Trust in the Lord

 Years ago I was getting physical therapy - which I'm currently doing again for my car accident back in February. I seem to end up at the physical therapist's a lot... Anyway, I showed up for my appointment when I heard excitement from the front office, "Hey, Ron's here!" Now, I'm not usually greeted anywhere with such enthusiasm. But all three of the therapists came out of the office and one of them was holding an open Bible. They knew I was a preacher so they asked, "Where in the Bible does God prohibit eating pork? Do you eat pork?"

I explained that, yes, I do eat pork and that the scriptures they were looking for were from Leviticus and Deuteronomy and those passages were directed to Jewish people in the Old Testament. I then also pointed out that in the New Testament, those prohibitions were lifted. We ended up having quite a theological discussion as I lifted weights while balancing on a large inflatable blue ball.

I ended up directing them to a passage of scripture where the Apostle Peter is given a vision from God specifically on this subject. I want us to look at that section from Acts 10:9-16 (NIV)...

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. (10) He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. (11) He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. (12) It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.

(13) Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." (14) "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." (15) The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." (16) This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Now, as I read that section again – a question struck me...

I. Who's in charge?

Peter saw this sheet that contained animals that Jewish people had formerly been prohibited from eating and was now told to eat them. Peter's first response was, "Surely not, Lord!" By Peter's own statement he understood Who was talking to him – but Peter told his Lord, 'no'. Did Peter have the authority to say 'no' in this situation?

And this isn't the first time we see in scripture where Peter pushed back like that. Even though Peter knew who Jesus was, on three different occasions Peter told Jesus 'no' about going to Jerusalem, 'no' about washing his feet, and "no, I won't deny you." I think Peter's first gut reaction came out simply because he just forgot Who was in charge.

And what's more, on this particular topic of what animals were clean or unclean – Peter probably should have known better.You see, as I looked at this passage about the vision, I remembered another passage about Jesus and His disciples earlier from Mark 7:17-23 (NIV)...

After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. (18) "Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? (19) For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")

(20) He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' (21) For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, (22) greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (23) All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"

So how many times did even Peter have to be told this same truth from Jesus? Jesus declared all foods clean before He was crucified and then Peter saw Jesus rise from the dead and then received his vision in the book of Acts and his initial response was still, "Surely not, Lord!"

But it's not just Peter - do we ever treat God the same way? Do we ever find ourselves 'arguing' with God? Does God ever have to tell us something multiple times and we still say, "Surely not, Lord."? Do we read something clearly spelled out in scripture, but in our minds – do we think, "Well, sure God said that, but He didn't really think about what my particular circumstances would be when He said that - right?" - or - "I know what the Bible says about (fill in the blank), but things are different now and values change."

When we find ourselves, either accidentally or perhaps even intentionally opposed to what God says in scripture – what I would recommend is a passage from Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)...

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

There are things that seem right to us - to modern man, but we are not smarter than God. God's Word doesn't change when people's opinions, education, or morals, or values do.

My father encouraged me as a kid to memorize that particular verse. He knew it would help me in times when I was tempted to trust myself rather than God. I often hear people encourage others to, "Follow your heart." No! The Bible never says that. The Bible actually says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure." So don't follow your heart, what feels right to you - follow what God says!

You may have noticed - Peter had to have that vision of a sheet coming down out of Heaven three times to reinforce that God actually knew what He was doing. Peter, in order to continue to be useful for God's purposes, had to learn to implicitly trust God and stop trying to do things his way. Peter had to learn to…

II. Trust, then act

I want us to go back to that account from Acts chapter 10 and pick up where we left off, in Acts 10:17-22 (NIV)...

While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. (18) They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. (19) While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. (20) So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

(21) Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?" (22) The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."

Peter had to learn to trust God, to stop arguing with Him, and then God could continue to use him – could put him into action. Agreeing with God, taking on His values is a very good thing. But if you don't actually do something with this level of trust and acceptance of God's values – it doesn't make much of a difference for anyone but yourself...

Peter was thinking about the vision, pondering what it meant when God called him to do something – to go speak to the men who were looking for him. Everyone who follows Jesus has to find that balance between thinking and doing.

Our mission of KNOW, GROW, and GO – it starts with us knowing Jesus and growing in our relationship with Him through prayer and reading and study – but it also moves on to GO. Many times, Christians can kind of get stuck at the beginning of the mission without moving past Grow. I think the reason that many Churches can struggle with going beyond Grow and actually Going out and serving and sharing Jesus with others is – it's hard.

I want to try to be very precise with my words here - I don't want to be misunderstood. I am in no way, shape, or form against organized Bible Studies. I am for anything that gets more people reading and studying God's Word. But there's a truth here - it's relatively easy to schedule a Bible study. You find someone to lead it and then everyone else can attend – sometimes it's almost a passive act to just sit and learn. There's no real risk in attending a Bible study.

When you actively take the time to GO out and serve, or GO out and share Jesus with others – that can be a bit more difficult. It takes more of your self; it takes more trust. Again – I am not against Bible Studies. Our Wednesday morning Bible study is an excellent example of how to do one well. And when they are done well they can be extremely beneficial. However, I think if more Christians were spending as much time focusing on God and His mission outside of the Church building – things could be very different.

It's not a matter of either Bible study or going out to serve - but BOTH. I think that some Christians may see Bible study or Bible reading as an end in itself rather than as a means to an end. Many Christians see Bible study as their sole duty, rather than as preparation for their service.

And I want to acknowledge something here - I know that there are some here who are very active outside these walls and much more useful to their community than I may be on any given week. So thank you, and keep it up!

But back to our account of Peter's experience - Peter was spending time wondering about God's purpose for showing him the vision. He was trying to understand the reason behind it when God called him to act. After Peter answered God's call and went down stairs – he then understood God's reason. - It's frequently only after we respond to God and act - then in hindsight, that's we then see our place in God's plan.

Let's jump back to Peter's story, picking up again, in Acts 10:30-35 (NIV)...

Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me (31) and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. (32) Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' (33) So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come.

Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us." (34) Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism (35) but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right."

Once Peter acted, once he stopped wondering about the meaning of the vision and did what God asked – then things became very clear to him. Before Peter answered God's call - he was confused, after Peter trusted God and acted – he then understood why God gave him the vision – to prepare him to take the Gospel message to gentiles, non-Jewish people.

That's how it seems to be with a lot of things to which God calls us – they make more sense in hindsight. "Lean not on your own understanding."

There was one last thing that I noticed in Peter's initial response to that vision that I wanted to go back to. He told God that he wouldn't eat the animals on the sheet because, Peter said, "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." It was probably a true statement, but here's Peter pointing out to God just how righteous he was because he didn't eat unclean animals that God had made in the first place...

Now, I hate to admit it, but I'm pretty sure I've done the same sort of thing with God. Have you ever tried to convince God to do something for you because of what you've done for Him – as if He owes you something for your wonderful goodness..? I have to ask, on our own...

III. Do we think we're righteous?

Now I don't think that many go around arrogantly, consciously thinking that they're better than those outside of the Church – but do we perhaps subconsciously think that? Do we unintentionally project that to people – that maybe because we are good 'church going folk' - that we actually deserve to go to Heaven?

You may have heard this in the news recently... When President Trump was being interviewed about his effort to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, he said, "I wanna try and get to heaven if possible. I'm hearing I'm not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons." President Trump certainly understands geopolitics far better than myself. But I understand 'grace' a bit better.

We can't do enough 'good' to earn Heaven - that's not how it works. When we understand God's incredible grace - God owes me nothing. He extends His grace to me because I can't work my way to Him!

Romans 3:9-11 (NIV)

What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. (10) As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; (11) there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."

I remember talking to a guy about him coming back to Church. He said he didn't feel he could do it because he always felt like a hypocrite. I told him – "That's just fine, you'll fit right in, this Church is full of hypocrites." Join the club!

As we learn to submit to God, as we learn to trust Him and act on what He tells us – we always have to remember the one thing that makes it possible for us to even talk to Him in the first place. The grace that comes from the blood of Jesus Christ is the only thing that makes any of us in the Church different from those outside of the Church. And it's a grace that's wholly undeserved - yet freely offered.

I think the only reason we are here is because we understand what Jesus explained about the 'sinful woman' who washed His feet with her tears.

Luke 7:47 (NIV)

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.

We are here because we have grown to understand just how much grace Jesus has shown to us!

So What?

I hope I didn't seem like I was being hard on Peter today - not my intent. I guarantee he was a better man than me. I pointed out some of Peter's pride and stubbornness that had to be worked through. But I do not forget – because Jesus didn't give up on Peter, Peter was one of the best and most fearless preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Peter wasn't perfect, but ultimately he submitted his will to God's will and was used for huge things in God's Kingdom!

Are there areas in your life where you are still arguing with God? Are there areas where you should know better, but you still tell God 'no'?

Today seems like a pretty good day to give those things over to Him. Trust me, when you let go of your own agenda and follow God's leading – His way will always make a lot more sense in the end. What I'm asking you to do is not easy, but following God completely is always worth it when it's all said and done!