Discerning The Lord's Will
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[SLIDE 1] INTRODUCTION
If you have your Bible, then please turn to Acts 21:1-16
1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 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. 5 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 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home. 7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. 8 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. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and 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.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” 15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Today, we’re going to be talking about discerning the Lord’s will.
This passage that we have read is an obscure one. It’s a challenging text to interpret, but it is also a practical one.
Because at the end of the day, we want to be in the position where we can say like the believers in this chapter, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
Now, the reason why I bring up the idea of discerning God’s will is because the Apostle Paul is put into a difficult situation where he’s being told twice by believers not to go to Jerusalem. That’s in verses 4 and 12.
Some Bible teachers and scholars argue that it's not God's will for Paul to go to Jerusalem, and it was a mistake (or sinful) for Paul to go to Jerusalem.
Well, from this passage, we get to learn about a unique (and perhaps messy) process of discerning God’s will.
ILLUSTRATION
BIBLICAL THEOLOGY
[SLIDE 2] Before we get into the passage, it is important to establish a basic definition of God’s will.
What is God’s will? What are we talking about?
To put it simply. It means knowing God's plan, purpose, or intention for our lives.
All Christians should desire to do the will of the Lord. I’ve never met a Christian in my life who says to me, “I refuse to do the will of the Lord.”
However, the challenge for most Christians is not knowing exactly what God’s will is for their lives!
But let me tell you today that you can know God’s will for your life.
One of the categories for God’s will is God’s revealed will.
What this means is that God has already made known to all of us what His will is! God did not keep it a secret for us to somehow decipher and figure out.
God’s revealed will is evident in the Bible.
[SLIDE 3] Here are examples and scriptural evidence for you to look at:
God’s will is for you to be sanctified. (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
God’s will for you is to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and giving thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
God’s will for you is to live a godly life by doing good. (1 Peter 2:15)
God’s will for you is to do what is pleasing to Him and to understand His will as revealed in the Bible. (Ephesians 5:10, 17)
God’s will for believers is to suffer for doing good rather than doing evil. (1 Peter 3:17)
God’s will for unbelievers is to be saved. (1 Timothy 2:3-4, Ezekiel 18:30-32, 33:11)
[SLIDE 4] But, what about discerning God’s will in making everyday decisions in life?
The Bible has clear principles, commandments, and wisdom to offer us when we make decisions.
The Bible is also clear about what God forbids.
For example: who should I marry?
The Bible is clear that Christians should only marry Christians (2 Corinthians 6). We are not to be unequally yoked with non-believers.
If you’re a Christian, don’t pray that God will give you a non-Christian girlfriend or boyfriend because that’s a sinful prayer and outside of God’s will.
What should be my vocation?
Should you be a thief? Should you be a loan shark that exploits the vulnerable? Should you be a drug dealer? Should you seek prostitution?
No, those “vocations” are forbidden in principle by Scripture.
Any job, if it’s not sinful and unethical, is honoring to God if God is our ultimate Master. (Ephesians 6:5-9)
God's Word provides clear guidance on those major decisions. We just need to understand and follow the BIble’s commands and principles.
There may be another category called God’s personal will. Here’s the scenario of me counselling a young man: “Pastor, I know what the Bible teaches and I’m doing my best to follow God’s word. But what about the specific things in my life? How should I discern God’s will on the specifics, something that is rather morally neutral?”
For example:
Should I date and eventually marry girl A or girl B? Both girls are born-again believers and love the Lord! It’s morally neutral. It may not be wrong to date girl A or girl B.
You know pastor, I’m confident that both of them will say yes to me when I ask one of them out.
My response: Do you have preferences? Do you like tall girls or short girls? Do you have a preferred ethnicity? Do you like someone who knows how to cook? What about similiar hobbies?
If you’re still indecisive, then flip a coin. Head is girl A. Tale is girl B. Go with that result.
There are many examples. Like what about deciding your major in college? What about the decision to take job A in one city, or job B in another location?
There are many such decisions where we need to know how to discern God’s specific will.
Hopefully, by the grace of God, I’ll be able to communicate clearly what God wants to teach us from this passage regarding His will for the Apostle Paul.
CONTEXT
[SLIDE 5] Now, we begin the exposition in verses 1-3.
Paul and his companions continue their journey to Jerusalem after leaving Miletus.
We recall in the previous passage that Paul gave a farewell/parting message to the Ephesian elders.
And the Apostle Paul is heading towards Jerusalem.
It was an emotional scene. The elders accompanied as he boarded the ship.
And verse 1 begins: “And when we had parted from them and set sail...”
The Greek for “parted from them” can also mean to be torn apart.
This shows the emotional drama of being separated from good friends.
[SLIDE 6] Luke gives us a glimpse of Paul’s travel from one location to another: sailing from Cos, and then to Rhodes, and then stopped at Patara for a bit until they’re able to find a ship that can cross all the way to the region of Phoenicia, which is now called Lebanon, and land at the city of Tyre.
[SLIDE 7] In Tyre, Paul went to seek out the disciples and stayed with them for 7 days.
What’s fascinating is that in the book of Acts, we don’t explicitly see gospel ministry being done in Tyre.
Same goes to the city of Ptolemais in verse 7.
[SLIDE 8] However, we are given a hint in Acts 11:19
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
When the believers in Jerusalem were persecuted by Saul, they dispersed to different places like Tyre and Ptolemais.
So, this would suggest that the advancement of the gospel went beyond what’s recorded by Luke in Acts.
This suggests that it wasn’t only the Apostles who did the work of ministry and evangelism, but that all believers are devoted to spreading the gospel.
EXPOSITION
[SLIDE 9] Now, look at verse 4.
While staying with them for 7 days, these disciples, through the Spirit, were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
And twice, in this passage, that Paul was told not to go to Jerusalem. It’s mentioned again in verse 12.
So, after staying in Tyre for 7 days, you can imagine that the disciples tried persuading Paul. However, Paul and his companions are determined to press onto their journey to Jerusalem in verses 5-6.
This scene is rather similar to the Ephesian elders.
Luke notes that the disciples at Tyre, with wives and children, accompanied the team until Paul and his companions were outside of the city.
It’s like in the airport, you walk with your loved ones all the way to the gate. And you wave your farwell.
Paul, Luke, and others not only did that, but they kneeled down on the beach and prayed and said farewell to one another.
[SLIDE 10] So, Paul and his companions sailed to Ptolemais from Tyre, and stayed with the Christians for one day. Afterwards, they went to Caesarea and entered into the house of Philip.
[SLIDE 11] We remember Philip the evangelist back in Acts 6 and Acts 8.
He was one of the seven (deacons) chosen to take care and manage the finance for the Hellenist widows.
The last time we saw him was at the end of Acts 8 after he evangelized to the Ethiopian Eunuch.
Afterwards, he was in Caesarea, most likely evangelizing to the lost. After many years, he still remained in that city.
We are told that Philip had four unmarried (or virgin) daughters who prophesied.
This assumes that Philip was a married man and has a wife.
His daughters were able to prophesy. They were prophetess with the gift of prophesy (see 1 Corinthians 11:5).
I take prophesy to mean direct revelation about the future from God.
Interestingly enough, they didn’t prophesy to Paul regarding his future in Jerusalem.
Luke simply states the fact that they prophesied.
[SLIDE 12] After staying with Philip for many days, a prophet named Agabus went to Caesarea from Judea.
He was the same prophet Agabus from Acts 11:28.
Now, he gives a message from the Holy Spirit of what will happen to Paul when he is in Jerusalem.
Agabus performed a symbolic act to communicate his message, just like the prophets in the Old Testament.
Agabus took Paul’s belt (which is not made out of leather). It’s usually made out of cloth.
Essentially, Paul would be the one who will be bound and arrested and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles.
[SLIDE 13] It’s a similar revelation given to Paul by the Holy Spirit back in Acts 20:22-23
22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
[SLIDE 14] How did the audience respond?
Interestingly enough, in verse 12, notice the “we” here.
“When we had heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.”
This means that Luke (the author of Acts) and his companions started to urge Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Why did they start pleading Paul at this point? Why didn’t they do it earlier when they’re in Tyre? Shouldn’t they have known that suffering will happen to Paul when he gave the speech to the Ephesians?
Maybe it’s because Agabus was a prophet?
So, maybe Agabus created a deeper impression of Paul’s situation in Jerusalem.
[SLIDE 15] So, we come back to what I said at the beginning of the sermon. It’s time to get into a complicated and sticky situation.
Some Bible teachers and scholars argue that it's not God's will for Paul to go to Jerusalem, and it was a mistake (or sinful) for Paul to go to Jerusalem.
Why do they say that?
Let’s go back to verse 4 where it says, “And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.”
This is a difficult text to interpret. There are differences amongs Bible scholars on how to properly handle this text.
From plain reading, it seems like the disciples through the Spirit told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Some interpret this to mean that the Holy Spirit gave the disciples a message to Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
If this were true, then Paul may have sinned and was disobedient to the Holy Spirit.
However, we are also given the scenario where the Holy Spirit made known to him the suffering that he would experience in Jerusalem.
[SLIDE 16] And it says in Acts 20:22-24 that he’s bound / constrained by the Holy Spirit (by divine necessity) to go to Jerusalem.
And in Acts 19:21, Luke says that Paul resolved in the Spirit…to go to Jerusalem.
So, the Apostle Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem.
But that’ll be a contradiction if the Holy Spirit revealed to the disciples that Paul was not to go to Jerusalem.
So, which is it? Did the Holy Spirit tell Paul to go to Jerusalem or not? Is the destination to Jerusalem the Lord’s will?
[SLIDE 17] And how should we then make sense of verse 4 when it says “Through the Spirit”? Well, there are two possible interpretations, but only one of them has to be correct.
First interpretation: the disciples received a direct revelation from the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit commanded Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
But, I’m not too convinced by this view because if the Holy Spirit wanted to forbid Paul from going to Jerusalem, then He could have spoken to Paul directly, just like the previous experience.
[SLIDE 18] Remember, in Acts 16:6-7, it tells us that Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to Asia and Bithynia during those times.
And Paul was ready to obey the Holy Spirit if the Spirit forbid Paul from going.
He was led by the Spirit and was in tuned with the Spirit. When he got a dream to go to Macedonia, he believed that God called him to go there to preach the gospel, and he immediately obeyed.
[SLIDE 19] Second interpretation. This seems more likely the best interpretation. One scholar said that the majority of Bible commentaries lean towards this position.
The disciples received a direct revelation (or future event) from the Holy Spirit about what would happen to Paul when he goes to Jerusalem. That’s it.
But it’s up to the believers to interpret that event to discern which decision best aligns with the will of the Lord.
The disciples interpreted that future event as a danger for Paul. Hence, motivated by their concern and love for Paul, they were telling him not to go to Jerusalem.
Plus, when you look at verse 11 regarding Agabus’ prophecy, the Holy Spirit was consistent in revealing to Agabus the future.
Agabus never said that the Holy Spirit told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
He prophesies what the Holy Spirit said regarding what happens to Paul when he’s in Jerusalem.
[SLIDE 20] Similarly, we shouldn’t interpret verse 4 as the Holy Spirit commanding Paul not to go to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit simply made it known to the disciples that Paul would suffer.
So, based on what we learn about Paul’s circumstance, how should we discern and interpret different events and situations in our lives that can align with the will of the LORD as much as possible?
I’m going to offer you 9 lessons on how to discern the will of God on the specific situation based on this text and other parts of Scripture.
[SLIDE 21] 1. Surrender: Are you surrendering your life to God completely to discern His will?
Did Paul surrender his life to Christ? Yes. He’s totally sold out for Christ and was willing to die for His sake.
Did the Christians surrender their lives to Christ? Yes, because they were also in tuned with the Holy Spirit or else Luke wouldn’t have told us that Spirit gave them the future event.
Furthermore, there’s not much point in seeking God’s will if you’re not 100% committed to Him.
You should not be double-minded.
You should not seek to serve yourself while trying to serve God.
You cannot serve both God and money.
Remember what Jesus said? Luke 9:23-25
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
This may seem like a scary idea from a worldly perspective, but if you want to know God’s will and live a meaningful life, you must learn to sign your life away.
And remember that if you entrust your life to God, He will take care of you because He is your heavenly Father who loves and cares for His children.
Plus, if you’re not a Christian, then the 1st step in knowing God’s will is turning to Jesus and be saved.
God does not wish you to perish, but that you repent of your sins and trust Christ as your Lord and Saviour, who died on the cross for sinners and was raised on the 3rd day.
If you want to discern God’s will, surrender your life and future to His sovereign will.
2. Study: Are you studying the Bible to know God intimately?
We have talked about God’s revealed will found in His word!
Plus, the more you grow in your relationship with God personally and intimately, you should naturally know what His will is when it comes to decision making.
Let me give you an example in a marriage relationship.
I’ve been married to Alison for at least 7 years. I can say I know Alison quite intimately. Sometimes, I know what she likes and what she doesn’t like without asking for her opinion. I know her will and desires because I know her.
So, in the same way, knowing God’s personal will in a specific situation is very much bound up with knowing God Himself.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
And I believe the Apostle Paul knew the Lord really well because he knew the Word and what God called Paul to do.
[SLIDE 22] Look at Acts 20:24. Notice that Paul says that I may finish my course and the ministry (which I think is going to Jerusalem)…but who gave him this ministry? The Lord Jesus Christ. He received it from him.
24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
So, it is important to know God intimately by studying His word.
If you’re a new Christian or if you feel like you’re still spiritually immaturity, there is no shortcut or an easy process of discerning God’s will.
You must study the Bible, again and again, and pray and seek His will. Most of the time, it is also better to seek wise counsel from spiritually mature Christians who know the Scriptures.
[SLIDE 23] 3. Scriptural: Are you acting on biblical principles instead of relying on human wisdom to discern God's will?
I’m expanding upon the 2nd point, but sometimes despite studying God’s word and knowing what He says, we can fall into pragmatism...
where we do whatever works for a specific situation or where we fall back into a status quo without moving towards a complete adherence to Scripture.
We can easily use into human wisdom instead of biblical principles.
Human wisdom could be fueled by fear, anxiety, pragmatism, discouragement, selfishness, worldliness, and pride.
The tricky part about this passage is who is applying biblical principles? Paul or the disciples? It’s possible that both are doing so.
For Paul, his principle was to bring the financial funds to Jerusalem so as to bring church unity between the Jews and Gentiles.
Paul was willing to march into the face of danger on the basis of his commitment to this truth.
The disciples could also be applying the principle of love and care for Paul’s safety. Perhaps they want Paul to wait upon the Lord until the timing is right. Perhaps Paul could have delegated his responsibility to someone else!
4. Stimulus: Have you searched your motives and desires to make sure that you’re glorifying God and not self?
This is similar to the biblical principles that we just discussed, but this gets deep into the heart level.
Here’s the thing: it is possible to be committed to doing the Lord’s will, but your heart and motive is in the wrong place.
For example: going on a missions trip or serving in a church ministry are a biblical principle, but why are you doing it?
Do you do it because it is out of obligation or a chore?
Do you do it because you have selfish motives and you want to gain something from ministry?
Or do you do it because you find joy in serving the LORD in this manner?
It is easy to do the right thing in a wrong way.
So, we should examine our hearts. I can’t see what’s in your heart. Only the LORD sees and knows your heart.
Ask yourself, “Am I truly seeking God’s glory and not my own?”
You can pray Psalm 139:23-24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
5. Suggestion: Whose counsel will you listen to and how will you evaluate it for discerning God's will?
22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
Paul had many spiritually mature Christians to counsel him.
He had Luke and Agabus and other companions. If I have done my calculation correctly, there would have been at least 10 people in the room, unified in telling Paul not to go.
Certainly, they’re not against him. They’re for him. They’re filled with the Holy Spirit and spiritually mature. They had concern for him. They had a deep love and affection for him.
Paul seems to be outnumbered by those who don’t support his journey to Jerusalem. He seems to be alone now with the lack of support at this moment.
The messy part of discerning the Lord’s will is “Which side is right?”
If I were in Paul’s shoes, I may just listen to them after evaluating their counsel.
But the point is not which side is right, but whether or not you have sought biblical counsel from believers. After hearing them, you should evaluate their words and your thoughts in light of Scripture.
After seeking counsel, evaluating your motives and desires, and applying biblical principles...
[SLIDE 24] 6. Survey Circumstances: Have you prayerfully evaluated the circumstances in your life to discern God's will?
Paul knew his circumstance in Jerusalem because the Holy Spirit revealed that to him and Agabus, and also the disciples.
Now, I’m glad that the Holy Spirit doesn’t give us such revelation about our future in our day.
If God showed us the future and revealed to us all the possible circumstances (kind of like the multiverse in the Marvel movies) for every decision we make, then I think we will be very indecisive.
We won’t learn to live by faith, trusting God, because I think we may waste our time trying to choose the safest route or the path of least resistant.
God in His providence leads us through circumstances.
Imagine you were planning to go to Ukraine as a missionary, but then the war suddenly broke out with Russia.
Is that God’s way of warning you not to go?
Or is that God’s way of testing your obedience?
I don’t know! You must learn to evaluate the circumstance wisely because circumstances can be interpreted in many ways.
Sometimes closed doors do not mean “no,” and sometimes open doors do not mean “yes.”
7. Suppression: Will it violate and suppress your conscience?
Conscience is the internal mechanism that God has placed in every person. It helps us discern between what is right and wrong.
For the Apostle Paul, if he didn’t go to Jerusalem, it seems like it would violate his conscience.
[SLIDE 25] Hence, in Acts 23:1, he says this after he’s arrested in Jerusalem.
1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”
[SLIDE 26] 8. Sound Judgment: When relying on God and following these steps, are you exercising sound judgment, conscience, and convictions, submitting to the consequences?
Ultimately, you must learn to decide which decision best aligns with God’s will for yourself.
Should you date girl A or B? Should you go to this college or that? Should you move away for a job opportunity?
Paul was deeply convinced that he must go to Jerusalem. He has the conviction. He is resolved to do what God called him to do.
[SLIDE 27] Look at verse 13 and how he responds to his audience.
We have another emotional scene. Imagine what’s going on in the room. Everybody was telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He’s getting all the wisdom and advice because it’s dangerous.
Paul seems to have had enough.
What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart.
It can be difficult for a person to make sacrifices that are uncomfortable for themselves, especially when the people they care about will be affected and ask them to do something different.
The sorrow shown by Paul's friends was like a heavy blow to his heart as they tried to convince him not to go through with his decision.
He feels heartbroken not because his friends don't understand why he is going to Jerusalem, but because they are upset and crying because of him.
He’s ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus, not for his own name.
Plus, it’s not a coincidence that this part of the story reflects the life of Jesus. I think that’s Luke’s intention.
Jesus showed His disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed.
Of course, we know who tried to prevent that from happening. Peter rebuked him saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
What did Jesus say to Peter?
“Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
At the end of the day, nothing can persuade/convince Paul from living out his conscience and conviction. So, they ceased from persuading Paul.
This then leads to the final step in discerning God’s will.
[SLIDE 28] 9. Sanctify: If you’re convinced that this decision will glorify God after carefully considering the above, then let the will of the LORD be done.
[SLIDE 29] Paul’s companions and friends said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
[SLIDE 30] And then the rest of the passage tells us that Paul and his companions went to Jerusalem.
Conclusion
There’s more that can be said. Or maybe I didn’t say enough.
I’m not suggesting that this is a magic formula for discerning God’s will, but I hope this list would be useful and helpful in assisting you to do the will of the Lord in your life.
Ultimately, my pastoral heart for you is that you would glorify God in whatever decision you make so that His will be done on earth.
Just like Jesus when He was in the Garden before His arrest and death on the cross, He prayed to His Father, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Certainly, the Father did not remove the cup of judgment and wrath that Christ will drink.
Nonetheless, Jesus went willingly to the cross to accomplish the will of the Father to save unworthy sinners like you and me.
What a glorious Saviour whom we serve and worship. What a marvelous example we have from the life of Paul in discerning the will of the Lord.
Let us pray.
[SLIDE 31]