May 7, 2017 NOTES NOT EDITED
Divine Direction Pt3—Trust the Process
Divine Direction Pt3—Trust the Process
Acts 20:22-25
Series
in a Sentence: Making
wise decisions brings blessings and wise decisions come from following God’s
Divine Direction.
Sermon-in-a-Sentence:
Divine Direction comes from
trusting and obeying the process of God’s Providence.
We all have a story to tell. That story reflects the choices we make in life. Different choices lead to a different story. Of course, the biggest decision contributing to my story—or anyone’s story is my decision to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life. My decision to join the Navy out of the blue significantly changed my story. My decision to volunteer for submarine service has significantly impacted the story of my life. My decision to ask Shari to be my wife is perhaps the most significant contribution to my story, second only to accepting Jesus as my Lord. The decisions keep coming and we are always writing our story.
I think of one man in the Bible who significantly changed the story of his life with his decision to accept Jesus as the Resurrected Messiah. The story of Doubting Thomas is familiar to many around the world. In fact, the term, “Doubting Thomas,” is used in general for someone that seems overly skeptical about things. But, I don’t think the term “Doubting Thomas” accurately describes his story.
Remember that Thomas was not with the other disciples when they first saw Jesus. Thomas did have an analytic nature and he did say, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!” (Jn. 20:25).
We all have a story to tell. That story reflects the choices we make in life. Different choices lead to a different story. Of course, the biggest decision contributing to my story—or anyone’s story is my decision to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life. My decision to join the Navy out of the blue significantly changed my story. My decision to volunteer for submarine service has significantly impacted the story of my life. My decision to ask Shari to be my wife is perhaps the most significant contribution to my story, second only to accepting Jesus as my Lord. The decisions keep coming and we are always writing our story.
I think of one man in the Bible who significantly changed the story of his life with his decision to accept Jesus as the Resurrected Messiah. The story of Doubting Thomas is familiar to many around the world. In fact, the term, “Doubting Thomas,” is used in general for someone that seems overly skeptical about things. But, I don’t think the term “Doubting Thomas” accurately describes his story.
Remember that Thomas was not with the other disciples when they first saw Jesus. Thomas did have an analytic nature and he did say, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!” (Jn. 20:25).
Thomas did see. Thomas did believe. Belief, not doubt, describes the story of
Thomas, contrary to unfortunate nickname of Doubting Thomas that has lodged in
the mind of society today. Here’s the
real story of “Trusting Thomas.” Thomas
travelled all the way to India to carry the gospel as the first evangelist to
that far away land. So deep was Thomas’
conviction that Jesus was the Messiah that he would die as a martyr in
India. Tradition says Thomas refused to
recant his faith before a public tribunal which condemned him to death. He was pierced with the swords of four
government soldiers.
How different Thomas’ story would have been had he persisted in his doubts and refused to trust in Jesus, the Lord. That moment when Thomas declared his trust in Jesus by saying, “My Lord and my God! (Jn. 25:28),” changed the story of his life. That demonstrates the awesome power of trusting in Jesus—it changes our story.
There is a huge difference between “knowing about Jesus,” and “knowing Him.” Knowing Jesus and trusting in His plan for our lives with sacrificial obedience changes our story—it changes our story eternally.
There is a process through which God guides our lives and gives us Divine Direction. As we learned in Part 1, God is more concerned about “who we are” than what we do. In Part 2 we learned that God does not always, or even often, guide us by giving us specific instructions, but by showing us the Way of Wisdom by which we can make good decisions. In this sermon, “Trusting the Process,” we will learn how the process of Divine Direction, or providence, works as we follow faithfully the plan of God for our lives.
How different Thomas’ story would have been had he persisted in his doubts and refused to trust in Jesus, the Lord. That moment when Thomas declared his trust in Jesus by saying, “My Lord and my God! (Jn. 25:28),” changed the story of his life. That demonstrates the awesome power of trusting in Jesus—it changes our story.
There is a huge difference between “knowing about Jesus,” and “knowing Him.” Knowing Jesus and trusting in His plan for our lives with sacrificial obedience changes our story—it changes our story eternally.
There is a process through which God guides our lives and gives us Divine Direction. As we learned in Part 1, God is more concerned about “who we are” than what we do. In Part 2 we learned that God does not always, or even often, guide us by giving us specific instructions, but by showing us the Way of Wisdom by which we can make good decisions. In this sermon, “Trusting the Process,” we will learn how the process of Divine Direction, or providence, works as we follow faithfully the plan of God for our lives.
1. Spiritual Compulsion (22)
22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem,
bound in my spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there.
This very colorful and emphatic
wording. Keep in mind that Paul had just
come from Ephesus as part of this Third Missionary Journey. He is going to travel north, into Macedonia,
east and then south heading back to Jerusalem.
In Ephesus, he had challenged the false god, Artemis, called, “The Great
Mother.” More than that, Paul’s
testimony had affected the silversmiths who made “silver shrines of Artemis”
(19:24). Silversmiths made these
replicas of the Temple of Artemis which were used in homes to pay daily homage
to the goddess. So, Paul’s spiritual
mission directly affected the economic prosperity of the idol makers. Paul’s presence created an “uproar”
(20:1) putting Paul and his travelling band in great jeopardy of
imprisonment and brutality. Hence, Paul
choose the words “bound in my spirit” as a word-play indicating he may well soon
be “bound
physically.” Chapter 20, verse
23, describes what Paul might likely expect to encounter when he gets to
Jerusalem,
that
in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and
afflictions are waiting for me.
The image Paul gives is of being “chained
up by the Spirit,” (fr. deo ho pneuma, v22) on the way to being “chained
up by men” (v23, fr. the same root, deo).
Paul is describing the “deepest kind of emotional and spiritual compulsion.” The Greek phrase comes from the root of the words, deo ho pneuma. It means literally, “chained by the Spirit.” It is like a pregnant woman wanting ice cream, or some such pregnancy food. It is not a mere “desire” but a “compulsion.” It is an addictive draw toward something that is like being lassoed and pulled along. This compulsion Paul is feeling at the prompting of the Holy Spirit is overwhelming and overpowering. It is like the old picture of men in white coats placing someone in a strait jacket and carrying them off. It is a pull or passion that cannot be ignored.
Paul is describing the “deepest kind of emotional and spiritual compulsion.” The Greek phrase comes from the root of the words, deo ho pneuma. It means literally, “chained by the Spirit.” It is like a pregnant woman wanting ice cream, or some such pregnancy food. It is not a mere “desire” but a “compulsion.” It is an addictive draw toward something that is like being lassoed and pulled along. This compulsion Paul is feeling at the prompting of the Holy Spirit is overwhelming and overpowering. It is like the old picture of men in white coats placing someone in a strait jacket and carrying them off. It is a pull or passion that cannot be ignored.
These
types of “deo ho pneuma” moments happen all the time in our lives. If we are walking with the Lord, and
following the Way of Wisdom as we discussed last week, we just “know” what God
wants us to do. We cannot resist any
more than a pregnant woman can resist the urge to eat ice cream, or pickles,
who knows what!
Most Christians miss these “deo ho pneuma” moments in life because we are not in the Word regularly and praying passionately. Many times we miss these moments because we neglect our time with other believers. Remember what we learned last week, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prv. 13:20). Be very careful to pay attention for those “deo ho pneuma”—compelled by the Spirit—moments. Learn how to tune the radio of your heart to the frequency of God’s Holy Spirit.
2. Certain Uncertainty (22b) Look back at verse 22,
Most Christians miss these “deo ho pneuma” moments in life because we are not in the Word regularly and praying passionately. Many times we miss these moments because we neglect our time with other believers. Remember what we learned last week, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prv. 13:20). Be very careful to pay attention for those “deo ho pneuma”—compelled by the Spirit—moments. Learn how to tune the radio of your heart to the frequency of God’s Holy Spirit.
2. Certain Uncertainty (22b) Look back at verse 22,
22 “And now I am on my way to
Jerusalem, bound in my spirit, not
knowing what I will encounter there.
There
is nothing “certain” about trusting and obeying God than to realize the details
of our walk will be very “uncertain.”
Paul clearly knew God wanted him to go to Jerusalem, but God didn’t
share all the details. There is a note
of “uncertainty, or unknowing” that goes along with trusting God. How many Christians pray for Divine Direction
from God, but then complain about the way God provides it?
Oh God, I prayed for swimming abilities and you let me drive my car off the road and into the lake? Oh God, I prayed for patience, and here I am sitting in traffic late for work. Sometimes, perhaps most of the time, God provides what we need—but in ways in which we would never have expected.
Oh God, I prayed for swimming abilities and you let me drive my car off the road and into the lake? Oh God, I prayed for patience, and here I am sitting in traffic late for work. Sometimes, perhaps most of the time, God provides what we need—but in ways in which we would never have expected.
We
must learn to “trust the process” of God’s Divine Direction and be willing to
face Certain Uncertainty. Trusting God
does not mean we ask for what something and then complain about the way God
provides it.
Do you remember Jack Nicholson in the movie a Few Good Men? As Colonel Jessup Nicholson gives us that now famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!” God compels us through a “deo ho pneuma” moment to go in one direction or the other and we cry out, “I want details!” God yells back, or maybe not so much of a yell, “You can’t handle the details.” We must learn to trust God’s process, and not complain. Here’s how Jack Nicholson explains the issue:
FILM CLIP
Do you remember Jack Nicholson in the movie a Few Good Men? As Colonel Jessup Nicholson gives us that now famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!” God compels us through a “deo ho pneuma” moment to go in one direction or the other and we cry out, “I want details!” God yells back, or maybe not so much of a yell, “You can’t handle the details.” We must learn to trust God’s process, and not complain. Here’s how Jack Nicholson explains the issue:
FILM CLIP
Part
of implementing God’s Divine Direction in our lives is to expect and embrace,
“Certain Uncertainty.” As we repeat in
our Bible Pledge every week, “Make it [the Bible] a lamp unto my feet and light
unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). God’s
Divine Direction is a lamp for our feet, not a spot light into the future.
3. Predictable Persecution (v23)
3. Predictable Persecution (v23)
In town after town the Holy Spirit
testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.
Sounds a lot like what Jesus
predicted for His followers (John 15:18): “If the world hates you, understand that it
hated Me before it hated you.
4We live in a time in America where
Christianity has lost its favored status.
It might be better to say, “We have come to that time in America that
Christians have squandered our favored status.”
We were founded solidly on Christian principles. That is not debatable among any group of
honest persons. Those days are gone.
Quite frankly, Christianity did not thrive under favored status. As someone has wisely said, “What we attain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly.” Christianity doesn’t work well when it is “favored” by the government and depends upon that favored status to promote Her values.
Most of the world realizes that part of God’s process of Divine Direction means “persecution, resistance, and often, even death.”
We forget, or have never taken the time to learn in America, that most the world has, and does, suffer great persecution if they choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We hear much about China in the news these days. China has been an intense purveyor of persecution for many years. Brother Andrew, known as God’s Smuggler, spent his adult life trying to get the Word to Chinese people. He spent much of that time in prison—but he never gave up. One writer tells the story of Brother Andrew’s mission to smuggle 1 million Bibles into China at one time. Smuggling even ten Bibles would mean beatings and prison. Wanting to be sure that believers in China realized the immensity of the task and that they were willing to accept the risk, we sent Joseph, a Chinese team member, to meet with five key house church leaders. Realizing the tremendous challenge and risk of smuggling 1 million Bibles, Joseph questioned us, “Do you know how much space it will take to store 1 million Bibles?” We answered, “We have already prepared storage places.” Joseph continued, “Do you know what could happen to you if you were caught with even a portion of these Bibles?” We answered again, “Joseph, all five of us have been in prison for the Lord. All together, we’ve spent seventy-two years in jail for Jesus. We are willing to die if it means that a million brothers and sisters have a copy of God’s Word.” With tears in his eyes, Joseph folded up his long list of question and put it away.”
My heart is pierced by those words, “We are willing to die.” So many Christians in America are not even willing to be a little “inconvenienced” for the gospel, let alone die. Divine direction will bring predictable persecution.
Quite frankly, Christianity did not thrive under favored status. As someone has wisely said, “What we attain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly.” Christianity doesn’t work well when it is “favored” by the government and depends upon that favored status to promote Her values.
Most of the world realizes that part of God’s process of Divine Direction means “persecution, resistance, and often, even death.”
We forget, or have never taken the time to learn in America, that most the world has, and does, suffer great persecution if they choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We hear much about China in the news these days. China has been an intense purveyor of persecution for many years. Brother Andrew, known as God’s Smuggler, spent his adult life trying to get the Word to Chinese people. He spent much of that time in prison—but he never gave up. One writer tells the story of Brother Andrew’s mission to smuggle 1 million Bibles into China at one time. Smuggling even ten Bibles would mean beatings and prison. Wanting to be sure that believers in China realized the immensity of the task and that they were willing to accept the risk, we sent Joseph, a Chinese team member, to meet with five key house church leaders. Realizing the tremendous challenge and risk of smuggling 1 million Bibles, Joseph questioned us, “Do you know how much space it will take to store 1 million Bibles?” We answered, “We have already prepared storage places.” Joseph continued, “Do you know what could happen to you if you were caught with even a portion of these Bibles?” We answered again, “Joseph, all five of us have been in prison for the Lord. All together, we’ve spent seventy-two years in jail for Jesus. We are willing to die if it means that a million brothers and sisters have a copy of God’s Word.” With tears in his eyes, Joseph folded up his long list of question and put it away.”
My heart is pierced by those words, “We are willing to die.” So many Christians in America are not even willing to be a little “inconvenienced” for the gospel, let alone die. Divine direction will bring predictable persecution.
One preacher stated the matter with
great insight and eloquence. He said, “If you’re not ready to face opposition for
your obedience to God Not ready to be used by God.”
4. Uncommon Confidence (24, 25)
24 But I count my life of no value to
myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace. 25 “And
now I know that none of you will ever see my face again.
I said earlier, Paul was uncertain
about the details, but he was absolutely
certain about the outcome. Notice
the confident tone: I may “finish
my course.” Absolute confidence
that God’s plan for His life would be accomplished. Paul liked the idea of “finishing a
race.” He used this same wording in a
farewell encouragement to his young protégé, Timothy:
6 For I am already being poured out
as a drink offering, and the time for my
departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved
for me in the future the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have
loved His appearing (2Tim. 4:7).
Come “hell or highwater” as they
say, “Paul was gonna ‘git ‘er done!”
[PIC—Larry the Cable Guy]
Let me go back to where we started
in verse 22 with Paul’s “Spiritual Compulsion” to serve Jesus. Remember that this was “deo ho pneuma” moment
when Paul was literally “chained to the purpose of God in His life!” Remember that in verse 23 Paul says
he can look forward to being “literally chained and imprisoned by men.” Though these two phrases share the
same “deo” root, the construction of
the phrase describing Paul’s “spiritual chains or compulsion” is constructed
differently. The words translated, “chained,
compelled, or bound by the Spirit” is a participle—a verb form
indicating an on-- going event or situation, like “running, eating, etc.” But, even more emphatic is the fact that it
is in the perfect tense. This verb
tense, a form of past tense, indicates an action that has taken place “but the results or effects continue
forever.” In other words, Paul’s
physical chains were temporary, but his eternal chains binding Him in love to
the Lord Jesus are eternal.
Eternal security is what gives Paul, and all true believers, “uncommon confidence.”
Eternal security is what gives Paul, and all true believers, “uncommon confidence.”
Divine Direction isn’t like being teleported as they we see on Star Trek. God doesn’t instantly pick up in one place and set down in another. There is a process—a Divine Process. We must learn to trust that process and obey God’s leadership.
As one preacher reminds us, “Our
goal is not to have plan to succeed, but a passion to obey.” Success is God’s response to our obedience.
Paul had a passion for fulfilling
God’s purpose in his lfie—“to testify of the gospel of God’s grace.” Paul longed for, prayed for, and
listened for God’s Divine Direction in his life. Paul knew he had to learn to Trust the Process of Providence. This involved several elements: A Spiritual Compulsion, A Certain
Uncertainty, A Predictable Persecution, and an Uncommon Confidence. These elements, properly understood and
prayerfully implemented propelled Paul into a ministry that changed history.
Would you make a commitment today to seek God’s Divine Direction in your life, and obey God step by step as He leads you into a world changing ministry? The apostle Paul was just a man like all of us—as are all those whose stories of obedience are recorded in God’s record.
We have a choice to make today in regard to God’s Divine Direction. Which story of our lives will we choose: “Doubting Thomas,” or “Trusting Thomas?”
The choice is ours to make.
Would you make a commitment today to seek God’s Divine Direction in your life, and obey God step by step as He leads you into a world changing ministry? The apostle Paul was just a man like all of us—as are all those whose stories of obedience are recorded in God’s record.
We have a choice to make today in regard to God’s Divine Direction. Which story of our lives will we choose: “Doubting Thomas,” or “Trusting Thomas?”
The choice is ours to make.
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