Consider Me A Believer

Consider Me a Believer.

Acts 16:1-15

Think back if you can about your spiritual life in the Lord. Think back to the people you’ve brought to the Lord. Think back to the many Bible studies that you’ve attended, the sermons you’ve heard, the places where you heard them. Think back to your baptism, the baptisms of others that you’ve attended, and the prayers that were said at those glorious events.

All of these events are a crucial part of being a believer. All of these events, and more, help to distinguish believers from non-believers. When you were at these events, did the people consider that you were a believer? Did they know? Did your actions convince them otherwise?

In our verses today, we see Paul and Silas beginning Paul’s second missionary journey. A journey that will begin by taking him through several cities and towns that have believers already there waiting to be taught concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. A journey where Paul meets young Timothy and the physician, Luke.

We see God add to Paul’s traveling companions, but we also see God add to the church and to the Kingdom of God.

What does a journey like this require? What does a Christian journey really need? Of course it needs many logistical things such as money, food, water, but it also needs a dedicated life. A life that constantly relies upon the Spirit of God, and is in tune with the Spirit of God’s direction in Spiritual matters.

How can we get that? How can we, in our Spiritual journey rely on the Spirit like Paul and Silas? How can we, like Lydia, the dealer in purple cloth, be considered a believer?

We have several points in our passage today.

I. Get out there and meet them!

II. Listen to recommendations

III. Become all things, to win all people

IV. Deliver the good news

V. Surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading

VI. Listen to the Spirit

VII. Be prompt in the Spirit

VIII. Expect the Unexpected

IX. A life of Persuasion

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I. Get out there and meet them!

Acts 15:40-41 Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

And, then chapter 16,

16:1 He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek.

The last two verses of Acts 15 gives us the beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul and Barnabas divide forces. Barnabas takes John Mark, and Paul teams up with Silas.

Paul’s team heads through those places where churches were established earlier by Paul, Barnabas, and others. His purpose? To strengthen the churches. It’s been five years since Paul’s first visit to Lystra, but remember the title of our message, Consider me a Believer.

Can a person be considered a believer when they never get out and meet the people? Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19,20:

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

GO, MAKE, TEACH

In order to say, Consider me a believer there must be something noticeable that will say to the next person, I’m a believer! There must be fruit in the life of the believer and the natural desire to evangelize is part of the fruit of the Spirit.

We have to do this! We have to get out there and meet them, we have to GO, MAKE, TEACH!

Matthew 7:20 says,

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

II. Listen to recommendations

2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

The fruit of a believer will speak volumes to the audiences of onlookers in your life. Everywhere you go people are watching you, evaluating you, trying to figure you out. After that, then they make up their minds about you.

When Paul came to Lystra, he watched and observed what was going on. He listened to the recommendations of the brothers and sisters there and they recommended young Timothy to him. Timothy was won to the Lord by Paul. We know this by what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 4:17,

For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Do you see what proceeds before you can say consider me a believer? The fruit must be there, but, there must be growth in the Spirit as well. What does growth in the Spirit do for the believer?