Adventures In Acts: Adventurous Life

An Adventurous Life 

Several years ago, I took a rather lengthy leadership course and gave assessments and reflections throughout it. I also sought personal reflections and assessments from those who paid to take the course. One of the most bashful, “introverted” people who had signed up for the course told me at the end that her greatest personal reflection was:   “Life began just beyond her comfort zone.”

I think that is true for most people…but I think for many of us, we want to arrive at old age and even death…safely.

We have been exploring the book of ACTS this summer, looking at all the adventures.  Now, if you aren’t careful, you may think everyone should be like Peter and Paul, but that isn’t the case…everyone in the book of Acts had a role to play and a purpose to fulfill.

My reflection on Acts is what I have entitled the teaching this morning:  An Adventurous Life…when we do life with Jesus and the Holy Spirit…Life should be an adventure. Not everyone’s adventures are the same…but they are the Adventure we choose to go on.

1 John 1:1-4, 1  We write to you about the Word of life, which has existed from the very beginning. We have heard it, and we have seen it with our eyes; yes, we have seen it, and our hands have touched it. 2  When this life became visible, we saw it; so we speak of it and tell you about the eternal life which was with the Father and was made known to us. 3 What we have seen and heard we announce to you also, so that you will join with us in the fellowship that we have with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We write this in order that our joy may be complete. GNT

John is writing this text and he could have just said:  I saw God made visible in the Person of Jesus…instead of being in awe and overwhelmed with this truth…He seems to have been caught off guard by yet another discovery…did you see it when I read it?

  • We have heard it, and we have seen it with our eyes; yes, we have seen it, and our hands have touched it. 2 When this life became visible,
  • He was captured by LIFE made Visible…
  • I think we miss that because we think we see Life all the time…but I believe there is a language problem…
  • I pray as we have walked through ACTS we’d be committed to Life Being Made Visible…
  • See the Journey God wants to take us isn’t one from Unbelief to Belief…He came to take us from Death to Life!

See I think it is a failure to communicate…we are saying the same thing, but it means something completely different.  Have you ever experienced that…where someone said something, but you realized we are talking about two totally different things!

  • God is saying I came to give you Life and an Adventurous Life…
  • I think what we call life is something completely different than what God called Life…I think if God looked at our lives…he’d call it existence, not life!
  • But then again God might call what we call life…death.

But we were created for LIFE…not mere existence.

  • Humans know how to exist, but God gives us the Power for Life and living…
  • Have you ever thought we didn’t know how to be Human?
  • Each species seems to know how to be their species…
    • Tigers, Tiger
    • Lady bugs, Lady bug
    • Whales, Whale…
    • You will never or rarely if ever hear, That deer is indeer…in other words isn’t being the species it was created to be…
  • But Humans struggle at times to be Human…we have a word for it…Inhumane…meaning to behave outside of the norms of the species!

 

Matter of fact, 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “God has given us everything we need for life and godliness…”

  • If you are in a relationship with God…he has given you everything you need for Life and Godliness…for an adventurous life…now we just have to mine it out, as if we were unearthing Gold.
  • Scripture says, “We have this treasure in these earthen vessels…”

We have been in this series “Adventures through Acts” and we are going to conclude that series today…

Acts 27:22-26 & 31-32, 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

Back in the day…for those of us who grew up in church, we called the church the Gospel Ship.  Primarily because it was a hugely popular Southern Gospel Song.

  • But it gave a picture of the Gospel Ship (the church) saying goodbye to this world and going to heaven.
  • Believe me…I’m all about that and ready for Jesus to take us all home. But this Ship has got a much greater purpose than just an escape vehicle!
  • This Ship…the Church…is the vehicle God has chosen to distribute his goodness and love to the world with Power. To Demonstrate Life…Life God’s Way!
  • And the fuel for that is God the Holy Spirit in us!
  • The Church matters. Like most things with us humans, we tend to swing pendulum to extremes…
  • At one time the church was just the building…
  • Then the church was understood to be those who are saved who gather in the building
  • Then the church became known as Individual…You are the Church…
  • To which, I say Yes/AND…it’s not one or the other it is all the above…
  • After the prophets and the law and poets and Israel and the ministry of Jesus, for some mysterious reason, God chose to accomplish his Kingdom through his Church.
  • Acts 27 gives us an example of a ship taking a beating…but the results were that everyone stayed with the ship were saved. It’s a fantastic picture…those who stay with the ship…shall be saved.

Often times I’ve been watching a movie or a tv program and the scene will change and the narrator or words will appear on the screen and say…”two years ago, 3 weeks ago, 48 hours ago…”  They show you the scene but then they go back and give you the context that led up to this moment you are watching.

Paul’s Journey to the ShipActs 19:11, 21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ESV

  • When you see the words “resolved in the Spirit” I want you to recognize the capital “S” in the text…that means it is talking about the Holy Spirit, not just Paul’s spirit…
  • So, the ‘resolved’ means to “appoint, commit, kneel down or bow down to, ordain, set forth and to be settled.”
  • So, this is the wrestling that took place between Paul and the Spirit of God to get to this Resolve…
  • Now this is huge because this is where Life in God begins…with a resolve! Unfortunately, we struggle to get here in our resolve to “follow Jesus.”

Now Let me show you why this is so important…this moment forever changes the trajectory of Paul’s life and sets him on an Adventure that I may have chosen to avoid. Chapter 20 of Acts, Luke is recording the journey to get to Jerusalem…In Acts 20 verse 17 He calls for the elders of Ephesus to come and meet him in Miletus….He encourages and exhorts the Elders at Ephesus…Then he says this: Acts 20:22-38

22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.  29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33  I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34  You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. ESV

Acts 21:8-13, 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. ESV

Now get this picture…Paul has contended and resolved with the Holy Spirit that he is to go to Rome by going through Jerusalem…

  • So Paul is told after he is resolved…he’s told in every city…chains and trouble await you…vs. 22 of Acts 20 says: “And Now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there…”
  • Then in Caesarea at Philip the evangelist house…a Powerful Prophet comes and declares…this is how you are going…and takes a belt and binds himself in front of Paul as an illustrated sermon…and Paul stays with his resolve….
  • Here is what I want us to catch today…”Are we resolved to Follow Jesus…” I mean truly resolved! Are we Resolved to Have Life and Have it more abundantly….
    1. I’m not comparing us to Paul…Please don’t read that into what I’m saying…but all of us are going to have to wrestle with God until we get a resolve in our spirits…
    2. There is this old song…”I have decided to follow Jesus…though none go with me, still I will follow…” is that the case!
  • Are you so resolved that “a prophetic word of warning won’t change your course?”
  1. Are we resolved in our families…
  2. In our Giving, tithing, and Kingdom Builders
  3. In our commitment to Worship and the Disciplines of Reading the Word and Attending Church…

When Paul gets to Jerusalem, it happens just as the Prophet Agabus said….Paul is beaten, put on trial, and Paul appeals to His Roman citizenship and tells these Jews, you can’t touch me…I’m a Roman Citizen and I demand to be tried in the Courts of Ceasar….the Whole time Paul is sharing the Gospel, telling his personal testimony of life-change…

That get’s us to Chapter 27…and now the Ship is in a storm and being beaten apart…and Paul says, “Stay with the Ship…”

  1. The Ship Directs Your Assignment
    1. 27:1-2a When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.2 We boarded a ship
    2. Vv 22-24 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar

 

  • Notice: He starts out compelled by the Spirit and ends with the Confirmation of his destination.
  • Who are your voices that are driving your ship?
  • When we look at the life of Jonah we see him at the docks picking out a ship. He found the one that went farthest away instead of the one that would take him to what God had for Him. A move of God that would save a city.
  • You have ships and voices to choose at every turn. What voice are you listening to. Because that voice will put you on a ship that will either save you are destroy you.

The Ship is Built on Truth

  1. John’s gospel says, 1:1-2 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
    1. If you need a voice…look no further. The voice…The Word…that is driving this ship in Acts is the same voice that created and holds all things together.
  2. Hear me now, truth over the years has taken a beating…but Truth still stands.
    1. When someone is truly looking for Life and meaning…they soon realize…
    2. There isn’t my truth, your truth, there truth…there is truth and I must discover it or I will continue to exist and not live….
  3. Scripture says, “always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth…”

Truths outcome is more than Knowledge…it will Give you LIFE!

The Ship is Built to Get You to Where You are Destined to Be

  • In Acts 27:27 the ship is literally being driven across the sea…totally out of control.  As they neared land, some of the sailors decided to jump ship in an attempt to save their lives. They tried to lower the only lifeboat and sneak off by themselves. Paul saw them and said to the centurion, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (verse 31). It’s amazing the Authority that Paul gained on the ship! The prisoner was now the captain. Even the Centurion was taking orders. So the soldiers quickly cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it fall into the sea. Eventually, the ship struck a sandbar and broke a part, incredibly, every passenger survived…most by holding on to pieces of the ship.
  • Have you ever been tempted to jump ship? We lose our minds in the storms of life. Think about it…these guys were going to jump into a lifeboat into a hurricane. Instead of staying on the gigantic Cargo ship! One of the greatest tragedies is when someone bails out of the church. Whether it is because another member in the church hurt them, they became distracted by the world’s temptations, or they were simply bored, thousands slip overboard and many never return. Believe me…I get it…the church is not perfect. In fact it is the opposite of perfect. Sometimes it seems like a train wreck. It has always been that way. That’s why some of the most severely wounded people I know have pointed to the church.

 

  • But as frustrated as I get…I can’t get past this…
    1. Ephesians 5:26 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her that he might sanctify and cleanse her.
    2. Jesus died for the church. Jesus established His church as the overcoming society by which the gates of hell are shattered.
    3. He crafted the Church as a dwelling place of His glory! The worst parts of this ship still float!
    4. And guess what? The Island that they landed on…it was called Malta (Honey) Your destiny is sweeter than your journey!
    5. Why? Because I need you. And I need Him. I can’t jump ship.

The Life Jesus brings to us…will is always trying to bring Life to Someone Else!!!!

      1. My question is: Have you received this Life Jesus promises…
      2. Here me no matter what, don’t bail out of the church…I promise you’ll get hurt…because if I was the devil, I’d make sure you got offended and hurt in the place that can save you…

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