Lead Me, Lord
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet. He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something. "HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP!
He was about to give up when he heard a voice.
"Jack. Can you hear me?"
"Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!"
"I can see you, Jack.
" Who are you?"
"I am the Lord, Jack."
"The Lord? You mean, GOD?"
"That's Me."
"God, please help me!"
"Here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully."
"I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do."
"Okay. Let go of the branch."
"What?"
"I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go."
There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, "IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?"
Perhaps you have had a similar experience to Jack. You are looking for direction or help, and the Lord gives you guidance you’re not sure you really what to follow.
Today, as we continue our series from the Book of Acts, we get to travel with the Apostle Paul as he is seeking direction from the Lord. His story will remind us that following the Lord’s leading doesn’t mean everything will be smooth sailing, but He will work through us to make a difference for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Now What, Lord?
Now What, Lord?
Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
MAP 1
Have you ever been in the situation where you are trying to determine what the Lord would have you do, when you felt like you were left with no options? That may be what Paul was feeling here. Paul is following the Roman road system and is looking for the next place the Lord wants him to proclaim the gospel. Twice he is told no, so he keeps following the road. They keep going until they hit the end of the road in the seaport of Troas.
It should be noted that the Lord did send laborers into these areas at some point. Paul would eventually spend two years in Ephesus, the main city of the province of Asia. His ministry was so effective there that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. Ac 19:10.
Peter would write a letter to believers in these areas later on.
This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
So Paul and his company have been traveling about 400 miles. They have run out of road. Now what?
The Lord sent a vision to Paul of a man from Macedonia asking for help. This gave them the direction they needed.
It is significant to us that the Lord led Paul to Macedonia, for this is the first time the gospel comes to Europe.
I don’t know that there is one right way to receive direction from the Lord. But here are a few observations that might help when you come to the place you are praying, Now what, Lord?
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Keep doing what you know to do, asking the Lord for direction. Be open for His leading. Be obedient when He gives you direction.
Story of how we ended up in Lineville.
Trust the Lord to Work with You
Trust the Lord to Work with You
We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Paul and his companions cross the Aegean Sea. Once in Macedonia, they make their way to the city of Philippi. Luke specifically points out that this city was a Roman colony. This is significant to the events in this account.
Acts Philippi (16:6–40)
Philippi was full of retired military men who tended to despise Jews, so few Jews had settled there. Just ten adult circumcised males were required to form a synagogue, but Philippi had only a place of prayer (16:13) where women gathered. It was outside the city walls by the river Gangites, perhaps because synagogues were banned within the city limits, or possibly because the women needed water for ritual purification.
Paul’s normal practice would be to go to the synagogue(s) in a city to present the gospel to the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles. Apparently, there was no synagogue in Philippi so Paul discovered where the local Jews worshipped. In the case, it was a group of women who met outside the city walls.
In the group that day was a woman named Lydia. She was a Gentile business woman who had become a worshipper of God, probably in her hometown of Thyatira, where there was a sizable Jewish community.
A beautiful thing happens as Paul presents the gospel. The Lord opens Lydia’s heart. She believes the gospel and becomes a follower of Jesus Christ. Her newfound faith is seen in her actions, as she is baptized in water and opens her home to Paul and his company.
This incident encourages us to remember that the Lord is working with us as we present the good news about Jesus to others. As we trust the Lord to lead us, He will prepare the way for us. We may be one who plants. We may be one who waters. But in the end it God, by the working of His Holy Spirit, that makes the seed grow, that makes faith come alive in a person to receive salvation. We do our part by obeying the Lord, going where He sends us and presenting the gospel to those who will listen, and God does His part.
Consider what the Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 3:5-8.
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
Right Now Media video clip: Used by God
Endure Hardships
Endure Hardships
Acts 16: 16-40
How many of you know that when you serve the Lord, problems will come?
At some point during their ministry in Philippi, a demon-possessed slave girl starts following Paul and his companions, shouting out that they serve the Most High God and are telling people who to find salvation.
This was not the endorsement Paul wanted or needed. Paul exercises the spirit. Her masters realize they have lost a source of revenue. So they drag Paul and Silas to the authorities, accusing them of teaching customs that are illegal for Romans to practice.
Trouble often follows when the power of the gospel begins to change lives, especially when it begins to affect the pocket books of nonbelievers.
Ministries today that reach out to people caught in the sex trafficking trade are examples of this.
Human trafficking is an international plague. The U.S. State Department reports a $150 billion global trade in illicit human trafficking.
An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders every year.
In the United States, thousands of women, men, girls, and boys are exploited annually. The average ages of U.S. minors forced into the sex trade is 12 to 14. Runaways are especially vulnerable.
F.R.E.E. International , an Assemblies of God U.S. Missions organization based in Las Vegas, is set to launch emergency mobile command centers this fall, targeting at-risk areas frequented by victims of human trafficking.
“In the end, it’s only God who can change a heart and deliver people from the bondage of sex slavery,” Bartel, a cofounder of FREE says. “We are not shy about sharing the gospel and it is ultimately Jesus and the Holy Spirit that enables us to go on.”
F.R.E.E. International stands for Find, Restore, Embrace, and Empower.
https://news.ag.org/en/News/Street-Rescue-Launching
Paul and Silas end up in jail. They did not moan and groan, but did what we all should do in troubling times: worship the Lord.
Got to wonder if they were singing:
Keep praising the Lord, when the skies above are gray.
Keep praising the Lord, for the answers on the way.
Do not despair, for the Lord still answers prayer.
For those who endure, the victory is sure. Keep praising the Lord.
The Lord sends an earthquake to open the prison doors. The jailer must have heard the gospel through song or in some other way. He asks them how he can be saved.
The answer: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The jailer believes. He takes Paul and Silas to his home, cares for their wounds, feeds them. They share the good news about Jesus with all who lived in his house. They all believe and are baptized.
When the jailer is told to release Paul and Silas, the officials are assuming the two will leave town. Paul refuses. He demands his rights as a Roman citizen. These officials had acted contrary to the law and were in danger themselves if Paul chose to press the matter. The Lord used this as a way to protect the church in Philippi from government harassment.
Conclusion
Acts 16 provides encouragement to us as we seek to serve the Lord and advance His kingdom.
He guides us.
He works with us as present the gospel, opening hearts to hear and respond.
He helps us endure the hardships that come as we are obedient to Him and His call on our lives.
Let us make a fresh commitment to keep serving the Lord.
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