A WHOLE NEW WORLD (ACTS 16:1-15)
A whole new world emerged to me when I moved from USA to Hong Kong in 2008 after living there for 21 years. Hong Kong was the gateway to China, the pearl of the Orient, and, more importantly, my wife’s hometown. I had no choice. Doris said, “If you’re not going to leave, I’m going to leave.”
In my second year in Hong Kong a USA seminary asked me to join them for theological missions in Asia, so I joined them a year later in 2011. I resigned in 2013, when Doris had cancer, and returned to pastoral ministry.
The last month (June 24-July 7, 2019) has been very special to me. I met not one, not two but four former students (June 24, 2019), two when I was out of town. All of them were in their early 20s when we first met. One attended a class with a group of farmers I taught. The second brought back very deep memories. He was with a group of more than 20 young people who were housed together in a church for three years to study for a seminary degree. They were allowed to attend churches on the weekend only for security reason and on the weekdays they lived in one floor of a church premise – where they ate together, slept in separate dormitories and washed their own clothes. For extra bonus, two more students who were attending seminars in Hong Kong last month met me at church two weeks ago (July 7, 2019). Now these early 30s young man are all leaders in their own right, one teaching at the seminary level.
In the last chapter (Acts 15) the great missionary double-team of Paul and Barnabas broke up or fell out over Mark, so for Paul and his team, there were new people to meet and mentor, foreign lands to explore and new visions, new customs and new practices to learn. Meanwhile the Great Commission to go and disciple all nations had moved from Jerusalem to Samaria and Antioch, but not much farther.
What is required to mentor a person? What does it mean to disciple all nations? How can the ladies get involved?
Strike the Right Partnership
16 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 traveled 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. (Acts16:1-5)
When the late Dr. F. B. Meyer was asked at the end of his tour in India to define India's need, he said, "Were I a young man again I would go to India, find twelve young men, live with them, pray with them, teach them the Bible, inspire them, and send them out to evangelize India."
A person asked, "And what would you do then?"
"I would find twelve more," was the reply. (Selected)
I always pride myself in saying, “I came to the church as a mentor to coworlers before I was fullt-ime doing language ministries!”.
An African Proverb says, “f you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Paul’s ministry was incomplete without doing three things. First, a successor, a mentee and a disciplee. To take someone, especially a younger person, under your wings and tutelage is not an easy thing. You got to spend time, show trust and serve them. Paul took a big risk when he saw Timothy. You are talking about taking a younger man to the high seas for a few years. You cannot be casual, careless and complacent. This passage details the right kind of example, experience and encouragement they shared. Timothy was the right kind of development, not clouded by his mother Eunice (2 Tim 1:5), his Greek father or his grandmother Lois (2 Tim 1:5). He was not the typical second generation believer. He was a disciple (v 1) who was introduced in the text before his partners were. Faith must be firsthand, fresh and foremost, not faded, forshadowed or flaky.
What made Timothy different from other children whose parents are believers? He experieced the faith for himself, specificlly Paul’s persecution. Paul’s never say die and over my dead body atttiude inspired him and made such a huge impression upon young Timothy in Lystra. Previously in Lystra two chapters ago, where Paul healed a man cripppled from birth (Acts 14:8), then saw Jews from Antioch and Iconium stoning him. Miraculously after surviving the stoning, the next day Paul departed with Barnabas to Derbe, but returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,to strengthen the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and to persevere in much tribulation.
Timothy also had parents and family members who supported his mission, but the hunger must come from within. I remember talking to a first year seminary student who failed his first class, Greek. My first question to him was, Do you want to continue? The person said, Yes!
Submit to the Spirit
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. 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. 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. (Acts16:6-11)
It’s been said,
“If life doesn’t break you today, don’t worry, it will try tomorrow.”
“When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.”
“When you come to a dead end, don’t cry because it’s time for you to take another direction.”
“When Plan A Does Not Work... ...keep calm take a deep breath and remember: the alphabet for sure has one or the other letter left for you.”
“If life throws you a few bad notes, don’t let them interrupt your song.”
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door!”
“When life knocks you down, roll over and look at the stars.”
Acts is a book of “visions,” a word which occurs only once elsewhere in the Bible (Matt 17:9) but 11 times in Acts, twice in this chapter (vv 9, 10). Earlier in the book Ananias (Acts 9:10), Cornelius (Acts 10:3) and Peter (Acts 10:17, 12:9) all had vision, but for Paul it was a first (v 9), a far and foreign vision to distant cities, diverse cultures and dangerous chaos.
Paul’s vision was anot a mystical, mysterious but a missionary quest directed by the Spirit who forbade Paul and his companions from preaching the word in the province of Asia and from enter Bithynia. The Spirit’s five-fold role in the world today:
Restrains evil
Rebukes sin
Rebuffs heresies
Reserves judgment
Reveals direction
In Paul’s vision was a Macedonian man across the Aegean sea 3,544 meters (11,623 feet) deep between Greec and Turkey, going west instead of east to Bithynia. According to a website, the travel from shore of Troas (Acts 16:8) to Samothrace (v 11) was 70 miles by sea, and from Samothrace to Neapolis (v 11) was another 70 miles on land, and Neapolis to Philippi was another 10 miles. The abrupt, adventurous but arduous trip to Samothrace (v 11) was seven to eight hours long through scary, shaky, stormy waters. Bascially the traveler has to be fit, fresh and fearless, not frustrated, fatigued or frantic. My pastor in Hong Kong told how faint, helpless and miserable he was on a book cruise from Vancouver to Alaska. He and his wife was sick, stressed and stuck.
The verb “help” (v 9) is an imperative; it was a strong, sure and stirring plea, reaching Paul’s ears reducing his sleep and redirecting his course, previously uttered twice only in the gospel, as a request to Jesus by the Cannaanite woman for her demon-possessed daughter (Matt 15:25) and by a father with whose son had a dumb spirit (Mark 9:22, 25). Paul was curious, cautious and conscientious. Help can be in the form of aid, assistance, or availability, from not just Paul, but his team. This chapter begins the “we” (vv 10, 11, 12, 13 thrice, 16 twice) passages in Acts, which means the author was involved. In his team were Silas (Acts 15:40) and young Timothy (Acts 16:1) and Luke the Gentile writer and doctor. The trip was too precious, problematic and punishing without Luke the doctor, a historian and Gentile. The Greek verb “seek/endeavor” (v 10) occurs 117 times in the Bible but only once is it qualified by the adverb “immediately/at once” here. The verb “preach the gospel/evangelize” (v 10) never appeared in the gospels of Mark and John’s gospel and only once as a quotation in Matthew’s gospel (Matt 11:5), but ten times in Luke’s gospel and the record-breaking 15 times in the Bible in the book of Acts. Paul saw the vision, but he did not decide by himself.
Step into New Territory
12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district[a] 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. (Acts16:12-15)
Last month, a world survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was: "Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world." The survey was a huge failure...
In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant.
In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant.
In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant.
In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.
In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant.
In South America they didn't know what "please" meant, and
In the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant.
Upon encountering the unknown and those unlike and unmet, Paul and company had a change of strategy but not a change of of heart in faraway Philippi. Unlike in previous places before crossing to Europe where Paul entered the synagogue to meet fellow Jews (Acts 13:14, 15:21) on the Sabbath, he did not have the advantage of a captured audience in the form of a synagogue, a building or a club to meet the Jews who were scattered all over Europe, wary of standing out and stoking envy in foreign lands. After a few days there (v 12) he figured out there were Jews gathered by the river outside of the city for prayer, usually the more fervent kind – ladies! They were attractive targets to Paul because they were pious, practicing Jews. The Jewish ladies previously in the synagogue and temple were the invisibles and untouchables.
Even the audience had changed. Suddenly in Acts women played an important and critical role in the advance of the gospel in Europe. They were in the forefront and not in the backdrop of ministry. Previously women were separated from men within the synagogues Paul was preaching. No individual woman stood out in the early church in Acts before the venture into Europe, even though they were everywhere, from women praying in the upper chamber (Acts 1:13-14) to widows who were neglected in food distribution (Acts 6:1) before the persecution, to women persecuted by Saul (Acts 8:3) and women converted by Philip’s preaching (Acts 8:12). In Europe besides the praying women in Philippi (Acts 16:13) and the praying, wives in Tyre (Acts 21:3), the chief women in Thessalonica (Acts 17:4) and the honourable women of Berea (Acts 17:12), there were also outstanding individual ladies such as Europe’s frist convert Lydia (Acts 16:14), the low-key Damaris (Acts 17:34) and spousal team of Priscilla (Acts 18:2).
Lydia was from Thyatira, where in classical times, according to Wikipedia, “it was famous for its dyeing facilities and was a center of the purple cloth trade. Among the ancient ruins of the city, inscriptions have been found relating to the guild of dyers in the city. Indeed, more guilds are known in Thyatira than any other contemporary city in the Roman province of Asia.”
Two things stand out grammatically in this verse. First, her “stay” (v 15) is an imperative, a command, but in this case it is more a plea, a petition and a persuasion – the first and only imperative issued from a lady to Paul! It can be translated as remain (Matt 11:23), tarry (Matt 26:38), dwell (John 1:38), endure (John 6:27) and continue (1 Tim 2:15). Her attempt was so admirable because there were at least four people in the team – Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke. Of course, it is not just about housing but also hosting; not just lodging but laundry; not just cover but cooking. There was no indiction she had servants, but household. It means it was a collective effort. Definitly it was to show thankfulness, trust and teamwork.
The verb “persuade” (v 15, parabiazomai) is translated traditonally as constrain. It occurs only one other time for the two Emmauus travelers who “contrained” Jesus to abide with them for it was toward evening, and the day is far spent (Luke 24:29). She knew how friendless, fatigued and far from home they were.
There were at least three reason she needed to “persuade” them to accept her offer. First, it was not just Paul, but Paul and at least thtree partners. It was a lot to do. Second, she was a lady, but this was offsetted by the household’s presence. Third, they did not want to take advantage of new believers, but she asked them to “stay” with an imperative. And Paul went in to tarry with them.
Conclusion: Young people, complete strangers and godly women are front and central to ministry and missions. Have you underestimated, undervalued and understated their partnership, participation and prayers? Do you tally, treat and thank them for their serivce and support?
Do you acknowledge, appreciate and applaud the members of your team? Have you asked God show you where your experience and effort are most needed? Are you willing to leave your comfort zone and launch into the deep?
Victor Yap
Bible.ryl.hk (Grammar Bible)
Preachchrist.com (sermons)
