God Moves In Mysterious Ways Series

God Moves In Mysterious Ways

Acts 15:36-16:10

SHADOWLANDS -- was a motion picture starring Anthony Hopkins that tells the story of C. S. Lewis and his wife, Joy. C.S. Lewis was the author of the popular series, "The Chronicles of Narnia" including "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe." The title "Shadowlands" comes from the shadow that was cast across their lives because of their struggle when Joy was diagnosed with cancer. After Joy died, C.S. Lewis reflected on their last days together as it became clear that Joy was losing her battle with cancer. "It is incredible how much happiness, how much joy we sometimes had together after all hope was gone."

What a paradox. They experienced the purest joy and purest happiness when all hope was gone. This is how God works in the lives of his children. There is joy in the midst of sorrow, peace in the midst of pain, living by dying, gaining by losing. The life in God is a life filled with mystery.

Another person who discovered this and wrote about it was 18th century English Poet William Cowper. Cowper struggled with depression and even sunk to a point of clinical insanity where he was institutionalized for a period of time. He wrote the poem, Light Shining Out Of Darkness

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.

It's from the opening line of that poem that I've entitled this message, "God Moves In Mysterious Ways." And no, that's not a verse in the Bible. As we continue our series through the book of Acts this morning we're going to look at three consecutive paragraphs. Three paragraphs that contain three enigmas, three paradoxes, if you will, that show how God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. The first mysterious move of God we'll notice is this: God accomplishes...

I. Multiplication By DIVISION

Luke records what on the surface appears like a very unfortunate event. It's a division in the church; a conflict between Paul and Barnabas that seems to never be resolved. Now if you're a Christian today and you've never experienced conflict with another Christian, that means you were just saved this morning and I'd like to talk to you about baptism a little later. Conflict - sometimes intense conflict - with other Christians is going to happen. Why? Because we're human. But God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. God performs and executes his sovereign decrees and designs even in the midst of our conflict.

In this conflict between Barnabas and Paul he accomplishes the multiplication of mission teams through the division of a relationship.

36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

This is one of the reasons we know the Bible is true. If fallen humans were making up this whole thing they would not include unfortunate events like this where two leaders, two pillars of the faith have what Luke describes as a "sharp disagreement."

Now many of us are very familiar with this account, but I want you to imagine this morning that you're Theophilus. Theophilus is the nobleman to whom Luke addressed the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Theophilus has received chronicle of the early church's history and he gets to the end of chapter 15 and sees this division happen between Barnabas and Paul. This would have been a bit shocking the first time it was read.

Why? Because Paul and Barnabas are the original dynamic duo. They're Batman and Robin, Tom and Jerry, Lennon and McCartney, Peanut Butter and Jelly. You couldn't imagine that they would separate and divide from each other. These two had the perfect contrast of gifts, leadership styles, and personality traits; they seemed perfectly complementary to each other. They were a great team. Where Barnabas was weak, Paul was strong. Where Paul was lacking, Barnabas was abundant.

We know Barnabas to be a kind, encouraging, considerate leader. We're first introduced to Barnabas in Acts 4 where it says he sold some of his property and gave the money to the church. The very first time we meet Barnabas he is divesting himself of his personal wealth, generously supporting the work of the church, he's the son of encouragement. That's just who he was.