God is in Control
Acts 20:6-12There once was a small coastal town with only one church. This small church was entertaining an itinerant preacher. It was the second time for this preacher to visit this town and this church. He had stayed for a week with the Christians teaching and encouraging them in all things. The Christians of the town had gathered together Saturday night to celebrate the Lord's supper and to send off the visiting preacher. This assembly of Christians met together that Saturday night on the third floor of their building which had a small balcony projecting out over the street. The night was dark, and only the moon appeared as a faint crescent in the early part of the night. Many oil-burning lamps were used to light the room, for it was before the time of the electric light bulb. The place was hot and crowded because of the press of the people in such a small area. The preacher was preaching with an intensity that was born from his knowledge that the next day he had to leave the city, perhaps never to return, and souls might be lost by delay. And so the preacher preached on and on and on - - - The room grew increasingly, uncomfortably warm and low on oxygen because of the many burning lamps. In this crowded room, there was a teenager, a young man everyone called "Lucky," sitting on the edge of the balcony. Because of the great crowd, the burning lamps, and the long sermon, Lucky became very sleepy, and finally dropped off to sleep. When he fell asleep, Lucky fell from the balcony onto the pavement below, three floors down. The crowd, almost as one, fled downstairs and crowded around the broken body of Lucky. One of the Christians, a doctor, pushed his way through the crowd, and after a brief examination, pronounced Lucky to be dead. And in the crowd, milling about, some were crying, others were in confusion, all were filled with sadness. Finally, after some delay, the visiting preacher pushed his way through, fell upon Lucky's broken body like Elisha of old, then he stood up and announced to the crowd, "Don't be sad, for he is now alive!" Well, hardly believing what they had just seen, some of the people picked up Lucky, carried him inside the church, then all went back upstairs to celebrate the Lord's Supper with a fresh vision of resurrected life before them - one who had died, then been brought back to life by the power of God. The preacher, in his excitement, preached on 'till daybreak. Then, that Lord's Day morning, as the preacher was leaving the church building, preparing to leave the town, the young man named Lucky walked outside to embrace him and to say farewell. The Christians of that small coastal town never forgot what happened at their church that night. And they never forgot the words spoken by that visiting preacher. And every time they saw Lucky, they were reminded that whatever the circumstances might be, God is in control. Whatever the circumstances might be, God is in control Reading of the text - That small coastal town was Troas, a coastal city on the western coast of Greece, leading into Europe. The Preacher was Paul the Apostle on his second journey through Troas. The young man who fell asleep and fell to his death was Eutycus, whose name means "lucky" or "fortunate." The doctor who examined Lucky and pronounced him dead was Luke the Physician, the human author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. This true-life story of resurrection is found in Acts 20:6-12 . . . 6
But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. 7Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. 9And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, "Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him." 11Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. 12And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.Application of the text - - Out of the many lessons we could learn from this marvelous story of resurrection, two distinctly stand out.
- first, whatever your circumstances might be, God is in control. God never loses control of the circumstances for He is omnipotent. This is the doctrine of the providence of God.
- WCF - Chap. V., I. God the Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
- WCF - Chap. V., VII. As the providence of God doth, in general, reach to all creatures; so after a most special manner, it taketh care of His church, and disposeth all things to the good thereof.
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have you done?"
Dan. 4:34-35 O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions.
Psalm 1o4:24 Known to God from eternity are all His works.
Acts 15:18 In Whom (Jesus Christ) also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:11-12 - And so, nothing happens in your life by chance or by luck. But God works all things in your life according to His eternal purpose after the counsel of His own will, to bring glory to Himself. No, it's not bad luck, it's the will of God for your life. Rest in His love. Trust in His mercy and grace. Have faith in His faithfulness.
- second, as you gain more of an understanding of the person of God, the power of God, and the plan of God, you will learn that there is no such thing as luck or chance. This is the doctrine of the eternal decrees of God.
- It wasn't just bad luck that Eutycus fell asleep and to his death that night, but it was the predetermined will of God, so that He might show His power over death, authenticating the message which His servant, Paul, was preaching and which was visibly taught in the Lord's supper.
- And so it is that it is not just bad luck, or good luck for that matter, that the present circumstances are upon you. God is working out His plan for your life and for the lives of all those around you.
- L.C._Q.12 What are the decrees of God?
A. God's decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time, especially concerning angels and men.Just as He chose us in Him (in Jesus Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him ... In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:4, 11-12 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Psalm -33:10-12Conclusion - The historical portions of the Bible are given to us as a written record of how God works in every circumstance in everyone's lives to accomplish His own purpose. And in all of your life, God works out His plan in your life by using circumstances. There are many Biblical examples, but two are most striking: the plight of Joseph and the glory of Jesus-
- We read of the plight of Joseph in Gen. 37:25-28
25And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27"Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened. 28Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. and Gen. 45:1-8 1Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. 3Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. 4And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5"But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6"For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7"And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8"So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt." . . . and this plight of Joseph is a type of the glory of Jesus.
- We read of the glory of Jesus in Lk. 23:44-46
44Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ " Having said this, He breathed His last. and Acts 2:21-24 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’ 22"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23"Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24"whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.Are you worried about your circumstances? Then know this, God is working in your life to accomplish His purpose and your good for His glory. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose . . . Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:28, 37-39I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Phil. 4:11-1.3 Remember, whatever circumstances might be, God is in control! |
