To the Ends of the Earth, Part 24
Paul’s Missionary Journey’s still instructs the Church (“Lessons from the road!”)
Acts 16:1-40
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons Church & 2024 sermon series, “To the Ends of the Earth”
-- In 2023 we unpacked the beginning of all history (Creation/Fall/Promise)
-- And we looked ahead, anticipated the coming & victory of Jesus (Revelation)
-- But, in order to get to the end, we have to be busy doing the work now (Acts)
- Last time we unpacked the Jerusalem Council’s decision & ministry conflicts
- CHALL: What are we doing to deliver the ministry of salvation right now?
- Consider: “That’s the way we’ve always done it” is faith in humanity’s ways!
- So how we respond is very telling of what God is doing in our lives now
- Today, we will take a look at three pivotal things for the Church to lean into
-- Lots to read, but the unpacking is actually very straight forward; hang with me!
- Read Acts 16:1-40 / Pray
Point 1 – The Church must make disciples
- Look at how we are to be faithful to the Lord through the example of ministry
-- APP: What the bible shows us is a roadmap to being devoted to God …
• We must be faithful in making disciples (vv1-3)
o Timothy was a true find for Paul; was young & growing in Christ
o He had an interesting family background:
? Both his mother and grandmother were Believers (ref 2 Tim 1)
? Father was a Greek, not a Jew - he did not believe in God
? IMP: If he did, he would have had Timothy circumcised
? Still, Timothy was a faithful young man with a good reputation
o So, Paul arranges to have him circumcised … sigh … WHY?
? Didn’t we just discuss the Jerusalem Council? (ref Ch 15)
? KEY: They are going to preach to Jews in other lands
? Without his obedience, he would be considered an outcast
? APP: he would have no testimony to teach them
• We must be faithful in delivering the church’s declaration on salvation (v4)
o Never miss this: The Holy Spirit led the church (Acts 15:28)
o BIG: they did not act on their wants/opinions; we must see this today
o Paul’s leading is to visit each city and proclaim the truth
o What was the truth? “Salvation is only through Christ”
? Need us to see this: They didn’t get clever with it
? Also, they didn’t water it down to be acceptable to society
• We must be faithful in bearing fruit: churches were strengthened (v5)
o The churches grew in the faith every day
o Incredible challenge for us today … what are we doing? (last week)
o Are we laboring consistently for Christ … or ourselves?
o Sad truth: Churches that do not grow are missing this component!
- How do we do this? By following the Spirit’s leading … as Paul did!
• Paul follows the leadership of the Holy Spirit (vv6-7)
o See: Not allowed to go to certain places, even with their plans
o CH: Do we do things that God is telling us not too?
o But don’t miss: Paul did not just quit and give up!
• Why? Because he has a clear call from the Holy Spirit (vv8-9)
o He continues to minister where he is led!!
o Then, the Spirit called him to Macedonia to preach
o SEE: Paul was being called into Europe! To minister even farther!
-- WHY? Matthew 24:14, “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
• There is always a strong conviction of the Holy Spirit’s call (v10)
• RESULT: There is an immediate obedience to the Lord’s call (v11)
o What if every believer heard the call to GO and was obedient?
o Truly, if you get nothing else today get that …
o It is truly a line in the sand asking: how much do you trust God?
- TR: So, as they are going and teaching, what can we learn from this today?
-- The most important lesson is our second point: when we go & teach …
Point 2 – The Church must focus on Jesus
- Every day, we are led by God to help people see their need for Jesus
-- These can serve as a launching pad in any direction you want to go (honestly)
-- However, what we have to be careful of is pointing people to Jesus for answers
-- Just as in ~50AD, the same principles apply in June of 2024 …
1. People need to know: The power of human sin (vv16-17)
o Know this: what they encountered is still alive and well today
o Met a woman who is enslaved by a demonic spirit to tell the future
o Fortune tellers, soothsayers, psychics, mediums, zodiac signs, etc.
o She was enslaved – and she earned money in her captivity to sin
-- SEE: What happens to these? Revelation 21:8, “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars - their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
2. People need to know: The power of money & greed (vv19-24)
o See this: when you mess with people’s money, anger will follow
o Paul cast out this demonic spirit oppressing her, and she was freed!
o v19 shows us that those who relied on her for “income” were M-A-D!
o FACT: The whole city is in an uproar, “Get rid of these teachers!”
? Flesh: I don’t like what they are saying, they got to go!
? Truth: The teaching is convicting, so we must remove them!
? Sad Fact: Pastors contend with this all the time …
- Wisdom: 1 Tim 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” What must we instead focus on? See V18!
3. People need to know: The power of Jesus name (v18)
o This possessed woman plagued them day after day
o Her heralding “why” they were there was not helpful (irritating)
o The day arrived that Paul had enough of this evil spirit
? Greek: diaponeomai; worn out, annoyed
o He calls upon the name of Jesus, and she is instantly freed!
? Before you do this, make sure you are on solid ground!
? We’ll see in Ch 19 how this is used falsely and doesn’t go well
-- SEE: There is power in what Jesus can do: Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
- TR: If we are focused on sharing the Truth, it will lead us our only objective…
Point 3 – The Church must teach about Salvation
- CHALL: If the church is to teach about Salvation, how must it be handled?
-- They are arrested for teaching, and yet, it causes them to want to worship!
-- In a dank, dark prison cell – their response is to rejoice in who Christ is
-- But the focus is not on them – it is on the jailer, who is the one witnessed to!
-- How does God use this? Look at the events that transpire, see his life changed!
• There must be a preparation for salvation (vv25-28)
o Paul and Silas prayed, they thanked God, they worshiped Him!
o And when they do, God moves! God shows up! (earthquake)
o God shows the jailer his depravity (sinfulness to sleep on duty)
• There will be a cry for salvation (vv29-30)
o Hearing them rejoicing, the jailer calls for a light; he wants to know!
o His desperate need is clear: What must I do to be saved? I need this!
• There is the proclamation of salvation (vv31-33)
o Paul and Silas do exactly what the Church must do today – TELL!
o They tell him that he must believe, he must hear God’s word
o And in his belief, he must repent and be baptized for his sin
o Paul even tells him that his whole household needs to hear this!
• There will always be fruits of salvation (v34)
o There is an honor shown to fellow believers (jailer provides comfort)
o What were their wounds? They were beaten/flogged (see v23)
o Why? Because in the family of God there is reason to celebrate!
• Measurable result: There is a definite effect of salvation (vv35-40)
o The jailer felt convicted of what they had done to them
o He sends word to have them released – but Paul is not having it! ?
o Re-read vv37-40 … see the righteousness in this for what it is
- The officials (in their legalism) were about to be humbled by God
o Why? Rescued by God, officials now had to realize their actions
o Not about how they’d been mistreated, but because of who they were
o RE: (v37) They are Roman citizens! It was an outrage to do this!
• Now, why does it matter? Want you to see this:
o KEY: God was really at work here – fully pressing on them
o It was illegal to treat Roman citizens like this (flog, prison, no trial)
o The officials could be punished for doing this to Paul and Silas
o SEE THIS: God used this event to strike fear into the people of Philippi with a clear message: “Leave my church alone!”
- Don’t miss: God’s deliverance is what allows them to continue to witness!
-- All of this transpires to bring us to one, very clear, conclusion for today …
BIG IDEA
- When God moves, when God responds, when God delivers – the praise is His!
-- The worship of what He has done is why we get to celebrate and rejoice!
- Don’t lose sight: What He has done is the focus, and should be our focus also!
-- We don’t get to claim His victory as our own – but we do get to praise in it!
- We get to celebrate how good He is and see how we owe Him everything!
-- That is the calling of the Church, that is the mission of the Church, to tell!
-- To tell of what God has done: first in salvation, and then in how life change
- This is what the Church must be focused on, even when times are terrible
-- And that is what Seasons Church can take away from this … will we?
-- Will we make disciples, will we focus on Jesus, will we share His salvation?
- Pray
