Being a Vessel in every Opportunity

Today, we’re going to start with opening our Bibles to Acts 16, where we will be reading verses 24-33.

Acts 16:24–33 ESV

Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

We have here a beautiful conclusion to the scenario from when Paul and Silas are thrown into prison, and the theme we’re looking at specifically is in this situation God had both of them in, they used the opportunity to represent Christ and remain where they were, in which God worked through them to work in the life of the Jailer, and later that same night, his whole household.

The reason I wanted to emphasize this theme from the Scripture is because of Paul and Silas’ attitude in the circumstance they were put in. Are central verse is Philippians 1:12-14, where Paul is speaking from what I believe to be a different point at which he was in prison,

Philippians 1:12–14 ESV

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

but the aspect of Paul’s attitude is what blows my mind, he finds his situation to be an opportunity in which he allows himself to be used by God as a vessel to spread the Gospel. The characteristics in his character and outlook that lead to such an encouraging attitude would be for one, Paul recognizes that God ultimately is in control and has a plan.

Though Paul had other plans and means of sharing the Gospel, he still had to recognize that his plans aren’t always God’s plans, even if his plans were to glorify God and spread His message, He was content with where God had Him and used that space to still accomplish His mission. We need to do the same within our lives. How often do we see ourselves get super frustrated when something doesn’t go according to how we had planned, thus causing us to have a negative attitude, which most likely interferes with God being able to work through us in the moment since we aren't creating an atmosphere for Him. If we were to instead take a pause in our situations as we notice them to be different from what we had hoped, and maybe thought about what God has planned in the moment, or why it is going that way, and ask God for strength to be at peace and open to Him for it, then who knows the lives that we could reach out to through His Spirit, all because we are willing and content with the place God had placed us.

Second, Paul would have to in that situation look also for the opportune times to speak of the Gospel. In Ephesians 5:15-17 Paul says:

Ephesians 5:15–17 ESV

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

If we were to be careful of our actions and look for the opportunities, as well as making the most of the time we have in whatever situation we are in, imagine again how many people we could reach out to, and exemplify Christ to. As followers of Jesus, we have to recognize that following Jesus isn’t a job, where we only do it for 8 hours, 5 days a week, and the same goes for spreading the Gospel. We need to be looking for every opportunity to do so, in order to reach the lives of those who don’t know Jesus’ love and sacrifice for them. We must be ready at any moment for God to throw a curve ball in our planned-out life so we can adjust to it and become a vessel of His use, keeping a character of Christ, and spreading the message of Jesus through whatever means God has given you for the said moment.

I can look back at many points in my life where I passed up an opportunity to reach out to someone in need or spread the Gospel, all because of the fear that I would potentially look bad. I often look at those moments and wonder how God could’ve worked in that situation to love upon those people. It makes me wonder why as Christians we are so worried about going out of our way to reach out to the those who need it in said opportunities. If God has called us to a mission of spreading the Gospel and living a life holy and pleasing to Him, but we only do so in the spaces of our comfortability, then we aren’t truly living up to that calling, in which we are ALL called to. That would bring me to the third characteristic.

Paul in that place most likely had to step out of his comfort-zone to spread the Gospel. That’s right, he had to talk to people he didn’t know and often didn’t having liking to him. Spreading God’s message is something everyone is tasked with doing, including those who don’t like social interaction as much as others, but through God’s Spirit, we can all accomplish this goal, which will absolutely include taking that step of comfortableness and talking to strangers.

Through Paul, Silas, Peter, and many other disciples commissioned and possibly martyred, the Gospel was able to reach billions and billions of people all over the world and is going strong to this day, all because of their willingness to use where God had them as an opportunity to reach the broken and weary in the world. Imagine if every Christian still had that mindset to this day, not just hiding with the four walls of the church building weekly, but actually made it a goal to go out and talk to someone new and love on them like Jesus. We can build up the courage and strength when we ask God to give us the opportunities when we are out in the world doing our everyday tasks. And yes, we may still not get it right every single time, we probably will have people who feel conflicted and offended of what we do, but regardless of their outlook, if we shared the Gospel through the love of Jesus, who knows how stubborn of a heart God could break down to reach for Him. Obedience is vital for followers of Christ, if we want to accomplish this seemingly difficult task, we need to learn to walk in obedience to God’s plans and will.

Try to take a few moments while you’re going shopping or getting gas, or going to the park; whenever you’re out, and ask God to strengthen you in your obedience to follow Him will, whatever it may look like, so that His message can be spread. Look for the opportunities, make the most of every situation, be a light to the world through Jesus, be willing to step out of your comfort-zone. And do it all for the glory of God.