How Missions is Supposed to Work – part 1
Acts 16:6-40 (6-18)
January 20, 2013
As you know, we are presently studying what is commonly called
“Paul’s Second Missionary Journey”
Having spent some time teaching and preaching in the church in Antioch,
Paul again felt that urge, that burning in his soul, to return to all the churches
That he had previously ministered to and see how they were.
That is part of missions.
It isn’t just about baptisms,
It is about making sure that those who start the race finish it.
Our mission is to the lost and to the church.
After all, nothing is more beneficial to mission work
Than the local presence of a strong faithful church.
So Paul set out.
We talked about the immediate difficulties of the trip.
Namely that Paul and Barnabas parted company
Over the controversy of whether or not Mark should go.
Eventually Barnabas sailed east with Mark and Paul traveled north with Silas.
Paul did pick up Timothy and the mission was on.
So we are about to begin studying the actual stops of this trip.
The first trip saw stops in Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (all except Cyprus being modern day Turkey)
This trip will see the gospel carried into Europe (modern day Greece)
With stops in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, and then with a brief stop back in Ephesus (Asia) Paul concluded his trip.
And as we begin this study by looking at Paul’s time in Philippi,
I was struck with the reality of what is common knowledge to us all
One of the things that continually proves important
When discussing our beliefs or our theology is the concept of balance.
You see people get to dangerous places when they determine
To push a doctrine, even to the point of disregarding other obvious truth.
I think one area where this happens the most frequently is in the area of God’s Sovereignty vs. Man’s Responsibility.
Those are both divine truths and vitally important
As you seek to understand and live out your Christian faith.
But if one is emphasized over the other you can be in trouble.
There are many arenas in which we could have this debate,
But tonight, I want to talk about this balance as it pertains to ministry,
Especially evangelism.
To someone who takes a sovereign only approach to ministry and missions, their evangelistic strategy might go something like this.
• God is sovereign, He foreknows those who are His.
• And since His elect will come, there really is no need for urgency or concern, it
will happen regardless of what we do.
To make that the fundamental practice of your life
Will obviously leave you disobedient,
Since Scripture is clear about our commands to “go, baptize and teach”.
Now to someone who takes a “free will” only approach to ministry and missions, would say it completely different.
• Everyone is fair game,
• It is up to us to get the gospel to them,
• If we don’t they are lost, and it will be our fault.
• So do whatever it takes to get these people to respond.
To make that your fundamental practice
Will inevitably lead you to discouragement, frustration, or worse –
A manipulation of things to bring about some perceived success.
The reality is that those two doctrines must be balanced.
And they are balanced in Scripture.
God is the Savior, He must save,
And yet somehow He uses the church in that great mission.
So the reality is that missions is supposed to work through
DIVINE POWER & DEDICATED PEOPLE.
Some of the verses that speak of this balance:
1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”
Philippians 2:12-13 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
All those passages give both the divine element and the human element.
I would even throw in:
Romans 10:14-15 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”
And both are necessary.
If you try to disregard one or the other, you will only have failure.
Take ministry WITHOUT THE HUMAN ELEMENT.
That would be ministry or missions
In which believers did not do what they were called to do.
Maybe it was an unhealthy view of sovereignty, or maybe it was just laziness,
But take an instance where people just didn’t do anything.
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Jeremiah 10:21 “For the shepherds have become stupid And have not sought the LORD; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered.”
Ezekiel 22:30 “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.”
All of those passages speak of the tragedy of failed human involvement.
When man dropped the ball and did not fulfill their role;
And the results were tragic.
Now take ministry APART FROM THE DIVINE ELEMENT.
This would be men who think it is all done through their own ability.
These are those who can accomplish it without any help from God at all.
Acts 8:18-20 “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!”
Acts 19:13-16 “But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Both of those learned that this is not a human endeavor.
The things that accompany salvation
Are NOT accomplished through human achievement.
Zechariah 4:6 “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
And you understand the point.
Some would say, “Let go and let God” – that is incomplete, you are entrusted with responsibility and you have work to do.
Others say, “God helps those who help themselves” – that is incomplete as well, for it is His power that accomplishes all things.
What we are looking for then is the balance.
We are looking for the way missions is supposed to work.
And I bring that to your mind tonight
Because tonight we have a good example of that very thing.
We could preach this sermon from purely a sovereignty angle, and it is evident.
We could also preach it from purely a human angle, for it is evident to.
What I want you to see is how they worked together,
And maybe that will serve as an example for the type of balance
We are looking for in our ministry and mission.
In this text that are 6 major events that occur.
I want to help you see how they were both
The result of God’s divine plan and Paul’s dedicated faithfulness.
#1 THE ARRIVAL IN MACEDONIA
Acts 16:6-12
And of course we talked about this last week,
But it is easy to see the divine hand of God at work here.
(6) “They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;”
That really is a peculiar verse and a difficult reality.
Namely because Luke doesn’t give us any explanation.
When Paul told the Thessalonians that he wanted to come to them,
But “Satan hindered us” our mind is filled with all sorts of ways
That could have happened.
But being “forbidden by the Holy Spirit” is a difficult concept.
Romans 1:13 “I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.”
That is the same word KOLUO
But the end of the letter helps us understand a little.
Romans 15:20-25 “And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; but as it is written, “THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.” For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain — for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while — but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints.”
So we might understand Paul’s being hindered
As merely a greater desire to go somewhere else.
Paul attributed his desire to be one place over another
As a Holy Spirit induced desire.
And I think that fits here.
“They passed through Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit…”
You don’t find Paul trying to stop in those regions,
You have Paul passing through them desiring to go to a different place.
Paul attributed the desire to choose one region over another
As a divine guidance by the Holy Spirit.
It was the Holy Spirit who directed in that way.
So we kind of understand that one, but then the next one is really strange.
(7-8) “and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.”
Now here we see that Paul did have a desire.
It was NOT HIS DESIRE to pass by Bithynia, that is where he wanted to go.
However, “the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;”
Literally, “Jesus would not allow them to go there.”
I don’t know how the way was blocked.
Maybe the felt convicted…
Maybe there was just no open door…
But however He did it, Jesus directed this mission.
We know why.
• God wanted them in Europe.
• God wanted them to go to Macedonia.
(9-10) “A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
And at that moment it all began to click.
This is what God was doing.
You’ve probably had incidents like that in your life.
It was that for me last year in looking for mission trips.
I felt burdened to lead one, but didn’t know where. I looked into China
But eventually was led to Peter Sierson and the Sanyati Makeover.
I can’t specifically say how God led that, but I know He did.
• Partly by giving a greater desire for Africa than China.
• Partly by Peter’s email response to be so elated for us to come.
It was just right.
And Paul knew it too.
(11-12) “So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days.”
So it’s not hard to see the divine element in that.
God was at work to guide where the trip went.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE HUMAN ELEMENT?
Do you see that at work?
Of course you do.
God wasn’t having to pick Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke up
And throw them into Macedonia.
These men were eager.
These men were traveling.
These men were looking to go.
They had a human commitment to take the gospel somewhere,
They just didn’t know where that was supposed to be.
And I can assure you, it is much easier to steer a ship
If it is moving than if it is sitting in the harbor.
There is not a doubt in my mind that the most difficult step
With any ministry or mission is the first one. (often the agreement to go)
But show me someone who will untrack and start moving,
And it is much easier to see God shape and direct their mission.
God didn’t have to pull a Jonah on these men,
They were moving, and so was God.
And together they ended up in Europe in a town called Philippi.
The Arrival in Macedonia
#2 THE SALVATION OF LYDIA
Acts 16:13-15
Now Philippi, as you noticed, was a Roman colony,
It was not heavily Jewish.
And this is further emphasized in verse 13.
(13) “And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.”
In order to have a synagogue a town required ten Jewish men.
Philippi did not have that many.
The next option would have been to simply have a place of prayer
Where the women and few men could gather.
The fact that this place was outside the city
Speaks again to its Roman, anti-semitic views.
And Paul and his companions went out to this place,
Where I can assure you these women were excited
To have a traveling Rabbi come through and be willing to teach.
And then we easily see the divine element again.
(14-15) “A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”
Now we first have to remember that it was God
Who actually brought Paul and his companions here.
Were it not for God Paul would be in Bythinia or Galatia.
So God was already at work to set up this divine appointment.
Paul comes to preach and there he encounters a woman.
“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening;”
We have here a woman from Asia, from Thyatira.
To be a seller of purple fabrics was a good trade,
Since it was a very expensive fabric.
She was also “a worshiper of God”
Like Cornelius, this would have made her a Gentile,
But not a full-blown proselyte to Judaism.
She was merely a Gentile woman who was seeking Israel’s God.
So she was listening at this place of prayer.
And then we see God at work again.
“the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”
Anyone who has ever studied the Scriptures
Knows this is absolutely essential.
Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
Contrary to popular belief, salvation is NOT merely
A free will choice by every human being.
To assume that disregards the slavery that mankind is already in to sin.
Man is owned by another master
And is not capable of simply choosing to follow Christ.
He is dead in sin.
Jesus told those who listened to Him.
John 8:31-32 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Paul said:
Romans 6:16-18 “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
Mankind is enslaved, he is dead,
And is not capable of simply choosing or even responding on his own.
No greater illustration of this exists than the story of Lazarus.
Mary and Martha could weep outside his tomb,
But none could talk in a way where Lazarus could hear.
There was only One who could make the dead man hear.
There was only One who could call Him from the dead.
Salvation is and always has been a supernatural work.
And so it was here.
God opened this woman’s heart to respond.
And she did.
And I love the obvious fruit in her life.
(15) “And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”
Hospitality is a necessary attribute of Christian women,
And this woman instantly portrayed it.
And here again we see the obvious divine work of God on this mission.
Yet, we also see the human element of Paul.
• What if Paul saw there was no synagogue and moved on to the next city?
• What if Paul had failed to search for a place of prayer?
• What if Paul had decided preaching to women wasn’t worth it?
• What if Paul had decided not to deliver the gospel?
Yes God was at work, but so was Paul.
Both worked together, both were involved.
It was God at work in and through Paul.
It was Paul at work using the power of God.
This is how missions is supposed to work.
The Arrival in Macedonia, The Salvation of Lydia
#3 THE DELIVERANCE OF A SLAVE GIRL
Acts 16:16-18
Now this event seems to focus more on the dedication of Paul.
As Paul was “going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.”
This girl was a spirit medium, and very popular in her day.
Even generals wouldn’t go to battle without first consulting one.
This girl was making a ton of money for her masters.
Undoubtedly they had purchased her with this in mind.
(17) “Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.”
There are two possibilities here.
One is that this girl was being used by Satan to infiltrate the mission team
No doubt what she was saying was true.
She even called God by a Scriptural name “the Most High God”
And her statement was right on.
It is possible that through her proclamation
Satan was seeking to infiltrate the meetings
And then through her to wreck this newly formed church.
That is one possibility.
The other (and one that cannot be detected through reading) is that her tone was mocking and sarcastic.
This was a Roman colony and “the Most High God”
Would not have been a popular topic.
It could be that this woman was mocking Paul and his team.
And it really makes no difference.
Either way, Paul has enough.
(18) “She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.”
Whatever her motive, Paul was fed up
And turned and cast the demon out of this girl.
We know that casting out demons was an apostolic proof sign,
Used by them to authenticate their ministry.
And Paul certainly did that here.
He acted in faithfulness, he acted in boldness.
And the result was that this girl was set free from her bonds.
We don’t know what happened to her from this day on,
But we do know she no longer had a demon.
Paul orchestrated deliverance in this girl’s life.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DIVINE ELEMENT?
That should also be obvious.
Where did Paul get the power to do such a thing?
Obviously such ability is not within the scope of human power.
Matthew 12:29 “Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”
This was Paul faithfully exercising divine power
To see this girl delivered and the threat silenced.
That is the way missions is supposed to work.
Now there are three examples, we’ll have to get to the others next time.
But it begins to become clear.
• Paul would not have been in Macedonia were it not for God.
• Lydia would not have been saved were it not for God.
• This demon would not have left were it not for God.
And the flip side is also true.
• Had Paul not been faithful, there would have been no mission trip.
• Had Paul not preached the gospel she would have never heard.
• Had Paul not confronted this girl, the demon would not have left.
You can see how the two were working together.
It was God’s Power, it was Paul’s obedience.
1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”
And this is true for you and I as well.
We are foolish if we ever try
To do any ministry or mission in our own strength.
We don’t have the resources…
We don’t have the knowledge…
We don’t have the power…
We can’t speak to the dead…
We don’t even know where the dead are…
We can’t do any works in our own strength…
WE NEED GOD
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord”
But by the same token.
We are foolish if we think laziness or apathy or disobedience
Will ever accomplish the goal.
Romans 10:14 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”
At the end of the day,
Someone has to actually use their mouth and share the gospel.
If not you, then who?
We can’t do it without God,
He doesn’t do it without us.
Missions is supposed to work where God’s children,
Clothed with God’s power, speak God’s message,
To God’s creation.
If you try to go out and do it in your own strength the mission will fail.
If you refuse to let God use you, the mission will fail.
Both God and you are required.
Paul seemed to understand that well,
And I encourage you to understand it as well.
You aren’t a one man show, but you aren’t off the hook either.
Be faithful and be submissive,
The result will be you in the right place at the right time,
Talking to the right person.
That’s how missions is supposed to work.
Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
