Acts 24:24-27 [It Is the Spirit That Quickeneth; the Flesh Profiteth Nothing]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. Felix is said to have been a Roman governor who ruled Judea around A.D. 52-60. As we see in the passage above, Felix received the grace of being able to hear the word of Jesus through Paul. Nevertheless, that word did not profit him at all. This was because, when he heard the word of Jesus from Paul, he did receive the word for a moment with fear, but at the same time he also hoped to receive money from Paul (verse 26), and for the sake of his own position, he even tried to use Paul (verse 27).

If we do not want to receive the grace of Jesus in vain like Felix, we must think about with what kind of heart we should receive the word when we hear the word of Jesus.

2. Being able to read and hear the word of Jesus is such a great grace to us, and therefore we must never regard this grace lightly. We must approach the word of Jesus with faith that values it more highly than anything else, that is, with an earnest heart like the apostle Paul, who desired to gain Jesus even if it meant forsaking all things (Philippians 3:7-9). If, like Governor Felix, we are not satisfied with the word of Jesus alone, but at the same time desire something else together with it out of greed, then the words given to us by grace will not profit us at all (Hebrews 4:2), and because we did not listen to that word, in the end only regret may remain.

Philippians 3:7-9 “7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be found in him...”

Proverbs 5:7-14 “...9Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: 10Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; 11And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 12And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; 13And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! 14I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.”

[Decision and Application]

If the reason we believe in Jesus now is not only for spiritual things, but also so that our fleshly life may prosper together with them, then we too may not be very different from Governor Felix above. If we have a heart that seeks not only “Jesus alone,” but also “our own” success through the help of Jesus, then when we hear the word of Jesus, we may sometimes receive that word with grace and sometimes with fear, just as Felix did. However, whenever unfavorable circumstances come upon us, we will easily fall. This is the result of a person who has “a divided heart,” seeking both Jesus and himself when hearing the word of God (Hosea 10:2). Because of this divided heart, the word of God that was given by grace cannot grow into faith and bear fruit (Matthew 13:18-23).

Matthew 13:18 “18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Jesus said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). This word tells us exactly with what kind of heart we must live our life of faith. It means that we must have a heart that values the spirit and regards the flesh as unprofitable. We can also clearly see this through Solomon’s prayer and God’s answer to his prayer (1 Kings 3:9-13).

1 Kings 3:9-13 “...11And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment... 13And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.”

Also, in another passage, the Scripture tells us that as our soul prospers, we may prosper and be in health in all things (3 John 1:2). All these words teach us that, in believing and following Jesus, we must lay down each of our own desires and follow Him with a heart that seeks only Jesus (Luke 22:41-42, Luke 9:23). This is because only when our faith is like this can we rely on the word of Jesus without changing, not only when things are good, but also when they are not good.

Habakkuk 3:16-18 “16When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. 17Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Thus, the Bible clearly teaches us that fleshly things are not what we should be anxious about (2 Corinthians 12:14, 2 Corinthians 7:10). As Jesus said, if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, then the rest will be added to us by God (Matthew 6:24-33). Therefore, we must not have a heart like Felix, who desired both the word of Jesus and money, that is, fleshly things, at the same time. Instead, with faith that regards the word of God as better than thousands of gold and silver, we must earnestly desire “Jesus alone.”

Psalm 119:71-72 “71It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 72The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”

Psalm 131:1-3 “1LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 2Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. 3Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.”

Amen.