Our Appointed Time

The Dandelion Effect-Week 3

“Our Appointed Time”

(All Scriptures are in NLT)

Recap of Week 2

Two of the biggest questions I hear:

“What’s God’s will for my life?”

“What’s the purpose of me being here?”

The one question that is often wondered, but almost never asked out loud: “How much time do I have left to accomplish that?”

Questions like these can be a great way to draw us closer to God.

But many times I think we focus on the wrong questions or, at least, the right questions with the wrong motive.

3 Common Questions and their better alternatives

1. Why does God save some and not others?

Acts 12:1-5

“About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) 4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.”

Acts 12:6-10

“The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, ‘Quick! Get up!’ And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 Then the angel told him, ‘Get dressed and put on your sandals.’ And he did. ‘Now put on your coat and follow me,’ the angel ordered. 9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.”

Brother Yun, Chinese house church missionary

“The Heavenly Man”

Alternative: “How will God best be glorified through my life?”

2. Why doesn’t God use me the way He uses others?

Acts 13:1-3 (pronounced knee-jhere)

“Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.’ 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.”

(insert map of Paul’s missionary journeys here)

Alternative: “What has God given me to do?”

Bare minimum for all believers:

Matthew 22:37-40

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’ ”

Matthew 28:19-20

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Love God, love people, and make/baptize/teach disciples.

3. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

Paul’s final arrests and trials

Wrongfully arrested in Jerusalem, preaches the Gospel before a large crowd as his “defense”

Paul testifies before the Jewish High Council

Acts 23:11

“That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, ‘Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.’ ”

Sent to Caesarea, testifies again before Governor Felix

Has a private audience later with Felix and his wife, shares the gospel again

2 years go by, Festus replaces Felix

Paul asks to be heard by Caesar, a right of his as a Roman citizen

King Herod Agrippa (grandson of Herod the Great, the Herod from Jesus’ time) arrives and in front of a huge audience, ask to hear Paul for himself

Paul shares his testimony and the gospel again

Acts 26:24-29

“Suddenly, Festus shouted, ‘Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!’ 25 But Paul replied, ‘I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—' 28 Agrippa interrupted him. ‘Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?’ 29 Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.’ ”

Sails for Rome

Shipwrecks on Malta

3 months later, arrives in Rome

Preaches to the Jewish religious leaders in Rome

Still awaiting trial, 2 years go by, where Paul preached the gospel to anyone who wanted to visit during his house arrest.

This is where Acts ends

History says that from the time Paul was first arrested in 57 AD

Detained until around 60-62 AD (3-5 years of trial after trial)

Arrested again under Christian hater Emperor Nero in 64/65 AD

This is when Paul wrote his final letter of 2 Timothy

Death in Rome sometime between 66-68 AD

That’s imprisonment for 9 out of 11 years, if he died in 68

Alternative: “What is God’s purpose in my suffering?”

Many interesting accounts of how the 12 disciples died

Other than James (beheaded in Acts 12) and John (writer of Revelation)

No other deaths recorded in Bible

History and church tradition

Regardless of how it happened, we are left with one glaring question:

Many will profit off of a lie, but who would be willing to die for one?

Are you willing to allow God to use you as a dandelion—whatever that looks like?

Maybe that’s to be planted in one location, reproducing seeds that drift nicely on the breeze to the local area

Maybe that’s to be uprooted and transplanted elsewhere

Maybe it’s even to be cut down for His glory

Whatever comes, my prayer is always this: “Lord, use every part of my life (my job, my marriage, my relationship with my children, my friendships), even my death, for Your glory, and Your glory alone.”