THE KING’S BUSINESS
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exposes in the shrewdest way the utter baselessness of the charges brought against him. Thursday, April 26. Acts 24:22-26. The schemes of the enemies of Paul and of Christ had but resulted in giving Paul an opportunity to preacl) Christ to persons who would otherwise have been beyond his reach. How wonderfully God makes 'the wrath of men to praise Him (Ps. 76:10). There were few people who morfe sorely needed preaching to than this same man Felix, and this same woman Drusilla. It may be said that nothing came of the preaching, but in fact very much came of it. How many preachers have received inspiration and instruction from Paul’s method of dealing with those two profli gates in high society? How many hesi tating people have been brought to an immediate decision for Christ through a study of the folly of Felix? Felix had desired to learn “concerning the faith in Christ Jesus,” but Felix’s desire arose from a mere speculative curiosity in the matter. Paul, however, gave a very prac tical and personal turn to his- exposition of “the faith in Christ -Jesus,” he showed Felix that it was not some faraway thing in the realm of metaphysics and specula tion, 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 preaching to their audience, i. e., by study ing to say nothing to offend. Paul went right after the conscience of the people before him. “Righteousness and £self- control” were just the matters in which Felix and Drusilla were offenders. There is a great need of Pauls today. Paul had an influential audience of high social stand ing, but he preached the preaching that some in this day would have us believe is adapted only for the slums. The results of the preaching were marked and imme diate, “Felix was terrified.” Well he might be, he was conducting himself in just the way that makes “the judgment to come”
and which part not to believe. Yet poor Paul was a pretty successful preacher after all, and possibly his name may endure after some of these modern scholars who, “pro fessing themselves to be wise, have become fools” (Rom. 1:22), are forgotten. Happy is the man who can say what Paul here says, “I believe all things which are accord ing to the law, and which are Written in the prophets.” Can you say it? Jesus could say it (Luke 24:27, 44; John 10:35; Matt. 5:18; Mark 7:13). Paul’s enemies accused him of departing from their ancient scriptures, but he goes to work to show them that so far from departing from their scrip tures he believes them more fully than they do themselves. It is often the case that the real infidels call the believer a heretic. The one point upon which Paul was constantly called in question was his preaching that Jesus had risen from the dead, but he showed them that their own scriptures taught that there was to be a resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous dead As the athlete keeps himself in rigid physical training, so Paul kept himself in rigid spiritual training (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27). The ¡purpose of this spiritual discipline was “to have a conscience void of offense” -—i.e., a conscience that did not stumble nor cause others to stumble. He sought dili gently and disciplined himself carefully to have such a conscience not only- toward God, but also “toward men.” Furthermqre, he sought to have it not only most of the time, but all the time. This form of ath letics cultivated by Paul is sorely in need o f cultivation today. Would that we all might put ourselves under this kind of training. It was “to bring alms” that Paul had come to Jerusalem; so he had come as the friend and not as the foe (as his accusers would have it appear) of his people. Furthermore, it was for a teach ing of a truth contained in their own scriptures that he was “called in question.” Paul’s whole address most skillfully and the. wicked dead. Wednesday, April 25. Acts 24:16-21.
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