This morning I am thankful to get back to our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with an emphasis on “Focusing on God’s Finished Work”. Prior to the election we were looking at the life and call of the Apostle Paul. Let’s get back to it.
When last we discussed the Apostle Paul he had recently been converted, he immediately attempted to preach the Gospel, no one believed him, and he was almost killed twice. In the end Jesus’ disciples sent Paul home to Tarsus. The Bible says that after he left “the church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria all had a time of peace”. This all happened in Acts 9. Paul remained in Tarsus for three years, learning to die to self and to become the person God called him to be. In Acts 9 he knew he was called, but he was trying to walk as the person God called him to be PRIOR to dying to the person he became on his own. This did not work for Paul and it will not work for you.
As we fast-forward three years from Acts 9 we pick up Paul’s story in chapter Acts 11. By this time the church was spreading and as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Believers shared the Gospel of Jesus all over the region, but only to Jews. Some of these believers were men from Cyprus and Cyrene. These were the men that went to Antioch. In Antioch the small group of believers began to preach the Gospel to people who were not Jews. This is the key. Remember, God made it clear to Paul that he was called to preach the Gospel to non-Jews (Gentiles). Paul tried to preach to Jews in Damascus and Jerusalem and it almost got him killed in both places. But now the time had come for the Gospel to be preached to Gentiles. But where was Paul? He was still in Tarsus, all alone, spending time with God, preparing for his life’s assignment. He did not know it, but his time had finally come.
The Gospel started to spread amongst the Gentiles like wildfire. When the the church in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to lead the movement. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. He was also the only person who stood up for Paul, back in Jerusalem. Barnabas knew he needed help leading the church. So the Bible says, “Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. They stayed there a whole year. Every time the church came together, Barnabas and Saul met with them and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the followers of the Lord Jesus were called “Christians” for the first time.” (see Acts 11:19-26)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Don’t get out ahead of God.
a) Paul knew he was called to preach the Gospel, but he started too soon. He was persecuting the church one day and he attempted to lead it the next. Paul was sincere, but he was sincerely wrong. He was out ahead of God. When you are out ahead of God you are out on your own and it won’t take long before you realize it. Being out ahead of God almost got Paul killed.
b) When Paul attempted to preach in Damascus and Jerusalem he was doing the right thing at the wrong time. He knew he was called to preach, but he was not prepared to do so. As a result, he was almost killed. The point? Being called does not mean you don’t have to be prepared.
c) Prepared blessings come to prepared people. Once Paul was prepared (after three years in Tarsus), his blessing came looking for him. The same will happen to you. Once you are ready… then get ready, it can happen at any time!
2. The call of God has a timing component.
a) Knowing what you are called to do and knowing WHEN you are supposed to do it are NOT the same thing.
b) At conversion Paul immediately knew he was called to preach the Gospel, but he had to wait on God’s timing. He was not ready to preach, the people were not ready to receive him, and the time for the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles had not come. The right thing at the wrong time becomes the wrong thing.
c) Resting in God’s finished work also means you learn to rest in God’s timing.
d) Waiting on God’s timing does not mean you do nothing. Paul was preparing while he was waiting. Make the most of the time you have in this season, because when the season shifts, God will expect you to be ready.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. You called me to a specific assignment. I know I am called. I also know that Your calling has a timing component. I will not get to walk in the fulness of my assignment until the time comes for me to do so. So while I wait on the open door, I prepare. I die to self. I learn to hear from You. I practice being in synch with Your Spirit. I make the most of the season I am in. So when the season shifts, and the door is opened, I will be ready to walk through it by faith, empowered by Your grace. This next shift is coming. For You it’s already done. For me it is only a matter of time! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
