Your Plans, God's Plan, Part 2 Series

God supernaturally orchestrates everything around us so that the gospel is unstoppable. The gospel of God’s rich mercy is offered in His Son, Jesus, is unstoppable.

1. A Disappointing Ending

2. An Unwavering Commitment

There is a tenacious determinism to Paul that is really rare. Do you remember Kerri Strug in 1996 Olympics? She eventually graced the cover of a Wheaties box and even met the President. Back before our nation’s women’s gymnastic program was engulfed in a sexual abuse scandal, Keri Strug secured the first ever gold medal for the US women’s team. It was one of the most memorable moments in the history of the games. Up against the hated Russians, the event started with the Americans with a commanding led only to see it evaporate with one mistake after another from the gymnasts before her. The 4’9” Strug was up last. On her first of two attempts she falls, tearing not one but two ligaments in her ankle. Her coach walked up to the hobbling athlete and said, “Kerri, we need you to go one more time. We need you one more time for the gold.” Strug sprinted down the runway and made her second jump — landing on both feet. She makes her second jump with two torn ligaments. At this point, Strug lands hard on both feet, without stumbling! Yet when she lands, she hears another crack in the same ankle. She gingerly picks up her damaged ankle and folds it behind her, keeping her balance, to the shock of everyone in the crowd and everyone watching on TV. She even managed to salute the judges before she collapsed & had to be carried off. When her score of 9.712 flashes on the giant scoreboard, assuring the United States of the gold medal, the U.S. gymnasts and the crowd breaks out in emotional tears of joy. Later, she was even carried to the medal ceremony by her coach because of the severity of her injury. Her single-minded, tenacious determinism on that day wowed everyone!

As we turn page after page in our Bibles, Paul shows a single-minded, tenacious determinism that equally wows us: “When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets” (Acts 28:23). Few people can power through like Paul. Paul is motived to bring the good news that Jesus died for sinners to every place and everyone. The gospel is for everybody!

Flash Back

When we first met Paul, he was holding the cloaks of the men who stoned the first Christian martyr, Stephen. And the very next time we see Paul, he’s on his way to Damascus for the purpose of snuffing out Christian faith. His life is transformed in the most radical way. Like a police detective taking his suspect into an interrogation room, Paul hears, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me” (Acts 9:4b)? As soon as this heavenly light confronts Paul, he asks, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). I don’t think Paul was nearly as shocked by the light, the voice, or even the blindness. The one thing Saul never considered was Jesus was still alive. Up until this moment, Saul thought Jesus was dead.