Sermon Tone Analysis

Let the will of the Lord be done!

Let the will of the Lord be done

, 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.

And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

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.

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.

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 and said farewell to one another.

Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.

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.

He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

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.’”

When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

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.”

And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”After

these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

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.

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.

And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

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.

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.

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 and said farewell to one another.

Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.

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.

He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

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.’”

When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

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.”

And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

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.

, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

This verse comes from a longer section of Scripture that proclaims the power and security of God.

While the threat the psalmist faced is not mentioned specifically, it seems to relate to the pagan nations and a call for God to end the raging war.

Here is the whole psalm:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Notice that the majority of the psalm is written in the third person as the psalmist speaks about God.

However, God’s voice comes through in verse 10, and the Lord speaks in the first person: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Be still.

This is a call for those involved in the war to stop fighting, to be still.

The word still is a translation of the Hebrew word rapa, meaning “to slacken, let down, or cease.”

In some instances, the word carries the idea of “to drop, be weak, or faint.”

It connotes two people fighting until someone separates them and makes them drop their weapons.

It is only after the fighting has stopped that the warriors can acknowledge their trust in God.

Christians often interpret the command to “be still” as “to be quiet in God’s presence.”

It is only then that they can say to one another, ‘let the will of the Lord be done!”

While quietness is certainly helpful, the phrase means to stop frantic activity, to let go and let God and to be still.

For if God’s people would be “still” it would mean that they were looking and relying on the Lord for their help.

, “ And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.

For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.”

Know that I am God.

Know in this instance means “to properly ascertain by seeing” and “acknowledge, and be aware of who I AM.”

How does acknowledging God impact our stillness?

We know that He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), holy, sovereign, faithful, infinite, and good and He’s gracious.

Acknowledging God implies that we can trust Him and surrender to His plan and His will.

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

It was tempting for the nation of Israel to align with foreign powers, and God reminds them that ultimately He is exalted!

Ultimately, God wins, and ultimately He will brings peace.

During Isaiah’s time, Judah looked for help from the Egyptians, even though God warned against it.

Judah did not need Egyptian might; they needed reliance on the Lord: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” ().

When we are still and surrendered to God, we find peace even when the earth gives way, the mountains fall (verse 2), or the nations go into an uproar and kingdoms fall (verse 6).

When life gets overwhelming and busyness takes precedence, remember , “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Run to Him, lay down your weapons and fall into His arms.

Acknowledge that He is God and that He is exalted in the earth.

Be still and know that He is God.

Paul’s role as a prophet in the line of Jesus and his apostles is because further highlight here because of His likeness to Jesus.

We see that likeness in divine compulsion to follow the direction of the Spirit.

We see that likeness in his devotion to teach in and suffer torment in the name of Jesus.

We see that likeness in the fact that Paul is willing to deny his own will and follow the will of the Lord, by letting the will of the Lord be done unto him.

Issues of divine guidance and how to respond to warnings about impending imprisonment are raised and are finally resolved by Paul’s determination to face the inevitable suffering.

Paul understood that if he was to reign with Christ that he must also suffer with Christ.

Paul is a great example to all of us who have been or will be faced with the necessity to suffer for Lord’s sake in a variety of situations, the response of Paul’s colleagues and friends is a challenging model: ‘The Lord’s will be done’.

Let us pray...

1.

Let the will of the Lord be done… and forsake not your mission.

(21:1–6)

This journey narrative really began back in 20:1–16, and was interrupted by the farewell speech to the Ephesian elders (20:17–38), but now it continues.

Luke’s interest in the details of sea travel resurfaces, as does his focus on the joys and sorrows of Christian fellowship.

Here the issue of divine guidance comes to the forefront again.

21:1, And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos...

This island is in the Aegean Sea, west of Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum) the text goes on to say.

‘… And the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

Rhodes,’ another island off the southwest coast of Asia Minor, also had a capital city with the same name.