We all know the saying: “Time waits for no one.” How true it is! Today’s sermon introduces us to a man who apparently thought he could outwit the “timekeeper”. Having been rescued from an assassination attempt in Jerusalem, Paul is taken under military escort—470 foot soldiers, spearmen, and cavalry—to stand trial in Caesarea before the Roman Governor Felix. Unable to produce any substantial charge against Paul, Felix opts to hold him prisoner until he can hear from the higher authorities what to do in Paul’s case. For two years, while held prisoner, the governor sends for Paul, vainly hoping for a bribe to secure his release, but also to question Paul about the gospel. Although Felix grows fearful about the condition of his soul, he does not repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. Sadly, he procrastinates, telling Paul to go away and wait for another call at a “more convenient time”. We are not told in Scripture that such a moment ever came for Felix. Herein is a lesson about the danger of procrastination. When it comes to the most important matter of all—the condition of the soul and the desperate need for repentance—there is no time like the present.
