Should I stay or should I go?

In the Bible we’re told to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We’ve got an opportunity to weep with a grieving mother this morning. She’s a part of our church family and tragically lost her son Dominic (You can see him here) in February due to complications with his heart. Sara asked if her church family would pray for her as she continues to go through the healing process. Let’s pray together.

Good morning and Welcome to The Bridge and Happy Father’s Day!

Let’s show some appreciation for all the dads out there!

I know how much you dads love getting your picture taken, but be sure to get a shot with your kiddos at the photo booth in the lobby.

We’ve also got some treats for you, so don’t leave without grabbing one!

Acts 14:1–7 CSB

1 In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside. 7 There they continued preaching the gospel.

Paul and Barnabas had been called by God and commissioned by the local to GO to the Gentiles. This was a common theme in God’s story for Paul’s life and one Barnabas got to participate in for many years in a variety of ways.

There wasn’t a clear map or outline that they followed. They simply made the most of every opportunity they had, wherever they were.

Big Idea: Pursue whatever story God has for you wherever it may lead.

Let’s briefly review Paul’s life:

The story of his life prior to meeting Jesus was filled with pride, rage, hostility, & murder. But then on his way to inflict more harm on innocents, he meets Jesus on the road to Damascus and his life changes dramatically.

He immediately began living a life of love and grace towards everyone starting where he was in Damascus. Then he preaches in Jerusalem and Judea.

In the next several years he finds himself in Arabia, Jerusalem again, Caesarea, and then in his hometown Tarsus.

From his letters we know what he did and how he lived in all of those places. He made close friends with people like Aquila & Priscilla who taught him how to run his own business so he could make money as he traveled. He was eager to help the poor. He made conversation with the philosophers in the market places in every town and city he entered.

He served God’s purposes wherever he was! If you’re frustrated today because you just don’t know what God wants for you, I want to free you and challenge you. You’re not going to be able to find it. You can’t discover that. What you can do is serve God’s purposes in the season you’re in and God’s story for your life will unfold before your eyes!

Pursue whatever story God has for you wherever you are by serving his purposes wherever you are.

Some Examples:

Speak up for those without a voice.

Stand up against injustices in our communities and country. Stop making excuses for racism and prejudice. Stop blaming the issues on somebody else. Stop thinking that’s somebody else’s problem. God hates injustice and those of us who call ourselves Christians should hate it too!

Seek to show mercy to people you encounter everyday.

Let gentleness and kindness be on your lips.

Live a life of radical generosity.

Practice hospitality.

Be known for expressing gratitude!

Point people to Jesus.

You do those things. You serve God’s purposes wherever you are! Start now. Start today!

So that was the example of Paul & Barnabas. Now look at how their story unfolds.

Acts 14:1 CSB

1 In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

Acts 14:

God’s story for you involves the development of your character!

When God says Go, we’re to obey but we’re to do it with humility, and grace, gratitude, and responsibility.

And if we’re going and experiencing any kind of success in the area that God has directed us we have a tendency to become overconfident in our own abilities. So wherever God’s story for your life leads, know that it’s going to involve character development!

Your character matters.

Acts 14:1 CSB

1 In Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

They spoke in such a way...

“They spoke in such a way...”

Words were coming out of their mouths and their hearts! They “spoke” anyone can do that! But they spoke in such a way that people saw Jesus and turned to Jesus and believed in Jesus. That takes the character of Jesus being reflected in the character of the one speaking about Jesus.

Sometimes

That is, there words and their actions matched!

Sometimes we get frustrated because we feel disrespected...

Sometimes we get frustrated because we feel aimless...

Sometimes we get bent out of shape because we want to be given more responsibility, but no one’s giving it to us...

It could be a character problem. Sometimes our character is too weak for the assignment God has for us so in order to get us to where he wants us to be he has to strengthen our character.

Paul & Barnabas were demonstrating their character in carrying out God’s plan.

They spoke in such a way.

But bad things happen to good people. And bad things happen to God’s people. And even while Paul and Barnabas were pursuing the story God had for them, the enemy got it in the way.

And maybe you’ve been working on your character...

And maybe you’ve been working on your marriage...

And maybe you’ve been working on that temper...

And maybe you got tired of writing your own story and started pursuing the story that God has already written for your life.

And maybe you had success! And maybe there was great success and like Paul & Barnabas when they set out to proclaim the good news about Jesus, a great number of both Jews & Greeks responded well.

And now trouble comes your way…Oh trouble. We can’t avoid it. Sometimes we don’t deserve it. It’s not fair. It’s not right. I’m doing all the right things. I’m pursuing God’s story for my life. I’m doing it with character. People see Jesus in me.

But they’re talking about me!

They’re bad mouthing me!

They’re creating a narrative about me that I have no control over!

God’s story for you includes people who want you to fail.

Biblical examples:

Cain wanted Able to fail

Pharaoah wanted Moses to fail.

Moses’ own brother and sister wanted him to fail at times.

Joseph’s brothers wanted him to fail.

The Pharisees wanted Jesus to fail.

Peter wanted his friend John to fail.

When Paul gave his life to Jesus, the older Christians wanted him to fail!

Acts 14:2 CSB

2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

“But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds...”

Some people were stirring up controversy. It doesn’t matter where you are. It doesn’t matter where you go. There is always going to be someone in your life who’s gotta create some drama.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 31:6 CSB

6 Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.”

The purpose of the controversy here was three fold...

to discredit the character of Paul & Barnabas.

to plant fear in their hearts

ultimately to prevent them from continuing to preach the gospel.

Ah! There it is. Now we see what’s going on here. See there’s always an enemy behind the enemy. And this enemy hates Jesus.

And he wants to discredit his followers.

And he wants to immobilize them with fear.

And he wants to do whatever he can to minimize the gospel in their lives.

When others were seeking to discredit them…look what Paul & Barnabas did...

“they spoke boldy for the Lord...”

“And Jesus enabled them to do signs & wonders...”

Explain signs & wonders…put in context for today. When things heat up. When things start to get difficult. When there’s a bend in the road of your story and you can’t see up ahead and you’re facing opposition on every side and you wonder...

Is this God’s story for me after all. Remember, it includes people who want you to fail. But it also includes HIM, baby who holds the keys to victory!

Here’s what God’s Word says!

Genesis 50:20 CSB

20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

Deuteronomy 31:8 CSB

8 The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

Isaiah 41:10 CSB

10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.

Romans 8:31 CSB

31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Psalm 27:1–3 CSB

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.

Is anybody hearing what I’m saying this morning?! God’s story for you includes people who want you to fail, but it also includes God who has already secured the victory!

Stay focused on what GOd’s called you to do.

Stay true to your values.

Stay positive about your future.

So there was a group of people who wanted Paul & Barnabas to fail. They were waiting for it. They stirred up people against them. They created a small army of people who believed the lies about them.

Paul & Barnabas were in a tight spot.

Paul & Barnabas had their backs up against the wall.

Paul & Barnabas were at the center of a very public controversy.

Paul & Barnabas were being bad-mouthed all over town.

“So they stayed...”

Acts 14:3 CSB

3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders.

God’s story for your life calls on courage to stay.

“Lord, please give me the courage to stay here as long as you’d have me stay.”

You need courage to stay focused on what God’s called you to do.

What season are you in? Is it hard? I want to challenge you to have the courage to stay.

Be a husband

Be a father

Be a good employee

Be a faithful church member

Be a good neighbor

Be a respectful citizen

You need courage to stay true to your values!

Grace – Give people more than they deserve.

Hope – A confident expectation that God is always there for me

present

Faith - the means to real depth in relationships of all kinds

Love – Loving people when they least expect it or deserve it.

Justice – To honor the dignity of humanity and to treat others with moral rightness and decency

Joy – Choose JOY in the face of adversity.

Service – meaning is found in serving others rather than self-centeredness

Peace– the antidote to my overloaded-soul isn’t greater time-management, it’s Jesus.

You need courage to stay positive about your future!

Now there’s a time to leave. And you need wisdom for that. After Paul & Barnabas stayed for a long while, there came a time when it became very clear that God was moving them on.

Acts 14:5–6 CSB

5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside.

Acts 14:

And here’s where many fall off the rail when it comes to following Jesus. There’s no formula!

Sometimes you stay. Sometimes you go. So what do you do? Should I stay or should I go?

Sometimes you stay. Sometimes you go. So what do you do?

You pursue whatever story God has for you whether it means staying or whether it means going. You have to live by faith. You have to lean on God for the courage to stay and you have to consult God for the wisdom to leave.

But look at verse 7

Acts 14:7 CSB

7 There they continued preaching the gospel.

God’s story for you is ultimately not about you, but Jesus!

“They continued preaching the gospel...”

Will my decision to stay or leave contradict God’s word?

Is my decision to stay or leave confirmed by other Spirit-filled believers?

Is my motivation for leaving reflected in the fruit of the Spirit?

Will leaving gratify my sinful desires?

Does this require me to depend on God?

Will leaving

Will this action bring honor to God?

Am I doing this out of faith or fear?

Am I doing this

Takeaways:

Let God use the circumstances of your life to develop your character.

Remember that God is for you!

Ask God to give you the courage to stay when you want to leave and the wisdom to go when it’s time to go.

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