Acts 16:6-15 - BibleStudy.ph

These are the original teaching notes from this passage.

Parting Ways…
- Two opinions…
  - Paul had the DESIRE to return and SEE how the Churches were doing from their FIRST trip…
  - Barnabas insisted they take his nephew John [Mark] with them…
  - But Paul refused to bring him – because he abandoned them on the FIRST trip…
  - The ARGUMENT became so heated – it broke their partnership…
  - Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus – Paul took Silas and went to visit the churches…
  - But the BROTHER in Antioch did NOT take sides – they commended them both to the Grace of God!
- Young Leader…
  - Paul found a disciple with a good reputation in Lystra [stoned] named Timothy…
  - He wanted to bring him on the SECOND missionary journey…
  - But since he was a Jew [mother] – Paul first CIRCUMCISED him [culture]
  - Paul had lost a brother [Barnabas] – but gained a SON [Timothy] – I Corinthians 4:17
  - He then delivered the LETTER [Grace] from Jerusalem – and the churches increased in number!
1^st – Closed doors… vs. 6-7
- 1^st – Next Step… vs. 6
  - Encouraging churches…
  - Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia!
  - Having delivered the LETTER from Jerusalem – strengthening the churches by Grace…
  - Paul passed through the regions of PHRYGIA and GALATIA…
  - These are where the churches from the FIRST missionary journey were located…
  - But with the initial purpose of the SECOND missionary Journey completed – Acts 15:36
  - The question became – where did they to go NEXT!
  - James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God.”
  - When we do NOT know where to go [or what to do] – the best thing to do is ASK…
  - Because although we may NOT know – God KNOWS exactly what we should do…
  - But that means taking the time to LISTEN so the Lord can lead and give us directions…
  - The problem is we get so BUSY in life we FORGET to make time for Jesus…
  - Yet it is ONLY when we put Jesus FIRST – everything else falls into place – Luke 12:32
  - More churches…
  - The next step was to keep PREACHING Jesus – and plant MORE churches…
  - Paul knew WHAT to do – but he did not know WHERE to go!
  - I am not a fan of people driving with their bright LIGHTS on…
  - As they drive down the road – they blind all the oncoming traffic…
  - But I do understand WHY they want their BRIGHTS on – they see FARTHER down the road!
  - When God gives us direction – it is NOT with BRIGHT lights…
  - We rarely get a chance to see very far down the road of life….
  - He only shows us a short distance ahead [low beams] – the rest is still in the dark…
  - That way we are always dependent and completely relying on Jesus [not what we see]!
  - Psalms 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
- 2^nd – Wrong way… vs. 6-7
  - The timing… vs. 6
  - They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia!
  - The Holy Spirit FORBID [κωλύω] Paul from sharing the Word [λόγος] in ASIA!
  - ASIA was the province to the west of GALATIA – the capitol city was Ephesus…
  - Although Paul would eventually make it there [Third journey] – Acts 18:19
  - God would FIRST send a man called Apollos there to prepare the people…
  - Apollos planted the SEED of the Gospel – and Paul would then WATER those seeds…
  - But it was ultimately God who would do the work of building the church!
  - I Corinthians 3:6 – “[One] planted – [another] watered – but God gave the increase.”
  - God may be calling us to do something – but TIMING matters…
  - Just because God put something on our heart – it may NOT happen today…
  - We need to learn to be PATIENT – wait for God to put everything in place!
  - Always ready…
  - Some believe Paul contracted Malaria while in GALATIA – Galatians 4:13
  - And that his sickness prevented him from being able to travel to ASIA…
  - The truth is we do NOT know – but however God spoke and Paul was READY!
  - If we only turned on our phone for FIVE minutes a day – we would miss a LOT of texts…
  - For that reason we like to have our phones ALWAYS on – ALWAYS with us…
  - And might even have SPECIAL ring tones – for IMPORTANT people!
  - We never know WHEN He is going to speak – so we need to be ready…
  - Keep our BIBLES open – constant in PRAYER – in case God sends us a message…
  - But we also need to remember HOW the Lord speaks…
  - He rarely uses an obvious SIGN – God speaks [ring tone] in a still small voice – I Kings 19:12
  - Keep trying… vs. 7
  - After they had come to Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia.
  - But the Spirit did not permit them!
  - After the door closed to go into ASIA [Ephesus] – they came to Mysia…
  - Mysia lies north of ASIA on the on the Aegean sea [Pergamum was the capitol]
  - Paul [imperfect] TESTED [πειράζω] if they could go from there into BITHYNIA…
  - BITHYNIA lies to the north of Mysia [modern day Istanbul]
  - But again the Holy Spirit [πνεῦμα] would NOT let them…
  - Paul did NOT try just once – he KEPT [imperfect] trying to go there…
  - It took him a while to realize the Holy Spirit was saying NO…
  - Yet Paul did not give up though – he just tried another door!
  - For years did I tried to go to Russia – and the Lord kept saying NO…
  - I just had the destination wrong – once I looked towards the Philippines – YES!
  - When a door CLOSES – it just means that God has another plan…
  - If we want to find out WHAT that plan is– we need to step out and try…
  - If things do NOT work out – NO problem – just STEP out and try something else!
2^nd – Open doors… vs. 8-12
- 1^st – The vision… vs. 8-10
  - Help us… vs. 8-9
  - So passing by Mysia – they came down to Troas 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!
  - And as Paul continued on past MYSIA – they came down to TROAS …
  - TROAS is just to the south of MYSIA [known for the ancient city of Troy – Trojan horse]
  - They came to the port city of Alexandria Troas…
  - That night Paul had a VISION from of man from Macedonia…
  - He PLEADED with Paul to come over and HELP [imperative] us…
  - PLEADED [παρακαλέω] – to CALL to come near – we will come back to this!
  - Joseph had two DREAMS he would rule over his brothers and family – Genesis 37:5
  - Daniel interpreted the DREAM of King Nebuchadnezzar – Daniel 2:19
  - And God says He will give us DREAMS – Joel 2:28
  - But we need to be careful of DREAMS – NOT mean ALL dreams are from God!
  - Ecclesiastes 5:7 – “Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.”
  - Our DREAM from last night might be from the Lord – or just our imagination….
  - Before we make any rash decision based on DREAMS – make sure they are from God…
  - If the DREAM contradicts the Word of God – reject it – it is NOT from the Lord!
  - Confirmation… vs. 10
  - 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!
  - Immediately after seeing the VISION – they decided to go to MACEDONIA [Europe]
  - Paul did NOT just accept that the VISION was from God…
  - CONCLUDING [συμβιβάζω] – coming to the same conclusion…
  - He verified it by talking to the other Godly men [we] who were there with him!
  - That the Lord [κύριος] had called [perfect] them to EVANGELIZE [εὐαγγελίζω] there!
  - Too often we make a CHOICE – then afterwards ask God if it was the right one…
  - We need to ask for His COUNSEL before we make our decisions…
  - And if we are NOT sure if we are hearing from the LORD…
  - Then WISDOM says to confirm it with other GODLY people around us!
  - Proverbs 15:22 – “Plans go wrong for lack of advice – many counselors bring success.”
- 2^nd – Crossing over… vs. 11-12
  - New companion. 11
  - Therefore sailing from Troas we ran a straight course to Samothrace!
  - Having set SAIL [ἀνάγω] – they went STRAIGHT [εὐθυδρομέω]
  - The author uses very technical words – to describe sailing…
  - Which should NOT surprise us – as the author was Luke the PHYSICIAN – Colossians 4:14
  - Though he is NEVER mentioned by name in the book of Acts…
  - This is the place on the SECOND missionary journey where he joins the group!
  - We know this by the change in PRONOUN – from THEM to WE…
  - Luke traveled with Paul on the SECOND and THIRD missionary journeys…
  - Thought to also be the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts!
  - New Continent… vs. 11-12
  - The next day came to Neapolis – and from there to Philippi.
  - Which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia – a colony.
  - And we were staying in that city for some days!
  - Paul sailed about 140 miles to the mainland of Greece [Europe]
  - Samothrace is an Island that sits half way between Turkey and Greece…
  - The next day they arrived at NEAPOLIS the PORT of Philippi [ten miles from the main city]
  - Philippi was the CHIEF [πρῶτος] city of the region of Macedonia!
  - Why did Paul move into the continent of Europe – rather than into Asia…
  - Practically – Paul stayed within the Roman Empire [same language]
  - It made travel easy [Via Egnatia] – and safe [he was a citizen]
  - And the strong influence of the Jewish Diaspora gave a good starting place for the Gospel…
  - But ultimately Paul ended up in Europe because he was following the Lord!
  - Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”
  - TRUSTING in the Lord – does NOT mean we turn our brains off…
  - We do NOT just sit around and wait for a SIGN to direct us…
  - We are called to STEP out in faith – to find out what we are called to do…
  - But when we are planning those STEPS – we must remember it is the Lord who directs!
  - Proverbs 16:9 – “A mans heart plans his way – but the LORD directs his steps.”
3^rd – Being flexible… vs. 13-15
- 1^st – No Synagogue… vs. 13
  - On the Sabbath day we went out to the riverside where prayer was customarily made.
  - And we sat down and spoke to the women who met there!
  - Apparently there were NOT enough Jewish MEN to form a synagogue [10 men]
  - So Paul went down to the RIVER – where the Jews did CUSTOMARY [νομίζω] prayer…
  - And WE [Luke with them] sat down and TALKED [imperfect] with the WOMEN…
  - This must have been a bit of a SURPRISE – Paul had a VISION of a MAN…
  - And it appeared there were NO men who were interested in hearing about God…
  - But instead of leaving – they looked to see WHO did want to LISTEN!
  - We often make the mistake of OVERLOOKING the opportunities in from of us…
  - And miss opportunities to share Jesus – LOOK up and see the Harvest…
  - We do NOT need to be at church to talk about Jesus – EVERYONE needs to hear about His love!
  - John 4:35 – “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields for they are already white for harvest.”
- 2^nd – Not satisfied… vs. 14
  - Rich woman…
  - Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She sold purple from the city of Thyatira.
  - Who worshiped God!
  - One of the WOMEN they talked to was LYDIA [ethnic adjective]
  - LYDIA was a region in western Turkey – included the city of Thyatira!
  - THYATIRA [Θυάτειρα] – the name means a BAD smell…
  - PURPLE was a very HARD and EXPENSIVE color to create in ancient times…
  - Up until the 1856 – the ONLY way to make PURPLE was from marine SNAILS…
  - It took THOUSANDS of snails – boiled for DAYS – causing a TERRIBLE smell…
  - The high COST – meant it became associated with ROYALTY [only ones who could afford it]
  - Open heart…
  - The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul!
  - Lydia was a JEWISH woman – she was a worshiper of God [religious]
  - She was a RICH woman – she sold PURPLE cloth [wealthy]
  - But that was NOT enough – she was looking for something more…
  - And as she listened [imperfect] to the Gospel – Jesus was what she had been looking for!
  - People try everything the world says will make them happy – money or religion…
  - But NOTHING in the world can fill the God shaped whole in our hearts…
  - They may seem to work for only a moment – but then they leave us thirsty again!
  - John 4:13-14 – “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again – but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”
- 3^rd – New church… vs. 15
  - Flexible…
  - When she and her household were baptized she begged us saying:
  - If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord come to my house and stay.
  - So she persuaded us!
  - After Lydia and her whole house were BAPTIZED…
  - She BEGGED Paul and company saying [present]
  - Since [indicative] he had judged [κρίνω] her to be FAITHFUL [πιστός] in the Lord…
  - They must [imperative] ABIDE [μένω] in her house [no doubt a nice place]
  - But what convinced them – was that she BEGGED…
  - BEGGED [παρακαλέω] – the same word used in the VISION of Paul…
  - Paul did not meet a MAN from Macedonia – he met a WOMAN!
  - When we step out in faith – and follow the leading of the Spirit…
  - Things rarely happen just as we expect – we need to be FLEXIBLE!
  - Joy and Crown…
  - Philippians 4:1 – “My beloved and longed for brethren – my joy and crown.”
  - This was the beginning of the church in Philippi…
  - The church of Philippi was the only church Paul called his CROWN…
  - This particular church – more than any other – was the JOY of the Apostle…
  - Because the church in Philippi had a special beginning…
  - When Paul did NOT know where to GO – but kept stepping out in FAITH…
  - The Lord gave him a VISION of a MAN from Macedonia [Philippi]
  - But he was FLEXIBLE and OPEN to how the Spirit was LEADING…
  - The church was a direct result of Paul being guided by the Lord!
  - When we step out in faith – and obey the leading of the Spirit…
  - We will find God directs our steps – and fills us with the Joy of following Him!