Finishing Well
Acts • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro-
Intro-
There are key moments that we have to ask ourselves, “is this the hard part of doing the right thing or is it hard because it’s the wrond thing”
Ironically, God uses such moments to clarify our direction and to confirm our resolve. And to train us in teh ways of long-term resiliency in faith.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the Lord tests hearts.
There is an old saying, “if it were easy, everyone would do it.” That’s becaus you hit hard spots that may check you, but in certain areas, you just power through. Because it’s what you do.
But I think you can say a little more. It’s also true that some things not being easy is what keeps you from running astray in a hundred different directions.
IOW- difficulty filters out distractions (not all, but some)
If it weren’t difficult, I would learn to do auto body work, restore campers, skateboard, go rock climbing, and be an astronaut… (WHAT ABOUT YOU?)
YThe fact that many things are difficult after teh first step or two is what keeps us from wasting lots of life resource on what’s not worthwhile for us.
But here’s the problem—sometimes difficulyt isn’t meant to stop you, it’s meant to season you.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
** Cf re: man with talents—told to “occupy”
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
Two things become clear--
1- there is a struggle to what I am meant to do
2- I am meant to struggle through until I get there
** But I think a third thing is in the echo of the background—challenges will both clarify and confirm that one thing
16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
*** Mentions this 17 times in his letters—runs through them all, b/c not occasion-specific, but part of all of his life.
But that’s easy in summary. YOu might simply ask, “what’s on your mind day and night. Where do some of your most intense conversations go, pos or neg. What can you not not do (a la 1co9)
Two Q’s remain—flow from this--
what are you all about?
what are you doing with what you’re all about (not as chore, but in living life)
Watch Paul and learn the process of perseverance--
By the end of Acts, he is diong his thing in Rome
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
*** Paul saw himself as apostle to gentiles. And what better place to be to become apostle to gentile than gentile central. I could move to Atlanta dn have ministry to hindus, but how much more if I move to India?
BUt even more, tere in Rome, Paul saw the coalescence of his ministry—as it would be through the gentiles that God would make His people jealous and call them back to Himself. So Rome was HUGE in his mind.
Maybe yours isn’t preaching, and maybe not getting to Rome, but there are things that are meant to be durable pursuits in your life. And just like any durable pursuit, it will only become durable by testing and development.
So let’s take a look—two things that will cause you to consider escaping what is really meant to be essential to your life:
1- the demand of the process
consider TSA today—imagine customs agents with no computer, ticket sales on glorified fishing boat (shore boat)
consider ticketing process, boarding and de-boarding
consider the pace—5-8 mph with a good wind—Cf going through Newnan and having a 1:25 min trip become 2hr. I sat in my car for 2 hours! AC Stereo. Donut!
Logistical demands
Financial Demands
Relational Demands
Physical Demands (outwardly we are wasting away…)
2- the discipline of challenge
sometimes as “warning” or opposition
sometimes as friendly advice to escape
“take care of yourself
Cf Jesus --”friends” offer “out”—common sense
*** Paul refused to rescue himself
*** This goes back to beginning
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
gal
9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
*** Cf his concern—people leaving him- abandoning him (Demas, etc)
*** Cf concern- John Mark...
12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
2ti
11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
**** What helps?
return to the original word
lean on the church (keeps going in)
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