 Chapter 24, beginning at verse 1, reading to verse 9. Now, after five days Ananias, the High Priest, came down with the elders and a certain order named Turtleis. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. And when he was called upon, Turtleis began his accusations saying, seeing that through you we enjoy great peace and prosperity as being brought to this nation by your foresight, we accept it always and in all places most noble Felix with all thankfulness. Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear by your courtesy a few words from us. For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple and we seized him and wanted to judge him according to our law. But the commander Lysius came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself, you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him. And the Jews also ascended maintaining that these things were so. As we begin, let's just refresh our memory a bit. We know that the apostle Paul has been taken before the governor Felix. He is the governor of Judea. Paul had been in Jerusalem and he had created quite a stir when he had been preaching the gospel and the anger was so great that it caused some to begin to plot to assassinate him. We saw in Acts 23, 12 and 13 when it was day some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than 40 who had formed this conspiracy. So there was this plot to assassinate him and the news of this conspiracy had reached the ears of Paul's nephew and he had gone and informed Paul according to Acts 23, verse 16. Paul had him speak to the military commander in charge of guarding him and the commander, as we saw, assembled 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen. These military personnel safely escorted Paul to a place called Caesarea and they left at around 9 p.m. in March to all night. They traveled northwest to Caesarea. They covered 65 miles and the governor was informed that Paul had a dispute with the Jewish leaders. Felix determined to hear his case as the problem arose in the area he governed. As far as the commander was concerned, Paul was innocent of civil charges but Felix determined to wait until the Jewish authorities arrived to confront Paul. That's what's taking place here and that's why it begins in verse 1 by simply saying after five days Ananias the High Priest came down with the elders and notice a certain order named Turtleist. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul and so Ananias is what is referred to as a corrupt priest and he brought a lawyer by the name of Turtleist. He was a professional public speaker and this man is an unjust man and he represents men who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Remember that they are especially upset because Paul has been preaching to Gentiles. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 14 through 16 Paul said this he said, for you brothers became imitators of God's churches in Judea which are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. He went on to say they displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last and so they're trying to keep Paul from preaching to the Gentiles and that's what got them so upset. Ananias and Turtleist and the elders were unwilling to hear the gospel that they might be saved. They are spiritually blind and they are willingly rejecting the word of God. 2 Corinthians 3 14 says their minds were blinded for until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament because that veil the veil is taken away in Christ and so they're rejecting willingly the gospel. There's a veil over their heart and Turtleist is now coming as a man who is speaking in opposition to Paul. According to verses 2 and 3 notice how he begins. He says seeing that through you we enjoy great peace and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight we accept it always and in all places most noble Felix with all thankfulness. He begins by using flattery that's what he's doing. He's a very eloquent man but he's using flattery and flattery is a common way of approaching politicians. According to Proverbs 29 5 a man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. Be very careful when people flatter you. You're not as good as they're saying you are and you're not as bad as you think you are. You're usually somewhere in the middle so be very careful when somebody is flattering you because they're usually trying to get something and that's what he's saying here in Proverbs 29 5 a man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. They're using flattery to try and entrap and so that's what he's doing and that's how he's speaking to him and he's saying these nice flowery things to him calling him according to verse 3 most noble Felix. In verse 4 nevertheless not to be tedious to you any further. I beg you to hear by your courtesy a few words from us for we have found this man a plague a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple and we seized him and wanted to judge him according to our law so he begins to outline charges against him. Notice first he says we have found this man a plague. He's actually leveling three charges against Paul. He's a plague a creator of dissension he says among us. In other words he's charging Paul with subversion or sedition which was a direct violation of Roman law so we have found this man a plague or a creator dissension and that's a violation. Secondly notice he refers to him as a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Now he's speaking of one who is a religious heretic he's a sectarian is what he's saying. These Nazarenes are regarded as renegades they were regarded as troublemakers as well as heretics. In Acts 176 it says when they did not find them they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city crying out these who have turned the world upside down have come here too and so they're saying that these are people who are doing harm to the nation through their beliefs the Nazarenes and then third Paul disregards other people's religious rights. Now he's blaming Paul for the riot that had begun initiated by their misunderstanding of his words as well as the false accusations that that he had brought a Gentile into the temple. Remember when we were in chapter 21 they had shouted out something there in verses 28 through 31 they had shouted men of Israel help us this is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place and besides he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place. They had previously seen Sintrofamus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area the whole city was aroused and the people came running from all directions ceasing Paul they dragged him from the temple immediately the gates were shut while they were trying to kill him news reached the commander of the Roman troops and the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. So he's actually trying to make it seem like it was a mild thing but in reality it was a near riot. So the most serious charge is he's a subversive that's a charge by the way that was leveled against Jesus Christ that's one of the charges that was used in a civil way to have him sentenced to death. Luke 23 2 said they began accusing him saying we found this fellow perverting the nation forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar saying he himself is Christ the king that's a version and so that's a capital offense and that's why they're using that. Now this is an unjust charge because you never rebel against we Christians are not to rebel against proper authority as a matter of fact and I'll say this briefly but it's true Christians are generally model citizens as we ought to be. The best citizen in the city should be Christian the best worker on the job the most honorable with most integrity the most honest the most set apart should be a believer don't you think and you know our co-workers ought to see that quality about us and and our bosses those of us who have employers they ought to see that about us they ought to say this is a hard worker this is an honest person that's how we ought to be not all Christians are sometimes they're anything but that I many years ago now we had somebody in our fellowship we used to serve in the children's ministry and they had the responsibility of going from place to place and and they would pick up money that was to be paid to the company and they were bringing the money back and they were giving the money to the boss and all and and what happened is this fellow's wife found out that he was he was siphoning some of the money he was pilfering and she confronted him she said you shouldn't be stealing the money and he says you know you're right I I shouldn't and I'm going to stop but I need to take 200 more dollars why because I want to buy a guitar so I can lead worship for the children's ministry true story true story I I need to steal 200 more so I can buy a guitar for the children's ministry I remember a guy who donated some electronic equipment to the church and asked for a receipt for it and and it was used in our sound ministry many years ago now and then it turns out that he came and confessed that he had stolen that equipment and used that for a tax write-off for himself see I guess we can say that's wrong the most honest people on the job ought to be believers don't you think and the people with the most integrity ought to be believers you would think because we serve a holy God and and Peter reminds us be ye holy sayeth the Lord for I am holy we are to be set apart to the Lord we are to live lives that reflect our knowledge of God the works that are performed by us ought to bring glory to God let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven Jesus said Titus chapter 2 tells us that we are a peculiar people zealous for good works and so people ought to see us in such a way so that the apostle Peter's words would be true when he says when people speak against you they'll they'll feel ashamed because they've been saying things about you in a false manner he says why because those things aren't really true about you so our lives ought to be sparkling they ought to be good lives you know we ought to be those who understand that government has been established by the Lord and that we are under the jurisdiction of government in Romans 13 1 and 2 it simply says let every soul be subject to the governing authorities there is no authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves in verse 7 of Romans 13 he says render therefore to all their due taxes to whom taxes are due customs to whom customs fear to whom fear and honor to whom honor and so they say that he's guilty of sedition that second charge was that he's a ringleader he's a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes the word Nazarene by the way was a word that would be used to reveal their lack of value remember that Nazarene would refer to Jesus's hometown and then think back of how it says in Matthew 2 23 that he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets he shall be called the Nazarene and so there was a reputation in Nazareth that that the people there were not to be honored you know that was stated in this week and any good thing come out of Nazareth because it was known to be a city that really didn't have anything that commended itself and so he'll be called the Nazarene because that shows that there's a lack of value and so he hoped to capitalize on negative images that the Nazarene would create to be identified in this fashion was to be portrayed as a troublemaker he's also a ringleader by the way that word ringleader is another word that is referring to a commander the word ringleader is the most prominent of all and Paul was one who was a prominent one in extending this message as a matter of fact he makes very clear that he was prominent in that way and 1st Corinthians 15 10 he said by the grace of God I am what I am his grace toward me was not in vain I labored more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me he had made it according to Romans 15 20 his aim to preach the gospel now where Christ was named so yes the pointing to him as being a very important individual and Paul would answer and say indeed though I don't see myself as important I have made it my chief aim to preach this gospel but they're saying that they're non-orthodox they're heretical and people believed things concerning Nazarene and therefore Paul would be guilty by association the third thing the third charge is that Paul tried to profane the temple they actually modified that charge but that again had to do with trophemous the Ephesian and so as they're going through this what they're trying to do is present the Jewish overreaction as something reasonable verse six makes it very clear that they're saying we seized him and wanted to judge him according to our law and then he blames sets verse seven but the commander Lysius came by and with great violence took him out of our hands commanding his accusers to come to you by examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him and the Jews also ascended maintaining these things were so he ignores the violence that they perpetrated against Paul they were going to kill him ignores that and he tries to give a very sanitary appeal but notice what happens in verse 10 then Paul after the governor had nodded to him to speak answered it in as much as I know you have been for many years a judge of this nation I do the more cheerfully answer for myself because you may ascertain that it is no more than 12 days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship and they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inside in the crowd either in the synagogues or in the city nor can they prove the things which they now accuse me but this I confess to you that according to the way which they call a sect so I worship the god of my fathers believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets I have hope in God which they themselves also accept that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust this being so I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward god and men now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple neither with a mob nor with tumult they ought to have been here before you do objective they had anything against me or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrong doing in me while I stood before the council unless it is for this one statement which I cried out standing among them concerning the resurrection of the dead I'm being judged by you this day so we're going to take some time to look at this and I'm especially going to spend a few minutes in verse 15 when we get there share some things with you from that portion notice first in verse 10 paul answers but he doesn't use flattery what he does is he states a simple fact he starts out by simply saying you have served as a judge for several years you're experienced so that gives me confidence that you'll be fair and impartial as you listen and then he says in verses 11 through 13 it's it's only been a few days it's been no more than 12 days in other words the events are all recent it would be easy to find witnesses and they could verify that I came to worship and wasn't disputing and I wasn't inciting I wasn't doing anything wrong they cannot substantiate any of the charges that they're leveling against me is what he's saying but then he goes into verse 14 and this is what he says but this I confess to you that according to the way which they call a sect so I worship the God of my fathers believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets I have hope in God which they themselves also accept that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust this being so I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men let's spend some time looking at that together I'll begin by just touching on verse 14 where he says this I confess according to the way which they call a sect so I worship the God of my fathers notice believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets now his faith is settled firmly on what is taught in the word of God his faith is settled firmly on the law and the prophets and when you're looking in the law as well as the prophets he's pointing to the fact that scripture points to Jesus Christ and that he trusts the authority of scripture similar to what happened when we saw earlier when Philip encountered the Ethiopian and as the Ethiopian was reading Isaiah 53 and asked the question who is he writing of himself or some other man remember how we already looked at that how that from that portion of scripture Philip began to speak to the Ethiopian and preached to him Christ Jesus and so you can find Christ is the point in the Old Testament in the law as well as the prophets so the scriptures pointed Jesus Christ and we trust the authority of scripture and John 539 Jesus said it like this he said you search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life these are they which testify of me he was saying scripture points to me when he said to them you search the word search there in the original language is a strong word which can also be translated you ransack you go from A to Z look in everything you're trying to see those things so that you might have life but you are failing to see that the scriptures point to me as Messiah that's what he was saying in Luke 24 in verse 27 when Jesus was speaking to some who are on the way to the to Emmaus it's called the road to Emmaus it says in Luke 24 27 beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself later in Luke 2444 he said to them these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me and so what Paul is simply saying is I have a biblical belief the things that I have believed and the things that I'm sharing are things that you find in the scriptures the law and the prophets I worship the God of my fathers believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets and then in verse 15 he goes on to say I have hope in God now he makes it very clear that they themselves also accept that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust I have hope in God for resurrection the word hope the way we use it today it's kind of like I hope it doesn't rain today or I hope the doggers finally win a game you know I hope so we use the word hope in a certain way but let me tell you what the the Greek when you see it in the New Testament when the word hope is used very often when it is speaking up is not some kind of like wishful thinking the word hope speaks of confident expectation Paul tells us through the Romans that we are actually saved by hope and so it's not this man I hope I'm saved no it's a confident expectation that I am saved I have a confidence in what God has said he doesn't change his mind has he said it will he change his mind and the answer is no he doesn't so I can have confidence in what he says so we have a hope for resurrection a confident expectation for the resurrection and he's saying and this is something that some of them the Pharisees also possess but this is what he goes on to do and we'll look at this he identifies two classes of people resurrected notice there's the resurrection of the just as well as the unjust Christians believe that there is a resurrection of the dead we believe that God is the judge of the earth and all will stand before him we also know through scripture that there will be a final accounting that does take place in Romans 1 6 through 11 Paul said God will render to each one according to his deeds eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory honor and immortality but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation wrath tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil of the Jew first and also of the Greek but glory honor and peace to everyone who works what is good to the Jew first and also to the Greek for there is no partiality with God there will be judgment is what he's saying for the just and the unjust because we believe this we share the gospel with those who are unsaved Romans 14 12 says so then each of us shall give account of himself to God Daniel 12 verse 2 says many of them that sleep in the dust that the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt the knowledge that each will give an account of themselves to God the knowledge that some will awaken to everlasting life and others to everlasting contempt is what drove me as a brand new Christian to preach to my father and to my mother to my brother my sisters it's what drove me to share with my friends and others it's a belief that we all will stand before the righteous judge that each man according to the word of God will give an account of themselves to God that some are going to have everlasting life and others will have everlasting contempt we also know that God is just that God ultimately will deliver perfect justice for there is no partiality with God in John 5 28 and 29 Jesus said do not marvel at this for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth those who have done good to the resurrection of life those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation those who have done good Jesus said it's not that they work their way into the resurrection of the just when it speaks of them doing good it speaks of the moral quality of their lives which was revealed by their faith their understanding of ultimate justice provoked them to live proper lives this belief drives behavior it makes you who you are this belief at one day you will stand before a righteous God will drive your values it helps to determine your behavior towards other people this belief that there are those who do things that are righteous provoke certain things it awakens in you love for others because God's word commands me to love others it causes me to treat other people kindly it causes me to do good to others it causes me to live a life that is set apart and that's what it's supposed to do Paul makes it clear in verse 16 when he said this being so I myself always strive to have a conscience without a fence toward God and man you see this belief that one day you will stand before God is intended to drive your behavior it's what you build your life on this knowledge that one day the righteous God will judge you righteously and that's what's supposed to it's supposed to drive your your your life you see Paul believed very strongly in the resurrection of the just and the unjust it propelled his way of life that's why he says I always strive to have a conscience without a fence I want to have a life that is godly his belief in the resurrection of the just and unjust propelled him it's what fueled him to live righteously it's what fueled him to live properly before God and man it's the fear of God that caused him to strive to have a clean conscience and it is precisely this way of thinking that unbelievers do not possess when you do not believe that there's a judge you will live an ungodly life that is something plainly seen in the shootings in Las Vegas the killer has no fear of had no fear of God no belief in God no fear of final judgment many are posting on various media sources their prayers and their grief you see it all over the internet right now no but there are those who are mocking the outpouring of prayer and they are saying that they are useless and that is precisely the problem our nation has today I have to be careful at this point because some have come out I think and have politicized this entire situation and they should be ashamed of themselves they should be ashamed of themselves give the family some time to grieve give the family some time to find comfort let the nation pour out its concern through prayer why are these people writing on the internet that prayers are useless that is foolish that you have to do things what we have to pass laws really we have a lot of laws I have never seen a law that ever makes me love somebody else I've never seen a law that commands me to love somebody else you cannot make me love somebody else you can't you can't pass the losses I'll shout you can't I can't if America passes all these laws saying I have to do certain things you'll find ways to get around those laws they're missing the point here we go they're missing the point of the nature of man you have to understand something we are in rebellion against God we are carnal we have murder in our hearts we need a new nature and that's why Jesus came because we are in the bondage of sin because our minds are darkened and our hearts are foul and it's so severe that God himself had to rescue us and the idea that we can somehow just talk one another into being nice we don't we we are as a nation we are lost and we are blind and and because pastors have stopped preaching the gospel and have many many of the churches that are very large have not equipped the church to have a biblical understanding of what's taking place man is evil but we don't see it I was listening to a speaker just this week at a pastors conference in upstate new york who does ministry in the sedan and he was sharing how how muslims muslim rebels have entered into certain areas where there are christians that's where his ministry is and how they have committed atrocities he said these are things you won't read in your newspaper these are things that nobody's reporting they're killing christians he said this man was with his son and they said to him denounce christ reject christ or you'll die and the man and his son both refused they said no we're christians we're followers of jesus so they cut his son's head off in front of him and used his head as a soccer ball and made the father watch are you telling me man is good the man who came running with the body of his three-year-old daughter with no head they cut his three-year-old baby girl's head off and daddy's running just carrying her body are you telling me man is good are you telling me that man is not good man needs a savior man needs a savior we need a new heart we need a new life and it doesn't come through man-made laws it comes through the gospel of jesus christ and that transforms lives i can tell you stories but i'm restricted from it not because it's just i don't want to bring embarrassment but i'm thinking of people i know people i know that the lord has done amazing transformations in amazing haters killers men who ordered the killing of others on on Easter just this last Easter at my house and i don't want to go into too much detail but i will say it like this at my table at my table for Easter there were two men there one man was a mexican mafias shot collar orders the death for people in prison the other was a man who killed in order to get into prison and they're sitting at my dinner table with me because they both had come to faith in jesus christ see god takes killers hearts and changes them and this is amen amen and the society that we live in is missing the point it's missing the point in in in belittling prayer in belittling compassion in belittling these christian virtues and saying what we need to do is is outlaw certain things as if that's going to make somebody not use a particular weapon listen we in the united states we have guns but you go to japan they use knives it just depends on the place that you're at go to england they use knives it's in man's heart to do these acts satan is a liar and a murderer from the beginning and there are those who follow that rule that's their nature that's why the gospel is preached and that's why paul is saying i have hope in god because god promises resurrection and there will be life after life if you will and the just will have a relationship with god for eternity and they will do what is right because of the fear of god and the promises that he's given to them but there are the unjust like that man who killed all of those people who will stand before the judge and give an account of himself i wish that the lord god he'd have been saved but i thank god for the justice that will be served i also thank god for the comfort that we get from him because as a believer i grieve i grieve and i think to be honest with you i believe that believers grieve deeper than non-believers because we love more than non-believers we have deeper relationship than non-believers but we have a hope that goes beyond our grief we do not sorrow as those with no hope we know that when we say goodbye here it's just to say hello there we know that it's just i'll see you later not i'll never see you again you see and so paul is saying listen it's an issue of our faith i preach the resurrection of jesus christ i i preach that and that's what they're so upset about and he says because i believe in this i believe there is a judge i believe that that that there is a resurrection i live a life i exercise my conscience in order that i might be able to walk with the lord and have relationship with him into eternity evil is in the essence of human nature and again that is why we need a new nature and paul strobe to have a clean conscience and paul lived a spiritually disciplined life in first timothy four seven and eight he said it like this he said reject profane and old wives fables and exercise yourself toward godliness for bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come you see the result of believing is that we have hope in life and we actually close our eyes here clinging to hope in proverbs 14 32 it says the wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous has hope in his death and this hope is fueled by the promises of god psalm 16 8 through 10 i have set the lord always before me because he is at my right hand i shall not be moved therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoices my flesh also will rest in hope for you will not leave my soul in shield nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption psalm 17 15 as for me i will see your face in righteousness i shall be satisfied when i awake in your likeness and so he says that he always strives to have a conscience without offense toward god and men if that's what drives us in our relationships with others our faith in god and our hope for the future he goes on in verse 17 after many years they came to bring alms and offerings to my nation in the midst of which some jews from asia found me purified in the temple neither with mob nor with tumult they ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrong doing in me while i stood before the council unless it is for this one statement which i cried out standing among them concerning the resurrection of the dead i am being judged by you so he emphasizes that he hadn't been the cause of the disturbance if they had a charge they should be there presenting it there's no eyewitnesses here so he says you who are here make your charge and then prove it he says my crime in verse 21 i believe in the resurrection and of course his religious belief is not a crime again christianity hinges on resurrection in romans one three and four his son who asked to assume a nature was a descendant of david and who through the spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the son of god by his resurrection of the dead jesus christ our lord christianity hinges on the fact of resurrection well all this is taking place verse 22 and we'll roll to our conclusion when philips heard these things having more accurate knowledge of the way he adjourned the proceedings and said when lisius the commander comes down i will make a decision on your case so he commanded the centurion to keep paul and to let him have liberty told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him and after some days when philips came with his wife drosilla who was jewish he sent for paul and heard him concerning the faith in christ now as he reasoned about righteousness self-control and the judgment to come philips was afraid and answered go away for now but i have a convenient time i'll call for you meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by paul that he might release him he was wanting a bribe therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him but after two years porceus festus succeeded philips and philips wanting to do the jews a favor left paul bound i'll close with this very quickly notice the heart of paul's message righteousness self-control and judgment you have someone mentioned as drosilla she was the youngest daughter of herit agrippa she was philips's third wife well in her teens she had been given in marriage to the king of imessa she was beautiful and so beautiful that philips stole her from her husband at age 16 she bore him a son so at this time she was not yet 20 years of age paul speaks concerning absolute truth righteousness which is god's standards self-control man's necessary response to come to line with god standard and judgment the result of not controlling yourself and failing to live up to god's ways as he's hearing this his response is fear so he says go away i'll hear you when i have a convenient time and what we have here is a picture of missed opportunity philips had paul to speak to for two years spoke often with him but he was hoping for money he feared upsetting the jewish authorities and the result he lost out in heaven he says i'll hear you when the time is convenient but we need to always understand one thing guys now is the convenient time in 2nd Corinthians 6 verse 2 he says i've heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have i secured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation what we have here is philips becoming the greatest example of a missed opportunity the greatest example of a missed opportunity imagine two years hearing the mighty apostle paul and only wishing for two years that paul would give him some money think about that for a minute