Turn Persecution Into Preaching - Acts 23-24

Acts 24:24-26 (ESV)

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. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.

Paul has been accused, by the Jews, of violating the Temple and harming the Jewish traditions.  He was brought before a council of the Jews in the previous chapter.  They hoped to do harm to him but the Roman leadership, instead, rescued him and brought him to trial before the governor of the Roman’s, for the region, Felix.    Felix, to his credit, had already known some things about the Christian way:

Acts 24:22 (ESV)

But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”

In the process of wanting to know more about the case, however, Felix really wanted money from Paul to set him free.   Felix, like many noble leaders in that day (and maybe in our day, as well) was driven by power and wealth, and not truth.  Paul did not offer him any money.  Instead Paul took this time to teach Felix about righteousness, self-control and judgment to come.   These are not things a money and power hungry guy wants to hear.   Felix is so alarmed and taken-a-back that he sends Paul away.   Here you have a guy who wanted to make a temporal buck, but was, instead, confronted with eternal truths.   If this type of thing happened today we would see someone trying to get a book deal out of the ordeal.  But Paul simply sees it has a chance to spread the Gospel.    When we are confronted with bias, ignorance and aggression concerning our faith, what is our response?  Do we, like Paul, turn these situations into a way to speak the truth of the Gospel.   Paul took every opportunity, good or bad, to speak of the resurrection of Christ.   The best way to defeat the falsehoods of the enemy is to preach the truth about the Savior.