Sunday Worship

In your Bibles were looking at acts 25 and again, it will be on the screen so you can turn the air, but you know you think about God. God being in control. It at once there was a Christian woman who lived next door to an atheist man every day when the Christian woman, pray the atheist man could hear her. The Atheist thoughts from South. She sure is crazy praying all the time. Like that doesn't she know there isn't a god.

Many times while she was praying, he would go to her house and her hat harassed. Her saying lady. Why do you pray all the time? Don't you know, there is no God. But you kept on praying. One day she ran out of groceries. As and as usual usual, she prayed to the Lord, explain her situation and thanking him for what he was going to do. As usual, The Atheist heard her praying and thought to himself. I'll prove to her. There is no God once and for all. So, the atheist went to the grocery store brought bought a bunch of groceries. Took them to her house, drop them off on the front, porch ring the doorbell and then hid in the bushes to see what she would do. When the Christian lady opened the door and saw the grocery, she begin to praise the Lord with all her heart. Thanking, God for providing for her needs. Immediately The Atheist jumped out of the bushes and told her you silly lady. God didn't buy you, those groceries. I bought those groceries for you, the Christian lady replied with great. Joy. I knew the Lord would provide me with groceries, but I didn't know he was going to make the devil pay for them.

Well, you know, this morning as we continue our Trek through the book of Acts. And our call to go and make a difference.

We're going to look at the chapter 25 of Acts and ask ourselves a question. And that is what is the Providence of God. Millard Erickson once said, the province of providence, of God means the continuing action of God in preserving his creation. And guiding it toward his intended, purpose.

What this means is that we are able to live our lives, knowing that God is present and active. In every part of our lives. And that things around us are not happening by some strange coincidence, or by some accident. In the late eighteen hundreds, a member of Britain Parliament went to Scotland to make a speech. he got off the train in Edinburg and took a carriage South toward his destination, but unfortunately, the carriage became stuck in a deep mud. A local farm, boy came to the rescue with his team of work forces. And after pulling them free, The Grateful politician, offered him a reward. But the boy refused to accept it. Determined to pay the young man for his health. The politician asked. Is there anything I can do for you? What would you like to do with yourself when you grow up? I'd like to become a doctor, the young man replied. The Member of Parliament, promise to do, what he could. And in fact, he secured admission to the university for the young man.

Well, during World War, two more than 50 years. Later. Winston Churchill, a dangerously ill and Morocco suffering from pneumonia. A new wonder drug called penicillin was administered to him. Penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming. That Scottish farm boy, who pulled the politicians, Carriage out of the mud.

Pretty cool, isn't it? But the story gets even better. You see the politician who had sponsored the farm boy. Now physician. Was Randolph. Churchill Winston Churchill's father?

You know, the Providence of God is sometimes mind-boggling. And we can never tell how God made you choose to execute his plans. Last week, if you recall, we left the Apostle Paul there, incest Ariah. He was there for some two years being held by the Roman Governor. Felix. Because while finding nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.

Felix wanted to get a bribe from Paul. The Paul did not pay the bribe that Felix wanted and Paul was kept there. And brought out every once in awhile to speak to Felix. And during these times, Paul reasoned with Felix and his wife about the Christian faith.

You know, the most tragic thing is we look at that story, the most tragic thing about Felix and his wife.

Is that they did not make a decision for Christ or at least we're not told that they did.

Unity. Very good example of people that know the truth. People that have heard the gospel, but yet refused to surrender their lives to Christ.

Well, in our text today, Felix is gone. I guess you could say there's a new sheriff in town, actually, a new governor by the name of Festus. The Jews try to trick fastest into sending Paul back to Jerusalem. Because they were plotting to kill Paul before he got there. Their little trick failed in God. Blue in powerful ways to secure, Paul's trip to Rome.

I want you to know that God in his wisdom will guide us through all circumstances that we face. But we must surrender to his will. In order to make it through. So this morning, there's three things. I want us to get from a passage today. As we think about the Providence of God.

And as we think about his work in our lives, the first thing is that sometimes God interrupts our schedule.

Sometimes God interrupt our schedule interrupted, you know, things are going around. You have your plans all set up and they didn't go the way one.

And I said to look ahead for that when I plan on a trip. I plan for what we're going to do and what we're going to do, if things don't sell her to work out that way but you know, God sometimes uses those things. To bring about his well, let's look starting at going back to ask 24, starting at verse 27 and then acts 25 one. It says, when two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porsche's fastest. But because Felix wanted to Grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison. Three days after arriving in the province, bestest went up to Sessa rioted Russe. You know what you think about this situation, there? Paul had been stuck in prison for over 2 years. Like we said. but it kind of reminds us of Joseph who was falsely imprisoned and basically forgotten about You have to wonder what is going through Paul's mind.

He knows that the Jews. Want him dead. And he stuck in a Jewish City.

But you know what? The midst of this Paul believes that God has a plan. And I'm sure he remembers that God said he was going to Rome.

You don't think about it. Sometimes we Face delays. The drive is crazy because we know God is guiding in a certain direction. During those times. We need to remember that time. Spent waiting on, God is not wasted time.

In a lot of times. We pray and ask God these things and we want them now. You know, we want them taken care of. It's like the guy that pray and ask for patience said God, I need patience and I need it right now, you know, a lot of times we do that with a lot of time. God has something planned out. And he calls us to wait.

We know that he is working out his kingdom plan, even when we seem to be stuck and going nowhere.

You know, God set up this two-year delay.

In order to put Paul right where he needed him. And Paul was able to do amazing Kingdom work. Yeah, I like what Paul tells us in Romans 8:28 and I think might be a verse that you already know. But think about it, it says, and we know that in all things. God works for the good of those who love him. Who have been called according to his purpose?

You know what that verse says to me. It tells me that God is at work in the good and bad of those who love him. You know, someone might do something bad. Try to harm you but God is in it in the long run, will use it for your good and His glory.

You know, I always compare this to.

Chocolate cake. And I was thinking, I was thinking this morning. I'm a little late. I should have had some chocolate cake here for everybody to go afterwards. You can get my point. But you know, when you have to take chocolate cake before you make it take, I don't know what all you put it is probably, I know I think eggs and flour and probably some chocolate you don't. Have you ever taken a spoonful of flour and just eaten it. Or a raw egg. I mean the chocolate. Hey, I could do that. But you know, you take take those ingredients, you mix them together. You're with them up. You put them in some heat. And out comes the cake. And, you know, I think that's what God does in our life. He takes the good and the bad that is happening. Not that flowers, bad, but he takes those things and works them together for his good. For his glory. So, think about it. The next roadblock you face could be because God is working something out for you or a maybe working something out for someone else and doing it through you. Look at it as an opportunity. Look at it and maybe ask God. What do you want me to do in this? Now, think about this Jesus. Perform, some of his greatest miracles. Or shared his most powerful teaching is because his schedule got interrupted. He was delayed.

When Jesus got interrupted, he didn't spin out of control because for him it was more about the person.

Then about the agenda.

He knew that each and every Interruption could very well be an opportunity to do some of our greatest word for God.

NFL. As we move forward, as we Face the future.

Look at those opportunities. As opportunities from God. You know, if we get angry because our schedule gets interrupted. We may actually be getting getting angry at God who set up the appointment. Sometimes when I cried because someone interrupted my busy schedule.

Or in your stomping and pitching a fit because you can't do something you plan because someone keeps changing your plans. It may be griping at God. Instead, we need to take those opportunities and look for them as God being in control.

Brings us to the second thing, which is God is good. All the time. Are going on 2 verse 2. We read where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appear before him and presented charges against Paul. They requested fastest as a favor to them to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem. Or they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Bestest answered, Paul is being held in South Korea and I myself and was going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him. There.

You know, the Jews had it planned out. They wanted Paul to come to Jerusalem and they had it planned out that on the way they were going to have him killed.

You want these Burgesses, they were trying to kick it to trick this new governor. In the following through, with their plans.

You do you think about it? Could God have sent Paul to Jerusalem then delivered him out of their hands. Well, the answer to that is sure. But in this, instant God chose to influence new rulers to have Paul remain in cesarina. That's protecting him from The Platters.

You know, it would have been no skin off of festus's back to send him to Jerusalem. And well within his authority to do. So remember there was a lot of unrest and fast, this is what number one job was the preservation of. Peace.

But you don't think about it. God was about to use Paul to influence bestest.

Got it. Also set up a Divine appointment with none, other than King, Agrippa.

Therefore he had Paul remain in Sesser is protecting principal from this evil scheme. You know, I like what it says, in Psalm 31, starting at verse 14, it says, but I trust in you Lauren. I say you are my God. My times are in your hands. Deliver me from the hands of my enemy from those who prefer to pursue me.

You do you think about it when everything is going around going around? Us is negative. You know, we can get discouraged shoes me.

But the Bible shows this and what Paul's actions and with Paul went through with that shows us is that God is in control.

He will work things out.

And I like how Romans 8:28 said. Says he work things together for the good of those who love him. God has our good in mind. God can protect and preserve our life or any aspect of it if he pleases. You know, sometimes he delivers us.

And sometimes he allows us to go through difficulties.

But God's ability is not limited whatsoever. God is not even limited to working in and through the lives of Believers, only.

He's so powerful that he even has the ability to guide the wills of those who don't believe him.

You know, we're not promised an explanation for all the times that God delivers us. Where's the times where he does not?

But we need to remember that. He is always good. All the time.

And whether or not he delivers or allow suffering and delay, we must continue to cling to him, trust in him, rest in him. His faithfulness, never ends. Never fails, never falters, hit never Lacks. His wisdom and goodness.

Our Everlasting.

You know, better plan can be conceived than God's plan. And his grace and resources are sufficient. In fact, you think about it his grace and resources are more than sufficient.

For anything that we need.

In 2nd Corinthians 12:9 to tells us what he said to me. My grace is sufficient for you.

4 MI. Excuse me. What? For my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses. So that Christ power May rest on.

Which brings us to the third thing that we see from Paul in the situation. What's happening?

And that is that God will work out his plan.

Not our plan. You know, sometimes we think our plan is God's plan, but no God will work out his plan. Starting at verse 10. We read Paul answered. I am now standing before seizures Court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews as you yourself know, very well. If however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against Me by these Jews are not true. No one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar. After fastest, had conferred with his counsel. He declared you have appealed to Caesar. The Caesar, you will go.

And I think about it, Paul faces another mock trial with no evidence and no credible Witnesses. It appears that the Jews were accusing Paul of crimes, deserving of death, but they had no evidence to prove to prove his guilt and according to Festus. Paul should have been set free two years earlier.

But in order to keep the peace, he was willing to send Paul to Jerusalem.

If Paul was willing to go. Paul Howe ever asked to be tried in front of Caesar.

Which at that time was a privilege. That was granted to Roman citizens from the earliest days of Romans existence. And it's one reason that Paul being a Roman citizen was a good thing. And the results were immediate. Game set match Paul is on the way to Rome where God told him. He would go.

You know, something we talked about. I think it was last week. You know you look at this and you see God is in control. God has a plan, God's plan was for Paul to go to Rome.

And we looked last week at the impact of Paul's life going to Rome had on the world bringing Christianity to be heard by so many people.

You know, if there is a place that God wants us to be.

We will be there.

If there are things that we are to do, we will do them. Not that we're puppets.

Or that your will is violated, but that God is powerful enough wise enough, and good enough to bring our lives this world and everything in it, to his intended goals and purpose. He uses the good mad. And you know, we may look at all the pan thing is happening with the pandemic.

But I know that God has used it.

To be bringing people to him.

You know, how many times God uses ordinary means to achieve is in? Such as Government, privileges parents, jobs and school. Sound times God uses painful experiences to like prison sickness, divorce, heartache, excetera. To bring about the greatest glory in the most good.

In our duty is to stay close to him. Devotional e, hear from him regular and be flexible enough with our plans and confidence enough in him that when things go different from our expectations. We can lift our hands and authentic, praise and gratefulness. Even in pain.

And be willing to walk through the fire with him.

I want to close by reminding us again. Apollo's words in Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together or were things work. Got our God works for the good of those who love him, who haven't called, according to his purpose.

So what's the point that God wants us to get out of this message today? First with interruptions, occurred to our Scout schedule. Look for God at work, there in Romans, 8:28. All that, in all things. God works for the good of those who love him. Second thing is when things don't seem to go your way know that God is still at work. He is at work for you.

And third, God is still in control, even when things aren't going the way, you think they should go. Like it says in Romans 8:28 at the beginning. And we know that in all things.

We know that in all things, God is at work.

You know, God is an Incredible. God not only has he brought people into your life to influence you, to come to Christ.

But he also has a wonderful plan for your life.

But in order to experience that wonderful life, you have to come to Christ for salvation.

Where are you this morning?

In closing, I want us to stand together if we close and prayer. But as we stand together, I also as we stand together and pray, I want to invite you. If you do not know Jesus as your lord and savior. The opportunity is now come forward and someone will meet with you and pray with you. But for all of us, we think, you know, God has a plan for our life. God is at work in our life. Not everything goes the way that we want. But God is still in control. Let standing.