Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #24444 - Nothing is wasted by God - Acts 9:10-19

Transcript

#24444 - Nothing is wasted by God - Acts 9:10-19 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

0:04
Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
0:07
Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
0:11
Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
0:14
through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
0:17
Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
0:21
dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
0:25
Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
0:30
Take your Bibles. Would you open them to Acts
0:32
chapter 9 Acts chapter 9? We're going to pick up right?
0:36
Where we left off last time in verse 10.
0:40
Acts chapter 9 and verse 10. We're going to cover, maybe nine
0:44
up through verse 19 and the Bible study today is entitled.
0:48
Nothing is wasted by God. Nothing is wasted by God as we
0:55
step back and look at life. There's many amazing things
0:58
about seeing a person born again seeing a person gets saved,
1:03
especially the closer we are to them, maybe just some dramatic
1:07
salvation story. It's But it's especially amazing
1:12
to see someone gets saved that you would have bought never.
1:17
I mean, there may even be people in your life right now.
1:19
Just never that will never happen Paso you that that they
1:23
are unreachable even though last time we learn from the text with
1:27
Saul here of Tarsus that. No one is outside the reach of
1:31
God. We still have our own feelings
1:33
and opinions about things. And we look at someone and say,
1:37
never Saul of Tarsus was definitely one of those Guys I
1:41
mean the early church men and women just like you and me boys
1:44
and girls experience firsthand his out of control anger and
1:49
experienced. Firsthand his murderous ways,
1:52
his threats, the out-of-control met him and what the church in
1:56
Damascus. Must have felt when they hurt
1:59
got word that saw was coming to them.
2:03
I'm sure sent fears up and down their spine and yet on the way
2:08
God intervened. Change this man and an instant,
2:12
the change was fast. Remember if you look back at the
2:15
text in verse 1, it says Saul was still breathing threats and
2:20
murder against the Disciples of the Lord.
2:22
He got some letters which was basically permission to do this
2:26
and then says in verse 3, as he journeyed, he came near Damascus
2:30
and suddenly and things can just change so quickly, especially
2:36
for the good. If we'll turn our hearts toward
2:38
him and the change was fast. And as with any new believer,
2:44
God already has people ready to minister to him and to help him
2:49
grow because God doesn't save a person and then just launched
2:53
them into the world without any help.
2:55
But God has people ready to serve in our Study?
2:58
Last time? We left solve Tarsus in
3:02
Damascus, which was ironic in and of itself because he's
3:06
headed to Damascus with all this strength and all this fervor and
3:10
Going to destroy the church single-handedly, but he ends up
3:13
in the city of Damascus, walked in like a baby by the hand.
3:19
Blind, who's what? It says in verse in verse 9.
3:23
Here it says he was three days without sight and he neither ate
3:29
nor drank now, pick up with me in verse 10.
3:34
Now, there was a certain disciple at Damascus named
3:38
ananias. Can you pause there, if I like
3:40
to write in your Bibles, circle, the word ananias, of course you
3:44
Bible students. You remember that name it goes
3:47
back a few chapters. This is not the same ananias of
3:50
ananias and Sapphira because they lost their lives because of
3:54
their great sin of hypocrisy. This is a different ananias and
3:58
his name means Yahweh is gracious and he lives up to his
4:02
name. Previously we met on an eye as
4:05
he did not live up to his name. This one does not only that
4:08
notice. It says He received a vision and
4:13
the Lord said to him ananias and he said Here, I Am Lord.
4:17
And so the Lord said to him arise and go to the street
4:19
called straight and inquire at the house of Judas now this is
4:24
not the same Judas, the hung out with Jesus either and it just
4:27
shows me that God can redeem situations and names like
4:32
ananias, you kind of associate with while look what happened in
4:35
the early church, but there's another ananias.
4:37
And you think of Judas I mean nobody wants to name their kid.
4:40
Has. But there were other giudices
4:42
that weren't bad like that, his name comes Judas comes from the
4:45
root Hebrew root Judah, which means praise.
4:50
And so not everything is lost, God can turn things around even
4:54
with a name. It's so encouraging.
4:56
So here he is go down to the street called straight.
4:59
Go to the house of Judas. One is they're called Saul of
5:03
Tarsus and behold. He's praying verse 12.
5:07
And in a vision, he seen a man Named ananias coming in and
5:12
putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight Zan.
5:17
And is no doubt is going about his day, and in the midst of his
5:21
day, whatever, exactly. He was doing.
5:23
God Appears to him in a vision and gives him a very specific
5:27
instructions. God interrupts him with a Clear
5:31
Vision to go down. To the area of Damascus and into
5:36
a specific house, to meet a specific Man by the name of
5:42
soul. And what we call, this is a
5:44
Divine setup and we see both parts of it happening.
5:48
On the one hand, God has given ananias of vision with very
5:53
clear instructions. That will be life-changing for
5:56
the person that he sent to. On the other hand, we have Saul
5:59
of Tarsus blind processing. Everything that's just happened
6:03
in his life. He's not eating, he's wondering
6:07
what the future is. He doesn't know what the future
6:09
is. He doesn't know what God has in
6:11
store for him. They're both in the dark,
6:13
neither one of them know what's going to happen and neither one
6:17
of them have any understanding of what the future holds.
6:20
They've only been given One Piece.
6:22
One Direction, a very clear vision and it's a Divine setup
6:27
which there are many in the book of Acts many throughout the
6:30
scriptures. Now, it's important as we We see
6:33
this Divine setup, it's very important that we learn as
6:37
Believers to live our lives with Discerning Minds that we are
6:43
able to tell right from wrong or in this case with discernment
6:48
that we would live in such a way where we can determine by the
6:51
confirmation of the Holy Spirit and his word, whether someone
6:55
that was sent to us is from the Lord.
6:58
Now, how would Saul know that someone sent to him was from the
7:01
Lord? God told him There's going to be
7:03
a guy. His name is ananias.
7:05
You're gonna know him you even know his name because I'm
7:08
setting it up because that's important.
7:10
Because there are folks that come through the church from
7:13
time to time, that seemed to say, they always hear from the
7:16
Lord, they always hear from the Lord.
7:18
They always have a word from the Lord, and I've been around long
7:21
enough, you can be rest assured that.
7:25
Not everybody has a word from the Lord.
7:27
That says they have a word from the war especially when it's a
7:30
life-transforming life-altering. Word or seeming word from God.
7:36
I mean, God, even even throughout the Old Testament
7:39
will warn his people. Hey, don't listen to them, I
7:41
didn't send them. He would say that, in the New
7:43
Testament, there are real profits and there are false
7:46
prophets real teachers, false teachers, not everybody is sent
7:50
from the Lord. I mean, for example, young women
7:53
today, that's for example, somebody comes to you and says,
7:57
hey, I was praying last night just seeking the Lord, you know,
8:00
and the lord gave me a vision and you were in it.
8:02
It and God gave me a vision. He told me that you're going to
8:06
be my wife. Now, for some of you ladies,
8:09
your response, might immediately be that can't come from the Lord
8:12
because I'm married already, bro.
8:16
But let's say for you, single ladies, the single man came and
8:20
he had some major spiritual word.
8:22
I was praying and I went down to the Mount.
8:24
I went up to the mountains and I climbed a tree in the Lord.
8:27
Spoke to me and I got a vision and you were in it and you're
8:31
going to be my wife. Listen you tell that guy.
8:36
You don't know if he's from the Lord or not and you don't
8:39
immediately accept that and that you're going to need a pray
8:41
about it or it could very well be that the Lord spoke to you
8:46
already that you're going to be single for a season and you can
8:49
just look a guy in the eye go. That is not from the Lord.
8:52
And, you know, his response to that could be very revealing, he
8:56
could be very argumentative, very controlling could be a lot
8:59
of different things but you don't have to accept that
9:01
because you can walk in discernment.
9:05
Just because somebody says they come in the name of the Lord and
9:08
they have a vision. Doesn't mean necessarily that
9:11
they are from the Lord. It goes both ways men to women,
9:14
women to men and a whole Of different things, you know, from
9:17
time to time over the years and the course of the ministry here,
9:21
I had people come up to me or send me an email or write me a
9:25
letter that they have said, they have heard from the Lord for me
9:29
on a particular topic and they need to be God's messenger.
9:34
God has sent them with a message for me and I have to say over
9:38
the years. Sometimes, sometimes the word
9:43
that was sent to me was a confirming word.
9:46
Word on a topic that God was already speaking to me about and
9:49
I say, thank you very much. I mean, this is it.
9:51
I appreciate you being obedient. And I receive it.
9:54
And you wouldn't believe I've been praying about this for a
9:57
couple years now. And this is from the Lord yet
10:00
other times. Like, I haven't heard anything
10:02
from the Lord, no confirmation no direction.
10:05
And either I respond that, I need to wait and pray over it or
10:10
the word is so wacky and weird that I can just say not.
10:13
That is not from the Lord because God is Not Wacky or
10:16
weird. I can just say that very fun or
10:19
the word is something. Contrary to the scriptures or
10:21
the word is something that they picked up, it wasn't from the
10:25
Lord, they picked it up from something else or someone else.
10:28
And although I don't know if this is from the Lord, I do know
10:31
this. I can wait on the Lord and He
10:33
will reveal it to me and you have to be careful.
10:36
So this is the way I mean, this is the way, this is a pattern
10:40
that God works, he works on both sides when God is in it.
10:43
He works on both sides of the situation.
10:46
Chelation. Even if you have to wait a
10:47
little while and say, okay, I don't know what's going on here,
10:51
but I'm willing to wait. And so the direction was very
10:54
specific. I love this because now we find
10:56
out what was happening in these three days with solve Tarsus,
10:59
he's in the dark, but he's praying.
11:02
He doesn't know what's happening.
11:03
He's got a new relationship with Jesus as Messiah, and he just
11:07
doesn't know what's happening. So he's praying.
11:09
And in his prayer God gives him a vision.
11:12
He says this guy on and ice is going to show up.
11:15
He's going to Put his hand on you so you can receive your
11:18
sight. And we think I, I would say that
11:21
it's a good conclusion, that part of his prayer was hey, we
11:24
open my eyes. I want to see what's going on in
11:28
my God. I am your servant like he said
11:30
earlier. Remember when in verse 4 Jesus
11:34
says Saul Saul, why are you persecuting me his response was,
11:38
who are you Lord, so he's got that relationship already and
11:42
he's got a new prayer relationship, it's not religious
11:45
anymore. And part of that I think was
11:47
hey, I want to see you again is, am I going to be blind?
11:49
The rest of my life. And so now he's given answer in
11:53
the prayer, you're going to meet a guy doesn't say when.
11:56
So it could be, another day could be another year.
11:57
Could be, he doesn't say when that's not revealed, but you're
12:00
going to meet a guy named ananias, I'm working on ananias
12:04
while I'm working on you Saul. So here's ananias response in
12:08
verse 13, then ananias answered lord, I can't wait to go see
12:13
Saul of Tarsus. I've been praying for him
12:14
forever and I just can't No, that's not what it says.
12:19
Look what a nice says, he says Lord.
12:21
I've heard from many about this man.
12:24
How much harm he has done to your Saints in Jerusalem and
12:28
here he has Authority from the chief priests to bind all who
12:32
call on your name. I and and I was a little
12:35
reluctant. I mean he receives a vision and
12:39
very direct words exactly where to go what to do and who to do
12:46
it with. He's got very precise and site
12:49
His responses reluctant I would say it's a normal response, it
12:54
would be a normal response. I think many of us would have.
12:57
I mean you kind of put yourself in the true story here as it
13:00
relates to us today, I mean think about it especially with
13:03
social media, the way it is today if there was a Saul of
13:06
Tarsus that was killing Christians going around from
13:09
City to City, taking out, families, arresting people, in
13:13
the name of Jesus and we got word.
13:16
Solid Tarsus is coming to Aurora.
13:19
And he's looking for churches and maybe aren't church was on a
13:23
list somewhere or something. I think one of our first
13:26
responses will be to gather together those that are involved
13:30
in security and safety and make sure that you're protected.
13:34
I don't know. I mean, I don't know that our
13:37
first responsibly, let's call a prayer meeting.
13:39
I mean, we want to say that it would and I'm sure we would have
13:42
/ meanings, I mean, but what do you got to understand?
13:44
Sometimes your first response is a normal response, not
13:48
necessarily A A spiritual response and you would think,
13:52
well, then God just going to take you out.
13:53
What do you mean? It wouldn't be a spiritual
13:54
response? I mean, I think we have a
13:57
tendency to look at a Rosy picture and have kind of
14:02
spiritual language. Well, you know, if it happened
14:04
here at, I would call the prayer meeting what we thank you for
14:07
that. But the reality is, you don't
14:09
know what you do until it happens.
14:12
That's the reality and what if it happens on a bad day?
14:16
What if it happens when you're backsliding?
14:18
Well, what if it happened like You don't know, that's why
14:21
abiding in Christ is so vital because we don't know when Saul
14:25
of Tarsus is going to come to town.
14:26
So think about these guys ananias, we don't know exactly
14:29
who he is, but he's a part of a body of Believers and Damascus.
14:33
Christians that are worshiping. Their gospel is gone for some
14:37
have suggested that he is a leader in this little house
14:40
church that they're in what? He's just an obscure man that
14:43
comes on the scene very, very quickly and he's heard, he's
14:47
heard about all the damage. I I mean you think about let's
14:50
say he is a leader in the church then he would be a Target.
14:53
Saul would go after him. Go after his wife, go after his
14:58
kids. And so this is a very real
15:03
present danger for him. Me not to.
15:06
He's already hurt sauce. Coming to town.
15:09
And saw coming to town. He has no idea what happened to
15:13
Saul on the way. He has no idea because if he
15:17
did, he probably wouldn't have responded that way he just
15:22
working with the information that he has and that is common
15:25
for us. We respond normally on, maybe
15:29
Natsu, hyper spiritually. And we have to be reminded that
15:33
God is still with us. He's not going to condemn you.
15:36
He's doesn't condemn ananias here.
15:39
He actually gives him more information as you'll see in a
15:41
moment. But this reluctant response
15:44
comes because God is testing ananias, Faith.
15:50
This is a big test. Oh, so you are seeking in all
15:54
you live for me. Okay, so here you are on and is
15:57
you're ready for this one. I want you to go meet Saul, Saul
16:02
of Tarsus Saul of Tarsus, but I heard about that guy.
16:06
I don't think I want to go visit him.
16:09
I don't think I want it. You know, if he wants to do harm
16:11
and he's looking for me and you're sending me.
16:14
I'm high? Like what?
16:17
And yet, that's the life of faith on so many different
16:19
levels in our lives. So notice the response of Jesus.
16:23
No, condemnation know what kind of believer are you?
16:27
Why did you respond? That way?
16:29
The answer from the Lord in verse 15 is very simple go.
16:34
You could stop there. That's all Jesus needed to say,
16:38
go, but he gives an explanation. Why?
16:42
Because he loves you, you know, all God has to say, is go for
16:46
you. It's all he has to say, for all
16:49
that I've done for you at, I just want you to go and then my
16:52
response is wait, what? Uh, not sure.
16:55
And then God's responses go. And then he gives the
16:59
explanation at least a Porsche won.
17:02
He's a chosen vessel of mine. He basically says Saul's born
17:06
again. He's a chosen vessel of mine to
17:09
Bear my name before Gentiles Kings and the children of Israel
17:15
for. I will show him how many things
17:17
he must suffer for my name's sake, the response to reluctance
17:23
was God just continuing to nudge him along the way.
17:26
You got to go. I mean he had to go because God
17:30
has already said in a vision, it's going to be ananias.
17:33
You're the man. Nobody else is going to go.
17:35
You're the one and, you know, ananias was ready for this even
17:39
though Faith was being drawn out of him and Saul of Tarsus is
17:43
ready for this even though they're both in the dark and
17:47
they don't have full Understanding God's response
17:50
jusco. Because Saul is a special man,
17:53
and you're going to play an important part in his life
17:55
ananias. I mean, to me, it's so
17:57
encouraging, the patients that God has with ananias here.
18:00
But also I look back and I see the patient's God has with me.
18:05
God has with you in our responses, as he continues to
18:09
grow us from glory to glory and strength to strength.
18:12
A lot of things are revealed when he tests our faith, and our
18:16
response to, that will determine our spiritual growth in the
18:19
moment. You know, Saul of Tarsus was
18:23
specifically chosen by God. For this moment.
18:28
And for this ministry and you could say the same thing for
18:31
your own life. As a born-again Believer, God
18:34
has chosen you for this moment. And this ministry, even if
18:38
you're not in any Ministry at all, like officially like with a
18:41
title wise, God has you in Ministry to serve him to enjoy
18:46
him in John. You can jot it down in John.
18:49
Chapter 15 and verse 16. Jesus says, you did not choose
18:53
me. But I chose and appointed you.
18:59
That you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should
19:02
remain that whatever you ask in my father, in my name, he's
19:07
going to give you. And so Saul was a very unique
19:10
man. Chosen for a very unique
19:12
purpose. Saul did not choose God.
19:15
God chose him. Same story, you did not choose
19:18
God. God chose you, which is totally
19:21
encouraging to me. Choosing the on, choosable the
19:26
one that the one that Maybe wouldn't even chose himself.
19:30
God is so gracious to choose us Saul was unique and this is
19:36
where we learn that. Nothing is wasted by God
19:39
nothing. Now you've heard that phrase
19:41
used here before from the pulpit and it's usually from a
19:45
different angle. It usually, I'll remind you,
19:48
that nothing is wasted from God, from the angle of Romans 8:28,
19:51
all the pains, and the problems. And the difficulties are not
19:54
wasted by God. God uses all things, he's
19:57
working all things together for the good.
19:59
Good. He's working all things, good
20:01
and bad for his purposes, for your good and His glory.
20:06
But today I want to give you another like a diamond, you
20:08
know, the goodness of God and his faithfulness, like a
20:10
diamond. I'm gonna give you a different
20:11
facet of it and that is all of your experiences.
20:15
All of your life experiences, everything about you.
20:19
You have been God is using so that you can fulfill the
20:23
ministry that God has called you to.
20:26
So, you can be the woman and the man that God wants you.
20:29
Be all of it. Everything now, let's consider
20:32
solve for a second. Number one.
20:34
If you're taking notes that what did God use along the way in his
20:37
life? Well, first of all, God was a
20:39
Jew. He used the family, he used his
20:41
family, he was a Jewish man, but not only that, he was also a
20:45
Roman citizen. And so, God used the citizenship
20:48
of the country that he was born in, but not only that he grew up
20:52
in Tarsus, which was heavily influenced by Grecian culture
20:57
and was Home to one of the top 3 universities of the time.
21:04
And so he was born in a city that valued education and
21:08
knowledge. And on top of that about at 12
21:11
or 13, he was probably taken to Jerusalem to sit under the feet
21:15
of the esteemed Rabbi Gamaliel, who command Leo, gives us
21:19
feedback about Paul about this young saw that in under his
21:24
teaching, that he couldn't keep up with him.
21:27
Couldn't get him enough, books, couldn't get Not for resources
21:30
that saw was so smart. And God was using his Jewish
21:34
background, his Roman citizenship is Grecian influence
21:39
City. He grew up in to prepare him,
21:42
not only that. Number two saw was zealous.
21:46
His personality God was using. He was one of those guys that
21:50
was excited about whatever he did.
21:53
We might use the phrase today when we think of zealous.
21:56
I know it's kind of a Bible word but when you're thinking Of a
21:59
word to associate zealous with today.
22:01
Think about we might use the phrase on fire for the Lord.
22:05
On fire would be man. You just know that guy's going,
22:08
she's just non-stop another phrase.
22:10
We might use to describe zealous is the phrase all in and I think
22:15
we can relate to that. You know.
22:16
We all have people in our lives that we just know, man.
22:18
They are all in whatever they do, they're all in.
22:22
And by the way, that's a great personality trait to follow the
22:25
lord. Not so much in the world.
22:28
It's Great Character, it. When you start drinking in your
22:31
all-in, it's going to destroy you.
22:33
Well, when you start dabbling in drugs and you're all in your,
22:36
it's going to destroy you. If you start telling one line
22:39
you're all in, you're just going to be known as a liar that you
22:42
are like, it is not good to have that personality is as in the
22:47
world. But Redeemed by God, it's a
22:50
beautiful personality to have. Well, Saul had that got him in a
22:54
lot of trouble made him a murderer and ain't like this
22:57
personality. They had Convinced him that
23:00
killing people in the name of God, was God's will for his
23:03
life. And yet, God redeemed, it.
23:06
Not only that saw was also a zealous religious, man.
23:11
A religious Pharisee. We know that by the time it's
23:16
unfortunate but by the time Jesus comes on the scene, the
23:19
Pharisees had left, what they really until how they started,
23:23
you know, they started one way but by the time Jesus comes on
23:26
the scene, they're murdering Jesus.
23:28
The Pharisees when they began were a great group of people,
23:31
they were very conservative, they believed in a literal
23:34
interpretation of the Torah and they wanted to live a holy and
23:38
righteous life and wanted others to join them.
23:41
However over time they're in for This upon the word and literal
23:45
literal, understanding of the scriptures became, they was
23:49
replaced by their teachings, or their doctrines, or their
23:54
interpretations. They began to confuse their
23:57
interpretations of the scriptures with the scriptures
24:00
themselves, so much. So Jesus had to tell them, you
24:03
guys are teaching as the doctrines of God, the
24:06
Commandments of men. And that's just not that wasn't
24:10
helpful. They crucified Jesus Christ but
24:13
he started out with a desire to be holy and righteous toward God
24:17
and that that served him. Well, as a born-again Believer,
24:21
not only that saw was a respected man.
24:25
He knew how to use that respect as a rabbi to open doors.
24:31
When the subject of God came up, Saul of Tarsus was not too far
24:35
behind the named Gamaliel And that gave him a lot of
24:39
opportunity to reach people just from the respect that he had as
24:43
a teacher of the word and I say, all these things, or many other
24:47
things to consider. To say that Saul was perfectly
24:52
molded and fit for this time. He was the perfect even if you
24:58
can't put all the pieces together in his life God was
25:00
putting all the pieces together for this moment in time God
25:04
wasted no experience and none of his upbringing.
25:08
Now we need to make that very very personal for us today.
25:12
I want to give you the application of this because it's
25:15
very very important that you understand this.
25:19
You very important. You understand that you have
25:22
been chosen by God And that everything in your life is being
25:30
used by God, your personality, your upbringing.
25:34
I mean, you think about the fact that you were born on a certain
25:37
day in a certain year, you know, just, you know, some of you
25:40
like, I don't like my age, I don't like, yeah, but the fact
25:43
that you were born on a certain day in a certain year, means
25:46
you're here right now, like, God is using that a certain
25:50
neighborhood or a family that you were born in as painful as
25:53
it might be, you were born in a family.
25:55
Born in a city, you grew up in a house.
25:58
Maybe you're in the military. You travelled to 12 different
26:00
places or 13 like, God has used all of that in your life.
26:05
Nothing is wasted even though you can look back on some of
26:09
those and go, man, I didn't really like it.
26:11
And I don't know what God was doing.
26:12
I don't know why he let me do that, I don't understand that
26:15
you're in the dark just like Saul Just like ananias and
26:21
you're in the, I don't know how God's going to use this, but
26:24
I'll tell you at the appointed time, you will see and you will
26:28
understand. God, will give you the
26:30
Revelation that's necessary for you to take the next step of
26:33
Faith. Let me Give an example.
26:35
Before we go into a little more deep, would you turn over to
26:37
Joshua chapter 18? Nothing is wasted by God.
26:42
Yes. Even the challenging times of
26:45
your life and as we drop into Joshua chapter Teen.
26:49
They're beginning to give the allotments of the land to the
26:55
various tribes. Joshua is leading the children
26:58
of Israel, after 40 Years of wilderness wandering, Joshua
27:03
comes after 40 Years of wilderness wandering.
27:09
We're the generation that refuse to believe God at his word ended
27:13
up dying in the wilderness. So now the Next Generation their
27:18
sons and their grandsons, And children are the ones, taking
27:20
the land. That's who we read of here in
27:23
Joshua 18 and they're about ready to give some allotments.
27:27
And there's this instruction in verse 8, Joshua 18 verse 8.
27:32
It says then the men arose to go away and Joshua charge those who
27:36
went to survey the land. Mark that word survey they went
27:40
to survey, the land saying. Go walk through the land survey
27:44
it and come back to me and I'm a cast lots for you here before.
27:49
The Lord in Shiloh. So the men went passed through
27:52
the land and wrote the survey in a book in seven Parts by cities
27:58
and they came to Joshua at the camp and Shiloh verse 10 and
28:01
Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh and then Joshua divided
28:05
the land to the children of Israel according to their
28:08
divisions. And you could say according to
28:10
the survey, now that word survey is a technical word, it
28:14
literally speaks of describing and writing or drawing the The
28:19
lines precisely, it's a word that we would use today.
28:22
If you're in the construction business, or you're a city
28:24
planner or you're involved in that almost always, they will
28:27
hire somebody to survey the land and they will give a very
28:32
precise measurement of the land at of the space and of
28:36
whatsoever necessary with all their expensive equipment,
28:39
they'll survey the land So here in Joshua, we have a group of
28:44
people that have just come out of the Wilderness wanders or 40
28:48
years. Not only given instructions but
28:51
able to follow through with those.
28:53
They were able to survey the land with such precise detail
28:58
notice that they wrote it down, it says, in verse nine and seven
29:02
Parts by cities in a book. They gave a report back to
29:07
Joshua here is the survey of the land.
29:11
This This is the official Reckoning of the land.
29:14
So we have to ask this important question.
29:18
And this is 1. By the way, this is one of the
29:20
reasons why we study the Bible verse by verse because this kind
29:24
of stuff is missed if you're not reading through the Bible verse
29:27
by verse or if you're just reading by really quickly, we
29:30
just pause at times ago. Hey wait a minute, there's an
29:33
important question that needs to be asked and it's this.
29:36
Where did they learn this? Technical skill of surveying the
29:40
land. I mean, they've came right out
29:42
of the Wilderness wandering. It's not like in the wilderness
29:45
wandering. They stop setup survey skills
29:48
and you. Go to college.
29:49
For three years, learn how to serve a make all your equipment
29:52
from the rocks, and the sticks that are out there and then
29:54
you'll use it. One day.
29:56
There's nothing like that happening in the wilderness
29:58
wandering, nowhere at any time, it's definitely not happening in
30:02
Joshua. It's been fight battle when loss
30:06
going through taking the promises of God.
30:08
So where did they learn this? I suggest that they learned it
30:14
in Egypt. In the hundreds of years of
30:19
slavery in Egypt. Remember, they were in Egypt, it
30:24
was the book of Exodus that reveals to them got as they're
30:27
crying out for deliverance. God gives them a deliverer Moses
30:32
and we know those that were 20 years or older would have been
30:36
involved in all kinds of construction projects and some
30:40
would have picked up. This particular skill, they
30:42
would have learned it in Egypt. And it's important and whatever
30:49
you assess as Egypt in your life, whatever difficult Place.
30:55
Why is this important to know is because very simply in a room,
30:59
this large with this many people, the Bible study going
31:03
out on the radio and online. Listen to, I know this to be a
31:07
fact, there are many listening to me right now that you are
31:11
really discouraged and unhappy where you Right now.
31:18
They're very, very upset about the matter.
31:21
You might even associate it as an Egypt, crying out to God for
31:27
a deliverer. You wonder why God would want
31:30
you in this school. You want to be in that school,
31:33
but you're in this school, or why do you live in this city?
31:36
Because I want to live in that City.
31:38
But you're in this city. Or you look at your upbringing,
31:43
a, why did God put me in this family?
31:45
I want that family. Well, God gave you, the family
31:48
that he gave you on purpose, he gave you the parents.
31:51
He gave you on purpose, you can go through and many different
31:56
ways, how the enemy of our souls and how the world wants us to be
32:01
discontented where we are. Because when we're discontented
32:06
and upset, we're going to miss the heavenly vision.
32:09
We're going to miss the training.
32:11
God has for us, for what's up ahead?
32:13
We're going to be so desirous of someone else or something else
32:17
that we're not going to embrace where we are right now in
32:20
contentment and learn how what God has for us in the next
32:25
season and there's so many things that are designed to get
32:30
our eyes off the Lord. And right now, some of you right
32:33
now, listening to me, you just want out.
32:37
You just think anywhere else somewhere else.
32:41
What could God possibly do here? I mean you think of ananias here
32:45
just taking it back to the text Saul's coming?
32:47
He's going to destroy us. We got to get out and God says,
32:51
no, I don't want you to get out because if you left you wouldn't
32:55
be there to go down to the street.
32:56
Straight Street find Judas as house walk in lay hands on that
33:01
man and welcome him to the family of God.
33:05
And I wonder what God has in store for us.
33:09
We're some are just sitting back.
33:10
I don't like this. I don't like this.
33:11
I don't like this. I don't like this.
33:13
I don't like this. Even Egypt, I believe like Saul
33:21
of Tarsus. That will be able to look back
33:24
on our lives and see, even some of the difficult things that
33:29
we've endured and overcome. That the Lord used it all to
33:34
make us the people that we are. We're all very different people
33:38
with very different upbringings, and we're all very different.
33:41
And that's a good thing. God loves diversity.
33:45
I'm so grateful, he doesn't all he doesn't make us all line up
33:48
and become exact replicas of each other.
33:51
Cookie, cutter Christians, you know, just like, we're all
33:54
dressed the same speak, the same think, the same that's not the
33:57
body of Christ. We are very different.
34:00
We have very different upbringings, very different ways
34:02
of seeing things. Again, some of you, you were
34:05
raised in a home that set you up.
34:07
For some of the best education this world has to offer and here
34:11
you are with all that education using it for the glory of God.
34:15
And some of us we grew up in an environment where that wasn't
34:19
afforded to us or we made some mistakes along the way sinful
34:23
mistakes. That's not afforded to us and
34:25
yet God uses us nonetheless, the very educated The Not So
34:29
educated. God uses us.
34:32
You grew up in a particular part of the country where God has you
34:36
Typically, and, you know, sometimes there's this sense of
34:39
I want to do great things for God, but what if you're on and
34:42
is and the word of that he comes on the scene and leaves, we
34:46
don't know anything more about him, and his whole call was just
34:49
go to one guy. That's it.
34:50
Just go to one guy. No way.
34:52
He's gonna kill us. You know why?
34:54
He's here? What could ananias ever have
34:57
conceived? What God was going to do with
35:01
the guy? He was called too.
35:06
Great things on behalf of God it's just faithfulness church.
35:11
Just do what he tells you to do and go to the people.
35:13
He tells you to go to, you know, sometimes people will associate
35:16
this like with their job. They're so mad at their job.
35:18
Don't like their job and they want to be in full-time Ministry
35:22
and what they assess. That as you know what went
35:25
really things will Super improve.
35:26
If I could just work at the church because that's Heaven,
35:29
that's Heaven. If you just worked at this
35:31
church, welcome to heaven. Let me let you in on a little
35:34
secret. This is not heaven.
35:39
Not only that I think the spiritual warfare ramps up even
35:43
more serving here in a full-time capacity, where your paycheck is
35:48
from the church from the tizen offerings of the church.
35:51
But but here is the reality. All of us as Believers are in
35:55
full-time Ministry, it doesn't matter who's signing your check,
35:58
it doesn't matter where the direct deposits coming from,
36:01
whoever you are and wherever you are, you are in the full time
36:05
ministry and because of your upbringing, and because of your
36:08
talents and because of your Skills and because of your
36:10
connections because of where you live and your fan, all of that
36:14
good and bad, nothing is wasted by God so that he can get you to
36:18
the place that you belong, even if it is in one moment's time,
36:24
go to this guy's house. Lay hands on him on the guy
36:27
that's in that house. And that will be an affirmation
36:31
of my loved him because I already told him it's going to
36:33
happen. That's the work of the Lord.
36:39
That's important saw was prepared as entire life for what
36:44
God called him to do. Let's ask another question here
36:48
as we wind down, what did God have for him?
36:52
What was his calling? What we get inside on that?
36:54
Didn't we verse 16? Here's the calling of God for
36:58
Saul. I will show him how many things
37:04
he must suffer for my name. Sake ananias would be the
37:08
Forerunner for this message Saul would live the lust rest of his
37:12
life, learning this truth. God showed him the rest of his
37:15
life. The things he would suffer for
37:17
his name sake. You Bible students, you could
37:20
find it in First Corinthians 4, second Corinthians chapter 11.
37:24
We have just a little bit of insight from what Paul
37:26
experience with Saul of Tarsus experienced in his ministry for
37:30
the Gospel. He lost everything for the cause
37:33
of Christ. Suffering is a part of the
37:37
Christian experience. If you were not told when you
37:43
were born again, that you were born again into a life of
37:46
suffering, I'm sorry. I want to apologize to you
37:50
personally on the behalf of the body of Christ.
37:53
Whether it happened here or someone else somewhere else,
37:56
they someone didn't tell you the truth about what it meant to
37:59
follow Jesus. It is a painful path.
38:04
It is a challenging Journey, not, everything's going to go
38:07
your way. Not everybody's going to like,
38:09
you not everybody's going to support you.
38:11
You will lose things for the cause of Christ.
38:14
You will hurt because of the cause of Christ, even today
38:18
around the world one in statistically, according to open
38:21
doors, USA, one in every seven Christians is suffering.
38:24
Some form of persecution, the numbers vary, of course,
38:28
depending on how you take that survey.
38:30
But one in seven, not merely the inconsistencies or the
38:34
inconveniences of life that you and I might feel, but suffering
38:38
for the cause of Christ, not just the pain of sin, not just
38:42
the pain of someone else's sin, our own sin, but true pain and
38:47
suffering because you are a follower of Christ, this is
38:52
important that Paul will grasp this.
38:54
He's going to suffer many things.
38:58
And today in a culture that values comfort and ease.
39:03
We have even false teachers that will come along side and say, oh
39:07
no, if you're suffering, it's your fault.
39:10
What are you talking about? What do you do?
39:12
It's all here. He hasn't even done anything yet
39:17
and God's telling me it's going to be rough, it's going to be
39:20
challenging. What do you do with something
39:22
like that? Where there is no real answer
39:24
because there have fought their false teachers.
39:27
They don't have a good bad Bible answer to that.
39:31
Those that teach such nonsense. They don't like Paul.
39:35
And real way they don't like Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible
39:37
who would say in this world, you will suffer persecution, but be
39:41
of good cheer because I have overcome the world.
39:46
His whole life, he be living out the kind of pain from Faith to
39:50
Faith and so God prepared him for this moment and that God is
39:53
going to prepare them for the next moment, all the suffering
39:56
was to get him ready for what was next.
39:57
Until finally according to history, they cut his head off.
40:02
For the cause of Christ. But now is not, then notice
40:07
verse 17. So we closed and on ananias went
40:11
his way and entered the house. So again, if you like to write
40:14
in your Bibles you circle the word.
40:16
Go and then Circle the phrase, ananias went and just write a
40:20
little line there. That's the response though.
40:23
The proper response to the direction of God is to go.
40:28
And so when God says go the very next thing we should read and so
40:32
and so went that's the right response as soon as possible and
40:37
notice he goes into the house. He does what he was told to do.
40:40
Exactly. He lays hands on him and he
40:42
said, brother Saul, the Lord. Jesus, who appeared to you on
40:46
the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your
40:50
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
40:52
Well, right here in verse 17. Now he knows, he got the story
40:56
and he believed it by, Faith until he got there.
40:59
And now that he got there, whatever the demeanor is,
41:02
whatever is whatever is happening in Saul's demeanor.
41:05
What's happening in the house? Here it is, it confirms?
41:08
Hey, the Lord. Jesus.
41:10
He saved you, what happened to you?
41:13
When he appeared to you, he sent me and he sent me.
41:16
So you might receive your sight and be filled with the Holy
41:20
Spirit. And immediately they fell from
41:23
his eyes, something like scales, and he received his sight at
41:26
once, and he arose. Rose and was baptized and when
41:30
he'd receive Food, he was strengthened and then Saul spent
41:33
some days with the disciples at Damascus, so you want to step
41:38
back for a second and just consider if if ananias was some
41:43
kind of leader in the house church and Damascus, he would
41:45
have been Saul's Enemy enemy. Number one, strike the shepherd
41:51
and the Sheep scatter. He would have been Enemy.
41:54
Number One, But by the work of the Holy Spirit by God's Divine
42:00
work and saw his life Saul's enemy becomes his friend.
42:07
Now, what happens? Well with saw, not only does his
42:09
enemy become his friend, but his friends very quickly become his
42:15
enemy, you can see it in verse 23, will get there eventually,
42:18
but notice now after many days, were passed the Jews plotted to
42:22
kill him. There were those that were.
42:25
He was aligned with buddy, buddy, but now because of
42:27
Christ, they're going to come against him and try to kill him.
42:30
And this will be part of his life until he is, finally
42:33
executed for his fate. And that is the irony of
42:38
following Jesus. You think, man, the people that
42:40
are closest to your going to be the most excited but they
42:42
friends become enemies and enemies become friends in
42:46
Christ. And I love this ananias, like
42:49
many Believers before him obey, the Lord and did what God asked
42:52
of him. He doesn't know how it's going
42:54
to end, but he was obedient. And even though he's not
42:57
mentioned in the Hall of Faith, he could be As he walked by
43:01
faith, he doesn't know anything, but he walks into it.
43:05
And as he walks by faith, things are revealed to him.
43:07
As we've learned in previous studies, he received the word of
43:11
God and that was enough for him. He received the affirmation, so
43:15
when he questioned it, what did God do gave him Assurance of
43:18
that word? And it was the assurance that
43:21
word, that finally moved him and it's a great reminder for us.
43:24
A lot of little tidbits, that could be their own Bible
43:26
studies, you know, but it's a reminder for us that the
43:29
Assurance of God's word in your Our life today is enough, you
43:33
can act out on the and live out the Assurance of God's word.
43:38
If you try to talk yourself out of it, if you ignore the danger
43:42
signs, if you choose to take things into your own hands and
43:46
go against the Assurance of God's word, you will surely
43:50
suffer the consequences. That's just a word from the Lord
43:53
to someone. You will not get around it, it
43:58
will be a painful Choice even if at the beginning it might be a
44:01
very emotional choice or very makes you feel good.
44:04
It will be very painful. The Assurance of God's word is
44:08
enough for us to step out in faith and to follow him in the,
44:11
you know, people your own mind and the enemy this culture
44:15
strike. Don't believe God's word, don't
44:16
believe God, we're a bunch of fairy tales and churches are
44:19
relevant and Christians and all. All sorts of things to undermine
44:22
your faith. Take you away from the word of
44:24
God doubt. God's were Like in the garden
44:26
has God. Indeed said the answer is yes
44:30
and I believe it. That's the answer.
44:32
Yes he said that and I believe it we get to go forward by faith
44:37
and a nice goes forward by faith and in love.
44:40
So we have this obscure believer at least to us comes on the
44:43
scene. Leave so quickly.
44:46
And what do we know about him? He was faithful.
44:48
He was obedient to the heavenly vision and he is ended up being
44:53
used. This obscure believer ends up.
44:55
Being used to minister to the one on one of the most
44:58
successful powerful. Awesome, Christians to ever
45:02
walk. The planet, just this guy in
45:04
Damascus. And you think about us this,
45:07
this guy in Aurora, this gal, Aurora, what could God ever do?
45:11
I don't know, but I'm eager to find out because he can do a lot
45:16
of things. If he can do it with this guy in
45:18
Damascus, he can certainly do it with you in Aurora or Denver, or
45:23
wherever you are from, and wherever you are, And again,
45:27
there's so much in here. First of all, the baptism, he's
45:31
baptized after he saved. I don't want you to miss that
45:34
because there are those that will go around going.
45:36
You have to be baptized to be saved.
45:37
If you're not baptized, you're not saved.
45:40
That's not biblical at all. Notice we already see that.
45:43
God told ananias he saved and he already see that the Holy
45:48
Spirit, he's baptized with power from the holy spirit.
45:50
So he receives the Holy Spirit, only Believers received, the
45:53
Holy Spirit, only Believers are filled with the Holy Spirit.
45:56
A spirit and it's this guy. That's baptized, you got to see
45:59
it again reading through the Bible studying at verse by
46:02
verse. If you don't do that you miss
46:04
stuff like this. This is a very simple teaching
46:06
and you might just read through it.
46:07
Yeah, that's what happens. You kind of take it for granted
46:10
but this is a great passage to go.
46:12
Wait a minute, this is, this is very clearly he receives the
46:15
holy spirit. This is not the first time in
46:17
the Bible, someone has the holy spirit before their water.
46:19
Baptized, wait till we get to chapter 10 with Cornelius and
46:23
the work of God with the Gentiles.
46:24
So be clear. Here we believe in Believers
46:27
baptism only Believers are baptized if an unbeliever gets
46:31
baptized without repentance and Faith.
46:33
The only thing happens in the water is they get wet?
46:36
That's it. They don't get saved water.
46:39
Doesn't save anyone. It never has saved anyone and
46:42
never will save. Anyone only the blood of Jesus
46:45
Christ will cleanse you from your sins.
46:47
And that's what's happening with solid.
46:48
So, hiss all here. Now, One last thing.
46:52
Well, no, two last things, and then communion.
46:54
Sorry, I just want you to see if ananias represents the church
47:00
here. His first experience with the
47:02
church in Damascus, which I think he does.
47:05
We don't know much about Judas, but let's maybe Judas did, but
47:08
we get, this is the first revelation.
47:10
I want you to consider three things.
47:12
Number one, solve Tarsus first experience with the church was a
47:16
kind touch. He laid hands on him, didn't
47:20
scare him, still can't see, didn't scare them came in, gave
47:24
him a word laid hands on him. Secondly, the first words that
47:29
Saul of Tarsus, here's from the church were encouraging words
47:33
worse from the Lord. God sent me here.
47:38
And finally, the first experience that he has in the
47:43
church, is the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
47:46
God is all over this. I know ananias has the focus but
47:49
God is all over this. God meets him in love and mercy
47:52
and Grace, and power and service.
47:56
Separating him, you know, when he was baptized that, did it for
47:59
him. That outward Act of obedience
48:02
told everyone that came with him.
48:05
I am no longer associated with my past.
48:08
I am now associated with the life death and resurrection of
48:13
Jesus Christ that did him in the Baptist when he was water.
48:17
Baptized, that was the final straw, that was the Declaration,
48:21
and that's why we bought her baptized today.
48:24
However, God was very gracious to him because he got one more
48:27
thing here, at the end of verse 19, then Saul spent some days
48:33
with the disciples at Damascus, don't you think that was an
48:38
interesting Gathering? Don't you think they had a lot
48:43
to talk about? Don't you think as we know, saw
48:46
already dealt with a lot of guilt and shame over his past.
48:51
I wonder if that's start of starting to come out, we got
48:53
can't believe I was coming after you.
48:55
And he looking, I can't believe it.
48:56
I can't, what am I in there? Just there's just Ministry
48:59
flowing, probably tears. Flowing, probably a little bit
49:02
of laughter is like God's sense of humor.
49:04
It's unbelievable, you're so good.
49:06
A lot of worship. A lot of Praise but here he is
49:09
hanging out that just like that days, just days, just day.
49:14
Days. On his way to kill these very
49:17
people. They have them in their house
49:19
and they hang out with him. I mean, that's amazing stuff.
49:23
That's the power of the church on the Earth today you can see
49:26
why is the church leans on all kinds of other things and makes
49:30
the only way you're going to make a difference.
49:32
It's not by might not by power, but by my spirit says, the Lord
49:36
only, God can do something like this.
49:37
You can't make this up, we can't manufacture it.
49:40
We can't create 10 different Ministries to try to duplicate
49:43
this. This is the spirit of God and
49:45
this is what he has for you if you're open and obedient and
49:49
faithful. Amen.
49:52
Father, I thank you for this as we prepare our hearts for
49:54
communion. I pray that I've handled this
49:57
text in a way that's relevant for us as a church.
50:00
Lord, that is true to your word but also true to our church,
50:06
true to our hearts that we might follow in the footsteps.
50:11
Of ananias, and we might fall in the footsteps of solve Tarsus
50:17
that we might open our home, like Judas that we might hang
50:21
out days with a former enemy, like the church.
50:26
And even as we think about our own responses, that we wouldn't
50:29
respond so quickly in the normal or the natural, but we would
50:34
make room for the supernatural. We would yield ourselves to God.
50:39
That we would be substantively different than we've ever been
50:43
in the life of following you. And maybe you're going to show
50:46
us how much we have to suffer for your namesake.
50:50
Maybe some are already learning that lesson.
50:52
Even now, God, I pray comfort in their lives strength and help,
50:56
deliverance and power. I pray for humility and
51:00
Brokenness Among Us. God, I pray Lord that it doesn't
51:05
matter what we've done. That we might come to you, and
51:10
embrace your forgiveness. Believe you receive you submit
51:17
to you? And that's how we come to the
51:20
communion table. Ready to receive.
51:26
A memory of remembrance of your body broken for us.
51:30
Your blood shed for the Forgiveness of our sins in Jesus
51:33
name. Amen.
51:36
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible.
51:38
Study delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
51:42
prayer. Call us at 877, 30 Grace.
51:46
That's eight 77304, 2:53 to listen to this message in its
51:52
entirety, or to join us for our lives dreams.
51:55
Services. Visit us online at Calvary co.'s
51:59
Church or download our free Calvary Church app be blessed as
52:04
you worship Jesus this week. Services.
51:56
Visit us online at Calvary co.'s Church or download our free
52:01
Calvary Church app be blessed as you worship Jesus this week.