Please take out your copy of God's Word, which I pray you have with you this morning.
And it's well read and treasured in your heart.
And turn to Acts chapter 21.
We are fast approaching the day when we will complete our study of Acts together.
It's been good and rich and I hope that you've felt the same.
I think there's always something bittersweet about ending a study.
And we're going to find our study accelerate here,
looking to probably the first week or so of September when we'll conclude it,
because Paul is headed to Jerusalem.
And this sets off a chain of events in which Paul is arrested and tried
and ends up imprisoned to the end of the book.
So we're going to start picking up some pace as we go through that narrative together.
And it all gets kind of launched off here.
Paul has been set on traveling to Jerusalem for some time.
We can see back in Acts chapter 19, verse 21.
Now, after these events, Luke records for us,
and he's referencing the sons of Sceva getting literally beat out of their clothes
by a demon-possessed man in Ephesus,
and then a revival that follows it.
So after these events,
Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia
and go to Jerusalem, saying,
After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Paul expresses concern throughout his writing
that the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers would be unified.
This is one of the great realities of the gospel,
that it breaks down dividing walls and that people become one in Christ.
And Paul was concerned about this.
A way that he worked to unite them
was through the collection of funds from largely Gentile churches
to support the highly persecuted,
very transient, primarily Jewish church in Jerusalem.
We can read that Paul gave instruction to the Corinthian church
for a collection for the Jerusalem church,
which was written four years before his arrival in today's text.
We can read that in 1 Corinthians 16, verse 1-3.
Paul writes,
To further concrete the point that Paul was transporting funding,
to Jerusalem,
we see in Paul's defense before Felix in Acts chapter 24 and in verse 17,
Now after several years,
I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings.
So the past two weeks,
we studied Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders from Miletus.
Verse 16 of chapter 20 says,
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he might not have to spend time in Asia,
for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
So when we read in chapter 21, verse 1, which we'll do in just a moment,
the phrase,
When he had parted from them,
This is who the Ephesian elders,
And from where, Miletus, on the coast of Asia,
Paul is departing on the last part of his journey to Jerusalem.
So Acts chapter 21, verses 1 through 16.
Before I read, let me remind you, beloved,
That this is God's word to us.
It was written for his glory and for our good.
And as such, we would all do well to listen to it
In order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
I begin reading in verse 1.
And when he had parted from them and set sail,
We came by a straight course to Kos,
And the next day to Rhodes,
And from there to Patara.
And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia,
We went aboard and set sail.
When we had come inside of Cyprus,
Leaving it on the left,
We sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre,
For there the ship was to unload its cargo.
And having sought out the disciples,
We stayed there for seven days.
And through the Spirit,
They were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
When our days there were ended,
We departed and went on our journey.
And they all, with wives and children,
Accompanied us until we were outside the city.
And kneeling down on the beach,
We prayed and said farewell to one another.
Then we went on board the ship,
And they returned home.
When we had finished the voyage from Tyre,
We arrived at Ptolemy.
And we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.
On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea.
And we entered the house of Philip the Evangelist,
Who was one of the seven,
And stayed with him.
He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
While we were staying for many days,
A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
And coming to us,
He took Paul's belt,
Bound his own feet and hands,
And said,
Thus says the Holy Spirit,
This is how the Jews at Jerusalem
Will bind the man who owns this belt
And deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
When we heard this,
We and the people there
Urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
Then Paul answered,
What are you doing,
Weeping and breaking my heart?
For I am ready not only to be in prison,
But even to die in Jerusalem
For the name of the Lord Jesus.
And since he would not be persuaded,
We ceased and said,
Let the will of the Lord be done.
After these days we got ready
And went up to Jerusalem.
And some of the disciples from Caesarea
Went with us,
Bringing us to the house of Mason of Cyprus,
An early disciple,
With whom we should lodge.
Well, much of our text this morning
Is Luke's record
Of the route that was taken
From Miletus to Jerusalem.
Jerusalem.
They skirted a coast,
They jumped across
A gap in the Mediterranean Sea,
Moving at the pace
In which they could move.
Moving along as quickly as they could
To arrive at Jerusalem.
And the account is punctuated
By the churches in two places
Trying to convince Paul
Not to complete said journey.
Now there are a lot of little things
We could chase out in the text today.
And I don't intend,
I don't mean to just neglect them,
But they're not the main point.
Like, who are these four unmarried daughters
Who prophesied?
We're not going to talk about it this morning.
Or what exactly is the nature of prophecy
And Agabus' prophecy?
I believe that what's being highlighted
In this text,
What Luke is intending to record for us,
Is the persistence of a journey
And the resistance to that journey.
There are many commentators
Who suggest that Paul
Disobeyed the Spirit.
I do not believe so.
And I do not believe so for four reasons.
So let me give those to you quickly.
Number one,
The phrase,
Through the Spirit in verse 4,
Is not conclusive.
Some would want to make it conclusive,
But it is not conclusive.
Remember that this is a historical narrative.
And so all that we can safely assume
Is that Luke believed that it was
Through the Spirit.
And probably because they claimed this.
They claimed to be prophesying by the Spirit.
And so Luke recorded it
As a prophecy through the Spirit.
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 14, verse 29,
That prophecy must be carefully considered.
Secondly,
Paul has patterned obedience to the Spirit.
We have seen this in the book of Acts.
In Acts 16, verses 6-10,
We witnessed Paul's obeying the Spirit's
Forbidance to preach in some places,
And his immediate obedience
And entering Macedonia
When told to do so in a dream.
So Paul has already received
Stop commands from the Spirit.
And he obeyed those commands.
Third,
The Holy Spirit had warned Paul
What would happen to him
In going to Jerusalem.
This is recorded in Acts 20,
Verses 22 and 23.
Part of the Ephesian farewell.
Where we read,
And now behold,
This is Paul speaking.
I am going to Jerusalem,
Constrained by the Spirit,
Not knowing what will happen to me there,
Except that the Holy Spirit testifies me
In every city that imprisonment
And afflictions await me.
But the Spirit,
So that's the text,
But the Spirit had not forbid him
From going there.
So the Spirit has spoken to him
About what would happen there.
But is not said,
But do not go.
Fourth,
The Bible nowhere suggests
That Paul sinned
In going to Jerusalem.
Paul says while in Jerusalem
In Acts 23, verse 1,
Brothers, I have lived my life
Before God in all good conscience
Up to this day.
It is hard,
At least for me,
To imagine
That he would have been able
To say such a thing
Just a few days
After finding himself
Arrested
Because he had been disobedient
To the Spirit of God.
So I believe
That Paul was
Rightly resisting
The opposition of the church.
Right?
People are pleading with him
Not to go.
They're claiming by the Spirit
That he ought not go.
I think it's right
That Paul went
All the same.
So,
How then do we come to understand
Paul's resoluteness
In traveling to Jerusalem?
Is this a unique thing to Paul?
Right?
The confidence of conviction.
Is it unique to him?
Is this a thing
That we can also have
When it comes to
The particulars of God's purpose
For our lives?
Here you have disciples
Claiming to speak
Through the Spirit
Telling him that he
Shouldn't go to Jerusalem.
Then a prophecy
Which was no surprise to him.
Right?
The Spirit had already told him
He would suffer
And be imprisoned.
Right?
Telling him about his arrest.
But the church pleads
In response to that
For him not to go
To Jerusalem.
How is it that Paul
Was so convinced
He should go?
And how can
We know
With confidence
What God would have us
Do?
So with this narrative
As a backdrop
I would like to present to you
Seven biblical truths
To help us
To guide us
In this way
And I'm going to
I hope well
It's my intention
To do it well
I'll show you
In the life of Paul
The practice of these
Seven
Biblical truths
As I mentioned to you
In the welcome
These are from a work
Called experiencing God
How to know and do
The will of God
Intentionally so
Because I want you to
Want to pick it up
And read it
So that's why
I'm using their things
Not because I'm being lazy
But these are good
Good instruction
Seven points
Worded well
And I want you to
Want to pick up
This work
And spend more time
With it
And so
They frame them
This way
Seven realities
That identify
Ways God works
To involve
People
In his activity
Seven realities
That identify
Ways God works
To involve people
In his activity
Number one
God is always
At work
Around you
God is always
At work
Around you
Beloved
God did not
Create the world
Set it in motion
And then sit back
To watch it function
God has been
At work
In the world
From its very
Beginning
Ruling over
All that happens
We call this
Providence
And his providence
Has never
Been idle
He has never
Once in the history
Of the world
Set it aside
He has always
Reigned over
All things
That have happened
Neither
Did Jesus
Come to the earth
In order to
Call together
A band of disciples
Give them a little
Bit of training
And then leave them
To see how they
Would work out
His commands
Some experiment
Of let me see
If three years
Is enough
To get them going
In the ways
I would have
Them go
Matthew chapter
16
Verses 13
Through 18
I would appreciate
You turning there
With me
This I hope
Is a text
That's familiar
To you
Matthew 16
Beginning in verse
13
Now when Jesus
Came into the
District of
Caesarea
Philippi
He asked
His disciples
Who do people
Say that the
Son of man
Is
And they said
Some say
John the
Baptist
Others say
Elijah
And others
Jeremiah
Or one of
The prophets
He said to
Them
But who do
You say
That I am
Simon Peter
Replied
You are the
Christ
The son
Of the living
God
And Jesus
Answered him
Blessed are
You
Simon
Barjona
For flesh
And blood
Has not revealed
This to you
But my
Father
Who is in
Heaven
And I tell
You
You are
Peter
And on
This rock
Pause for a
Second
He's not
Referring to
Peter
He's referring
To the
Truth that
Peter has
Proclaimed
That Jesus
Is the
Christ
Okay
It's important
That you
Understand that
Clearly
On this
Rock
The truth
That I
Am the
Christ
The son
Of the
Living
God
I will
Build
My
Church
And the
Gates
Of hell
Shall
Not
Prevail
Against
It
Jesus'
Promise
Is that
He'll
Build
His
Church
Today
As we're
Gathering
Together
Jesus
Is at
Work
Building
His
Church
God's
Church
Is built
By God's
Hand
The
Kingdom
Of God
Is here
And it
Is arriving
Whether you
Recognize
It's coming
Or not
God's
Plans
Will not
Be
Thwarted
In Acts
26
Paul
Recounts
His
Conversion
To King
Agrippa
Where Luke
Records
Jesus'
Words
To Paul
So this is
Acts
26
Verses
15
Through
18
You may
Appreciate
Joining
Me
There
Paul
Says
And I
Said
Who
Are
You
Lord
And
The
Lord
Said
I
Am
Jesus
Who
You
Are
Persecuting
Now
In
Verse
16
Of
Acts
26
Jesus
Says
But
Rise
And
Stand
Upon
Your
Feet
For
I
Have
Appeared
To
You
For
This
Purpose
To
Appoint
You
As
A
Servant
And
Witness
To
The
Things
In
Which
You
Have
Seen
Me
And
To
Those
In
Which
I
Will
Appear
To
You
Delivering
You
From
Your
People
And
From
The
Gentiles
To
Whom
I
Am
Sending
You
To
Open
Their
Eyes
That
They
May
Turn
From
Darkness
To
Light
And
From
The
Power
Of
Satan
To
God
That
They
May
Receive
Forgiveness
Of
Sins
And
A
Place
Among
Those
Who
Are
Sanctified
By
Faith
In
Me
Why
Did
Jesus
Appear
To
Paul
Look
At
What
He
Says
!
Things
In
Which
I
Am
Working
And
Doing
That
You
Would
Be
A
Servant
And
A
Witness
To
Those
Things
And
That
You
Would
Be
A
Servant
Witness
To
Those
Things
In
Which
Jesus
Says
I
Will
Appear
To
You
That
You
Will
Be
A
Servant
And
A
Witness
To
The
Things
I
Am
Doing
In
The
World
Have
Done
And
Am
Doing
In
The
World
So
Whether
or not
You
God
Is
Always
At
Work
Around
You
That's
Number
One
Number
Two
Second
Reality
God
Pursues
A
Continuing
Love
Relationship
With
You
That
Is
Real
And
Personal
Beloved
This
Is
A
Gracious
Glorious
Truth
Little
Undeserving
Me
And
Little
Undeserving
You
Are
So
Loved
By
God
That
He
Pursues
Us
And
That
Pursuit
Is
Real
And
It
Is
Personal
Romans
Chapter
8
Beginning
In
Verse
11
Love
This
Personal
Language
Here
Paul
Writes
If
The
Spirit
Of
Him
Who
Raised
Jesus
From
The
Dead
Dwells
In
You
He
Who
Raised
Christ
Jesus
From
The
Dead
Will
Also
Give
Life
To
Your
Mortal
!
Bodies
!
So then
brothers
We are
debtors
Not to
the flesh
To live
According to
the flesh
For if
you live
According to
the flesh
You will
die
But if
by the
Spirit
You put
to death
The deeds
of the
body
You will
Live
For
All
Who
Are
Led
By
The
Spirit
Of
God
Are
Sons
Of
God
For
You did
Not
Receive
The
Spirit
Of
Slavery
To
Fall
Back
Into
Fear
But
You
Have
Received
The
Spirit
Of
Adoption
As
Sons
by whom we cry, Abba, Father.
And that language means Daddy.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God.
And if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
provided we suffer with Him
in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
So God is always at work around you.
And God pursues a continuing love relationship with you
that is real and it's personal
and it's the motivation for finding out
what is God's will?
What would God have me do?
How can I walk in obedience to Him?
This great love that He has shown us in Christ.
This pursuing love.
Ongoingly pursuing love.
God is always at work around you.
And God pursues a continuing love relationship with you
that is real and personal.
Third, God invites you to become involved with Him
in His work.
Because God's at work
and because God loves you,
doesn't need you.
I'm always quick to clarify that.
Does not need you.
God's purposes will not be thwarted
by laziness or apathy.
But because God has a purpose
and He's working it out
and because He loves you,
He invites you.
He invites you to become involved with Him
in His work.
In Acts 1,
Jesus instructs the disciples
to wait until the Holy Spirit comes
and tells them
what will happen when He does.
When the Holy Spirit comes,
Acts 1.8,
Jesus says,
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
and you will be My witnesses
in Jerusalem
and in all Judea and Samaria
and to the end of the earth.
So there's this promise
of the coming of the Spirit, right?
There's something that's going to happen necessarily
as the coming of the Spirit.
You will receive power
and you will witness.
And you'll witness in concentric circles.
You're going to go as you're going.
You're going to be sharing
the good news of Jesus Christ
as a result of the indwelling power
of the Holy Spirit.
And this, Acts 1.8,
I think is an expansion.
It's an explanation
of the words that Jesus spoke
to the apostles
in Matthew 28,
verses 18-20.
This is often called
the Great Commission.
Jesus came and said to them,
all authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to Me.
Go therefore and make disciples
of all nations,
baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you.
And behold,
I am with you always
to the end of the age.
So catch where I'm going here.
Point number three,
God invites you to become involved
with Him and His work.
God is working.
God loves you.
Jesus says,
go and make disciples.
Baptize them.
Teach them everything
that I've commanded you.
But He sandwiches that
between two wonderful realities.
That is,
that Jesus now has
all authority.
He's got all authority in heaven.
He has all authority in earth.
He's promised to build His church.
This is a work that He is accomplishing.
Go therefore.
Go therefore and make disciples.
I have all authority
in heaven and on earth.
And at the end,
the promise.
Behold,
I am with you always
to the end of the age.
So as we are confident
in the things that God
would have us do,
His revealed will,
we can look in the Scriptures
and we know for a fact
there are things
that we are meant to do
revealed,
more general,
as well as His specific.
How is it exactly
that I am meant to walk?
Where am I supposed to go?
Whom am I supposed to marry?
What am I supposed
to study in school?
Which job should I take?
As we are led in these things,
we can be confident
that it is God's invitation
to join Him in His work.
And therefore,
He is with us in it.
So God is always at work
around you
and He is pursuing
a continuing love relationship
with you
that is real
and personal.
And He's doing so
by inviting you
to become involved with Him
in His work.
Fourth,
I apologize for this one,
note takers.
God speaks by the Holy Spirit
through
the Bible,
prayer,
circumstances,
and the church
to reveal Himself,
His purposes
and His ways.
I'll give it to you again
real quick.
I didn't write this.
Let me remind you.
God speaks by the Holy Spirit
through the Bible,
prayer,
circumstances
and the church
to reveal Himself,
His purposes
and His ways.
A major thing
of the Bible
is that God's people
need God's
good
counsel.
That it is very often
not heeded,
but it is most
certainly
needed.
Consider,
even before
the fall of Adam and Eve
in the garden,
that they needed
God's counsel.
God gave to them
instruction
about what to do
and what not
to do.
Man was not
created to be
autonomous,
separated from
the loving instruction
of God.
He had always
needed it.
How is it
that we understand
God's character,
purposes,
and ways?
Through the work
of the Holy Spirit,
our Helper.
If you have placed
believing faith
in Jesus Christ,
you have the Spirit
of God
who indwells you
to be your Helper,
to come alongside
and help you
to persist
in God's ways.
Now,
at this point,
we must be
careful.
How does the Holy Spirit
reveal such things
to us?
So many
in our day
have erred
into a new
mysticism,
being led along
by their feelings.
believing that
the primary way
in which the Spirit
of God works
in the follower
of Christ
is by giving us
impulse,
feeling impulses
about the way
in which
we should go.
A most common
phrase among
American Christians
is,
I feel led
to.
I feel led
to,
blank,
to such
and such.
Now,
I'm not suggesting
that we,
at times,
will not have
some inclination
in one way
or another.
Often,
particularly young
people in our church
come to me
and say,
what should I do?
And there are two
very good,
very God-honoring
options on the table.
And my response is,
so you know,
when you come to me
and ask these kinds
of questions,
I'm going to go,
what do you want
to do?
Pick one.
Which way do you
think you should go?
Just go.
So we may have
some inclinations
at times,
one way
or another,
but the Spirit
uses means,
uses real,
tangible means,
most often
to instruct us.
In Romans 12,
2,
Paul's very aware
of this.
He writes,
Do not be conformed
to this world,
but be transformed
by the renewal
of your mind.
How are our minds
renewed?
By the Word of God.
That by testing
you may discern
what is the will
of God,
what is good
and acceptable
and perfect.
So God speaks
by the Holy Spirit
through the Bible.
Paul writes to Timothy
in 2 Timothy 3,
16 and 17,
All Scripture
is breathed out
by God
and is profitable
for teaching,
for reproof,
for correction,
and for training
in righteousness
that the man of God
may be complete,
equipped
for every good work.
Beloved,
this is the go-to verse
for the sufficiency
of Scripture.
The Bible contains
everything within it
to direct holy lives.
That's why we call it
the Holy Bible.
And I hope
to connect you
to Christ
if you're part
of this church
and secondly
to the sufficiency
of Scripture.
You walk out of here
loving Jesus
and then loving
the Bible,
I've accomplished
something by grace.
the Bible
must be seen
in this light.
It must be respected
in this light.
I am so saddened
that in our day
we seem to need
a new reformation.
People would pick up
their Bibles
and read
that would be literate
in what it has to say.
Be about the work
of practicing
God's revealed
general will
for the Christian.
Be about that work.
There's so much
good instruction
found in the Scripture.
Clear things
that we are meant
to do.
Pick up those things
and do them.
You will find
most of your time
filled
if you're doing
those things.
Be about following
Christ
in the very clear way
in which we've been
instructed
to follow
Christ.
Do not
neglect that
and get
altogether
consumed
by the specific
will of God
for you.
Don't get so
consumed
with what major
you're going to have
in school
or which job
you're going to take
when you graduate
or who you'll
marry.
And just neglect
altogether
all of these
clear commands
that have been
given to us
which are for
your good
and the glory
of God.
Secondly,
God speaks
peace by the Holy
Spirit
through prayer.
Pray that God
would accomplish
his revealed
general will
for the Christian
in you.
But also pray
for God's
specific will
for you.
I know
that there are
questions
that have to be
answered.
There are
deadlines
that must
be met.
What should
I do
is a real
felt
question.
You need
to know
which way
Lord
would I
go.
In prayer
we have
the opportunity
to bring
our will
in line
with his
by casting
the anxiety
of that
on him.
Paul knew
this.
He wrote
to the
Philippians
chapter 4
verses 4
through 7.
He said
rejoice
in the
Lord
always.
Again I
will say
rejoice.
Let your
reasonableness
be known
to everyone.
The Lord
is at hand
which I
take to
mean the
Lord
is near.
Therefore
we have
no reason
to have
anxiety
about these
things.
God is
with us.
God is
at work.
God loves
us.
He intends
to direct
us.
Do not
be anxious
about anything
but in
everything
by prayer
and supplication
with
thanksgiving
that your
requests be
made known
to God
and the
peace of
God
which surpasses
all
understanding
will guard
your hearts
and your
minds
in Christ
Jesus.
Thirdly
the Holy
Spirit
directs
us
speaks
through
circumstances.
I don't
think that
the authors
of experiencing
God intend
to be too
mystical at
this point.
I don't
think that's
what they're
trying to
accomplish.
In fact,
if you're
really looking
at the
totality
of what
they're
saying,
it would
be
impossible
for them
to be.
But if
God is
always at
work around
you and
he is
inviting you
to join
him in
his work,
pay
attention
to the
opportunities
to do
so.
I think
that's what
they're
saying.
I think
they're
just
saying,
look.
Look and
see how
God is
at work.
What is
he doing
around you?
An example
from my
life is
that back
in the
very early
days of
Christ's
family
church,
myself and
my brother-in-law
who's here
today,
which is a
wonderful
surprise,
were bivocational.
Both of us
were working
full-time
jobs.
We were
flip-flopping
back and
forth a
couple weeks
on,
a couple
weeks off,
just trying
to fill
preaching
time.
Sam,
my wife,
and I
seriously
considered
working for
Eagle Ranch,
which is a
home for
troubled kids,
and we
applied.
We were
going through
that whole
process.
We had
decided,
had we
been offered
the position,
we would
have gone
to live
there,
it's
south-south
Howell
County,
that we
would probably
have to
stop being
in any
kind of
leadership
here.
Still
wanted to
be part
of the
church,
wanted to
be in
fellowship
but I
wouldn't
have time
to give
any kind
of
leadership
here.
At the
same time,
the church
was growing
and good
things were
happening.
Not only
were we
growing in
breadth,
but we
were growing
in depth.
We were
seeing some
really good
work of
God
happening
here at
the church.
I didn't
know which
way to
go.
We applied
and went
through an
interview
process.
We had
just barely
been married
long enough
to meet
their minimum
requirement.
I think
it was
three years
at the
time.
They went
with a
couple
who had
been
married,
I think
five,
which was
wonderful.
Good for
them,
really wise
decision.
I'm glad
they did
that.
For me,
that was
confirmation
that I was
meant to be
here,
that this
was a
good thing.
God
was at
work.
I could
see it
happening
around me.
So we
just leaned
into it.
We said,
okay,
then let's
go.
Now we
know where
we're
supposed to
be and
what we're
supposed to
be doing.
So a
way that a
circumstance,
an example,
could be
guiding you.
pray for
opportunities
to practice
God's
revealed
general
will
for your
life.
Then look
for those
opportunities,
those specific
things in
which you
could do.
Pray in
the morning
that God
would give
you the
opportunity
to share
your faith
with somebody
and then
don't be
hesitant to
share your
faith when
the opportunity
arises.
Specific will.
There it is.
I prayed for
it and it's
happening.
My word.
Lean into
it and do
it.
Paul wrote
in 1 Corinthians
16,
8 and 9,
but I will
stay in
Ephesus until
Pentecost for
a wide
door for
effective
work has
opened to
me and
there are
many
adversaries.
There was
a great
work to
be done
in Ephesus.
God was
accomplishing
things by
the hands
of Paul,
working through
him to
accomplish his
will, and
there was a
lot of
opposition to
the church
and so
Paul saw
that it
was a good
thing to
stay and
so he
did.
Fourth,
God speaks
by the Holy
Spirit through
the church.
Through the
church.
One of my
big grievances
with the
I feel
led to
mentality is
that it's
very
individualistic.
Very
individualistic.
I have a
plan and
God has
told me it's
the thing
to go
do and
we don't
seek the
counsel of
the church.
I have
acquaintances,
even some
friends,
who went to
seminary and
are pastors of
churches and
they have no
business being
pastors.
And everyone
that I know
that knows
them sees
that, but
they never
asked anybody
and none of
us were ever
brave enough
to tell them
that they
were wasting
their lives.
Gifted in
some way,
but not in
that way.
Don't just
assume because
you have a
feeling for
something that
it's the thing
that you ought
to be doing.
In Antioch,
Paul and
Barnabas are
commissioned on
their very
first missionary
journey.
Let's note
who the
Spirit of
God comes
to in
Acts 13.
This is
verse 2
and 3.
This is
the church
gathered
together while
they were
worshiping the
Lord and
fasting.
The Holy
Spirit said
to the
church,
set apart
for me
Barnabas
and Saul
for the
work to
which I
have called
them.
Then after
fasting and
praying,
they laid
their hands
on them
and sent
them
off.
Commissioned
by the
church.
The Spirit
speaks to
the church
for the
work of
Barnabas
and Saul
who we
now call
Paul.
It does
not record
for us
that Barnabas
and Saul
went to
the church
and told
them they
had a
feeling
and therefore
the church
said,
great,
we'll let
you get
up and
talk about
fundraising.
The church
came around
them and
fundraised and
sent them
off.
Paul rejects
the intervention
of the
church in
our text
though,
doesn't he?
Isn't that
interesting?
That's what
was so
captivating to
my mind as
I was
studying it
this week.
It's like,
well,
wait a
minute.
Here in
two different
occasions,
the church
is going,
no,
don't go.
But he
had a
confidence,
a conviction
about him
that this
was the
thing that
needed to
happen and
God had
been speaking
to him by
other means.
And that is
to say that
the church
can be
wrong.
The church
is not the
absolute,
the end
all of
all things.
This reminded
me of a
story of a
missionary that
I really
love and
admire named
John G.
Patton.
He went
to a group
of islands
in the day,
what are called
the New
Hebrides.
Now it's
called
Vanuatu.
So you
want to
look up
John G.
Patton,
Vanuatu.
And the
islands were
known for
cannibalism,
extremely
dangerous place.
He has a
fantastic story.
One of the
elders of
his church
implored him
not to go.
He said,
do not go.
And he
wasn't the
only one.
There were
many people
in his
church that
tried to
restrict him
from going.
and the
elders said,
you will be
eaten by
cannibals.
And this
was Patton's
response.
He said,
Mr.
Dixon,
you were
advanced in
years now
and your
own prospect
body is
soon to be
laid in the
grave there
to be eaten
by worms.
I confess
to you that
if I can
but live and
die serving
and honoring
the Lord
Jesus,
it will
make no
difference to
me whether
I'm eaten
by cannibals
or by
worms.
And God
did an
incredible
work in
the life
of John
G.
Patton
in
Vanuatu.
But
Paul did
not thumb
his nose
at the
church in
Caesarea.
First part
of verse
13,
Paul answered,
what are
you doing
weeping
and breaking
my heart?
He knew
that he
was meant
to go
and his
response to
them and
pleading
with him
to stay
is please
stop because
I'm having
to go
against the
very thing
that you're
asking me
to do.
You're
weeping
and you're
brokenhearted
because you
know what's
going to
happen to
me but
I've still
got to
go.
So stop
is what
he was
suggesting.
He doesn't
thumb his
nose at
them.
He simply
says stop
weeping
because I
must go.
So God
is always
at work
around you
and he
is pursuing
a continuing
love
relationship
with you
that is
real and
personal and
he's doing
so by
inviting you
to become
involved with
him in
his work
and this
invitation is
extended to
you as
God speaks
by the
Holy Spirit
through the
Bible,
prayer,
circumstances
and the
church to
reveal himself,
his purposes
and his
ways.
This starts to
build like the
twelve days of
Christmas.
Number five,
God's invitation
for you to
work with
him always
leads you to
a crisis of
belief that
requires faith
and action.
God's invitation
for you to
work with
him always
leads you to
a crisis of
belief that
requires faith
and action.
When God
asks things
of us,
when he
invites us
into the
work that
he's doing,
wants to do
through us,
whether it's
the revealed
and general
or specific,
they're always
his things.
They're always
God-sized
things.
And therefore,
they're beyond
our natural
abilities.
We're really
humble,
really honest
with ourselves.
We have no
innate ability
that really
accomplishes
anything for
the kingdom
of God.
And as
such,
that means
that we have
to believe
that God
can and
will work
through us
in the
activity.
We have
to become
desperate
that nothing
happens apart
from God's
work.
And so many
in this day
run off.
I've done
this.
We run
off on our
own course,
going to do
a work that
God's not even
about anyway.
He's certainly
not going to
join us in it.
Rather than
recognizing that
he is at work
and he wants
to use me
as part of
that work
and he will
work in and
through me to
accomplish that
thing.
So that's the
crisis of belief.
What do I believe
to be true about
God's working in
the world and
how it is that
he works in me
in his working
in the world?
Paul was aware
of this.
He wrote to the
Corinthians in 2nd
Corinthians 9-8.
This encouragement,
and God is
able to make
all grace
abound to you
so that having
all sufficiency
in all things
at all times,
you may abound
in every
good work.
God provides
for all
that he commands.
So we need
not to be afraid
to be obedient
despite
what may
come.
The rest
of verse 13
in today's
text,
Paul says,
for I am
ready not
only to be
imprisoned,
but even to
die in Jerusalem
for the name
of the Lord
Jesus.
What a
wonderful
profession.
God is able
to make
all grace
abound to
me so that
whatever it is
that he asks
of me,
that he expects
of me as I'm
obedient to his
will,
he'll provide
for me.
Paul says,
I am ready.
Prison,
death,
I'm ready
by the grace
of God.
And then I
love their
response.
I think this is
wonderful and
worth noting
in verse 14.
Since he would
not be persuaded,
we ceased
and said,
let the will
of the Lord
be done.
So,
here it comes
again on the
first day of
Christmas.
So God is
always at work
around you and
he is pursuing
a continuing
love relationship
with you that
is real and
personal and
he's doing so
by inviting you
to become involved
with him in
his work.
This invitation
is extended to
you as God
speaks by the
Holy Spirit,
which will
always lead
you to a
crisis of
belief that
requires faith
and action.
Six,
and I'll
speed up,
you must make
major adjustments
in your life
to join God
in what he
is doing.
Beloved,
the ways of the
world are not
the ways of God.
God's economy
seems so often
to be upside
down,
when in reality
the world is
upside down
and God's
economy is
right side
up.
So we will
have to make
adjustments
if we're to
obey God.
It always
requires change
on our
part.
These major
adjustments may
relate to our
thinking,
circumstances,
relationships,
commitments,
jobs,
actions,
beliefs.
God intends
to bring
our lives
into conformity
with him.
We are to
be holy
as he is
holy.
Paul understood
this and made
radical adjustments
for the sake
of following
Christ.
He wrote to
the Philippian
church in
Philippians 3.8,
I count
everything as
loss because
of the
surpassing
worth of
knowing Christ
Jesus,
my Lord.
It is better
to know
Christ.
than
everything else.
Everything in
my life goes
into the
loss column
if I can
have Christ
in the
gain
column.
And he
goes on,
for his
sake I
have suffered
the loss
of all
things and
count them
as rubbish
in order
that I
may gain
Christ.
In order
to be
obedient to
God,
you will
be asked
to change.
Don't
resist
such good
command.
this is
good for
you.
Don't
think that
as God
brings you
to the
end of
yourself,
as he
twists
things that
your hands
clench
onto so
tightly,
that it's
not for
your good.
He loves
you.
His
intention
is the
best for
you,
even if
it's
arrest and
imprisonment.
Because in
that we
gain more
of him.
Don't
resist it.
God is
always at
work around
you,
and he's
pursuing a
continuing
love relationship
with you that
is real and
personal,
and he is
doing so by
inviting you to
become involved
with him in
his work.
This
invitation is
extended to
you as
God speaks
by the
Holy Spirit,
which will
always lead
you to a
crisis of
belief that
requires faith
and action
and major
adjustments in
your life to
join God
in what he
is doing.
It is
easier to
copy and
paste that than
it is to
read it.
Seventh and
lastly,
you come to
know God
by experience
as you
obey him
and he
accomplishes
his work
through you.
Beloved,
we ought not
just know
things about
God,
but know
him,
and it is
through obedience
in his work
that we come
to know
him.
For many
followers of
Jesus Christ,
this is the
all-too-important
missing ingredient
to keep their
hearts warmed
up to the
truth of
the gospel.
The daily
experience of
walking with
God,
seeing him
alive and
active in
the work he
is doing
and has
graciously
invited us
into.
to not
treat him
merely as
a philosophy
far off
that we
can read
facts about,
but seeing
him bear
out his
character
before us
that we
might
experience
him.
Listen to
Paul's prayer
for the
Ephesian
church in
Ephesians 1,
verse 16
and following.
He says,
I do not
cease to
give thanks
for you,
remembering
you in
my prayers
that the
God of
our Lord
Jesus
Christ,
the Father
of glory,
may give
you the
spirit of
wisdom
and of
revelation
in the
knowledge
of him.
Now,
if you
were like
me and
tend
towards
being
academic,
I'm not
suggesting that
I'm smart,
I just tend
towards that.
I'm more
of a
thinker
than a
feeler.
You could
read that
wrongly.
You could
read that
what Paul
is saying
is that
they would
know facts.
I don't
think so.
I don't
think so.
I think
what he's
praying for
them,
they'd have
this wisdom
and revelation
in the
knowledge
of God
himself,
that they
would know
him,
not just
about him.
And I
think that
because of
the following
two verses.
Verse 18,
having the
eyes of
your hearts
enlightened,
not just
your minds,
but your
hearts,
that you
may know
what is
the hope,
these words,
this indwelling
type of
knowing God,
what is the
hope to
which he
has called
you,
what are
the riches
of his
glorious
inheritance
in the
saints,
and what
is the
immeasurable
greatness of
his power
toward us
who believe.
that doesn't
feel far
off and
distant to
me.
That feels
personal.
That feels
experienced.
And I
think that's
what Paul
meant.
And so
Paul had
not a copy
of experiencing
God,
but he had
these biblical
truths that
he understood
and was
working out.
And we
see these
evidences of
it, both in
his living
and in
his writing,
his doctrine
and in
his practice.
And I
believe that's
why Paul
could have
this firm,
convinced
conviction
that he
was meant
to go to
Jerusalem.
And so
he pressed
on in
obedience.
And all
the things
that will
follow in
the book
of Acts
are the
result of
his obedience
and continued
obedience.
The rest
of the book
is not a
tragedy.
It's not
Paul sinned
and did the
thing he
wasn't supposed
to do
and now
God's
having to
throw into
place a
different plan
and try to
work some
good out
of it all.
God's
providence
reigns all
the same
and Paul's
going to
Jerusalem.
So,
in conclusion,
one more
time.
God is
always at
work around
you and
he is
pursuing a
continuing
love relationship
with you
that is real
and personal
and he is
doing so by
inviting you to
become involved
with him in
his work.
This
invitation is
extended to
you as
God speaks
by the
Holy Spirit
which will
always lead
you to a
crisis of
belief that
requires faith
and action
and major
adjustments in
your life to
join God in
what he is
doing.
This is of
great benefit
to you as
you come to
know God
by experience
as you obey
him and he
accomplishes his
work through
you.
Let's pray
together.