Sermon Recap: Who's In Control?
Group Leader Discussion Guide
Read: Acts 27:27-32
Group Questions:
What speaks to you as you review this message?
The word “antimony” was introduced and defined as two principles that are true but contradictory and in this message, God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. How do you think these two principles work in our lives?
What does it mean that God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility is a partnership?
Read Nehemiah 4:9 and explain how the actions taken illustrate Nehemiah’s understanding of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.
As we are in the midst of the coronavirus storm, what are things we can do to illustrate our reliance on God’s sovereignty and our responsibilities?
While in the midst of this storm, what might be a higher perspective we can strive for?
When in a storm if we, like Paul, place our confidence in the never changing character and nature of God, what are the attributes that we would cling to?
In what ways do you think our storms here on earth refine us and prepare us for eternity?
Sermon Recap:
Paul and several other prisoners were aboard a boat when a storm arose. The sailors threw out four anchors but some of the men lowered a lifeboat and were about to abandon the ship when Paul advised them to stay aboard lest they die. This was not Paul’s first storm. His life had been filed with many different storms and even at this point he could be facing death. Yet in this midst of these circumstances he writes the Book of Philippians challenging us to live a life of joy as he did. His joy was anchored to three distinct foundational beliefs.
First, Paul had confidence in the sovereignty of God. He believed that God is in control of life and that as such, His attributes include the components of omniscience (all knowing), omnipotence (all powerful), and omnisapience (all wise). This suggests that there are no surprises for God; that He knows all that will happen and the way things turn out will be exactly the way He chooses and knew it would from the beginning. We may wonder how our free will fits into this theology if God has ultimate control. Several Scriptures illustrate that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility is a partnership. When experiencing a storm, we need to determine our responsibility and have a higher perspective. Rather than fixating on the “why we are going through,” we, like Paul, must understand that God has a bigger plan and that in His hand even intended evil becomes eventual good.
Paul also understood that the source of joy was in the Lord. He placed his confidence in the never changing character and nature of God and believed God would work out all things together for the good of those who love Him. And Paul’s ultimate hope was in heaven. He understood that life on earth is but a fraction to the eternal life promised and that what we go through here on earth refines us and prepares us for eternity