Guided by Purpose

Intro - Acts 23:23-34, there are points in our life when we get to see that we are guided by Yahweh’s purpose for us. It protects and will vindicate His will for our lives, but its path is primarily found through trials. One of my favorite movies is Remember the Titans, especially the scene where they’re isolated at football camp. They were protected but put through trials that ultimately were vindicated throughout the movie as being appropriate to steal them against the racism of that time.

TR: Similarly Paul had to endure trials however he was kept through them all, first let’s examine the providence of Paul’s protection...

Providence of Protection

The protection of those called by God is providential and not coincidental

Paul was protected providentially enough to deliver the message to Rome

In the many trials that Paul faced we see that God was consistently delivering him

Although at times he barely came out of it with his life (and even some supposed that he may in fact have lost his life and been revived), he continued on his path until the job was done.

In this case there were legit assassins, vowed and prepared, working with governing authorities, who sought to kill him.

Yet, a young boy being Paul’s nephew, just happened to overhear it and he was rescued.

Acts 9:23 Jews plotted to kill him, Acts 13:50 riot, Acts 14 evaded stoning but later got stoned in a different city, Acts 16 incarcerated, Acts 17 had 2 violent mobs and his friend Jason extorted, Acts 18 Paul’s convert was beaten in front of the cops without correction, Acts 19 another riot, Acts 20 plot to kill him failed, Acts 21 Paul incarcerated again.

This is not to mention future persecutions later in this book, attempts by both mankind and spiritual oppression.

What do you hear when you listen to the life of Paul?

All of this started because of Acts 9:15-16....Paul was chosen for a purpose…and that purpose was his protection through all of his journeys.

If God has a course set for your life, nothing will derail that on this earth. Yahweh will keep you until His purpose for you has been completed.

Where we have failed at is mistaking His purpose as our preference. It’s not a coincidence that you are where you are, endured what you endured, etc.

Think of what is occurring here, Paul is evading assassination through the protection of the very same people who as history holds would behead him…is that a coincidence or providence?

Listen, because you are here, God has a purpose for you and nothing will harm you until that purpose is complete…what you must choose is how much you’ll cooperate with it.

Working in the jail was an odd juxtaposition of roles. On the one hand the inmates that posed a threat I was also called to protect. I was called to ensure that they were looked after until they had their day in court to argue their innocence or confess their guilt or that they served their time. Our purposes were aligned. However, things didn’t always go well. One day, an inmate didn’t want to go back to his cell which was being asked for his protection. I called him to me and told him one way or another he’s going to a cell, he can choose how he goes. The overall purpose was already set, he got to choose how much he cooperated with it…either way, he’d be protected until he got to court.

TR: In addition to God providentially protecting you due to His purpose, you will also be provided vindication...

Provision of Vindication

The provision of those called by God is vindication and not condemnation

The letter from Claudius vindicated Paul’s innocence in spite of Jewish condemnation

In this scene, Paul arriving after having been escorted by a cohort of men, along with a letter that says “I heard the case already, he’s innocent, just protect him”

After all of the accusations that were levied at Paul, how terrible of a person he was, how he stirred up violence and he was rebellious…God had it come out of the mouth of the world that he was innocent.

One of the honors of following after the purpose that God has called you to is that you will be provided for in whatever you may need to fulfill THAT PURPOSE…NOT YOURS

One of the byproducts of that is because you are found in Jesus, you will accompany Him not only in His exaltation but also in His vindication.

We all know that we are born in sin and not worthy of the gifts that have been bestowed on us.

However, when we have been deemed fools by this world for our values, bigots for our stances, outlandish with our calls for holiness and righteousness, and standards for truth, there will come a day when the path we’ve chosen will be vindicated.

I often reflect on how much time changes stories. I reminisce on the vitriol that was once presence against men like Martin Luther King versus how they’re viewed now. During the 1960s there actually was a series of interviews of people asking what they felt about civil rights and so many accused MLK and those with him as being trouble makers, people get what they work for, and how black people are ungrateful for the lives they had. Looking back on the Jim Crow South it now seems utterly ridiculous to utter such statements to people in that era. Yet how many of us are victims of such statements now? That the pursuit of righteousness, dignity, civility, and Kingdom first principles and values are utterly ridiculous, tone deaf, and promoting disharmony.

Whether it be issues of sexual ethics, sanctity of life, injustice, absolute truth, etc.

Yet there will come a day when vindication will take place and we will see it.

When our Lord, descends and stands before the nations in all power and glory…WE WILL BE THERE!!

Revelation 19:11–16 ESV

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

There will come a vindication of our devotion, a vindicating of our dedication to Jesus.

This world attempts to wear you down with its concerns, making you second guess if you’re on the right path. Detours are presented at every turn but make no mistake, at the end of this journey is a blessed hope and vindication of His glory!

TR: Lastly, you are shielded by your purpose during your path of trial...

Path of Trial

The path of those called by God is to witness through trials and not through personal triumphs

Though having arrived through trials, Paul would have a hearing before Felix and ultimately Rome itself.

“Victory” as the world would measure it was never achieved by Paul

Although, as Felix said in this passage, he’d have his day in court before his accusers, he ultimately sat in prison for a couple of years and eventually was killed in Rome.

This was no triumphant deliverance for this servant from the trials of this life. That is not the gospel that Jesus preached.

That was the path laid out by the enemy to Jesus, a shortcut to achievement that avoided any form of suffering or pain.

Yet that is not the path…the path of those called by God is to witness THROUGH trials not triumphs!

There’s nothing wrong with being victorious but the true testimony of God is found not on the mountain top but in the valley.

See THAT’S where the character is formed. That’s where the world watches....AND THAT’S WHERE THEIR MOUTHS ARE STOPPED!!!

Romans 5:3–5 ESV

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Not by some profound argument or miraculous deliverance! Jesus actually chastised those seeking a miracle when he fed so many.

No instead, THAT’S WHERE WE DISPLAY THE PEACE THAT SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING! THAT’S WHERE OUR JOY SHINES BECAUSE IT’S IN THE DARKEST NIGHT!!!

While everyone is seeking to be triumphant individuals we should be looking to witness through our trials…not just deliverance from them but the provision IN THEM....

And why would God provide for us in them??? BECAUSE WE CARRY WITHIN US HIS DIVINE PURPOSE TO TESTIFY OF THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!!!

Our hands and feet fitted with His holy direction!!

2 Corinthians 4:10–11 ESV

always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Don’t seek the triumphs of this world that condemns and rejects God’s providence. Instead press forward knowing that you have a purpose before God to share His truth!

And that purpose will keep you until your journey is done and until then NOTHING in this world will overcome you because you are HIS!!!