SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). A New Partner (15:40-41):
(2). A New Helper (16:1-5):
(3). A New Vision (16:6-10)
(4). A New Convert (16:11-15)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• One day when C.S. Lewis was in the tool shed in his garden.
• And he noticed a sunbeam shining across the shed.
• And it was showing up the dust particles.
• He must have seen the same thing many times before,
• But this time he was captivated by it.
• So he traced the beam of light to the crack at the top of the closed door of the shed.
• But what struck him was that although it appeared to be coming from the crack,
• It was really coming from a blazing star 90 million miles away!
• Squinting up the beam carefully so as not to burn his eyes,
• He followed the beam through the crack in the door,
• Through the leaves of a tree outside and beyond to its magnificent source.
• Lewis thought to himself how different it was looking along the beam to its source;
• Than it was looking at the beam in his tool shed.
Transition: As we join the apostle Paul in Acts chapter 16:
• The situation is like that tool shed;
• The door to the gospel is shut – people are in darkness;
• But Paul like that shaft of light is about to bring light into a dark situation.
• Paul would have enthusiastically agreed with the words of Robertson McQuilken:
• From his book ‘The Great Omission’:
• “In a world in which nine out of every ten people are lost,
• Three out of every four have never heard the way out,
• And one of every two cannot hear, the Church sleeps on.
• Could it be we think there must be some other way?
• Or perhaps we don’t really care that much”.
• Well you can be sure of this - the apostle Paul cared;
• And so should we!
Our title for this morning’s passage is: ‘When opens doors close’.
• Paul is embarking on his second missionary journey;
• And he probably started out with similar expectations to his first missionary journey.
• If you can cast your minds back to Acts chapter 14 verse 27:
• We read:
“On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”
• The first missionary journey was marked out by open doors;
• This second missionary journey would be marked out by closed doors.
• The apostle Paul had high hopes of evangelising Asia;
• But God had other ideas.
Quote: the comedian Woody Allen who said:
“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”
• The quote humours reminds that our plans often do not work out the way we want.
• Now the intentions and ambition of the apostle Paul were very genuine and good;
• But God had different plans both for him and for Asia.
• The first missionary journey may well have been marked out by open doors;
• But this second missionary journey would start out with closed doors.
(1). A New Partner (15:40-41):
• The background to these last few verses of Acts chapter 15 (verses 36-41);
• Is that Paul and Barnabus have had a disagreement, a difference of opinion.
• I guess we ought to be encouraged that even Bible greats did not have it all together!
• And although we often put these individuals on a pedestal;
• We must never forget that the best of men are only men at their best.
• The result of the disagreement is that they decide to separate and go their separate ways;
• Both take with them new partners to assist and help them;
• Barnabus takes Mark and Paul takes Silas.
“Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches”.
Ill:
• There are often two ways of looking at the same set of facts.
• A teacher took a worm and dropped it in a glass of beer.
• You won’t be surprised to know that it died.
• Then she took another worm and dropped it in some orange juice.
• It swam around and jumped out of the glass full of vigour;
• And slowly crawled out of the classroom.
• The teacher asked Johnny, "What does that teach us?"
• He replied, "If you've got worms you should drink beer."
Whenever I talk to someone about a disagreement, a difference of opinions:
• You must always bear in mind that there are three sides to argument;
• His side, her side and the right side.
• Because we are not in possession of all the facts;
• It is hard for us to make a full, balanced and correct judgement.
Notice:
• Verse 39-40:
• “Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas…”
• Now don’t miss the next little expression in verse 40:
• “Commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord”
• Guess which side of the argument the local Church is backing!
• They are backing Paul;
• For Barnabus it’s a case of “you are on your own”
Note:
• If you don’t know the earlier narrative in the book of Acts;
• One of the reasons the Church backed Paul over Barnabus;
• Was because Mark was in human terms a failure:
• And nobody really likes a failure.
• We are told that when the ‘going got tough’ Mark got going!
• We read Mark left them (Acts chapter 13 verse 13)
• But later we get a deeper insight to story (Acts chapter 15 verse 38):
• And we are told Mark ‘abandoned’, he ‘deserted’ them;
• Paul & Barnabus when they really needed him
Question: How about us, how do we react with those who fail and let us down?
• Because Barnabus stuck with John Mark:
• Because he was willing to invest time and effort in helping him,
• John Mark's story goes on.
• He does leave the N.T. pages in defeat, and disappointment.
• In fact the opposite is true!
• Because Barnabus stuck with Mark:
• Mark’s story goes from failure to success:
• i.e. Philemon verse 24:
• From his prison cell Paul describes Mark as a "Fellow worker"
• John Mark had won back Paul's respect.
• i.e. Second Timothy chapter 4 verse 11:
• Paul this time is awaiting execution, his time of death is fast approaching.
• Paul says to Timothy his right hand man;
• "Get Mark and bring him with you, he is helpful to me in my ministry".
• i.e. John Mark went on to write one of the books of the New Testament;
• The Gospel of Mark.
• A book read all over the world;
• Read and studied even in obscure places like Southampton.
Question: How about us, how do we react with those who fail and let us down?
• Let’s follow the example of Barnabus;
• By accepting, forgiving and offering help to those who let us down!
(2). A New helper (16:1-5):
“Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they travelled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers”.
• The apostle Paul was a great friend-maker,
• There are more than 100 different Christians (named and un-named);
• Associated with Paul in the Book of Acts and in his letters.
• ill in Romans chapter 16 he names 26 different friends alone!
Paul enjoyed Team Ministry (working with others):
• Obviously you can achieve far more as a team,
• Than you can as an individual.
ill:
There are 560 members in our church
But 100 are frail and elderly
That leaves 460 to do all the work
But 74 are young people at college
That leaves 386 to do all the work
But 150 are tired businessmen
So that leaves 236 to do all the work
And 150 are housewives with children
That leaves 86
A further 46 have other important interests
That leaves 40 to do all the work
But 15 live too far away to come regularly
So that leaves 25 to do all the work
And 23 say they have done their bit.
So that leaves you and me
And I'm exhausted!
So good luck to you!
• If a Church is going to function correctly and meet needs;
• Then you and I as members are expected to get involved.
• Remember a Christian does not go to Church – they are the Church!
• Church in the Bible only ever speaks of people and never a building
• If a Church is going to function correctly and meet needs;
• Then you and I as members are expected to get involved.
• And if we can longer physically play a part;
• We can still be involved by prayer.
• Paul enjoyed Team Ministry (working with others),
• And Silas is the latest member on Paul’s team.
• Verse 1 tells us that Paul & Silas approached their destinations from the east;
• So they came first to Derbe and then Lystra;
• This was the reverse of their first journey (chapter 14 verses 6-20).
• They went from Church to Church teaching and instructing;
• And helping the Christian’s there become established in their faith.
At Lystra Paul and Silas recruited another team member – Timothy.
• Timothy was probably converted to Christ during the first missionary journey;
• In 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 2 Paul calls him; “My own son in the faith”
Note:
• Timothy had a big advantage in his life that I for one did not have;
• We would say he came from a Christian home:
• Quote: 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 5:
“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also”.
• We are told that he had a Jewish grandmother called Lois,
• Who was converted to Jesus Christ.
• She was the first one in the family to come to faith.
• He also had a Jewish mother called Eunice;
• She too became a follower of Jesus Christ.
• As for his father we know very little;
• All we can glean about him in the Bible was that he was a Greek.
• But notice that Timothy did not inherit his faith;
• Quote: ‘God has no grand-children’
• You can no more inherit Christianity;
• Than the son of a doctor inherits his father or mothers medical skills.
• ill: Imagine on the operating table saying; “Are you a doctor?”
• And receiving the reply: “I’m not but my father and grandfather were”
• Timothy like his own mother before him and her mother before her;
• Needed to make a personal response to the person and claims of Jesus Christ.
Quote: The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, page 347:
Conversion: “The decisive act in which a sinner turns away from sin in genuine repentance and accepts the salvation that Christ offers.
The imagery in conversion is that of turning.
A person is going along a road and realizes that he or she is on the wrong track. They will never reach the destination if they continue in that direction. So the person “turns,” or “is converted.”
He or she ceases to go in the wrong direction and begins going in the right one. Conversion changes the direction of one’s course of life
from the wrong way to the right way, the way that God wants”.
Note: verse 3 Timothy was circumcised.
• He was not circumcised in order to be saved;
• He was circumcised in order to be able to work among Jewish people & not offend them.
• This was a cultural thing and we see it today:
• Liz New will dress in Asian clothing when working among Moslems, Hindu’s & Sikh’s;
• So as not to offend them
(3). A new vision (16:6-10)
“Paul and his companions travelled 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. 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.”
• Paul wanted to enter new territory with the gospel;
• By travelling east into Asia Minor and Bythinia;
• Notice in verse 6 tells us the Holy Spirit prevented them by closing the door.
• Notice in verse 7 tells us the Spirit of Jesus prevented them by closing the door.
Ill:
• Author Peter Lord said that one day when he was skiing in Colorado,
• He saw some people wearing red vests with the words BLIND SKIER.
• He thought, "I have a hard enough time skiing with two good eyes,
• How can they ski successfully with none?"
• The answer was - they had a guide;
• Whose instructions they totally trusted and followed!
• As the guide skied beside them,
• He'd tap his ski poles together and assure them he was there.
• Then he'd say, "Go right! Turn left! Stop! Slow!
• Skier coming up on your right!"
Paul looked to his heavenly guide to show him the way:
• Notice in verse 6 tells us the Holy Spirit prevented them by closing the door.
• Notice in verse 7 tells us the Spirit of Jesus prevented them by closing the door.
• God’s plan was to lead Paul west into Europe and not east into Asia;
• God would reach Asia in another ways and at another time;
• i.e. Acts chapter 18 verse 19 to chapter 19 verse 41 & 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 1.
• Through a night vision (verses 9-10) Paul saw a man calling him over to Macedonia;
• And Paul was quick to respond and go!
Notice: Verse 10 contains the pronoun “We”.
• Another member is about to join Paul’s team;
• It is the one who wrote this book called Acts and his name is Dr Luke.
• In fact some people suggest it was Dr Luke who was the man Paul saw in his vision.
• There are three “We” sections in the book of Acts;
• Three occasions when Dr Luke joined the team.
• (16:10-17 & 20:5-15 & 27:1-28:16)
• In obedience to the vision the departed from Troas to Neapolis;
• The journey was about 150 miles and it would take them two days to make the journey.
(4). A new convert (16:11-15)
“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 travelled 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.”
Ill:
• Every morning and every evening the head of a Jewish household would pray,
• Giving thanks that God had not created him “a Gentile, a woman or a slave.”
• It hardly seems coincidental that the first three conversions which take place at Philippi,
• Come from those despised categories.
Quote: Paul himself would later write (Galatians chapter 3 verse 28),
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
In Acts chapter 16 the apostle Paul is in Philippi:
• Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia,
• It was a Roman colony.
• We use the expression a ‘Home from home’.
• A Roman colony literally was a "Rome away from Rome."
• The Romans settled some of their loyal citizens (often army veterans);
• In various cities and then governed those cities the way Rome was governed.
• e.g. A Roman colony was organised and controlled by Roman law.
• e.g. The citizens had the same rights and privileges as those who lived on Italian soil.
• It was a high honour for a city to be named a colony;
• And the residents did all they could to bring glory to the name of Rome.
• In return for leaving their homes in Italy and relocating elsewhere.
• They were given certain political privileges, e.g. exemption from taxes.
When Paul & his friends arrived in Philippi:
• They did not immediately start preaching (evangelising in that city).
• Even though they knew God had called them there.
• They needed to rest and pray and plan together.
Quote: Warren Wiersbe:
“It is not enough to know WHERE God wants us to work;
we must also know WHEN and HOW he wants us to work.”
• That information only comes as we spend time in God’s presence;
• We need to know his heart and mind for each & every situation.
• So in verse 13 Paul goes to pray with like-minded people.
“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.”
• When Paul and his companion arrived in Philippi,
• There were not enough Jews living in the city to have a synagogue there.
• According to Jewish tradition ten male heads of households were necessary
• Before a synagogue could be formed.
• If those requirements could not be met;
• Then the faithful were to meet under the open sky near a river or the sea.
• Jewish believers without a synagogue met by rivers or the sea;
• Because they had to ceremonially wash themselves then move to a time of prayer.
• So Paul, Timothy, Silas and Luke went to the riverside on the Sabbath;
• When they arrived they discovered a small group praying - all women.
Verses 14-15:
“One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
15 When she and the members of her household were baptised, 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.”
One of the women listening to Paul was named Lydia,
• Actually we don’t know her name;
• The word in the text is a place name - she was a ‘Lydian’;
• i.e. Call someone a Brummie, or a Geordie or a Scouser etc.
Question: What do we know about this ‘Lydian’ – ‘Lydia’
Answer:
• (a). She was a wealthy: “A dealer in purple cloth”.
• Purple dye was very, very expensive;
• If I tell you where they got it from you would understand why it was expensive;
• It came from the throat of small muscles called ‘a murex’.
• So purple was hard to come by and very expensive – it was the colour of the rich,
• i.e. The High Priest wore purple as did the Roman emperor.
• (b). She was Gentile woman most likely a Greek;
• Who lived in a Roman settlement - a good place for a seller of purple.
• Who came from the city of Thyatira in Asia.
• But her business had brought her to Philippi (maybe one of their companies branches)
• (c). She was God-fearing – not a Jewess but she was "a worshiper of God,"
• Not a full Jewish proselyte but someone who openly worshiped with the Jews.
• She was seeking truth.
• God had promised: “If you seek me (all your heart) you shall find me”.
Notice: verse 14:
• This is one of the few times we actually see how God works in an individual:
• Paul shared a “Message” the “Word”.
• It literally means personal conversation, not preaching,
• He talked one to one and explained the message of Jesus to her.
• She listened, she understood, she responded!
• God opened her heart to the truth, and she believed and was saved.
• If it sounds simple that is because it was!
• Becoming a Christian is not complicated – it requires a child-like faith!
Ill:
• Karl Barth, the Swiss theologian, was once asked by an American audience;
• To summarize the gist of his enormous books on theology,
• The learned man shocked his audience by quoting from a Sunday school song:
• “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
• A simple answer to a complicated question.
• In this story of Lydia nothing is complicated, she made a simple response to the gospel.
• And Lydia the Gentile woman became the first Christian believer in Europe.
• Others soon followed as she shared this good news with her family & friends.
Note: Her profession of faith resulted in two things:
• (a). Baptism (verse 13)
• As was and still is the pattern for the normal Christian experience!
• Conversion may be personnel but it is never private!
• Message of the New Testament is ‘Believe and be baptised’
• (b). Hospitality (verse 14)
• Her provision of hospitality were outward evidence of her new found faith in God.
• An open house reflects an open heart.
Note:
• Some people come to faith in a very dramatic way;
• i.e. Clive Cornish testimony on Tuesday night.
• i.e. The jailor in next week’s sermon (earthquake to get his attention)
• Some come to faith quietly, gently in a very un-dramatic way;
• i.e. Lydia.
• i.e. John Wesley.
Ill:
• John Wesley, the founder of Methodism,
• Spent many years as a Priest in the Church of England;
• All his life he had been instructed and taught the things of God;
• He spoke with great enthusiasm about Jesus.
• But he knew that something was missing in his life.
• He didn’t have a certain ‘power’ which he had witnessed in others;
• And he didn’t know how to go about getting it.
• He had been on some missionary crusades,
• Even one to America, but he had experienced no success.
• In his journal,
• Wesley describes his powerful conversion experience:
• “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street,
• Where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.
• About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change
• Which God works in the heart through faith in Christ,
• I felt my heart strangely warmed.
• I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation,
• And an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins,
• Even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
• The next day, which was Thursday, May 25, 1738 Wesley wrote:
• “This I know, I have ‘now peace with God.’”
Question: Will you open up your heart to God this morning?
