The First European Church
Curt Deming
Melbourne Community Church
Today we’re going to start a series on Philippians. We will study Paul’s letter to the Philippian church verse by verse. First, let’s look at where the letter to the Philippians fits in the New Testament. It is easy to divide the New Testament into four main categories.
New Testament:
n Gospels
n Acts
n Letters
n Revelation
The gospel of Luke and Acts are essentially Luke I and Luke II, historical accounts of the life of Christ and the early church. We can separate the letters by author.
Letters:
n James
n Peter
n John
n Hebrews ?
n Paul
Many New Testament letters are named for the author: Peter’s letters are I and II Peter; John’s letters are I, II and II John; James’ letter is called “James.” Paul’s letters are named for the recipients, either church congregations (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians) or individuals (Timothy, Titus, Philemon). The authorship of Hebrews is an interesting mystery, but the short answer is we really aren’t sure who wrote that letter. We can further divide Paul’s letters into smaller categories.
Paul’s letters:
n Gospel
n Pastoral
n Prison
Paul’s early letters that clearly presented the gospel message are often considered his “gospel letters.” The pastoral letters were written to Timothy and Titus to guide them in leading their churches. The prison letters were written while Paul was imprisoned. Philippians was a prison letter.
After the gospels, much of the New Testament revolves around the life and ministry of Paul, born Saul in Tarsus. Let’s take a quick look at his life.
SHOW MAP – Roman Empire (Tarsus)
Life of Paul:
n Pharisee
n Persecutor
n Convert (Acts 9)
n Missionary
n Apostle
n Martyr
After his conversion, Paul began traveling to spread the gospel to Gentiles outside of Israel. His first missionary journey took him to several cities in Asia Minor, now Turkey.
SHOW MAP – 1st missionary journey
This journey gave rise to a question about the new converts: How much did the Gentile believers have to act like the Jewish believers? The Judaizers essentially taught that Gentiles must convert to Judaism, then Christianity. Paul battled their false teaching throughout his ministry, and he devoted considerable attention to this question in his letters, like Galatians. The church leaders wisely met at Jerusalem to resolve the dispute, and they concluded that it was not necessary for Gentile converts to fulfill Jewish law in order to become followers of Christ. They placed very few restrictions on the Gentiles:
Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
n Don’t eat food sacrificed to idols.
n Don’t drink blood.
n Don’t eat the meat of strangled animals.
n Abstain from sexual immorality.
Paul was eager to spread the news of the Jerusalem Council, so he made plans for his second missionary journey. Today’s story takes place during this trip.
SHOW MAP – 2nd missionary journey
Paul made a third mission trip which retraced many of the steps he took in his second trip.
SHOW MAP – 3rd missionary journey
Many refer to Paul’s trip to Rome as a 4th missionary journey, but Paul went to Rome as a prisoner. Of course, he continued to minister on the way and after he arrived.
SHOW MAP – journey to Rome
Let’s go back to Acts 15 and pick up the story there. This is after Paul’s first missionary journey and after the Jerusalem Council.
Acts 15:36-38
Some 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.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but 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.
John, also called Mark, is the author of the gospel of Mark. Mark had traveled with them during the first missionary journey, but he left them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). Paul and Barnabas had different spiritual gifts and temperaments, and we can see the differences in their response to Mark. It’s no surprise that Barnabas the encourager was willing to continue to work with Mark.
Acts 15:39-41
They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Is this the first church split in history? Not really. The disagreement between Paul and Barnabas did not divide a congregation. Nevertheless, we can learn from their example. Many of us have been involved in Christian organizations that have become divided. We can learn from Paul and Barnabas that it is possible for believers to decide to stop working together, but both continue to be used by God to advance his purposes. Let’s look at Paul and Barnabas. Which one was right? Who was wrong? Do you suppose we’ll get to hear them continue their dispute in Heaven? The Bible does not record the details or emotional intensity of their conversations, but neither Paul nor Barnabas was distracted from his calling. They agreed to stop working together, but both continued to serve the Lord. One of the first principles we can learn from this scripture passage is that God can divide and multiply at the same time. Remember it is possible, even likely, that Mark grew in the faith because of the responses of both men. It is obvious that he received encouragement from Barnabas, but he also received from Paul an exhortation to be more dependable.
Acts 16:1-2
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 brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
SHOW MAP - 2nd missionary journey
Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, had become believers before Timothy, and they both influenced him in the faith (II Timothy 1:5). This passage also shows the value of maintaining a good reputation in the community. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy. I wonder what Timothy had done to earn their respect. Do the brothers nearby speak well of us?
Acts 16:3
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.
He circumcised him! Wasn’t that what the Jerusalem Council was about? Circumcision was not on the list. It is plain from Paul’s writings that he did not consider circumcision to be necessary for salvation; in fact, he harshly denounced those Judaizers who taught that circumcision was required. So why did he circumcise Timothy? The passage makes it plain that Paul circumcised Timothy to avoid offending the Jewish believers in that area. The second principle we can learn from this passage is that sometimes leaders have to hold themselves to a higher standard. Think about this from Timothy’s perspective. We don’t dwell on circumcision much as adults because nowadays, it is such a quick and simple procedure performed on infants. But imagine being cut unnecessarily in a day before anesthesia. And Timothy would have heard Paul’s report of the Jerusalem Council before he decided to go, so he knew it was not required. Timothy could have insisted on his rights, but instead submitted to an unnecessary procedure to make it easier for people to accept his ministry.
Acts 16:4-5
As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
They were delivering the message of the Jerusalem Council, part of which was that the new converts did not need to be circumcised. How do you suppose Timothy felt about that? He could have become bitter and resentful. “Unnecessary for YOU, but I have to avoid offending Paul’s Jewish friends.” I admire Timothy’s maturity and selflessness.
Acts 16:6-7
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. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.
SHOW MAP – 2nd missionary journey
When the Holy Spirit kept them from preaching in Asia, what did that look like? Luke does not record the details, but I imagine that this must have been some obstacle that would have been frustrating to Paul and his companions. They tried to enter Bithynia to preach the gospel as they were called to do, yet the Spirit of Jesus prevented them. If I were confronted with similar obstacles, I expect that I would start a round of second-guessing: “God, I thought I was answering your call; was I mistaken?” “Was I wrong to leave Barnabas and Mark?” Yet it is a testimony to their faith in God, that they recognized that the Holy Spirit was closing doors to them. I wonder if they realized that at the moment, or if Luke figured it out later in hindsight. This passage is a great comfort to me. It is encouraging to me to know that the Holy Spirit will not only lead us where we should go, but also stop us from going where we shouldn’t.
Proverbs 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Alternate translation: “direct your paths”)
Andy Stanley:
“God’s will is not a tightrope, but a canyon.”
Acts 16:8-10
So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 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.
SHOW MAP of Roman Empire (Asia to Europe)
The same Holy Spirit that said “no” to Bithynia, said “yes” to Macedonia, and Paul responded. We can trust God to close doors and open doors. Does the Lord still speak to his people through visions and dreams? I believe that he does. Several times, I have imagined myself doing things in ministry before they have happened. More than once I’ve dreamed about doing new things then awakened to ask the Lord, “Are you calling me to this?” I believe that God called me to be a youth pastor and later a teaching pastor this way. Before our youth group started a Friday night coffee shop ministry, I had a series of dreams in which I saw myself doing just that. Now I’m not confident enough to just take my dreams and run with them. Each time I’ve acted on one, I’ve submitted it to the elders first for their approval. That process is a “safety net” for me. Notice in verse 10, that the pronoun changes from “they” to “we.” It appears that Luke joined the missionaries here and continued with them on the rest of their journey.
SHOW PHOTO OF TROAS HARBOR
Acts 16:11-12
From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
SHOW MAP – Aegean Sea
Samothrace is an island in the Aegean Sea, and Neapolis (New City) is a city on the Greek coast. Imagine sailing from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans and stopping at an island in the Gulf of Mexico along the way. Except that Paul and his companions sailed around the Dardanelles and the Bosporos, one of the boundaries separating Asia from Europe. This city on the Bosporos is one of the ancient gateways between Europe and Asia. It has had several names: Byzantium, New Rome, Constantinople, and now Istanbul. Paul and his friends took a shortcut through the Aegean Sea, but now they were in Europe, and Philippi was a short distance from the coast. Philippi was named for Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. It was significant in Roman history. After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., a civil war erupted between the conspirators, led by Cassius and Brutus, and their opponents, led by Marc Antony and Octavius Caesar, the heir of Julius Caesar. The conspirators lost a key battle here at Philippi, both Cassius and Brutus died, and Octavius Caesar became Caesar Augustus.
Acts 16:13
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.
In cities that did not have enough of a Jewish population for a synagogue, Jews would meet at an informal “place of prayer.” Philippi had a sign on the arches outside the city prohibiting anyone from bringing an unrecognized religion into the city. That is probably why this place of prayer was outside the city gate. They were a long way from home. This is the land of Homer and his mythological “gods.” Socrates had been sentenced to death for teaching the youth of Athens to question their gods. But they were where God had led them.
Acts 16:14
One 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.
Dealer in purple cloth may not seem like much of a profession to us, but Lydia was probably wealthy. One of the reasons the Phoenicians were such successful sea traders is that they harvested purple dye from a shellfish in the Mediterranean Sea. The dye was rare, and therefore expensive. For centuries, purple was the color of royalty because it was so expensive. We’re going to see next week that the first converts in Philippi were a diverse group.
Acts 16:15
When she and 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.
Baptism was and is an initiation into the family of believers. Paul stayed in Philippi and planted the first European church. We’ll learn more on that next week.
What have we learned?
n Leaders should be prepared to meet a higher standard.
n When God closes one door, he will open another.
n God speaks to his people through visions.
Let’s pray today that God will give each of us a vision for the ministry he has called us to. Let’s also pray that we will have the faith and courage to respond to God’s call.
