Difficult Good

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Why am I here?  Does my life matter?  What am I here for?

The past year-plus for many has shaken the very foundation of those questions.  For some, you feel like your purpose has been put on pause or that purpose has been lost altogether.  Maybe you feel purposeless, lost, wandering through life.  What is your purpose?  Can you really live a life full of purpose? Join us for our 5-part series PURPOSE FULL: you were made for this.

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  • Acts 18-19

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Teaching Notes

How do you live a purposeful life through the difficulties of life?

 

DIFFICULT GOOD

 

Paul’s Missionary Journey’s

 

1st Missionary Journey: Acts 13-14:28

 

Date: AD 47-49

Companions: Barnabas, John Mark

Notable Events: 

  • Cyprus: Spiritual opposition from Elymas the Sorcerer
  • Perga: John Mark deserts the team 
  • Antioch Pisidia: Jewish leaders drive Paul out of town
  • Lystra: Paul is stoned and left for dead
  • Antioch/Jerusalem: Internal opposition from Judaizers 

 

2nd Missionary Journey: Acts 15:36-18:22

Date: AD 49-51

Companions: Silas, Timothy, Luke, Priscilla & Aquila

Notable Events:

  • Antioch Syria: Paul & Barnabas part ways 
    • Phrygia + Galatia: The Macedonian Call, kept by the Spirit from going to Asia
    • Philippi: Paul & Silas flogged and imprisoned
    • Thessalonica: Jewish leader try to arrest Paul & Silas
  • Berea: More opposition from Jewish leader, Paul sent to Athens
  • Corinth: Paul writes 1 & 2 Thessalonians; Jewish leaders try to arrest Paul

 

3rd Missionary Journey: Acts 18:23-21:16

Date: AD 52-57

Companions: Timothy, Luke, Others

Notable Events: 

  • Ephesus: Silversmiths riot over Paul’s effectiveness in sharing the gospel, 

Paul writes 1 Corinthians

  • Macedonia + Greece: Paul writes 2 Corinthians & Romans
  • Ptolemais: Prophet predicts Paul will be imprisoned in Jerusalem 

 

WHEN LIFE IS DIFFICULT:

 

  • Get clear on your CALLING & don’t be surprised by SUFFERING. 

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

2 Timothy 3:10-12

 

 

  • Recognize suffering has a PURPOSE, it is not POINTLESS.

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

 

 

  • Your God-given CALLING is not limited by your CIRCUMSTANCES.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Philippians 1:12-14

 

 

  • What’s AWAITING you in Jesus is WORTH whatever you are going through.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18