Inside the Heart of the Apostle Paul part 3 Acts 20:18-38
Most of us wear more than 1 hat, whether we get paid for it or not. You may have a career, but have a heart for other things.
The Apostle Paul was much more than a tentmaker. He had other interests and those other interests helped mold him into the man of God that he was.
If you remember, when we began looking inside the heart of Paul we found…
1. Faithfulness, 2. Humility 3.Compassion
The next thing I believe we will find is
4. Courage. Look at verses 18-19.
Paul was constantly persecuted by the Jews, but he never gave up, he never ran and the term “political correctness” had not yet been thought of. Paul knew that in order to do God’s will, he must be willing to reach out to others no matter the cost.
He also knew God wanted him to go to Jerusalem. He also knew that he would be in danger, the moment he arrived in Jerusalem because God had already warned Paul that bad things would happen to him there.
Look at verses 22-23
Let’s say that I asked you to make a visit to a local family tomorrow night, and I said, “Don’t worry but when you pull into the driveway the people living there will probably throw rocks at your car. If you will just get out of the car quickly they will stop throwing rocks at your car…but then they’ll likely throw rocks at you. Don’t worry but go ahead and walk right up to them. You need to know that when you get face to face with them they will start beating on you with their fists or sticks or whatever they ca get their hands on. You won’t be able to stand for long and once you fall to the ground they will stomp and kick you. After that they will tie you up and haul you off to jail, claiming you have committed crimes against them.
Now, how many want to sign up for that visit? How many suddenly feel “led” to make a different visit or just stay home?
This is exactly what Paul is headed for. He already knows about the danger, but Paul has the courage and desire to do the will of God.
Here’s part of God’s warning to Paul about what was waiting for him:
A prophet named Agabus illustrates what will happen using Paul’s own belt in, [Acts 21:10-11 NIV] “10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
What do you think Paul should have done after hearing this?
Paul did what he felt he had to do, even though he knew he would be in extreme danger.
[Acts 21:12-14 NIV] 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."
That is the kind of courage the church needs in our world today.
So what would it take for us to develop this same courage Paul displayed?
1. We must count the cost. Verse 24: “nor do I count I my life dear to myself”
This is an accounting term, which means to examine the ledger like a profit and loss statement, and count the cost.
In the ‘50s five men decided they would take the gospel to the Auca Indians in Ecuador. One of them was Jim Elliot. Jim, and 4 other men believed God wanted them to reach this remote Auca tribe, known as the meanest savages on earth. They were a brutal, murderous tribe. The men flew over their village, and found a beach that ran alongside a river where they lived. They decided to fly low, dropping gifts and food to the Indians. This they did for several days, and the villagers would run out and retrieve the things dropped and disappear back into the jungle. Then they decided to land on that beach and make contact. The people came out of the jungle slowly to see these white men, and at first it looked like they had made friends, but then men jumped out with spears and slaughtered these five missionaries!
When Jim Elliot was preparing to go, people called him a fool. They said, God has given you a brain, so use it!
His reply became one of the most quoted statements in history. Jim Elliott said, “No man is a fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”
There may be times where serving God will mean we will need to give up something… That which we may be asked to give up is something we can’t keep anyway, because one second after death, nothing we’ve accumulated in this world will matter anymore!
What would you do if you were the wife of one of those missionaries?
We are told that the wives of those missionaries’ went back and won that very same tribe to the Lord, and Elizabeth Elliot actually got to know the man who murdered her husband.
While the battle rages over Syrian refugees, you and I must never forget whose we are and why we’re here…
Paul knew the dangers and when he added it all up decided, I’d rather die in the will of God that live outside of His will!
2. We must be willing to run the course.
Look at verse 24. “finish my course”
[Heb 12:1 NKJV] “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We must stay focused on the goal!
I have found something to be true when I and IF I run and I don’t stay focused on the running, I’ll trip and fall…
I have also noticed that if you keep looking back while running you will fall.
If we continuously look over our shoulder at past sins or past accomplishments, we’ll never go forward.
Also, if you constantly compare your race with others you’ll lose ground in the race!
Paul said, I must go to Jerusalem, because I want to finish the race set before me!
3. We must be good stewards. Look a verse 24.
“the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus”
Paul never saw his ministry as belonging to himself, but as God’s. People have a tendency to call this “my church.” We call Gospel Temple “Daddy’s church” and the Bible Temple “Grandma Bessie’s’ church.” even though she’s been gone many years. We need to remember that this is God’s church and we have the privilege of being a part of what He is doing.
Did you know that everything we have belongs to God?
Every minute of every day is a gift from God, and we have no right to waste it.
We should be using it to do God’s will.
Every dollar we have belongs to God.
Even our children our Grandchildren and even our spouses belong to God.
Our talents are from God and what we do with what He has given us determines our status as a good steward or a bad steward.
And the truth is that someday we’ll answer to God as to the quality of our stewardship.
