in his time and way.  It is not meaningless effort but it is powerful beyond our understanding.  I believe that as we spend more time in prayer God will open new doors of ministry or make our ministry more effective.  Andrew Murray was a man of prayer and he made a statement that has always stuck with me, "the sin of prayerlessness ".  Failure to pray indicates that we do not value it properly or that we do not understand its importance in God's Kingdom.  For him it was a sin not to pray because it reflected self-dependence rather than God dependence. 

In Simeon we see a man who served God wholeheartedly and walked in holiness.  We also see a man who did not give up hope that the promise he had been given would be fulfilled.  He was also a man controlled the Holy Spirit who spoke to him and through him to bless Joseph, Mary and Anna.  He was a man who longed to see Jesus and his Kingdom established.  His life speaks volumes to each one of us.

Anna was a prayer warrior and prophetess whom God blessed by allowing her also to meet the Messiah she longed to see.  She was an enthusiastic evangelists who could not keep the good news to herself and wasted no time sharing the good news with others.  Her life of prayer and fasting was rewarded by the Lord.

The lives of this godly couple present a challenge to each of us as we look to the New Year.  God is looking for Simeons and Annas today to carry out his kingdom work.  I pray that each one of us will become examples like they were in the coming year and each day of our lives.

God's Indescribable Gift

God’s Indescribable Gift

¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Cor. 9.15

Christmas is a time of remember God’s greatest gift to us.  In many cultures families and friends send cards or buy gifts for each other as an expression of love and gratitude for each other. It is a time of celebration for followers of Christ as we remember God’s indescribable gift to the world.

As I thought about this wonderful gift we have received in Christ I thought about using the word GIFT as an acronym to express what this gift means to us.

G-Goodness of God-God’s nature is goodness.

Psalms 119:68 “⁶⁸ You are good, and what you do is good…“ .   

Some theologians believe that the primary characteristic of God is that he is good and out of his goodness flows his other attributes. 

 God’s goodness consists of righteousness, holiness, justice, kindness, grace, mercy, and love.^[1]

He always does what is best and it is always good.  We are all recipients of God’s goodness in our lives.  All that we have comes from his desire to express his goodness to us.  Because he is good, he brought us into existence and sustains our lives.  He knew from before the foundation of the world that man whom he created in his image and likeness would not stay faithful to him in spite of the punishment of death.  In his goodness he carried out his plan to make possible our reconciliation and restoration of our relationship with him through giving his Son, Jesus to be the substitute and sacrifice for our sins that separated us from him.  He could have left man in his hopeless condition but because of his intense and immense love for him, he devised a plan to bring salvation.  In the fullness of time Jesus came into the world to reveal the goodness of God and fulfill the desire of God’s heart to save us from our penalty of sin. Through Jesus man could once again have a clear understanding of the goodness of God.  Everything Jesus did revealed the goodness of God to a people who had lost contact with him and had received distorted imagines of him through the religious leaders.  Christmas is the time of year when we can share with others the goodness of God and represent him as he truly is to a world that has a warped or distorted image of Him.

I-Incarnation of God in the flesh through the physical birth of Jesus.

Luke 2:10 -12 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Mat_20:28  even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

 God became man to become the sacrifice that would appease his justice.  The blood of bulls and goats used in the Old Testament sacrifices were never sufficient to take away the sins of man.  They were a shadow and type of sacrifice that only Christ could fulfill.  The blood of an imperfect man could not meet the just demands of a righteous God. God poured out his wrath upon Jesus so that we could be set free from the penalty we deserved. 

Heb_10:12  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God

Jesus had to become a man to fulfill this need but he also became a man to identify with us.  He was tempted in every way as we are yet never sinned.  He understands our weaknesses and struggles.  He understands abuse, rejection, abandonment, fleeing for your life, insults, physical punishment, false accusations, injustice and being misunderstood.  He became a man so that he could carry our infirmities on the cross.  Without his incarnation there would not have been the shedding of blood that was required for the forgiveness of our sins.  For many people they do not understand the necessity of the sacrifice Jesus was for us.  They view God as a savage God who demands blood. 

“This is the 21st century. Must Iron Age customs persist so that we need a human sacrifice? If God loves us deeply and he wants to forgive us, couldn’t he just … forgive us? “http://www.patheos.com/blogs/crossexamined/2013/03/10-reasons-the-crucifixion-story-makes-no-sense-2/

The problem with this thinking is that it does not consider the weight of sin and how much God hates it.  To simply forgive without having paid a penalty for it diminishes the degree of offense sin is to a holy God.  The penalty for sin was clearly established by God and without punishment the justice of God could not be satisfied.  Allowing sin to go unpunished would defy the character of God’s holiness.  Who wants to serve a God that does not care about evil nor does anything about it? God in his love sent Jesus in the flesh to satisfy his justice.

F-Freedom Christ brings to those who believe in him. 

Galatians 5.1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

We of all people are the most free. 

We have received freedom from eternal separation from God through the forgiveness of our sins. Romans 6.22 ²² But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life.

 We have freedom to live as God originally intended for us to live. 

1 john 5.12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

John_8:36  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

We experience freedom to become all that we were created to be and become.  When I was in Nepal on our outreach I asked the Ywamers who worked with us what happened that caused them to convert from Hinduism and Buddhism to Christianity.  The common response was that they had no hope, life was really meaningless and empty for them.  When they found Christ they found true freedom from all the worthless rituals and beliefs that held them captive.  As I walked around Calcutta and Kathmandu and saw the Hindu and Buddhist temples there was such darkness and oppression in them.  The Hindus and Buddhist were very solemn people, rarely did I see anyone smile.  They lived in fear of what could happen to them if they failed to appease their god. 

We are free to love.

Those without Christ and without the power of the Holy Spirit are never free from living a self-centered life. When our lives are controlled by God’s love we are able to love others with unselfish motives. Jealousy, envy and strife are rooted out of our lives. 

Freedom in the future from physical limitations.

When we die we will experience another freedom from the limitations of our physical bodies.  We will be changed and set free from all the physical ailments we experience in this life.  Our bodies will become glorified bodies and we will be able to do things that are not possible in this fleshly body.  Those who find him find true freedom! 

T-Transformation of our minds and our character.

Romans 12.2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect

1 Corinthians 2.16     “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Through the gift of Christ we now have the capacity to have the mind of Christ.  Are minds are renewed to think as Christ thinks.  The Word of God has inherent power to change the way we think to conform our thoughts to God’s ways and not the ways of the world.  Through Christ we become a new creation. 

2Co 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

We are not a modified or improved being but we are a completely new creation.  Our lives are not simply changed but they are exchanged for the life of Christ living in us through the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit.  One of my Bible school teachers said, “I am so glad I was born so that I could be born again!”   Paul the Apostle understood the power of transformation. 

Gal 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

He was a great example of one who was transformed by the power of Christ.  This transformation is an ongoing process.  We never arrive at perfection but we press on to become more like him through the godly choices we make to allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives. I am so thankful for the transformation Christ has done in my life.  All of us have testimonies of how he has worked in us to make us more like him.  Those who do not know him will never experience this wonderful transformation only Christ can do.  

We have so much to be thankful for as we reflect on the indescribable gift God has given to us in Christ.  Many will celebrate Christmas as a traditional holiday but not understand its true meaning and the wonderful gift Christ is to us.  A commercialized Christmas has become a Christ less Christmas for many people.  We of all people have the reason to celebrate and we need to share this message with the world that they too may experience the fullness of God’s gift to them in Christ.

---

^[1] Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., & Harrison, R. K., Thomas Nelson Publishers (Eds.). (1995). In Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

A Troubled Soul

²⁴ Some days later when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ And as he discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul, and for that reason he used to send for him very often and converse with him.

²⁷ After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. (Ac 24:24–27).

 Paul was being held in Caesarea to await trial because of the accusations of the Jews in Jerusalem.  He appeared before Felix, the governor who could not find any fault in Paul but instead of releasing him, held him captive until Lysias could hear his case.  While Paul was waiting Felix with his Jewish wife, Drusilla met with him to find out more about what Paul believed.  Felix and his wife had some knowledge of Christianity. Drusilla was the daughter of Herod Agrippa who was eaten by worms as a judgment for his claim to be god to the people.  Felix had taken her as his wife in an adulterous relationship.  There was something about Paul that was intriguing that caused Felix and Drusilla to find out more about the Way that he was somewhat familiar.

Paul used this opportunity to be a witness to them of the truth that they needed to hear.  He focused on three areas: Righteousness or Justice; Self Control and the Judgment to come.

These 3 areas are critical for us as believers to understand and be able to express to people who are not believers.  These three areas deal with the moral conscience of man.  God has created man with a sense of right and wrong.  There is a moral code written in the heart of man and though it is greatly perverted today there is still within every person a sense of what is right and wrong.  People know what they ought to do or what they should do in given situations regarding moral standards.  This moral law is a reflection of the character of God within man that man cannot escape.

Let's look at these three important areas.

Righteousness or Justice

The Romans were known for their system of justice.  Paul was using his Roman citizenship do be able to have his case heard before the Roman justices.  Felix knew about justice but did not have the courage to acquit Paul of the false accusations brought against him.  Paul used this opportunity to explain to both Felix and his wife, God's standards of righteousness and justice.

The Scriptures clearly teach that God sets the standard of righteousness and from these standards he bases his judgments and his justice.  God is not a man that he should lie.  He does not change his standards to please man.  He cannot be bribed to make exceptions.  His standards are perfect and they are the measure by which he will determine right from wrong. 

The world system today is moving quickly in the direction of relativity.  Absolute truth has been shunned and those who preach it are ridiculed by those who claim there are no absolute standards by which we can judge.  But in stating this they are making a statement that is an absolute truth to them.  They have rejected the Word of God as the standard and replaced it with their own ideas.

Man left on his own drifts away from the moral code God has placed within him.  We read of this happening in the days of Noah when mankind was so corrupt in their thinking and actions that every thought and intention of the heart was bent on evil.  The culture had to be destroyed so that a new culture could replace it through the lineage of Noah who was described as a righteous man and a preacher of righteousness.  The influence of evil was curtailed but not eliminated and God set aside a group of people from the lineage of Abraham through which he would bring the promised Messiah.  As this family grew into a nation and multiplied in Egypt during their captivity, God raised up Moses to bring the nation out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  They were a chosen nation who were called out to become a holy nation, a nation separated from the other nations of the earth that had drifted away from the knowledge of God and were steeped in worshiping other gods.  In order to preserve the nation of Israel God has to institute his laws which defined the moral code that was in opposition to the practices of the other nations.  God's moral code was written in the laws Moses gave to the people that God revealed to him while on Mount Sinai.  These laws reflect the character of God and portray his holiness that he wanted his people to emulate.  They were commandments not suggestions and they are as valid today as they were when they were given. 

Felix and his wife were very familiar with these laws yet were living in violation of them through their adulterous affair.

They must have felt some guilt listening to Paul's explanation yet it was not to the point of bringing them to repentance and faith in Jesus.

The righteousness of God is not attainable for man.  It is impossible for man to make himself righteous according to the standards God has determined. The righteousness that we receive is only through Christ who became our righteousness.  When we give our lives to him his righteousness is given to us.  God looks at us through Christ who became sin for us and through his death, died for us.  Though we are forgiven we are not perfect yet God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ.  Without his righteousness we are condemned to eternal separation because of our failure to keep God's laws.  God's laws were designed to lead us to Christ and receive his gift of righteousness.  The question we must ask is why do people not accept what God has done for us in Christ?  If they know they are imperfect and that God is holy why do they not believe in Christ and accept what he has done to make us in right standing with God?  R. C.  Sproul has stated that the reason God's standards are rejected is because people do not want to be subjected to God.  They do not like God nor the absolute standards he has established and consequently they choose to reject him.  They want to do what they want to do rather than what God has commanded of all mankind. We are witnessing today a great change in social mores that reflect man’s rebellion against the holiness of God.  Jesus predicted that there would be a digression in the last days that would parallel what happened in the days of Noah before the flood.

Self-Control

The second area that Paul addressed with Felix was self-control.  This ability is needed to be able to be obedient to what is known to be true or right.  Felix and his wife did not possess self-control as witnessed by their illicit relationship.  They followed after their fleshly desires.  Their failure is common to all of us.  We know what to do but choose to do otherwise.  We are all guilty of not having self-control over many areas of our lives.  It is not just the addicts who exhibit this, we all do in different areas of our lives.  The body is a great servant but a horrible master when we give in to its demands.  Our minds can become polluted with thoughts and ideas that would put us in prison if they were acted upon.  Our lack of self-control should cause us to cry out to God for help!  Our greatest enemy at times is not the devil or other people it is our own thoughts that are influenced by many sources.  Self-control is the fruit of the Holy Spirit working in us.  He can change our thoughts and provide us the ability to exhibit self-control as we learn to yield to him and allow him to control our lives.  Our human will can bring our actions under control to a degree but our thought life can still be disastrous.  Though we may refrain from taking action our inner compulsion will be toward doing the opposite.  People under the control of the world today want freedom to do whatever they want to do.  This is not freedom, it is anarchy against God.  Man does not want controls in certain areas of his life.  He wants complete freedom so that self-control is not needed.  This leads to addictive behavior and self-control is nonexistent as the habit controls the person and leads them into bondage.  It is a ploy of the devil to offer freedom which leads to captivity and bondage.

It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that we will truly gain self-control. 

⁷ for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control, (2 Tim. 1.7)

It is the hope we can offer to mankind who is trapped in the flesh.  The Holy Spirit can give us true freedom and control over the flesh and the thoughts that are in opposition to God's standards of righteousness.

The Judgment to Come

The final area Paul addressed was the judgment to come.  This is what I believe caused Felix to tremble and say that the conversation needed to end, that is was enough. If there is no judgment then justice cannot truly be served.  Laws that are not enforced and given consequences for their violation lose all power to control people lives and protect them from violators. 

The Scriptures give us an important understanding of God's judgment.

John 3.17 

¹⁷ For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Judgment and wrath are alien to the nature and purpose of God.  God delights to administer mercy and salvation, but He is reluctant to administer wrath and judgment.

⁹ The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

(2 Pe 3:9–10).

God has the sovereign right to be our judge. 1 Peter 1.17  but he has chosen to commit all judgment to the Son.

John 5.22,23

²² The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, ²⁷ and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man.

Jesus has been given the honor of being the judge so that all men will show equal honor to him as they would the Father. Jesus as the Son of Man as well as the Son of God, he is both human and divine and in his judgment he is able to make allowances for all the infirmities and weaknesses of the human flesh.  Yet Christ is also unwilling to administer judgment and has transferred final authority of judgment to the Word of God.

⁴⁷ If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. ⁴⁸ He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. (Jn 12:47–48).

Derek Prince in his book "Eternal Judgment" describes God's judgments of the believer and nonbeliever.

There are 4 main principles of God's judgment found in Romans 2.

First, God's judgment is based on truth.

 ¹ Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. ² We know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who do such things. (Ro 2:1–2).

God's standards for judging do not change.  They are always based on the truth and his word is truth (John 17.17)

This revealed standard of God’s truth applies just as much to the one who judges as to the one who is judged.

Secondly, God’s judgment is "according to his works”.

⁶ For he will render to every man according to his works: (Ro 2:6).

¹⁷ And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.  (1 Pe 1:17–18).

¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. (Re 20:12)

We must be careful not to limit the meaning of the word "deeds or works” merely to external actions, such as can be observed by other human beings. The whole Bible makes it plain that God, in His judgment of man, takes into account not merely external actions, but also the deepest and most secret thoughts, impulses and motives of the heart.

⁵ Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God. (1 Co 4:5)

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb 4:12–13)

The third principle of God’s judgment is stated in Romans chapter 2, verse 11:

¹¹ For God shows no partiality.

God's judgment is not compromised by any external or relational factors.  He is completely unbiased in his judgments.  He cannot be bribed, manipulated, coerced or forced to do anything. Everyone will be treated the same and judged by God’s righteous standards.

The fourth principle of God's judgment is that each person will be judged according to the measure of moral light and understanding made available to him.

 ¹² All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law (Ro 2:12).

Those outside of the law will be judged in accordance with the general revelation of God through creation.

²⁰ Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse;  (Ro 1:20–21).

Those who have greater revelation of God through his word and through the preaching of the gospel will be held to a different standard because they have been given more light.

Three Judgments

There will be three different judgment given.  Each of these judgments will carried out in three different scenes and the Judge will sit on three different seats.

The first will be "the judgment seat of Christ" in which the true followers of Christ will be judged.

The second scene, the seat of judgment is called "the throne of Christ's glory".  Here the Gentiles remaining on the earth at the close of the great tribulation, prior to the setting up of Christ's millennial kingdom upon the earth.

The third scene the seat of judgment is called "a Great White Throne." 

Those to be judged here will be all the remaining dead who will be resurrected at the close of the millennium.

The Judgment seat of Christ

¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And“If the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the impious and sinner appear? (1 Pe 4:17–18).

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body. (2 Co 5:10).

True believers in Christ will be judged individually not as to whether they will be saved or condemned but to determine the rewards they will receive for their works.

 Every act performed by a Christian while here on earth must fall into one or other of two categories—either "good”, or "bad”. There is no third category, no neutrality. Every act of a Christian has definite value of some kind—either positive, or negative. Every act that is not performed in faith and obedience, for the glory of God, is unacceptable to God, and therefore "bad”. It is upon this simple basis, clearly revealed, that, as Christians, each one of us must expect to be judged. In speaking of the place which Christ will occupy while judging Christians, Paul uses the phrase, "the judgment seat of Christ”. The Greek word here translated "judgment seat” is "bema”. This word suggests a raised platform, used for public address. In other passages of the New Testament, it denotes the place of judgment used by the Roman Emperor, or by one of his deputies, to hear and pronounce judgment on cases brought before them.

Since our sins have been blotted out and God has no record of them, we will not be judged for condemnation but we will be judged for rewards.

Our works will be tested to determine their value.

¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Co 3:11–15).

Only that which is of true and enduring value will survive, purified and refined by fire. As we consider this scene of judgment, we may well ask ourselves each one, as Christians: How may I serve Christ in this life, so that my works will stand the test of fire in that day? There are three points concerning which each one of us should examine ourselves. These three points are: 1.Motive; 2.Obedience; 3.Power.

First, we should examine our own motives. Do we do what we do to please ourselves, for our own satisfaction and glory? Or do we sincerely seek to glorify Christ and to do His will?

Second, we should examine ourselves on the point of obedience. Are we seeking to serve Christ according to the principles and the methods revealed in the Word of God? Or are we fashioning our own forms of worship and service, and then attaching to them the name of Christ and the titles and phrases of  New Testament religion?

Third, we should examine ourselves in respect of power. In First Corinthians chapter 4, verse 20, Paul reminds us:

²⁰ For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

Are we seeking to serve God in the inadequacy of our own carnal will and strength? Or have we been renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that we can say like Paul, in Colossians chapter 1, verse 29:

²⁹ For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me.

The Throne of Christ's Glory

This will be the judgment of the Gentiles at the close of the great tribulation.

³¹ “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. (Mt 25:31–33).

"nations" refers to members of all nations except Israel.

The passage states merely that all the members of the Gentile nations—in other words, all Gentiles —will here be gathered before Christ for judgment. All these will be here be judged, not in groups as nations, but each one individually. This is in line with the principle which we have already established—that in every instance the eternal judgments of God concern individuals, not racial groups. Each individual will be required to answer solely for his own life and conduct.

Now the scripture clearly specifies that the judgment which we are now considering, before the throne of Christ’s glory, will be for Gentiles only.  There will be no Jews, and no true Christians. This fact agrees with the general revelation of scripture concerning the close of this present age. There will be no true Christians at this judgment, because all these will already have been raptured and will have entered into their reward, before this judgment ever takes place. There will be no Jews present at this judgment, because by this time Israel, as a nation, will already have passed through her own special judgment, and all Jews who survive this special judgment, will have been reconciled to God through the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah.

The Great White Throne

 ¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; ¹⁵ and if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire  (Re 20:11–15).

At the close of this period of one thousand years of Christ's reign, Satan will make one final attempt to organize the Gentile nations in rebellion against Christ and His kingdom, but this rebellion will be brought to naught by the direct intervention of God. At this time Satan himself will at last be banished forever from earth and will be cast into the lake of fire, to join the anti-Christ and the false prophet, who will already be there. With this defeat of Satan’s last rebellion, all the rebellious amongst those living at that time upon earth will be purged out; and it will then remain to judge the dead of all previous ages. For this purpose, all the dead, who have not previously been resurrected, will at this time be called forth for judgment. In this way the scene will be set for the third and final phase of God’s eternal judgment.

Here is the ultimate end of all sin and rebellion against the authority and the holiness of almighty God: it is to be cast for ever into the lake of everlasting fire. Only those may escape this final judgment whose names are written in the book of life. The names recorded in this book of life are the names of those who have accepted the grace and mercy of God made available to man solely through faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. All those believers who lived in the ages before the cross looked forward by faith to that atonement. All those believers who have lived since the cross have looked back by faith to the same atonement. The only place of reconciliation between God and a sinful world is the cross of Jesus Christ. Apart from the cross, there is no other way of reconciliation to God. All those who have not come to God in faith through the cross of Christ can have no other claim upon God’s mercy and forgiveness. They must therefore be judged according to their own works, and on the basis of these works be rejected forever from the presence of God. At the close of this final judgment will be fulfilled the eternal purpose of God, through Christ, as revealed in Colossians chapter 1, verses 19 and 20.

¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

These verses reveal that it is the final purpose of God to reconcile to Himself by the blood of Christ all things in heaven and in earth. However, this reconciliation does not extend beyond the confines of heaven and earth. It does not concern those who have been consigned to outer darkness and the lake of fire. By the close of this final judgment, all those who have accepted by faith the propitiatory blood of Christ’s cross, will be eternally reconciled to God. Conversely, all those who have not been reconciled in this way will be eternally rejected. Cast out from heaven and earth they must take their place in the lake of fire.

Paul in his conversations with Felix and Priscilla may not have had all the revelation regarding the Judgments to come but whatever he revealed to him was enough to make him tremble. Felix was troubled but not transformed.  He was more concerned about getting money from Paul than the eternal state of his soul.  He trembled but he did not bow and he will one day stand before God to give an account of his life.

Rejecting Christ is a serious matter and those who do need to know the consequences of their decisions.  God does not delight in executing justice, his desire is that all will come to the knowledge of Christ and be reconciled to him.  He allows mankind free will to make it their choice and if they reject him in this life they will not want to be with him in the next life.  God does not force anyone to go to heaven.

In our witness to the lost, we do them no favor if we do not explain to them God’s righteousness and justice, man’s lack of self-control that leads him into sin and the judgment that God will render to every individual. Paul found it to be very important in his conversation with Felix because it addressed serious issues that were holding him back from gaining eternal life.  The same can be said for the majority of people today who have not accepted their condition nor understood God's provision for them.