Ominous Journey Series

Ominous Journey

(Acts 21:1-16)

Main Idea: Determining, doing, and accepting the uncertainties of our ability to determine God’s will is not as clear or objective as mathematics, but is part of our journey as believers.

I. Strange. Were the Prophets Were Trying to DIVERT Paul from God’s Will?

• Comment on route of the journey.

• The issue: was this a journey Paul was supposed to be making.

A. Several unnamed prophets, but also Phillip’s four DAUGHTERS and Agabus said “Don’t go!”

1. In OT, authority in prophets; in NT, authority in Apostles.

2. NT prophecy is different from OT prophecy; much more common and more like, “this is what I think God is telling me.”

3. In OT, nothing like I Corinthians 14:31, “For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged…”

B. There are several different ways to UNDERSTAND the dynamic here.

1. Paul was headstrong and disobedient to the will of God (no).

Acts 19:21, “Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Acts 20:22-24, “And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

In verse 14, they say, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

2. The prophets were mistaken in their prophecies.

3. The prophets prophesied accurately, but their conclusions about responding to the information were wrong.

I Corinthians 14:29, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.”

I Thessalonians 5:20-21, “ Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.”

C. Most of our decisions should be based objectively on Scripture interpreted normally, but there is still a SUBJECTIVE aspect to our faith.

The prophets gave a false direction. Pastors are fallible, so are elders’ boards. But they are still generally the best source of direction apart from God’s Word.

God’s will is something we prove, and it should not surprise us that it can, at times, be challenging.

Typical formula: (1) God’s Word, (2) God’s people, and (3) Circumstances.

That formula, except for the first part, does not always work.

D. OBVIOUS conclusions are not necessarily God’s will just because they are obvious.

This is especially true when they are self-serving.

II. Like Jesus Facing Calvary, Paul is Resolved to Take the Path of SUFFERING to Fulfill the Will of God.

A. Both Jesus and Paul KNEW what was coming, and they knew the will of God for the situation.

B. Jesus and Paul often AVOIDED persecution.

1. Paul escaped one city in a basket (Acts 9:25).

2. Jesus supernaturally “walked through their midst (Luke 4:30).”

3. This is the norm for us; we do not seek persecution and try to avoid it.

C. Both Jesus and Paul experienced others trying to DISSUADE them from doing God’s will.

Matthew 16:21-23, From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

D. In a way, Paul and the believers went through a mini-Gethsemane in verse 12-14, concluding with “Let the WILL of the Lord be done.”

III. It is NATURAL for Us to Struggle with Doing the Will of God.

A. The majority – even of believers – is not always RIGHT.

1. This is perhaps why fads in the Christian world are often not a good thing.

2. They create a focus on the fad du jour, but we ending up dropping other important aspects of ministry and the Christian life that are no longer in the limeligh.

3. There was a time in some congregations where most people believed racism was right.

4. Being well-intended is not the same as conforming to the will of God.

5. We stand firmly with the Scriptures. When someone feels clearly led in a certain direction, we do not need to affirm that – they might be wrong. But we are at least open to the possibility.

B. Wisdom and LOGIC are often equivalent to God’s will, but not always.

C. Like Paul, we need to understand what it is to be RESOLUTE when God has spoken clearly.