TIME TO DECIDE: The Will of God in Our Lives - Ordinary Guidance and Supernatural Surprises 3-15-26
INTRODUCTION
Conventional Approach to the will of God - 1. Corn maze 2. Target 3. Magic 8-ball
God guides us direction in decision making v. God expects us to discover His plan for our lives.
Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”
Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV
1. The revelation about Jesus
2. The revelation through the Spirit of Christ speaking through the Scriptures
I. HOW GOD GUIDES
Guidance and the Voice of God by Phillip Jensen and Tony Payne
5 STATEMENTS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND GOD'S GUIDANCE IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
1. God guides us by His invisible providence all the time.
Ephesians 1:11 NIV
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,”
Ephesians 1:11 NIV
2. God can speak to His people in many different ways, guiding them with their conscious cooperation.
Statement one speaks of the behind the scenes "hand of God" where this refers to the voice of God communicating with us and directing us by our conscious cooperation.
Still small voice, Angels, dreams, inner promptings, a donkey, burning bush, writing on a wall
3. In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.
Hebrews is an extended argument for the supremacy of Jesus
Superior to Angels
Levitical high priests
the blood of bulls and goats
other ways of revelation
Hebrews 1:3 NIV
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:3 NIV
Hebrews 1:2 NIV
“but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”
Hebrews 1:2 NIV
Centered in Jesus
4. God Continues to Speak to us by His Son Through His Spirit in the Scriptures.
When Hebrews was written Jesus was already gone. The Spirit through the Word.
God not only has spoken in the Scriptures, but He continues to speak through the Scriptures.
Hebrews 3:7 NIV
“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice,”
Hebrews 3:7 NIV
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
The idea in Hebrews 1-4
1. God can speaks in many ways.
2. In these last days, God has spoken by his Son.
3. God speaks to us by His Son through the Holy Spirit speaking by the living and active Word of God.
5. Apart from the Spirit working through Scripture, God does not promise to use any other means to guide us, nor should we expect Him to.
Kevin De Young in his book, Just Do Something, says, "When we read the Bible, we know we are hearing from God. We are not only reading what God has inspired by the Spirit, but what He continues to say by the same Spirit. By contrast, hearing from God outside the Bible in these last days is always more tenuous, less clear, and less authoritative. We have no promise in Scripture that God will speak to us apart from the Spirit speaking through His Word."
II. DON'T EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
"But wait just a minute, God seems to be more creative than you give Him credit for. Even if we figure that the Old Testament was different era, what about the Holy Spirit dwelling in us? Doesn't He guide us? And what about the Book of Acts? Don't we see God showing up in miraculous events and speaking to His people in surprising ways?"
Examples
A vision to Ananias - Acts 9:10-16
A vision of unclean animals - Acts 10:10-17
A vision of a man of Macedonia - Acts 16:6-10
A vision in Corinth - Acts 18:9
A vision on the road to Damascus - Acts 22:17-21
Angel appear to Philip - Acts 8:26
Angel appear to Peter - Acts 12:7-8
Angel appears to Paul - Acts 27:23
Audible voices - Acts 9:3-6
Audible voices - Acts 10:13, 15, 19-20,
Audible voices - Acts 23:11
Mysterious promptings to go somewhere - Acts 8:29
Mysterious promptings to go somewhere - Acts 20:22-23
A prediction of the future from the prophet Agabus - Acts 21:10-11
Reasons to believe these are not meant to be a normal pattern for our lives
1. It's important to realize that those events of special revelation weren't normal even for the apostles.
2. When we look carefully at the instances of special revelation in the book of Acts - visions, Angels, audible voices, promptings, etc. - we notice one very important and consistent fact. These extraordinary means of guidance were not sought.
Bruce Waltke, Old Testament scholar, said well,
"Any time you take the Bible out of context you destroy the intent of God's Word. That's why you cannot take instances of special revelation and make them normative for the Christian experience . . . When he [Paul] did experience a special revelation, seeing a vision of a man calling him to Macedonia, he obeyed. But the special revelation of God was a rare and unique experience, even for Paul . . . We cannot take special circumstances and make them the norm by which we live our lives. Special revelation for guidance was not the normal apostolic experience. And at the time it was received (by Paul, by Philip, by Peter as he lay on his roof) it was not being sought . . . Special revelation came at a time when God wanted o lead them apart from the normal ways in which His people make choices."
Donald Gee, Assembly of God theologian said,
"[There are] grave problems raised by the habit of giving and receiving personal "messages" of guidance through the gifts of the Spirit . . . The Bible gives a place for such direction from the Holy Spirit . . . But it must be kept in proportion. An examination of the Scriptures will show us that as a matter of fact the early Christians did not continually receive such voices from heaven. In most cases they made their decisions by the use of what we often call "sanctified common sense" and lived quite normal lives. May of our errors where spiritual gifts are concerned arise when we want to make the extraordinary and exceptional to be made frequent and habitual. Let all who develop excessive desire for "messages" through the gifts take warning from the wreckage of past generations as well as contemporaries . . . The Holy Scriptures are a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path."
GOD CAN USE EXTRAORDINARY MEANS, BUT THEY ARE, BY DEFINITION, OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND NOT TO BE EXPECTED!
CONCLUSION
God guides us the revelation of Jesus by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. God can guide through extraordinary means, but they are extraordinary. Utilize what God has given us and remain open to surprises.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
