Session #14

Acts 16:5-34
“Missionary Journey, Take 2!” • 2.24.09 • The Power Of One: One Man, One Life, One Mission
Intro.
- We find ourselves at the beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey. Immediately, we understand that Paul’s travels took on a different tone.
• Acts 16:6,7 : “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.”
- One closed door did not dissuade them. They merely changed directions. During that change, the Lord again chose to minister to Paul about where He would have them direct their focus.
• Acts 16:9,10 : “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
- This vision led the Apostles to Philippi. There, God leads the apostles into a great connection with a believer named Lydia who opens her heart to God and then her house to Paul and his band.
- With every success there is an obstacle. Paul and his cohorts succeed with one, but are bothered by another, in this case, a demon possessed, fortune telling woman for several days.
- Paul casts the demon out of the woman, which was likely the source of her fortune telling ability, which disturbed her masters, who in turn vented their anger at Paul.
• Acts 16:19-21 : “But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, ‘These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.’”
- This led to Paul and Silas’ torture and imprisonment. We find them singing at midnight, just prior to an incredible earthquake that opens the gates of liberation for the entire prison population.
- The Jailer assumes that all his prisoners have escaped, which would be bad for him.
• Acts 16:27,28 : “And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.’”
- Paul's call to the Philippian jailer not only saved his life on Earth, but was also the catalyzing event that led to him onto a very different path.
• Acts 16:31,32 : "So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house."
- The Philippian jailer then ministered to Paul and Silas, attending to their physical needs as they had attended to their physical needs.
• Acts 16:34 : "Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household."
- Approaching this chapter, there is a temptation to think that we are so far removed from these individuals. After all, God is not calling us to live in constant peril on the physical mission field.
- However, let's not miss it: If we are men called by Christ to live as Christ, then we are under the same principles and meant to experience the same kind of victories.
- These men were on mission. We are as well. As a result, there are three macro points that we must understand when we are attempting to fulfill our God given mission.

I. The Priority Of God's Sovereignty (v.6,7)
II. The Premium Of Our Sensitivity (v.9,10)
III. The Power Of One Man's Story (v.31-34)

Text

I. The Priority Of God's Sovereignty (v.6,7)

- We have already read these verses, but there are a few words that call us to attention in verses 6 and 7. They are striking to our minds and they stand out on the page to our eyes.
- Paul and Silas were coming out of the region of Galatia, looking out at the next step in their journey.
- It has been fairly clear that they had an open landscape before them. Not this time. Note the words in verse 6: "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia."
- Then after trying to go into another area, Bithynia, again we read that the Holy Spirit "did not permit them."
- We have recognized the sovereignty of God in the establishment of missions work, when He set Paul and Barnabas apart in Acts 13:2.
- Here, we are reminded that what is begun by the Spirit, must be sustained, controlled and directed by the Spirit of God.
- From the beginning, to the middle and the end, God is sovereign over the work that He wants to do in and through our lives.
- Just so we are on the same page, the word "sovereignty" means "supreme and independent power or authority in government."
- Notice that God does not inform them of the reasoning behind his decision. He does not ask them or solicit their advice. He does not need to. He acts independant of His servants.
- This is not to shame them, to minimize their impact or discourage them in any way. He does this to protect His people. He knows of the dangers that lie ahead.
- However, there is a more important reason.
- Turn with me to Luke 10. Jesus has gathered His disciples and is about to send them out to various cities. It seems random, but there is a piece of criteria that always impresses me.
• Luke 10:1 : "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go."
- Jesus knew where He was going to be. He sent the disciples to those places where He Himself would be working. In other words, these were places where His eyes were.
- I believe that we'll see this play out in a few minutes. As much as He is preparing you, so also is He preparing the other side as well!
- For Paul and Silas, there is no bargaining, or complaining. We do not hear Paul and Silas whine and moan about God's restrictions! What we see is obedience.
- We are employed, not in a mission of our own making. We are employed, all of us, in a mission that He has poured His lifeblood into.
- We must ever remember that His mission is done His way, in His time, employing His methods for His glory! Anything less is less than He intends.

II. The Potency Of Our Sensitivity (v.9,10)

- The Apostles are in Troas and it's a scene that every missionary can relate to. The spiritual doors have been closed around them.
- As they sit in Troas, it's that place of bewilderment. It's a place of waiting on the Lord, wondering where God would direct their focus. It seems that they did not have to wait long.
• Acts 16:9,10 : “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
- In the night, a vision appeared to Paul. Visions were often employed by the Lord in the book of Acts. In Acts 9, Ananias received a vision from the Lord about Saul's conversion.
- In Acts 10, Cornelius received a vision from the Lord about Peter. At the same time, Peter received a vision about Cornelius.
- What do we make about such things? Does God still use visions today? Let's be reminded that during this time in history, at the earliest times of the church, the canon was not complete.
- Today, the Bible is complete. We have a sure revelation from the Lord.
- But notice a few things about this section. First, God came alongside of these men and met them in a special way in a most confusing time.
- I love the promise found in James, the book that we have been studying on Sundays.
• James 1:5 : "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
- God will never leave us in confusion for an indefinite period. When we ask for wisdom about what He wants us to do, we will have His answer. He always meets us at the place of our faith.
- I think about Abraham who needed a special display from the Lord that would confirm his promise.
- Moses was given a helper in Aaron when his faith didn't stand up.
- My favorite is Gideon, who had to ask for a miracle, putting out a fleece that would be dry the one night and soaked the next. God is gracious to us!
- Secondly, notice that this vision required a bit of interpretation. The other visions that we noted were much more straightforward.
- With the exception of Peter's vision, each of the visions were punctuated with a clear message from the Lord. Even Peter's vision required Jesus actually telling him what it meant.
- In the case before us, there is a clear message, but it's not the Lord. It's an unknown man from Macedonia. There is no indication that Paul knew this man.
- What moved Paul was the message. "Come and help us." Come to our aid!
- When I speak about sensitivity, I want to bring us to this statement: "Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding..."
- Paul woke up, shared the vision with Silas, immediately went out the door to the harbor and purchased tickets because they understood. They put it all together.
- What they had before them added up. It was not random activity. God was leading them.
- However, among the dense, it could be a more painstaking process.
- If I am asking the Lord to meet me, give me wisdom and lead me in the direction that He wants me to go, I had better be watching and ready to respond.
- One can be over sensitive and see spiritual in almost anything. "Look, the bites in this sandwich spell out the words '132 w, 24 e.'" Sometimes, we can be a bit irrational.
- Unfortunately, it's the fear of feeling like supernatural ghost chasers that keeps us from legitimately looking at circumstances and recognizing God's hand of direction!
- For those on point, for those on the edge of what God is doing in their lives, this is the kind of direction to expect. Are you watchful? Are you looking at the opportunities that God presents?

III. The Power Of One Man's Story (v.31-34)

• Acts 16:31-34 : "So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household." : What an amazing story. Consider what this man's life was like when this evening started.
- Just another night, threateningly posturing over a bunch of rowdy criminals.
- He is a man of power and authority. As a Roman soldier, he is the picture of strength.
- Then, something he cannot control takes place. Everyone who has experienced a minor tremor knows the power of that moment. I have asked forgiveness of sins that I have not committed during such times, just in case!!
- This man goes from whatever state of confidence, to a state of willingness to end his own life.
- This guard knew that the law demanded that he bear the sentences of the ones who had escaped. For him, suicide was a logical and relatively pain free way of escape.
- The Lord intervenes through Paul and stops him from ending his life. The man's immediate question is about salvation. He is open to something that just minutes before might have been "off the table." Now he is listening and receptive.
- Do you see how God orchestrated this event? What if they had gone the other direction? God was moving upon this man at this time and He had Paul and Silas in the right place at the right time! He never fails when He is directing.
- Paul moves in and we see a cascading effect. First the Father receives the Lord. Then all that were in the house had the word of the Lord spoken to them.
- I think that you need to understand something in being on point. Every man is a network. Every person is a group of persons. Every man has a sphere of influence.
- Consider an example. Turn with me to John 4. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well in Samaria, He revealed Himself to be the Messiah to only her. The Bible tells us that she told the men of the city.
• John 4:39-41 : "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did.' So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word."
- One person saved, the lives of many affected!
- This jailer was saved and it changed the destiny of his entire household! There are no small jobs, no unimportant outposts, no insignificant appointments in the Kingdom of God!
- These last lines really stick out to me: Having believed in God with all his household! This is not always the case. Some will enter heaven with the only family being those of their church.
- All you need to do in life is see this once to be convinced of the amazing power of God. This will thrill your soul more than any other activity you will face in the Kingdom.
- More than anything, it will captivate you for more and make sense of all the small stuff that led up to it!

Conclusion

- Today, God's mission is determined by the Lord Himself. His method, His timing, His will should be your greatest desire. Thank Him for His Sovereignty!
- I pray that as you seek to follow, that your spiritual radar is tuned and watchful of the circumstances that He might use to guide you. Ask Him for His Wisdom.
- Perhaps, like Paul and Silas, you will see this type of event. Be hopeful and desire for God to bring this type of response to your ministry.

Session #13

Acts 15:30-16:5
“Silas, Mark & Timothy” • 2.17.09 • The Power Of One: One Man, One Life, One Mission, Session #13
Intro.

- The council at Jerusalem has been dismissed. There is a buzz of excitement in the air and resolve in the steps of these leaders. The author of Acts follows Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch.
- After delivering the good news to the church family, Paul and Barnabas decided it was time to venture back to the churches that they had visited before.
• Acts 15:36 : “Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.’”
- Barnabas heard Paul’s idea and jumped out to look for his little buddy John Mark, who had accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first journey, but left pretty quickly, barely lasting a chapter.
- Paul was not too keen on having John Mark come again, but Barnabas was insistent. Things got a little heated from there.
• Acts 15:39 : “Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.”
- Having come to chapter 16, Paul and Silas’ journey puts them into contact with a future draft pick in Timothy.
• Acts 16:1,2 : “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.”
- Paul took an immediate liking to Timothy and wanted to take him along. Timothy also was willing to go!
• Acts 16:4,5 : “And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.”
- In the section before us, we see some real humans, with real passion about a real mission.
- Paul and Barnabas we know. Paul the ex-Christian hunting Pharisee. Barnabas, the son of encouragement who hunted Paul down and brought him into the ministry.
- Both have a heart geared toward missions. Both are men of impact. God uses their passions and convictions to spread them out in different directions.
- What seems like a negative experience, turns into a missions boon, as one team turns to two. And the law of multiplication comes into play, as three more men are added to the fold of ministers.
- Today, I want us to focus on the lessons that come from these three men’s lives.

I. Silas: Faithfulness Personified (15:32-34)
II. Mark: Failure Restored (15:39)
III. Timothy: Future Observed (16:1-3)

Text

I. Silas: Faithfulness Personified (15:32-34)

• Acts 15:32-34 : “Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there.” : This is not the first mention of Silas in the scripture. We read of him back at the Jerusalem council.
• Acts 15:22 : “Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch wi th Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.”
- Silas, along with his tag team partner Judas/Barsabas, were “leading men.” Here in verse 32, these leading men were also assigned the titles of the prophetic office.
- Judas and Silas were gifted to speak and lead in the things of the Word of God.
- Their gifts were for the body of Christ. They opened the Word and the result was encouragement and strengthening for those who received their words.
- After staying for a season, the group decided that it was time to go. Silas however saw an opportunity to remain. It seemed good to him.
- While it seemed good to Him, I believe that it was so because God planned for Silas to meet Paul the Apostle. Silas was being prepared for something that he could not have anticipated.
- God was about to turn the page and begin writing a new chapter in Silas’ life and he needed to stay to see that come to fruition.
- I wonder how many of us leave something prematurely before the Lord brings His blessing and reveals His calling. Silas was faithful to remain in the good work that God was doing through Him.
- Silas speaks to me of stability and strength of character and later, when Paul seeks out a partner to accompany him on his next journey, Silas is the obvious choice.
- Turn with me to II Timothy. Very likely the last words of Paul to Timothy, speaking of the necessity of transference. What kind of man would you pass a spiritual legacy on to?
• II Timothy 2:1,2 : "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
- Paul did not mention that it would be the talented, the gifted or the great men. It was faithfulness. Give it to faithful men.
- There was a premium on this characteristic in Paul's mind. Today, we might value other characteristics in men, but faithfulness is the one that God values through His Word.
- Paul chose Silas, a man with a proven track record of faithfulness to God's call on his life.
- Are you that faithful man? Would Paul have chosen you or I? Let us learn to be faithful. Faithful to our Lord. Faithful to His Word. Faithful to our mission!

II. Mark: Failure Restored (15:39)

• Acts 15:39 : “Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;” : We will recall from the early parts of that first missionary journey that John Mark decided to return to Jerusalem.
- You can read later in Acts 13, but the gist of that first episode related to Paul rebuking false teachers and a sorcerer! Sergius Paulus got saved, but Mark had seen enough!
- Acts 13:13 quickly tells us that Mark returned from there to Jerusalem.
- At the time, nothing was said about how Paul or Barnabas felt about this decision. Barnabas being a man of grace, knew that he wanted to offer Mark another chance to grow.
- He was encouraging when Mark left, letting him know that he understood and that God was not done with him.
- Paul was less thoughtful. He was cordial, but the man was now marked with a red flag. "Mark the flake" Paul probably thought. He thought, "We'll never be able to work together again."
- I have seen these attitudes. Some men like Barnabas are disciplers, always ready to take someone under their wings, no matter his reputation.
- Others are pioneers, whose hearts can only focus on the work that God has put them on this earth to do. Putting two together can result in this exact scenario.
- Paul and Barnabas argued, heatedly and could not continue together. It's interesting that the Spirit does not assign blame or give us a view into who was right or wrong.
- I mentioned earlier that God used this argument to create two missions teams. But please do not misunderstand: God brought good out of this, but this situation was not good!
- As men of God, we should always be able to reconcile our differences.
- Turn with me to Ephesians 4. Paul is talking about the new man and hs new behaviors.
• Ephesians 4:26,27 : "'Be angry, and do not sin': do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil."
- God knows that we will become angry with one another. That does not need to lead to sin. We can be angry, but we must put a time table on it.
- As brothers, we cannot accept an anger that continues among us. God would move us to reconciliation.
- There are a few things that we can gather from this passage. First, these men were not perfect saints. God was still working out things in their lives.
- Second, God's men will not always see eye to eye.
- Barnabas still wanted to invest in Mark. He still saw potential and hope for Mark's life. He was still willing to come along side of Mark and see what the Lord would do. Paul was not in agreement.
- For Mark's part, I can only imagine how he must have felt. Here the Apostle Paul, a great hero of the early church, refuses to work with him.
- He must have battled discouragement and the argument that came up at the mention of his name, must have re-opened old doubts about his ability to go back out.
- For his part, Mark did get back up and he did go back out! He did not let his past paralyze him. He worked through the discouragement and he went forward.
- The beautiful thing about failures is that they don't have to be eternally identified as failures!
- Turn with me to John 21. Peter denied Jesus three times. The third time was witnessed by Jesus Himself. Peter was devastated. Time to get back to fishing. Jesus catches up with them at Galilee. Three times Peter denied, three times Jesus gives Peter a chance to re-affirm his love.
• John 21:18,19 : "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.' This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me.'"
- To Peter the failure, Jesus says "follow me!" To Mark the failure, Barnabas says, "Come with me!" To all of us failures, Jesus says the same thing!
- Mark's life teaches us that while we may fail and falter, we can get back up and sail again!
- Don't let your past or present sins keep you from the present and future that God has for you!

III. Timothy: Future Observed (16:1-3)

• Acts 16:1-3 : “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.” : Timothy was already a disciple. He was devout and was raised in the things of the Lord.
- Turn with me to II Timothy 3. Paul comments on Timothy's upbringing.
• II Timothy 3:14,15 : "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
- Paul says that Timothy learned the scriptures from childhood. From my understanding of this Greek word, literally, this refers to the earliest point of his life, at the least, from infancy!
- The person who invested in Timothy was his mother. She was a completed Jew, having believed in Christ, and spent every moment from infancy on pouring scripture into his life!
- Timothy's Dad however was a non-believing Greek. I can't help but wonder if this was part of the source of timidity in Timothy's life later.
- He saw the balancing act that has to take place in a marriage when there is a believer and non-believer. Talk about differing ideologies that Timothy had to struggle through!
- Somehow, Timothy's mother prevailed and soon, Timothy's faith was observed.
- He was "well spoken of." Literally, that which was witnessed about him was good. His actions backed up his words.
- Paul saw something in Timothy that impressed him. Paul was not unwilling to work with people. He wanted partnership. In a way, what he lost in Barnabas, he gained in Timothy.
- He took Silas along as a partner, and he wanted Timothy to come along as an apprentice.
- Then Paul does something kind of strange, especially in light of the last section of scripture. He has Timothy circumcised!
- The principle behind it shows a great heart toward Timothy's future. For one, this action would ensure Paul's continued ministry in the synagogues.
- Because of Timothy's father, it was known that he was not circumcised. The fact that his mother was Jewish though, made him an Apostate and thus, unable to come into a synogogue. This would have shut the doors permanently.
- Paul looked into the future and saw a young man that would be greatly used by the Lord. With that eye, he secured a place for Timothy by his side.
- It would be Timothy that would train alongside of Paul and then the one that Paul would later identify as his successor. Throughout his epistles to Timothy, he refers to him as his son.
- Paul looked at Timothy and saw the future of his own work.
- Are we looking out for a son in the faith, one that we can transfer our experiences, and our stories into? You realize that this is why God has put us together right?

Conclusion

- This week, I am impressed that God is calling me to be a Silas, faithful, and steady in the work that He has called me to.
- I am also encouraged that as a Mark, I can pick myself up and get back to the race that God has called me to, even though I am a failure like he was.
- I can open myself to a Timothy situation, being discipled and carried along in another's experience and wisdom! However, we need men on the other side of this equation as well.
- Who will be the man, looking for a partner to come alongside of him in his work?
- Who will be the man, standing alongside the one whose reputation might not be the greatest?
- Who will be the man, willing to bring a young man along? Let the Lord open the books and call you where you fit!

Pastor Carlos' Message- Audio

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