Ears to Hear

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

EARS TO HEAR

Acts 24:22-27

22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. 24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. 27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

NIV

It is interesting that Felix was acquainted with the Way, of course, his wife was Jewish and perhaps she had either heard Jesus teaching, or perhaps one of the disciples. Nevertheless, Felix wanted to hear more from Paul, although Luke makes the point that Felix had ulterior motives, hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, which would then give him an opportunity to charge Paul with a crime against Rome. Still, Paul used this to talk about the kingdom of God and the good news about Jesus Christ. However, he was still a prisoner of Rome, although with some freedom. This went on for two years, How can someone listen about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come and not become a believer? We are not told that Felix ever accepted what Paul talked about, even though Felix was acquainted with the Way, therefore we conclude he did not have ears to hear.  However, Felix was to move on and a new governor was to take over, who was Porcius Festus. There is more to come in this saga with Paul and the Jews and the Roman system of justice, but for now, we are still stuck on these two years of continual conversations between Paul and Felix. We would think after two years of listening to everything Paul said, that Felix would have become a believer, even with a Jewish wife. However, we know such people who have allowed us to discuss the things of God, including faith in Jesus Christ and the resulting eternal life, who have refused to let go of their own brand of religion. Although Paul had no opportunity to shake the dust off his feet, so to speak because he was being held under guard. Still, this gives us something to ponder. After two years, perhaps even longer, we have spent in conversations with certain people and have laid out the facts of the gospel in several different ways, we have not seen the fruit of our labor, but they did not have ears to hear.  With all the scripture to use as a source, we would think we have two options, first, to continue the course, hoping that someday they will hear, and not just listen. Second, we could shake the dust off our feet and leave them to perish. Of course, there is a third option and that is to let go and let God take over, for what is impossible with man is possible with God. Yet we have witnessed some reach their last breath without ever making that change in their thinking and looking to Jesus, they listened but did not hear. What we can take a certain amount of solace in is that fact their blood is not on our hands, but at the same time, we wonder if we could have said something differently that would have made sense to them and we would have seen them make that transition from sinner to saint. However, we are not the judge of anything regarding God and man, so we have to leave it all in the hands of God while doing that which we have been instructed to do, share the gospel message.