WEBVTT 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:14.660 After these things were finished, Paul purposed 00:00:14.660 --> 00:00:19.460 in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had 00:00:19.460 --> 00:00:22.899 passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:27.480 After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:31.239 And having sent into Macedonia two of those who 00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:35.000 ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:42.119 stayed in Asia for a while. Verses 21 and 22, 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:48.820 by way of introduction, I want us to consider 00:00:48.820 --> 00:00:57.060 the circumstances that bring about and surround 00:00:57.060 --> 00:01:02.719 Paul's plans that he establishes in verse 21 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:09.129 and verse 22. 21, we read, Now after these things 00:01:09.129 --> 00:01:14.989 were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to 00:01:14.989 --> 00:01:19.049 go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia 00:01:19.049 --> 00:01:22.709 and Achaia, saying, After I have been there, 00:01:22.769 --> 00:01:28.409 I must also see Rome. What Paul is doing in this 00:01:28.409 --> 00:01:34.790 text is he is establishing plans for future gospel. 00:01:35.800 --> 00:01:42.879 for future missionary labors in the world. But 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:44.859 I want us to consider the circumstances briefly 00:01:44.859 --> 00:01:53.120 of these plans. This text says, now after these 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:57.959 things were finished. It's clearly alluding to 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:02.099 Paul's time in Ephesus and the events that we've 00:02:02.099 --> 00:02:06.329 been walking our way through in Ephesus. It's 00:02:06.329 --> 00:02:09.530 talking about the disciples and the Spirit of 00:02:09.530 --> 00:02:11.889 God being poured out on the disciples. It's talking 00:02:11.889 --> 00:02:15.810 about Paul and the synagogue. It's talking about 00:02:15.810 --> 00:02:19.189 Paul at Tyrannus. It's talking about the seven 00:02:19.189 --> 00:02:22.770 sons of one Sceva. It's talking about the blessed 00:02:22.770 --> 00:02:25.770 miracles that have occurred. It's talking about 00:02:25.770 --> 00:02:28.409 this fear, this reverence, and the exaltation 00:02:28.409 --> 00:02:31.949 of Christ's name in Ephesus. It's talking about 00:02:31.949 --> 00:02:35.340 many of the practitioners. those who practice 00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:39.960 magic and wicked things, repenting of their sin 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:44.620 and forsaking those things, and publicly burning 00:02:44.620 --> 00:02:49.180 their books and their scrolls. It's talking about 00:02:49.180 --> 00:02:53.900 the success and the effectiveness of the gospel 00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:57.419 in Ephesus. It's talking about Paul's ministry 00:02:57.419 --> 00:03:01.919 in Ephesus. The text is telling us, and Luke 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:03.960 is telling us, that there was a point in time 00:03:05.449 --> 00:03:12.110 When these great events found a conclusion, Paul's 00:03:12.110 --> 00:03:19.229 ministry in Ephesus had to conclude at some point 00:03:19.229 --> 00:03:23.469 in time. The way it's put in the text seems to 00:03:23.469 --> 00:03:26.449 put forward the idea that there was a natural 00:03:26.449 --> 00:03:33.610 transition that occurred and takes place in Paul's 00:03:33.610 --> 00:03:38.639 ministry. It was time for him to move on. It 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.280 was time for Paul to move on to other missionary 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:46.340 endeavors. And this is incredible when we think 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:50.500 about the reality of the great success that the 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:54.620 apostle had in Ephesus. Now, why would we say 00:03:54.620 --> 00:04:00.979 that Ephesus was a great success? Well, brothers 00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:04.479 and sisters, because the church... is established 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:10.379 firmly in Ephesus. It's a great success because 00:04:10.379 --> 00:04:15.520 true, vital, powerful, authentic Christianity 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.920 has been established in this place in Ephesus. 00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:23.420 Men and women have been converted and born again. 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:25.740 They've been brought into the kingdom of God. 00:04:25.819 --> 00:04:28.819 The kingdom of God has gone forth and expanded 00:04:28.819 --> 00:04:33.550 and grown in this place. It's a success for many 00:04:33.550 --> 00:04:38.610 reasons. It's true revival. God was pleased to 00:04:38.610 --> 00:04:42.649 pour out His Spirit in Ephesus. We read a little 00:04:42.649 --> 00:04:47.649 bit later of the effects, the indirect effects 00:04:47.649 --> 00:04:53.110 of the gospel in Ephesus when Demetrius stirs 00:04:53.110 --> 00:04:55.649 up a riot a little bit later in Acts chapter 00:04:55.649 --> 00:04:58.430 19. And what does he say in that text? He talks 00:04:58.430 --> 00:05:01.850 about... How Paul was trying to persuade everybody 00:05:01.850 --> 00:05:04.870 in Asia to turn away from worshipping Artemis. 00:05:05.069 --> 00:05:08.769 And that he was seemingly being pretty successful 00:05:08.769 --> 00:05:12.410 at it. That men and women everywhere, all over 00:05:12.410 --> 00:05:15.089 this area, all over this region, were turning 00:05:15.089 --> 00:05:19.709 from idols to the living God. We would call that 00:05:19.709 --> 00:05:26.810 a successful ministry. God blessed the work there. 00:05:27.339 --> 00:05:30.519 God's blessing was upon Paul's preaching there. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.980 God was acting and God was working. God was moving 00:05:34.980 --> 00:05:39.860 in that place. Yet we find in the text that a 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:43.620 point in time came that Paul had to move on. 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:49.980 That he knew his ministry there had ended. Success 00:05:49.980 --> 00:05:55.740 oftentimes leads, and it can lead, to... over 00:05:55.740 --> 00:06:01.139 -realized attitudes of satisfaction. Success 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:06.220 can oftentimes lead to negative effects in our 00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:11.180 lives if you think about it. We can become idle 00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:16.600 and complacent as a result of God's blessing. 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.740 We can become idle and complacent and it can 00:06:20.740 --> 00:06:24.730 lead to over -realize leisure and recreation 00:06:24.730 --> 00:06:29.470 in our lives. One might say, well, Paul, he deserved 00:06:29.470 --> 00:06:34.589 a good, long, long vacation after this Ephesian 00:06:34.589 --> 00:06:37.550 period. Man, it was a rough period. And here's 00:06:37.550 --> 00:06:41.350 the thing about the text. It wasn't just success. 00:06:42.170 --> 00:06:47.009 It was success mixed with hardship and adversity. 00:06:47.930 --> 00:06:51.819 So we read a little bit later, In the New Testament, 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:55.980 we read specifically in 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 00:06:55.980 --> 00:07:01.860 chapter 15, verse 32, Paul says this, he says, 00:07:02.019 --> 00:07:07.879 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:14.180 at Ephesus, what does it profit me? Paul's saying, 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:20.990 listen, I fought, I wrestled. With men as though 00:07:20.990 --> 00:07:24.990 they were wild animals. Those were my enemies. 00:07:25.810 --> 00:07:29.870 What does the prophet mean? He had great difficulty, 00:07:29.970 --> 00:07:34.410 great adversity, great opposition in Ephesus. 00:07:34.569 --> 00:07:36.970 We read a little bit later in the same book, 00:07:37.050 --> 00:07:41.610 in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 9. He says, 00:07:41.709 --> 00:07:44.670 starting in verse 8, But I will remain in Ephesus 00:07:44.670 --> 00:07:48.459 until Pentecost. for a wide door for effective 00:07:48.459 --> 00:07:51.740 service has opened to me, and there are many 00:07:51.740 --> 00:07:55.939 adversaries. He's referring to Ephesus there. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:59.680 He's talking about the reality that, yeah, there's 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.560 great success in Ephesus, but brothers and sisters, 00:08:02.660 --> 00:08:05.699 there's great opposition, there's great adversity, 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:11.180 hardship, tumult, and trial in Ephesus as well. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.339 So it's not just that success can lead to... 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:19.060 The presumptuousness of assuming that God's going 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:22.100 to bless our ministry, or that God's going to 00:08:22.100 --> 00:08:24.060 continue working in and through us, or an over 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:26.360 -realized sense of satisfaction, the need for 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:28.939 leisure and rest. But brothers and sisters, great 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:31.740 success mixed with hardship could also lead to 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:35.779 despair. It could lead to being disheartened. 00:08:36.740 --> 00:08:42.059 It could lead to doubt. But that's not what we 00:08:42.059 --> 00:08:47.590 see happen to... The apostle in this text. We 00:08:47.590 --> 00:08:50.509 don't see these negative effects coming into 00:08:50.509 --> 00:08:54.090 the life of Paul and his ministry. What do we 00:08:54.090 --> 00:08:57.370 see take place in Paul's life and his ministry 00:08:57.370 --> 00:09:02.529 in verses 21 and 22? What's he do? His time at 00:09:02.529 --> 00:09:05.289 Ephesus comes to an end. God has blessed him. 00:09:05.350 --> 00:09:07.830 God has been with him there. God has used him. 00:09:07.909 --> 00:09:09.830 The gospel has flourished. But what does he do? 00:09:09.909 --> 00:09:15.340 Now he's planning for future work. He doesn't 00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:20.299 slow down. He keeps going. He presses on. He 00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:24.679 made plans for future gospel ministry, and he 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:31.519 continued in that work. He maintained a holy 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:37.399 and a relentless zeal for the work of God in 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:41.799 this world. He understood, and I think this is 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:47.740 the key for Paul. He understood his calling as 00:09:47.740 --> 00:09:51.340 an apostle. We read in several places throughout 00:09:51.340 --> 00:09:55.460 the New Testament that Paul's philosophy of ministry 00:09:55.460 --> 00:09:58.360 was this, that he would not build on another 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:02.820 man's foundation. So that whenever the point 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:06.460 in time came where the church was strong enough, 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:09.340 that it could function and it had its own identity 00:10:09.340 --> 00:10:12.159 in itself, and elders were raised up, and we 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:14.440 see that in Acts chapter 20, that that's the 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:17.799 reality, that he would move on and he would look 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:20.559 for other areas that he could plant and establish 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:25.720 churches where there were no churches. That was 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:28.440 his philosophy of ministry. That's what he believed, 00:10:28.460 --> 00:10:31.419 his calling as an apostle, and that's what Christ 00:10:31.419 --> 00:10:33.720 had revealed to him, and he sought to be faithful 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:38.950 to that. He understood his calling as an apostle, 00:10:39.289 --> 00:10:43.750 and what did he do? He persevered in it. He continued 00:10:43.750 --> 00:10:48.990 in it. He pressed on in his calling as an apostle. 00:10:49.889 --> 00:10:56.629 He wasn't satisfied with what God had done in 00:10:56.629 --> 00:11:00.860 Ephesus. He was eager and excited and he was 00:11:00.860 --> 00:11:05.279 looking forward to what God would do in the future 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:10.019 through his ministry. He wasn't presumptuous 00:11:10.019 --> 00:11:13.100 of God's blessing, but he understood and he knew 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:19.360 that God uses people for his purposes and his 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:23.559 plans. Last week we considered how God works 00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:26.919 in and through the Word. God blesses the Word. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:30.559 God accompanies the Word. God works in this world 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:32.279 through the Word of God. But we also have to 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:34.320 remember, and this text helps us balance it out, 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:37.440 that God doesn't just work through the Word. 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:44.399 God uses servants. God uses people to distribute 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:50.940 and to proclaim and to minister that Word that 00:11:50.940 --> 00:11:55.539 He works through. Paul understood. That if God 00:11:55.539 --> 00:11:57.580 was going to continue working in this world, 00:11:57.659 --> 00:12:01.600 that Paul would have to continue working hard 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:06.059 in this world. He would have to continue being 00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:11.559 diligent and faithful as an apostle. Brothers 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:14.840 and sisters, Christian, I wonder, do you understand 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:21.840 your calling in life? Do you know? Do you understand? 00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:24.789 Do you have a sense? of what your calling in 00:12:24.789 --> 00:12:30.149 life is as a father, as a husband, as a man of 00:12:30.149 --> 00:12:33.870 God? Do you know what your calling is as a church 00:12:33.870 --> 00:12:36.509 member, as a brother and sister in Christ, as 00:12:36.509 --> 00:12:40.809 a believer in Jesus Christ? Do you understand 00:12:40.809 --> 00:12:44.110 the weight of the calling that God has placed 00:12:44.110 --> 00:12:46.730 on your life by converting you and causing you 00:12:46.730 --> 00:12:49.389 to be born again and entrusting you with the 00:12:49.389 --> 00:12:52.750 gospel? of Christ and making you a part of the 00:12:52.750 --> 00:12:57.850 church? Do you know your calling? Do you know 00:12:57.850 --> 00:13:01.190 what you're called to do in your home? In your 00:13:01.190 --> 00:13:05.610 marriage? In your church? In your relationships, 00:13:05.690 --> 00:13:09.029 brothers and sisters? Listen, that's not going 00:13:09.029 --> 00:13:10.929 to be an easy thing. There's going to be successes, 00:13:11.210 --> 00:13:13.470 but there's also going to be great adversity 00:13:13.470 --> 00:13:17.740 and difficulty at times. What do you need to 00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:22.299 do if you understand your calling as a believer 00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:28.799 in Jesus Christ? Persevere. Press on. Continue. 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:35.139 Keep moving forward. Work and labor for the kingdom 00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:37.860 of God in whatever area God has given you. It's 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:41.059 going to be hard, brothers and sisters. But listen, 00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:44.580 God uses people for His purposes and for His 00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:51.139 plans. If you aren't willing to be the husband 00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:53.419 your wife needs, brothers and sisters, who's 00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:55.899 going to do it? If you're not going to wash your 00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:57.799 wife in the Word, who's going to do it? Listen, 00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:59.879 if you're not going to submit to your husband 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:03.360 with love and reverence, who's going to do it? 00:14:04.899 --> 00:14:08.480 You are the wife and you are the husband. Listen, 00:14:08.659 --> 00:14:10.480 God has called us to do these things. If you're 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:13.690 not going to be a father in the home, Who's going 00:14:13.690 --> 00:14:17.409 to do it? God has called people to work and labor 00:14:17.409 --> 00:14:19.889 and to be faithful for his kingdom and for his 00:14:19.889 --> 00:14:25.110 purposes. Your son, your daughter, your wife, 00:14:25.289 --> 00:14:28.669 your husband, your fellow church members, your 00:14:28.669 --> 00:14:31.649 fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. They need 00:14:31.649 --> 00:14:37.029 what God has called you to do in your life. They 00:14:37.029 --> 00:14:39.850 need to be blessed by it, to be encouraged by 00:14:39.850 --> 00:14:46.480 it, to be edified by it. God uses people in his 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.820 work in this world. And we have to continue in 00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:54.019 that work. Historically, one of the things we 00:14:54.019 --> 00:14:59.080 can see about the men and the women that God 00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:04.740 uses in this world to do great and mighty things 00:15:04.740 --> 00:15:08.500 for his purposes, for his plans, for his kingdom. 00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:12.799 There is one. There's a lot, but there's one 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:19.200 unifying factor. They were all very, very diligent. 00:15:20.659 --> 00:15:25.820 They were all very, very resilient. None of them 00:15:25.820 --> 00:15:31.539 were lazy believers. I think we can honestly 00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:35.840 say, brothers and sisters, God does not use and 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:40.440 God does not bless lazy Christian believers. 00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:45.539 people. That's hard, isn't it? Paul understood 00:15:45.539 --> 00:15:51.600 this. Paul knew this. Brothers and sisters, listen. 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:59.200 We have the gospel of Christ. We know eternal 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:02.659 truths, eternal realities. We know who Christ 00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:05.139 is. We know what he's done. We know what he's 00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:09.350 accomplished. We know what we need to do because 00:16:09.350 --> 00:16:11.590 the Word of God has revealed it to us and He's 00:16:11.590 --> 00:16:14.129 given it to us in His divine revelation. Now 00:16:14.129 --> 00:16:17.570 we need to give ourselves to faithfulness and 00:16:17.570 --> 00:16:20.710 service to our great Master and our great King. 00:16:21.649 --> 00:16:25.629 That's our job. To be faithful in this life and 00:16:25.629 --> 00:16:28.909 to keep being faithful in this life for His purposes 00:16:28.909 --> 00:16:31.789 and for His plans, for His kingdom and for His 00:16:31.789 --> 00:16:35.620 glory, brothers and sisters. Regardless of whether 00:16:35.620 --> 00:16:38.580 we've been successful in the past, whether we're 00:16:38.580 --> 00:16:42.779 enjoying success now, or regardless of whether 00:16:42.779 --> 00:16:45.340 there's adversity or difficulty or hardship, 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:51.700 we must press on in our Christian service for 00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:58.779 the kingdom of God. So we see the circumstances 00:16:58.779 --> 00:17:04.720 surrounding these plans that Paul makes. Now 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.000 there's two things I want us to consider in this 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:12.579 text. One is Paul's plans. The second is the 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:15.940 Spirit's work in light of these circumstances 00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:20.740 and what's taking place. The text says in verse 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:24.740 21, Now after these things were finished, Paul 00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:32.160 purposed in the Spirit. So Paul made up his mind. 00:17:34.229 --> 00:17:39.910 Paul earnestly gave himself to these plans. He 00:17:39.910 --> 00:17:42.950 had determined, he had fixed it and set it in 00:17:42.950 --> 00:17:46.670 his mind that he was going to do these things. 00:17:47.049 --> 00:17:51.910 So what was it that Paul purposed to do in the 00:17:51.910 --> 00:17:55.930 coming days? What were his ministry plans, we 00:17:55.930 --> 00:18:00.130 could say? It really involves three things. The 00:18:00.130 --> 00:18:04.500 first, was passing through Macedonia and Achaia. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:10.640 Now, these were all areas that Paul had already 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:14.359 established churches. So what he wanted to do 00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:18.319 was circle back and visit churches like Philippi, 00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:25.460 Corinth, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and a few 00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:28.759 others most likely. He wanted to circle back 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:30.839 and visit them to strengthen them and encourage 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:34.440 them and to exhort them and appeal to them and 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.759 persuade them to continue on in the word of Christ 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:42.059 and to see how they were doing for his own soul. 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:44.559 So that was the first thing he was determined 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.099 to do. He was determined to look after the churches 00:18:47.099 --> 00:18:52.500 he had planted because his heart was bound to 00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:55.099 those churches and to those believers. And as 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:58.700 an apostle, he had... universal authority over 00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:02.400 those churches. He had a right and a privilege 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.460 and an obligation, a duty to oversee those churches 00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:09.779 as one who took part in as an apostle of Christ. 00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:14.000 But we also see that the second part of his plans 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:20.519 were going to Jerusalem. Now we read again in 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:23.579 the last part of 1 Corinthians chapter 6, the 00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:28.089 last part of 1 Corinthians in chapter 16. We 00:19:28.089 --> 00:19:33.589 read in verses 1 through 5. Now concerning the 00:19:33.589 --> 00:19:36.549 collection for the saints, as I directed the 00:19:36.549 --> 00:19:41.769 churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first 00:19:41.769 --> 00:19:45.410 day of every week, each one of you is to put 00:19:45.410 --> 00:19:49.190 aside and save as he may prosper, so that no 00:19:49.190 --> 00:19:52.990 collections be made when I come. When I arrive, 00:19:53.269 --> 00:19:56.839 whomever you may approve, I will send them. with 00:19:56.839 --> 00:20:01.259 letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem. And 00:20:01.259 --> 00:20:04.619 if it is fitting for me to go also, they will 00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:11.759 go with me. In this text, we see that Paul was 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:18.839 eager to bring this fund, this relief fund, to 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:22.859 the poor and needy saints in Jerusalem. That 00:20:22.859 --> 00:20:25.660 was his primary purpose, to bring this gift. 00:20:26.029 --> 00:20:28.049 to Jerusalem church. But there was another purpose, 00:20:28.250 --> 00:20:30.490 and that was that he wanted to bring solidarity 00:20:30.490 --> 00:20:34.329 between the Jerusalem church, which was primarily 00:20:34.329 --> 00:20:39.170 Jewish, and the Gentile churches from which he 00:20:39.170 --> 00:20:42.650 was collecting the funds. He wanted to show them 00:20:42.650 --> 00:20:45.910 that they were all serving the same Lord and 00:20:45.910 --> 00:20:48.509 the same Master, and they were all indwelt by 00:20:48.509 --> 00:20:52.369 the same Spirit, working for the same kingdom 00:20:52.369 --> 00:20:58.279 and for the glory of God. He had to go to Jerusalem 00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:01.680 after passing through Macedonia. That was the 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:05.859 second thing that he was determined to do. But 00:21:05.859 --> 00:21:09.740 we also see a third thing. He says that he must 00:21:09.740 --> 00:21:17.140 see Rome. Now, this is interesting. Paul longed 00:21:17.140 --> 00:21:23.299 to go to Rome. And we read in several places 00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:27.039 in Romans. That this was something he wanted 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:31.480 to do for a very long time. We read in Romans 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:34.759 chapter 1, starting in verse 8. And listen to 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:39.539 the heart longings of the apostle. First, I thank 00:21:39.539 --> 00:21:43.039 my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:46.039 your faith is being proclaimed throughout the 00:21:46.039 --> 00:21:49.980 whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit 00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:53.480 in the preaching of the gospel of his son, is 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:57.720 my witness. As to how unceasingly I may mention 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:01.500 of you. Always in my prayers making requests. 00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:06.420 If perhaps now. At last by the will of God. I 00:22:06.420 --> 00:22:10.140 may succeed in coming to you. He wants to go. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:13.480 He wants to come to the brothers and sisters 00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:16.740 at Rome. And he hopes that he is successful in 00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:19.740 it. For I long to see you starting in verse 11. 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:23.059 So that you may impart some spiritual gift to 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:26.890 me. and that you may be established. That is, 00:22:26.890 --> 00:22:29.930 that I may be encouraged together with you, while 00:22:29.930 --> 00:22:34.069 among you, each of us by the other's faith, both 00:22:34.069 --> 00:22:36.970 yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, 00:22:37.269 --> 00:22:41.349 brethren, that often I have planned to come to 00:22:41.349 --> 00:22:44.529 you, and have been prevented so far, so that 00:22:44.529 --> 00:22:48.069 I may obtain some fruit among you also, even 00:22:48.069 --> 00:22:53.670 as among the rest of the Gentiles. Paul wanted 00:22:53.670 --> 00:22:58.990 to go to Rome. He wanted to see those Christians. 00:22:59.210 --> 00:23:02.029 He wanted to preach the gospel. He wanted to 00:23:02.029 --> 00:23:04.369 encourage them and strengthen them and edify 00:23:04.369 --> 00:23:07.109 them. And he wanted, brothers and sisters, to 00:23:07.109 --> 00:23:09.390 be edified and strengthened by them as well. 00:23:09.470 --> 00:23:12.569 He wanted to be in their midst. We read in Romans 00:23:12.569 --> 00:23:15.210 chapter 15 a little bit more about Paul's longing 00:23:15.210 --> 00:23:21.309 to go to Rome. As an apostle, we read in Romans 00:23:21.309 --> 00:23:27.190 chapter 15, starting in verse 20, And thus I 00:23:27.190 --> 00:23:30.630 aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ 00:23:30.630 --> 00:23:35.049 was already named, so that I would not build 00:23:35.049 --> 00:23:38.289 on another man's foundation. But as it is written, 00:23:38.950 --> 00:23:41.670 They who had no news of him shall see, and they 00:23:41.670 --> 00:23:44.750 who have not heard shall understand. For this 00:23:44.750 --> 00:23:47.890 reason I have often been prevented from coming 00:23:47.890 --> 00:23:52.660 to you. Paul's tried to go, but he hasn't been 00:23:52.660 --> 00:23:56.680 able to go. His plans have fallen short. His 00:23:56.680 --> 00:23:59.440 plans, as an apostle, have fallen through. They've 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:03.779 not worked out at times. It's clear that Paul's 00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:06.839 plans aren't always perfect, and they're not 00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:09.920 always carried out and carried through perfectly. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:13.380 It's just not possible because of providential 00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:17.740 hindrances and various things. But now with no 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:20.859 further place for me in these regions, and since 00:24:20.859 --> 00:24:24.559 I have had for many years a longing to come to 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:29.140 you, whenever I go to Spain, for I hope to see 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:32.539 you in passing and to be helped on my way there 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:35.500 by you when I have first enjoyed your company 00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:40.099 for a while. So it's not just that Paul wants 00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:44.099 to go to Rome to preach the gospel and to be 00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:47.980 encouraged. And to encourage them. But Paul also 00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:50.660 wants to go to Rome because he wants to plan 00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:54.339 for another mission. And where is that other 00:24:54.339 --> 00:24:58.720 mission? Spain. Paul wants to go to Spain, the 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:01.920 Latin speaking world, where the gospel has not 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:05.380 been. Where churches have not been established. 00:25:05.740 --> 00:25:08.160 So it's not just that Paul wants to go to Rome, 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:10.259 brothers and sisters, but he wants to go to Rome 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:12.380 because he's thinking about what is to come for 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:16.259 the gospel. He wants to go to Rome to plan for 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:20.900 what is ahead. Now, these plans that Paul has 00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:24.160 made, what do we see and what do they show us 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:27.759 about the great apostle? They show us his love 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:32.319 for the church. He loves the church deeply. They 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:36.700 show us his longing to preach the gospel. They 00:25:36.700 --> 00:25:40.200 show us his desire to establish the church in 00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:44.420 unreached places. Where they don't know the gospel 00:25:44.420 --> 00:25:48.740 and where there are no churches. They show us 00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:55.319 the reality that the apostle lived under a constant 00:25:55.319 --> 00:26:00.160 sense of divine purpose and call in his life. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:05.019 Do you know why Paul is making these plans? Do 00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:07.740 you know why Paul is thinking about Macedonia 00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:11.660 and Philippi and Corinth? Do you know why Paul... 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:14.960 is thinking about Jerusalem and the saints in 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.819 Jerusalem. Brothers and sisters, do you know 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:18.700 why Paul is thinking about Rome and even Spain 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:21.519 after Rome? Because he knows that he lives before 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:25.460 a God who sees all that he does. He knows that 00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:27.680 he ministers before a holy and righteous God 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.460 who sees him and watches him and he wants to 00:26:30.460 --> 00:26:32.720 honor that God and he wants to please that God. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:36.680 He lives under a sense of divine call and divine 00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:39.680 purpose because he walks before a living God. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:45.559 all the day long. He's conscious of God's presence 00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:48.619 in Christ's watchful eye. He's conscious of wanting 00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:51.140 to please His Lord and walk in accordance with 00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:53.759 the law of God. He's conscious of the needs of 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:57.000 the saints. He's conscious of the weight of lost 00:26:57.000 --> 00:27:03.160 souls. He lives with this sense of divine call 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:06.720 and divine purpose in his life at all times because 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:12.519 he walks. Before the living God. And he knows 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:17.859 it. It keeps him faithful. It compels him forward. 00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:22.619 It drives him forward. And he can't not do this. 00:27:23.819 --> 00:27:28.460 Because he's been so drastically changed. We 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:32.420 think about this. Brothers and sisters, consider 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:36.680 the reality that this is the man whose life mission 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:44.900 used to be to obliterate Christianity. This is 00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:50.980 the man who used to be Saul of Tarsus. This is 00:27:50.980 --> 00:27:54.960 the man who was determined to destroy this movement, 00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:58.180 the way, these Christians who claimed that there 00:27:58.180 --> 00:28:06.019 was a Messiah. But then, this man is confronted. 00:28:06.990 --> 00:28:11.029 By that very risen Lord. And he's born again 00:28:11.029 --> 00:28:15.890 to a living hope. He's changed drastically. And 00:28:15.890 --> 00:28:19.829 all of a sudden, the one who hated Christians 00:28:19.829 --> 00:28:25.509 and wanted to destroy Christianity is now in 00:28:25.509 --> 00:28:29.269 submission to that Lord and that Master. He is 00:28:29.269 --> 00:28:33.089 now called with divine purpose and divine calling 00:28:33.089 --> 00:28:38.099 in his life to work. for that king and that Lord 00:28:38.099 --> 00:28:42.500 to labor for him. He's given faith to believe 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:45.660 the blessed promises. He's given eyes to see 00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:47.920 and understand the gospel, brothers and sisters. 00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:51.900 He's changed and he's transformed. And now he's 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:54.200 able to say one chapter later that he considers 00:28:54.200 --> 00:29:00.559 his life to be nothing. Why? Because Christ has 00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:06.009 so drastically changed who he is. Christ has 00:29:06.009 --> 00:29:08.410 caused him to be born again. He's been made a 00:29:08.410 --> 00:29:15.829 new creature in Christ. We see in this text that 00:29:15.829 --> 00:29:21.769 Paul, the great apostle, made plans. But we also 00:29:21.769 --> 00:29:26.589 have to understand that those plans, though they 00:29:26.589 --> 00:29:30.630 were established by the apostle himself, were 00:29:30.630 --> 00:29:35.809 fallible. They could have error in them. We see 00:29:35.809 --> 00:29:39.609 in this text, and we know from later spots, 1 00:29:39.609 --> 00:29:42.650 Corinthians chapter 1, the book of 2 Corinthians, 00:29:42.950 --> 00:29:46.329 and we also see in tidbits from Romans. Brothers 00:29:46.329 --> 00:29:48.750 and sisters, we see that the apostle changed 00:29:48.750 --> 00:29:55.089 his plans multiple times. He doesn't follow this 00:29:55.089 --> 00:29:58.130 plan. It doesn't come about exactly as he wanted. 00:29:58.609 --> 00:30:01.150 Yes, he goes to Jerusalem, but do you know how 00:30:01.150 --> 00:30:05.400 he goes to Jerusalem? In chains. Yes, he goes 00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:07.440 to Rome. But do you know how he goes to Rome? 00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:12.359 As a prisoner. That's where we last see Paul. 00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:15.940 They come about, but not the way that he plans. 00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:21.420 His plans as a man were fallible and subject 00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:27.079 to error and issues. Because Paul was fallible. 00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:33.099 Why weren't these plans perfect? Why were these 00:30:33.099 --> 00:30:38.539 plans fallible? Because he was not God. That's 00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:41.799 the reality of it, brothers and sisters. Paul's 00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:47.140 plans were altered and changed and adjusted because 00:30:47.140 --> 00:30:52.460 Paul couldn't see the future. Because Paul wasn't 00:30:52.460 --> 00:30:55.740 sovereign. He wasn't perfectly holy like God 00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:58.079 is. He didn't declare the end from the beginning. 00:30:58.180 --> 00:31:01.660 Paul doesn't exercise the decretive will. like 00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:04.839 God. He has to live according to the revealed 00:31:04.839 --> 00:31:11.299 will of God, even as an apostle. His plans, and 00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:13.299 ultimately the plans of all men, brothers and 00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:18.339 sisters, are fallible. They're subject to change, 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:25.480 amalgamation, and adjustment. They will not always 00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:29.220 stand and they will not always be blessed of 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:34.220 God. They will not always be used. But we do 00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:42.660 see that the apostle is making plans. His plans 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:49.079 were fallible, but he did purpose. He did establish 00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:52.440 and seek to do mighty and great things for God. 00:31:53.140 --> 00:31:57.619 Even though he couldn't see the future. This 00:31:57.619 --> 00:31:59.440 leads us to the last thing we have to consider. 00:32:00.460 --> 00:32:05.480 The Spirit's work. Now, it's not just that Paul 00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:09.799 purposed. But what does the text say? What does 00:32:09.799 --> 00:32:13.640 the text say about Paul purposing? Now, after 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:16.900 these things were finished, Paul purposed in 00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:24.980 the Spirit. Luke wants us to know. He wants us 00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:32.519 to understand that the Spirit of God was actively 00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:40.319 involved in the work of God in this world. The 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:42.819 Spirit of God was actively involved in Paul's 00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:46.140 life. The Spirit of God was actively leading, 00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:51.410 guiding, and directing. The work of God in this 00:32:51.410 --> 00:32:56.230 world. There was a divine purpose underneath 00:32:56.230 --> 00:33:01.730 all of these plans that Paul himself was establishing 00:33:01.730 --> 00:33:06.549 and laying out and seeking to design. Luke wants 00:33:06.549 --> 00:33:09.549 us to be clear about this. The risen Lord Jesus 00:33:09.549 --> 00:33:13.049 Christ is working and establishing his church 00:33:13.049 --> 00:33:16.349 from heaven in and throughout the book of Acts. 00:33:16.990 --> 00:33:20.329 Let's go ahead and flip through several different 00:33:20.329 --> 00:33:26.390 texts in which we see this. We read in Acts chapter 00:33:26.390 --> 00:33:34.369 8, verse 29. Then the Spirit said to Philip, 00:33:34.490 --> 00:33:39.569 Go up and join this chariot. The Spirit of God 00:33:39.569 --> 00:33:43.690 is directing Philip to preach the gospel to this 00:33:43.690 --> 00:33:46.339 one eunuch. The Spirit of God is involved in 00:33:46.339 --> 00:33:50.039 working. We read in verse 39, When they came 00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:52.859 up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched 00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:55.720 Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, 00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:58.599 but went on his way rejoicing. Brothers and sisters, 00:33:58.660 --> 00:34:01.339 God is involved in the spread of the Gospel in 00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:04.279 the book of Acts. The Spirit of God is divinely 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:09.159 working. We read a little bit later in Acts chapter 00:34:09.159 --> 00:34:20.889 10. Verse 19. And this momentous occasion of 00:34:20.889 --> 00:34:25.610 Peter going to the Gentiles in Cornelius' home. 00:34:25.809 --> 00:34:29.289 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the 00:34:29.289 --> 00:34:32.610 Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking 00:34:32.610 --> 00:34:35.530 for you. But get up, go downstairs, and accompany 00:34:35.530 --> 00:34:38.429 them without misgivings, for I have sent them 00:34:38.429 --> 00:34:42.329 myself. The Spirit of God is actively involved 00:34:42.329 --> 00:34:45.429 in the progress and the advancement of the gospel 00:34:45.429 --> 00:34:48.929 in the early days of the life of the church, 00:34:49.030 --> 00:34:51.369 in the book of Acts, in the establishment of 00:34:51.369 --> 00:34:53.849 the apostolic church. We read in Acts chapter 00:34:53.849 --> 00:34:57.369 13, and these are not all the references. I'm 00:34:57.369 --> 00:34:59.150 just walking us through some of the prominent 00:34:59.150 --> 00:35:02.610 ones. In Acts chapter 13, verse 2, while they 00:35:02.610 --> 00:35:05.090 were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the 00:35:05.090 --> 00:35:08.920 Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:11.300 Saul for the work to which I have called them. 00:35:11.539 --> 00:35:14.420 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid 00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:17.199 their hands on them, they sent them away, so 00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:21.900 being sent out by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit 00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:24.800 of God was actively involved in sending Paul 00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:27.199 and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:30.920 The Spirit of God was working, acting, moving, 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:36.679 guiding, directing, not just... The word in people's 00:35:36.679 --> 00:35:40.880 hearts. But the missionaries. And the providential 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:45.079 situations. They were in. We read in Acts chapter 00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:51.139 16. Verses 6 through 10. They passed through 00:35:51.139 --> 00:35:55.219 the Phrygian and Galatian region. Having been 00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:58.320 forbidden by the Holy Spirit. To speak the word 00:35:58.320 --> 00:36:03.599 in Asia. And after they came to Mysia. They were 00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:06.539 trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of 00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:10.340 Jesus did not permit them. And passing to Miser, 00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:13.599 they came down to Troas. The Spirit of God is 00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:18.579 leading, directing, and guiding the work of the 00:36:18.579 --> 00:36:21.400 Gospel in the missionary labors in the world, 00:36:21.460 --> 00:36:24.340 brothers and sisters. We see that clearly. There 00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:27.380 was a whole group of people that were kept from 00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:30.139 hearing the Gospel at that time in Acts chapter 00:36:30.139 --> 00:36:34.670 16. Why? Because the Spirit of God forbid Paul 00:36:34.670 --> 00:36:37.210 and his fellow workers from entering that place. 00:36:38.110 --> 00:36:43.469 Divine purpose. Divine call. We see that God 00:36:43.469 --> 00:36:46.329 is divinely at work underneath, in, and through 00:36:46.329 --> 00:36:49.789 the apostolic plans. We read in our text today 00:36:49.789 --> 00:36:52.789 the same thing that Paul purposed in the Spirit. 00:36:53.349 --> 00:36:56.869 We read in Acts chapter 20, verses 22 and 23. 00:36:57.829 --> 00:37:02.780 And now. Behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on 00:37:02.780 --> 00:37:05.599 my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen 00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:09.260 to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly 00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:13.619 testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds 00:37:13.619 --> 00:37:19.960 and afflictions await me. It wasn't just Paul 00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:25.019 who's at work. It wasn't just Paul and his fellow 00:37:25.019 --> 00:37:28.809 workers who were at work. For the gospel is it 00:37:28.809 --> 00:37:32.369 brothers and sisters. More importantly. More 00:37:32.369 --> 00:37:36.130 vitally. More significantly. Than even the apostles 00:37:36.130 --> 00:37:40.670 were. Is the work of the divine spirit of God. 00:37:40.809 --> 00:37:47.349 In the life. Of the church. The spirit. Is guiding. 00:37:47.630 --> 00:37:50.889 Directing. Leading. And initiating the work of 00:37:50.889 --> 00:37:56.090 God. In this world. Christ from heaven. Is building 00:37:56.090 --> 00:38:00.239 his church. by His Spirit, and by His Word. And 00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:03.519 we see that clearly and progressively throughout 00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:07.820 the book of Acts. So whereas we see that the 00:38:07.820 --> 00:38:13.400 plans of Paul and the plans of man are fallible, 00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:20.079 breakable, where they're subject to error, what 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:24.639 do we find taking place underneath those plans? 00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:28.880 Through! What do we find the Spirit of God doing? 00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:33.219 We see the divine purpose and the divine plan 00:38:33.219 --> 00:38:35.900 for the church being established in the world 00:38:35.900 --> 00:38:38.760 and the salvation of sinners, and we see that 00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:42.940 His plans are infallible and unbreakable. They 00:38:42.940 --> 00:38:47.699 cannot be thwarted. They cannot be changed. They 00:38:47.699 --> 00:38:51.900 cannot be undone. They cannot be stopped, inhibited, 00:38:51.940 --> 00:38:56.179 or taken away. The Spirit of God will be successful 00:38:56.179 --> 00:39:00.920 in building the church of Jesus Christ in this 00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:06.699 world. We're meant not to understand fully and 00:39:06.699 --> 00:39:10.099 completely how the Spirit was leading. That's 00:39:10.099 --> 00:39:12.949 the temptation of this text. The temptation of 00:39:12.949 --> 00:39:15.750 this text is to read the words, Paul purposed 00:39:15.750 --> 00:39:17.710 in the Spirit, and to think, well, how in the 00:39:17.710 --> 00:39:20.090 world did this work? What are all the details, 00:39:20.210 --> 00:39:22.210 and how is this interwoven and interchangeable? 00:39:22.250 --> 00:39:26.150 How is this taking place? But brothers and sisters, 00:39:26.230 --> 00:39:27.809 that's not what we're supposed to take away from 00:39:27.809 --> 00:39:31.869 this. We're supposed to marvel at the reality 00:39:31.869 --> 00:39:36.670 that God is working in the world. We're supposed 00:39:36.670 --> 00:39:40.369 to marvel and be amazed at the reality that God... 00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:43.960 is working to save sinners even though they don't 00:39:43.960 --> 00:39:47.480 deserve it. That the Spirit of God is actively 00:39:47.480 --> 00:39:51.280 working in that first century world through the 00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:58.179 Apostle to save sinners. And in our day. We don't 00:39:58.179 --> 00:40:00.579 know all the ins and outs and all the details 00:40:00.579 --> 00:40:02.980 of everything about how it works, but we do know 00:40:02.980 --> 00:40:08.400 this. God is at work to save sinners. God, who 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:11.539 doesn't have to be saving sinners, is saving 00:40:11.539 --> 00:40:14.739 sinners, brothers and sisters. You don't deserve 00:40:14.739 --> 00:40:18.079 it. I don't deserve it. But he's designed a plan 00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:21.199 from before the foundation of the world to save 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:26.039 undeserving, elect sinners and to save them based 00:40:26.039 --> 00:40:30.239 wholly and completely on his grace, on his mercy. 00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:35.079 Therefore, he carries out that plan in time. 00:40:35.550 --> 00:40:39.730 and history in the world. The most important 00:40:39.730 --> 00:40:45.250 thing in this text is not Paul's plans. That's 00:40:45.250 --> 00:40:49.190 not the most significant thing. The most significant 00:40:49.190 --> 00:40:52.750 reality in the text of Scripture that we are 00:40:52.750 --> 00:40:55.829 studying today is the reality that the Spirit 00:40:55.829 --> 00:40:59.570 of God is acting, moving, leading, guiding, and 00:40:59.570 --> 00:41:03.070 directing to save sinners and to establish the 00:41:03.070 --> 00:41:06.309 church in this world. And that He will continue 00:41:06.309 --> 00:41:12.230 to do so. So we look and we consider the cross 00:41:12.230 --> 00:41:20.110 as believers. The premier work of Christ in atonement 00:41:20.110 --> 00:41:23.650 and what He's accomplished to save sinners. And 00:41:23.650 --> 00:41:26.690 we consider that work and we look at that work. 00:41:28.469 --> 00:41:31.469 We think and we meditate on the cross of Christ 00:41:31.469 --> 00:41:35.320 and what He's accomplished for us. We see the 00:41:35.320 --> 00:41:39.119 grace of God, the mercy of God in saving sinners. 00:41:40.380 --> 00:41:43.119 We think about it, we dwell on it, and what do 00:41:43.119 --> 00:41:45.500 we do, brothers and sisters? We live unto the 00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:50.420 glory of God. That's what we ought to do. And 00:41:50.420 --> 00:41:53.059 we ought to live unto the glory of God, and we 00:41:53.059 --> 00:41:56.079 ought to seek to do big, mighty things for the 00:41:56.079 --> 00:42:00.210 glory of that God. We have to seek to do great 00:42:00.210 --> 00:42:02.829 and mighty things for the glory of our King and 00:42:02.829 --> 00:42:05.530 our God. To bring Him praise and honor. We have 00:42:05.530 --> 00:42:07.929 to pour out our lives. We have to give ourselves 00:42:07.929 --> 00:42:10.829 wholly and completely for His purposes and His 00:42:10.829 --> 00:42:13.809 plans in our life. But listen, brothers and sisters. 00:42:14.949 --> 00:42:21.769 Hold those plans loosely. Because the plans of 00:42:21.769 --> 00:42:27.769 men are fallible. The plans of man are subject 00:42:27.769 --> 00:42:32.690 to error. But take heart. Be encouraged. Do you 00:42:32.690 --> 00:42:36.090 know why? Because his plans and his purposes 00:42:36.090 --> 00:42:42.550 will not falter. They are not fallible. They 00:42:42.550 --> 00:42:45.809 will succeed. They will persevere. They will 00:42:45.809 --> 00:42:48.389 continue. And they will accomplish their divine 00:42:48.389 --> 00:42:50.809 purpose in this world. Take heart, believers. 00:42:52.389 --> 00:42:56.579 Some might say, Well, doesn't this discourage 00:42:56.579 --> 00:43:00.880 the believer from working hard and seeking to 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:04.619 do great and mighty things for Christ? Why even 00:43:04.619 --> 00:43:09.860 make plans? Why seek to plan for the glory of 00:43:09.860 --> 00:43:14.360 God? But brothers and sisters, listen. One of 00:43:14.360 --> 00:43:17.280 the most encouraging things about this text is 00:43:17.280 --> 00:43:20.679 that God actually did use the feeble, fallible 00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:25.650 plan of Paul. He used it for His kingdom and 00:43:25.650 --> 00:43:29.690 glory even though it was a broken stick. Even 00:43:29.690 --> 00:43:33.510 though it was a crooked stick. Maybe that's better 00:43:33.510 --> 00:43:39.190 to say. God uses the plans of His people, their 00:43:39.190 --> 00:43:44.130 desires, their longings, their zeal. Brothers 00:43:44.130 --> 00:43:46.530 and sisters, He uses those things and He works 00:43:46.530 --> 00:43:49.190 in and through those things. But listen, if we 00:43:49.190 --> 00:43:53.639 ever find any success, If we ever have any fruit, 00:43:53.820 --> 00:43:56.900 if anything ever comes of our plans, we have 00:43:56.900 --> 00:43:59.360 to give all glory to our great God because they 00:43:59.360 --> 00:44:02.300 would not succeed one single ounce or to one 00:44:02.300 --> 00:44:04.659 single degree if He had not put His blessing 00:44:04.659 --> 00:44:10.420 upon it. So we should seek to plan and be intentional 00:44:10.420 --> 00:44:13.539 and to work and labor for the kingdom of God. 00:44:14.199 --> 00:44:17.590 And we should seek... The guidance and the leadership 00:44:17.590 --> 00:44:20.349 and the direction and the work of the Spirit 00:44:20.349 --> 00:44:23.730 of God in and through those things. And we should 00:44:23.730 --> 00:44:26.949 praise God and give Him all glory and give Him 00:44:26.949 --> 00:44:33.230 thanks when we find any success. Because we know 00:44:33.230 --> 00:44:40.710 it's from Him. We have to remember that we need 00:44:40.710 --> 00:44:45.920 the Spirit's help in these things. We need God 00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:49.639 to work, but we need to work too, brothers and 00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:52.840 sisters. There's a quote, and this is what we'll 00:44:52.840 --> 00:44:56.780 conclude with. There's a quote. It's been changed 00:44:56.780 --> 00:45:00.719 like three or four times already. One rendition 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:08.239 of it is that what's done for Christ lasts. Something 00:45:08.239 --> 00:45:11.159 similar. I saw it again. Somebody said what's 00:45:11.159 --> 00:45:15.280 done for Christ and through Christ lasts. Now, 00:45:15.300 --> 00:45:18.539 let me offer you my rendition of that quote that's 00:45:18.539 --> 00:45:21.880 already been reworked so many times. What's done 00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:30.179 by Christ lasts. What Christ alone does continues 00:45:30.179 --> 00:45:33.480 and perseveres. But brothers and sisters, he 00:45:33.480 --> 00:45:34.900 uses his people.