Keys to God’s Kingdom Economy – Generosity vs. Greed III, February 22, 2009

Keys to Kingdom Economy – Generosity vs. Greed III

Hillcrest Church, Sunday, February 22, 2009

Text

" 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:6-11 NIV)

Introduction / Review

God's economy is based on stewardship instead of ownership.

God's economy involves the supernatural as well as the natural.

God's economy is characterized by abundance instead of lack.

God's economy operates by faith instead of fear.

God's economy results in generosity instead of greed.

God's pathway to prosperity

My journey will take time.

My journey will take time.

My journey will help me grow.

The Israelites were told to never forget:

• Where they came from (Egypt)
  
• How they got there (through the desert by God's direction, protection – scorpions, snakes, and provision-manna and water.)
  
• Who it is that brought them there (the Lord your God and not you!)
  
• What they were– (sons who inherited a covenant but who sometimes still needed discipline)
  

  "⁵ Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. " (Deuteronomy 8:5 NIV)
  

My journey will benefit others.

My journey will bring God glory.

• It will demonstrate God's faithfulness ("confirm His covenant")
  
• It will give me a testimony to share with others that will inspire them to trust, obey, and worship God.
  

  "18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today." (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV)
  

God's Kingdom economy results in generosity vs. greed

From the time God revealed Himself to Abraham, this has been central to everything He has done for anyone in the human family.

His blessings are never JUST about us. They are always ALSO about others.

We are "blessed to be a blessing…!"

" The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."" (Genesis 12:1-3 NIV)

God cares just as much about the economic well being of others as He does about my economic well being.

Three things to remember that will help us keep this in perspective:

God grants me prosperity through His grace.

God does not prosper us because we are better than others…!

The journey He takes us on from our "Egypt," our "land of not enough," to our "Canaan," our "land of more than enough," through our "desert," our "land of more than enough," will be tailor designed by Him to help us always remember that we sometimes fail God.

God was very explicit in saying through Moses that the Israelites were given the Promised Land because of the inhabitant's sin, not because of their own righteousness…!

"⁴ After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you.
⁵ It is not because of your
righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ⁶ Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. ⁷ Remember this and NEVER FORGET how you
provoked the Lord your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord." (Deuteronomy 9:4-7, NIV)

"⁶ For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. ⁷ The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. ⁸ But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." (Deuteronomy 7:6-9, NIV)

Never think when God prospers you than your friends or exalts above your peers that He loves you more than them or that you have some kind of special "dispensation of His grace."

God establishes the parameters of my prosperity according to His sovereign plan for my life.

The Israelites were not given everyone's land, only that belonging to certain peoples, who were coming under God's judgment after an extended period of time.

"17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High
[two kings representing two kingdoms and two economies – Abraham had to choose which one he would deem most important…!], 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. [Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek before he tithed and whether or not he tithed, but God then added an extra blessing because he tithed…!] 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your SHIELD, your VERY great REWARD."

Be sure and note this new level of relationship between God and Abraham…and cross reference with God's promise in Malachi…!

God now said that He would be Abraham's:

SHIELD (literally, "sovereign" in Hebrew, i.e., "Lord") – PROTECTION – "…rebuke the devourer…"

VERY great reward – PROSPERITY – "…open the windows of heaven…"

… 2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him OUTSIDE
and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He also said to him, "I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it." 8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" 9 So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the Lord said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." 17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites." " (Genesis 14:17-15:21 NIV)

We must keep this in mind as we believe God for an "end-time" transfer of wealth from the wicked to the righteous. The word, "wicked," is a very strong word. I do not believe it means those who sin in ignorance, but, rather, those who sin with full knowledge of what their actions mean..

"22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous." (Proverbs 13:22 NIV)

"22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." (Proverbs 13:22 KJV)

This promise was never meant to cause us to have a cavalier or covetous attitude toward those who do not know the Lord.

We should have the heart of Jesus toward even the wicked. Concerning the men who were nailing Him to the cross He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)"

We must always remember: "The same God who took it away from others because of their wickedness can take it away from us if we walk in wickedness…!"

"¹⁷ You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." ¹⁸ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. ¹⁹ If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. ²⁰ Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. " (Deuteronomy 8:17-20, NIV)

One very sobering passage in Scripture is found during the life of Moses when God's patience ran out with the Israelites and He told Moses, "Get out of my way. I will destroy this people and make a new one out of you…!"

"7 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' 9 "I have seen these people," the Lord said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." 11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. "O Lord," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.' " 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." (Exodus 32:7-14 NIV)

"6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them." 10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they." 13 Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them." (Numbers 14:6-13 NIV)

As Jesus put it,

"8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham." (Luke 3:8 NIV, also Matthew 3:9)

God determines how much is "enough" for each one of us. Every tribe had its assigned place and space in the land, etc, chosen by God in advance.

That is the lesson from the Apostle Paul:

"
¹⁰ I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:10-13, NIV)

Proverbs echoes this same sentiment:

"8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient
["of my allotment"] for me: 9 Lest I be full["have too much" NIV], and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." (Proverbs 30:8-9 KJV)

"8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9 NIV)

God never intends for my prosperity to result in someone else's poverty.

They were specifically told not to plunder certain tribes.
Abraham had been told not to accept wealth from certain sources that would take away from God's glory and now God told them not to plunder the descendants of Esau, etc.

" Then we turned back and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir. ² Then the Lord said to me, ³ "You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. ⁴ Give the people these orders: 'You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. ⁵ Do not provoke them to war, for I will NOT GIVE YOU any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. ⁶ You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.' "" (Deuteronomy 2:1-6, NIV)

"⁹ Then the Lord said to me, "Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession." … ¹⁶ Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, ¹⁷ the Lord said to me, ¹⁸ "Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. ¹⁹ When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot."" (Deuteronomy 2:9-19, NIV)

"³⁶ From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. The Lord our God gave us all of them. ³⁷ But in accordance with the command of the Lord our God, you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills. " (Deuteronomy 2:36-37, NIV)

According to Paul at the Areopagus, God has established the boundaries of every ethnic group.

"²² Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! … ²⁶ From one man he [God] made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷ God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:22-27, NIV)

In a certain sense, the original sin of Satan was to aspire to more than God had destined him for…!

Conclusion / Invitation

Giving is at the very heart of God's nature. What He wants from us is two simple things:

That we would give Him our hearts and lives.

That we would allow Him to help us become as giving as He is in every area of our lives and in every relationship in our lives.

The Cost of Ministry (Mark 2,1-12), PTN Sharathon, August 19, 2008

The Cost of Ministry (Mark 2:1-12)

PTN Sharathon, August 19, 2008

Text

" A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralytic, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”" (Mark 2:1-12 NIV)

1.    The reason for the crowd.

The people came when they heard Jesus was there. The best way to build any church or ministry is to preach Jesus, worship Jesus, exalt Jesus, minister Jesus, and entertain the manifest presence of Jesus through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.

Throughout His earthly ministry, He drew great crowds of people and He still does today!

" 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”" (John 12:20-21 NIV)

2.    The value of the individual.

Everywhere Jesus went, even when surrounded by great crowds, He always took time for the needy individual. His ear was attuned to their cry.

" 46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”" (Mark 10:46-49 NIV)

3.    The necessity of faith.

When Jesus saw their faith, supernatural salvation and healing power flowed.

4.    The importance of partnership.

This crippled man needed to come to Jesus, but he could not come to Jesus unless they went to him.

One man alone was not enough to bring this man to Jesus. It took four men partnering together, overlooking their individual personalities and opinions, to set the stage for this miracle.

5.    The role of technology.

They used the technology of the day (“ropes”) to let the man down before Jesus. Living in Capernaum, a seaside town, their rough hands were used to handling these ropes. Today, instead of ropes, it takes television antennas and cameras and satellites and fiber optic cables to bring everyone to Jesus that needs to come to Him.

6.    The need for miracles.

The ministry of Jesus and that of the disciples always combined declaration and demonstration. His miracles proved the validity of His message.

" 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city." (Acts 8:4-8 NIV)

7.    The priority of salvation.

The first and greatest miracle Jesus performed was to speak a word of forgiveness to the man’s soul, thus bringing him salvation.

8.    The reality of controversy.

The Jewish leaders were angered by two things:

·         Jesus pronounced forgiveness of sins (something normally only done by the priests at the Temple after offering up a sacrifice). This struck them as blasphemous.

·         Jesus moved in supernatural authority and ministered supernatural power. This always angers the religious establishment because it is outside their control.

9.    The cost of ministry.

While Jesus spoke supernatural healing to the man, He did not speak supernatural repair to the roof! That took time, money, and energy. Ministry is always messy and ministry always costs money! Someone always has to be willing to pay the price to reach the multitudes and to effectively minister to their needs.

It is interesting to see how, in Simon Peter’s life, he first lent Jesus his boat, then his home. Peter had such a heart for his city that he was willing to shoulder the cost. In return, God gave him his country when he began functioning as the chief apostle to the Jews!

10.           The outcome of obedience.

A great need was met and the crowd was all amazed (literally, “in ecstasy,” i.e., “out of their minds”) with joy at what happened.

It is always worth whatever it takes to reach the unreached with the Gospel of Jesus and in the name of Jesus…!

He that "… wins souls is wise." (Proverbs 11:30 NIV)

"3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." (Daniel 12:3 NIV)

When Darkness Gives Way to Dawn - What to Expect In the Morning (II), August 24, 2008

When Morning Comes…(Part II)

Hillcrest Church, August 24, 2008

Text

" Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed. 11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him." (Acts 28:1-16 NIV)

Introduction

Paul's four "Dark Nights of the Soul":

·         The night of frustration and apparent fruitlessness (Troas - Macedonian vision – Acts 16)

·         The night of fear and emotional depletion (Corinth – Acts 18)

·         The night of controversy and self-examination (Jerusalem – Acts 23)

·         The night of extreme circumstances (Mediterranean Sea – Acts 27)

Last week, we began dealing with "the morning after," Paul's "Malta moment."

First we noted the dynamic God used during the crisis to prepare and position Paul for leadership (prisoner – counselor – de-facto leader),:

·         He distilled wisdom from experience

·         He heard a fresh word from God when others heard nothing.

·         He believed when others doubted. (This empowered him to do what others did not do.)

·         He cared deeply about other people and knew that the outcome of his life directly impacted them.

·         He understood the power of his own example.

·          "There are times when one dedicated believer can change the whole atmosphere of a situation simply by trusting God and making that faith visible.^[1]" (Warren Wiersbe)

Then, we began noting what Paul's " morning"  was like:

·         He had suffered unnecessary loss.

·         He found himself in an unfamiliar place.

Let's go further this morning.

1.    He had been thrust into an unexpected season.

Paul was a man who understood the value of time.^[i]

"5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." (Colossians 4:5 NIV)

"5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." (Colossians 4:5 KJV)

"7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits." (1 Corinthians 16:7 NIV)

"29 What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;" (1 Corinthians 7:29 NIV)

"4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law," (Galatians 4:4 NIV)

"9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9 NIV)

"7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (Ephesians 1:7-10 NIV)

"5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV)

"13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." (1 Timothy 6:13-16 NIV

Time that would have been productive for praying, reflecting, writing, and ministering had they wintered where they should have was lost forever. Now, Paul found himself in an unfamiliar place, lacking the scrolls and parchments he both cherished and needed in order to focus on his work. It looked like an entire season of time had been lost and  his time here on Malta would be wasted.

Are you going through some season in life that you did not see coming?

-          A childless woman facing menopause?

-          A hard-working career person facing postponed retirement?

-          A grown child caring for a memory afflicted parent?

-          A single person pushing back the panic that comes with the terrifying thought that you grappling with the sinking feeling that you may always live alone?

Are you somewhere you never thought you would be?

Are you in some segment or season or circumstance of life you thought would be a part of your journey or that you thought should be a part of your journey, that is now gone forever?

-          Have you been displaced by Katrina or some other natural disaster?

-          Have you fled a civil war in your home nation or moved to America hoping for greater prosperity only to find yourself facing unemployment? 

-          Are you a spouse suddenly living in an achingly empty house?

-          Are you a homeowner who cannot pay your mortgage and now must move to another neighborhood? (Last year was the first since WWII when the average American home lost value! Our economy has put many people in an unexpected place.)

-          Are you a student whose parents have moved or who through some other circumstance has been forced to transfer to another school?

What God did for Paul He will do for you…!

Wherever you are, however you got there, God wants to bless you and teach you and use you to bring blessing to others…!

Because Paul refused to allow bitterness to infiltrate his heart or to develop a critical or jealous spirit, God redeemed his time on Malta in two very important ways:

·         God opened a very fruitful door of ministry for him there.

·         God used that time to give him a testimony that has encouraged, comforted, and inspired many, many others…!

ou not only overcome persecution  and temptation through "…the word of your testimony…(Rev. 12:11)" but you can also overcome the guilt of the failures of your past by bringing benefit to others through your story…!

Other examples from Paul's life show how he was able to redeem what others would have considered to be lost or wasted time.

-          He preached one of his greatest sermons while he was waiting in Athens.

" 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there... 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?... "22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you… 34 A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. " (Acts 17:16-17, 19, 22-23, 34 NIV)

-          He wrote many of his best epistles while in prison.

" 9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments." (2 Timothy 4:9-13 NIV)

Many times, the "little" thing that you do while you are "waiting" for the "big" thing to happen turns out to be the "big" thing…!

In order for this to happen, you must make four critical choices:

·         You must choose to move from bitterness and blame to forgiveness.

·         You must choose to move from fear to faith.

·         You choose to move your focus from your loss in the past to your life in the present.

·         You choose to lift your eyes from your own needs and start looking at the needs of those around you.

Ø      touch your eyes with the tips of your fingers and say aloud with me, "Lord, open my eyes by your spirit and help me to see what you want me to see in my surroundings."

As God opens your eyes, He will invariably show you the needs of other people around you. This is an extremely important part of the process when one finds oneself in a "Malta moment."

2.    He was surrounded by an unknown people.

He did not have any friends, Christian brothers and sisters, or even acquaintances at Malta as was the case at some other stops on this same journey, i.e., Sidon (27:3) before the storm or Puteoli (28:13) and the Forum of Appius (28:15) after the storm:

"3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs." (Acts 27:3 NIV)

"13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him." (Acts 28:13-16 NIV)

Because he was surrounded by unknown people…

·         There was not anyone to care for him.

·         There was not anyone to sympathize or commiserate with him.

·         There was not anyone to appreciate his gifts.

·         There was not anyone to honor him for his past sacrifices

·         There is not even any specific mention of anyone ever thanking him for his extraordinary leadership during the crisis just passed, neither captain, centurion, soldier, or prisoner…! (The prisoners had been in double jeopardy, both from the soldiers and from the storm…!)

SOMETIMES IN LIFE, THE PEOPLE YOU HELP THE MOST SEEM TO APPRECIATE IT THE LEAST…! When that happens, rejoice in the fact that you are becoming more like Jesus than before…! (Only one out of ten lepers returned to thank Jesus, etc.)

Part of what God had been doing in Paul's life during the preceding chapters of the Book of Acts was establishing his reputation among a certain sphere of influence,  thereby positioning Paul to exercise his apostolic ministry among that network of churches and that group of people.

Now, in this new place, through no fault of his own, but simply as a result of his circumstances, he not only found himself lacking his good reputation, but Satan saw to it that he quickly developed a bad reputation by seizing a cultural "key" as a means to discredit him…! God, however, delivered Paul and used that same "key" to quickly restore Paul's reputation…!

"4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."" (Acts 28:4 NIV)

Ancients argued in courts that their survival of troubles at sea proved their piety and hence innocence; on the importance of arguing Paul's innocence, see the introduction to Acts. In some stories, the impious escaped one form of terrible death (e.g., at sea) only to face something worse (besides Greek stories, see Amos 5:19). "Justice" was a goddess who executed the will of Fortune or the Fates; although the Maltese observers refer to some Punic deity, Luke translates their idea into the idiom of Greek poets…Some Greek initiates to mystery cults may have practiced snake handling. Paul simply deals in faith with a situation thrust upon him.

28:6. Whenever similar stories were told, those who survived bites from poisonous snakes or lizards were considered holy men (e.g., the pious Jewish holy man Hanina ben Dosa); Greco-Roman paganism often considered such holy men to be divine or semidivine. …(IVP)

One of the most important skills we can learn in life is the ability to perceive where we are and how God wants us to function here, realizing that it may be very different from the way we functioned there…!

This is true on the job, in ministry, when marrying into an extended family, when enrolling in a new school, etc.

God used this opportunity to connect Paul with new people.

New relationships rarely feel as comfortable or as valuable as old relationships.

Do not make the common, yet tragic, mistake of allowing your relational loss to rob you of your relational future…!

His new relationships brought new opportunities for ministry and for prosperity.

Ø      Say it out loud with me, "Lord, I commit to you today that I will open my heart and my life to the new relationships you want to bring me in this new place and this new season of my life."

3.    He was facing unusual opportunities.

·         Unusual witness (both to Maltans and to us…!)

·         Unusual favor ("…islanders showed us unusual kindness…built a fire and welcomed us…")

The Maltese were of Phoenician descent, and commoners there spoke and read only Punic (the late Phoenician dialect of the Carthaginians). But Roman citizens and retired soldiers also lived there, and the island was certainly not considered culturally primitive. Anyone who did not speak Greek was called a "barbarian," and Greeks did not expect kind treatment from them. (IVP)

·         Unusual miracles ("…Publius, the chief official of the island…father was sick…")

Malta fever…(NBC)

…the Maltese were affected by a special sickness due to a microbe in the milk of the goats there; although such organisms would have mutated over the centuries, perhaps a similar illness is in view here. The attacks are intermittent, and the sickness described here is similar to malaria. (IVP)

·         Unusual provision

God moved on the hearts of unknown people to make up Paul and Barnabas's loss (so he could rent his house in Rome?!)

"Green park bench testimony in Paris" (Word from God – "I am far too wise and I love you far too much than to meet your needs today through means that tomorrow would hinder you from doing my will!")

Car story in the 16^th (Following theft of "Ford," God gave us a " Volkswagen" – the car I wanted from the beginning…!)

THE "COIN" YOU NEED IS IN THE "FISH'S MOUTH…!

As you meet the needs of others, God will meet your needs!

True in ministry, true in the marketplace (Your value in the marketplace is determined by the needs you meet for others and the problems you solve for others…!)

" 24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" 25 "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?" 26 "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. 27 "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." " (Matthew 17:24-27 NIV)

"18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, "Would you please tell me where the seer's house is?" 19 "I am the seer," Samuel replied. "Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your father's family?"" (1 Samuel 9:18-20 NIV)

" At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, 2 and Jeroboam said to his wife, "Go, disguise yourself, so you won't be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people. 3 Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy." 4 So Jeroboam's wife did what he said and went to Ahijah's house in Shiloh. Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. 5 But the Lord had told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else." 6 So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news." (1 Kings 14:1-6 NIV)

"26 But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants?" (2 Kings 5:26 NIV)

"32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, "Don't you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master's footsteps behind him?"" (2 Kings 6:32 NIV)

"7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:7-8 NIV)

Invitation

1.    Do you need God to help you "make it through the night until morning comes" or to "maximize your Malta moment?"

2.    Do you need to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ? There is no better time to do that than during a "dark night of the soul" or as the morning breaks following a stormy season in your life!

Maybe you have just gone through a divorce or you have just got out of jail or you have just lost a job or you have just started a new career or a new relationship. Right now is the right time to serve the Lord!

Notes:

IVP Bible Background commentary

28:1. Malta (ancient Melita) was on the shipping route from Rome to Egypt, whereby empty ships would sail quickly to Alexandria to load up more cargoes. …

28:2. The Maltese were of Phoenician descent, and commoners there spoke and read only Punic (the late Phoenician dialect of the Carthaginians). But Roman citizens and retired soldiers also lived there, and the island was certainly not considered culturally primitive. Anyone who did not speak Greek was called a "barbarian," and Greeks did not expect kind treatment from them. But Luke's use of the term translated "barbarous" (KJV) in this context (cf. "natives"—NASB; "islanders"—NIV) is not derisive; he indicts Greek racial prejudice at the same time that he displays God's providential care through them.

28:3. In cold weather some snakes can look like twigs until the heat of a fire stirs them.

28:4. Ancients argued in courts that their survival of troubles at sea proved their piety and hence innocence; on the importance of arguing Paul's innocence, see the introduction to Acts. In some stories, the impious escaped one form of terrible death (e.g., at sea) only to face something worse (besides Greek stories, see Amos 5:19). "Justice" was a goddess who executed the will of Fortune or the Fates; although the Maltese observers refer to some Punic deity, Luke translates their idea into the idiom of Greek poets. Several groups of Jewish catacombs dating between the second and fifth centuries a.d. have been found on the island; but if Jewish people were on the island in the first century, this narrative does not mention them.

28:5. Adam's rule over the beasts (Gen 1:26) was cut short by the Fall, but Jewish interpreters of Isaiah 11:6–9 believed that this rule would be restored in the messianic time, and a few holy men were believed to have that power in the present age. Some Greek initiates to mystery cults may have practiced snake handling. Paul simply deals in faith with a situation thrust upon him.

28:6. Whenever similar stories were told, those who survived bites from poisonous snakes or lizards were considered holy men (e.g., the pious Jewish holy man Hanina ben Dosa); Greco-Roman paganism often considered such holy men to be divine or semidivine. …

28:8–10. In subsequent times the Maltese were affected by a special sickness due to a microbe in the milk of the goats there; although such organisms would have mutated over the centuries, perhaps a similar illness is in view here. The attacks are intermittent, and the sickness described here is similar to malaria.

28:11. The seas opened as early as February 8 or as late as March 10, depending on the weather; in the year in view here they seem to open toward the earlier date. On Alexandrian ships see comment on 27:6; like most ships, this one would have harbored on the other side of the island. Ships were named for their patron deity (e.g., "the Isis") in whose protection they trusted and whose image was used as the ship's figurehead. The Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux, twin heroes, sons of Zeus who had been deified) were considered special protectors of ships, on whom one might call in a storm…

28:14. The Jewish community in Puteoli had been there a long time, as had Egyptian and Phoenician cults. As the regular port receiving visitors from the East, it naturally received foreign religions as well as goods. Thus it is not surprising to find Christians there; but readers of Luke's day might be more surprised that these Christians offer hospitality to Paul's captors, who accept it from them.

28:15. In older times, isolated inns had grown into larger settlements that retained the names of the inns. One of these was the Tres Tabernae, or Three Inns, thirty-three Roman miles from Rome on the ancient and famous Appian Way. The "Market of Appius," or Appii Forum, was about forty-three miles from Rome on the same paved road. Jewish communities had existed in Italy for a long time and may have formed the basis for the first Christian groups there (cf. 2:10).

New Bible Commentary

27:1–28:31 To Rome itself

27:1–12 Paul sails for Rome. … 1–2 The narrator once again uses we (see on 16:10; 21:8), to indicate his own presence on the voyage. The other notable characters in the story include a centurion named Julius, some other prisoners who were also in his charge and the Christian Aristarchus. About the latter, however, Acts does not tell any more (but see Col. 4:10 and Phm. 24, perhaps written during Paul's captivity in Rome).

27:13–44 Storm and shipwreck. The events of this final voyage to Rome might itself be considered a trial scene: trial by nature. There are various tales in the ancient world of people who commit crimes and though they escape from their human prosecutors, the gods, notably Poseidon the sea god, find them and punish them. That the sea 'spared' Paul through the shipwreck would not, of course, make the same supernatural point for Luke and for Christians, but the escape from the sea would have been charged with significance for most Gentiles of Luke's time (see 28:4 below)…

21–26 Paul's speech appears at first to have a touch of 'I told you so' about it, but in fact his previous advice is highlighted in order that the ship's crew might have more cause to believe this latest 'forecast', which came to Paul from God, through an angel. Not that everything was going to come out fine, there was to be danger and loss, but everyone would survive. The main thrust of Paul's address is found twice in the space of five verses: Keep up your courage, men.

The speech also tells us something about the nature of accidents and tragedies…

33–38 …Although some of the cargo had already been abandoned (18), the grain appears to have been retained as ballast. Now that the objective was to be beaching the ship, the higher it could be made to ride in the water, the better. It may have been the decision to throw the grain overboard that occasioned Paul's call for the people to eat first…

7–10 Eventually the party made contact with the Roman governor of the island, Publius. The sickness suffered by his father and cured by Paul is often thought to have been a local affliction caused by contamination of goat's milk (known widely as 'Malta fever'). Healing came about through prayer and the laying on of hands, and the prominence of the person healed led to much publicity. We may assume that Paul and the other Christians in the party preached the good news and had at least some success, even though the text is curiously silent about the matter, saying only that the natives honoured us in many ways. The islanders' good will stood the whole party in good stead and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed (10).^[2]

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^[1]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, "An Exposition of the New Testament Comprising the Entire 'BE' Series"--Jkt. (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989), Ac 27:21.

mystery cults *Mystery cults. A diverse group of Greek cults entered only by special initiation. The details of the initiation were to be kept entirely secret, although one could join a number of these societies. Apart from secrets and initiations, they varied widely in popularity, antiquity and appeal to different social classes.

KJV King James Version

NASB New American Standard Bible

NIV New International Version

narrative Narrative. Story form (applied to both true and fictitious stories), as opposed to other literary forms, like explanatory discourse.

messianic *Messiah. The rendering of a Hebrew term meaning "anointed one," equivalent to the original sense of the Greek term translated "Christ." In the Old Testament, different kinds of people were anointed, and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls mention two main anointed ones in the end time, a king and a priest. But the common expectation reflected in the biblical Psalms and Prophets was that one of David's royal descendants would take the throne again when God reestablished his kingdom for Israel. Most people believed that God would somehow have to intervene to put down Roman rule so the Messiah's kingdom could be secure; many seem to have thought this intervention would be accomplished through force of arms. Various messianic figures arose in first-century Palestine, expecting a miraculous intervention from God; all were crushed by the Romans. (Jesus was the only one claimed to have been resurrected; he was also one of the only messiahs claiming Davidic descent, proof of which became difficult for any claimants arising after a.d. 70.)

mystery cults *Mystery cults. A diverse group of Greek cults entered only by special initiation. The details of the initiation were to be kept entirely secret, although one could join a number of these societies. Apart from secrets and initiations, they varied widely in popularity, antiquity and appeal to different social classes.

^[2]D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition, Rev. Ed. of: The New Bible Commentary. 3rd Ed. / Edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), Ac 25:13-28:1.

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^[i] "6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6 NIV)

"11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." (Romans 13:11 NIV)

"5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV)

"29 What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;" (1 Corinthians 7:29 NIV)

"7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits." (1 Corinthians 16:7 NIV)

"4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law," (Galatians 4:4 NIV)

"9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9 NIV)

"7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (Ephesians 1:7-10 NIV)

"5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV)

"13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." (1 Timothy 6:13-16 NIV)