Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Reflecting on 3rd year anniversary at NW - Not what I expected - but amazing what God does when you allow Him to write the story.
- These verses describe the Christmas story - A baby in a manger?
A Messiah who grows up in the middle of nowhere, travels with a group of misfits, and dies on a Roman cross?
Christmas story is proof that God’s ways are higher than our ways.
- That’s true of your life - and true of the end of the Book of Acts.
Acts doesn’t end like we'd expect - started with such promise but ends with such seeming uncertainty.
God’s ways are not always your ways.
Constant question: Will I choose God’s way or my way?
At times, God’s way doesn’t make sense.
Can I trust Him?
At times, uncomfortable situations.
Should I follow Him?
At times, tremendous sacrifice, is it worth it?
Do I believe that God’s ways are higher?
Will I choose God’s way instead of my way even when God’s way doesn’t make sense?
Three reasons why you should live God’s way:
If you live God’s way you will experience divine confidence.
Meeting with Ephesian elders - Paul willing to follow God knowing affliction and prison awaits him.
Goes to Jerusalem - not good - two years imprisoned in Caesarea.
No one knows what to do with him.
Felix wants to send him to Jerusalem, but Paul appeals to Caesar.
Off to Rome.
Where God wanted Paul in the first place, but in this way?
As a prisoner?
God’s ways higher than our ways.
Journey anything but easy.
Boards a ship with other prisoners - in the custody of Julius, a Roman centurion.
Situation goes from bad to worse .
Obvious God is with Paul.
God wants Paul in Rome, and God uses incredible circumstances to put Paul where He wants Paul.
God’s kindness: Julias treats Paul kindly - on one stop, he lets Paul go visit his friends.
Traveling difficult - Paul gives some advice to the centurion - but he doesn’t listen.
Why would he? (vs.
10-11)
Heavy winds turn to storm - vs. 20 - “All hope of our being saved was abandoned...” You’ve felt that way - then at the right time - God spoke truth into your situation.
God’s protection: Paul - “I told you so… But… God has told me...” (21-24) vs. 25 - I have faith in God!
Sailors try to escape the ship.
Paul: “You won’t be saved.”
vs. 31
Shipwreck - centurion keeps soldiers from killing prisoners.
(vs.
41-42) (God’s protection.)
Huge storm - But, doesn’t stop God’s plan for Paul.
The journey through the storm was God’s plan for Paul.
What we’ve seen in Paul’s life is absolute confidence in God’s will.
Confidence in God? = I know He’s faithful.
I know He is at work in all things.
When you lack confidence in God:
Worry and anxiety - Put yourself in Paul’s shoes - how worried would you have been if was your story?
For you, you know what God wants for you, but you constantly doubt that God is able to see you through.
Disobedience to God’s Word - Because you worry, you ask, “Is God’s way really better?”
When you are full of confidence in God:
Not going to give God terms and conditions.
- “I’ll serve on my terms - when I only have to display a little faith but not great faith.”
E.g., - I’ll serve on Thanksgiving day, but I won’t actually share the Gospel.
I’ll leave that to someone else.
Not going to give up.
(Paul encourages everyone to stay on the ship and doesn’t try to escape Himself.)
How do I experience this confidence?
- Walk with God.
Simple as that - (NOTE: No one else on the boat had confidence because no one else on the boat walked with God!) The more you live by faith the more He grows your faith.
The Christian life wasn’t easy for Paul but over and over again He saw God at work.
Certainly, the more he walked with God the more he grew in the confidence of God.
Maybe you lack confidence in God because you don’t know God.
Ill. - Haircut at Great Clips - confidence booster - but nowhere near the confidence I have in the God who has spoken truth over my life.
If you live God’s way you will experience divine opportunities.
A prisoner, shipwrecked, and now on an island he never expected to be on.
Paul is supposed to be in Rome - visiting with the church in Rome - gaining their support so they would send him to Spain.
On a surface reading, it doesn’t make sense why God allows Paul to
Now, on the island of Malta - If it was you and me, we’d ask the question: “Where is God in all of this?” God’s ways are higher than our ways.
By His Sovereign design God directed Paul’s steps.
He’s directing your steps as well.
Traveling to Rome as a prisoner and shipwrecked on Malta is not God’s plan gone wrong - BUT - God giving Paul divine opportunities he otherwise would not have had if his journey to Rome would have been easy and carefree.
Divine opportunity on the ship: hardened prisoners hear the Gospel.
Sailors who over their years of travel had been exposed to numerous false gods heard about the One true God.
Divine opportunity in Malta: Paul starts a fire and bit by a poisonous viper.
Natives: “Paul is getting what he deserves.
He must be a murderer.
That’s why he is a prisoner.
He’s getting justice.”
(28:4)
Paul shakes off the snake and doesn’t die.
He’s fine.
People: “He’s a god...” Luke doesn’t tell us, but I imagine Paul shared the Gospel with these natives.
Divine opportunity.
Publius - chief of island - God uses Paul to heal Publius’ father - then others are healed.
Divine opportunities.
Malta was never on Paul’s travel agenda, but it was on God’s.
For three months - unexpected mission trip.
One more pit stop (vs.
13-14) Then finally to Rome - where Paul is put under house arrest with a soldier guarding him.
(vs.
16)
First - Jews - explains his situation but they’ve heard nothing about Paul! Divine opportunity for them to hear the Gospel from Paul without preconceived assumptions because of what happened in Jerusalem.
Divine opportunity to preach to Jews in Rome - they come to his home in large numbers - some believe but many reject.
However, God is going to work through Paul in ways far beyond these Jews in Rome.
Paul quotes - God is at work among Gentiles.
Divine opportunity to preach to Roman soldiers: An amazing divine opportunity to share with least likely people to come to faith.
In chains, Paul had opportunity to preach to Roman soldiers.
Under house arrest - a soldier chained to Paul on a 4 hour shift.
- Rome’s elite soldiers heard the Gospel!
The whole imperial guard!
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