How God Makes Something Out of Your Hot Mess
So They May Hear: Acts
Dr. Clayton Chisum
July 13, 2025
Acts 12:25 (NLT)
The church can feel like a hot mess sometimes, and today’s passage illustrates both our problems and God’s solution to them.
Acts 13:1 (NLT)
Hot Mess #1: The of the local church
TRUTH: is God’s great strategy
Acts 13:2-5 (NLT)
Hot Mess #2: The
Acts 13:9 (NLT)
TRUTH: is God’s secret weapon
1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23 (NLT)
Hot Mess #3: Our
Acts 13:13-14 (NLT)
2 Timothy 4:11 (NLT)
TRUTH: Even lost cause relationships
Hot Mess #4: as a disciple
Acts 13:38-39 (NLT)
TRUTH: aren’t in your hands, they’re in His
Saving someone isn’t your responsibility. Discouragement comes when you try to wrestle the results out of God’s hands. It’s a burden you can’t possibly carry.
Acts 4:12 (NLT)
Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)
Acts 13:46 (NLT)
TRUTH: also matters to God
Acts 13:51 (NLT)
- God cares about your health and wellbeing just as much as the mission He’s given you.
- God wants to use you, but He doesn’t want to abuse you.
Discussion Questions:
- The Motley Crew of the Church: The Antioch church was a diverse group with different backgrounds, talents, and callings. How does the diversity in our church both challenge us and reflect God’s strategy? Can you share an example of how diversity has strengthened or complicated your experience in the church?
- Dealing with Difficult Cases: Paul confronted the sorcerer Elymas boldly while relying on the Holy Spirit. When have you faced a “difficult case” or roadblock in sharing your faith or serving others? How can relying on the Holy Spirit and your personal testimony help you navigate these moments?
- Fractured Relationships: The sermon highlighted John Mark’s departure and the later restoration of his relationship with Paul. Have you experienced a fractured relationship in your faith journey? What steps can you take to work toward reconciliation, even when it feels like a lost cause?
- Discouragement in Discipleship: Paul and Barnabas faced discouragement when their preaching didn’t yield the expected results. When have you felt discouraged in your efforts to share your faith or live out your calling? How does the truth that “the results are in God’s hands” encourage you to keep going?
- God’s Care for Your Wellbeing: The sermon emphasized that God cares about your health and wellbeing, as seen when Paul and Barnabas “shook the dust off their feet” and moved on. How do you discern when it’s time to persevere in a challenging situation versus when it’s time to move on for your own wellbeing?
- God at Work in the Mess: The sermon concluded that God can make something special out of our “hot mess.” Can you share a time when God brought something good out of a chaotic or difficult situation in your life? How does this give you hope for current or future challenges?