If you’ve ever been in a life or death experience, or know someone who has, you might’ve said afterwards, “How did I survive that?” I’ve seen video footage of race car wrecks where the car is totally demolished and then the driver climbs out amazingly unscathed. Or when survivors are pulled out of destroyed buildings from earthquakes or mudslides. The question comes back, “How were you not killed?” In wartime some soldiers who survived returned sharing horrific memories of how they lived but their buddy just mere inches away was killed. And they are left wondering “why was I spared?” One of the most moving lines in the movie Saving Private Ryan is at the end when the rescued soldier, the now Older Veteran, is standing at the grave site of the platoon leader who gave his life to bring him back home, and he turns to his wife and asks her to tell him he’s led a good life, that he’s a good man. Has he wondered all these years if his escape from death was worth all those who perished getting him out from the front lines? That question of “why I am I still here” is one that also crosses our minds from time to time, especially considering the many times it seems when we should have not survived. We have one of those death defying incidents in our text this morning. But what is more significant is the meaning behind this survival.
Military Missions have curious code names: Operation Overlord, Operation Rolling Thunder, Operation Red Dawn, Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Fox, and there was one even code named Operation Wrath of God. The methodology for naming the campaigns is fascinating, even for fake missions like “operation mincemeat.” One of the more famous ones in recent history was named Operation Enduring Freedom launched in 2001. What if your mission was named Enduring Suffering? How many would sign up for that one? Or operation Enduring Patience? These missions don’t connote quick strikes or urgency. And many of us would rather cut short any suffering or trials than have to endure them. But we endure to the end. Paul wrote to run the race in such a way as to win the prize. And you don’t win anything if you quit. You don’t win for tapping out. Let’s dig in to our text.
Have you ever been scared, so scared that you felt hopeless? Maybe you’ve were in a car accident, maybe encountered a life threatening situation, or survived a scary medical condition. Maybe you suffered a painful divorce and things looked hopeless. Was there anything or anyone in particular that gave you hope? Or if you were a believer, did you find hope in the Lord, in your faith? Sometimes when we’re engulfed in those type of circumstances we can lose any sense of hope. This is the kind of fear and hopelessness we find in our text this morning. But there is hope to be found. God has not abandoned his man.
Friends. Who needs them? Well in truth, we all do! It’s good to have friends. Friends who will be by your side through the thick and thin. But sometimes they let us down. Think of Job and how his friends treated him, or his wife for that matter. “My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother. Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me. All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.” (Job 19:17-19) and yet in Scripture we find, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) Who is that friend and who are we supposed to be friends with? John ends his 3rd letter with: “Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.” (3 John 1:15) There is no greater friend than to be friends with Jesus, and his bride, the church. Paul had both, I hope each one here this morning can say the same.
If you’re into watching sports, then you’ll be familiar with the pre-game show. Where they hype up the game, and they explore many different facets of the game. Inevitably there will be a segment where they will cover keys to the game. These points are a strategy outlining what they feel is necessary for a particular team to accomplish the goal which is ultimately to win the game. Week by week coaches come up with a game plan and the players are to go out and execute the plan and hopefully achieve the desired outcome. In the business world, and beyond, it is not uncommon to have a mission statement. But what are the steps needed to accomplish the mission? It’s a strategy, a strategic plan. And when it comes to witnessing, to sharing the gospel, we could ask ourselves, do we have a strategy? Got a game plan? Our text this morning gives us the opportunity to explore the strategy employed by Paul as he witnessed before King Agrippa. Then maybe we can incorporate these steps and have a strategic plan going forward.
How often have you heard the charge against Christians, “you all are nothing but hypocrites.” The world is alwas ready to make the Christian ware of his or her shortcomings. And sometimes the Christian has to come face to face with their past. Old relationships, or now anything you once tweeted or posted on facebook can re-surface putting the Christian on the defensive. Although we should not over-emphasize our negative past, the Christian should seek to share of the power of God in delivering and tranforming their life. This is what we will find Paul testifying bout in our text this morning.
Has anyone noticed the little phrase at the bottom of our church sign? It says “come meet with God.” If you’re coming for other reasons then you need to make sure that it doesn’t interfere with this primary objective. Because if you come for community, for help in time of need, for encouragement, all of which are not wrong, but if you gain those things but don’t meet with God then you’ve missed it. Seeking to please man, even if that is ourselves, is not what true worship is about. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the other things will be added, or taken care of. This morning our text will deal with a people pleaser, someone who is attempting to navigate a political fence. It is an example for how Christians ought not to behave.
Appeals are important because it is asking for something of a higher standard to make sure the right call was made, the correct verdict was reached, that a fair and impartial process was followed. This morning our text will consider the occasion for Paul to appeal his case. We seek justice, not to escape it? “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Peter 4:12–19)
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