MORE PLACES TO GO TO: ROME AND CAESAREA P/14

Read Part One HERE

A WALK  TROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                 PART XXIV - VII

"I, Paul, have had many opportunities to come before Governor Felix here in Caesarea.... And I have used all these opportunities for one thing... To preach to him the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ.... Felix may have wanted to speak to me in order for me to offer him a bribe... So that he could set me free... His motives are of no importance to me... I know that Felix greatest need is salvation.... It does not matter that he is a high ranking official in the Roman Empire.... And that I am only a prisoner... He is still a very lost person as far as God is concerned.... That is why I presented the Gospel to him time and time again... I have now been in prison in Caesarea for the last two years.... I know that I am supposed to go to Rome.... However, I am not released as yet....God must still have other people for me to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ here in Caesarea.... As a matter of fact, I have just learned that Governor Felix is going to be replaced by Governor Festus.... No doubt, I will meet him one of these days.. I am sure God will give me opportunity to preach the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to him.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Paul's continuing stay in prison in Caesarea....

                   ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                      PART XXIV - VII

Paul knew that the reason God had allowed him to come before Governor Felix here in the court room in Caesarea was so that he could preach the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to him so he went ahead and spoke of eternal matters with Governor Felix. The governor may have been a high ranking official in the Roman Empire and he, Paul, was nothing more than a prisoner, but Paul recognised only two groups of people; those who belonged to Christ and those who did not yet belong to Christ as you can read in 2 Corinthians 5:16a

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldy point of view...."

As for Governor Felix, though he was was interested to hear what Paul had to say, at the same time he was afraid of what he said so he would only listen up to a point. But he never came to a decision as to what to do with what Paul had shared with him. Moreover, he seemed to have some ulterior motives to have Paul come before him as you can read in Acts 24:26

At the same time he (Felix) was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

Governor Felix knew that Paul's freedom was in his hands so he hoped that Paul would buy his freedom. However, Paul would not do such a thing for he knew that his life was in God's hands and that his freedom did not depend on the governor. He knew too that, whether he was in prison or out of prison, he was to share the Gospel with people.

After two years, Felix was replaced by a new governor as you can read in Acts 24:27

When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favour to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

Felix's time as governor was up and he was replaced by Governor Porcius Festus. However, Paul remained in prison. But he would have remembered the Lord's words to him that he was to go to Rome so he knew that one day he would leave the prison, he just did not know when exactly that was going to happen. Perhaps the new governor would sent him on to Rome.....

Read Part Fifteen HERE