Welcome to the In Touch Podcast with Charles Stanley for Tuesday, September seventeenth. Committed believers aren't the only ones who play a part in God's plans. Stay with us to find out how He uses the wicked to accomplish His purpose too. God's ways seem to be so perplexing at times, and the reason is because we don't understand what He's doing or why He's doing it. Then likewise, His ways seem to sometimes be very painful because of its effect on us and because of its effect on maybe the people we love. We don't always understand what He's doing. And we know sometimes that we feel like, not know like, but feel like that He's really not doing the best.
In other words, there must be some better way to do something. And yet we know He's all wise, all powerful, always wants what's best for us. And yet sometimes His ways are perplexing and confusing to us.
It's true not only in the life of an individual, it's true in the life of nations. And yet deep down inside we know that He always has the best in mind for His children. Well, what I want to talk about in this message, and this is one of our series here entitled, The Ways of God. And we've talked about certain ways, that is, how does God operate? How does He think? Why does He do what He does? Well, today this subject may be a little, shall I say, a little more curious.
Because what I want to talk about is this. The ways of God. God uses the wicked to accomplish His purpose. Now we know He uses the righteous, but the truth is He uses the wicked to accomplish His purpose.
In the life of individuals, in the life of nations, in the life of the church. Well, let's look at the New Testament. Turn to the book of Acts for a moment.
And I want you to notice what's happening here. You remember in the book of Acts that Jesus said the Holy Spirit will come. When He comes, He said, here's what's going to happen. The power of God's going to come upon you. And I want you to be my witnesses all over the world. So, the Holy Spirit comes. And I want you to, second chapter if you will, Peter's preached this awesome message. And people are being saved everywhere.
Look at this. Beginning in verse forty-one of this second chapter. So then, those who had received His Word were baptized, and that day they were added three thousand souls.
Now look what's happening. It's very important you're watching the Spirit here. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship and the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe, and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common. They began selling their property and possessions and were sharing with them, with all the rest of them as anyone might have need. Day by day, continuing with one mind in the temple, breaking bread from house to house. They were taking their meals together with a gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, having favor with all the people. The Lord was added to their number. Day by day, those who had been saved. You know what they were having? They were having this awesome revival meeting.
So what happens? One day, Peter and John go up to the temple to pray. And this man was lying there at the gate and he was crippled. And so Peter said, and I love it, I love it best in the King James Version when he says, the guy reached out for something. He said, silver and gold have I none, but in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And this man's helped up.
He begins to walk, praise God. People get all excited again. That just stirs them up that much more. Well, they get so stirred up and talking about the resurrected Jesus, Pharisees and Sadducees couldn't handle it. So they had Him arrested. And so what I want you to see is what happens here when they get arrested.
And if you'll notice in the fourth chapter, listen to this. And as they were speaking in the first verse, as they were speaking to the people, the priest and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Now, it probably wouldn't have even gotten their attention if they hadn't have been saying, the man who gave this man healing power to stand up and walk is the same Jesus whom you crucified who is now resurrected and is alive.
They couldn't handle it. And so what happens is persecution starts and they have some conversation about Him. And then verse eight says, then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name this man stands here before you in good health.
They could not handle that. He's the stone which was rejected by you, the builders but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. The Scripture says, and as they observed these fellows, Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and began to recognize these fellows have been with Jesus, preaching this resurrection. So what happens?
Everything is going on. And then I want you to notice, if you will, while all these people are being saved and look in verse fourteen of verse twelve of the fifth chapter, at the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were taking place among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon's portico.
None of the rest dared to associate with them. However, the people held them in high esteem, and all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number. To such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also the people from the cities and the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits. They were all being healed. I mean, this was some kind of an awesome meeting going on in Jerusalem.
People being healed, all kind of things happening. Now, what happened? The high priest rose up again, full of jealousy and anger and all the rest. And go back, go on over, if you will, to the twenty-ninth verse. But Peter and the apostles answered, We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you've put to death, by hanging Him on a cross.
He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things. And so it is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. Well, every time they got to persecuting them, they got to preaching the gospel, and things got a little stronger.
Now, I want you to come to a very, very important part. So, as they began to preach the gospel, Stephen, in the seventh chapter, he began to preach. And here's what he did in the sermon. He started in the seventh chapter in the very beginning. And he went back and, listen to where he started, in verse two. And he said, Hear me, brethren and fathers, that God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Herod. And he started to preach the gospel in the seventh chapter in the very beginning of the Old Testament, that twelfth chapter. And he sort of gave him the history of how God had worked all down through those years. And talked about how the Lord had brought them through all these things.
Then here's what he said. He said, beginning in verse forty-six, David found favor in God's sight, asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. He said, I'll go to the place where David lived, where they had made a house for the Lord. And he said, Yes, I'll go to the place where David lived. And he said, I'll go to the place where David lived. And he said, And I'll go to the place where David lived. And he said, Yes, I'll go to the place where David lived. And he said, I'll go to the place where God put him in human hands, as the prophet says. And so, he begins to quote. Then he gets down to the invitation close to it. Verse fifty-one, You men who are stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears, are always resisting the Holy Spirit. You who received the law is ordained by angels, and yet you did not keep it." Man, this is it. It all broke loose.
Look at this. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick. They began gnashing their teeth at Him, but being full of the Holy Spirit, He gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And He said, Behold, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.
But they cried out with a loud voice and covered their ears and rushed at Him with one impulse. When they had driven Him out of the city, they began stoning Him, and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen, and he called on the Lord and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. Having said this, he fell asleep.
Now I want you to watch something here. Why would God allow this to happen to the little church? I mean, after all, these people were trusting Him. People were being saved day and night. They were just having this awesome, awesome, godly spiritual meeting all over Jerusalem, and everything is just going fantastic, and now the persecutors come. Why would God allow that to happen?
Now I want you to watch this, very significant point. The Scripture says that the young man who stood by and watched the stoning of Stephen was a young man by the name of Saul. You and I know him as Paul. What was God doing? God was doing the most awesome work. Now I want to tell you what it is, and then I want us to apply it to ourselves.
Watch this. He said, He was a vigorous, this was his own testimony in Timothy, a vigorous aggressor of the church. In fact, if you look at the eighth chapter and the first verse, here's what it said.
He was in hearty agreement with putting him to death, putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea, Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him, but Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, dragging off men and women that he would put in prison. Verse four, Therefore those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Why did God let all of this persecution take place?
Well, here's the reason. He had given them the Great Commission, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Well, they were just having this wonderful, fantastic time in Jerusalem. God had to motivate them to go to, what did He say?
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, other most parts of the earth. What was it that caused the saints in Jerusalem to scatter abroad preaching the gospel? Persecution. We don't like that. That's what it took.
Now watch this. Stephen, one man, very insignificant man, we would say, preached this awesome sermon. And it was so convicting, they covered their ears and gnashed at him and stoned him to death.
Looks like that was a big waste. Except Saul of Tarsus, the aggressor, who was the most feared man in the church in those days. He was standing there watching this happen. Stephen's death was the spark God used to get to the man we call Saul of Tarsus. So what happens? He gets saved. And he begins to preach the gospel. And what happens to him? They begin to persecute him. Everywhere you turn, they were persecuting him. Left for dead, enlisted, stoned and left for dead, in stocks, in prison, one prison after the other. It's almost like that was his favorite place. And one prison after the other, watch this.
You say, well, now wait a minute. If God sends him out to preach the gospel, why does He let him stay in prison? Why doesn't He keep going?
Watch this. Because Paul's schedule was too heavy. He put him in prison so he could write. He put him in prison so he had time to write.
And so he wrote Ephesians and Colossians and Philippians and so what happens? He says, well, now, wait a minute. He says, well, now, wait a minute. He says, well, now, wait a minute. He says, well, now, wait a minute. He says, well, now, wait a minute.
He says, well, now, wait a minute. And so, what looks like a mistake, God used the wicked to put this man in prison so he could do what? So he could bless every single one of us all the days of our life.
Now, here's what I want you to remember. If he can use the wicked to accomplish his purpose, he can use the wicked to accomplish his purpose. He can use the wicked to accomplish his purpose. God does use the wicked for His purposes. But He also uses the righteous for His purpose.
Think about this. Stephen was one man, very little said about him comparatively. But it's his willingness to share his testimony to those who are in the church today, the man who became the greatest missionary in the history of humanity, whose epistles have, listen, not impressed, but impacted, impacted every single believer who has ever read a part of any of them. Two men, Stephen, Saul of Tarsus. Look at the church today. It's a church that's just a church that's just a church that is just a church that is just a church that is just a church without the epistles. And here's what Paul did.
Paul really interpreted the life of Jesus for us in a practical way, how we're to live. And he gave it to us in writing. Does God use the wicked? Oh, yes He does. That's one of His ways.
He did it then as He's still doing it, He's still doing it. Here's the question I ask you. You receive the gift of salvation more than likely without persecution. Nobody's persecuted, most of you, for your faith. Do you not believe that you and I have a divine obligation to speak the truth of the gospel to as many people as possible around this world?
Yes. But where does it have to start? It has to start in your life, in your family, among your friends, the people you meet, in the restaurant, where you work, in your school, whatever it might be. He uses the wicked, yes He does, but He also uses the righteous. It is the responsibility of every believer to share. Listen, you've got the only message that can keep a person from going to hell and send them to heaven. The only message, no other name given among men unto heaven whereby a man can be saved except the name of Jesus Christ.
The only name. There's a world of people out there who don't believe there, but you know what, nothing's changed. There was a world of people who didn't believe it when Paul preached it. We have an obligation, but watch this. It isn't only an obligation. It is an awesome, divine opportunity. Somebody told you about Jesus. That's how you got saved. Somebody told you.
Somebody told you when you were a kid. Somebody told you when you were a little old and somebody told you a little old and somebody told you, you're seventy-five and eighty and you've just been, you've just received Christ as your Savior. Every one of us is the fruit of somebody taking the time to tell us whether it's person to person, whether it's through something you read or whatever it might be, we're all saved by the grace of God. The wicked are used by Almighty God to accomplish His awesome purpose. And we could go through lots of other Scriptures. The righteous are also used by God to share His Gospel. And I want to say to you today, friend, if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, listen carefully, you will not go to heaven no matter what somebody tells you.
Here it is in black and white. The interesting thing is that this book, this book is a living testimony of God's work among men. And the history nature-wise, there's no contradiction. And the history of events, there's no contradiction. Here's what God says happens, here's what happens. Here's what God says is going to happen, here's what's going to happen. And I simply want to ask you this, how could you keep quiet when your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life and your family's not, your brother's not, your sister's not, father's not, your mother's not, but you are?
How can you keep quiet? Are you saying, well, one of these days I hope somebody will tell them, you are somebody and you and I have an obligation. Listen, if I love someone, genuinely love them, at least I'm going to try to get the truth of the gospel to them one way or the other. They may reject me, it's okay. People I care for, I have to tell them.
I have to be sure at least I've tried. You can't, God's not telling you to convert anybody. That's what He has to do.
He has to do the conversion. We all, we can do is just tell them and live before them. And I want to challenge you today, whoever you are, if you have never received Jesus, this is where you're saved. You ask Him to forgive you of your sins, based on the fact that He went to the cross and paid your sin debt in full, totally paid. You ask Him to forgive you, He'll forgive you. He'll cleanse your life, give you a new life.
That's what He said, starting on the inside. Change many things about your life that you'd like to have changed today, but you don't know where to go. Jesus is the life changer. He's the one who gives you, the only one who can give you eternal security forever and ever. I invite you to come to Christ, wherever you are. Father, we give ourselves to You afresh and anew this morning to get the truth of the gospel to those around us. Give us wisdom and strength and energy and the message. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening to God Uses the Wicked to Accomplish His Purpose. For more inspirational messages like this one, visit our online 24-7 station. And if you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley or In Touch Ministries, stop by intouch.org. This podcast is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia.
