Bible Study - Connecting (6) - Going Out - Acts 16:6-15 - October 7, 2018

Bible Study – Connecting (6) – Going Out – October 7, 2018

This is our sixth and final lesson in our series entitled “Welcome Home.”

Our focus scripture is Acts 16:6-15.

Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are.

Who knows where those who are seeking the gospel are located?

If you said the Holy Spirit then you are correct. Christians must trust the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead them to those who are seeking salvation, seeking to grow Spiritually or needing help.

It is important that Christians keep in their minds as they work in GOD’S vineyard, earth, that they may need to do some cultivating: 

-         deal with some spiritual or non-spiritual weeds that have sprung up in a person’s life, need to remove some rocks in a person’s life to better repair the soil of their life to receive seeds of truth, water that which may be sprouting, plant a seed, add some fertilizer. The list goes on as Christians make themselves available to GOD to be used to witness or minister to others. GOD knows us and to whom we can relate or match-up our walk. It may be a person needing salvation or a fellow Christian who has needs. A Christian’s witness or ministry to others is never wasted.

Christians may not see a person accept JESUS as his or her Savior. Our part may be to prepare the soil or do some cultivation in that person’s life and salvation may come later. You may add a piece to the puzzle of another person’s life that will be an important piece toward his or her Spiritual journey.

When we reach out to others we will discover that Satan does not want us to be an instrument in GOD’S hands and he will do all he can to discourage us. We must recognize the source, not despair and move forward as we must trust the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Our scripture gives us examples of how GOD worked in the lives of Paul and his companions. Let’s explore!

Let’s read Acts 16:6-8:

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 

7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 

8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 

Who were Paul’s companions? They were Silas, Timothy and the author of Acts, Doctor Luke.

We read that the Holy Spirit was leading Paul and his group but the Holy Spirit prevented them from preaching JESUS in the province of Asia. When Christians are looking to GOD to lead and direct their paths, they must be willing to be obedient to HIS leadership.

Many of us learn this lesson the hard way. Paul may have wondered why they were passing-up many opportunities to witness to those in need of salvation through faith in JESUS. If we will wait upon the LORD, HE always directs our paths.

We read in Proverbs 3:5-6:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 

6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. 

I still like the King James translation of these verses as copied below:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 

Verse 7 in our focus scripture reads “the Spirit of JESUS”, which is another way of stating “the Holy Spirit.”

When the Holy Spirit prevents us from going in a certain direction, we must pay attention. Some of us are stubborn and we think prevention is from Satan and we plow on through only to find out it was GOD preventing, which turns into a learning experience or a teachable moment. Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit and Christians must discern truth from error.

Those of us who are stubborn would ask, why would GOD allow us to run into a brick wall, so-to-speak, when our desire is to do the will of the LORD? As already mentioned, it is to teach us to rely upon HIM and not lean upon our own understanding. GOD’S desire is not to harm HIS children but to teach and train HIS children to rely upon HIM.

We get a glimpse of the Holy Spirit leading and directing Paul and his fellow missionaries.

Paul may have been perplexed. GOD comes to our aid in various ways to direct our paths as we read on -----

Many Christians wonder, how do we know when GOD calls us to do a certain work or go to a certain area? GOD works in many different ways. But certainly in ways that get our attention. Those who are called know it in the “eyes of their hearts.” So how did Paul know?

Let’s read Acts 16:9-10:

9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 

10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

GOD’S timing is always perfect. GOD’S timing is often not early, never late but just right. GOD gave Paul a vision at just the right time. In the vision, Paul knew the man to be a Macedonian. The man was pleading for Paul and his band of missionaries to come to Macedonia.

Why did GOD wait? We never know what GOD is working out to give safe travel to a certain destination or to test our resolve to obediently serve HIM.

How do we respond when GOD gives us a vision? First, we often evaluate it against GOD’S Word and pray about it or we just respond because we know it is from GOD. We know from studying GOD’S Word that Gideon put out a fleece. The question is, does our calling confirm what we know regarding truth as we know it from GOD’S Word or does it run counter to the truth we know?

There was no question in Paul’s mind or the minds of the other missionaries. GOD was calling them to go to Macedonia. So they responded and went to Macedonia. The others may have been riding on Paul’s faith. We do not know. But this we do know, GOD is always training and equipping us and others to obediently serve HIM.

As we read in our next scripture, the route to their destination required some twists and turns. As they traveled, it provided many opportunities for them to witness to others or to question, “Is Macedonia really where GOD wants us to go?”

                                                                                                                          Let's read Acts 16:11-15:

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 

12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 

14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 

15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Once they received GOD’S call they responded. That is exactly what Christians are to do today. GOD knows the hearts of those who are ready to receive HIS truth. HE has chosen us who know the truth and to take it to those HE knows are ready to receive truth.

Paul and his group of missionaries finally arrived in Philippi. They stayed there for several days. They were likely scouting the area and praying.

As their custom, they tried to find a local synagogue. For a city to have a local synagogue the area had to have ten Jews who wanted to establish a synagogue. But this area apparently did not have an established synagogue but Paul knew that in the absence of a synagogue the Jews who were interested in meeting together to discuss scripture and those seeking GOD would meet near a river.

Paul and his missionaries went to the location where they hoped they would locate those who were interested in worshipping GOD. They found such a group and of all things it was a group of women.

They met a lady from the city of Thyatira. Thyatira was famous for its purple cloth. The lady’s name was Lydia. The city of Thyatira was located in the region identified as Lydia on the Lycus River. It is likely that her name meant “a Lydian woman.” But the key is that GOD needed Paul and his missionaries to communicate with Lydia and her household and present the gospel of JESUS.

Paul and his fellow missionaries presented the gospel of JESUS and Lydia and her household accepted JESUS as their Savior and were baptized. Lydia opened her house to Paul and fellow missionaries. Her house became the center of evangelism and worship in Philippi.

GOD knows the result of our encounter with others when we obediently follow HIM and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

We, as Christians, must trust our LORD and the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us to those who are ready to receive the truth. Are we, as Christians, willing to go outside of our comfort zone to meet others? Often, it is difficult for fellow Christians to welcome those who come to our place of worship. If we see a person we do not know, do we go over to meet him or her and introduce ourselves? Why are we reluctant? What are our barriers? Do you think Satan works through our hang-ups? When we see this within ourselves, we must confess it and ask JESUS to remove this stumbling block and to give us the boldness and strength to obediently serve HIM.

How did GOD use Lydia? Look back at verse 14, “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”

We must keep in mind that it is GOD Who draws a person to a saving knowledge of JESUS. The Holy Spirit opens the hearts of those who are to receive salvation. Our part is to present truth, the Holy Spirit does the rest!

Once a person gives his or her heart to JESUS, then they need to become a disciple. We are to help them to know, grow Spiritually, understand and apply GOD’S Word. Christians are to build the right loving, intimate, personal relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

Once we know the truth, our desire should be to share this truth with others as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit because we are the salt and light that leads to eternal life. We are witnesses to truth and are equipped to live in the light of the truth we know and experience.

Our six-week study has focused on meeting others for the purpose of building a relationship with them and present the Gospel. It is the Holy Spirit Who leads us and also works in the hearts of those HE calls to salvation. GOD used Lydia and her household in a mighty way to present JESUS to others. Thyatira became a center or base to present JESUS to many Jews and non-Jews alike. 

As we go through our everyday life, ask GOD to make us sensitive to the opportunities to meet the needs of others. We may have to ask HIM to give us the strength and boldness to respond when HE presents us with an opportunity. The key is to be honest with GOD, if you are reluctant to reach out to others, tell HIM. Christians must keep in mind that GOD has a plan for our lives. Are we open to welcoming others as we encounter them along life’s journey? Has GOD intentionally allowed our paths to cross to achieve HIS purpose?  Blessings!!!