Working With God’s Provision
Foundation: The Acts of the Apostles • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Announce Title: “Working With God’s Provision.”
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
(25m)
1. The Individual God Provides
1. The Individual God Provides
And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them,
God brings people into your life for a reason.
Like a bird that wanders from her nest, So is a man who wanders from his home. Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend. Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
Paul knew that he could not reach the city by himself, so one of his top priorities was to find a church family.
2. The Income God Provides
2. The Income God Provides
and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers.
Honor widows who are widows indeed; but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Paul didn’t wait for a paycheck before he shared the Gospel. He saw the skills God had given him to make money as part of God’s provision for his ministry.
It is OK to take care of yourself.
3. The Instance God Provides
3. The Instance God Provides
And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Paul was preaching the Gospel on the Sabbath instead of every day of the week because that was the instance God had given him in that season.
Don’t miss the open door God has placed in front of you because you are waiting for a better situation.
4. The Interval God Provides
4. The Interval God Provides
But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.
Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
As soon as God gave Paul the opportunity to preach full-time again, Paul hit the ground running.
The opportunities that you have to tell others about the Good News of Jesus today may not exist tomorrow.
(15m)
5. The Influence God Provides
5. The Influence God Provides
Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.
Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
The Jews in Corinth had so much respect for Crispus’ dedication to God that when he started following Christ, they started following Christ.
God wants us to use the influence we have for His glory and not only our benefit.
6. The Instruction God Provides
6. The Instruction God Provides
And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
If Paul was preaching because he had no fear, God wouldn’t have told him not to be afraid any longer. God’s assurance wasn’t that His plan for Paul would be easy, but that He would be with Paul.
God desires bold obedience from us, not mere compliance.
Are you obeying God’s instructions in scripture out of duty to Him or out of affection for Him?
7. The Intervention God Provides
7. The Intervention God Provides
But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” And he drove them away from the judgment seat. And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.
God showed Paul that He keeps His promises by protecting Paul from the Romans and the Jews before he could even defend himself!
Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries, And arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You, And over them return on high. The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me. O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds. My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day.
When we honor the Lord with our lives, we can expect Him to support us in times of trouble.
8. The Invitation God Provides
8. The Invitation God Provides
Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus. When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.
Even though Paul deeply loved the people of Ephesus, he had to choose God’s invitation to bring the Gospel to the known world over the Ephesian believers’ invitation to stay with them.
“What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Laying down your life for Christ tomorrow morning may just look like any other day to some people, or it may be a radical decision that you make.
Do you want to be used by God? It will cost you everything. The key is not what you do, but what you are willing to do for Jesus.
(5m)
CONCLUSION
Take a moment to consider what God has provided for you this week, and ask how you can use these things for Him:
Individuals, Income, Instances, Intervals, Influence, Instruction, Intervention, and Invitation.
Pray