Series: Acts
Title: Unstoppable Power (The Chief End)
Text: Acts 28: 30-31
Date: December 9, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
The power of God is unstoppable in this earth to glorify his name, to save his people from their sins and to conquer all his enemies. In these two verses we see 3 ways the power of God works in his children.
Division:
1. The power of the love of God in the hearts of his children (which is the love that constrains us.)
2. The power of the gospel of the kingdom of God (which is our hope.)
3. The power of the faithfulness of our God (which is the confidence of faith.)
I. THE POWER OF GOD'S LOVE IN THE HEARTS OF HIS CHILDREN.
Paul and his brethren had the love of God in their hearts.
Acts 28: 30: And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house,
Paul paid his own expenses to rent this house. He was under what we would call, house arrest. Someone else was helping him and it was done for the sake of Christ for the furtherance of the word of truth for the brethren in Rome, as well as for those the Lord would call out through Paul's preaching. That is the chief end of God-given love.
At Corinth, Paul worked to pay his own expenses because Paul perceived there were some at Corinth who hated the gospel. Paul knew they would use anything to justify rejecting the gospel of Christ and to have men follow them. So Paul provided for himself.
1 Cor 9: 12: If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Yet, even then other churches--brethren--helped him to the end the gospel could be preached to the Corinthians:
2 Cor 11: 8: I robbed other churches, taking wages [of them], to do you service. 9: And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all [things] I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I keep [myself].
Now, at Rome Paul is bound with a chain. Yet, again, at this time, he received help from the churches he had been used to establish. Read Philippians 4: 10-19. Paul makes it clear that this was not due to a want, he was content in whatever state. But this was the fruit of the Spirit of God which he joyed to see in his brethren. And we will see in a moment the chief end was for the glory of Christ in the preaching of the gospel.
Fruit--Our God has given his own Son--and freely given his children all spiritual blessings in him. Through the sincere milk of the word, God makes us as newborn babes desiring this word. As we feed upon this word, the Lord works all things in providence together, so that we experience the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. He makes us know more that the gospel of Christ is more valuable than any other thing in this world.
So that we want to do everything we can for our brethren for this CHIEF END--that the gospel be near them and they be unhindered in hearing the gospel, that others be called out through it.
These saints loved Paul. They wanted to see Paul provided for. But it was for the sake of Christ Jesus the Lord, so that Paul could declare Christ to all at Rome.
Philippians 1: 3: I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: 7: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
PAUL AND HIS BRETHREN HAD THE UNSTOPPALBE POWER OF GOD'S LOVE CONSTRAINING THEM AND THE FRUIT WAS THEY PROVIDED WHAT GOD HAD GIVENT THEM FOR THE DEFENSE AND CONFIRMATION OF THE GOSPEL.
II. THE POWER OF GOD IN THE GOSPEL
Paul had the dynamite needed to do this work. It was his hope and the hope he had of others being called in power even as he.
Acts 28: 30:…and received all that came in unto him, 31: Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ,
The Kingdom of God is Eternal
Daniel 4: 2: I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation….34: And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Christ Jesus the Son of the Highest is the King of this Kingdom
Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
- His by promise--everlasting covenant
- His by purchase--it is finished!
- His by privilege--right
Daniel saw Christ going to the Father
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14: And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Christ the King is Working in His Kingdom by the Power of his Mighty Spirit
Mark 9:1: And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
On the day of Pentecost: Acts 2:2: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance….11:…we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Peter stood up and said, Acts 2: 29: Men [and] brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;…36: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
The Most High has set his King in his holy hill of Zion and he rules over heaven and earth, not by might and power of men--but BY THE IRRESISTABLE POWER OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT!
Therefore the Growth of God's Kingdom is Unstoppable
Ps 72:16: There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
The Kinsmen Redeemer is reaping in this field right now--leaving handfuls of purpose in every place he sends his gospel and gathers a people in his name. The fruit thereof is plenteous like that of Lebannon. They of the THE CITY flourish like grass upon the earth.
Those coming to hear Paul in our text, were doing exactly what the King said they would:
Isaiah 60:5: Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Every Chosen Child of God Has Their Hour Appointed-Foreordained-Predestinated by God When They Shall Hear The Gospel and Be Given the Spirit of Adoption whereby each shall call God, Abba, Father. Election and predestination to hear the truth and belief the truth are both worked together by God who works all things together.
2 Thess 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Ephesians 1: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will….8: Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;…9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:…11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ga 4:6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
The god of chance is a gambler. The God of heaven and earth works all things together exactly as he predestinated from before he made the worlds. All comes to pass exactly on time, in time, bringing each of his children into his timeless kingdom.
Every Earthly Kingdom Below is His and Used of Christ our King for his Glory and the Good of his Saints
Daniel 2: 44: And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45: Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Revelation 17:14: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
At Last This King Shall Come and We Shall Dwell With Him in his Kingdom in the New Heaven and New Earth..
2 Peter 3: 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Hebrews 12: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.
At Last Every Knee Shall Bow at the Name of our King
Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
This word of the gospel never returns unto the Lord void but always accomplishes the purpose for which he sent it. It is the unstoppable power of God for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. In the gospel was Paul's very hope for himself, for his brethren and the hope of all those yet blind and lost.
III. THE POWER OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.
Paul had the assurance that his God is faithful--this is our confidence.
Acts 28: 31:...with all confidence,
The Lord hid nothing from Paul concerning the Lord's power to save-therefore Paul trusted the Lord and hid nothing from those who came to hear the gospel--he spoke with all confidence in the Lord.
1. Confidence is in God's faithfulness toward us.
Ephesians 3: 11: According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
2. Confidence in our Lord is our strength.
Isaiah 30: 15: For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:
"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence" (Pr 3: 26).
"The Lord shall be thy confidence" (Pr 14:26).
3. It is what made Paul's brethren joyfully provide for him while he was in bonds.
Hebrews 10: 34: For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35: Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
CONCLUSION--ONCE AGAIN, AS WE HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ACTS, GOD PROVES HIS POWER IS THE ONLY POWER TO SAVE!
Acts 31…no man forbidding him.
Paul could have second-guessed things had he looked at himself, at his past, at his decisions, at his present chain.
But he was kept by the Power of God working in his heart:
1. The power of God's love--Paul's love.
2. The power of the gospel of Christ--Paul's hope.
3. The power of God who is faithful--the confidence of Paul's faith.
Therefore, Paul worked where God placed him. When the Lord shuts the door no man can open it! When the Lord holds the door open, and no man can shut it! All unfolded by God's sovereign hand for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ, for the edification and strengthening of Paul and for the calling out of many more brethren, even from among Caesar's house. Let us thank our Great Salvation for his unstoppable power!
Turn to Philippians 1:12-20….4: 22.
AMEN!