December 3, 2006
Morning Worship
Text: Acts 13:1-3; 16:6-15
Subject: God’s Direction
Title: But God…
Do you know where you are going in life? Do you have a plan? Are you at the end of your road and think that you have arrived, so now it’s time to put life on cruise control and coast the rest of the way? I’ve got news for you. As long as you have breath in you, but God’s not finished with you yet. There is a work for you to do.
For young people, and for those who can remember back when you were young, there were plans. There were goals that were set, a mark to be made in life. To see those goals reached there had to be some direction or vision that you had in order to get there. That’s the way I like to go when I’m on vacation. I like to know all the towns along the highway with my focus on the final destination but knowing all along the way that I am headed in the right direction. A man on a flight across America in 1976 rose from his seat, drew a gun and took the stewardess hostage. "Take me to Detroit," he said. "We’re already going to Detroit," she replied. "Oh...good," he said and sat down again. He didn’t have a plan.
Too often churches go through life with that final destination in sight but don’t stop to check along the way if they are going by the road laid out for them by God. I think that’s normal – but it’s not right. But God has a wonderful plan for the church along the way. One of those plans is for this church to be a source of provision for those whom God has set aside to go and share the gospel around the world. We look at how much we send to each missionary and maybe we wonder how much difference can twenty-five dollars a month make? But God is able to take that and multiply it.
Now I want you to know that I have a vision for the church and I have a plan to take us there. My plan is to listen closely to the Holy Spirit and follow His lead wherever He takes us. We’ll stop along the way and notice familiar places and landmarks and we will go to places we have never been before. I don’t have all the answers, But God!!!!!!!
I. MEN SENT BY THE SPIRIT. (Acts 13:1-3) Do you know that our missionaries don’t just wake up some morning and say, “I think I’ll go be a missionary to Afghanistan!” Look at 13:1, “1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.” We see here men of God who were prophets and teachers called together. What were they doing? “2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting…” They came together to worship and fast. We know that fasting is connected to prayer. They were seeking God! “The Holy Spirit said…” You know there’s something funny about most men, and I’ve learned this from experience, but if you give a man something to put together – give him a hammer and a screwdriver – he’ll open the box, set all the pieces aside and look at them, find the instruction sheet- and throw it away – and start without any direction whatsoever. Come on, you know what I’m talking about. You have a picture in your mind how the finished product is supposed to look and maybe a general idea of how to get there, but without some of the detail given in the instruction sheet you end up taking it apart and starting all over. Now look at the group assembled in Antioch. Barnabas – a wealthy man; Simeon called Niger, probably a black man; Lucius of Cyrene – a foreigner from the north of Africa; Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, probably a political man; and Saul-the former persecutor of the church. Here’s a group that is so different that we wonder how they could come to agreement on anything. But God had something else in mind. He spoke to them by the Holy Spirit. We don’t know how it happened – probably a word of prophecy or a word of knowledge spoken by one and confirmed by another, but the fact is that the Holy Spirit said… “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” I’m sure that you all have heard the stories from our missionaries of the call to the mission field and how they responded to it. Most of the time it is in disbelief. “God was that you? I don’t think I heard that right. You want me to go where?” Most of the time the call is answered in tears. Fear of the unknown, leaving family behind, getting out of the comfort zone. In this case the call on Saul and Barnabas was made known to others. 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Step one on the instruction sheet. Sometimes the call doesn’t make much sense – But God…! Sees the end along with the short term.
II. DIRECTION GIVEN BY THE SPIRIT (Acts 16:6-10) If you look at the map you can trace the movement of our missionary troupe. First, let’s go back to 15:36, “6Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. They went back and visited churches they had established. You know, I think Paul let that man thing kick in. He saw an end and headed right for it. 1) 6Paul 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.” Look at the map. Paul in his wisdom wanted to go southwest into Asia. He was probably headed for Ephesus. His heart was right but his timing wasn’t. But God knew exactly where He wanted Paul and Silas and when He wanted them there. If you turned over to Chapter 19 you can see the wisdom of God’s timing and the ministry Paul had that he may not have had in his own timing. 2) 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus (But God) would not allow them to… Again God’s plan takes precedence over Paul’s. 3) 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10After 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. Ding, Ding, Ding! Paul finally got it right. Read the instruction sheet because God has a plan to take you where He wants you when He wants you and the way He wants you to go.
III. DOORS OPENED BY THE SPIRIT. (11-15) Have you ever wondered why God led Paul and Silas to Philippi? I mean we know He had a reason. God doesn’t do things without a purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. I mean if you look at it from a logic perspective it doesn’t seem to make any sense. First, there was no “man from Macedonia” for Paul to preach to. It was a bunch of women. Second, there wasn’t even a synagogue in Philippi. Just some women having a prayer meeting down by the river. How effective was this trip going to be? But God had a plan. Look what happens next. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15When 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. Why did God have Paul go to Philippi? Why do we have our missionaries come to visit us? Turn over to 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, “1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. Now Philippians 4:14-18, “14Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Do you see what happened when Paul answered God’s call to go to Macedonia? When it didn’t seem to make any sense on the surface, the churches in Macedonia, especially Philippi, are the ones who helped finance Paul’s missionary journeys. Because of Paul’s obedience to God’s plan and his direction much of the known world was evangelized.
And the pattern continues today. Missionaries answer the call of the Holy Spirit and give their very lives for the cause of Christ. And our church has the privilege of being a Philippi to all our missionaries. We know that God has a great plan for this church. We seen the vision, we’ve heard the prophecies. God is going to bless this church and grow it to what He wants it to be. But one of the stops along the way may take us away from what we think is the right direction. One of the stops calls us to be faithful in our personal support of our missionaries just like Lydia was. Let me close with some statistics from this church.
Each month we send $270.00 to our missionaries. The bulk of our missions giving comes out of our general fund. This will increase to $300.00 per month.
Individuals also give monthly to support missionaries on their own.
Our giving for this year, including our support for the district and General council up to this point, totals_____________________.
We are on our way. It would seem that a small church like this couldn’t make much of a difference. It would seem like it might be a burden to take an out of the way turn like missions support. We think there are a lot better things we can do with out money.
But God!
But God can use us, change us and take us where we need to be.
But God has established our steps.
But God supplies all our needs.
But God is the all the power we need.
But God will make a way when there seems to be no way.
