Living in God’s Power in Trials | To the Ends of the Earth

Well, good morning, church. It is great to see you this week. Now, last week, um, right out of Easter, we started back into the Book of Acts where we said that for three weeks, one of our main goals from a 50,000 foot view was to see the ending of this book and what it does in our lives personally, as well as in our lives as a church. Now, the Book of Acts is a perfect place to come out of Easter end because actually the Easter weekend is where the Book of Acts begins. It happens right after Easter weekend. Jesus steps onto the scene, right? The resurrected Jesus, and he gives us our role. Our role as believers, and that is to walk and love Jesus. It is to walk and love people. And Jesus gives us that command. To do what? To be His witnesses.

In Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and into the ends of the world. Well, the book of Acts stalk- starts with Jesus walking out, his faith and challenging us. And then it continues into him sending the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the day the church started, where Jesus ascended to the Father, the Spirit came and indwelled in us. That day, the church began. And it exploded. It moved out of Jerusalem. It moved into Judea. The people of God began to speak the words of God. They began to plant churches. They began to share the love of Christ. And then, as we get all the way into the middle of the book of Acts, the mood changes from watching the disciples and watching Peter to now the apostle Paul begins to be the central figure of Acts. We said last week that the Apostle Paul is the single most human example of what it looks like for us to walk in Jesus, because he preached throughout the whole Roman Empire.

He plants churches. He speaks the gospel. He spends time developing leaders, and he left this legacy of faith that we are now here walking in. Last week, we looked at Acts chapter 20. Today, we're gonna be in Acts chapter 21, but in Acts chapter 20, Paul pulls the Ephesian leaders in, and he begins to look at them because he knows that his time is drawing near. He knows that this is the last time he's gonna spend with them. And he looks at these Ephesians leaders last week, and he actually preaches his own funeral last week. Now, if you've ever been at a funeral that I've been around nine times out of 10, you will hear me say that nobody can preach your funeral for me. That means that nobody like me can get up and speak a whole lot of things over you that your life did not support.

Acts 20 · chapter mention Acts 21 · chapter mention Acts 20 · chapter mention

Now, we try, right? We try the best we can. But Paul says, "Hey, leaders come together, and he speaks into their lives and says," Let me give you some things that I want to always be said about me. "This is last week. He said," I wanna be faithful to do what God calls me to do. I always wanna proclaim the gospel of Jesus to others. I wanna be a person that points to Jesus and not myself first. I always wanna use my life in finishing this life well, and then lastly, last week, he said that I wanna be a person that always gives more than I take. "Now, that was all last week, because there was really this special moment of Paul looking at these Ephesians and saying," This is where I have been. "To which many of us will say," Well, Matt, talk is cheap, right?

Talk is cheap. "But here's what we're gonna be able to see today. Paul not only gives them where he has been last week, but Paul, this week, looks at us in Acts chapter 21 through the rest of this book, and we get to see Paul actually finish well. We get to see him finish well. And here's what I know about a person that finishes well in the faith. They're an example to all of us. So what we're gonna see today through many chapters, all right, we're gonna be in chapters 21 all the way to chapters 25 today, is we're gonna see Paul not just talk about finishing well, but we're gonna see him finish well through s- through some of the toughest situations emotionally, through some of the toughest situations physically, through some of the toughest situations physically that mankind has ever walked through. But I want us to see two things today.

Acts 21 · chapter mention

I want us to focus in on two things today. First, I just want us to know that Paul, throughout everything he's gonna do today, would look at us and say," Just remain faithful. "And then secondly, he would look at us and he would show us by his life this week how to walk out God's power in our lives, even in the hard moments. L- let me ask you a question. Ha- have you ever been through a moment? Have you ever been through an event or have you ever been through a season of your life where you just did not know if you were going to make it? You ever been through one of those moments? Man, I'm watching the room and there is a whole lot of nodding going on. Why? Because it's common. Because most of us, if not all of us, had been through a season in life to where we looked up and we just didn't know if we were going to make it.

Or maybe it was for you, it was, you just didn't know how you were going to make it. Man, for me, if, if, if God so ever allows me to write a memoir of my life, all right? If he ever does that, I'm telling you, the vast majority of that book would be me either walking into a problem in life or right coming out of a problem in life. Can I get an amen? That's where a lot of our lives have been lived. For, for me, I mean, I, I mean, obviously there's, there's been some huge events. My sophomore year in, in college, my, my, my high school, my 16-year-old brother died in a car accident. M- Melissa and I, when, in between, uh, both of our boys that we have now, we lost a child. Uh, man, like, like so many of you have, have walked through that despair moment.

Melissa, years ago, having two massive strokes that, that caused us to live even differently today. Me pulling up six years ago at a dermatology appointment and figuring out that I have stage three cancer. That's a day you don't forget. Even when I stepped into the role of lead pastor here, moving out of students and stepping into this lead, man, it was a moment in my life where it was like, okay, God, I don't know how this is going to go. Now look, those are my moments, right? You can't have my moments. You don't want them, right? Those are my moments, right? But you've got your moments that you would say that are just like that. Actually, I've been able to walk with you, a lot of you, in some of those moments. But what Paul does in these chapters, in chapter 21 through 25, is he actually stands and what he would say is some of those moments in his life.

And he looks at you and he looks at me and says, "Listen, this is how you can walk in God's power even in the trials." Now, listen, I, I need you to tell you, I'm gonna say this a lot of times this morning, you got homework this week, all right? We're gonna look at Acts chapter 21 all the way through Acts chapter 26. And I know you don't think it can happen, all right? I know you don't think it can because it can't if we use every verse. So your homework this week, okay, your homework this week is to read these chapters because I'm telling you I'm not going to do them justice to see all of what God can do in you through these chapters. But in Acts chapter 20 last week, Paul pulls together the Ephesians leaders and he looks at him and says, "Hey, listen, I'm going to Jerusalem.

Acts 21 · chapter mention Acts 26 · chapter mention Acts 20 · chapter mention

I'm going to Jerusalem." And all of them look at him in that moment and they go, "Don't go, don't go. We know how this is gonna end." But Paul looks at him and says, "Hey, listen, I'm okay with that because this is what God has told me to do. " Now Acts chapter 21, if you're not there yet, I need you to go ahead and get there. In Acts chapter 21, what Paul does is he actually starts his journey to get to Jerusalem. He knows this is the last time he's going there and he moves into, uh, towards Jerusalem. But what happens to Paul in this moment is it seems like everywhere Paul goes, somebody is coming up against Paul. Somebody's trying to warn him, somebody's trying to dissuade him. Somebody's looking at him going, "Don't go, don't go. " Even believers in his life, like good people in his life and prophets in his life is saying this.

Acts 21 · chapter mention Acts 21 · chapter mention

Now look, I know we talk about a lot of times don't give into the evil forces of life, right? We talk a lot about don't give into culture, don't give into the crowd. But what Paul is showing us here is there's actually not just evil people that will influence us not to walk in God's will for our life, but there's actually believers and well-intended people in our lives that don't understand the callings that God has put on our lives that will actually, at moments in our life, pull up and say, "Are you sure that's what you need to do? " Let me give you the first key that Paul would say to the walking in God's power and trials is this, and then I'll explain it. Number one, write this in your notes, "Obey God's call," Paul would say, "Even when everybody warns you against it, everybody." Here, here's what I mean by that.

There's two kinds of opposition in our lives. There, there's opposition that, that just doesn't understand our worldview, doesn't understand our convictions, and doesn't know Jesus, that pushes us in a direction. Now, those people are kind of easy to stand up to, right? A lot of times and go, "Man, I know you don't even know what God's call looks like, but listen to me closely. There also might be groups of other people in our lives. They may be well-meaning Christians. They may be well-meaning believers in our lives that look at you and dissuade you from being obedient." Parents, let me tell you, you are some of the worst at this. You are. Say, "Man, what are you talking about? 27 plus years in student ministry. You know how many times I've heard a call on a life of a student to go be a missionary somewhere, but yet the parents were the ones that talked them down?" Listen, listen, listen, never, ever, ever, if God says, "Go give in to anybody that's in your life." Say, "Matt, what does this have to do with scripture?

Oh, it has everything to do. " Why? Why? Paul looks at the Ephesians and says, "I'm going to Jerusalem." What do they say? Don't go, don't go, don't go. Paul gets towards Jerusalem. In Acts chapter 21, he gets close to Jerusalem. He's at Phillip's house, the evangelist. And listen to what even a prophet says to Paul in Acts chapter 21. Acts 21, verse 10, it says this, "A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea coming over to us. He took Paul's belt." That's kind of weird, but you'll see what happens in just a minute, right? And he tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "Holy, the Holy Spirit says this is the way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." When we heard this, we, when we heard this, we and the other people, we pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

Acts 21 · chapter mention Acts 21 · chapter mention Acts 21:10

And then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready." Oh, man, look at that verbs, those words. "I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Watch verse 14. When he heard what, when he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said," The Lords will be done. "Oh, believers, what if our mindset in our lives was that no matter who, no matter what, no matter when, no matter what person around me stands up against me, my goal for my life is going to be to say yes to what God has called me to do. You know what living in God's power looks like? It looks like no, no matter what comes out of us in our lives, no matter what situation, no matter what trial, no matter what disaster comes in my life, it means that even if the world or even if well-meaning spirit-filled believers come against us, if God has said it, here it is, I'm gonna do it.

That's what it means. You see, walking in Jesus and, and walking in his power, it's not about avoiding trials. It's about walking through them obediently. Listen, some of you are in some heavy, heavy, heavy moments of your life. What if those moments were there right now to let you show who God is and what he's doing in your lives? You see, there's no doubt. Jesus talks about this. Look at Luke nine verse 23. Watch what Jesus says. He says," Whoever wants to be my disciple, he must deny. Watch this. Even themselves. "In other words, when we're trying to talk ourselves out of it, he's going, " No, no, you better squash to that. Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. "What's Jesus saying? He's saying," Obey, obey, obey. I've got you. "And then he's saying," Listen, even if there's consequences, I have got you.

Hear me closely, hear me? "Consequences can dissuade you from many things. Consequences are helpful in our lives, right? But never let the consequences of following Jesus keep you from God's assignment in your lives. He's faithful. Oh, listen to what Paul says later on in Galatians 1:10. He says," Am I not? Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. "Oh, this all boils down to Paul walking into Jerusalem, walking into the hornet's nest. He knew this was not gonna go well, but he said," Listen, even when everybody warns me, I'm God's first. "Number one, if you want God's power in your life and the trials of life, obey God's call even when everybody warns you against it. The second one is really close to this, and you can write this in your notes too.

Galatians 1:10

Number two, Paul would say if you want God's power in your life in the trials, number two, stand on God's promises even when everything looks hopeless. Obey his promises. So man, what does that have to do with Paul? Oh, it has everything to do with chapter 21 through chapter 26. Why? Let's get back to the story. Paul, he leaves the Ephesians. He heads towards Jerusalem. Paul actually gets to Jerusalem, right? He arrives and the believers, they celebrate that he's there. He goes in to see James. That's the leader of the church of Jerusalem. Jesus' half brother. He goes in to see him, but the Jewish leaders are not happy about Paul being there. He, he's walking into exactly what everybody warned him about was going to happen. Even though Paul goes the extra step, he tries to go through this Jewish purification right to kind of gain some favor.

All the Jewish leaders are causing the crowd into, coming to this uproar. And he's saying that, that Paul is speaking against us. He's speaking against the temple. He's speaking against the God's law. And in Acts chapter 21, kind of towards the end of Acts chapter 21, Paul is worshiping at the temple. He's mining his own business. He's worshiping God. And these leaders, the religious leaders, they stir the crowd up. They get them such in a tizzy that a riot begins. Then they begin to beat Paul. They drag him out of the temple complex and they beat him so bad that the Roman authorities actually take custody of Paul. They save Paul's life, bring him into a prison cell because the crowd was going to kill him. Now, he's been beaten. He's been arrested. Man, you got to read these chapters. There's an assassination plot that 40 men got together and said," We will not eat until we kill him.

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"That's pretty serious. Amen. I mean, they're like, " We won't eat again until he's dead. "But then the Roman authorities figure out, well, this guy really hasn't done anything named Paul. So they put him on trial. They let his accusers come against him. And Paul actually gets a chance to share his story. Paul preaches Jesus, his road to Damascus story, right? He preaches how Jesus radically saved him, gives his salvation story and watch the revival that happens in verse 23, 22 of Acts chapter 22. Watch this. Acts 22, 22 says this, the crowd. They listened to Paul until he said this. And then they raised their voices and shouted," Praise be to Jesus. "No, that's not what it says. Okay? It's not. Here, here's what it says. They raised their voices and shouted," Rid the earth of him. "He is not fit to live. As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust in the air, you've got a problem in your life.

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If people are so mad they're taking their clothes off and throwing dirt. Amen? That's what's happening right here. It's not going well for Paul, in other words. It's not. He, he's ... They, they drag Paul out of the business, right? The, the Roman authorities were so, they were so on top of it right here. The crowd was about to kill Paul. They drag him out of the moment. The Roman authorities flog him that evening. You go into chapter 23, they actually don't know what to do with him. He claims and shows them who he is, but now they figure out, well, we better get him on trial in front of the religious leaders because that's gonna go better, right? That one's gonna go better. Listen, that trial goes so bad that one of the high priests' men punches Paul in the mouth. All right? That is not a good moment for you if you're in a trial, right?

At all. Are you seeing the hopelessness here? The crowd is against him. The religious leaders are against him. The Romans are flogging him. Everybody in Paul's life is looking at Paul going just give up except for one person. And he shows up in Acts chapter 23:11. Watch what Jesus says. Acts 23:11, one of my favorite verses in all of the acts to watch this. It says," The following night, the Lord stood near Paul and said, Take courage. As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so must you also testify in Rome. "What did Jesus say? Jesus said," I know it looks hopeless. I know it looks like it's not gonna happen. I know it looks like these people are gonna take you down right now. "But Jesus looks at Paul and says," I'm with you. It's not hopeless. I'm with you. I'm not done with you.

Acts 23:11

Jerusalem is here and I am worth it. "This is exactly the same thing Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 where he said," Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. "It's the same thing Jesus said in John 14:18 when he says," I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. "This is the same mindset that Paul has later on in Romans 8:28 when he says," And we know that at all things, God's worked for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. "This is the same thing that Paul mentions in two Corinthians later on chapter one verse 20 where he says," For no matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ. "Listen to me, believer. Listen, no matter what happens in your life, no matter what happens in your life, if Christ is your king, there's hope.

Matthew 24:35 John 14:18 Romans 8:28

There's hope. So lean into him. Lean into him in the good times. Lean into him in the bad times. Lean into him in the times where you think you're totally defeated is what Paul is showing us. And lean into him every breath. The question here is what promises are you not leaning into? Are you seeing the progression here? Number one, just keep obeying even when others are warning you. Number two, keep standing even when it looks hopeless. Listen, somebody in here right now, you have thought literally this week that I'm in a hopeless situation in Christ, it is never hopeless. He's never hopeless. It's what Paul is showing us. You want God's power in your life to realize that he is there. Here's number three. Paul keeps going in these trials and I want you to see something about all of them. Number three is this.

If you want to walk in God's power through trials, number three, leverage every platform for the gospel. Leverage every single platform for the gospel. Here's what that means. Even in the trial moments, your and I rolls as believers in Jesus Christ is not to put our head in the sand, not to say that I need a moment, not to work on all that I've got going or just hide from everybody, but it's to stand even in the hard moments. Isn't this what Paul's life's all about? That no matter what we see him going through, no matter where we see him walking, no matter who's coming up against him, do you ever see Paul say," Woe is me. "Do you ever see that? What do you see? You see him pointing towards the one that radically has redeemed him. What do you see him? You see him living, especially in these last chapters.

You seeing living as a citizen of another kingdom whose victory is secured. Do with me what you wish it doesn't matter. There's nothing that my God can't do. Do, do you see what's happening in Paul's life years he's going, " Listen, in the good situations and the hard situation, in the victories and in the arrest, Paul would say he is king. "You know what happens in chapter 21 through chapter 26? Not one, not two, not three. But five different times, five different times, Paul stands up in a moment and proclaims the gospel when he doesn't know what's about to happen to him. To the crowd, he preached Jesus. We just saw that. To the Sanhedrin, he preached Jesus. To Governor number one, Felix, he preaches Jesus. To, to what? To thest of us. Number two, he preaches Jesus to King of Grippa. He preaches Jesus.

Listen, listen, listen, church, every single trial in your life should be a pulpit. Every single courtroom should be a missional moment. Every single moment should be a contextual situation with great specific, specific language for you and I to say," Listen, do with me what you wish. Let me tell you about who God is to me. "But so many times in trials, it's all about me. What does God say? You wanna walk in my power? Turn it from you to the one that can save you. Oh, I love it. Watch the, watch a couple of these for Paul. Acts chapter 21 verse, or 24, verse 21. He's standing before Felix, the governor, and watch what he says. He's turning everything to Jesus. He says," It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I'm on trial before you today. "In Acts chapter 25 through the whole chapter, he's standing before festus and he's literally saying," I've done nothing wrong.

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I've only pointed to Jesus. "And in Acts chapter 26, verse six, he's standing before King of Grippa. This is right before they send him off to Rome. And watch what Paul says, Acts 26: six. He says," And now it is because of my hope and what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. "Have you ever been on trial for preaching Jesus? Has there ever been a moment where you've had to draw a line in the sand and go, " Hey, do with me what you wish he's my God. "Paul says," Jesus changed me. Jesus saved me. Jesus has created me. Jesus has sustained me. Jesus has redeemed me and Jesus is my king. "Oh, I want you to see something here, believers. Paul could have never worked this out. He could have never sent letters to all these leaders and all these kings and all these governors and got an opportunity to preach before him, but God worked it out and Paul walked it out.

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That's our role. That's all he asks of us. Paul preaching the gospel goes so far and is so clear. Listen to one of my favorite moments of this in Acts 26, verse 28. He's standing before King of Grippa and he's preached the gospel. And then watch what the king says back to Paul in verse 28. He says," Then a grippa said to Paul, do you think in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian? "He might have ever said that about you? Paul replied," Oh, one of the best gospel replies ever. Short time or long, I pray that not ... I pray to God that not only you, but all who are listening to me today may become what I am except for these chains. "You see what Paul does here? Paul doesn't look at him and go, " Hey, I just need a moment to get myself together.

Acts 26:28

I just need a moment to get my life together. I'll preach Jesus later on. I'll get my life together. I need a little work-life balance. That's what the young people are saying today, right? But right now, Paul looks at him and it says this, "Do with me what you wish. It's about God. And I'm gonna keep preaching God, and I'm gonna keep speaking Jesus, and I'm gonna keep proclaiming his message so much so that the king stands up in front of him and says," You think you can convince me of this? "Which Paul was like, " Yeah, because it's true. "Even later, Paul says it like this in Philippians chapter one, one of the prison epi- epistles, he's in jail saying this. He says," Now I want you to know, verse 12. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that this, him being in jail, watch this.

This is actually, this has happened to me and actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear that throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I'm in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, more, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Oh, believers in times of trial, it is so easy to turn internal when it gets hard. But have you ever thought about this, that in your hardest moment, it might be your greatest platform? Have you ever thought about in your moment where everybody else thinks you should be giving up could be the moment that you can shine the brightest for King Jesus. You wanna know how to walk in the power of God? Even in the hard moments of life, turn it away from woe is me and turn it to holiest he.

"That's what Paul says. Paul says," Number one, you want God's power obey, even when other people are trying to warn you against it? "Number two, stand even when it looks hopeless. Number three, he says this, " Leverage every platform for the gospel, not just church, every platform. "And here's four, this one's pretty short. Number four, he would look at you and look at me and say," You want God's power in your life. Keep your conscience clear no matter what others say about you. Keep your conscience clear. "You see, in all Paul's ministry and, and really actually in, in all of our lives, we have two options in moments of che- of testing and of trial and of accusations. Number one, we can give up and go with the crowd, right? And save our name in a lot of ways, right? We can do that, right?

A lot of times we can do that. Or number two, we can choose to trust God in the situation and keep pointing our heart and keep pointing our conscience towards God and not man. In fact, watch what Paul says in Acts 23, verse one, he's on trial and he looks straight at the Sanhedrin, right? This is the Pharisees. This is the Saguces. He watches this. Acts 23: one. It says, Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said," My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day. "Can you say that before God this afternoon?

What did Paul say? He says," Listen, listen, accuse me with whatever you got. I'm clean before God. Accuse me. Call me what, what, whatever you wanna call me. I'm clean before God. "Paul says," Hey, listen, beat me, lie about me, send a mob against me, throw political shame against me. "Guess what, Paul says," My integrity stands. "Does yours? He says it again in Acts 24:16 in front of Felix, he says," So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. "Listen to me, living in God's power means that we prioritize a clean conscious before God above every other thing. Isn't this what Jesus meant in Matthew five eight where he says," Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. "Listen, church, here's the bottom line of this whole message is this. You will walk through troubles. You will. Jesus has promised us that they're coming, right?

Acts 24:16

He's promised us that they will be with us. But here's the question. Will you walk in your power or will you walk in God's power? Will you walk Walk with a consciousness that is pointing towards mankind, or will you lean in and be able to boast? Listen to what Paul says, two Corinthians 1:12, last verse. It says this. It says, "Now this is our boast. Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world and especially in our relations with you with integrity and godly sincerity." And watch this. And we have done so by relying not on worldly wisdom, but on God's grace. Church, let me ask you, what are you walking through right now? That it is so easy just to listen to those around you go, "Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't go there. Don't go there." That today, you literally need to cut through all of the noise and say, "Lord Jesus, it's you that I need to tell me where to go.

" Wh- what, what is it today, church, that you need to lean into today in this moment of asking yourself, "Where am I in this trial? That I just simply need to stand before the king and say, I'm gonna be obedient to you no matter what anybody says. No matter where anybody else points to, it's me and you, Lord, and me standing in your name." What's the little temporary trial that you're in today that you need to give to the Lord? Say, "Matt, mine's not temporary." Well, here's the cool thing about Paul. In between a second and third trial, there's two years in jail, so his weren't either. What's the long trial today that you need to invite God's power in your life to step into? Obey, even when others don't. Stand when it seems hopeless. Leverage every situation for the gospel and keep your conscience clean before the Lord.

You know what happens when we do this? We began to experience Jesus in ways that you just can't even express. L- l- let me, let me let you into my life just for a minute. Man, I've walked through some situations that I have no idea how there was joy in him. I have no idea how we could even take the next step. You know what Paul would say? It's Jesus. What today? Do you need to say, "Here I am, Lord Jesus. Use me.