This Was Your Life

Other two different men here two different portrait. DiLeo had parentheses.

He had well he had connections he was on the first name on a first name basis with the Emperor but from the perspective of time, we would all say this morning, in effect, he had nothing.

He was passionate about the wrong thing. No hard right thing at this moment. Ladies and gentlemen, DiLeo missed life. Your life would be wholesome, and God honoring what would he reveal to others about you.

It might be that it's time for God to rewrite your life's script working to explore how that happens.

Today this is wisdom for the hearts this current series through the last chapters of acts is from our vintage wisdom archives Stephen Devi first delivered this series back in 1998 were airing it again now.

As we examine the important events of the early church and its leaders. Today's message is called this wish your life Peter Lynch, a former Fidelity Magellan fund manager seven years ago ordered this quote very famous nobody on his deathbed ever said I wish I'd spent more time at the office right deferred ever since his statement anticipating one's dying sentiment has become a popular pastime.

So this reporter asked experienced executives and business people over 50 years of age.

Looking back, if you could change one thing, what would it be one of you learned about life, faith, wall one of DuPont's first women senior executives whose children are now grown, said quote I wish I had gone to my daughter's sixth grade field day, J.

Michael Cook, the CEO said I wish I had understood the importance of that Thursday afternoon soccer game but it was a given that you dedicated yourself to your job first and foremost Randall Tobias chairman and CEO of a major corporation, said good I can't remember where I can remember some blurry choices when my children were young when I may not have attended a player again because I had some conflicting business commitment. It's ironic, however, the 25 years later I can remember the event. I missed with my family and friends but I can't remember the business activity that I didn't.

In fact, in some cases I have to stop and remember where I was working at the time you imagine coming to the end of your life and realizing that what you should have been concerned about your what you should've done you didn't what you were passionate about as your primary passion ends up in the light of your life is being less than truly significant. That's exactly what occurred in the life of a man who seem to have it made.

He appears briefly in the book of acts, and yet he teaches us the same Pro noun less than that we need to really learn and relearn. Again, it's possible to make a living and miss life worth living. If you have your Bibles. Our study through the book of acts brings us this morning to chapter 18. If you are with us in our last discussion we traveled with Paul this pagan, immoral city. We called it sin city.

The sin city of Corinth. It was here. You remember where Paul almost threw in the towel discouraged fearful and maybe you remember the promise of the Lord came to him and that night vision. Let's refresh our memory by starting again with verse nine and the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision. Do not be afraid any longer but go on speaking and do not be silent. We talked a little bit about the original construction that that made it very clear that Paul was afraid God is saying stop being afraid and he was contemplating being quiet is saying. Do not be silent. Verse 10 for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you lease in the city, for I have many people in the city and he settled their year and six months, teaching the word of God among them only two other times a polymer settle in the city like this and teach, so this is a remarkable turn of events for the apostle became the Corinth, he will write them later in his first epistle to the Corinthians, and tell them I came to you and in much fear and trembling, and weakness. Now this ungodly city becomes the launching pad of a major campaign and and one of the most effective churches in this part of Europe that we will read about Lauder problems in all their troubles still dynamic church now verse 12. But while DiLeo was proconsul of Acadia.

The Jews, with one accord rose up against Paul and brought before the judgment seat, saying, this man persuades men worship God contrary to the law when Paul was about to open his mouth.

DiLeo said the Jews if it were a matter of wrong or vicious crime urges.

It would be reasonable for me to put up with you. But if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after yourselves. I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters and he drove them away from the judgment seat of the altar: sauce than he is the leader of the synagogue began beating him in front of the judgment.

Seating DiLeo was not concerned about any of these things stop whether DiLeo knew it or not, at this moment he is an indifferent bystander regarding issues of life or death, heaven or hell, forgiveness or guilt over despair. Maybe you've seen or read that advertisement that it says image is what everything and in our American culture image is everything. Character is less than nothing. The American culture today was no different than Roman culture that image was everything and if image was everything then DiLeo had everything he was the son of a prominent lawyer named Lucius Seneca DiLeo's two brothers would become well-known one of them took his father's name, and was simply known as the philosopher states states but also the fact that the tutor of Nero just by the name we know Seneca. He had another brother that was a famous poet named Melis.

These three young men were destined for greatness and by Roman standards. All three of them achieved it in May. On May 1 52 A.D. DiLeo is appointed by the Emperor to be the highest political leader in Corinth.

This is an impressive commercial center.

This is an impressive political appointment. This will look good on his resume. This two-year term in Corinth go in. I'll pay my my dues a clock at all. Do the things I'm supposed to go and then it'll be bigger and better things for our great DiLeo. What I want to point out to you here before we go any further, is that DiLeo may have been up in a positional leadership but in reality he was a follower. Two reasons why number one.

DiLeo was indifferent about opinions outside his politically correct environment. Let me explain what I mean and in DiLeo's day. Jews were unimportant. In fact if you look back at verse two of the same chapter Claudius, the Emperor of Rome has already kicked all of the Jews out of Rome. He was tired of the debating the uprising. The trouble and obviously there were troubles related to this Christ. In fact, one Roman historian talks about the uprisings in Rome. Because of this man, Chris Stotts, and so he takes all of the Jews out of Rome and in this day. The general consensus.

The general politically correct opinion was Jews were less than citizens. They were troublemakers ignore them. You could do without them. Try to get them out of your life.

Look back at the contempt with which glia treats them with back in verse 14.

If it were a matter of wrong or of a vicious crime of Jews. It would be reasonable for me to put up with you here, or do you matter wasting my time. I am an important judge. I have more important things to do and of Claudia. If Claudius thinks that you're not worth his trouble in Rome you're not worth my trouble in court. Just because a person has a title or position of leadership doesn't necessarily mean that he or she is leaving, they may simply be following the status quo. I read the humorous story few weeks ago about a group of local political leaders who receive an invitation to have a private dinner as guests of Calvin Coolidge.

They were really thrilled and went to the White House and they were in a waiting area and while they were out of the waiting area they they were little nervous about manners and they wanted to win his respect. And so they were afraid that they would in a do something wrong there at the table he ever been there and there are no more utensils in front of your plate than beside it. You're not sure what the disease, watch*watch until the time comes. While they were concerned about doing the wrong thing so they decided on a waiting that what they do, they go and be seated and just watch Calvin Coolidge and do what he did, so they eventually were ushered in an seated at this elaborately decorated table. This private dinner meeting and coffee was served, Calvin Coolidge of probably poured his coffee into a saucer suggested likewise. He then added sugar and cream. They did the same thing and Calvin Coolidge leaned over and gave his coffee to the cat George Gallup told several hundred Americans and found that when placed in a situation where they had to either follow the crowd or be different. The vast majority followed the crowd even when they were involved in a situation they either slightly disagreed with her didn't understand the vast majority of them never asked why, what's the status quo here on asking him what he knows.

Jews are a waste of time trying to put up with you. What's the status quo today ever thought about any different issue is think of issues with the status quo opinion and what is the Scriptures last Thursday.

We took time to remember as many evangelicals did in our country the blight the plight of abortion status quo today of the unborn. They are nonperson's own issues and questions and then you just confront the status quo. There's a preacher and his wife are very very poor.

They already have 14 children. She finds out she is pregnant with her 15th child. They are living in tremendous poverty, considering their poverty and the excessive world population would you recommend abortion and you just taken the life of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church. Here's a scenario, the father is sick.

The woman, the mother has tuberculosis.

They have had four children. The first one is blind. The second one is already died. The third one is deaf and forthwith has tuberculosis. She finds she is pregnant again, given the extreme situation. In this precedent for children that will be sick if not die be permanently disabled but would you would status quo's no doubt abort the new have taken the life of Beethoven, a 13-year-old black girl was raped by a white man, she is pregnant as a result, if you were the parents and you listen to the status quo today will be to do abort you just taken the life of Ethel Waters, the great black singer who sang often for Billy Graham in the scenario a teenage girl gets pregnant she is and Mary. Although she is engaged her fiancé is not the father of the baby and he is very angry without parental support and they are very poor. What would you do if you set abort. You have just taken the life of the Lord Jesus the status quo has the power of drowning out the Scriptures and you have to be the kind of person that says why no DiLeo that that little Jewish man you know is been roughed up and brought them before you. He's a nobody even don't even let them talk and these people really worried about. Verse 15 that there arguing over word and names and their own laws are not worth your time is interesting to me. By the way that DiLeo uses three different terms to talk about what is not interested, which lets us know a lot about it, he says.

First of all, that is not interested in word Greek word blog ocelot going here could have been a reference. Perhaps to the statement by Christianity that Jesus Christ was the logoff the word by John chapter 1 verse one the word was with God the Word was the logoff was God. Maybe that's the debate that he is referencing here. He says I'm also not interested in names. Could this have been a reference to the name.

The name that was causing such troubling debate in the synagogue and the name that was with creating these uprisings.

The name that acceptor. Ford already told us is the only name whereby we must be saved.

This be the name. I'm not interested in that name. He also mentions his disinterest in the law, the Torah could be a reference here to the boiling debate over the fact that Paul is declaring that there has come one who was fulfilled the store. This law, and is now though the blameless, spotless lamb whose died for the sins of the world. Well, anybody who is somebody is not interested in this. The second thing DiLeo was indifferent about was anything outside the perimeter of his own life and interest when you were 17 and they all took hold of sauce the knees. I think that the that they all, here is a reference to the courtroom police or the lectors and began beating him in front of the bema seat. The judgment seat. In other words, DiLeo told of auto leave off with you and soft and he is the leader of the synagogue felt that his responsibility to stay behind and argue the case so the lectors began beating him because he only and unnoticed and DiLeo is not concerned about any of these things. And isn't this the ultimate proof that your somebody when you never have to bother with anything you don't want to bother with or anybody you don't want to bother with. When the world revolves around you. You arrive DiLeo you are someone this was your life.

DiLeo can you imagine knowing now what he knows. Can you imagine realizing throughout all of eternity that you had Paul cheese ambassador Jesus Christ standing before you, and you recall, forever and ever that you didn't even let him speak, you recognize the fact that you had all the right connections with standing before you was the one who could give you a connection through the gospel to God Almighty and you are too important to listen at this moment. Ladies and gentlemen, DiLeo missed life now by way of sharp contrast, the lens of Scripture refocuses on Paul and while DiLeo is an indifferent bystander were now showing a man who is an impassioned who is an impassioned believer and I want to make three observations quickly about this man.

This man, Paul number one.

He was concerned about his personal commitment to Jesus Christ not now we see them in the courtroom. He's ready to speak is ready to defend his cause, not just himself.

The honor of Christ affect the fact that he remains in Corinth. Verse 18 says many days longer. It indicates his willingness to be different from his Jewish nationality is Jewish heritage, his willingness to be unloved and misunderstood. Speak the truth to stand for Christ.

He was personally committed to Christ.

Notice verse 18 Paul having remained many days longer. Took leave of the brethren put out to sea for Syrian with him were Priscilla and Aquila unnoticed in Ken Crea.

He had his hair cut, for he was keeping eval leads me to my second observation here is Paul was concerned about his private relationship with Christ and in Luke here, quietly slips in a personal note, did you catch that. He says in Ken Crea. He had his hair cut, for he was keeping eval. He doesn't give us close reasons for his Val didn't say how long the vowel lasted.

He then tells why it was that Ken Crea that he visits a small-town barbershop. Nothing. He only wants us to know and the only thing I can think of is that he is contrasting Paul to DiLeo.

He wants us to know that Paul has a personal private deep relationship with Jesus Christ that we do know that this Val citizen involve the cutting of hair was a Nazirite Val it could be kept for life as was supposed to be the case in Sampson's life and the life of John the Baptist.

Or it could be kept for a period of 30 days the hair would be grown long and then cut than the cut hair would be offered as an offering of Thanksgiving in Jerusalem, and this is where Paul is is headed now since the Nazirite. Val was purely voluntary. Paul was not violating or abandoning grace for law when he undertook, and I find it interesting that Luke doesn't give us any details about this Val why he did it. The truth is, if Luca told us all those details you know would be doing. We will be trying to copy Paul's Val with having to truly spiritual people would be the people who had taken the valve ball. I view The valve ball all three times a year. Special retreats for all Pauline Val keepers this weekend. Thank God he didn't give us all the details why the Lord wants us to imitate the passion of Paul is a deep passion but not necessarily his devotional plan numbers 19 and they came to Ephesus and and he left them there that he himself entered the synagogue, and reason with the Jews and when they asked him to stay for longer time.

He did not consent but taking leave of them and saying I will return you get a God wills.

He set sail from Ephesus observation number three is Paul's public obedience to Christ personal commitment, private devotion and the public obedience he's just been invited to stay in and arrest in this hospitable town with these believers is an easier ministry, but no, I need to move on and by the way you want to underline your Bibles a great expression if God wills. I think we need to learn to think that way more than we do. Everything is under the control of a sovereign God and of the sovereign God that I am obeying wills for me to be back in Ephesus at some later date.

I am convinced I will be back there.

I guess I'll get my confidence and assurance. How do you have the kind of assurance. If God wills. I'll be back.

Well, it takes a person who is personally committed to Christ privately devoted to Christ and willing to publicly obey Christ, but then has the vantage point to say I am following God and if it is the will of God for me to sail back to Ephesus. I know I will be back brother two different men here two different portraits.

DiLeo had prestige. He had wealth he had connections he was on the first name on a first name basis with the emperors but from the perspective of time, we would all say this morning, in effect, he had nothing. He was passionate about the wrong thing. He ignored the right thing. He missed life about 10 years after this courtroom scene, DiLeo will be summoned to Rome by half crazed Nero.

He will be accused of being a conspirator of the throne and he and his brother Seneca and his brother Millis will be forced to take their own lives by drinking poison. I found it interesting in reading the historical account that after Seneca died. He was the first that DiLeo petitioned the Emperor asking to have his life spared and the Emperor ignored him.

I found it ironic that the man who allowed no time for talk of Christ in his courtroom will on this day be given no time in the courtroom of Nero and of Paul who in Paul's day would would would want to read about Paul's life. Paul would give it up. Prestige he'd walked away from his connections with powerful men like mailing: the Sanhedrin he'd forfeited the potential of personal wealth and comfort, but from the perspective of time, we would say that Paul had everything he was passionate about the right thing and you know are doing today reading about studying his life. What will history say about you, my friend. For me this was your life and fill in the blanks when we put another way, one question from these two portraits. Is there anything about your life worth writing down talking the significant achievement. We spent the whole session talking about the other things talking how much you owner after what's behind your name and the title or were you plug-in which are known for talking about your personal commitment to Christ.

Your private devotion to Christ in your public obedience to Christ.

This was your life. Could you say that if you one 60+-year-old gentleman wrote. I have learned that sometimes life gives you a second chance blood and about life, but I know that God does, third and fourth today even his mercy was fresh and for those of you who know Christ by faith. Maybe today is another chance. Another clarion call. Another invitation to begin a personal commitment to him a private devotion with him in the public obedience to the old poem says only one life will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last today is your opportunity to examine your life and consider these things that Stephen has mentioned. Thanks for joining us today here on wisdom for the hearts the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey, I encourage you to install our app to your phone so that you can quickly and easily access all of our Bible-based resources. That app contains the audio and the transcript of each of these daily Bible messages.

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