THE GOD MOMENT OF REVEALED TRUTH
ACTS 1:1-13
INTRODUCTION:
WHEN TRUTH IS REVEALED TO PEOPLE IT’S FASCINATING. RELATIONSHIPS ARE FORMED WHERE WE NEVER WOULD DREAM POSSIBLE. CONNECTIONS THAT WE WOULD THINK TO BE INCONCEIVABLE ACTUALLY BECOME A REALITY. WHEN GOD REVEALS HIS TRUTH TO US, IT IS INDEED A SPECIAL AND DYNAMIC MOMENT, ESPECIALLY AS WE SEE IT HERE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
BUT I JUST REALIZED THAT THERE IS A TRUTH THAT THE APOSTLES SHARED WITH SOMETHING YOU WOULD NEVER GUESS IN A MILLION YEARS. THERE IS A SHARED TRUTH BETWEEN THE APOSTLES AND DAYTIME SOAP OPERAS. NOW THE ONLY THING TRUE ABOUT DAYTIME SOAPS IS THEIR TITLES, BUT IF YOU CONSIDER THE TITLES OF THE DAYTIME SOAPS AND THE APOSTLES A VERY FASCINATING STORY EMERGES.
OUR STORY BEGINS WITH THE APOSTLES BEHIND LOCKED DOORS ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. THERE WAS GREAT FEAR AMONG THEM, CAUSED BY THE RECENT DEATH OF CHRIST, AND THEY FEARED THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD COME AFTER THEM. WITH ONLY ONE LIFE TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD, I’M SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR FEAR.
THEY DIDN’T HAVE MANY OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT WE HAVE TODAY. THERE WAS NO GENERAL HOSPITAL NEARBY, NO REAL DOCTORS, AND THE CONTINUOUS PRESENCE OF ROMAN SOLDIERS, ALL THESE THINGS CERTAINLY ADDED FEAR TO THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS APOSTLES, BUT INDEED THESE WERE THE DAYS OF THEIR LIVES AND THEY HAD TO FIND WAYS TO COPE WITH THE FEAR.
THE APOSTLES WERE IN NEED OF A MIRACLE. THEY WERE IN NEED OF A GOD MOMENT, AND HE DID NOT FAIL THEM. HE DIDN’T TAKE THEM OUT OF THE TROUBLE, INDEED HE MADE THEM CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE OF CHRISTIANITY, MANY BECOMING OUR FIRST KNOWN MARTYRS FOR THE FAITH. I CAN JUST HEAR GOD SAYING TO US TODAY AS HE SAID TO THE APOSTLES THAT DAY, “IF ALL MY CHILDREN WILL FOLLOW MY GUIDING LIGHT, THEN I WILL TAKE YOUR FEAR, AND AS I DID WITH THE APOSTLES THAT DAY, I’LL TRANSFORM YOU FROM WORRISOME AND FEARFUL FOLLOWERS INTO DYNAMIC BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL REVOLUTIONARIES FOR MY SAKE.”
ILLUSTRATION: DAVID BEATY AND HIS WIFE BETH, WERE SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR CONGREGATION AFTER TWENTY YEARS OF SERVICE. THEY WERE TO PASTOR A SISTER CHURCH STARTED BY THIS CONGREGATION. WHEN HE SAID “THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR ONR CHILDREN” HIS VOICE BROKE.
THEY HAD BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO HAVE CHILDREN. SOME WOMEN AT THE CHURCH PROMISED TO HAVE A WOMAN FASTING AND PRAYING EACH DAY UNTIL THEY CONCEIVED.
IN JANUARY PAT BEST, DESPITE HER OWN BATTLE WITH CANCER, TOOK HER TURN FASTING AND PRAYING FOR THE BEATY’S. SHE APPROACHED THEM AND SAID “I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS REVEALED TO ME THAT YOU’LL HAVE A BABY NEXT FEBRUARY.”
CHARTING THE CALENDAR THEY KNEW THAT A FEBRUARY BABY WOULD MEAN A MAY CONCEPTION. BUT THE MONTH OF MAY CAME AND WENT JUST LIKE ALL THE MONTHS BEFORE. NO CONCEPTION, NO SEEMINGLY REAL WORD FROM GOD.
HOWEVER IN JUNE AFTER MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, DAVID AND BETH CONCEIVED THEIR FIRST CHILD. LATE IN BETH’S PREGNANCY PAT SUCCUMBED TO HER CANCER. THE WOMAN WHO HAD FORESEEN THE MIRACLE WOULD WITNESS THE BABY’S BIRTH ONLY THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN. SHE ONLY GOT THE TIME WRONG, OR DID SHE.
I’M SURE THAT PAT WAS NOT SURPRISED WHEN DAVID AND BETH’S BABY ARRIVED EARLY. ANNA BEATY THEIR FIRST CHILD WAS BORN IN FEBRUARY, AND LATER WOULD HAVE A BABY BROTHER.
THAT IS A GOD MOMENT THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. IT GIVES NEW PERSPECTIVE ON EVERY TASK IN LIFE DEALING WITH THEIR DAUGHTER. THE STAIN OF SPIT-UP ON A SUNDAY DRESS TOO LATE TO CHANGE, TEETHING, CHANGING DIAPERS, AND THE THREE O’CLOCK FEEDING ALL ARE NOT ONLY EASED, BUT A CONSTANT REMINDER OF GOD’S BLESSING THEM WITH A CHILD, AND THAT THIS BLESSING WAS REVEALED TO THEM BY A WOMAN NOW IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.
THIS WAS A GOD MOMENT OF REVEALED TRUTH. BY REMEMBERING AND SHARING THE MOMENT THAT GOD SPOKE TO THEM THROUGH PAT, DAVID AND BETH REGULARLY RENEW THEIR CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S CALLING FOR THEM TO BE PARENTS.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT TWO EXAMPLES OF GOD MOMENTS OF REVEALED TRUTH RECORDED IN SCRIPTURE AND HOW THEY CAN RELATE TO US.
POINT ONE: THE WOMAN AT THE WELL
“ARE YOU REALLY TALKING TO ME?”
TURN WITH ME TO JOHN 4:1-26)
THIS WOMAN AT THE WELL WAS STUNNED THREE TIMES OVER:
1. MEN DIDN’T SPEAK WITH UNKNOWN WOMEN IN THE FIRST CENTURY MIDDLE EASTERN WORLD.
2. A JEW DID NOT SPEAK WITH A SAMARITAN. THE JEWISH PEOPLE CONSIDERED THE SAMARITANS IMPURE – A MIXED BREED WHO HAD INTERMARRIED WITH PAGANS.
3. FOR A RABBI TO EVEN DRINK FROM A SAMARITAN’S CUP WOULD MAKE HIM CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN.
SO THIS SAMARITAN WOMAN COULD NOT BELIEVE HER EARS WHEN JESUS STARTED TO TALK TO HER, AND TO ASK HER FOR A DRINK.
HE INTRIGUED HER WITH HIS PROMISE
HE AWED HER WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE
HE TAUGHT HER WITH HIS WISDOM
HE CAPTIVATED HWER WITH HIS CLAIM
NOW WE KNOW THAT A GOD MOMENT CHANGES OUR LIVES, AND IT’S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CALLED TO SPEAK ABOUT WHEN IT HAPPENS. AND THAT’S WHAT SHE DID. LOOK AT VERSES 28-29.
JOHN 4:28-29:
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
THIS ONE GOD MOMENT OF REVEALED TRUTH TO A BROKEN WOMAN STARTED A REVIVAL IN THAT SAMARITAN TOWN. GREAT REVIVALS OF THE PAST WERE USUALLY STARTED BY ONE OR TWO PEOPLE PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING UNTIL GOD REVEALED HIS TRUTH TO THEM. PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER THE SOUND OF GOD’S VOICE MOVE FORWARD WITH AWESOME CONFIDENCE.
POINT TWO: THE GOD MOMENT OF THE APOSTLES
NOW THE PASSAGE WE READ TODAY ALSO IS ABOUT THE GOD MOMENT OF REVEALED TRUTH. PENTECOST WAS A POWERFUL TIME OF THE JEWISH YEAR FOR CELEBRATION.
THE FESTIVAL OF WEEKS WAS THE TIME FRAME FOR THIS MOMENT COMES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT COMMAND TO “COUNT OF SEVEN WEEKS FROM THE TIME OF PASSOVER SABBATH”
LEVITICUS 23:15-20:
15 ”‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the LORD. 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before the LORD as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the LORD for the priest. 21 On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
IT’S OTHER NAME “PENTECOST” IS LABELED FOR THE NUMBER OF DAYS BETWEEN PASSOVER AND PENETCOST. PENTECOST MEANS “FIFTY”. IT WOULD BE ON THIS FESTIVE DAY SOME FIFTY DAYS AFTER PASSOVER AND THE DEATH OF JESUS, THAT THE DISCIPLES WOULD BE TRANSFORMED FOREVER.
TALK ABOUT THE EXCITEMENT OF THE DAY
WE NEED MORE OF THAT PENTECOSTAL EXCITEMENT IN OUR CHURCHES TODAY.
IN THE PROCESS OF THE EXCITEMENT THOUGH, LET’S MAKE SURE THAT WE DON’T FORGET THE CORE OF THE EVENT OF PENTECOST. THE HEART OF PENTECOST IS GOD’S VOICE TO HIS PEOPLE. THIS WAS THE ESSENCE OF THE FIRST PENTECOST AS WELL.
EXODUS 19:14-19:
After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.” 16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
AT BOTH CASES OF PENTECOST ONE THING IS CLEAR. GOD INTENDED TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO HIS PEOPLE. NOT TO EVERYONE, BUT TO HIS PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR HIM. GOD REVELAED HIMSELF, HIS WISDOM, HIS PROMISES, AND HIS LAW TO HIS PEOPLE. PENTECOST THEN SYMBOLIZES GOD’S DESIRE TO COMMUNICATE HIS TRUTH WITH HIS PEOPLE.
THE AWESOME TRUTH THAT GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO US INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS A CONGREGATION IS THE TRUE MESSAGE OF PENTECOST.
NOW YOU MAY BE SAYING I’VE NEVER HAD A PENTECOST EXPERIENCE, NEVER ANYTHING THAT EXCITING OR EXHILERATING IN MY CHRISTIAN WALK. WELL THIS DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU DON’T HAVE REVEALED MOMENTS OF GOD’S TRUTH. GOD CAN SPEAK TO US IN MANY WAYS.
HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD
HE SPEAKS THROUGH THE SILENT INNER WITNESS OF PEACE.
HE SPEAKS THROUGH DIVINES APPOINTED CONVERSATIONS.
HE SPEAKS THROUGH: STUDY
FLASHES OF INSIGHT THAT ONLY GOD COULD GIVE
WHAT ABOUT THE TIMES YOU MADE A GOOD DECISION ON THE BASIS OF WHAT YOU CALL “INTUITION”. YOU “JUST KNEW” WHAT TO DO.
POINT THREE: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM GOD MOMENTS OF REVEALED TRUTH?
1. IF CHRIST DESIRED TO TALK TO A FIRST-CENTURY SAMARITAN WOMAN, THEN REST ASSURED, HE WANTS TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
2. WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO YOU SHARE IT WITH OTHERS IN THE CONGREGATION. LUKE 12:8-9: I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. 9 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
3. LET YOUR GROWING AWARENESS OF GOD’S VOICE IN YOUR PAST MAKE YOU EXPECTANT OF GOD’S VOICE IN THE FUTURE. EXPECT TO HEAR HIS SPEAK. EXPECT MOMENTS OF REVEALED TRUTH.
4. A WORD OF WARNING ABOUT REVEALED TRUTH. TRACING THE WAY GOD HAS SPOKEN TO YOU IN THE PAST IS IMPORTANT FOR ASSESSING GOD’S WORDS TO YOU IN THE FUTURE. STAN IS A DECEIVER AND HE WILL TRY TO DECEIVE YOU WITH HALF TRUTHS AND MIS-APPLICATIONS FROM THE BIBLE, BE AWARE OF HOW GOD SPEAKS TO YOU TO ESTABLISH IT’S VALIDITY AND IN ALL CASES DO NOT SEEK ANY OTHER SUPERNATURAL METHOD IN AN ATTEMPT TO HEAR GOD SPEAK. OUIJA BOARDS AND PSYCHICS ARE DIRECTLY FROM SATAN AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE ANY PLACE IN YOUR LIFE AT ALL, EVEN IN PLAY.
HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE GOD MOMENTS OF REVEALED TRUTH?
1. TAKE AN INVENTORY OF THE GOOD DECISIONS YOU’VE MADE IN YOUR LIFE. HOW DID YOU KNOW WHAT WAS RIGHT OR BEST? IF IT PRODUCED A GODLY BLESSING, IT WAS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU.
A) WHEN HAS A VERSE OF SCRIPTURE OR THEME COME ALIVE TO YOU?
B) WHEN HAVE YOU SAID “ A LIGHTBULB JUST WENT ON IN MY HEAD?
C) WHEN HAVE YOU SAID “IT MUST HAVE BEEN INTUITION”
D) WHEN HAVE YOU SAID “I JUST KNEW WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO”
2. TAKE TIME TO CONSIDER HOW ONE PIECE OF REVEALED TRUTH HAS IMPACTED YOUR WHOLE LIFE.
A) WHAT RELATIONSHIPS HAVE YOU BEEN LED TO OR AWAY FROM
B) WHAT MAJOR DECISIONS HAVE RESULTED IN FAR-RACHING BLESSINGS
C) WHAT WISDOM HAS MOLDED THE WAY YOU LIVE
3. LOOK AT THE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF BLESSING IN YOUR LIFE (E.G., YOUR WORK, FAMILY, HEALTH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS.) TRACE THE BLESSING BACK TO ITS SOURCE. USUALLY YOU’LL FIND A MOMENT OF REVEALED TRUTH AT THE BLESSINGS BIRTH.
CONCLUSION:
LAURA HULL ATTENDED A RETREAT FOR CHURCH WORSHIP LEADERS. LAURA WAS “INVITED” EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NOT ACTUALLY A MUSIC LEADER.
IT WAS A PEACEFUL TIME FOR LAURA AND HER FAMILY. SHE HAD BATTLED CHRONIC COLITIS FOR MANY YEARS, BUT WAS ENJOYING A PERIOD OF ALMOST A YEAR OF RELIEF FROM THE TERRIBLE PAIN. HER HUSBAND TOM HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH HODGKIN’S DISEASE, BUT RADIATION HAD WORKED AND THE SCAN WERE ALL CLEAR.
THE RETREAT LEADER DAN WILT WAS LED TO SING A UNIQUE SONG FOR LAURA. HE HAD NEVER MET HER BEFORE, AND KNEW NOTHING OF HER BACKGROUND.
ALL HER LIFE LAURA LOVED SAPPHIRES. IT WAS HER BIRTHSTONE. AS A LITTLE GIRL SHE CHERISHED GIFTS OF IMITATION SAPPHIRES. SHE LOVES THE BLUE STONES MORE THAN DIAMONDS.
DAN WILT KNEW NOTHING OF THIS AS HE SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED PLAYING HIS GUITAR AND SANG FOR LAURA HULL THESE WORDS:
PRECIOUS SAPPHIRE, A STONE A GEM
BRIGHT BLUE SAPPHIRE DIADEM
A JEWEL OF GREAT PRICE
A STONE OF VALUE
IMMEASURABLE WORTH
THAT IS YOUR NAME
PRECIOUS SAPPHIRE THAT IS YOUR NAME.
LAURA DRANK IN THE WORDS OF THAT SONG AND KEPT THEM IN HER HEART.
EARLY THE NEXT YEAR SHE EXPERIENCED A SEVER REOCCURANCE OF THE COLITIS THAT RESULTED IN SEVERAL SURGERIES. ALSO THAT SAME YEAR DURING THIS TIME HRE HUSBAND’S CANCER CAME BACK. HE WOULD RECEIVE CHEMOTHERAPY FROM APRIL TO AUGUST.
THESE ARE HER WORDS DURING THIS TIME:
THERE WERE DAYS WHEN ALL I COULD DO WAS LIVE. I WAS RAISING SIX AND EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRLS. I WAS PHYSICALLY HURTING AS WELL AS EXHAUSTED, AND MY ABILITY TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT WAS OFTEN NIL. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I WAS SO NUMB THAT I COULD NOT READ THE BIBLE OR EVEN PRAY. I KNEW GOD WAS SOVEREIGN, BUT I NEED TO KNOW HE WAS HERE.
LAURA FOUND SOLITARY MOMENTS IN THE CAR TO BE SOME OF HER LONLIEST, MOST VULNERABLE TIMES. BUT SHE HAD A SECRET WEAPON AGAINST DESPAIR. SHE HAD A SAPPHIRE SONG. “EVERY TIME MY HOPE WAS RESTORED. HIS GRACE WOULD FLOOD MY SPIRIT AND THANKFULNESS FOR HIS LOVE WOULD OVERWEALM ME. THE SONG WAS A TOOL HE USED TO REMIND ME OF HIS UNENDING MERCY.”
NO MATTER HOW THIS DAY PRESENTS ITSELF, IF YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENTS GOD HAS REVEALED TRUTH TO YOU, YOU’LL FIND NEW CONFIDENCE FOR LIVING.
