A Great Boast Pt 2

How did you do on your little
project? I give you a project. Three questions. Who’s getting
baptized? Who’s preaching next week? And
who fell off the sky slide? OK, so we have at least one being
baptized, and perhaps more. Abby’s going to be baptized later
today. She placed her faith in Christ. And we had a great talk
the other night. But the added privilege is that
Grandpa’s in town. and grandpa’s going to do the
baptism and he’s also the one preaching next week. Pastor Jim
Greenacre is here and he’ll do Evie’s baptism later. So that
answers two of the questions. The skyslide is much more difficult
to answer. See, in three weeks from now,
I will be in Hill Rose preaching for Brother Moses Estrada and
his church at Grace Advanced Church Plant. Neat opportunity.
On the 10th, I’ll be here. And you’re saying, what does
that have to do with anything? I’m working my way back, is what
I’m doing. Three weeks, I’m in Hill Rose. In two weeks, I’m
here. Next weekend, I’m gone. I have
opportunity to preach up in Spearfish for Brother Greg Dennison, another
Grace Advanced Church plant. And that brings us to this week.
Well, this week, we were in the mountains. And the kids said,
Dad, the sky slide. You’ve got to do the sky slide.
I said, if I’m going to do the sky slide, I’m going to get it
on video. And I also announced before I got on the sky slide
that I was going to do it Looch style, which means no break. So that’s what’s left of it.
I’m the guy that fell off. If you would take your Bibles
and turn to the book of Romans, Romans chapter 15. Romans, chapter
15, and we’re picking up essentially in the midst of a passage that
we’ve already begun to consider Romans, chapter 15, verse 17
through 19. Paul is drawing a conclusion. He’s coming to the conclusion
of the book itself. He has already begun a section,
verses 14 through 16, where he engaged in both blessing of the
Roman Church and giving them encouragement. The entire chapter
15 is dedicated essentially to Paul’s relationship with the
Roman Church, and we come to another section here in verse
17 through 19, where Paul essentially takes a bit of a divergence.
He’s still speaking to the Romans, but he wants them to know that
he is not afraid to boast. Now, if you weren’t here last
Lord’s Day, there’s no doubt that sounds strange. Certainly,
we know that the scriptures forbid boasting. We looked at a number
of these testimonies last week. Psalm 75, for I said to the boastful,
do not boast and to the wicked, do not lift up the horn. Scripture
seems to paint a very bad, evil picture of boasting. Romans. And when Paul begins this great
epistle of the Romans, he put boasting in the midst of that
great catalog of vices, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant,
boastful inventors of evil. That’s where he puts boasting.
And so for Paul to say that he engages in boasting about anything
is somewhat surprising. But Paul. Paul. seizes upon this opportunity
to grip the attention of the Romans and tell them that he
had great cause for boasting, that his boasting would be justified
before God himself. If you would, verses 17 through
19 of Romans, chapter 15, boasting in God, verse 17, therefore,
in Christ Jesus, I have found reason for boasting. In things
pertaining to God, For I will not presume to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the
obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of
signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit, so that from Jerusalem
round about as far as Elycrium, I have fully preached the gospel
of Christ.” gathered in their attention.
And Paul knew well that boasting, boasting in evil things, boasting
in our sinfulness, boasting in our own accomplishments, boasting
in our flesh, boasting in our wealth. Paul knew well that those
things were forbidden. Paul knew that those were sinful.
But Paul also knew the truth of Jeremiah 9.23. Thus says the
Lord, let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, Let not the mighty
man boast of his might. Let not the rich man boast of
his riches, but let him who boasts boast of this, that he knows,
understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises loving
kindness, justice and righteousness on earth. For I delight in these
things, declares the Lord. Paul knew that there was a kind
of boasting that was sanctioned by God, that it was good and
right. That’s the kind of boasting that
Paul purposes to get in. Into in this particular passage,
Paul says, I found reason for boasting, and we looked at that
last week, it has a derivative element, the verb suggesting
not only that Paul had discovered a reason for boasting and had
engaged in it, but that reason remained and the boasting therefore
needed to remain. There was great cause for boasting.
And it would and should continue. We began to look at four elements
of this boasting, and I’ll just briefly review this morning.
First of all, the realm of boasting, look at the realm of boasting. This boasting was to be literally
in Christ Jesus. in the realm of Christ Jesus,
and we spent no little time looking at all of the blessings that
we have just based on our standing in Christ Jesus. We’re going
to have a baptism service today, and one of the reasons I said
before, I don’t believe Romans six is teaching about baptism,
but the word that it uses there absolutely makes the case airtight
that baptism, if it’s going to be done, is to be done by immersion. Because in that verse, Romans
six, verses one through three, Paul talks about having been
placed in Christ, we are literally baptized into Christ. That’s what I’ve said before.
There’s no water there. He’s not talking about water baptism
there, but he’s using this word metaphorically that we are placed
into immersed into Christ and all the blessings that we have
flow from that union, our redemption, our eternal life, our the love
that we experience from God, the unity that we have, the sanctification
that we experience, everything that we have. is because of our
union with Christ. Now, somebody mentioned this.
I put it in a booklet. If you want the booklet, I’ll
provide the booklets. Maybe I’ll print them and have
them for you next Lord’s Day. Everything that we have is because
of our union in and with the Lord Jesus Christ. The realm
of boasting is Christ. Outside of Christ, there is no
cause for boasting. It’s hopelessness. It’s godlessness. But in Christ and suddenly in
Christ, everything is made new and and we have a new standing
before God and we have great cause for boasting. Not only
the realm of boasting, but look at the topic of boasting. Paul
says, therefore, in Christ Jesus, I have found reason for boasting
in things pertaining to God that echoes with Jeremiah nine that
You know, outside of God, our wealth, our looks, our privileges
that we have, our citizenry, we have great cause to to give
second thought to ever stepping into boasting in those particular
areas. We have we have great caution
to ever have a boastful attitude about those things. But when
it talks about God, when it talks about the greatness of our God,
when it talks about the purity of our God, when you begin to
think of those things, now we are prompted with everything
within us to boast in what God has accomplished with regards
to our relationship with him, with regards to the Savior that
he’s provided, the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf,
the finished work of Christ on the on the cross. When it comes
to the topic of boasting things pertaining to God, Paul says,
I found great reason. We looked at not only the realm
of boasting and the topic of boasting, the cause of boasting,
look at the cause of boasting in verse 18. Paul begins to explain
here, for I will not presume to speak of anything except what
Christ has accomplished through me. Now, if you weren’t here
last week, this can get a little bit sticky, so let me back up
and just say, here’s how I when I approach a passage, the first
thing I do is I find a simple sentence and the simple sentence
is this. Therefore, I have found reason
for boasting. I had fully preached the gospel
of Christ. Essentially, there are two. Everything
in between that is explanatory. So what Paul says here in verse
18, he’s giving us the reason he’s supporting what he’s already
said that this topic of boasting things pertaining to God, for
I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has
accomplished through me. He’s not going to talk about
others labors and he’s not going to talk about anything that God
hasn’t done now specifically. And he puts it in parenthesis
here, the obedience of the Gentiles. That’s where Paul’s going with
much of the descriptive. That’s the end result. But he’s
going to talk about particulars in just a moment. You see, there
was a time in Paul’s life we saw that he had gloried in his
accomplishments. He had boasted in those things.
He had boasted in his upbringing, his background, his nationality,
his schooling. But those things he said he was
willing to count as laws, Philippians 3. And now he looks and he looks
to what God is doing in and through him and he has he has greater
cause now to boast than ever before. And now it’s justified. As one pastor said, Paul’s greatest
talent was his ability to enter a completely pagan city that
practiced devil worship and gather a group of transformed believers
in the name of Christ. He then hovered over them in
prayer and by constant admonition lifted them from the most corrupt
forms of heathenism to the highest level of Christian godliness
and morality. Paul had great cause for boasting.
Paul had been used by God. He’d been touched by God, placed
into his service, and now was essentially looking at all the
ways that God had used him. He had great cause for boasting,
and not the least of which was the obedience of faith into which
the Gentiles had come. But I said that we were going
to focus this morning just by way of a very brief review, we’re
going to focus on the particulars of boasting. We know the realm
of boasting is Christ Jesus, we know the topic of boasting
is things pertaining to God, we know the cause of boasting
is all that God had begun to accomplish through the Apostle
Paul. But what were the particulars? Exactly how did God use Paul? What had God done through Paul? And essentially, this frames
a good test for us as well. Paul says, I have fully preached
the gospel of Christ. What an astounding statement. It not only Given it clearly
and accurately, a challenge for all shepherds in this day and
age to hold nothing back, to hold nothing that is unpalatable
to the modern ear. To not hold that back, to not
keep back the discussion of sin and sinfulness, to not keep back
the great need of a savior lest we perish in our sin. To not
hold back the need of repentance, a turning of our back on sin
and a turning to Christ, as Paul articulated to the Thessalonian
church. Paul, Paul had preached it. Paul had preached it consistently.
He had given out the whole counsel of God. He would hold nothing
back. He wanted nothing more than to
please God in his calling. I have fully preached the gospel
message. Now, I want you to look at something.
If you just glance down, what Paul says at the very end there
encapsulates what he says from the middle of 18B all the way
down to the end of 19. He says, I have fully preached
the gospel of Christ. How? By word and deed, in the
power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit, so that
from Jerusalem round about as far as I have fully preached
the gospel of Christ. We began last Lord’s Day to look
at how Paul had preached by word. It’s so obvious I don’t want
to belabor the point, but certainly his defenses before civil authorities
were opportunities to preach the word and he seized upon them
before Festus before Felix, before Agrippa, Paul would take opportunity
to testify of Christ. He would not be shy about those
opportunities, nor would he squander them. He gave testimonies before
the Jews, Acts 22. He gave his own personal testimony
before King Agrippa in Acts chapter 26. When it talks about his ministry
of the word and preaching the gospel and sharing fully the
gospel of Christ, Certainly, we would have to include his
epistles, even the epistle of the Romans written to the Roman
church. What more completely articulates
the gospel than does this epistle? But beyond that, Paul wrote the
majority of the New Testament. Certainly, we could echo Paul’s
sentiment here that he had fully preached the gospel of Christ
by word. Then you add to that his sermons. Several of which are recorded
in the scriptures turn, if you would, just by way of an example
to Acts chapter 17. I say this because this very
verse came up even this past week in conversation, and so
let’s just feast on God’s word. We’re just basically hearing
God prove the point that Paul had fully preached the gospel
of Christ by word. Watch what happens here in Acts
17, verse 22. Paul stood in the midst of the
Areopagus and said, Men of Athens, I observed that you are very
religious in all respects. You remember the cause that Paul
saw all these so-called gods, these statues, and he was provoked
and he said, I observed that you’re very religious in all
respects, for while I was passing through and examining the objects
of your worship, I found an altar with this inscription. To an
unknown God, therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this
I proclaim to you, the God who made the world and all things
in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in
temples made with hands, nor is he served by human hands as
though as if he needed anything. Since he himself gives to all
people life and breath and all things, and he made from one
man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth,
having determined their appointed times and boundaries of their
habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might
grope for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of
us. Do you hear the gospel? Do you hear him proclaiming the
gospel to utter heathens? That they should seek God and
for in him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own
poets have said, for we also are his children. Being then
the children of God, we ought not to think of the divine nature
is like gold or silver or stone in the image formed by the art
and thought of man. Therefore, having overlooked
the times of ignorance, Paul takes him right up to the moment.
Paul said, look, God’s going to forgive you right now for
making these statues, these dumb idols. Having overlooked the
times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people
everywhere should repent because he has fixed a day in which he
will judge the world in righteousness. through a man whom he has appointed,
having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead.”
Wow. Even if Paul stopped right there
and never wrote another epistle, never preached another sermon,
you could say he nailed it right there. He had fully preached. He left nothing out. By his testimonies, by his epistles,
by his preaching, No doubt, Paul had fully preached. The gospel,
but the funny thing is here, it says that also by his deeds. Now, a lot of people, a lot of
commentators said that by his deeds, these were the miracles
that he performed as he went about that gave credence to his
preaching. They kind of buffeted his preaching
and made his preaching more believable because he was also doing miracles.
Well, the interesting thing is, though, Paul is going to talk
about miracles. He mentions them and we don’t
need to be nervous about that. Paul was living and working absolutely
infused in his day in the power of the Holy Spirit. We shouldn’t
be nervous a bit that Paul went about doing signs and wonders. For us non charismatics, we don’t
have to be nervous at all. Paul is going to address signs
and wonders. Paul is going to address those
kinds of deeds. That’s not what he’s talking
about here when he says deeds. I don’t believe so. One commentator described it
as active exertion. OK, well, you could talk. You
could mention a lot of examples about Paul in that regard. You
could even say in our modern vernacular that Paul walked the
talk, his deeds, you know, he didn’t do anything that he didn’t
ask or he didn’t ask anybody to do anything that he wasn’t
also willing to do. He walked the talk. I think that’s
somewhat accurate. It’s a simplified way of saying
it. Here’s where I think. Paul’s going with this one little
word. There’s a. contemporary book that’s out
called A Life of Principled Obedience. Al Martin wrote it based on Psalm
119 and some verses therein. But I love that title. That title
could very easily characterize the Apostle Paul couldn’t it.
A Life of Principled Obedience. May I give you just a few examples. Turn, if you would, to Acts chapter
15. I think what Paul is pointing to here
when he says deed is not just that he lived a prayerful life,
that he lived a godly life, but that you could look at his life
on a day-by-day basis and see God working out the gospel. You could see God working out
Biblical principles. The first was a demand for commitment
in Christ’s service. You know the story. Picking up
in verse 36, Paul and Barnabas are preparing to go back out
and Barnabas wants to take along his cousin, John Mark, and Paul
says no. He abandoned us in the midst
of the ministry and he cannot go. Look at verse 38. Paul kept insisting that they
should not take along him who had deserted them in Pamphylia
and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred
such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another.
And Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But
Paul chose Silas and left being committed by the brethren to
the grace of the Lord. And he was traveling through
Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Paul stood on principle. Paul took this opportunity and
he could have just ignored it. He could have just plunged headlong. But I think these are the kinds
of things these deeds. Principled obedience. Where Paul
stands out and he stands exemplary to you and to me. Turn over one
chapter to chapter 16. In chapter 16, we have a completely
different situation, Paul has been arrested, thrown in prison
and, you know. Probably eager to get out of
this prison, dark and dank. Smelly. Lack of freedom. But watch what happens, look
at verse 25. Around midnight, Paul and Silas
were praying. Singing hymns of praise to God
and the prisoners were listening to them and suddenly there came
a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison house
were shaken and immediately all the doors were open and everyone’s
chains were unfastened. Freedom at last. Not so fast. You’re talking a
man talking about a man with principled obedience. You’re
talking about a man who is all about the gospel. You’re talking
about one who is concerned for souls, more concerned about souls
than he is about his own personal freedom. Paul’s not going anywhere. When the jailer awoke and saw
the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill
himself because he would lose his life anyway for losing the
prisoners, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul
cried out with a loud voice. Do not harm yourself, for we
are all here. Can you imagine how astounded
the prison guard was? Utterly astounded. And he wasn’t
astounded because they were there. Perhaps some bricks had fallen
on their legs or perhaps their chains did not free them. The prison guard was astounded
that a prisoner had that kind of a regard for him. called for lights and rushed
in and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
This touched him. This deed, accompanied with the
gospel that Paul was preaching, bore fruit. And after he brought them out,
he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? You have something
different. Your deeds go far beyond just
matching your talk. This sinners Spiritual freedom
was more important than Paul’s personal freedom. Turn, if you
would, over to second, pardon me, first Corinthians, chapter
two. We know that Paul preached the
gospel, look at the way that Paul preached the gospel. that
his preaching was not in men’s wisdom, but it was in God’s power.
When I came to you, brethren, verse one, I did not come with
superiority of speech or wisdom proclaiming to you the testimony
of God. And I love the way you’ll see this pattern. Paul calls
them to recall. Remember when I can’t remember
how I functioned when I came into your midst. And I came to
you, I did not come with superiority of speech or wisdom proclaiming
to you the testimony of God, for I determined to know nothing
among you except Jesus Christ and himself crucified the gospel.
I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling and my
message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom,
but in demonstration of spirit and a power so that your faith
would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
Paul wanted them to know that and the only way that he could
do that is by his deeds to back up. With his preaching of the
gospel. The way that he went about everything
that he did. No wonder he said to the Corinthians
later on chapter 4 verse one, don’t turn. I’ll be gone by the
time you get there. Let a man regard to let a man regard us
in this manner as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries
of God. Don’t roll out the red carpet
for me. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. We’re talking about his deeds,
how he went about preaching the gospel, not just that he preached
the gospel, but how he lived in accordance with that, how
these very deeds opened doors. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 19, for
though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to
all. This was something objective.
This was something that people could see. Paul wasn’t a dignitary. Paul didn’t carry himself around
as an elitist. Paul didn’t want the chief seats.
He was a slave. He was a servant. I have made
myself a slave to all that I might win more. This would open more
doors for him if he came in humbly, if he came in as a servant. To
the Jews, I became a Jew so that I might win Jews to those under
the law as under the law and not being myself under the law
so that I might win those who are under the law. Turn, if you would, to second
Corinthians. In verse 12. Listen to this testimony
for our proud confidence is this. The testimony of our conscience
that in holiness and in godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom,
but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world
and especially toward you. Paul says, look, go before the
throne of grace and ask God himself, how did he live? And Paul says,
that our deeds were impeccable. The way that we live, the way
that we carried ourselves, the way that we conducted ourselves
in the course of ministry was absolutely, God is our witness,
impeccable. Turn over to chapter 4 if you
would. What were his deeds? How did
he live? Look at verse 1. Therefore, since we have this
ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart,
but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not
walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation
of truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in
the sight of God. These are profound words. He
just basically says, look, I’m going to go everywhere and I’m
going to preach the truth because that’s what God asked for. That’s
what God demands. I’m going to trust Him in that. I’m not going to come up with
my own creative approach to ministry. I’m not going to soften any edges.
I’m not going to hold back. I’m not looking to brutalize
anybody, but I’m not going to water down God’s Word for anyone. Speaking of Paul’s deeds, Paul
was one He never, ever would take even a penny from somebody
if it thought it might undercut his gospel ministry opportunity
with them. Look at chapter seven in chapter
seven, verse two. Paul says, make room for us in
your hearts, we wronged no one again, he calls he calls to mind
the way that he lived among them. We wronged no one. We corrupted
no one. We took advantage of no one.
You know what we were like. Turn over a couple of chapters
to chapter 7 or chapter, pardon me, chapter 11. It touches on this same exact thing.
Did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted
because I preached the gospel to you without charge, you said
you get all these charlatans, all these people coming through
that want to charge for all their services and charge you for prayer
and charge you for all these things that they do charge you
for sermons. Paul said, look, I did what I
did without charge. Turn, if you would, to First
Thessalonians as we close this consideration of Paul’s deeds.
One of the most beautiful pictures of pastoral ministry, I think,
recorded in Scripture is here in the second chapter of First
Thessalonians. And once again, He calls them
to remember how he conducted himself in their midst, that
his deeds buffeted, augmented, proved his preaching. For you
yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you is not in vain,
but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi,
as you know, we have the boldness in our God to speak to you the
gospel of God amid much opposition. For our exhortation does not
come from error or impurity or by way of deceit, but just as
we’ve been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
So we speak not as pleasing men, but God who examines our heart.
For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with
a pretext for greed. God is witness. Nor did we seek
glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as
apostles of Christ, we might have asserted our authority.
But we proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly
cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for
you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel
of God, but also our own lives, because you have become very
dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working
night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaim
to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is
God. How devoutly and uprightly and
blamelessly we behave toward you believers. Just as you know,
we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you
as a father would his own children. so that you would walk in a manner
worthy of the God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. How’s that a check for our own
ministries, how’s that a check for our own approach? We we say it almost tongue in
cheek, we almost say it as if it’s optional to walk the talk,
you know, he really walks the talk, which means he just happened
to have a good day of being a Christian and it kind of augmented you
know, his preaching of the gospel. But Paul, in principle, was obedient. Paul saw his deeds as being every
bit as important. His walk, the way that he conducted
himself, the way that he executed his tenacious hold to biblical
principle. It’s far beyond the fact that
Paul walked the talk. Paul lived a life of principled
obedience. But he says he preached the gospel
fully. Not only by word and by deed,
but in the power of signs and wonders. Now, this is where you
and I leave off. We don’t have these kinds of
gifts you’ve heard we’ve talked about this. On many other occasions,
I am a cessationist. These gifts are not for today,
but for Paul, they were for Paul in this fledgling ministry called
Christianity. They were absolutely crucial.
And Paul said that in the power of signs and wonders, he was
actively engaged in being used by God. The word for power here,
you know it well. Dunamis were from where we get
our word dynamite. Even that one word could point
to the idea of a miracle, but then he lays it out not only
in power, but in signs and in wonders. Paul says to the Corinthians,
second Corinthians to 1212 that the signs of a true apostle were
performed among you. How by signs and wonders and
miracles, Paul wasn’t afraid to identify himself with that.
Paul wasn’t afraid to acknowledge that that’s how God had used
him. There is a difference here in
these two words, signs and wonders, but if you take them collectively,
they’re certainly a summary of a supernatural ministry, a ministry
that bore the very marks of God. Signs and wonders are supernatural
deeds. The difference is that a miracle
is called a wonder. When it brings about some effect
upon those who observe it, when they’re astounded upon what they
witness, it’s called a wonder, it brings wonder to men’s minds. When it’s called a sign, it’s
because it’s pointing to a different source, it’s pointing to the
one who really performed the work. And so Paul uses these
two different words here to speak of these phenomena. Paul’s labors. Paul’s commissioning was a sign. Paul’s labors as he went out
before God bore these not only natural gifts, but supernatural
gifts in order to to bring legitimacy to his preaching of the gospel. Paul speaks about these on many
different occasions. And the book of Acts records
a great many times where it just mentions these almost in passing. Acts 14, they spent a long time
there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord who was testifying
to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done
by their hands. Just mentions these again. In
Acts chapter 15. The people kept silent. They
were listening to Barnabas and Paul. They were relating what
signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
Just very general. No detail. Same thing in Acts
14. Same thing in Acts 16. In Acts 16, verse 16, it happened
that as they were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl
having a spirit of divination met us who was bringing her master’s
much profit by fortune telling following after his Paul kept
crying out, saying, These men are bond servants of the most
high God who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.
We don’t need the demon, you know, as your ministry assistant.
She kept doing this for many days, but Paul was greatly annoyed
and turned and said in the spirit, I command you in the name of
Jesus Christ to come out of her. Now you have a specific example. Of signs and wonders. Likewise. With the Philippian jailer, there
was not only the miracle of the the earthquake itself, but the
miracle that Paul and his companions stayed there in the prison. Another
noteworthy miracle. Occurs in Acts, Chapter 20, where
did I leave you turn to Acts, Chapter 20, regardless of where
I left you. This records for Utica’s Sleepy,
tired, Utica’s. In verse 10, after falling out
the window, records what happened next. But Paul went down, he
fell a man in the course of Paul’s preaching, fell out the window
and was taken up dead. Paul went down, fell upon him,
embracing him, said, Do not be troubled for his life is in him.
When he had gone back up and broken bread and eaten, he talked
with them a while until they I mean, this it’s almost taken
us, you know, This was a miracle that was performed in their midst
in order to augment the preaching of the gospel. You know well, the story about
the snake that fastened itself on Paul, Acts 28, yet Paul didn’t
die, the tribesmen that were nearby were just astounded at
the miracle that was done. And Paul, he wasn’t shy about
proclaiming the fact that he had been granted such powers. Even speaking about such a unpopular
topic in our own day and age as tongues, where so many people
claim tongues, Paul says in Acts 14, 18, I thank God that I speak
in tongues more than you all. Paul spoke in tongues, Paul was
granted the sign gift of tongues to give credence to his preaching. Such Such miracles were received
by God’s people as attestations of the gospel ministry. Regardless
of where I left you turn back to Acts chapter 13. I want to
show you this one as we draw to a close. In Acts chapter 13 verse 42 records
Paul and Barnabas were going out the people kept begging that
these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. Now,
I would say that his ministry of the word is having effect
now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews
and of the God fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who,
speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace
of God. The next Sabbath, nearly the
whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. But when
the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and
began contradicting the things spoken by Paul and were blaspheming. Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly
and said it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to
you first since you repudiated and judge yourselves unworthy
of eternal life. Behold, we are turning to the
Gentiles. for the Lord, for so the Lord has commanded us. I
have placed you as a light for the Gentiles that you may bring
salvation to the end of the earth. Watch this. When the Gentiles
heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the
Lord, and as many as Bennett had been appointed to eternal
life, believed and the word of the Lord was being spread through
the whole region. They saw Paul in action. They heard the gospel. And those
things together spoke truth and rang true with them. As one pastor
said, the most glorious thing that Christ ever did through
Paul was to gather the heathen. These stubborn, proud people. But note through whom he did
that. The most glorious thing Christ
had done through Paul is that Jesus was able to accomplish
these things through such a person as Paul. And he takes us back
to his conversion. And when you think about it,
it’s absolutely astounding. The wonder is that he could take
this proud, stubborn, self-righteous murderer of God’s people. And
turn him into the greatest pioneer missionary the world has ever
seen. No wonder Paul says almost impassive in the power of the
spirit. This was only made possible because
of the work of the Holy Spirit in his life that God had totally
changed and transformed him. Isn’t saying what he’s already
said a different way, he’s driving home the point that Paul’s ministry
was accomplished only because of the Holy Spirit’s work in
and through him. And he did it by deed and he
did it by word and he did it by signs and he did it by wonders,
but he did it. He did what he did in the power
of the Holy Spirit. Look at the end results in closing
from Jerusalem roundabout as far as a lick. Real illericum,
I can’t even pronounce it. Basically, what Paul points to
here is the geographical measure of his work. He essentially draws
an arc. And he says, beginning in Jerusalem,
Acts chapter nine and coursing through the missionary journeys
that Paul engaged, Acts chapter 13 through 19. Paul basically
draws this arc and he says, look, if you want to look, look at
what God has accomplished. Through a sinner such as I. Paul
wasn’t boasting in his own deeds. Paul wasn’t bragging about what
he had done in and with his life. Paul was ashamed about the sinful
part of his life, and if he could have changed, then he would have.
Paul eagerly laid aside even the highest and most noble achievements
that he had accomplished before he knew Christ. He didn’t treat
them as a trophy case. He treated them as things eagerly
sacrificed. For the privilege of knowing
Jesus Christ as a savior. One pastor said God had borne
abundant testimony to Paul’s claims as a divinely commissioned
preacher of the gospel so that he had no need to refer to what
others had done. He was satisfied to rest his
claims on the results of his own labors. and the testimony
of God. Now, I ask you, for you and I,
the test comes not with signs and wonders. Certainly, we are,
as believers in Christ, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
But how is your own preaching of the gospel going? How faithful are you to reach
out to others with the good news of Christ as Savior? Is there
enough life to back up that preaching? Is there enough to augment the
message of the Gospel that you proclaim to the lost? What a great study for God’s
people is the life of the faithful servant, Paul. Let’s humble ourselves
before our Savior. Our merciful King, we humble
ourselves in Your presence. And Lord, we thank you for such
a servant as Paul. We thank you for saving him.
We thank you for placing him on the path of righteousness
and placing him in your service and infusing him with grace.
Lord, grant us grace. Likewise, to look to Paul as
an example. An example of boldness with the
gospel and clarity one who would not water the gospel down for
anything. Grant us the grace, likewise,
Father, to live a life of principled obedience that buffets this preaching
of the gospel, that augments what we say with our mouths by
what people see with our lives. Grant us that grace, Father, And we know that it’s only possible
by the work of the Spirit in our own lives. Grant us grace as we go out.
It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray, Amen.