What Is God Doing?

When I was a young boy my family and I went to a conference or meeting of some kind. I don’t remember exactly when, or where, or even what most of it was about. What I will never forget is a message that was shared at the end. It was called a chalk talk.

In this chalk talk a man drew a picture on a canvas using various pieces of chalk. He made this beautiful scene as he talked about our lives and how God works in us and through us.

It looked something like this https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=D7Z7GWNX.

This video is sped up so you don’t get the full impact, but watch the right side of the screen as the picture gets more filled in.

He grabbed a big black piece of chalk and drew three vertical slashes through the beautiful picture.

Everyone was shocked! He then talked about how God allows things into our lives that seem to mess everything up. We don’t understand why He would ruin the beautiful picture of our lives.

The artist then proceeded to turn those slashes into trees, making the whole picture have more depth and beauty.

It looked something like this https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=D7Z7GWNX.

This video is sped up so you don’t get the full impact, but watch the right side of the screen as the picture gets more filled in.

Things come into our lives that seem to mess them all up.

Tragedy strikes and we think there is no possible way to recover.

It is in these moments that we ask the question, “what is God doing?”

That is a very good question to ask.

Get’s our focus right - off of self and onto God. Off our circumstances and on to the one in control of those circumstances.

Get’s our faith right - God is doing something! He has a reason, plan, and purpose!

We have been looking at this kind of moment in the life of Paul.

He obeyed God and went to Jerusalem. He submitted himself to church leadership and went to be cleansed in the temple.

For this faithfulness he was beaten almost to death and then arrested.

After plots to kill him and a two year imprisonment, we find Paul standing before a governor, a king, and a court of nobles giving his testimony.

We finished his account last time, now we come to the reaction.

The reaction seems negative.

What Paul faces here leads us to make two considerations.

In this passage there are two situations in which we all ask “What is God doing?”

Training. One of the big things about training someone to do a job is teaching them what to do when certain things happen. What do you do when ______ (fill in the blank).

Our goal this morning is to learn what we do when faced with two specific situations.

In this passage there are two situations in which we all ask “What is God doing?”

Our goal today is to learn what to do in those situations.

Why?

Faithful endurance is only possible when we respond correctly to the circumstances of life.

Two situations. Situation #1. What do we do when we have…

Two situations. situation #1…

What do we do when we have…

1. A Goal Unreached vv. 24-28

It seems likely that all of us have experienced this at one time or another. A goal we are working for remains just out of reach.

The reasons this can happen vary.

Sometimes the goal remains unreached because we haven’t fully understood it.

Other times it is out of reach because we have the wrong goal altogether.

When we have a goal unreached there are two actions we need to take.

Action #1…

If the goal seems unreached, maybe we haven’t understood the purpose. Maybe we have our sights set on the wrong target.

a. Have the right goal vv. 24-25

This is our first step. We may have missed reaching the goal because we had the wrong goal in the first place!

Over the years I have worked a variety of jobs. This has meant that I have had the opportunity to train a variety of replacements when I left those jobs.

The first time I trained a replacement I made a big mistake. I trained them to do everything exactly how I did it. I made no allowance for them coming up with their own system that worked for them.

I had the wrong goal. I was trying to make a carbon copy of myself instead of train someone to do the job.

When it comes to the Christian life, we need to have the right goal.

Paul’s interaction here shows us the goal.

READ v. 24

Why would Festus respond this way?

Look at v. 23.

Paul has just finished speaking about the resurrection of the dead. This is a stumbling block to Festus. It remains a stumbling block to many today as well.

Later in his ministry Paul wrote this to the Corinthians. Turn to (p. 1311).

(p. 1311)

1 Corinthians 1:22–25 NKJV

22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:22–25 NKJV

For the Messiah to be crucified and raised is a stumbling block to the Jews and it is foolishness to the Gentiles.

To us believers it demonstrates the power and wisdom of God.

This idea that someone could be raised from the dead causes Festus to think Paul is insane.

Beside yourself – μαίνομαι (mainomai) be out of one's mind; rave. to be insane. To be afflicted with mental derangement and not behaving responsibly.

Beside yourself – μαίνομαι (mainomai)

This is the professional opinion of Festus.

Paul has driven himself out of his mind with too much learning.

If this was a thing, every student that ever existed would claim it. “If you make me learn too much, I’ll go crazy!”

What’s interesting here is that Festus chooses a word that is typically used for expertise in the Hebrew Scriptures. In a way, this is a compliment.

He recognizes that Paul knows Scripture, yet thinks it has driven him mad.

Festus basically tells Paul that his mind is out of order. It isn’t working properly anymore.

Don’t they tell us these same things today?

They say we don’t believe in real science, that our views of sexuality are antiquated and old fashioned. They say our view of gender roles, of spiritual gifts, and of church leadership are wrong.

Everywhere we turn we are being told that how we think is faulty.

What did we just read in 1 Corinthians? What we believe is considered foolish by the world. That’s ok.

Turn back to (p. 1311).

(p. 1311)

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 NKJV

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

It doesn’t matter if they think we are crazy! God has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise! The weak things to confound the mighty!

We see Paul’s response in the next verse.

Don’t they tell us these same things today?

They say we don’t believe in real science, that our views of sexuality are antiquated and old fashioned. They say our view of gender roles, of spiritual gifts, and of church leadership are wrong.

Everywhere we turn we are being told that how we think is faulty.

We see Paul’s response in the next verse.

READ v. 25

The way Paul frames his reply is excellent. Polite contradiction with loving clarity.

Paul is not crazy or out of his mind, instead, he speaks truth and reason.

Truth – ἀλήθεια (alētheia) truth. Conformity to reality or actuality.

Truth – ἀλήθεια (alētheia)

Reason – σωφροσύνη (sōphrosynē) moderation; self-control. The state of having good sense and sound judgment; especially as opposed to insanity.

Reason – σωφροσύνη (sōphrosynē)

With these word choices, Paul directly contradicts Festus.

He speaks only things that conform with reality and he speaks with sound judgment.

Paul is saying that when he speaks of the resurrection, he speaks of a real event. When he speaks of the need for repentance, faith, and transformation; he speaks with sound judgment.

What Paul speaks of here is the real goal.

We think we know the goal. We think that the goal is for Festus, or Agrippa, or Bernice to trust Christ.

While that may happen, that is not our goal. God told Paul only that he would proclaim Christ!

That is our goal.

Our goal is to clearly, boldly, and faithfully preach Christ.

That is made clear in (S).

1 Corinthians 3:6–7 NKJV

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

God gives the increase!

You and I do not save anyone! We simply present them with the gospel. We preach Christ. He does the rest.

When we have a goal that isn’t reached we must evaluate and determine whether or not we have the right goal.

Obviously our desire is that every person we share Christ with would trust Him. But that isn’t the goal. The goal is to faithfully proclaim Jesus Christ.

In our lives we have goals. We are coming up on New Years where a lot of people will make resolutions, or goals.

We need to evaluate our goals to see if they are Biblical.

Whatever your goal might be for this New Year, be sure it is focused on Christ.

That was action #1 - have the right goal. Action #2…

b. Trust God’s providence vv. 26-28

Up where my folks live there are these caves called subway caves. They get their name because of their size and shape.

I have been in the caves probably close to a hundred times.

One of the things we occasionally do in the caves is walk through with our lights off.

Doing this requires to to rely on your others senses because you can’t see what lies ahead. You have to have faith that your sense of touch and hearing will help you avoid bumping into things, tripping, or otherwise getting hurt.

In the Christian life, we cannot see what lies ahead.

We must place our faith in God.

When we don’t understand what God is doing or why He has allowed something to take place, we must trust that He has a plan and purpose.

That is the situation Paul finds himself in.

READ v. 26

Paul is confident that king Agrippa is well acquainted with everything he has said.

Paul speaks freely before Agrippa.

He is speaking with truth and reason because he believes that Agrippa has paid attention to the events of Christianity.

It is interesting that Paul speaks of how well known and out in the open everything has been.

The early church was not hiding, it was not embarrassed, it was not full of fear.

They were bold.

We saw this in their prayer back in ch. 4 shortly after the church began.

Look with me back at .

Acts 4:24–31 NKJV

24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

They didn’t pray for persecution to end. They didn’t pray for safety or security.

They reminded themselves of the power of God. They reminded themselves that all opposition is ultimately against Christ. They reminded themselves of God’s sovereign plan. Then they asked for boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What kinds of prayers are we praying?

Next Paul addresses King Agrippa directly.

READ v. 27

This goes back to what Paul was saying in vv. 22-23.

Paul is reinforcing that what he has been preaching is simply the fulfillment of what the prophets spoke of.

He is not preaching something new. He is preaching the Messiah.

He is also kind of trapping Agrippa. If he says he doesn’t believe the prophets, he is in trouble.

Now comes one of the saddest verses in Acts.

READ v. 28

How hard it must have been to hear those words!

This is one of the moments in which we must trust in the providence of God!

God’s will, way, and timing are all perfect.

The salvation of Agrippa and all those present lies in the sovereign hand of God.

When it comes to sharing the gospel, we must trust in God’s sovereignty.

Agrippa was almost persuaded. That’s God’s business.

When a goal isn’t reached, trust that God is in control.

vv. 27-28 – Paul asks if Agrippa believes the prophets. Agrippa is almost persuaded to believe.

Look with me at what He says in (S).

Isaiah 46:9–10 NKJV

9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

He is God! I am not. He is God. He is eternal. He has an eternal plan.

Trusting God’s providence means I follow His lead.

But what about when things don’t go my way?

If things have not worked out how you planned, maybe the plan was wrong! Maybe the timing was wrong. Maybe God is not finished yet.

says (S).

Philippians 1:6 NKJV

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

God is not finished! His plan is not yet done. Until Christ returns, He is at work in you and me.

So when a goal is unreached, make sure you have the right goal and trust the providence of God.

Situation #2. What do we do when we have…

That’s situation #1, a goal unreached. Situation #2. What do we do when we have…

2. A Circumstance Unchanged vv. 29-32

Trials. Suffering. Persecution. Sickness. Famine. Death. Opposition. Accusation. Conflict.

All of these things have been seen in the book of Acts.

At this point in the account, Paul has been in prison for more than 2 years.

That is a difficult circumstance. And yet, Paul remains faithful. How?

How can we remain faithful in difficult circumstances?

By making two decisions.

Decision #1…

a. Have the right heart v. 29

When I was in Bible School I had the opportunity to go to Italy.

We dressed in Dickens costume and sang Christmas carols. While we sang we handed out tracks and flyers inviting people to a concert at the local church in whatever city we were in.

The local pastor we worked with in one city, Marco, had an amazing heart for the lost.

One day, we were supposed to be headed to a nursing home, but at every street corner, Marco would see people looking at us and he would have us stop, sing a song, and when a crowd gathered, he would preach the gospel.

We got to the nursing home eventually, but not before stopping about 6 times if my memory is correct.

That is the same heart we see in Paul here.

READ v. 29

We have seen this before.

We have talked about it before.

Paul desired everyone to be saved.

He was willing to be cursed from Christ to see his fellow countrymen saved!

It seems possible, even probable, that some of the people listening to Paul were the very ones who were persecuting him!

Yet this is Paul’s heart for the lost!

He still desires them all to be saved.

Paul was willing to face much for the chance of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Look at (p. 1313).

(p. 1313)

1 Corinthians 4:10–13 NKJV

10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Paul was willing to face all this for the cause of Christ!

There are people in our lives today that we struggle to love.

There are people who make life difficult, people who are breaking our hearts.

Are we willing to endure mistreatment, that we might share Christ with them?

I know I am asking a lot.

It is hard to face contempt and hatred and comments behind our back.

Is Jesus Christ worth sharing?

Can we pray together for Christ to change our hearts?

You may have a circumstance that hasn’t changed.

A family member that is causing you pain.

An illness that God hasn’t healed.

A child that has wandered from Christ.

In those situations we must have the right heart.

A heart that seeks to exalt and proclaim Jesus Christ.

Only when our eyes are on Him will we see clearly.

A right heart is a heart focused on Jesus Christ.

No matter what we are enduring, Jesus is the answer. We just have to trust Him.

So, when a circumstance is unchanged we make our first decision, to have the right heart.

Decision #2…

b. Trust God’s purpose vv. 30-32

Sometimes things happen that we don’t full understand.

I have received a lot of phone calls in my life. But there are two I will never forget.

The first one was my oldest brother, calling to tell me that his son Judah had joined our miscarried child in heaven.

The second one was from my older brother, telling me his little girl Caleigh had died.

There are still days when I don’t understand why God would allow these children to die.

I don’t know why I have 4 miscarried siblings in heaven. I don’t know why I have two miscarried children in heaven. I don’t know why I have a stillborn nephew and a three month old niece waiting up in glory.

But I do know this!

I KNOW MY GOD!

And in His Word it says that He is good! In His Word it says that He is loving, and gracious, and kind. In the pages of this book it tells me that He has a reason, plan, and purpose for all things.

That is what I know! That is what I know.

In tragedy and trial. In suffering and persecution. God is still on His throne.

That is what it means to trust His purpose. And that is what we see in these verses.

READ vv. 30-31

We already knew this. We didn’t need Agrippa, Festus, and Bernice to confirm it. Yet they do.

There is an interesting point to be made here.

It says they “talked among themselves.” Luke wrote this gospel. How does he know what they discussed privately?

Possibilities: God revealed it to him. He learned of it from one of those present. Paul overheard.

Regardless of how Luke comes to know this, it seems likely that Paul also would be aware.

Here he is, once again being proclaimed innocent, yet not being released.

Paul is innocent. The commander saw it, Felix saw it, now Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice see it.

By any standard, this is a difficult situation to be in.

Yet God still has a plan and purpose!

And as if hearing them declare you innocent isn’t enough.

READ v. 32

This is one of those moments where the temptation is to throw up our hands and say “God, what are you doing?!”

Had Paul not appealed to Caesar he could have been released.

v. 32 – Had Paul not appealed to Caesar he could have been released. But it was not God’s plan for him to be released! God had told him that he would bear witness of Christ in Rome.

But here’s the thing.

It was not God’s plan for him to be released!

But it was not God’s plan for him to be released! God had told him that he would bear witness of Christ in Rome.

If you are still in the middle of difficult circumstances, it is God’s plan for you to be there!

God had told Paul that he would bear witness of Christ in Rome (23:11).

We must trust God’s purpose, even when it makes no sense to us.

When a difficult circumstance remains unchanged, we trust God’s purpose.

Here in this passage God has already told Paul His purpose. His purpose is for Paul to preach Christ in Rome.

In our lives, if a circumstance remains, there are three possibilities.

1 – There is more for us to learn.

There is still growth and maturity to be gained through the trial.

2 – God has not yet been fully glorified.

As we praise Him in the storm, and seek Him in the trial, He is glorified.

3 – There is a lost soul who still needs to hear.

God has placed us in a position to reach someone.

All three of these seem to be true with Paul here as we will see in the weeks ahead.

Scripture reveals to us that God can do anything.

I want to look at just two examples.

; (S).

;

Genesis 18:14 NKJV

14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Luke 1:37 NKJV

37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Both of these instances involve an impossible birth.

God can do anything!

If He has not acted to change our circumstances, it is not because He can’t do it.

Amen?

Therefore, our circumstances are given to us according to His purpose.

Trusting God’s purpose requires faith in who He is.

Do we believe that He is good? Yes!

Do we believe that He is just? Yes!

Do we believe that He is patient, and merciful, and kind, and loving, and righteous, and holy? Yes!