Living The Adventure

Are we living the adventure God intended us to live?

• Acts 27 v 39 – 28 v 10
• Paul was a prisoner under Roman command as a prisoner, they were traveling to Italy.
• Paul was still supporting many churches and people through his letters even though he was a prisoner.
• Paul was shipwrecked and then bitten by a snake. But this granted him an audience with the leader of the island.
• What opportunities did this detour give Paul?
• What problems and failures could have slowed him or stopped him?
• How much did Paul rely of God to be in control?
• God gives us plenty of opportunities, what makes the difference is when we take them.
• Paul had a great but unexpected opportunity. He made the most of it.
• But how can we best be ready for the unexpected opportunities?
• 1.  We need to prepare well.
• Jesus teaches us about preparing ourselves for living the life by modelling it as a child, Luke 2 v 46 – “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”
• We need to prepare ourselves by spending time in God’s word and prayer to strengthen our relationship with him.
• 2.  We need to do the day in, day out living out lives for God.
• This is what Jesus talked in Matthew 22 v 37-39 – “³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
• 3.  We need to go the extra mile.
• Jesus also talked about going the extra mile, Matthew 5 v 41 – “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
• These three things prepare us for the unexpected opportunities.
• If we make the most of all the opportunities that come our way then we will be ready for the unexpected ones.
• Paul was ready for the unexpected opportunity to pray for Pubilus and see God heal him. Paul was ready to lead people on the island to faith. Paul was ready to pray for all others on the island.
• Are you ready for the unexpected opportunities?
• We all fail; it’s what we do next that matters.
• Paul could have seen what had happened as a failure because he hasn’t got where he thought he was going.
• Paul was nearly killed, ship wrecked and bitten by a poisonous snake but he saw the opportunity in the failure.
• We can fail forward. Paul made a decision to fail forward. Failing forward is all about seeing where it went wrong and trying it again avoiding or changing those areas. If we don’t fail forward we remain in the fail but if we fail forward and it again we can become a success.
• Romans 8 v 28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• How can you fail forward?
• Paul knew God was in control and that is why he had a peace about all that went on that day.
• Whatever storms or snakes you hit in the coming years, be assured in the fact that God is in control.
• When we try to take control, that is when it gets messy and we get trapped in lots of problems.
• How can God use these storms in our lives, to help you on the adventure?
• How will we best live the adventure?