WHEN GOD IS SILENT!
Matthew 8:14-17
INTRODUCTION: We can easily understand our Lord’s interventions in the lives of those He loves. Matthew 8:14-17; John 9:1-12; Mark 3:1-6. We all rejoice when our God intervenes in our lives and blesses us. What we struggle with is the other side of the story: We don’t understand God’s non-interventions.
- GOD’S INTERVENTIONS AND NON-INTERVENTIONS!
We will use the Book of Acts to try to understand God’s interventions and non-interventions. We all love it when God intervenes in our lives and the lives of those we love, but we are not so happy when God chooses not to intervene. In the Book of Acts more time is spent on the Apostle Paul’s time of God seemingly not intervening in his life than on all three of his missionary journeys. The Book of Acts makes it clear that God is as concerned for us in our times of distress as He is in our times of success. Acts 9:1-6. However, the Book of Acts records many times when God seemingly did not intervene. Acts 5:40-42. We wonder why the Lord would allow His disciples to be whipped when He could have easily prevented it from happening: Acts 7:54-60; Acts 16:22-24. When the brother of John, James was put to death, why was the Apostle Peter freed? What’s up with that? Acts 12:1-19.
2. GOD’S NON-INTERVENTIONS!
By God’s non-interventions He is preserving our freedoms. The Book of Acts is full of the suffering of the innocent, as God allows other men the freedom to choose wrong—even though it will affect the lives of His children. Through God’s non-interventions He allows us to mature in our faith. As we make both wise and un-wise choices we grow more mature: Philippians 3:15-16. God allows us to show His grace to others. On the cross Jesus gave us the greatest example of this: Luke 23:32-34.
3. THE ADVANCING OF HIS KINGDOM THROUGH HIS NON-INTERVENTIONS!
Often by His non-interventions our God is advancing His kingdom: Luke 23:35-43. Aren’t you glad God did not intervene and save Jesus from the cross? It was because of unresolved trouble that the first deacons were chosen to serve the Church of Jesus Christ. When Saul of Tarsus scattered the early church, it spread the good news of the gospel with Gentiles. Isaiah 26:10.God deepens our faith often through His non-interventions: Acts 5:40-42; Philippians 1:29-30; 2 Timothy 3:12-14; Romans 5:1-5. It is often through our God’s non-interventions that we grow most like our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, that our God’s non-interventions are not His last words, it is always His first word. We must keep in mind that our Lord Jesus knows what it is like to have His Father not intervene when He cried out to Him: Matthew 27:45-46. Are you willing to keep on trusting your Lord when He chooses not to intervene in your hard situation?