Let's go back to the book of Acts once again. And once we get started, we'll be starting in chapter 13. It's been a blessing for us to be here, encouragement to meet you, to fellowship, and to share the word of God because we have a great God to serve and we have a great privilege to serve Him and great things that we can hope to see him doing as we go preaching the gospel to the world. What I would like to do in this message tonight is kind of take a survey in the book of Acts and some missionary musings as we go through Paul's mission trips and entitle this, Expect the Unexpected, because you were talking about one thing that is really right along this line that It's not just all simple and straightforward as far as doing the work of missions. There's a lot of ups and downs and there's a lot of advance and then stepping back and advancing further, you know, two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back. But it's not all simple and straightforward, many twists and turns and ups and downs. We need to realize that it's not unusual when that happens to us, but it's been the pattern throughout Christian history. And I think that we can see some things here in the book of Acts that will encourage us when we work our way through this. a great commission. It is a great job that's before us. We have great promises, but we do need to learn that principle of perseverance. Trust God because He is working out His promises and His purposes in His time and His way. So let's start with the first journey of the Apostle Paul in chapter 13. What I want to do is show how things seem to be going so well and just like we might expect them to be going and then all of a sudden, surprise, it does take a turn. And so we're going to see that happen over and over again. And so we're going to start out here as we see the Holy Spirit speaks to the church in Antioch. It says, there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Manion, which had been brought up, with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them. When they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them, and they sent them away. So they know that this journey that they're setting out on is ordained by God. They are called by the Holy Spirit. They are sent by the Holy Spirit. So they should be sent and directed right by the Holy Spirit and used by the Holy Spirit to accomplish his purposes. Well, that's what they're expecting. That's what we should always expect. Here's their first missionary journey. They set out. This is going to take about two years duration as they go. The first place they go is to Cyprus. Verse 4 says, So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, departed unto Seleucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. You look at them preaching in Cyprus and in verse 12, you see that the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed and was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. So you see, here they come, the first place they go, they see that the Lord does savingly convert one there under the preaching of the gospel. And so, you know, they can see that God is working. He has called us, sent us, and so now we're setting out, and hey, things look pretty good, don't they? Because, yeah, the devil, he's causing a little bit of confusion here, but God's blessing. Souls are being saved. So positive. We're on the right track. We've set out. You get down to verse 14 and he comes to the new place of Antioch in Pisidia. They departed from Perga. They came to Antioch in Pisidia. They went in the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And so they begin to preach there in Antioch. You get to verse 43. When the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul in Barnabas, who, speaking with him, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. So you can see that here in Antioch, some are embracing the message. They have received the gospel, they have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ, and now he's encouraging them, you continue in the grace of God. Verse 44, you see the whole city turning out to hear the Word of God. You know, Paul hasn't gone on quite this type of missionary journey. He's been doing preaching for a long time, but this is the first time on this kind of missionary journey that we see in the Scripture. And, you know, things look pretty positive, aren't they, as he's preaching? The whole city turns out. The Gentiles, the whole region. Well, verse 50, you see that persecution flares up, but in 51, Or 52, the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost. So things, even though there's confusion at times, and even though there's persecution at times, there's great joy, there's been souls coming to Christ, things are looking pretty positive. You get down to chapter 14, verse 1, they come to Iconium. They were both there a long time preaching. And God manifest His power in the city of Iconium. In verse 6, you see that they fled to Lystra and Derbe because of opposition that was taking place there. Cities of Lycaonia, they preached the gospel there. Verse 8, There sat a certain man of Lystra, and this one was healed. And, you know, a strange turn happened here at Lystra. They mistook them as gods because of the power that was being manifest in these healings that were taking place. And when they were informed that, no, we're not gods at all, well, verses 19 and 20, turned out they stoned them, left them for dead. but there were disciples. In fact, in 2021, you see that it was many disciples. So at 21, they began a reverse trip. They go through the churches, 22, strengthening the churches, confirming the churches, appointing elders in verse 23. And they return back to their own church there in verses 24 through 28. And it says that, verse 27, when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how that He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. I know I'm not setting out anything new here, not making a lot of applications as we go through this. I just wanted to get this picture in our mind. Here they've set out, they went to Cyprus, they went to Antioch, they went to Iconium, they went to Lystra and Derbe, and God was saving souls. Things are looking great. Everything's on a positive track, even though there has been very sore persecution. So when they get back to Antioch, they're reporting all this with great excitement and great joy, right? God sent us out to new Gentile places. We're preaching the Gospel in these Gentile cities. And God is saving. And so they're thinking of blessing. They're thinking of salvation being applied by God's grace. They're thinking of churches that have been established. They're thinking that there have been elders or pastors appointed in these churches. They're rejoicing in what God has done in this first missionary journey. And so, they're back at the church. And something happens there while they're there in Antioch in verse one, beginning at verse 15. Doctrinal confusion arises, I'll put it that way. Certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, except you be circumcised after the matter of Moses, you cannot be saved. So here they're coming down to the Gentiles and saying that you're going to have to keep the law and apply the circumcision and other aspects of the law of Moses if you're going to be saved. Verse 2, and when therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. They said, look, we've been debating this, and we have not settled this, and so we're going to go to the apostles in Jerusalem, we're going to set it before them, and we're going to get some answers about this. Paul is adamant. He is firm. He is clear. Salvation is by grace. It's not by adding law to grace. So, verse three, being brought on their way by the church, they went, and as they went on their way to Jerusalem, they were stopping along the churches and telling of what God had done among the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. So here we see this, yes, they're rejoicing the blessings that they have seen, but now there is doctrinal error that is arising, and discord that's being sown in the churches, and so they head down to Jerusalem. Now, one thing Luke does not tell us here, was something that Paul discovered when all of this dissension came about with these who had come in to the church there in Antioch. What is that? What they find out is that these same guys who are here stirring up all this trouble in Antioch, Well, they've been down there in Antioch of Pisidia, and Iconium, and Lystra, and Derby, and all of those brand new churches, sowing the same error. You go to Galatians, the book of Galatians, chapter 1 and verse 6. He says there, Galatians 1 verse 6, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him who called you into the grace of God unto another gospel. Enoch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, that is Galatia. Those are the churches of Galatia. Now as you go through, The book of Galatians, you don't see him referring to that discussion with the apostles there in Jerusalem. You don't see him discussing those decrees that have taken place. So what we gather from that is that Paul had just found out what had happened out in the churches in Galatia and he writes them the letter to Galatia probably while he is on his way to Jerusalem. He can't even tell them about the discussion and the decrees there yet. And so what we see here is they had already been there in the churches where he has just been rejoicing, preaching the gospel, seeing souls saved and pastors established. And now these heretics are out there trying to tell them, you have to keep the law if you're going to be saved. And they have been shaken. Boy, we didn't see that one coming. We're rejoicing in God's blessings and here Satan's already trying to destroy it all? Is all of that going to be lost? Paul does point out to them here in Galatians 1 that He is an apostle of God, not of men. That's where he got his message. In Galatians 1, 11 and 12, I certify to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached to me is not after man, neither I received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words, he says, I was appointed to preach the gospel to you by Christ. The gospel that I gave to you was His gospel. It was not incomplete. It was not lacking something. I did not leave out the fact that you need to also be circumcised and keep the law if you're going to be saved. He is telling them adding anything to faith is perverting the gospel. It is another gospel. But you see, here he had been rejoicing in the blessings of God. And just out of the blue, totally unexpected, here comes this devastating heresy to destroy those churches that had just been established. So we need this warning. Expect the unexpected. Be ready. Things are going to come about that we're not expecting to happen. And we need to not be taken off guard when those things do arrive. As we go on, let's move into his second missionary journey. In chapter 15, coming down to the end of the chapter, Paul is ready to set out on his second missionary journey. In verse 36 of Acts 15 it says, And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again, and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. Let's go back to those churches. takes place. Verse 37, Barnabas determined to take with him John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with him who had departed from them from Pamphylia and went not with him to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed on to Cyprus and Paul chose Silas and departed being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. What do we see here as we have now come to the second missionary journey, and they're just ready to walk out the door and set out. And from the beginning of this second missionary journey, what do we find? Division in the missionary team. Separation of these two great missionary heroes. Well, I didn't see that one coming, Lord. Well, I don't know how we're going to do if our two greats or fighting with one another. Well, chapter 16 and verse 4, you find that they did split, they did go different directions, and Paul, goes back to Derbe and Lystra and takes Timotheus, or there he finds Timotheus and he begins to take him along with him. So he picks up another brother that's going to be working with him. And in verse four, as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the apostles and elders, which were in Jerusalem. So now it's after that visit to Jerusalem and they're telling them about the decrees, something that he didn't tell them about in Galatians. So the Galatians was before this. But what do we see? Here they are just beginning the second missionary journey, and we see it's beginning with a split in the missionary team. They get back out there, they're delivering the decrees. But now that we've done this, now that we've gone back to these churches, we've done some additional teaching and exhorting and rejoiced in seeing that yes, they were restored, they didn't turn away to the false gospel. And so now, where are we going to go next? Verse six, now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, they said, let's go somewhere else. And they set out to get there. But as they start traveling, the Holy Spirit is saying, no, not here. Well, we're on the road. We're trying to get there, but we don't even know where we're going. And verse 7 is just, after that they were come to Mystia and Assaid, they tried, attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not. It looks like once they've got back to those churches where God blessed in their first journey, and they're ready to step out beyond and go into new lands, that what they end up doing is just wandering around. Lord, it was so simple finding where you wanted us that first time. I mean, you blessed us in Cyprus, and we went to Antioch, and we went to these places, and you blessed us here, and now we're just trying to move on beyond there, and we don't know where to go. They're wandering around. So they get to verse 8, and passing by Mysia, came down to Troas. They've been walking with some unexpected confusion. What is the will of the Lord? Well, they weren't sure what the will of the Lord was. But they proceeded and they passed by Mysia and came down to Troas. This is a very important point in this journey. two very important things happen in Troas. Number one, verse nine, the vision. A vision appeared to Paul in the night and there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia and help us. You know, they hadn't been thinking of leaving Asia and going to Europe. They were trying to go into Asia, Bithynia, and all these parts of what we call Turkey now, Asia Minor. And here they were looking at all these cities and all these regions, and that's where they were planning. That's all that was in their mind. And they get over here to Mysia and the Lord says, No, I want you in Europe. They weren't expecting that. But the Lord had a place for them to go, and He shows them this place, which is Philippi, Macedonia, and that's where they're going to be going. So there, the Lord led them in a totally unexpected way. But read verse 10 with me, and this is number two, the very significant thing here in this trip. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. This may not be a surprise to you, but it might, we'll see. There's something unique in this verse that has not occurred up to this point in all of the book of Acts. Does anybody recognize what it is? Anybody recognize? After he, Paul, had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia. Notice the we. Who's we? Who's writing the Book of Acts? Luke! Who did Paul find in Troas? Luke! Here's this seemingly, Paul just stumbled upon a Christian brother who is not only a Christian brother, but is a preacher of the gospel. And he says, first time, verse 10, immediately, we endeavor to go into Macedonia, surely gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. So not only did he have the vision that was sending them into Europe, but second of all, he finds Luke, A preacher of the gospel who joins him and moves forward with him in the preaching ministry here as he's moving into Europe. Luke, who will become the inspired penman of the gospel of Luke. Luke, who will become the inspired penman of the book of Acts, was found here totally by accident. He just stumbled on him. Luke, as they were wandering around, wondering where to go. We can expect the unexpected. God takes us through trials unexpectedly, and He drops blessings upon us unexpectedly, but we can just trust Him that He is leading, no matter what is occurring as we press forward in serving Him. You know, there's no church mentioned in Troyes up to this point. Later on we do see there's a congregation there. I don't know if they were already functioning as a church at this point. Don't know who Luke was really. He probably, a good guess is that he was a Jewish proselyte who was at Pentecost on the day of Pentecost, or in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. And so he had just gone back home and then he had been teaching the gospel there. And so he wasn't a man who was out as a missionary. He was a man who was back at home after having received the gospel in Jerusalem. But here he is introduced to Paul, very unexpectedly, but as an outpouring of God's blessing in this ministry. So they go on over to Macedonia, they go on to Europe, and Lydia is saved, the jailer is saved. But notice you get down to verse 17, it says the same Followed Paul and us and cried saying these men are the servants of the Most High God which shows unto us the way of salvation this The same follow Paul and us is the last plural pronoun that you find right here There's no more us and we when Paul leaves Philippi It's he again Again, Luke is telling the story about Paul. Now remember, up here in verse 10, Luke had said, God has called us to preach the gospel to them in Macedonia. But once they get to Macedonia and Paul moves on beyond Philippi, you don't see Luke anymore. What does that tell you? Luke stayed in Philippi. Luke stayed in Philippi preaching the gospel, and he doesn't turn up again until probably four or maybe five years later. Luke stays probably pastoring, definitely doing mission outreach here in Philippi for those years while Paul goes on in his second journey. He goes on to Thessalonica, he goes on to Berea, he goes on to Athens and Corinth and then back to Antioch and Syria. And then after spending a short time there, he heads out on his third missionary journey He has this great ministry in Ephesus. And then, after that ministry in Ephesus, he goes up to Macedonia. Well, there's Philippi and Thessalonica, and he sees Luke again, I'm sure, and he goes down to Greece, and he's ministering in Corinth again. And then, you get to chapter 20 and verse 6, and we sailed away from Philippi. So here, Twenty-four and five years later, Luke, who is still in Philippi, when Paul makes his way back, leaves with Paul to go back to Jerusalem. Here was a blessing, unexpected. Not only was Paul, did he find a brother who would serve the Lord together with him, but he found a man that he could leave with confidence at a new mission point and have him there building, preaching the gospel, building up that church, establishing that church, and he would be there while Paul went on to new places. That was a blessing that he didn't have to take time to invest in this man and teach this man and train him. He was one that God had prepared and he was there. That was a blessing that came very unexpectedly. Now, here in chapter 20 of the book of Acts, this is actually nearing the end of his third missionary journey. Look with me in chapter 20, verses 2 to 4. It says, when he had gone over those parts, so Luke is talking about Paul. When he had gone over those parts and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece. So he'd been in Macedonia, he'd been in Greece, and there he abode three months in Greece. And when the Jews laid wait for him as he was about to sail unto Syria. So that's going back home in Antioch in Syria. He purposed to return through Macedonia. And there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater, Berea, and the Thessalonians, and Aristarcha, and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, Timotheus of Asia, and Tychicus, and Trophimus." Who are all these guys that are traveling with Paul? This is not a huge missionary team. For years I said that's what this was. He had this team of men who were going around doing mission work with him. But it wasn't that at all. You see, this is the point that he mentions in several different places when he is on the way to Jerusalem carrying the contributions the churches had raised to send to the poor saints in Jerusalem. These people are representatives of all of those churches. So they're going along with Paul taking their offerings from their churches to Jerusalem. So they're going as representatives of their churches. They're probably going just in part to have a team of men there for protection of these large amounts of money that they were probably carrying. But it was at this point, at the end of the third missionary journey, as they're about to set out from Philippi, Philippi going to Jerusalem with this money that the apostle writes the book of Romans. This is important for us to see this. Go over to Romans chapter 15 and verse 25. Romans 15. 25. So Paul is writing the book of Romans, right? And he says, but now I go into Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. So you see, he's saying I'm on my way to Jerusalem right now. So that place in Acts 20 is where he is writing the epistle to the Romans. Notice what he says here. in the epistle to the Romans. I'm on my way to Jerusalem, carrying the contributions of the churches. But he says, I want you to know something. I have some plans. Look at verse 23. But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you, whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you. For I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on your way thitherward by you. At first I'll be somewhat filled with your company." What does he tell him then? I'm on my way to Jerusalem. I had this short, quick trip. I'm going to Jerusalem, going to drop off these contributions, and then from there, I'm going to Spain. That's where God has laid on my heart to go preach next. And you know, I've always wanted to stop and see you guys in Rome. So on my way to Spain, I'm going to stop and spend time with you and preach to you guys. After this short trip to Jerusalem, I'll stop by Rome, and then I'm headed out to Spain. That's my plans. Verse 28, when therefore I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. I'm going to visit you. But I had this quick trip to make first. That was Paul's plans. That's what he was expecting to do. Is that what the Lord had planned? If you stop and look at where we're at in the book of Acts, and you compare all of the statements that are made in different places, you realize that Paul has at this point been preaching the gospel 25 years. He has spent 13 years preaching in Arabia, Syria, Cilicia, 13 years. And then Barnabas had gone and found him in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch and he spent a year preaching the gospel there. And now he's spent 11 years on three missionary journeys. So 25 years have gone by. Paul at this point is a veteran missionary. He's experienced in missions. He's experienced in the ways of the Lord. And he says, I'm going to Spain. I just have this quick trip to Jerusalem first. What happens? He went to Jerusalem. But look at Acts chapter 21. What happens in Jerusalem? Acts 21 and verse 30, he's in Jerusalem, and all the city was moved and the people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the temple and forthwith the doors were shut and they went about to kill him. There is an uproar in the temple while Paul is there. Verse 32 and 33, it says, they immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them and when they saw the chief captain of the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. And the chief captain came near and took him and commanded him to be bound with two chains and demanded who he was and what he had done." So here we see that Paul, he has this quick trip to Jerusalem, but he gets to Jerusalem and he finds himself in an uproar, then he finds himself being beat, then he finds himself under arrest. Chapter 23 and verse 1, he finds himself giving testimony, Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day, so Paul has the opportunity now, because of all that's going on there, to preach to the council, the Sanhedrin. Well, I hadn't planned on preaching to the Sanhedrin, but you know, I think this is a good time to do so. Well, in verse 11, The night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, as thou hast testified to me in Jerusalem, thou must bear witness of me also at Rome. Oh good, finally, I'm going to get to go to Rome. That's what I had already said I was going to do. I'm going to make this short trip here to Jerusalem, and then I'm going to run to Rome, and then I'm going to go to Spain. And the Lord said, You're going to go to Rome and you're going to preach. And so he said, Finally, I'm going to get back on track. Right? Well, they find out that there's a plot to kill Paul. So they send Paul down to Caesarea to Felix. Chapter 23 and verse 33, it says, when they came to Caesarea, they delivered the epistle to the governor and presented Paul also before him, before Felix, the governor. And so Paul is now under arrest still, and he's sent down to Caesarea to the governor. And in chapter 24, verse 10, then Paul, after that, the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, For as much as I know that thou hast been these many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself." And so what does Paul get to do? He gets to give his defense and preach the gospel to Felix. You know, I've always wanted to preach to the governor of this region who's in Caesarea, but I hadn't really planned on doing it this way. Well, there he is preaching the gospel to Felix. In 23, he is kept under arrest, limited activity, and adverse. Where am I at? 2410. It says, then Paul, after the governor beckoned him, he spoke unto him. And then in 2423, it says, and he commanded a centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. So here he is. He is still being kept under arrest in Caesarea. His activities are limited. People can only come to him. But you get to verse 27, and how long has he kept in this situation? You know, the Lord said, you're going to preach in Rome, and he's thinking, yeah, finally, I'm going to get to go preach in Rome. But 27 says, but after two years, Portius Festus came into Felix's room, and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. So, no, he's not making that progress that he thought he was going to be making. Here he is, kept two years. In prison, in jail, in Caesarea. Two years. Well, I wasn't expecting that, Lord. You said I was going to Rome. In chapters 25 and 26, you find this is the passage where he finally appeals to go to Caesar. You know, he had another opportunity that he had not expected. Not only did he get to preach to Felix off and on for two years, but now that Festus has come, he gets to preach to Governor Festus. And now that Agrippa comes into town, he gets to preach to Agrippa. Well, you know, I wasn't expecting that, but it's the door that the Lord opened and we happily take advantage of the opportunity. But here I have been two years in Caesarea after all, thinking I was going to Rome. But they say, well, you've appealed to Caesar, so it's time to go to Rome. Well, good. Finally making progress. 27-1, they set out by ship into Italy. Headed that direction at least. Well, what happens when they get out at sea? Shipwreck. Why, Lord? You know, this could be so simple. We're just out here trying to preach. And this isn't even anybody opposing the gospel. It's not a person that is throwing rocks at me. It's just a storm. Why, Lord? Shipwreck. It's been the winter in Malta. Well, there's another several months gone. He does get to Rome. 28 and verse 16. When we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. So Paul did finally make it to Rome, but he was kept under house arrest. Wasn't able to move about. He wasn't able to be freely out. Going like he would like to, to preach the gospel. But you see that he was continuously preaching the gospel. Verse 17 says, It came to pass that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together, and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. And so he calls the Jews out from there in Rome. Come, I want to talk to you. And he preaches the gospel to them. Verse 23, it says, when he had appointed a date to him, there came many to him and to his lodging to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the love of Moses and out of the prophets from morning till evening. And so here Paul is, he's in Rome, but he's under arrest, he's under house arrest, and he's preaching, but it's only to the people that he can get to come there where he is under arrest. How long is he here? Well, verse 30 says that Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came unto him. Here Paul is under arrest, limited in his activities, unable to go out preaching for two years in Rome. So hereafter, he had just written to the church at Rome saying, you know, I have this quick trip to Jerusalem, and from there I'm going to Spain to preach the Gospel. He went to Jerusalem and he found himself two years in prison in Caesarea, and then he had the shipwreck in the winter in Malta, and then he has two more years in jail or under house arrest in Rome. Things are not going like Paul had planned. The fact is that From one perspective, you'd want to look at that and say, man, this is just almost wasted years. There's so much more could have been done. Limited in his activities. You know, he could have been pacing the floor the whole time. Frustrations. There is no evidence that he ever went to Spain. Doubtful that he did. Think back over all of this. His first journey? He goes out and there's such blessing. And then as soon as he gets back to Antioch, he finds out that the heretics are out there trying to destroy the churches that he just planted. Well, I wasn't expecting that. He's setting out on his second journey and it begins with divisions. It begins with lack of direction. It's blessed with unexpected contact with Luke and direction into Europe. Well, we didn't go into all of the events on the third missionary trip and discuss the battles that were going on in Corinth and all those things. But when he's ready for his fourth missionary journey to go to Spain, we find that that fourth missionary journey never even occurred. Ah, humanly speaking, it looked like it was just disastrous events, one thing after another. But look over in Philippians chapter 1. Philippians chapter 1 verses 12 and 13. As Paul is chained, under arrest, he writes this letter to the church at Philippi. And he says to them in verses 12 and 13, But I would, I want you to understand, he says, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." These things were not a hindrance to the gospel. They happened unto the furtherance of the gospel. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. He says, all of Caesar's palace knows about me and about my bondage here for Christ. This has happened for the furtherance of the Gospel. And then in chapter 4, verse 22, he says, as he's writing to the church there, all the saints salute you. And notice that. Chiefly, they that are of Caesar's household. How would Paul ever have been able to preach to Caesar's servants? If he hadn't ever been under arrest there in Rome. That's for sure, Lord, I did not see this coming. But through the things that You have put in my path, You have directed my step, You have sent things that were totally unexpected, but it was Your will in accomplishing Your purposes. Unexpected problems and unexpected blessings and glorious results came out of it. You know, as we read in 2 Timothy, Second Timothy was the apostles last epistle before his death. Actually, Paul was released after that imprisonment there that we were reading about at the end of the book of Acts. For another couple of years he was out preaching again, and he was imprisoned again then a second time. And it's during this second imprisonment that Paul writes 2 Timothy, writes back to Timothy. And he says in chapter 4 and verse 6, that he realizes he's nearing the end of his life. Chapter 4, verse 6, For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. He knows he's close to dying. He's close to being executed. And he says, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Herefore, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not me only, but unto all them that love his period." So here he's saying, look, I know I'm near the end of my life. And chapter 4 and verse 11 is a little bit shocking to me. Paul is near the end of his life, of a blessed ministry, the servant of the Lord, and here he is in prison, and he says this, Well, in verse 10, for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, not implying that he is forsaken like Demas did, but he's gone ministering in Galatia, Titus, under Dalmatia, but then he says this, and this is what is just, leaves me scratching my head in a way. He says, only Luke is with me. Here Paul is reaching the end. He says, only one brother is with me. Why, Lord? Why wasn't a whole circle of brothers around him encouraging him after a life of faithfulness? Well, that wasn't the Lord's purpose. Only Luke is with me, but Paul is still thinking of his brothers. He's thinking of Timothy. He says, take Mark and bring him with thee. So it says, Timothy, you come see me and I want you to bring Mark. But right now, it's just Luke. Luke, that faithful brother that he met when he was wandering out there, not knowing which way to turn. In verses 17 and 18, he says, Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. That was a deliverance that had taken place at the end of his previous imprisonment. But he says, and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. So we see here that Paul pressing right up to the very end. He is faithful. He is strong. He is trusting the Lord. He's living in confidence. And he's still preaching and still thinking of more things I can do. You bring Mark and you come Timothy. So we can talk. Bring the books, he tells them. What do we see in all of this? Looking at the missionary life of the Apostle, one thing is very evident, yes, there's many blessings, and there's much progress, and there's much pressing ahead, but we see this, missionary work does not always go according to plan. Often things happen that are beyond our understanding. And many times, not just once in a while, or not just if you're walking around out of the will of the Lord, many times plans fail. And that's part of God at work. His plan will be perfectly fulfilled. We can rest in that. You know, we see out of the doctrinal error that arose there after the first missionary journey, that we have the book of Galatians here in our Bible. Out of that team split, whenever Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus, what is the fruit we see of that? Mark is matured, authored a gospel that we have in our New Testament, and Paul is asking Timothy to bring him along with you when you come to see me. Out of that team split, Mark became a blessing to the work of missions. Out of Paul's wandering around, out there wondering where to go, Luke was discovered. Luke became pastor at Philippi. Luke wrote the book of Acts. Out of those two years that Paul was in prison in Caesarea, Luke was able to spend most of that time probably, since he had been traveling with Paul to Jerusalem, and Paul is now sitting in jail just wondering when I'm going to get out of here. Luke was able to spend those two years in Jerusalem interviewing the witnesses, those who knew the Lord Jesus Christ, interviewing the apostles, and Luke then was able to pen the Gospel of Luke that we have in our New Testament. Out of those two years that Paul spent in Rome, we have all the prison epistles that are in our New Testament. Out of that later imprisonment, we have the second epistle to Timothy. You see, all of those things that we look at and we say, man, that looks like that was just all wrong. That was a mess. That was a problem. That was a setback. And we see how God brought so many blessings out of all those things, but it didn't get there by planning them. And it didn't go the way He expected it to. What does all of this tell us? It tells us that we need one, like we've been talking about already, perseverance. No matter what happens, just keep pressing ahead. Perseverance. Second, prayer and dependence on the Lord. We don't always know. We make the best plans we can, but if plans change, that's in His hands. And then, don't be discouraged. Don't be discouraged when it doesn't go the way we expected it to. That's all part of the way God is working. In His men, in His ministry, in His churches, and in the extension of His kingdom throughout the world. You know, we look at all that and we just wonder, well, how in the world did the work of missions even survive all that that went through? Well, here we are 2,000 years later, We're still preaching. Churches are still being gathered. Souls are still being saved. The kingdom is still extending. God's still on His throne, isn't He? Persevere. Trust Him. Pray. And He will bless. But, don't be surprised. We better expect the unexpected. Amen. God bless you.