KEEPING THE FAITH WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH
Acts 9:19-31 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
INTRODUCTION: RECENTLY, SOMEONE SHARED WITH ME A “RULE OF THUMB” FOR THEM PERSONALLY. IT GOES LIKE THIS, “WE ARE ALL PROBABLY ABLE TO HANDLE THREE CRISES IN OUR LIVES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.” WELL, I THINK THAT PAUL IS PROBABLY AT HIS LIMIT HERE! HE HAS TO ADJUST TO A WHOLE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. HE HAS TO DEAL WITH THE PLOTTING AGAINST HIM. AND, HE HAS TO SURVIVE!
SO, I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND LOOK INTO WHAT BRINGS US TO TIMES OF CRISIS – TOUGH TIMES, SO TO SPEAK. BUT I DO NTO WANT TO STOP THERE. WE CAN SEE THIS THOUGHT THREW FROM THE SOURCE OF TOUGH TIMES AL THE WAY TO THE REWARD FOR TOUGH TIMES.
THE FIRST THOUGHT FROM THIS PASAGE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE IS, ….
I. THE SOURCE OF TOUGH TIMES – What brings tough times on us
a. A STRONG TESTIMONY
i. AFTER THE DAMASCUS ROAD THE TESTIMONY OF PAUL CHANGED
ii. IT WAS A SUDDEN CHANGE – BEGAN/AS SSON AS POSSIBLE
iii. IT WAS AN OBSERVABLE CHANGE – PAUL BEGAN TO PREACH
iv. IT WAS AN EVIDENT CHANGE
1. PREACHED JESUS THE SON OF GOD – THE DOCTRINE OF THOSE WHO BELIEVED
2. OPPOSITE OF WHY HE HAD COME
a. RAISE HAVOC IN JERUSALEM – LIT. TO LAY WASTE
b. TAKE BELIEVERS AS PRISONERS
c. TO OBEY THE CHIEF PRIEST
b. A STRONG FAITH
i. PAUL GREW MORE POWERFUL – SPIRITUAL POWER
1. COMMUNION WITH GOD
2. UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD – FOR THE FIRST TIME, PAUL HAD THE ILLUMINATING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ii. PAUL HAD AN ARTICULATE FAITH
1. STRONG IN THE SENSE THAT HE COULD SHARE HIS FAITH IN A CONVINCING FASHION.
2. THE RESULT WAS CONFUSION FROM THOSE WHO HEARD! THE MEANING IS PERSONAL UNREST. TODAY, WE MIGHT CALL THAT CONVICTION
iii. PAUL HAD A SERIOUS FAITH
1. HE TOOK TIME FOR GOD
2. LUKE SAYS, “NOT MANY DAYS” THE JEWS SOUGHT TO KILL HIM. SO, PAUL WAS LOWERED IN A BASKET AND WENT TO JERUSALEM.
3. WHAT WE DO NOT REALIZE IS THAT THE “NOT MANY DAYS” IS IN REALITY THREE YEARS
Galatians 1:17-18 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.
4. IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY AND TRIAL, PAUL WAS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS FAITH. WE NEED TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR FAITH.
a. HE KNEW THE ISSUES – FOR HIM IT IS HIS VERY LIFE
b. DO WE KNOW THE ISSUES? FOR US IT IS THE LIFE, VITALITY, AND FUTRE OF OUR CHURCH
c. PAUL EXACTED A PLAN. FOR HIM IT WAS TO BE LOWERED DOWN A WALL
d. WE DO NOT NEED TO EXACT A PLAN. WE HAVE A PLAN.
2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
e. WE NEED TO ACT ON OUR PLAN!
THE SECOND THOUGHT FROM THIS PASAGE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE IS, ….
II. THE ATTACK IN TOUGH TIMES – How does Satan try to get to us?
a. VERBAL ATTACKS
i. THERE WAS A CHALLENGE TO HIS ACTIVITY
ii. THERE WAS A CONSPIRACY TO DEAL WITH HIM IN A PERMINANT FASHION
b. HIDDEN ATTACKS
i. PROBABLY THE MOST RELEVANT WAS THE SUSPISION OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS.
ii. WE ARE GUILTY OF THIS TOO
1. EXPRESSED IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER
2. EXPRESSED IN OUR ASSUMPTIONS
3. EXPRESSED IN OUR DOUBTS AND VISIBLE IN OUR ACTIONS
c. PHYSICAL ATTACKS
i. PEOPLE SOUGHT TO KILLPAUL
ii. CHRISTIANS REFUSED TO MEET WITH HIM
iii. OTHERS DOUBTED HIS MOTIVES
WHEN SATAN WANTS TO ATTACK US THERE WILL BE VERBAL ATTACKS, THERE WILL BE “WHISPERED” ATTACKS, AND THERE WILL BE “GET IN YOUR FACE” ATTACKS.
III. THE RESPONSE TO TOUGH TIMES – What do we do while going through adversity.
a. KEEP STRONG
i. THE OBVIOUS MEANING HERE IS TO KEEP SPIRITUALLY STRONG.
1. STAY IN YOUR BIBLE
2. STAY CLOSE TO THE LORD IN PRAYER
3. DO FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLING OF YOURSELVES TOGETHER
4. SUPPORT YOUR CHURCH IN PRAYER, MINISTRY, AND SUPPORT
b. PARTNER WITH OTHERS
i. PTHE WORD OF GOD TELLS US THAT A THREEFOLD CORD IS NOT EASILY BROKEN.
ii. FIND OTHERS TO GAIN STRENGTH FROM AND GIVE STRENGTH TO.
c. ACT ON WHAT YOU KNOW
i. PAUL ACTED ON WHAT HE KNEW, NOT WHAT HE THOUGHT.
ii. JESUS ENCOURAGES US TO KEEP OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS TO THE DAY ITSELF, NOT TO WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW, NOR WHAT WE CAN CONTROL.
d. KEEP THE RIGHT MESSAGE
i. THE MESSAGE OF PAUL WAS THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST – HE IS THE MESSIAH
ii. OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS THE SAME – THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, AND IT IS THE GOD IS IN CONTROL
WHEN THE CHURCH GOES THROUGH ADVERSITY WE NEED TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD, LEANING ON EACH OTHER, LIVING IN THE MOMENT, AND KEEPING THE MESSAGE CLEAR!
YET, WHAT DOES THE CHURCH OFTEN DO? POINT FINGER, SHOOT OUR WOUNDED, LOOK FOR GREENER PASTURES, AND SEPARATE OURSELVES FROM EACH OTHER.
IV. THE REWARD FOR TOUGH TIMES – The result of making it through adversity
a. THE BODY OF CHRIST IS EMPOWERED
i. PAUL STUCK TO HIS GUNS, HIS PURPOSE, AND HIS INTEGRITY AND SEE THE RESULTS
ii. THE ENEMY HAD NO ANSWER
iii. THE CHURCH RECEIVED THE BENEFIT OF PAUL – THE NEW BELIVER
iv. THE CHURCH GREW!
b. THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST TAKES HOLD
i. IN CONFOUNDING THE DETRACTORS
ii. IN INCREASING THE CHURCH
c. THE CHURCH RECEIVES PEACE
i. ‘NOUGH SAID!
IF THERE IS ONE OVERCOMING REASON FOR KEEPING YOUR FAITH IN TOUGH TIMES IS THAT GOD WILL SEE US THROUGH.
