Sermon Tone Analysis

Come over to Macedonia

Come over to Macedonia

, “And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak a 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 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 into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak a 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 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 into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

There is a sound which each of us have heard before a haunting and helpless sound that is is able to sweep away hope and bring in hurtful tones of destiny denied.

It is the sound of when God closes a door.

When God closes a door, there is no explanation, which is forthcoming, there’s no reason offered, or rational given.

When God closes a door there is only silence and salient understanding of what must always be understood, which is God knows what He is doing even when I do not.

This is a sound that is impossible for us to get used to it often comes abruptly and always happens surprisingly; it’s not audible but it is one of the most egregious sounds any of us have ever heard.

We all can name specific places and times in our lives when we heard that slam; the slam I’m referring too is the sound that occurs when God closes a door.

Many times when a door is closed in our lives or ministries; the thing that makes it so difficult is that we usually misinterpret that sound because it often comes on the heels of strong commitment to obedience in following God’s will.

It comes when we have been filled with the spirit; it comes when everything seems to be moving along as plan.

I comes at a time when are enjoying a season of prayer; it comes at a time often followed by hard work diligent efforts, and then it just happens the door is closed.

What makes this action even more difficult is following the closing of the door there is silence, a deafening silence from God, when we believe we need to here from Him the most.

But in times like these we are humbly reminded that God is the Potter and we are the clay that God is the Master and we are His servants.

When doors close in your life or your ministry this is when you need good theology to help you deal with the despair.

This is where we need to know that God is Sovereign, I said God is sovereign, we must all come to the place where Nebuchadnezzar realizes that God is sovereign.

, “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me.

My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

This morning in we find a classic example or doors closing in the ministry of Paul, Silas, and Timothy; yet these closing doors are leading to an even greater and better open-door.

God very rarely gives reasons for what He does yet there are always results because of what He has done.

When God closes a door or many doors, you must know God is going to open up other doors.

God only closed them because He deems it necessary for the purpose of your calling.

There are some doors we should thank the Lord He closed!

There are some doors that He closed, and we don’t know why until much later, and there are some we will never know why He closed them, but we are to be thankful because He kept us from something that was not for us.

Let us pray…

Come over to Macedonia, not Asia.

The text tells us in verse 6, “And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.”

When we were last together, Paul and Silas had added Timothy to their missionary trip, Paul had him circumcised because the Jews knew that his father as a Greek.

Paul also delivered to the churches the message from the council ruling at Jerusalem that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised to become Christians.

Also that if the Jews wanted to practice that in the own culture that was fine as long as they understood, circumcision had nothing to do with salvation.

So, Paul, Silas, and Timothy continued on their missionary journey and the churches were being strengthened and their membership multiplied.

And here it comes, wait for it the sound of the closing of a door as they move into a different region to bring the gospel.

This must have been a great disappointment for them all, just when The Holy Spirit was changing the cradle of society a door closes.

Up to this time Asia has been the cradle of civilization, but not anymore it was about to give way to Europe.

Europe was soon to become the center of Christianity.

Therefore, the great call of God was to evangelize to this new region.

In this section, we see three doors closing and greater door opening.

After visiting the churches he had founded, Paul tried to enter new territory for the Lord by traveling east into Asia Minor but God the Holy Spirit closed the door.

Closing doors can be disappointing.

After visiting the churches he had founded, Paul tried to enter new territory for the Lord by traveling east into Asia Minor, this seemed as the only next logical move, but God closed the door.

We know that God thoughts are not out thoughts and His ways not our way.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways and His thoughts higher that our thoughts; God’s next move in our life might not seemed logical but it is never illogical.

We don’t know how God revealed His will to Paul in this matter, but we can imagine that Paul was disappointed and perhaps a bit discouraged.

Why?

Because everything had been going so smoothly on this second journey, even with the disagreement with him and Barnabas had passed, the partnership with Silas was going well, and God just given him a spiritual son in Timothy.

So to have this door of evangelism closed right in front of his face must have come as a great surprise.

But always remember hope deferred is not hope denied.

, “ Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

It must have been disappointing for the Holy Spirit to close this door, but Paul, Silas, and Timothy had to trust God, even in the midst of disappointment, disillusion, despair, and sometime even delay.

Have you had doors closed in your life and in your ministry by a Holy God?

Can we not all say with great assurance that if God closes one door, He will open another one?

Can we not all agree that, ‘All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.’

Because we know and trust this to be sure, what should our response be in the midst of doors closing?

Again, Proverbs holds the answer, , “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

We know that Phrygia and Galatia as these other regions were dark spiritually and they needed the gospel desperately, and at the same time we read that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were forbidden by the Holy Spirit just speak the word in Asia, in spite of the need God closed the door.

Something I have learned in over 25 years of ministry is that a need does not necessitate or does not demand a call.

Just because there is a need does not mean you are called to meet that need.

Every where you go there will be needs, there were needs in Phrygia and Galatia but the Holy Spirit chose to meet those needs through someone else.

So God closed the door, without a word of explanation.

So what did they do pastor, they just press right on in to another mission field.

And if we are not careful it is easy for to press right on into the next verse and it forget what it must’ve felt like to have that door closed.

Their desire was to share the gospel, to teach and preach the good news, to lift up every bowed down head, under the burden of their sins.

But they had to remember that they we are the potter and God is the clay, no, it is God who is the potter and they are the clay and if God had yet another purpose for them they should gladly follow Him.

It is God who initiates and we are only responders who carried out His will.

Come over to Macedonia, not Bithynia or Mysia.

Next the text tells us that Paul followed the command of the Holy Spirit and went another way.

, “And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

Sometimes delay is not denial.

However, challenging this time must have for Paul, Silas, and Timothy it is good to know that they followed God’s will for their ministries even when that did not clearly understand what God was doing.

As Christians we are commanded to follow God’s will at all times and in all circumstances.

It is not that you understand and agree with God’s commands; it is that you hear and obey God’s commands.

Here the text tells us that the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to teach there, but told them to follow Him.

When the Spirit of Jesus tells us not to do something; He is also telling us to do something.

Here I think there is an allusion to not follow our own plans but instead to follow Him.

In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Jesus' command to "follow me" appears repeatedly (e.g., ; , ; ; ).

In many cases, Jesus was calling the twelve men who would become His disciples ().

But other times, He was speaking to anyone who wanted what He had to offer (; ).

In , “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.

I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

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Jesus’ bringing a “sword” and turning family members against each other can seem a little harsh after words like "whosoever believes on Him shall not perish" ().

But Jesus never softened the truth, and the truth is that following Him leads to difficult choices.

Sometimes turning back may seem very appealing.

When Jesus’ teaching went from the Beatitudes () to the coming cross, many which had followed him turned away ().

Even the disciples decided that following Jesus was too difficult the night He was arrested.

Every one of them deserted Him ( ).