Hindrances To Salvation

TITLE: HINDERANCES TO SALVATION

TEXT: ACTS 24:24 - 25

INTRO:

I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT EVERYONE HERE TODAY IS SAVED AND ON THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN. HOWEVER ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT EVERYONE HERE IS SAVED. NOW IT IS NOT BECAUSE GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO BE SAVED – HE DOES! THE REASON SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT SAVED TODAY IS BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING IN THEIR LIFE THAT “HINDERS” THEM FROM BEING SAVED.

THROUGH THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUALS LIFE, THEY ARE OFFERED GOD’S FREE GIFT OF SALVATION AT LEAST ONCE – FOR SOME IT IS MORE THAN ONCE BUT FOR ONE REASON OR THE OTHER THEY REJECT GOD’S GIFT AND GO ON ABOUT THEIR WAY HEADED FOR HELL.

WELL, HERE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, SEVERAL TIMES PAUL STANDS IN JUDGMENT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES AND FOR THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

NOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH THIS MESSAGE TODAY IS SIMPLY POINT OUT SOME 3 DIFFERENT TYPES IN 3 DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND SHOW YOU WHAT IT WAS THAT KEPT THEM FROM EVER BEING SAVED – AND THEN MAKE IT APPLICABLE TO US TODAY.

I BEGIN MY MESSAGE THIS MORNING WITH A MAN BY THE NAME OF -

I. FELIX

HERE IN CHAPTER 24, PAUL HAS ALREADY TESTIFIED BEFORE FELIX OF THE FALSE ACCUSATIONS THAT WERE AGAINST HIM. HE WAS ACCUSED BY THE HIGH PRIEST AND THE ELDERS FOR STIRRING UP TROUBLE IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND AMONG THE PEOPLE. WELL SEVERAL DAYS HAS PASSED BY AND FELIX ALONG WITH HIS WIFE DRUSILLA HAD SENT FOR THE APOSTLE PAUL TO HEAR HIM CONCERNING THE FAITH. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CALLED PAUL AND PAUL PREACHED TO THIS MAN A MESSAGE THAT BROUGHT DEEP CONVICTION IN HIS HEART.

IN V.25 AS PAUL PREACHED OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, TEMPERANCE AND JUDGMENT, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT FELIX TREMBLED. AS FELIX HEARD PAUL PREACH THE WORD OF GOD –

· HIS HEART BEGAN TO MELT

· DEEP CONVICTION SET INTO HIS SOUL

· THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WAS REALLY WORKING HIM OVER

· FELIX KNEW THAT EVERYTHING THAT PAUL WAS SAYING WAS TRUE.

HERE WAS A MAN –

· WHO WAS MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN’S WIFE

· HIS VERY NAME MEANS “PLEASURE”

· WHO WAS LICENTIOUS, HIS PASSION WENT UNRESTRAINED!

· HE LIVED HIS LIFE WITH THE ATTITUDE – GET ALL YOU CAN WHILE YOU CAN! EAT, SLEEP, DRINK AND BE MERRY

HERE WAS A POOR DEPRAVED LOST SINNER WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AND LISTEN TO A GREAT MAN OF GOD – YET WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, FELIX ALLOWED HIS LOVE FOR SIN TO KEEP HIM FROM GETTING SAVED!

Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

HOW STUPID! HOW DUMB!

LET ME BE CLEAR BY SAYING THIS:

· YOU CAN’T GET SAVED IN A TIME OF YOUR CONVENIENCE

· YOU CAN’T GET SAVED WHEN YOU THINK YOUR READY

I’VE HAD MANY PEOPLE SAY TO ME –

· I’LL GET SAVED GOD WHEN I GET READY

· I’LL GET SAVED WHEN I GET MY LIFE STRAIGHTENED OUT

LISTEN FOLKS, IF YOUR GONNA GET SAVED – DO IT NOW!

2 CORINTHIANS 6:2

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation

ISAIAH 55:6

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near

BUT NOW SITTING BESIDE THIS MAN WAS HIS WIFE DRUSILLA. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT SEEN FIT THAT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS A JEWESS. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS BY HER FIRST MARRIAGE A MEMBER OF THE HERODIAN FAMILY – SHE WAS STILL A JEW, BUT HAD FORSAKEN HER JEWISH BELIEFS! SHE KNEW HER LIFESTYLE WAS WRONG, SHE KNEW ACCORDING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW THAT SHE WAS LIVING IN SIN! NOW HERE’S WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE. WHEN PAUL PREACHED, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT FELIX TREMBLED, BUT IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT HIS JEWISH WIFE! I SINCERELY BELIEVE AS I STUDIED THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THAT THIS DEAR WOMAN HAD HARDENED HER HEART AGAINST THE TRUTH FOR SO LONG THAT PAUL’S PREACHING HAD LITTLE OR NO EFFECT ON HER AT ALL!

OH WHAT A TRAGIC SITUATION SHE WAS IN! MY FRIEND IF YOU EVER COME TO THE POINT THAT YOUR HEART IS NO LONGER CONVICTED WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS BEING PREACHED – YOU ARE IN TROUBLE!

ILL. DR. GEORGE W. TRUITT MANY YEARS AGO HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS A LAWYER IN DALLAS TEXAS. HE CAME TO DR. TRUITT ONE DAY AND SAID, “GEORGE, YOU AND I CAME HERE TO DALLAS AT THE SAME TIME. YOU WERE A YOUNG PREACHER AND I WAS A YOUNG LAWYER. I MUST CONFESS THAT WHEN I FIRST HEARD YOU, I WAS MOVED A GREAT DEAL BY YOUR SERMONS. VERY FRANDLY, THERE WERE NIGHTS WHERE I COULDN’T SLEEP. BUT AS THE YEARS WORE ON, I COULD LISTEN TO YOU AND IT DIDN’T DISTURB ME ANY MORE.” HE CHUCKLED AND SAID, “AND YOU ARE A LOT BETTER PREACHER NOW THAN YOU WERE THEN.”