We recently wrapped up our year long study of Acts in women’s Bible study at my church, and the last chapter I was responsible for teaching was chapter 24. This is one of Paul’s many trials in Acts, but I was drawn to the final six verses of this chapter. The situation with Felix and his wife was so interesting to me.

You see, governor Felix appears to be an expert procrastinator. Acts 24:22 says Felix “put off,” or procrastinated, making a ruling in this trail because he didn’t want to acquit Paul. He knew that was right, but he also knew that would upset the Jews. So, he just left Paul in custody for the foreseeable future.

But in verse 24 Luke writes: : “After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.” Drusilla was previously married, but was enticed by Felix to leave her husband and become Felix’s third wife. Luke mentions that she was Jewish, which we might initially think is a good thing. Maybe she was the once interested in hearing more about the gospel from Paul and convinced her husband to send for him. But I had to take a peek at her family tree. Her great grandfather was Herod the Great, who tried to kill baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Her great uncle was Herod Antipas, who killed John the Baptist and mocked Jesus at his trial before his crucifixion. And her father was Herod Agrippa I, who killed the apostle James. Yikes.

But here are Felix and Drusilla, giving Paul another opportunity to speak. This is Paul’s opportunity to clearly share the gospel and potentially convert this Roman governor and his Jewish wife. If ever one was going to preach a seeker-friendly message, this is the moment. But what does Paul choose to speak about? “Righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement.”

If I imagine what Paul shared with Felix and Druscilla based on those three points, I think it went something like this: We know we have a perfectly holy and righteous God, and one day judgment is coming because of God’s righteousness. So God requires righteousness of us as well. But because we’re sinful and have no self-control, we can never be righteous on our own. The good news, which Paul wrote about in Romans 3, is that God gives his perfect righteousness to those who trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. We are justified by God, and then as we follow after Christ we learn to give ourselves over to the Spirit’s control to overcome temptation. This is what allows us to escape the coming judgement.

That’s the gospel! But imagining listening to that gospel presentation as a man with multiple wives, the most recent one of which you stole from another man. That shows a clear lack of righteousness and self-control. And so when verse 24 says Felix was alarmed, of course he was alarmed! The coming judgment is terrifying for anyone not found in Christ. And I think Felix was right there on the edge. He was convicted by the truth he heard from Paul. But he never turned that conviction into action, because in the rest of verse 24 Felix responds, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” The NIV says, “When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

The most convenient time for a lost sinner to be saved is now. In 2 Corinthians 6:2, Paul is so clear, “Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation” (NLT).

Felix procrastinated taking the step into faith. And a delay in responding to God’s call is no different than rejecting God’s call.

Is there an area of faith where you are procrastinating? Is there something God is asking of you, but you’ve been telling him, “it’s just not a convenient time”? Even if you have taken that initial step of faith, we still need to hear and be changed by the gospel message of righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment. Maybe you’re procrastinating confessing your sins and seeking the forgiveness of God, or another person. Today is the day to confess and forgive. Maybe you’re delaying dealing with a sin issue in your life, because you know it’s going to be hard to let the Spirit take control over that issue. Today is the day to surrender it. Maybe you’re putting off sharing the gospel with a friend because you don’t know how they’ll respond. Today is the day to share.

The gospel is powerful, not just for salvation, but also for sanctification, if we are open to respond. Don’t wait. Proclaim the truth of the gospel boldly to others, and let the convenient time always be now.