How to Deal with the Unexpected

Introduction

As believers, there is something about our walk in this life that we have to be reminded that life will not be easy. Even though the Lord told us that we will have many trials and tribulations in this world, it is extremely easy for us to forget that.

By being born in America, I won the planetary lottery. I have visited “3rd world” countries as a missionary, and wonder if my brothers and sisters have a more mature view of hardship and suffering than I do.

Even so, there is a reason why Jesus and the Apostles were careful to to remind believers that suffering, as well as victory, would be their lot. Because,

Paul’s Complicated Life

We look back and understand the Apostle Paul to be one of the greatest apostles ever. I mean he wrote most of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, during his life, Paul was misunderstood and went went through numerous trials and tribulations. We can learn from him.

Before we get to this episode in Philippi, Paul had gone through a rough patch in his ministry. He had developed a very close bond with an fellow apostle named Barnabas, a man with whom he had shared many glorious spiritual assignments in Christ with. I think of Paul and Barnabas like brothers in arms, fellow soldiers on the battlefied, who formed a bond of trust and loyalty that only warriors would understand.

Yet somehow, in a moment of intractable stubborness, their relationship ended in a bitter shouting match over whether John Mark should accompany them on their follow up missionary journey. I believe I do no violence to scripture to suggest that split wounded both men deeply, although the Bible is silent about their feelings. Additionally, around the same time, Paul had open and hostile confrontations with a sect of Christians who still clung to the Mosaic Law. Known as Judiazers, they sought to pollute the young churches with heretical doctrine that all believers, whether Jewish or Gentile, needed to not only trust in Jesus for salavation, but also follow the Law of Moses to be saved as well. Paul vigorously opposed the Judiazers, and if they weren’t enough, Paul constantly battled non-Christian Jews who flat out disbelieved his message that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead and was the Messiah of Israel. Some of these Jewish leaders followed Paul from city to city stirring up the crowds against him and hoping to see him killed or imprisoned.

It would be too much to suggest that Paul ever felt that he would ever have a life free from persecution. But it is possible that during the timeframe preceeding Philippi his soul may have experienced a refreshing respite. Paul had encounted a young disciple named Timothy, and in Timothy Paul had discovered a protegee that he could begin to pour into. The additiona of Timothy proved fruitful, as Paul, Silas and Timothy experienced large numbers of people coming to the Lord. Additionally, God had given Paul supernatural revelation to preach the Gospel in Macedonia, providing sure direction about next steps for his ministry.

The Unexpected

Then the unexpected happens. Paul is followed around by a demon possessed fortune teller who announces that they are ministers of the Gospel. As an aside, if you are a minister, you really don’t want a fortune teller advertising your ministry! Paul casts the demon out, a riot breaks out, and Paul and Silas end up being beaten once by the crowds, and then again by the authorities who beat them with rods. The Scripture is careful to point out that they were beaten with many blows! After that they are thrown into the most secure, most isolated part of the prison with their feet in chains.

Beaten with Rods

What does it mean to be beaten with rods? The Roman Empire lasted over 1000 years. They were expert conquerors. One things they learned over the centuries was to not tolerate civil unrest. So any sign of rioting or discontent was punished swiftly and with overwhelming force. So when conquered peoples where beaten for often their lives were forfeit. To be beaten with rods meant that a burly Roman soldier would strip you naked and beat all over your body with a wooden stick. Sometimes the victim would die from the beating. If they were so inclined they might hang you upside down and beat the soles of your feet until the bones broke.

In Prison

Paul and Silas were in prison. It is clear that their beatings and imprisonment were unjust and due to anti-semitism. They had been humiliated, they had been wronged, and now they were in a dungeon. The circumstances of life had not been fair to them.

Paul and Silas in prison is symbolic of the situation that many of us find ourselves in. Many of us have been trying to do the right thing, and yet we have been misunderstood, even by people in the church. Conflicts with those in the church and outside of the church have left us wounded and weary. Others of us have had endured financial trials or endured problems with sickness and disease. However, we came out of the Antioch—the place of strife and contention—and came into our Lystra—the place of renewed peace and fellowship. And for a minute we enjoyed rest and peace. Our turbulent financial picture began to brighten. Our strained personal relationships began to improve. The painful sicknesses began to recede. Even the strife in the church began to dissipate.

But then it all went sideways.

Casting Out Devils

The phrase, “to go sideways” is an American expression meaning essentially “to unexpectedly go awry.” Movies and books have been written about the same. When your life go sideways, the circumstances of your life unexpectedly spin out of control for the worse.

What’s interesting is that in Philippi, Paul starts in control. He casts out a demon. Why do we as Christians love to read about Jesus and the apostles casting out demons and healing the sick? Why do we revel in testimonies about people who pray for healing and who are healed? Aside from the obvious glory that God receives, we love the fact the godly sense of control and authority that we have. Jesus said I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions. So it is natural that we would be happy to have that authority.

The problem is that a trial is anti control, anti authority. A trial is exposes our impotence, our inability to bend circumstances to our will. Paul could cast out a demon but could not repel a violent crowd, or even a sadistic Roman guard. The great Apostle, a man who could paralyze demons and raise the dead, was helpless before his human adversaries.

We have victory in one area, only to be humbled by a trial that shows our weakness in another area. Circumstances are going very well for a season, only to suddenly spin out of control, ignoring our all our efforts to pray them into a different direction.

The Praise Solution

So if your life has gone sideways what do you do? You worship God. Now we have to slow up here and look at the text. The Bible says that Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. Midnight is a reference to the darkest, lowest point of your life. Some of us are not at midnight yet. We are even at quarter of 12. So we have time to learn how to prepare for midnight. We have to yet to learn how to worship God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

It said they sang hymns.

Let me ask you a question: when was that last time you sang to the Lord?

So let’s you and I get clear about something. Saying, “Thank you Jesus” isn’t singing to the Lord. Praying isn’t singing to the Lord. Listening to Gospel music isn’t singing to the Lord. Even singing a song isn’t singing to the Lord.

Singing to the Lord is exactly that, singing to the Lord. It suggests an intimacy that perhaps some of us are uncomfortable with.

The Bible also makes clear that both their prayers and songs were heard by the prisoners, which means that they weren’t whispering. There are some Christians who really don’t like demonstrative expressions of worship in the sanctuary. They don’t like loud, emotional outbursts. They feel it is too primitive. Too Negro. I don’t see it that way. I believe when your mind has been renewed by the truth of God’s word, and your understand deep down in your soul what God has done for you, you will make noise. Your will move your body. You will react and respond.

The Depth of Worship

Today is the perfect day to go to a quiet place and pray and sing to your God. You might say, “I don’t sing very well.” You are not singing to man, you are singing to God. To God, your voice is the most beautiful of sounds.

You might say, “I don’t know any hymns.” I have a fix for that. Do you have a Bible?Then turn to Psalm 100 and sing that! You might say, “I don’t know the music.” Make it up! Just start singing! But as you sing it, think about what the words mean. Think about how the Psalm applies to you.

The Paradox of Worship

You may say to me, “Pastor, you don’t understand. There is a plague loose in the land. Thousands of people are dying. I’ve lost my job. I’m cooped up in my house. My spouse and my children are driving me crazy. My savings are running dry and you want me to start singing?”

Specifically, I want you to start praying and singing to God.

Why?!

Because that will bring your deliverance and open doors for God to use you in a greater way.

Now when I say that will bring your deliverance, I don’t mean that you won’t have scars from your experience. I’m not saying that you won’t have hard times in the future. But God will move in such a way that you will know that it was only Him that delivered you from your current trial!

And I am also saying that God is going to use all that pain and suffering—if you will let him—to prepare you to minister the grace of God to someone else so they might be saved.

Worship is the Key

As I close this sermon, let this stick. Prayer and worship is the key, and do not neglect the singing to God part. Singing to God takes our mind off ourselves and our problems and puts them on God. Singing to God reminds us that God is faithful, that God is good, that God will never leave us nor forsake us.