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Sunday, October 24, 2021

Testing God’s Guidance




This is the manuscript of the fourth sermon in a five sermon series "Finding and Following God's Guidance"

God’s guidance is available. We can seek it, receive it, and trust it. Information about his guidance is available in his Guidebook the Bible. And we can develop a submissive spirit to his guidance through prayer.  

But having followed these steps, we may still lack confidence and clarity in doing God’s will. The process can be confusing and frustrating. There is more to it than you originally thought. 

How can we overcome confusion and still respond to God’s guidance with clear obedience to his will?

There are three things we can do.

  1. We can walk in the light we already have.

  2. We can test to approve what is acceptable to the Lord.

  3. We can confront and correct the unfruitful works of darkness.


For an audio recording of the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.


Scripture Reading:

Ephesians 5:6‭-‬14 NIV Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Text: 

Ephesians 5:8‭-‬10 NIV For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Introduction

God’s guidance is available. We can seek it, receive it, and trust it. Information about his guidance is available in his Guidebook the Bible. And we can develop a submissive spirit to his guidance through prayer.  

But having followed these steps, we may still lack confidence and clarity in doing God’s will. The process can be confusing and frustrating. There is more to it than you originally thought. 

Like anything that you buy that needs assembly, some of the instructions are not clear. I have often tried to assemble something that says in the instructions that it should take 30 minutes and it takes me 3 hours and even then, I have parts or screws left over.  

Determining God’s will can sometimes be confusing, for example, as when people have differing interpretations of the truth. For example, the scriptures say that we should obey government authority and it also says that we should obey God only. Sometimes these things appear to be in conflict. We saw that early in the pandemic when the government said we couldn’t meet inside.  

One side quotes Romans 13:1–2

Romans 13:1‭-‬2 NIV Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.


The other side quotes Acts 4:19–20 when the Jewish leaders told Peter and John to stop teaching and talking about Jesus.


Acts 4:18‭-‬20 NIV Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”


Hebrews 10:23‭-‬25 NIV Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


To these it meant biblically mandated worship could not be done virtually.  Believers have the same views, differences of opinion and confusion over masks and vaccinations.


How can we overcome confusion and still respond to God’s guidance with clear obedience to his will?


There are three things we can do.


  1. We can walk in the light we already have.

  2. We can test to approve what is acceptable to the Lord.

  3. We can confront and correct the unfruitful works of darkness.

I. First we can walk in the light we already have.


Ephesians 5:8‭-‬10 NIV For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

It is important to remember that all of us have been exposed to the darkness of sin and have walked in that darkness. Our previous proximity to the darkness of sin requires that we now live in the light, listening to and following Jesus Christ. We must recognize that we do not have all the answers but that we are committed to him who does have all the answers.  

Walking in the light that you have makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? If you wanted to become a long-distance runner, or like the people participating in the triathlon today, wouldn’t you first begin to run, swim and cycle short distances? If your goal is to be able to speak a foreign language fluently, doesn’t it follow that you first learn to speak short sentences? 

Our walking in the light does not mean that we always walk with as much stability as we might. But the child learning how to walk doesn’t stop if some of the walking means falling down. In walking we start out shaky and then we begin to walk with stability.

So we can respond to God’s guidance by starting to walk in the light that we already have no matter how little or how much we have. 

II. Next we can test to approve what is acceptable to the Lord.


Romans 12:1‭-‬2 NIV Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.



In any school, students are tested. Though we may not like it the purpose of the test is to aid the learning and approval process. 

2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

2 Peter 1:10‭-‬11 NIV Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

New machinery is tested so the defects can be eliminated. Our conduct is to be subjected to the testing process for the purpose of being acceptable to the Lord. By this testing we experience clarity in His guidance.

So, where does this testing happen? It happens right out in the world where the darkness is. And out here in the world we are to rely on all the testing devices we can, beginning with the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 

It is very comforting and strengthening to know that as it says in 

Philippians 2:12‭-‬13 NIV Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

In addition to the Word and the Spirit, there are at least four other testing devices.

  1. The conscience of the person being tested 

  2. The counsel of other Christians 

  3. Common Sense 

  4. Circumstances 


A. The conscience of the person being tested. 

Your conscience stores information we have received from other resources about right and wrong. As we make decisions, our conscience either affirms or puts down the attitudes or actions we are about to take. 

Now the conscience that has been exposed to the darkness is not fully trustworthy like it says in

Titus 1:15 NIV To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

When we have been taught the truth, the conscience will bear witness in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 9:1‭-‬2 NIV I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.


B. We can test to see what is acceptable to the Lord through the counsel of other Christians. 


Believers are instructed to teach and admonish one another.


Colossians 3:15‭-‬17 NIV Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Hebrews 10:24‭-‬25 NIV And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


Let me caution you that no believer is to become our highest authority on truth, however more experienced believers who show by their lives obedience to the Word should be sought for advice.


C. Then there is common sense. Titus 2:12 tells us that we are to “live soberly”—


Titus 2:11‭-‬14 NIV For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.


This means we are to have a sound, healthy mind. Again, common sense is never to be accepted as complete sense, because sometimes God leads us in ways that do not seem sensible. At the same time, we are to use our minds in the testing ground.


D. Finally, we can test what’s acceptable to God through circumstances. 


Let’s say that from your relationships with your children and with children in the church you think you should be a schoolteacher. Yet your education has not equipped you to teach; you cannot obtain a teaching certificate. Your circumstances show you that you either must go to school again or forget this vocational choice. Yet circumstances alone are never sufficient as a testing device.


These four testing devices, your conscience, the counsel of other believers, common sense, and circumstances, plus the inspiration of God’s Word can verify and clarify God’s guidance. 

III. When we respond to God’s guidance with clear obedience to his will, we can walk in the light we already have, we can test to approve what is acceptable to the Lord and we can confront and correct the unfruitful works of darkness.


In other words, we can rebuke or silence the works of darkness to bring out conviction or confession of guilt. We may do this by our words but more significantly by our conduct. 

Some people may become uncomfortable by what we say and do, but that is the way of God in reaching the hearts of those who are in darkness. The point is that God’s guidance is not given to enable us to live sheltered lives free from contact with people who are motivated by evil. Rather, God’s guidance is given to us  to show us how to live and influence people in an evil world.

Look at it this way you have the Word of God in your mind, your eyes on Jesus, and your body in the world.  This is how we demonstrate the truth and call others to the truth. 

Conclusion


Every person, each of us who is receiving God’s guidance receives it while being under God’s divine protection.  When we receive His guidance, we discover God to be our refuge.

Psalms 46:1‭-‬3 NIV God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

But God’s guidance must be tested in the world. It must be tested in the world where the light and the darkness meet. The conflict between light and darkness, and good and evil may be frightening sometimes but we can be confident in knowing that all that God provides is more than enough as we walk in the light we have, as we test for the purpose of approving what is acceptable to God, and as we reprove the unfruitful works of darkness by our words and deeds.

Ephesians 5:8‭-‬10 NIV For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.


Sermon Audio 



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