Pursuing The Call Part 1 Series

ACTS

Pursuing The Call – Part 1

JUNE 9, 2019

Acts 16:1-15

How To Pursue The Call of Jesus

OUTLINE

YOU MUST. . .

Know the cost

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Acts 16:1-3 (ESV)

Surrender your will

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. Acts 16:4-5 (ESV)

Follow Jesus’ direction

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10 (ESV)

Keep your schedule flexible

So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. Acts 16:11-15 (ESV)

MANUSCRIPT

I’m always interested in history. I love to know how people lived long ago and the events that shaped their lives and communities. I also know the old adage, “those who fail to learn history are destined to repeat it.” While I think that’s a good statement, I sometimes wonder if it useless. I mean, it seems people make the same mistakes over and over again.

I mean when I look at my life, I think I’ve learned from my mistakes, but I tend to make the same one’s over and over again. Countries do it, communities do it too.

I’ve come to the conclusion that we can and should learn from those mistakes, and we must let them inform us as we move forward, but they must never stop moving forward.

As we look into the New Testament, we see the birth of the church in the book of Acts. This book is truly a continuation of Luke’s writing. He wrote Luke and now Acts. By volume of words, he pens more of the New Testament than even his mentor, Paul.

In the book of Acts, we see the fledgling leaders make mistakes and learn from them, then we see them stand boldly for the Lord.

BTW – because you make a mistake, that’s no reason to quit your role in serving Jesus. You’ve just now become so much more valuable to the cause.

You may think I’m crazy, more valuable? That’s right, as long as you have learned from that mistake. It’s all a part of your education.

MISTAKES OFTEN TEACH MORE THAN INTENTIONAL LEARNING.

I can’t remember much of what I learned in seminary, but I can tell you countless times I failed, or forgot something, or hurt someone, and learned in the process.

If you’re like me, after a mistake, or a failing, you wanted to quit, but in the work, we are involved in, there’s so much at stake. And, one day we will give an answer to God on how we did what He asked us to do.

The early leaders of the church, much like Old Testament leaders such as Joshua, said “we will serve the Lord.”

This determination was born out of a call from Jesus to go tell the world about His love and then one day bring a report to Him on what we did.