have a blast enjoy yourselves it’ll be really fun but right afterwards we’re going to go next door for Cafe and there’s refreshments and coffee and things that kind of give us a chance to you know relax a while and share time with each other there’s also a group that I want to invite if you haven’t been to getting to know Grace Grace Point it’s GP 101 we call it that’s right after church today and one of the things that I’m going to tell you there you

just witnessed here and that is the number of people we do believe in every member of Minister and I don’t mean a member of this church I mean a member of the body of Christ you may not have become a member here yet but you have a gift that came the day you said yes to Jesus and with that came a opportunity we want to think of it as an opportunity SL responsibility to use your gift and and if you don’t know what that is that’s

not a fault that just simply means it’s time to explore that and find that out and we’re happy to do that we’ll talk about that a little bit later today we’re also very committed to prayer there’s not a week that goes by where I don’t hear from somebody in a very difficult and unexpected challenge in life many in some cases each week and so we want to invite you in the connection card if you’re online you can get one there and please fill it out there’s

a whole bunch of people that get together every week men and women in this church that pray because we’re committed to prayer and it’s based on the belief that we can’t do it ourselves right we admit freely God we need you we we need your help we pray we fast we do things like that because we really believe the Bible teaches us to do that so anyway enough of that if you haven’t been to GP 101 go next door after church grab your Refreshments come on

back it’ll be in the room as you’re exiting the building here and hopefully you’ll be a part of that and you’ll see that the worship team they’re all everybody volunteers it’s just it’s I don’t like the word volunteer they’re just Servants of Jesus and they’re using their gifts cool and and they’re it’s for their good and for God’s glory and for the benefit of the rest of us so anyway so I want to take you back about 35 years ago when we were in Southern California

and I read a book from a pastor in Southern Cal that rang a very big Bell in my soul I admit to you that the title alone grabbed my attention the the pastor’s name is Ben Patterson he was the pastor of Irvine press in those days at Presbyterian Church we were in Fullerton so maybe an hour away but he’s one of the many churches that we visited in my internship year at Fullerton and it was cool just to sit with cool people and pastors that are

in the game and learn from them take notes on their life Ben Patterson the book title was simply waiting good title I’ve loaned it to people and I’m willing to do that but I will check this one out so I know how to get a hold of you if you forget to bring it back and keep me waiting but anyway that’s his book’s waiting and I was already intrigued when I saw the book about the word waiting because it’s a it’s a challenge that the one

talking right now lives with it’s not something my DNA does not naturally weight I don’t know I’m I’m married to someone that’s a lot better at that than me but I want to say she was just born that way but she’s had to work at waiting like all of us I mean it’s waiting is challenging work so I was already in intrigued by that word waiting that I frankly confessionally I resist I think why what’s the deal and then in the literally the opening page this

Insight greeted me with I’ll just say it understanding quoting now second only to suffering writes Patterson waiting may be the greatest teacher and trainer in godliness maturity and genuine spiritual spirituality most of us will ever encounter end quote let me say it again and you tell me in this quote if you’re like me and want more of certain things second only to suffering waiting may be the greatest teacher and trainer in godliness maturity and genuine spirituality most of us will ever encounter end quote I I

freely tell you I want what he describes will come from waiting I want the stuff of godliness I want maturity I want deep spirituality and I I’m I’m pretty sure everybody in this room wants the same in their lives if not I’m okay I’m not condemning you I think you’ll grow into that I think that will become a longing for you it certainly was for me and I knew Ben’s book would help me at that moment first page I told you it was really true that

just jumped out at me and it was like this guy gets me and I knew it would help me because he put a finger on something that goes deep for me it’s been work it’s always been work and at times I’m just going to go a step further and say it feels almost like torture to me so I kept reading and then a few pages later in his introduction I stared at a two-word question that I thought is kind of nervy for anybody to admit to

that’s the two words why wait why wait I have a book like that that was written to the Youth of America that essentially pointed ask that question related to saving yourself for someone in marriage why wait you know it Josh McDow was on to something and a whole bunch of Youth say it’s not worth it who cares no one’s answered that question for me well God answers that question and if you’re hearing me now and you’re wondering and you’re waiting you call me we’ll talk about

some of why God would ask you to wait until you present yourself a body Soul and Spirit to the spouse that God called you to be married to for the rest of your life okay so that’s just a sidebar but it’s worth telling you about so up to that moment in his book though I I had only met the author as I mentioned in one of our field trips and we had lunch together several of us from Fullerton but as I peeled the pages further I

could sense something happened Ben Patterson this pastor down in Irvine was becoming my pastor I felt like he got me and and then I came to these words that confirm that and have been true said Pastor Ben at least as important as what you are waiting for let me pause and let you think about your answer to that at least as important as what you’re waiting for is what God wants to do in you as you wait that’s big and that takes a bunch of trust

and it takes a faith that says man I’m waiting and I’m not sure why I have to wait what did you say Ben at least as important as what I’m waiting for is what you want to do in me while I wait in an instant I started to see waiting differently it had been a four-letter word to me wait why and in time my irritation over waiting was slowly beginning to be replaced and and it and it came along as an Intrigue wondering to myself what

God might be doing through times of waiting in me it’s a slow down the movie moment for most of us if we’ll if we’ll let it happen and say wait could that be true of you too that at least as important as what you’re waiting for and can I be what’ll sound silly to some of you you’re waiting for a new car or you’re waiting for a better job I mean let’s make it practical you’re waiting for a mate or another mate or a better mate

no I’m not going there but anyway you get my idea I just said that to help you breathe a little bit here but no the truth is you you know there’s there the real stuff in life I’m waiting do I really believe that so I’m going to ask you a couple more questions before we open the pages of the Bible it’s all coming from the Bible but how are you holding up in your war on waiting just just write that down somewhere the notes that I

put together each week they’re really good for you this week they were really good for me when I wrote them so don’t don’t miss them or leave them here and you know leave them for somebody else else because they usually get recycled but anyway what are you hold you know how are you holding up is a good question and it’s an important one what are you waiting for that’s your answer you get to you get to maybe it’s so private you’re not writing it down it’s

okay I’ll bet our answers though this is kind of pastor of 43 years telling you this are all over the page I’ll bet they’re for big really big and really little things super serious stuff and silly things you know I don’t know maybe you tried to buy that lottery ticket this week 1.7 billion I would have paid for most of my bills I mean I think right and and maybe you were that person that just didn’t sleep till you heard the numbers and realized are you

kidding me the numbers look at you and go really for for real you thought but somebody won it but maybe it’s in the big Columns of Our Lives the spiritual I’m waiting for you to help me conquer this temptation God or maybe it’s in the physical I’m broken never got my speed back my strength back maybe that’s a we or maybe it’s something you would expect me to say this but spiritual you you say God I want to be more than I am please change me

according to Romans nine conform me to the image of your son God’s at work right amen he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus could you make that hurry up Lord I’ve added at times along the way okay so more importantly what is God teaching you as you wait remember at least as important as what you’re waiting for is what he wants to do in you as you wait so Kelly took us to Psalm 130 I want

to take you back to Psalm but this time stop at 27 would you Psalm 27 real quick it’s the biggest book in the Bible so you can by accident and almost find your way to Psalm 27 and they’re just numbered like normal numbers but this one’s written by David King David and he was called as you’re turning there a man after God’s own own heart that’s a big deal to me it means among a whole bunch of other things they were close David and God he’s

a man after God’s Own Heart and doesn’t mean wasn’t that he was perfect he fumbled more than a few times but he but he with God’s help got back on his feet and carried on so here are the tender words of a warrior king I I include that for this reason he couldn’t build the temple when he was near the end of his career that would be a 970 he couldn’t build the temple because he had too much blood on his hands he was a warrior

that dealt with enemies decisively and so God said listen you’re doing the work I’ve called you to do and it’s not a pretty work but I’m going to have your son your successor Solomon do the temple building his nails haven’t gotten dirty yet okay so this is the David the king that we read about and here are the tender words he uses to describe what I call that close relationship tight they were tight and there are not many that I want you to see in this

Psalm but it’s important for our topic today the Lord is my light and my salvation he begins Whom Shall I Fear the Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid when the wicked Advance against me to devour me it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall not me though an army besiege me notice how verse three adds again my heart will not fear though War break out against me even then I will not fear I will be

in his words confident that’s steering the blizzard stuff folks that’s I can stand tall no matter how big the giant is that’s facing me amen please we got to get this we got to get this so that’s there’s one more verse I’m going to have us read and then we’re going to acts 24 so did you notice he referred to God very personally he says you are my light you are my salvation you are my stronghold it’s similar to Psalm 23 just two pages earlier the

Lord is my shepherd he’s not the shepherd though that’s true he’s not a Shepherd one among many that’s not true he is my shepherd and when you get to that place Everything Changes it becomes in exceedingly personal he’s my shepherd so David here is saying King David the Lord is my light my salvation he is my the stronghold of my life I don’t think he viewed God as merely also The Giver of Light and Sal ation and strength I don’t think that I think David’s more

intimate that with with God than that I think he’s saying he is those things don’t give me a scoop or two embrace me with those things as you embrace me with yourself is that cool it’s the next level and then he describes a very practical result of thinking about God this way okay think of this as a payoff okay this is a practical payoff of knowing god like this and he States it three times we’ve read it already Whom Shall I Fear Whom Shall I of

whom shall I be afraid and my heart will not fear those very words folks we’re reading about a king who had lots of enemies but who was fear free how do you get that kind of his words confidence at the end of verse three how do you get that you guess correctly if you said by waiting on the Lord look how Psalm 27 ends verse 14 there’s only 14 verses and I just flipped my page to it wait for the Lord be strong and take courage

that’s the meat in the middle and then he repeats and wait for the Lord here’s something you’re going to talk about in your life groups or conversations afterwards so you need to know waiting comes from a Hebrew word meaning to twist or stretch which clarifies I think what’s involved in waiting to be clear waiting is not passive it’s not what’s on TV I keep waiting no this is not at all passive this is active stuff and it requires constant here’s the word twisting and adjusting you

say how how so it’s to twist the ideas and perspectives I have to his this is not far from Isaiah 55 that says my ways are not your ways are not my ways neither are my ways your ways says the Lord for as high as the heavens are above the Earth so are my ways above your ways that’s a God that says I’m not going to change in the whim I’m God I know what I’m doing and here’s the deal as you wait on me think

Gumby I don’t know why Gumby comes to mind but remember the little Gumby remember you could twist Gumby so if God’s a railroad spike that can’t be bent or twist twisted and your Gumby the weight is for you to adjust you to him and then things start to look differently they change you say Okay God I’m I’m really not going to be satisfied any other way except to wait on you so it in waiting’s involved and the second word was stretching and let’s just face it

to twist you in any way or to twist me in any way is it that kind of explains it will be stretching so Hebrews they get it so now we’re ready to flip over a millennium actually to acts 24 would you find your way there and we are getting dangerously close to the end of Acts here we find Paul under restrictions that ended up limiting his freedom for five years five years due process not going to happen Okay quick trial speedy trial not here that’s not

go that’s that’s not our law so perhaps you’ve heard the expression the wheels of Justice grind slowly right then it goes on but they grind exceedingly fine that’s true in some cases it’s ultimately true with God but it’s not always true on Earth but in most cases we understand the implication of the first part the wheels of Justice grind slowly well Paul’s visit is let me just say his weight is like that statement on steroids okay Paul would spend a handful of years presenting his case

the telling of that case will take us all the way to the end of Acts the remaining chapters in fact here in cesaria which where we left off last week Paul would have to wait two of those years for the judicial proceeding against him to conclude so just last week just to bring us up to speed in our study of this wonderful experience in in step with the spirit we remember that there was an attorney for the elders Tolus is his name and he came from

Jerusalem with the elders and he presented three charges to refresh your memory verse five of chapter 24 we have found this man they’re pointing at Paul to be a troublemaker to stir up riots among the Jews all over the world and he’s a ring leader of the Nazarene sect in other words he’s the main duded and even tried to desecrate the temple and that’s when we put the wrist bracelets on him we arrested him we seized him by examining him yourself you’ll be able to learn

the truth about these charges we are bringing against him and everybody shouted amen that’s true that’s how we feel too verse nine so now we’re set to read the cliff notes of Paul’s rebuttal before Governor Felix he’s known as Felix here when the governor motioned for him to speak pointing to Paul Paul replied I know that for a number of years you’ve been a judge over this nation so I’m really glad to make my defense you can easily verify with no more than it was no

more than 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship my accusers I’m just doing hand motions because that’s how it was he’s standing there saying my accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city and they cannot prove to you the charges that they are now making against me however now if I’m standing in that court or sitting there listening to it I’m like whoa he’s GNA he’s about

to admit something and he does however verse 14 I admit that I Do Worship the god of our ancestors as the followers of as a follower of the way I do this which they call a sect it was a de degrading expression I believe everything that’s in accordance with the law and that is written in the prophets think Old Testament and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have that they’re you see him drawing his accusers in that there will be a

re resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked so I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man may I just say that’s a great takeaway for some of us today there is that day coming and that should drive you to do the right thing today and me as well verse 17 after an absence of several years Paul’s still presenting himself I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor shame on you Paul seriously if you’re in court you’re going

that’s not a bad guy I came to present gifts for the poor and to present offerings I was actually clean ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this very thing there was no crowd with me nor was I involved in any disturbance but there are some Jews from the province of Asia he’s going back in time you can pick up on the details of this if you took the time to go into acts 23 and and further back there are some Jews

from the province of Asia who ought to be here before you and and bring charges if they have anything against me or these who are here should State what crimes they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin unless it was this one thing and I do take ownership I called this out and chapter 23:6 you can see this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence quote it is cons it is this this whole hearing is concerning the resurrection of the Dead

that I am on trial before you today see the quotes end there verse 31 and then Felix clears his throat who was well acquainted with the way he had turned the proceedings and then said when lissus the commander comes I will decide your case he ordered the Centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to come and take care of his needs several days later Felix came with his wife Drilla who was a Jewish woman he sent for

Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus as Paul talked about righteousness self-control and judgment to come Felix was afraid and said H that’s that’s enough for now you may leave when I find it convenient I will send for you at the same time he was hoping Paul would offer him a bribe so he sent for him frequently and talked with him probably trying to entice him to do so verse 27 ends the chapter when two years had pass past Felix

was succeeded by porus Festus but because Felix wanted to Grant a favor to the Jews he left Paul in prison okay 24 months of lockdown serve to inform you and me and Inspire us in our seasons of waiting I’m going to let you reach for a pen right now cuz if there’s ever something you need to write down here it is the principle that’s being modeled here that’s being practiced by Paul is Bloom where you are planted two years is a lot of days 730 I

think counted right it’s a lot of time Bloom where you are planted could easily be written across these words we’ve read from God’s word this morning remember last week’s words God is the Blessed controller of all things I I’ve I’ve I’ve loved those words since hearing them from Glen and that includes spending two years two years of waiting to resolve the dispute that had detained Paul from carrying out is calling or did it or did it when the hearing was put on hold I want to

call your attention to something and then talk about it did you notice at that moment did you notice how ticked off Paul got stirred up and steamed blew a fuse launched a tiate against Felix and all these people did you catch that do I need to read it again maybe we missed it no none of that’s there people because none of that happened I’ve look for different nuances to the Greek to the commentaries everybody and no one can present a case that says yeah well these

are clean and nice tidy words but Paul was steaming he was about to blow a fuse like we say it’s not there which means somehow Paul had a different view of all this and he was he was taking advantage of his God controlled circumstances fun as good as Freedom no and no but God was in control and he in this setting chose something that he couldn’t do outside those walls he chose to share the gospel with the governor and his wife like well I’m here so

he didn’t just share the gospel I want you to see 24 and 25 again Felix came with his wife she was Jewish he sent for Paul listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus and Paul talked about righteousness self-control and judgment to come Felix and when you when I read that you get a little hint of the tone in which he talked Felix was afraid it’s like H if there ever was a Temptation for Paul it would have been right here to say

to soft pedal it and make it sound so incredibly benign that he could almost promise the the governor you’re it’s okay Governor God loves you and he’s waiting to resurrect you to a righteous eternity with him there’s a serious reality here that he didn’t hold back back at all and there’s an urgency here the coming judgment he calls it didn’t soft pedal the gospel to become a feel-good faith at all don’t do that second Timothy chapter 4 the last thing Paul wrote he told Timothy don’t

do that preach the gospel in season and out of season when people want to hear it and when they don’t want to hear it reprove rebuke exhort and teach with great patience for the time will come when people will no longer endure he calls it sound Doctrine but they will gather teachers that will say what their itching ears want to hear to make people who are not on the right path feel okay about it that’s not loving that’s not the gospel and that will be duplicitous

in some people ending up not in heaven but in hell that’s a terrible thought okay so what about this gospel verse 25 he captures just three quick pieces righteousness self-control and judgment he starts by explaining God’s righteous standard and he made it clear that no one has attained that standard check these words out Jesus said this a third of the way through his his Sermon on the Mount he said you are to be perfect here let me wrap it up you’re to be perfect as your

heavenly father is perfect that’s the standard what Paul is calling righteousness about righteousness so how close to perfect have you come if that’s the standard I’m reasonably certain you haven’t met the standard neither have I if you have raise your hand I’m I’m we’re going to trade places real quick because right so that’s the standard you’re to be perfect is your heavenly father is perfect and I’m not so how close to perfect have you come I think honest people are going to admit what’s abundantly obvious

not very close check out these words by the Apostle Paul which come up later in Romans chapter 3 no one is righteous he answers the question in case you’re still trying to formulate an answer no one is righteous not even you I’m making it personal not even me no not one no one is good not a single one there is no difference between Jew and Gentile for all have sinned and all have fallen short of you shall be perfect God’s righteous standard that’s the the gospel

it’s admitting hard stuff before you can hear good stuff it’s saying this is true this assessment that Paul gave to Felix is the same message that he shared everywhere he went all the way through acts irregardless of the consequences and it’s still in play today and it was part of the daily discussions that we read about Felix would all would invite him back often I am certain that that persisted throughout their conversation and then Paul makes it clear here and elsewhere with four words that were

too much it was the let’s call it the Tipping Point for Felix and he says his answer his response is that’s enough for me what were the words what did he say the judgment to come the judgment to come that puts a hush across any audience that caused the church back in the Great Awakening under a great teacher Jonathan Edwards sinners in the hands of an Angry God he did not hold back and said here’s the deal God has a righteous standard not a person on

this planet has ever met it and you’re in a heap of trouble unless you turn to him for the solution to your problem it’s called The Gospel it’s called the good news amen it’s so so true Paul made it clear here and elsewhere that God’s judgment is upon all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God check out these words in Romans 6 as well verse 23 for the wages of sin is death that means falling short of God’s righteous standard it’s not

just boops you you get a lesser place in heaven it’s you don’t get to Heaven by Falling short listen carefully Paul made this point earlier in chapter 17 will you look at verse 31 he points to a future where God will in fact set a day and has set that day when he will judge the world with Justice by the man that he’s appointed he’s given him proof of this by raising everybody knows this is going to come because he raised Jesus from the dead make

that linkage it’s true and then finally in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 he clarifies that that day isn’t just for Felix and his wife I love statements like this because they are a way of saying you know you can read the Bible at a safe distance and many people do but God says no this is this brings it home for we must all 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse1 we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ I’m letting you go there right now in your imagination

so that each of us if you’re a parent you can’t answer this for your child if you’re a pastor you can’t answer this for your people if you’re a spouse you can’t answer this for your husband or your wife all of us must appear before the Judgment seat of Christ so that each of us may receive what is due for the things done in the body whether good or bad this is told again in Daniel this is told by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12 it’s Daniel 12:2

this appears all over the Bible including people go well Jesus changed everything no chapter five of John says Jesus in fact declared this to be true it’s it’s going to happen this judgment will happen so be aware of it and none of us can say I didn’t see it coming so I want to wrap up by asking a question Paul bloomed where he was planted just when we were tempted to conclude that these are really Wasted Years Five Years two of them here in capernium cesaria

bad bad time I’m not sure Paul would say that ever you C certainly don’t read it in his words it’s difficult to imagine that Paul felt like this was anything but a Divine appointment by God and he took care he took advantage of it for that reason there’s no sense these are Wasted Years or that somehow Paul felt sidelined from fulfilling his mission of telling as many people as possible how they could have faith in Jesus come to Faith In Jesus he he’s a model for

all of us when it comes to carrying out our calling even if you’re in custody I can’t think of a worst place to do that so question how does someone carry out even while encumbered how do you carry on a calling in such circumstances there’s a secret I want to show you here and we’re done it’s a really cool secret of Paul’s staying power really is you think what was it I mean we read the book The Bible we’ve read acts all the way to this

point what was his staying power and he says so with these memorable words he wrote later to in a letter to the Corinthian people 1 Corinthians 15 verse 58 so be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that you’re toil is not in vain in the Lord so what’s the key there what’s he saying he chose his word well knowing knowing be steadfast and movable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that means having something settled in your mind being

clear about something it’s way better than wishing it’s way more than wondering it’s way past wanting it is knowing being convinced that you are not wasting your time in the work of the Lord ah two years is a lot of days especially when waiting but in the words we started this message with I think Paul knew him for sure at least as important as what you’re waiting for and his ultimate desire make no mistake about it my longing is to go to heaven Paul said in

Philippians 1 he understood that’s a better place but he couldn’t get there until God called him home so whatever it is that you’re waiting for at least is important in your life and Paul’s life my life is what God wants to do in us and can I add this morning and through us while we wait I’d like you to Bow your heads if you would with me I want to appeal very personally and this is this is me getting in your business it really is if

you’re watching from some other place it’s getting in your business right now people don’t be like Felix it’s a terrible mistake he made I’ve heard enough for now I’ll I’ll maybe do listen more another day was his answer remember another day may never come one day will be your last day to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ so I plead with you today to turn to him the Bible makes very clear today is the day of salvation turn to him and trust him say Jesus

I’m not fit for heaven I have fallen short I’ve swung and missed your righteous standard and I’m in a heap of trouble I need help come and forgive me of the sin that deserves death as a judgment you can pray that right now would you just pray it God come into my life I need you and I want want to trust you I’m not sure any any of the implications I just I just don’t want to face tomorrow and the risk of tomorrow without you if

you’re making that decision right now you’re praying those words Lord Come Into My Life Bible says this to you whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ he just asked you to confess with your mouth Jesus you are Lord believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you’ll be saved right as you are if you’re doing that today live stream please let us know if you’re in the house please

let us know we don’t want you to just it’s not a oneand done this is the start of a journey it’s for eternity meanwhile to help you and I know what to do while waiting we’re going to present right now a a I call it a statement so

Transcript machine-generated from the sermon audio, so it may contain errors. 6,260 words.