(Read Acts 11:19-26)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to learn more about the amazing life of the Apostle Paul. Yesterday I told you the story of how Barnabas went out of his way to look for Saul in order to bring him back to Antioch and get him involved in ministry. Let’s pull the string on that thought a little further this morning.
Saul grew up within the Jewish elite, he had access to the best possible Jewish education and mentorship, and his dual-citizenship (Jewish and Roman) gave him unique power under the Roman Empire. Saul persecuted Christians for years with a level of zeal that was unmatched. He was the church’s “Enemy #1.” God got a hold of Saul, He told Saul that He was going to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, Saul was converted, and everything he had ever planned for in life went out-the-window. Saul attempted to preach right away, but his watch was not set to God’s timing and his preaching was not received. As a matter of fact, getting out ahead of God almost got Saul killed. Saul was then asked to leave Jerusalem and he retreated to his hometown of Tarsus.
Think about this for a moment. Saul was gone from the church scene for 2-3 years and he was no-doubt forgotten by the Apostles and the other church leaders. Tarsus is over 350 miles from Jerusalem and without modern transportation, Saul was basically in another world. Saul was forgotten by the church, away from the hub of church activity, miles from other believers, and he was the last thing on Christian’s minds when Barnabas came knocking on his door. I can only imagine the range of emotions Saul must have felt as Barnabas invited him to get involved in ministry. In my mind’s eye I can picture Saul questioning God while he was in his time of preparation. We don’t know for sure, but Saul may have questioned God’s choice, since he had fought against God for so many years. He may have questioned God’s plan, since he had no idea how he was going to get integrated into the church movement. He may have questioned God’s timing, since years had gone by and what God told him he would do had not started. I am sure Saul had lots of questions for God and I am equally sure that Saul felt the internal urge (that we all do) to get started. It is this urge that sometimes causes us to get out ahead of God, but Saul had to wait and waiting is often a painful experience. Neverless Saul waited and then one day Barnabas came to Tarsus unannounced, unforeseen and unexpected, and gave Saul the invitation he had been waiting for years to receive.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Trust God’s plan. During his time away I am sure Saul questioned God’s plan. I am sure Saul wanted to know how it was going to happen, since he was basically in exile from the church, hiding away in Turkey, while the hub of activity was in Jerusalem. But God’s plans often don’t make natural sense. God has a way of making His plan come to pass. Your job is to trust God, trust Him plan, and trust that it shall come to pass. You may not know how, but simply remain submitted to God and open to whatever He wants to do. If you keep following God and trusting Him every step of the way, little-by-little His plan will unfold before your very eyes.
2. Trust God’s timing. The word “wait” is a four-letter word; especially in the Body of Christ. We want God’s best and we want it NOW. However, when our watch is not set to God’s timing we will inevitably get out ahead of God and that is never a good thing. Saul had to wait for years, but in the fulness of God’s timing, the Lord sent Barnabas all the way to Turkey, to the city of Tarsus, to find Saul and to help him get started in ministry. So don’t worry, trust God’s timing. When you least expect it, God will tell you the time has come. Just make sure you are ready, because it can happen at any moment.
3. Trust God’s Grace. Saul was not perfect before his conversion experience and he was surely not perfect afterwards either. I am sure Saul, while he was waiting on God in Tarsus, made mistakes. And I am sure satan, when those mistakes were made, told Saul that he had disqualified himself from God’s plan, that he was no longer God’s choice, that he was not going to be used, that no one was ever going to come to get him, that he would never be allowed to minister because of his past, and so-on and so-on. Satan is the master of attempting to get you disqualify yourself (by condemnation) from what God has already qualified you for (by Grace). The bottom line is this: satan knows he cannot stop you when you are submitted to God, but he also knows that you can stop yourself when you feel so condemned that you run away from God and you refuse to be used of Him, for His glory, because you do not feel worthy. So satan attempts to get you over into condemnation. But while satan comes to condemn you, the Holy Spirit comes to convict you. The Holy Spirit does not convict you of sin, He convicts you of your righteousness. The Holy Spirit reminds you that Jesus made you right and God called you by Grace, not because you are so good. So, trust the Grace of God, don’t allow satan to get you over into condemnation, and seek to be used of God for His glory!
Closing Confession: Father, I trust Your plan. You made plans for me before the foundations of the world and I trust You will ensure those plans come to pass. I sometimes question how, and when, and if, but by faith I release the questions and I simply trust You. I believe Your plans will be made manifest in my life. I submit to Your Kingdom plans and purposes. As you reveal things to me, I quickly submit to them, even when I don’t fully understand how they will come to pass. When I understand, I exercise faith for what You have revealed to me. When I don’t understand, I simply trust You and Your will. No matter what, I will never walk away from You, nor will I lower my expectations of Your best in my life. I also trust Your timing. I trust You know better than I do when certain things should come to pass. By faith I set my watch to Your timing, I wait on You with expectation, and I believe Your plans will unfold before my very eyes. And lastly Father, I trust Your Grace. I shall not allow the devil to get me over into condemnation, forcing me to disqualify myself from Your best because of the mistakes I have made and continue to make. You knew all the mistakes I was going to make, and You called me anyway! You made plans for me and those plans include my mistakes. So instead of being condemned by satan, I shall be convicted by the Holy Spirit; convicted of the righteousness Christ Jesus died to give me. I am righteous by faith and I shall never wallow in condemnation. I embrace the Grace and I become the man/woman You have called me to be! Not because I am so good, but because You are! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
