Closed Doors and Open Hearts
The Church on Mission • Sermon • Submitted
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When you seek the Lord He directs your future regardless of your past failure and through opening present opportunities for the advancement of His Kingdom.
God’s Grace Delivers from Past Failure
God’s Grace Delivers from Past Failure
Paul and Barnabas disagreed over who to take on the next missionary journey. Paul saw John Mark as a liability because of his past failure. Barnabas, the son of encouragement, saw the possibility.
Even the most Godly individual will disappoint you. Don’t place your trust in man, but in God who rules over all!
God takes our division and turns it into multiplication!
10 divided in half = 5 (10/2). But 10 divided by one half = 20 (10 / .5)
This is not an excuse to sin or be disagreeable. In fact, Paul would later write, Eph 4:1-2 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” also Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
God’s grace covers our past failure as we seek to reconcile and walk in humility before Him.
Mark would later write the Gospel of Mark, and become useful in ministry. 2 Tim 4:11 “Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.”
God’s Spirit Directs in Present Opportunity
God’s Spirit Directs in Present Opportunity
The Lord opened a door of opportunity for Timothy to join Paul on mission. (16:1-5).
Interestingly, after all the debate in Jerusalem, Paul had Timothy circumcised because he was part Jewish in order to not cause offense. God still has a plan for the people of Israel!
The Lord will close doors to move you to His purpose!
The Spirit prevented them from going west into Asia (later churches would be planted there, but not time yet).
The Spirit of Jesus prevented them from going North into Bithynia.
Luke joined the team in Troas - division has now become multiplication! (“we” in verse 10)
The Spirit directed Paul to Macedonia through a night vision!
Don’t get frustrated when God closes a door, seek and Lord!
God’s Spirit Opens the Heart to Salvation
God’s Spirit Opens the Heart to Salvation
An open door to share the Gospel conversationally with a group of women!
God opened the heart of Lydia and her household to receive the Lord Jesus!