5 Ways We Can Box Jesus In

Today’s passage is Acts 24:17-27.  Let’s go!

Acts 24:17-21 (NIV)
¹⁷  “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.
¹⁸  I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.
¹⁹  But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.
²⁰  Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin–
²¹  unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'”

On verses 17-21:  Paul continues his defense at his trial before governor Felix in Caesarea.  Paul notes that he did not do anything unlawful or illegal, unless believing in the resurrection of the dead is a crime (v21).  When it came to any possible charges that Paul’s critics would try to lay on Paul, Paul was blameless.

As Paul stands before governor Felix, Paul is a representative of Jesus in governor Felix’s life, the closest person to Jesus Felix had ever met.  Yet, as we will see in the following verses, the way Felix treated Paul is the way a lot of us treat Jesus: we box him in, preventing him from doing what he wants to do in our lives.  Here in these verses as we look at 5 ways that Felix boxes Paul in, ask yourself: do I box Jesus in any of these ways?

Acts 24:17-22 (NIV)
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.”

On verse 22:  Felix makes up the excuse that he is waiting for the Roman commander Lysias to come before the trial would resume and that until then Felix would not make any decision.  But this was really a delay tactic.  Felix did not need to wait for Lysias, nor was he planning to.

Just as Felix kept putting off Paul’s trial, thereby delaying his need to make a decision, the first way we box Jesus in is that we delay making a decision about Jesus.  We keep putting off the decision to receive Him or obey Him, despite having already heard what he has to say.  We come up with bogus excuses for not trusting in Jesus now.   Don’t delay trusting in Jesus and obeying Him.

Acts 24:23 (NIV)
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.

On verse 23:  Just as Felix gave Paul limited freedom to move around, a second way we box Jesus in is that we give him very limited room to move in our lives.  We might give Jesus access to an hour on a Sunday morning, or maybe a quick prayer time before we go to bed, or maybe a day of fasting, but the rest of the time there remain large areas of our lives where we still call the shots and refuse to give Jesus freedom to move in with His presence.  Don’t just give Jesus a limited room to move and work in your life.  Give Him all the room He wants.

Acts 24:24-25 (NIV)
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.”

On verses 24-25:  From Felix’s actions we learn a third way that we box Jesus in: we only listen to Jesus to the extent that it is convenient and comfortable for us.  The moment things get uncomfortable, the moment Jesus starts talking to us about sensitive topics like how to use our money or our bodies, like Felix we say “That’s enough for now!  You may leave.  When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”  Don’t follow Jesus only when it is convenient.  Be willing to adjust your life based on what Jesus says.

Acts 24:26 (NIV)
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.

On verse 26:  A fourth way that we box Jesus in: just as Felix was hoping that Paul would offer Felix a bribe in exchange for Paul’s release, we box Jesus in when we deal with Jesus only on a transactional basis.  In other words, every interaction with Jesus is a negotiation: “Jesus, if you do this for me, I will do this for you.”  But Jesus is not into negotiation.  He is the Lord, the King of kings.  We either go his way or not at all.  Don’t try to negotiate with Jesus.  See Jesus as your King, the one you get marching orders from.

Acts 24:27 (NIV)
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.

On verse 27:  Felix had allowed two whole years to pass while Paul remained in prison waiting for his trial date.  Even when it was Felix’ time to be replaced by a new governor, Felix still kept Pal in prison “as a favour to the Jews”.  That’s a fifth way that we can box Jesus in:  we’re more interested in pleasing other people than pleasing God, so we willingly sacrifice Jesus for the sake of someone else.

Don’t sacrifice Jesus for the sake of someone else.  See Jesus as the One you live for and the One you were born to please.

Lord Jesus, may I not box you in by using any of the above tactics that Felix used.  Instead may You have all the room You need to speak, work, reign and move in my life.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!