Acts 1 12-26 Knowing & Doing God's Will 9-12-2021

looking for some ‘sure fire’ way - horoscopes, Opra, psychics, Dr. Phil, New Age practices and more. God DOES NOT try to hide His will–one step at a time (Pos young miner’s hat) A heart ready to do whatever the will of the Lord is. Mat 26:39 not my will

1. Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will. (Acts 1:8, 12-16, 20 - Psa. 115:1; Prov. 3:5,6; 15:33; ; Mat. 26:39) - Jesus said they would receive power and be His witnesses, they were constantly in prayer, maintaining an intimate relationship with God, seeking the Lord’s will & not their own will. Jesus didn’t show, give the way He IS the WAY

2. Earnestly seek the Lord in prayer. (Acts 1:14, 24 - Psa. 32:8; ; Jas. 1:5-7; 4:2-10) Seem obvious but look at James 4:2 after James1:5 Earnestly and expectantly pray!

3. Know what God’s Word says about this decision and obey what I know to be true. (Acts 1:16, 20 - Psa. 119:9-11, 105; Prov. 6:23) – Biggest problem often we don’t know what God’s word says about it or we want to make it fit My will. God’s word is Lamp & Light Psa 119:105, trustworthy –

ILLST Teacher I knew you would say don’t – Psa 119:9-11

4. Believe that God is active and at work around me and be willing to adjust my life to His will. (Acts 1:15-17 - Prov. 2:1-5; Jn. 5:16-20; 10:4;12:26) Is life as a series of random events or the arena where God is active? Judas was no surprise to God -How do we adjust to God’s activity? Must be 12 to display to the Jews.

ILLST–Lady throwing twig-first tow didn’t land how I wanted

5. Apply ‘sanctified common sense’ to the situation. (Acts 1:21-22 - Prov. 1:22-23; 6:32; 14:15-18) Must be 12 and be witnesses of the life and resurrection of Jesus.

6. Look at the circumstances before me as in God’s hands and trust God for His will in the matter. (Acts 1:23-26–; Prov. 2:6-11; 3:5,6; Heb 11:11-12). Two men met the criteria–cast lots & put it in God’s hands. Lots pose Luke’s way to show changing of God’s pattern–Holy Spirit. Circumstances often #1

ILLST Harbor lights – not all so line up as may as possible

Knowing And Doing God’s Will

There are some very different ways that people seek to discover God’s will for their lives. Some flip through the Bible – Judas hung himself, OOPs – again Go and do likewise. - NOT a good method.

Another ways is seeking signs.

ILLUSTRATION IBP, 1460, pg. 395, 396. A farmer who desired to be an evangelist was working out in his field one day when he decided that he needed to rest under a tree. As he looked into the sky the clouds seemed to clearly form into two letters P & C. Immediately he hopped up, and rejoicing at this ‘sign’ he sold his farm, and went out to P- preach C- Christ, which he felt was God’s clear leading. Unfortunately, he was a terrible preacher. After one of his sermons a kindly and spiritually mature neighbor came forward and whispered in his ear, “Are you sure God wasn’t trying to tell you to P- plant C- corn?”

We live in a time when people are looking for some ‘sure fire’ way to know what to do in their personal lives, careers, even in their day-to-day decisions. Therefore, they are looking to horoscopes, Opra, psychics, Dr. Phil, New Age practices and more.

SO, How can ws as followers of Jesus KNOW GOD’S WILL?

FIRST, we must stop acting as if God is somehow hiding His will from us and is reluctant to let us know what it is. The Scriptures are clear that God is graciously willing to reveal the guidance that we need for every aspect of our lives (Psa. 25:8f.; 32:8; 12:1,2; ; ; Jas. 1:5). Now, this does not mean that we shall be able to see more than one step at a time.

ILLUSTRATION New, young miner’s hat

We can be assured that God will give us the guidance that we need (Isa. 40:11; Jn. 10:7-18). There are principles that God has laid down to enable us to make God-honoring decisions. Let’s look at the Book of Acts to reveal what these principles might look like when they are put into practice.

1. Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will. (Acts 1:8, 12-16, 20 - Psa. 115:1; Prov. 3:5,6; 15:33; ; Mat. 26:39)

If we desire to know the will of the Lord for our lives, we will have to have an intimate relationship with the Lord and want His glory and His will above our own.

As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, in , “39 "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."”

So, the first step in determining God’s will for our lives is a heart that is ready to do whatever the will of the Lord is.

In we read, “12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Remember, they have been told by Jesus that they would receive power and would be His witnesses, so, we see that they were constantly in prayer they were maintaining their intimate relationship with God and seeking the Lord’s will and not their own will. In Acts 15-19 we read,

15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty). 16 and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus- 17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” 18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)”

Notice that Judas was invited into an intimate relationship with the Lord. Because of that he was able to know and do the will of God. But Judas rejected God’s will and his punishment was severe.

When promising to reveal the way to His disciples the way Jesus didn’t say, I’ll show you the way, I’ll give you a road map or even I’ll tell you which direction to head. He said, I AM the WAY, the truth and the life. He calls us to be with Him, and to follow Him one day at a time. We need to remember in all of this, that we are seeking THE LORD and not just His direction or benefits. So, if we what to know and do the will of God we need to, Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will.We also need to

2. Earnestly seek the Lord in prayer. (Acts 1:14, 24 - Psa. 32:8; ; Jas. 1:5-7; 4:2-10)

This may seem like such an obvious statement that it could be left unsaid. But, unfortunately that is NOT the case. James reminds us that often, , “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” and he tells us this after he has reminded us, , “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Surely James must have considered that we might neglect to ask God for wisdom when we most need it.

Look at what these believers did in Acts 1:14, 24-25.

, “14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. . . . 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.”” They were expecting the Lord to answer.

These people wanted to know and do the will of God so they Had an intimate relationship with the Lord and set their hearts to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above their will. - - They earnestly (& expectantly) sought the Lord in prayer. They also

3. Knew what God’s Word says about this decision and they obey what they knew to be true. (Acts 1:16, 20 – Psa. 119:9-11, 105; Prov. 6:23)

I believe that most of our difficulty in seeking to know and do the will of God is found right here. We don’t know God’s word or we seek to twist it to fit what we want it to say. But God has given us His Word so that we might know what His will is for our lives.

Psa 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” In Peter says, ““Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas.” Peter says, the Scripture HAD to be fulfilled BECAUSE the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David what Judas would do. Here is another clear reminder that God’s Word is Sure and absolutely trustworthy. The problem is, sometimes we don’t seek to find out what God’s Word says because we just want to do what we want to do. We are like

ILLUSTRATION IPT # 137, pg. 148

A retired school teacher lost her life savings in a business scheme that had been elaborately planned by a swindler. When her investment disappeared and her dream was shattered, she went to the Better Business Bureau.

“Why didn’t you come to us first?” the official asked. “Didn’t you know about the Better Business Bureau?”

“Oh, yes, “ said the lady sadly. “I’ve always known about you, but I didn’t come because I was afraid you’d tell me not to make the investment.”

The folly of human nature is that even though we know where the answer is -- in God’s Word -- we don’t seek to turn to that Word for fear what it will say.

So if we want to know and obey Gods will then we will have to know what God’s Word says and obey what we know. Psalm 119:9-11 make this point clear, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

If we want to know and do the will of God, then we need to know what God’s word says and know the principles found in the Scriptures relative to the decision that we feel that we need to make.

So, if we want to know and do God’s will then we need to, Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will.

Earnestly seek the Lord in prayer.

Know what God’s Word says about this decision and obey what I know to be true. We also need to

4. Believe that God is active and at work around me and be willing to adjust my life to His will. (Acts 1:15-17 - Prov. 2:1-5; Jn. 5:16-20; 10:4; 12:26)

Another way to ask this question is to ask, Do I see life as a series of random events that happen by chance or by some force of nature, Or do I see life as the arena in which God is active?

In the Book of Acts we see this principle in , “In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty). 16 and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.””

Here is a reminder that the actions of Judas did not take God by surprise. God’s sovereignty was at work in all of this. It is also a reminder that God is active all around us and that He wants us to adjust our lives to His activity and will. The Lord says to all of us. ‘Do you want to be in the center of My will, then look around and see where I am active and then adjust you lives to where I am active.’

That will mean that we will have to adjust our lives to what God is already doing. Judas was one of the twelve, but because of his betrayal his position was vacated. It was Necessary for Judas to be replace because when the apostles stood before the children of Israel proclaiming that the Messiah had come and He had brought God’s kingdom, there MUST be 12 of them to represent the true remnant of the twelve tribes of Israel.

ILLUSTRATION – It can be difficult thing to make adjustments in our lives because we all get comfortable ‘doing our own thing.’ But, if we want to e faithful to the Lord then we must let God be God and put aside our own desires.

The problem is that we are often like the Gypsy woman who came to a crossroads. She was seen to toss a twig into the air, intently watch it fall to the ground and then examine its position carefully. She did this three times.

“Why did you throw the twig up like that?” asked a curious observer.

“To know which way I should go,” answered the woman.

“But why three times?”

“Because the first two times it didn’t come down and point to the way I wanted to go”, she replied.

We must remember that if we are seeking to truly know God’s will and to do it then it may not be what WE want it to be. We need to see what God is doing. Then allow the presence and power of the Lord in our lives to enable us to adjust our lives to God’s activity around us.

So, if we want to know and do God’s will then we need to, Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will.

Earnestly seek the Lord in prayer.

Know what God’s Word says about this decision and obey what I know to be true. We also need to

Believe that God is active and at work around me and be willing to adjust my life to His will.

We also have to

5. Apply ‘sanctified common sense’ to the situation. (Acts 1:21-22 - Prov. 1:22-23; 6:32; 14:15-18)

Another element we need to consider when seeking to know and do God’s will is what I call ‘sanctified common sense’. That is, the ability to look at things from God’s perspective and from a common sense perspective as well.

We can see this in where we read, “21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.””

This decision is very important for two reasons.

First, because when the Apostles stand before the people in they want to stand as 12 symbolizing the 12 tribes of .

Also, since an apostle is to be a witness to the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus it only makes sense that the one to be chosen should have been with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry and should also be a witness to the resurrections of Jesus.

So they simply HAD to have 12 Apostles who intimately know Jesus for their witness to be understood and whatever witness they chose HAD to be a witness of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.

A sixth principle we need to apply if we want to effectively know and do the will of God is to,

6. Look at the circumstances before me as in God’s hands and trust God for His will in the matter. (Acts 1:23-26 – ; Prov. 2:6-11; 3:5,6; Heb 11:11-12)

Look at , “23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs. 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.””

This was not a blind use of lots. These believers had been careful to use all the other available means of choosing the leaders, such as Scripture, prayer, common sense and they had set the requirements of this replacement having an adequate experience of and a relationship with Christ. Lots were used only after they had two candidates for one position who seemed to have the same qualifications. Lots were used in decision making in a variety of circumstances in the Old Testament. observes about this process: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

According to the biblical usage, lots seem to have been used only when the decision was significant and where wisdom or biblical injunctions did not give sufficient guidance. One of the advantages of the casting of lots was the impartiality of the choice.

It is probable that the disappearance of the practice of casting of lots in Scripture is related to the coming of the Holy Spirit, who is now the great Guide of the believers (Rom. ; Gal. ). The fact that it is mentioned HERE just before the Day of Pentecost may suggest that Luke wants to highlight the truth that this is a symbol of the end of the old era.

In many cases circumstances are probably the most common source of guidance that Christians seek but it can also be one of the most unreliable.

Because of that, we must be cautious when it comes to using circumstances and be sure that this is not the only source of guidance that we are looking for because different people see the same circumstances in different ways. So we need to use more that circumstances if we want to know and do the will of God. That is why this list can be so helpful, we can look at these as individual principles as points of light that give us further illumination in knowing and doing the will of God in our lives.

ILLUSTRATION IPT 98, pg. 108

There is a certain harbor in Italy that can only be reached by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous rocks and shoals. Over the years, many ships have been wrecked, and navigation is hazardous.

To guide the ships safely into port, amidst the confusing jumble of lights, three large fires (lights) were lit at three different heights behind the harbor.

When the three lights become perfectly lined up so they look as one long light, then the ship can safely proceed up the narrow channel. If the pilot does not line all of them up then he knows that he is off course and in danger. God has provided us with several lights to guide us. The same rules of navigation apply -- the lights need to line up if we want to be assured that we are doing God’s will. We may not get all of the principles lined up lined up exactly in every circumstance, BUT I believe that if we seek to line up as many as possible then we can be assured that we know God’s will in that matter and can obey it through the Power that God provides.

*Seek Ye First P/W# 48

Knowing And Doing God’s Will

1. Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will. (Acts 1:8, 12-16, 20 - Psa. 115:1; Prov. 3:5,6; 15:33; ; Mat. 26:39)

2. Earnestly seek the Lord in prayer. (Acts 1:14, 24 - Psa. 32:8; ; Jas. 1:5-7; 4:2-10)

3. Know what God’s Word says about this decision and obey what I know to be true. (Acts 1:16, 20 - Psa. 119:9-11, 105; Prov. 6:23)

4. Believe that God is active and at work around me and be willing to adjust my life to His will. (Acts 1:15-17 - Prov. 2:1-5; Jn. 5:16-20; 10:4;12:26)

5. Apply ‘sanctified common sense’ to the situation. (Acts 1:21-22 - Prov. 1:22-23; 6:32; 14:15-18)

6. Look at the circumstances before me as in God’s hands and trust God for His will in the matter. (Acts 1:23-26 – ; Prov. 2:6-11; 3:5,6; Heb 11:11-12)

Knowing And Doing God’s Will

1. Have an intimate relationship with the Lord and set my heart to honor and glorify the Lord, putting His will above my will. (Acts 1:8, 12-16, 20 - Psa. 115:1; Prov. 3:5,6; 15:33; ; Mat. 26:39)

2. Earnestly seek the Lord in prayer. (Acts 1:14, 24 - Psa. 32:8; ; Jas. 1:5-7; 4:2-10)

3. Know what God’s Word says about this decision and obey what I know to be true. (Acts 1:16, 20 - Psa. 119:9-11, 105; Prov. 6:23)

4. Believe that God is active and at work around me and be willing to adjust my life to His will. (Acts 1:15-17 - Prov. 2:1-5; Jn. 5:16-20; 10:4;12:26)

5. Apply ‘sanctified common sense’ to the situation. (Acts 1:21-22 - Prov. 1:22-23; 6:32; 14:15-18)

6. Look at the circumstances before me as in God’s hands and trust God for His will in the matter. (Acts 1:23-26 – ; Prov. 2:6-11; 3:5,6; Heb 11:11-12)

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