What a contrast! On the throne sat Felix; the faded and withered pagan, a former slave. He became a favorite of Claudius, and by that emperor was exalted to high rank. Greed, cruelty and lust were stamped upon his countenance. His administration as procurator of Judea had been marked by injustice, extortion and violence. By his side sat the lovely Jewess, Drusilla, a daughter of Herod Agrippa (she was not more than 18 or 19), sitting next to Felix, about to listen to Paul. She had first married a gentile, who to please her had become a Jew. Then Felix with the aid of a sorcerer’s incantations had won her from her husband and was living with her in sin and shame. All that was dishonorable in mankind was represented by that combination of Felix and Drusilla as they sat on the throne awaiting the address by St. Paul. Before them, with chains on his arms and his body scarred with the marks of his suffering for Christ sake, and his coarse garment which by his own hands was self-woven, contrasting the fine velvet and purple of Felix and his paramour, stood the lonely ambassador for Christ. The moment of truth has arrived; for herein are converging at least four world views. Paul was raised a Jew, a Hebrew, in a Greek city, a Roman citizen, now bringing the message of Christ. Four world views are colliding here – the Roman world which gave to us the legal categories; the Hebrew world which gave to us our moral categories; the Greek world which gave to us our philosophical categories; and the Christian world which gave to us our salvivic categories. How is this man with these four world views colliding going to bring a clear message so that Felix understands it, both with gentleness and verve? How does he begin? He begins with the point of reference. Here, the irresistible force is meeting up with the immovable object. This is not promiscuous evangelism which can easily take place in our time. Paul wasn’t going to be sucked into the Roman system that told people ‘your religion is private; what you do in public is a different matter’- the same line some politicians and artists use today. Where is the point of reference? Here it is; righteousness is not a dogma, morality is not a grocery list, Jesus Christ is the point of reference - righteousness by faith in the person of Jesus. He is the point of reference for all history. This apostle knew with Felix, he had to get to that point of reference, and he got there. Dear friend, the finger of God is in all of history, and Jesus Christ Himself is the point of collision; what are you going to do with Him? WRITTEN BY CALEB AKUSU...