Inflection Points

An Inflection Point (responding to change) Audacity Series September 5/6 2021 Acts 12:1-18 Intro / Announcements - Outstanding fall in front of us! (25 Year Anniv, Chasing God, Light up the Night) Begin today with a thought.... Have you ever heard the term "inflection point", or have you been at an inflection point? I know big term, but hang with me. Here's the definition so we all get on the same page in cause you've never heard of it: Inflection point: a moment when significant change occurs or may occur (Merriam Webster Dictionary) It's sometimes described as a turning point in someone's life.... Fork in the road. Something happens and you have to make a decision - and that decision puts you on a different path. Ever been at one of these points? Let me give you a few examples... * Not all inflection points are bad - when I graduated from college - inflection point. Opened a door that presented an opportunity for a job that was not available to me earlier. Big turning point in my career... * When we had kids - things need to change! * Years ago driving to Elkhart for work incredibly busy season (not an excuse) - hospital - speeding - pulled over, realized as I was pulling over that I had an expired license plate because I was a procrastinator - in the middle of a really busy season (not good) - inflection point - something's got to change. 😊 Have to stop procrastinating - costing me $$ Everyone has these points of change and they are unique / different for everyone.... Many times these inflection points come in a good way, and other times they don't...Just examples from the last 30 days, hearing from others I'm in relationship with... * Family member dies - not great circumstances - faced with a number of decisions didn't plan on * Wife leaves / Husband files for divorce - what now? * Call from the doctor with a report of lung cancer - wrestles with treatment vs. no treatment * Last 18 months - argue that COVID was a significant change for everyone - Each person listening had to pivot in some way because we all were faced with this inflection points. - From School decisions, to how each of us were going to respond to mandates, etc. Would you agree that we all have SEVERAL of these inflection points because Life is complex it's hard...... scripture even tells us that life can be hard... John 16:33 - In this world you will have trouble. And when we have trouble, we are almost always faced with challenging decisions that we need to make... Hard decisions! Not foreign in scripture - These inflection points happen throughout the Bible: Joshua leads the Israelites to the promised land, time of celebration - needing to clarify who is going to serve the lord now - Time of DECISION - inflection point... Joshua 24:15 - 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Bold challenging decision people had to make Jesus was the greatest inflection point in history, greatest gift to mankind - has some really hard teaching - after a time of him teaching on some challenging topics - John 6:66 - "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." So it's not IF we will troubles and we have these inflection points, here's a question... "How prepared am I for my next inflection point?" If you are still wondering what an inflection point is - you can ask this "How prepared am I for my next big challenge?" When life throws you a curveball, or when you are presented with an opportunity that will force you to make a big decision how prepared are you? practically? Some of you are at that point now - maybe stuck - not sure what to do ... As you consider that question I want to remind you that we have been in a series called "Audacity.. Bold acts of the early Church" [AUDACITY SLIDE] and I get to close this series out this week and my hope is - the big idea for today is this -. It seems as those we have experienced more of these turning point / inflection points in our lives than every. And the way we react to these moments, the way we make decisions during those times is impacting our lives and our future. I think if we were honest with ourselves - if I'm honest with myself - many of us haven't dealt with these inflection points perfectly, and we are at a time when more and more of these points are entering our lives - and I desperately want all of us to be better equipped to process these points differently, more boldly. The church in the book of acts acted BOLDLY when they faced a rather large challenges in front of them - we can learn something (I've learned something)! Acts 12:1-7, 12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. {Free from prison, walks out of the city unnoticed - almost in a stupor - surprised!} 12 - 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. If we really pay attention and make this personal I think we can learn and apply a few things from this section of scripture... [Pray] A bold response to significant change includes... 1) Resisting isolation Christianity was blossoming - the disciples were making advances in sharing the love of Jesus - there were pockets of problems but all of a sudden Herod had one of the disciples, James, killed to which the Jews approved of the killing and now Herod is moving to the next target - Peter - and throws him in prison. Can you imagine the picture here if you were a follower of Jesus - the government doesn't want you making noise about Jesus, the religious rulers of the day support the killing of a friend and leader and now another one of your friends and leaders is headed towards the same fate. That's an inflection point! They could have chosen to run away, denounce Christ, hide in their own homes, stop meeting, go to video... Acts 12:5 - So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. But the church... Everyone say "But the church"... So what did the church do - before they prayed (we'll talk about that in a minute) THEY GATHERED! How do we know that? Look a few verses later - we find them together.... Acts 12:12 - [Peter] went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered..... In the face of adversity, challenge and turmoil - a turning point opportunity - The church gathered - The body of believers believed that they were better together than running away and scattering. Bad things happen when we scatter at times of trouble. Let me make the point this way... In some of the biggest challenges of life - those huge turning point moments - some of the worst decisions people make are when they decide to isolate themselves at times of adversity. Even in scripture! Look at some of these Biblical accounts.... * 2Sam 11:1 - In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. Clarity - war isn't a great season - lots of ups and downs - David, should be in community fighting - Ends up isolating himself and committing adultery and murder. Isolation leads us to unimaginable sin! * Elijah - great leader - fought tremendous battles - ended up running from woman named Jezebel trying to kill him. 1Kings 19:3 - Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Isolation leads us to think the worst about ourselves and our situations - to think thoughts that only the enemy would want us to fulfill. * NT - Judas - disciple, experienced some of the greatest miracles in history - on his own went and sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver... Judas ends up killing himself scripture records.... I wonder if Judas would have taken someone with him if they would have said "Judas - what are you doing?" Isolation leads to unhealthy places - Last year (2020) for St. Joe County - record # of people die in overdoses... this year on track to break that record - just this week on the our county courthouse the shoes of 83 people who died of overdoses in the last year..... each one of these shoes represents a story of a person, in our community, that faced a challenge, an inflection point, that led them to an addiction that eventually cost them their lives. These are the shoes of the 83 that lost their battle - Way more than 83 have struggled significantly in the last year... "Experts say the effects of the pandemic have driven the surge in overdoses by creating social isolation, worsening mental health problems and hindering treatment for people with addictions." South Bend Tribune August 29th 2021 For clarity isolation is not God's plan - when we look at the totality of scripture - the importance of community is so clear... Proverbs 18:1 (ESV) - Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. Gen 2:18 - 18 The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. God does not desire OR call us to be independent and self-sufficient, we are called to be in community. As followers of Jesus we are better together! There is incredible power when people come together in a community, building one another up, which is what we find the church doing when Peter is thrown in prison! Part of a home group eight years ago - received a call late at night, husband, good friend / member of our group, died suddenly while they were on vacation - tragedy beyond measure. Three young girls, wife - inflection point / challenge of their lives... But the church... our group pulled together and the church they belonged to... 8 years later - girls are in college, getting married... Thriving... huge future around them At my most challenging moments do I scatter or gather? Some of you are scattered now - you've come to a fork in the road and it's time to get back in community - Groups - > 100 open spots in groups - today, you need to sign up. Some of you listening - need to get back to church.... There are likely some listening that are emotionally isolation - you have people around you, but no one is aware of the thoughts you are thinking - you need to start opening up, engaging deeply in the group you are in. As believers we are better together. A bold response to significant change includes... 1) Resisting isolation I want to dig deeper, because when peter was thrown in prison the church just didn't come together to share a meal and argue about how the government was wrong, or plan what they were going to do - they had a different mission.... A bold response to significant change includes... 2) Earnestly praying Acts 12:5 - So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. So the church gathered - they were earnestly praying - Everyone say earnestly.... I believe that every word is scripture is important and when scripture says that the believers were praying earnestly we ought to pay attention to that detail - this is an area that God is challenging me.... I hope He will challenge all of us.... Look at this... That word Earnestly -in it's original form it comes from a compound word - it's meaning is like stretch out...pertaining to an unceasing activity, normally involving a degree of intensity and/or perseverance-'without ceasing, continuously, constantly.' Praying earnestly is like you are reaching out to heaven to bring the resources God has for you down to earth... do you get that picture? Have you ever prayed earnestly? Two weeks ago I was sick - not COVID, but had some 24 hour thing. Not fun...DRY HEAVES... ever have dry heaves....Would anyone choose dry heaves? NO! Earnest prayer middle of the night... OH GOD, HELP! Have you had those moment - My contention that in our lifetime we will be forced with earnest prayer whether we like it or not... worked in heathcare - during family tragedies, sickness, trauma - earnest prayer - out of options....reaching / stretching toward heaven for the answer. That's where we find the church - praying EARNESTLY to God because they are facing this turning point..... I want to go deeper with this because that world earnestly - the original Greek word that is used - is only used one other time in scripture - recorded in the book of Luke... Account of Jesus preparing for his death... Luke 22:39-44 39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. If you read accounts of this story in other gospels - the disciples fall asleep a few times! Earnest prayer - do you see the depth - stretching for something - there is tension - crying out in anguish that something isn't right - Jesus was at a turning point & He's crying to God for help to the point his sweat was like drops of blood. Jesus was frustrated with his disciples because they seemingly were not getting into that place of earnest, deep prayer - they were falling asleep - now I think they likely prayed - but they didn't stay up - it was not earnest prayer... Earnest prayer costs something - not just fit it in, drive by, on my way to work type prayer - this is deep, groaning, stretching I'm going after it prayer. I want to contrast two accounts - the church praying for Peter and Jesus praying in the garden, because I think it highlights the importance of earnest prayer Earnest prayer provides.... * Rest Look at this.... Acts 12:6 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Peter's in prison, likely to be killed soon and HE'S SLEEPING! Here is what I believe - one of the reasons Peter is sleeping because the church is together, and they are earnestly praying - they are providing a spiritual platform for Peter to rest at a time of great challenge. Did Peter know they were together praying? -the church prayed earlier in the book of Acts when problems hit - when Peter was freed he went to the house where the church gathered - The church prayed earnestly and in the middle of a great challenge Peter was able to sleep. Contrast that with the earlier account of Jesus in the garden of Gesthemene - Jesus is begging the disciples - PRAY!!! GUYS! Don't fall into temptation - PRAY... They might be praying, but they are not cutting it, They are sleeping and he's up literally sweating blood! Jesus gets no rest ... At our greatest times of challenge you know what would give us rest - EARNEST PRAYER! You know what gives me rest? Knowing that I have a spouse that pray for me regularly - When someone you love is in the middle of a struggle, you know what would give them a spiritual platform to get more rest - NOT MORE OF YOUR OPINION OR SUGGESTIONS, NOT MORE FACTS, NEWS STORIES, OR SCIENTIFIC STUDIES - BUT MORE OF YOUR DEEP EARNEST HEARTFELT PRAYER! CRYING OUT TO HEAVEN ON THEIR BEHALF. Earnest prayer provides.... * Rest * God's resources You are stretching to get the resources of heaven to come to the earth and do a mighty work we never could. Look at this - Peter - bound by two sets of chains and 16 guards.... If the church doesn't employ prayer then we are left with two options - 1) he dies a death like James who Herod just killed or 2) the disciples need to figure out how to sneak in the jail, get past the 16 guards, break open two sets of chains on Peter and sneak him out of the jail and through an iron gate that is closed at the edge of the city - READ THE ACCOUNT SLOWLY TODAY! The church earnestly prays and Acts 12:7 - Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. When we earnestly pray we enter into an invitation to pull down the resources and answers from God to see the miraculous - If you don't pray, if you don't stretch - you don't make the invitation - and we may never see it - It's as though God has combined all of the ingredients necessary to do amazing things at the most challenging times of our lives - like break Peter from prison, solve riddles that are insolvable, fix relationships that are broken, cure diseases that no one else can, - and it takes earnest prayer to stretch and put those ingredients together.... But without earnest prayer we are left to our own devices - to our own plans, our own strength, or to the opinions of others in our greatest challenges of life.... And as I look at my own life, as I hear your stories and as I see the world changing our own plans aren't working and we aren't strong enough on our own... and it's time we start praying more earnestly. FB Meyer, pastor from hundred years ago - "Greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer but unoffered prayer".... Where do I need to stretch in prayer? A bold response to significant change includes... 1) Resisting isolation 2) Earnestly praying We are at a time where we are inundated with challenges, inflection points And it's not getting any easier, and too many of us are tired of choosing the wrong path, or trying to figure it out on our own and it's time to earnestly pray.... ** Reminder - Groups ----- Handout An Inflection Point Acts 12:1-7, 12 A bold response to significant change includes... 1) Resisting isolation As followers of Jesus we are better together! 2) Earnestly praying Earnest prayer provides.... * Rest * God's resources 1