The Leading of God's Spirit - Acts 15:35-16:10

Bruce Goettsche

Union Church of La Harpe Illinois

Acts • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 21 years ago

Acts 15:35–16:10

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“The Leading of God’s Spirit”

Acts 15:35-16:10

This last week Phil Waters told a story about Dwight Moody. The evangelist came into a certain town and drew crowds of people. This led other Pastors to become somewhat distraught. They asked Moody, “Why do the people come to hear you and respond to your message when they do not come or respond to ours?”

Moody took them to a window and asked them what they saw. One Pastor saw a couple walking; one saw some of the historic sights; another saw children playing. Moody said, ”the difference in response can be explained by the fact that when I look out the window I see people who are lost and going to Hell if they do not hear the message of God’s grace as offered through Jesus Christ.”

I imagine that this is the same kind of attitude the Apostle Paul had. While others would have taken some extended time off after their first missionary journey, Paul was eager to get back to work. He would never understand those who say, “I have served my time, and now it is time for someone else to do something.” Paul had a passion for the loss that would not allow him to quit until the Lord Himself called him home.

In the text before us we are going to read about the beginnings of Paul’s second missionary journey. The stories seem to be somewhat detached as if they were miscellaneous snapshots. I think there is a common theme and that theme is the variety of ways God’s Spirit uses to direct the paths of His people.

LEADING THROUGH SUBTRACTION

36 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.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 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. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

After the council in Jerusalem and the decision that the gospel should be offered to the Gentiles by grace through faith alone, Paul is eager to get back on the road to follow up the believers from the first Missionary journey. Barnabus thought it was good idea as well. Barnabus wanted to take Mark with them, as they did when they began the first journey. Barnabus the one known as the “encourager”, was eager to give Mark another chance to prove himself. Paul, however, remembered that Mark deserted them the last time and refused to take Mark. Paul might have said, “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.”

We are told that this led to a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabus. The Greek word for “sharp disagreement” is the word from which we derive our English word paroxysm, which denotes violent action or emotion. This was apparently quite a heated argument. The division was so great that the two men decided to end their missionary partnership.

No matter what the issues were, it is sad to see these two friends and co-workers part company. When Christians cannot resolve their differences it is a stain against the body of Christ. However, it is important to point out that these differences were eventually resolved. In 1 Corinthians, Paul commended the work of Barnabus. And in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul asked Timothy to bring Mark with him because “he was helpful in his ministry”.

I do not believe God caused this quarrel. In the book of James we are told, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but you don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.” (Jas. 4:1-2) This leads me to ask, “Did these men seek God’s will on this matter?” We’ll never know. What we do know is that God used this very human debate to accomplish His own purposes.

The result of the division is quite interesting. As a result of this subtraction one missionary team turned into two teams that were heading west. We don’t hear about Barnabus again but we assume he continued his work. Paul chose Silas as his new partner. Silas was known as a good teacher. He was both a Jew and a Roman citizen like the Apostle Paul. He was also a scribe. He wrote down the words of Paul to the Thessalonians and also the words of Peter in his first letter.

God is a master of taking the broken pieces of our lives and making them into something special. He is able to weave even situations that might be our own fault into something that brings him glory. He will do this if we seek Him and trust Him.

Are there problem people in your life? It could be that God is using those people to teach you something very important. Perhaps God is leading you through subtraction. This passage certainly does not justify our quarrels. However, even though you may have lost someone through death, divorce, or some other kind of division, such as a loss of a job or health, it’s possible that God will use this loss for your growth and His glory. Friend, don’t despair. Seek His guidance. Look for the way God will take this painful time and turn it into a new opportunity for ministry. Perhaps God will use your losses to help you be more compassionate and caring. Maybe God will use your losses to re-align your priorities or to move you in a different direction . . . like he did with Paul.

LEADING BY ADDITION

The second way we see God leading in the life of the Apostle Paul is through addition.

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. 2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 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. [ 6:1-3]

Because John Mark did not travel with Paul they had room for a third person on the team. That person was a young convert name Timothy. It is likely that Timothy and his mother were brought to faith when Paul made his first stop in Lystra (in all the commotion about Paul and Barnabus being Gods). Timothy had a good reputation among the people and Paul decided to make him his “ministerial intern”.

Timothy became one of Paul’s most trusted friends and co-workers. When there was a tough job that needed to be done, Paul often sent Timothy. Timothy became the shepherd of the church in Ephesus and was probably with Paul when he died.

There is some question in the text over the fact that we are told that Paul had Timothy circumcised. After the big debate in Jerusalem over circumcision, why does Paul “have Timothy circumcised”?

The debate in Acts 15 was over whether or not circumcision was required for salvation. Timothy’s circumcision had nothing to do with his salvation and everything to do with ministry. The principle is pretty easy to understand. We should be willing to give up our own freedoms in order to build a bridge to those who are outside of the faith. Paul said,

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. [1 Cor. 9”19-23]

Paul believed Timothy would be more effective in relating to the Jews if he embraced his Jewish background by being circumcised. This was a strategic ministry decision and not a way to “get Timothy saved”. Timothy’s addition to the ministry of Paul enriched and expanded Paul’s ministry.

It is easy for us to miss the fact that God brings people and opportunities into our lives to move us in the direction He wants us to go. I can testify that God has led my life through the leadership of some key people. I began writing because of a couple of key encounters. We began our radio ministries because of the vision of one man. And over the years we have begun many new ministries because God brought someone into our fellowship to lead us.

It is important that we learn to appreciate the people that God has used to mold our lives. I encourage you to take some time today to recognize and thank those who have been used by God to enrich your life.

LEADING BY ERECTING OBSTACLES

The last way we see God’s Spirit directing this missionary team is by erecting barriers.

6 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. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 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.

Paul and his companions were eager to minister. They tried to go south into the area of Ephesus (where they would go eventually), but “they were kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province (not the continent) of Asia.” They believed that since God had closed one door He must want them to go in another direction. So, they decided to go North. But “the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”

Paul had a dream about a man in Macedonia (Greece) calling Paul to come to preach the gospel. When there were no obstacles they went west to Europe.

After hearing this story I have several questions:

· How did they recognize the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus?

· How did they know the dream was a valid direction from the Lord and not a result of something they ate?

· Why didn’t God want them to go south or north?

There are actually several ideas. First, it could be that they heard a prophecy from someone (but how do you know if the prophecy is true or spurious?). It’s possible that they simply had an “inner sense” that God was saying “NO”. I’ve had those times and I suspect you have too. One viewpoint says they did not go south or north because of a flare up of Paul’s sickness (possibly malaria). They suggest this because of the “we” in verse 10. The “we” refers to Dr. Luke. Is it possible that Dr. Luke went along on the trip because Paul was sick? I don’t know what the barrier was but it was effective.

I believe the Lord erected these barriers because He wanted to expand the outreach of the gospel. If Paul had gone south it is possible they would have never gone beyond Turkey. I don’t know why He didn’t want them to go North. By going into Macedonia the disciples made their first entry into Europe. God was expanding Paul’s vision by the roadblocks he set up.

Are you facing some obstacles in your life right now? Could it be that this is God’s way of keeping you from something that might hurt you? Could it be that these obstacles are not really enemies, but friends in disguise? Could it be that these obstacles are designed to push you in the right direction, to move you out of your comfort zone, to get you in position for the great things that God wants to do through you?

I had a dear friend that many of you knew. His name was Terry Housewright. Terry had diabetes and he often didn’t take care of himself as he should. He was prone to depression and this didn’t help the situation. I met him when his marriage fell apart. We talked often and became good friends. Terry was able to say things to me that others would be afraid to say.

Terry made some bad decisions in his life and eventually moved to Florida. I heard from him every now and then when he would call. I knew his health was deteriorating. One Saturday morning Terry called me at the office. He told me he was mad at God. Naturally, I asked, “Why?” He told me that the previous week he had gone into a diabetic coma and instead of God letting him die (like he wanted) the EMT’s saved his life. Terry felt God was being cruel.

I swallowed hard and said, “Terry, can I suggest you may have this thing all wrong?” He said, “What do you mean?”

I said, “Terry, I think what happened this last week may have been a wonderful act of love to you. You see, the Bible tells us that anyone who dies without receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior goes to Hell. Terry, is it possible that God saved your life because He wants to give you another chance to respond to His offer of love? Is it possible that God loves you so much that he wouldn’t let you die yet?”

We talked some more about what the message of the gospel was and then Terry became very quiet and said, “I’ll have to think about this and call you next week.”

The next week he called and told me that he thought I might be right and that he had decided to trust Christ as His Savior. We talked some more, prayed together and I was convinced that Terry had begun a new life with Christ.

Several weeks later Terry called back and told me he was coming back to LaHarpe because he wanted to learn all he could about Christ before he died. We had many wonderful months of conversations and I had the chance to share many things with him before his death. When he died, I believed he was ready and that I would see him again in the Kingdom of God.

Is it possible that you may be facing an obstacle in your life that is designed not to annoy you but to rescue you? Is it possible that God has allowed difficult times to come into your life so that you might see your need of a Savior?

LESSONS

Let’s draw some practical applications from these stories. The most important lesson is that God cares about what is happening in your life. He is committed to you. He is not a detached and indifferent God. He will lead you in the way that you will go if you will trust Him.

Second, even when we make mistakes God can still lead us. Paul and Barnabus may have been sinning when they argued about Mark, but God still worked in their lives. It’s possible you have made big mistakes too. Just because you have made mistakes doesn’t mean that God won’t use the circumstances of your life for His glory.

Consider Chuck Colson. Here was a man convicted of being involved in the Watergate cover-up. He lost his job in the White House, he was sent to prison, and he faced a stigma for the rest of his life. Yet, it pleased God to take this man and use him to glorify His name in prisons all around the world. Prison Fellowship, Justice Fellowship, Project Angel Tree and many other ministries would never have come to be if it wasn’t for Colson’s time in prison. God will not give up on you just because you have rebelled in the past.

Third, in order to experience God’s guidance we need to be open to His leading in our lives. Listening for God’s direction is really a matter of living our life with trust. It means really believing that God has a plan. Instead of waking up in the morning and saying, “O man, why me?” It would be better to ask, “Lord, what is it you are trying to teach me?” Instead of assuming the worst, perhaps we need to be open to that which the Lord is trying to teach us.

On occasion I am the passenger in a car as we travel to a location that is new to me. Often the driver is making turns that get me turned around and lost. Sometimes I wonder, “Where are we?” Generally speaking I don’t panic; I don’t scream; I don’t even worry. Why? Because I trust that the driver knows where he/she is going.

Do you remember the story of Job? In the midst of Job’s agony from his losses and the debate with his friends, Job said, “He knows the way I take, when He has tried me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10) It could be that Job was saying, “Look, when all this is over everyone is going to see that I am innocent.” But I think Job is saying, “Though I don’t know what is going on in my life; I know, when this trial is over, I am going to be purified and strengthened like gold.”

In a sense Job was saying, “Lord, I’m confused, hurt, and worn out. I don’t know why this is happening, but I trust you!” Friends, I believe God has given us these snapshots from the second missionary journey in Acts to help us learn to trust Him as well.

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