Trinity Baptist Church

Serve Oklahoma

The Power of Personal Power

Acts 28

 

For eight weeks we’ve been involved in our Serve Oklahoma emphasis that is designed to help us be on mission with Christ in our communities by serving  in mission projects that intentional target sharing the gospel with the lost.

 

We began with the Power of Prayer and I know many are faithfully praying for the lost.  We also talked about the Power of Community.  We are saved to be a part of the church and in that context we find our best opportunities to serve.

 

Beyond that, we find the Power of 10.  Most of us are involved in small groups through the Sunday School where we get to enjoy the fellowship of other believers and join with them in service.

 

The Power of One focuses on the real critical link in the chain which is you and I individually.  The church and it’s ministries will never be any stronger than the weakest member.  And because of that, we’ve spent several weeks expanding our study of the Power of One.

 

We looked at the Power of Personal Evangelism.  God delights in using those who think they are unusable and unfit to bring glory to Himself.

 

The Power of Personal Purity is a call for us to be clean before the Lord with sin confessed and relationships right so we can be usable in sharing the gospel.

The Power of Personal Peace reminds us that when we are appropriately dealing with the attacks that come our way, our testimony allows us to answer questions about our faith.

 

Now today, I want to roll it all together and talk to you about The Power of Personal Power.  And to illustrate that, I want you to look at a little obscure verse of Scripture found in Acts 28.

 

Acts 28:30

 

It’s not apparent in our English translation, but the last four words of the book of Acts are actually the translation of one word in the original language and it is a rather unusual word. It is an adverb that could be translated "unhinderedly" if there were such a word.  The idea is “Paul preached and taught “unhindered”.

 

Now I don’t know about you, but to me, that is a rather odd way to end the book.  This is not how you

expect the book to conclude and that has puzzled Bible scholars through the years.

 

There are some who believe that Dr. Luke intended to write a third volume. He wrote the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts and some say he intended to write a third volume.

 

Maybe he did.  I don’t know, but I’m not sure that’s why the book ends like it does.  I think there are some other reasons that come into play for why the Holy Spirit has chosen to use this particular word "unhindered" to conclude the book of Acts.

 

 

Here’s what I see in that word, unhindered.  When we look at the life of the Apostle Paul, we find a great example for us in regard to being used by God, and he teaches us many lessons about the ways of God and the works of God in the lives of individual believers.

 

If ever there was a man who understood the Power of Prayer, it was Paul. No doubt, Paul was high on the church and its ministry and he certainly understood the significance of small groups and personal discipleship.

 

But if here is anywhere that Paul is an example and encouragement to us, I think it is in personal integrity and commitment.  Many lesser men would have quit long ago in Paul’s circumstances.  But Paul went the distance and did it well, so much so that he could say, “I have fought the good fight, kept the faith and finished the course, and I know God has reward awaiting me in heaven.”

 

And now, here at the end of the book of Acts, as a final tip of the hat to his life and ministry, Paul adds this little addendum, “Paul did what he did unhindered”.

 

What was the secret of Paul’s life?  From where did his personal strength and tenacity originate?  Let’s think today about the Power of Personal Power because here’s what I see in Paul’s life:

 

When you are committed to personal evangelism, maintaining personal purity and exhibiting personal peace, living in the will of God and following the plan of God, nobody can stop you until God is through with you.

Or to put it another way, you are unhindered in the work of the Lord doing what God wants you to do.  Why is that true?  Paul’s work was unhindered, first of all, because his life was

 

 

Look back to Acts 28:1-6

 

Do you see how his life was guarded? Do you see how God took care of him? How God got him out of the sea and the shipwreck and how God guarded him from the bite of this poisonous snake. God always guards His children. God reaches around His children with His arms of protection.

 

Out of the sea they come to an island. God always has an island. It is the island of Malta. It's about 60 miles south of Sicily. You may remember it was the most bombed spot on the earth in WWII. The name, Malta, means refuge. So God had a Malta for Paul.

 

Here's another chapter in the continuing sage of the hardships Paul endured for the Lord. You may remember he escaped from a basket from Damascus. He was stoned in Lystra. He was laughed at in the city of Athens. He was driven out of the city of Ephesus. He was shipwrecked in the Mediterranean. But God has a Malta for him. God has a refuge for him.

 

In every stormy sea of your life you can be sure of the fact that God has an island of refuge for you. God will guard your life. God is protecting your life. I have often thought about a Christian. In many

a Christian is like a cork. You can take a cork and

push it down, but it will come right back up.

That's the way it is in a Christian life. A Christian may go down for a little bit, but he's like a cork. He'll come back up.

 

Here they are on the island of Malta and the Bible says in verse 2 that the native people were there.  The old KJV uses the word barbarians.

 

Don't get the idea that these were vile savages. The word there just simply means they did not speak the Greek language. In those days, if you didn't speak the Greek language, you were called a barbarian. They couldn't speak the Greek language but it is very clear that they spoke the language of kindness because they were very kind to Paul.

 

In life sometimes it's sad, but true, that lost people can show kindness when many times God's people are not as kind as they ought to be. So he is guarded. God has an island for him

 

This is a fascinating account, especially to me because I don't like snakes.  They build a fire and Paul is doing his part, he is gathering up some sticks to put on that fire. The Bible says there was a snake

in those sticks.

 

And as Paul is putting the wood on the fire this poisonous snake gets him in the hand. The natives just know what they’ve seen and this man who has washed ashore must be some kind of trouble maker because of these calamities he keeps having.

 

They conclude he is a murderer and even though he escaped the shipwreck, a snake bites him to deliver justice.  The gods are not allowing him to live.

 

But Paul just shook it off of his hand and he didn't feel any harm. Apparently it didn’t even swell or have any effect on him.

 

Now, let me just be real clear so there is no misunderstanding.  This is not a license for some uncommitted Christians to get out of the

will of God and act like a fool.  You do that, and you just might wind up dead or worse.

 

And it’s sure not an indication that we are to have snake handling services at the church.  If any of you start handling snakes in one of my services, we’re going to show you how to have a snake killing.

 

I'm not sticking around for the snake handling part of the worship service.  I’m heading for the nearest door.  There are 16 of them in this building and if I can get to one of them, I’ll make a new one somewhere.  I'm getting out of here. There are no grounds in Scriptures for people to put God to the test in that way.

 

But what it does mean is this. When you are in God's will, God will guard you and protect you and take care of you.

 

Does it mean you will never be injured or hurt?  Paul got bit by a poisonous snake.  Read his testimony and you will find out Paul suffered much more than his share.  But the point is, God took care of him.  In fact, they tell me there are no venomous snakes on Malta to this day.  Apparently they all left when they heard about Paul.  In fact, I am convinced Paul was so full of the Holy Spirit that as that snake burned up in that fire, he was singing, "There's power in the blood."

It is unfortunate that so many of us will never be used of God to the degree He desires because we’re afraid He can’t take care of us.  Somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that we are safer wherever we are out of the will of God, than we would be where He sends us in the will of God.

 

My point is ”God will take care of you. When God is guiding your life, God will guard your life. Paul was unhindered because his life was guarded.

 

There's a second truth that gives us an insight into the Power of the Personal Power of Paul and that is his life was unhindered because his life was

 

 

verses 7-10

 

It is obvious that Paul is a gifted man. God has given

to Paul a gift. He has the gift of healing. But you are a special, unique person as well. In fact, you are a marvelously gifted person.

 

Listen to this analysis by a leading geneticist named Alec Jeffries. He is a professor of genetics at the University of Leicester in England.  He is the man who developed techniques for DNA fingerprinting and DNA profiling which are now used all over the world in forensic science to assist police detective work and resolve paternity and immigration disputes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's what he said about the uniqueness of human genetics:  "You would have to look for one part in a million, million, million, million, million before you would find one pair with the same genetic fingerprinting and with the world population of 5 billion, it can be categorically said that a genetic fingerprint is individually specific and that any pattern does not belong to anyone on the face of this planet who ever has been or ever will be."

 

That statement is saying this. There never has been anybody like you. There never will be anybody like you. You are absolutely unique and special and individual. Is that not amazing?

 

You are special. God had a great plan for you because He made only one of you. This teaches us that you are unique and it also teaches us that you are gifted. God has given you something that only you can do.

 

Paul was gifted. God gave him a very beneficial gift.

It was the gift of healing. We know from I Corinthians 12:28-30, that Paul did have the gift of healing. We also know from that chapter that not everyone has the gift of healing. Paul used that gift in beneficial ways. He didn't use the gift to put on a show. He didn't use the gift to draw attention to himself. But he used it to help human suffering and to help human need.

 

All of us can pray for the sick. But here's a man who had the gift of healing and he used it not as a toy to play with, but as an instrument to bless with and to help people.

 

 

God has given you unique gifts. I don't know all that they are. But God has given you unique gifts in order that you might be a blessing to other people; that you might use them for beneficial purposes. That you might use them as a part of your personal ministry of telling others about Christ and living for the Lord and being a positive benefit in this world.

 

In fact, they are identified scripturally as service gifts.  If you really want to get down to the nitty –gritty of what Serve Oklahoma is all about, this is it.  You and I, as the people of God, are to use the gifts He has given to be a blessing to others so that we create an opportunity to share the gospel.

 

In fact, there is an interesting word study in these verses.  Notice the word healed is used in verses 8 and 9.  In verse 8 the word means “to make whole”.

In fact, it carries the idea of, not just physical healing, but spiritually healing that comes through the forgiveness of sins.  

 

And while we are not given the details, I have an idea the Paul not only helped with his physical problem, but brought him to complete health through the gospel.

 

In verse 9 the word translated heal is different. There it is the word we get our word therapy from.  And the idea is to bring someone to health or to restore them to health.

 

Now I’m just speculating, OK?  But notice in verse 10 the plural references.  They honored us; we departed.

 

Obviously Paul wasn’t by himself, and the indication it Luke, who is recording the book of Acts, is there.

 

Now, what did Luke do for a living?  He was a doctor.  In fact, I believe he was the first medical missionary.  And I just wonder if we aren’t seeing the uniqueness of God’s giftedness in these verses?

 

On the one hand, here is Paul, super-naturally gifted to heal through the laying on of hands and on the other hand is Luke, supernaturally gifted to serve as a physician and help people through therapeutic treatment.

 

And in both men, these are God-given gifts, my point being the power to serve always comes from God.  How dare we use them for selfish reasons or to bring glory to ourselves when God has placed them in us for his service.

 

Think about Samson.  Almost everyone pictures Samson as this big, strong, muscle-bound giant of a man.  I don't think that's correct at all. If his strength had come from his muscles, they wouldn’t have been trying to figure out how he did what he did.

 

Samson wasn’t strong because of his tremendous physical size. The source of Samson's strength was the power of God that resided in him and when God took away the power, the Bible says Samson didn’t even know his strength was gone.

 

Whatever God has given to you, give it back to Him and use it for His glory and for the good of other people.

 

 

Listen:  You don’t have to be the greatest at what you do.  So what if someone serves in a bigger place or has more talent or does things better?  Just be the best you can be for the Lord!

 

I heard about a wife whose husband snored. She couldn't sleep because of it and she went to her doctor. The doctor said, "I tell you what you do. When he gets to sleep at night, just tie a ribbon around his nose."

 

That night he had a meeting and he didn't get in until real late. He went on in to bed and immediately went to sleep. Immediately he began snoring. She took a blue ribbon and tied it around his nose. Sure enough he quit snoring. The next morning when they woke up she said, "Where were you last night?"  He said, "I don't remember, but wherever it was, I won the first prize."

 

You may never win first prize. That's not the point.

The point is that your life is gifted and because of that, nothing can stop you.

 

Notice another truth. Paul was unhindered because his life was

 

 

Verses 11-16

 

Notice the geographic references in these verses.

 

In verse 11, he gets in a certain boat.

Verse 12, they land at Syracuse and stay three days.

Verse 13, we find them at Rhegium and the next day, Puteoli.

Spent seven days there and headed for Rome.

Ran into some friends at Appii Form and Three Inns and then notice the beginning of verse 16

 

“And when we came to Rome”

 

You know what that tells me?  Even though it appears random and disjointed, God was guiding his life.  God is leading him in his destination. God sees to it that he gets there.

 

Paul had a great desire to go to Rome. God told him he was going to Rome. In fact, in Acts 9:15, right after his baptism, God said, “One of these days, you’re going to preach before kings”.

 

Well guess who lives in Rome?  Caesar, and soon Paul will be knocking on his door.  And all along the way God gave him assurances. It was a perilous journey. But he got there. He had a destination. He was headed somewhere.

 

Do you know where you are headed? Listen, if you don’t know where you’re going how will you know when you get there?

 

Do you have a sense of destination in your life? You can pull any detail from the life of Paul you want to, and by itself, it will appear to be random and meaningless.  But when you map the whole thing out and see the hand of God at work, you must come to the conclusion, God was guiding his life.

 

Paul was guided in his destination. Did you know your life has a destination also?  God has a plan for your life. As a child of God you are not just in random existence.

You’re heading somewhere with divine appointments along the way.

 

Not only did God guide him in his destination, he also guided him in his proclamation.

 

Paul is not in Rome to sightsee. He's there to preach the gospel of the Lord.  God had saved him and it changed his life. And now he feels a sense of obligation.

 

Romans 1:14

 

He was obligated to preach the gospel.  You and I are as well. How can it be right for you and I to know the saving gospel of Jesus Christ that keeps people out of hell and get them to heaven and not have a sense of obligation to share that with others?

 

Not only does he have an obligation, but also he has a sense of dedication.

 

Verse 15

 

His mind was saturated with the gospel. His heart was stirred by the gospel. His will was surrendered to the gospel.

 

Not only that, he has a sense of satisfaction.

 

verse 16

 

I wish I could put into my voice how I believe he is saying this. He is not apologizing. He is rejoicing. He is expressing satisfaction.

 

 

He says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes."

 

Listen:  don't have to be ashamed of the gospel. You don't have to be intimidated. I realize we are living in a time in America when it’s a whole lot more popular to be homosexual or Muslim than Christian, but you and I have the truth, and there we stand.

 

Let them look down on you. Let them make fun of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm here to tell you that the gospel can stand the test. Let them hurl their insults. Let them hurl their arguments. This old book of God has stood the test. You don't have to be ashamed of the gospel. You don't' have to be ashamed of the Bible. You don't have to be ashamed of the church. You don't have to be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ. This gospel stands the test.

 

And when all others have fallen and failed, it will still be standing.

 

Paul is guided in his destination and he was guided in his proclamation.

 

Then notice the concluding verses.

 

Paul is allowed some private living quarters, but he is accompanied by a soldier to guard him.

 

After three days, Paul calls for the Jewish leaders to come, gives them a little word on what’s going on and why he’s there, and then notice,

 

Verses 23-24

 

You and I need to know that.  It’s always that way.  I wish everybody would be saved, but they are not all going to be saved. I'm praying everybody here today will leave this building a child of God, but the truth of the matter is, some will leave saved, and others will leave having not believed.

 

But some believed and some believed not. Some received the gospel, some rejected the gospel.

 

Then Paul quotes a verse from the book of Isaiah warning them not to close their eyes and ears to the gospel.  He is pleading with them to open up their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

That's the plea I make to everyone of you today who needs our Lord. Say yes to the Lord.

 

The poet wrote,

 

"There comes a time, I know not when.

A place, I know not where.

Which marks the destiny of men

To heaven or despair.

There is a line that is drawn

It crosses every path.

The hidden boundary between

God's patience and His wrath."

 

Don't cross over the line this morning.

 

Dear Christian friend, may you know today the power of an unhindered life that is guarded, gifted and guided by the hand of the Lord Himself as you go out to serve others and share the gospel.

 

Let's bow our heads in prayer.