God in a Box-- Acts 16

Introduction

Sunday School Songs

One of the earliest songs my kids learned at church was My God is so Big.”

Anybody rememberfirst written as a hymn, but since has been rendered for kids and goes like this … (no I’m not singing)

“My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There’s nothing my God cannot do!” That’s a pretty strong theological statement there! But it continues, “He made the trees, He made the seas, He made the elephants too.

Got to throw the elephants in there, because of how big they are of course.

But the chorus is so catchy, “My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty: there is nothing my God cannot do!”

That simple truth, powerfully engrains itself in the minds of my children, and at one time it probably did mine as well.

But something changed...

Like Pan, in the movie Hook, we grew up.

We’ve matured. We are all learned men or women now.

We have some experience in life.

And with all that maturing and learning and experiencing I fear we’ve forgotton the simple truth.

God, once so big, and so strong, and so mighty: nothing that He cannot do… hasn’t really proven true for you has it?

What was once a limtless God in your life, now because of life we’ve shrunk Him down, boxed Him up. Contained. He is Limited.

Experience or lack of experience in life has led you to put God in a Box.

Gospel for the Gentiles

In our text today, we are going to see that Paul is tempted to do the same, but instead of shrinking God, He exercises faith and trusts that God is who He says He is.

As we’ve seen in the last several Sunday’s… The door of the Gospel is flung open to the Gentiles with the wild success of Paul and Barnabas’ incredible success on their first missionary journey!

And led by the Apostles and Elders affirm this limitless move of God in Acts 15 when Peter declared, Acts 15:11 “But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.””

For 2 years, A.D. 48 and 49 Paul and Barnabas were learning that God is so big, so strong, and so mighty… there was nothing there God couldn’t do.

But this core belief is about to be tested, because their second missionary journey got off to a really rocky start.

And in our text, as we follow the Apostle Paul, we will see many reasons why we too are tempted to put God in a Box, and hopefully be encouraged by Paul to lift the lid a bit.

Let’s read our text in its entirety, and then comb back through and see how instead of shrinking God we can trust His Limitless.

Acts 15:36–16:40 ESV

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. 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. 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. 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. 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. As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Point #1: We are tempted to put God in a Box because of our Experience

Experience

Everything was going so well.

The Gentile Mission is wide open. Paul and Barnabas have the green light, so they decide “to return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

They couldn’t have been more excited, because they were a dynamic team!

Ever since Barnabas had invited Paul from Tarsus to help with the ministry in Antioch, their teamwork had been blessed with power and grace.

Barnabas’ natural giftings in relationships and encouragement coupled with Paul’s deep theological learning and brilliant ability to communicate led to massive fruit!

This was Kareem and Magic, Jordan and Pippin, Shaq and Kobe.

Kerri Walsh and Misty May (USA Voleyball)

Brady and Bellechick, Mahomes and Reid

They were a dynamic team, that had learned together that God is So big, so strong, and so mighty. Nothing he couldn’t do.

But then the unexpected happened. Look at verse 37.

Acts 15:37-40 “Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.

A Sharp Disagreement

Paul had considered John Mark a deserter. Untrustworthy.

But Barnabas was John Mark’s Cousin, and Barnabas being the loyal encourager saw the situation differently.

The result was a sharp disagreement: the greek denotes a heated, emotional debate.

The result of this argument was not restoration, peace, or reconciliation but instead… a separation!

Brady has flown South.

And although I joke, this must have been a miserable pain for each of these men.

Neither could have predicted this outcome. And they must have been deeply hurt by the other.

But the truth is, this kind of stuff happens all the time doesn’t it?

And this is really a point I want to make: Many times we have put God in a Box, because of our experience with HURT BY OTHERS

Hurt by Others

The number one reason missionaries tend to leave the field is in-team conflict, and often the number one reason people leave the church is hurt from other Christians, oftentimes spiritual authorities.

How many of you can resonate with this experience? Or know somebody that resonates here.

You’ve been hurt by the church?

Many liken a church to a hospital. A place where the hurting and vulnerable come and receive care and love and mend toward wholeness. But often, a church can take the vulnerable and actually further the hurt of the hurting.

And that’s your story too isn’t it?

You began your walk with God on fire. Overwhelmed by his love and grace and transformation in your life… truly believing God is limlitless! So Big, and So strong, and so mighty, only to join a community of faith and experience pain much like Paul and Barnabas…

and quietly, but quickly, out of self protection, you began to put God in a box.

You conclude,

“God must be unloving or uncaring to allow His people to hurt me like this.”

“These are Christians, I don’t want anything else to do with this Christ.”

When I walked through deep hurt at the hands of Christians, I thought… I don’t think I want to do this anymore.

In Psalm 55:4-7 “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah”

The Psalmist had been hurt, and what does he do… He wants to escape!

Be a dove. Fly away. Get out dodge.

When I was deeply wounded by other Christians I often thought

Maybe I could be a truck driver? All by myself. Audio Books. See the Country. Sounds good!

Escape!

Someone once told me… Church is great, except for all the people, but church here’s the truth.

The Church does attract hurting people, and you know what… Hurt people, hurt people.

If you choose to be vulnerable, and risk transparency for the sake of community you will probably get hurt.

But instead of shrinking God and shutting the lid on that box, may I offer another response?

Trust. Trust, that God is actually so big, so strong, and so mighty that he can use your hurt to guide you into deeper experiences with him and increased fruitful service for Him.

That’s what Paul and Barnabas did. They didn’t shrink their God, they choose to keep trusting and serving him.

Barnabas took Mark with Him and started in Cyprus, and you know what...

Mark came around! Paul would later write: 2 Timothy 4:11 “Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.”

He became the one who wrote The Gospel of Mark.

Huge contributions to the kingdom of God, all because Barnabas continued to trust that God is so big and so strong and so mighty.

Paul took Silas and started in Syria and Cilicia.

And Silas was not only a gifted minister of the Gospel, but a roman citizen (Barnabas wasn’t), and probably fluent in Greek.

A massive help to Paul and the mission.

But not only that, but Paul also came across a new intern… Timothy

Timothy was the son of a Jewish believer, but a Greek Father, but his hunger for God earned him quite the reputation in Lystra and Iconium.

If Paul was with Barnabas and John Mark, would they have had room in their entourage for young Timothy?

We don’t know. Because the point is as Barnabas and Paul continued to trust a Limitless God he took their perceived failure and hurt and used it for His Glory and their Good.

Now the Gentile mission had 2 missionary teams, and young Timothy became Paul’s most trusted and beloved teammate.

He’s referenced in 6 epistles, not including the 2 written to him directly.

And for years he served as a son with his father (phil 2:22).

The Psalmist, after briefly entertaining His escape concludes by writing Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” .

He trusted, and as HE trusted, he learned that God sustains.

God can heal and redeem your hurt, but you have to lift the lid of the box you’re trying to push him in due to self protection and self preservation.

But a quick note on Acts 16:3 “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.”

This circumcision was not a contradiction or compromise of Acts 15.

Acts 15 forbid Gentiles from being circumcised to be Jewish. But Timothy was a Jew who had never been circumcised, so to live into his heritage as well as be helpful in ministry to the Jews Timothy was circumcised.

So the 2 teams are off… and the churches were strengthed in the faith, and increased in numbers daily.

Everything is going well again, and they began moving North toward Asia (not the continent as we know it), but a region north of Galatia.

“But the Holy Spirit forbid them...”

So they head south to Bithynia...

“But the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

And this leaves us to subpoint #2: Many times we are tempted to put God in a box because of unmet expectations!

Unmet Expectations

You said yes to God. Full of energy and passion, and the new grace that makes you see the world with rose colored glasses… God is so big, and so strong, and so mighty

“And living for this God will always be amazing, and easy, and fruitful.”

Until it’s not…

Sickness comes and leaves the doctors confused.

You lose a loved one unexpectedly.

You lose a job.

Your family hates your new faith, and for that matter your friends do too.

And quietly, but quickly you begin to put God in a box and close the lid, because this isn’t the life you expected.

The primary source of frustration in people’s walk with God is unmet expectations.

You expected God to make your life easier… but God never promised that. He promised to never leave you or forsake you, even when life is hard.

You expected God to lead you to your future husband or wife and youre still single.

You expected that with God you’re marriage would be perfect… but you’re learning your spouse isn’t. And that perfect marriage is actually over.

You expected God to keep your kids safe and on the narrow road… but their friends loom larger than their faith.

You expected God would mend that relationship that has been the source of so much tension, but it seems only furthered.

God hasn’t met some of your expectations in your eyes, and so you’ve concluded… He really isn’t that big, or strong, or mighty.

But instead of shrinking God and shutting the lid on that box, may I offer another response?

Trust. Trust, that God is actually so big, so strong, and so mighty that although different from what you expected, His plans for you are good, to give you a better future and a greater hope!

That’s what Paul did. He wasn’t frustrated, or disappointed, or despairing when the Holy Spirit forbid him from ministry… instead he just kept trusting, and the overall effect of this was to funnel him directly west into the continent of Europe!

2 Corinthians 4:8 “We are perplexed, but not driven to despair;”

When we got kicked out of India, I was angry. Because unmet expectations always lead to anger.

But when we were forbidden to move to Amsterdam to plant a church among Muslim refugees we had learned our lesson… namely, that God is big, and strong, and mighty and we can trust him.

A few days later He made it abundantly clear that it was to America we were called, and 10 days later we were scouting out Richmond Hill, GA! Barring the gnats, the greatest place to live.

And he did the same for Paul…

Later that night he has a vision “a man of Macedonia was standing there urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia to help us!”

Acts 16:10 “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.”

Unmet Expectations tempt to us shrink God and put him in a box… may I encourage you to trust. That even unmet expectations could be God’s divine direction in your life and the lives of others.

So, one of the reasons we are tempted to Shrink God is because of our experiences in life.

Experience with Hurt by Others &

Experience with Unmet Expectations

But there is another huge reason we are tempted to shrink God…

Point #2: We put God in a Box because of our LACK OF Experience

Lack of Experience

Visions

Paul’s unmet expectations were God’s divine direction, but then all of a sudden he gets this amazing vision of a man from macedonia clearly directing his next steps.

And they concluded: we are called to preach the Gospel there.

Amazing right… but here’s the thing. We read that and say, our God is so big and so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing our God could not do,

but then immediately think.. well, “He’s never done it for me.” Why doesn’t God clearly reveal himself to me like that? Give me some direction? WHy is His will for my life so cloak and dagger…

So this has led you to base your faith on your lack of experience, rather than the God of the Bible!

But regarding Paul’s vision, the man from Macedonia actually turned out to be a woman.

Vs. 13— on the Sabbath day they went to the riverside where they supposed a place of prayer to be.

Jewish law stated that in order for there to be a synagogue there needed to be a quorum of 10 Men, and if not a place of prayer could be selected near a body of water outside the city.

So not finding a Synagogue, Paul and Silas and Timothy head to the supposed place of prayer, and there they find Lydia, a God fearer, seller of purple, and as Paul preached the Gospel her heart was opened and was baptized along with her whole household!

Paul trusted, that God could utilize things like vision to direct and guide Him in His mission, for Paul God was so big, and so strong, and so mighty, there was nothing God couldn’t do.

And I love that the divine direction about a man of macedonia, was actually a wealthy, woman whose home the church of Philippi was planted in.

Demonization

Then as they are going back to the same place of prayer, probably with the hope of converting a few more of the women there, they are met by a slave girl, with a spirit of divination, who brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.

This girl was spiritually enslaved to this evil spirit, and physically enslaved to these greedy men.

And she’s crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation!”

And she’s doing this for many days! And Paul finally had enough and cast it out of her, in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST !

But what’s the big deal here, I mean in effect she’s just preparing the way for Paul to preach right!?

Announcing their coming, and their purpose.

Well the issue is that the Romans attributed that title, “Most High” to Zeus, and the proclamation she was giving was open to too much misunderstanding or misinterpretation for the pagan Romans to accurately understand the actual way of salvation… the cross of Christ.

So Paul casts it out!

Amazing expression of God’s Limitlessness right!? We read that and think, “Wow, God is so big and so strong and so might, there’s nothing our God couldn’t do...”

But then immediately think, “Well, I’ve never seen something like that.” Why doesn’t God reveal himself in power like that today?

Most, due to their lack of experience actually conclude that God doesn’t do that anymore, if he really ever did in the first place.

We in our learning rationalize the power of God and explain possession and spiritual warfare away with science and psychology.

And in effect, we’ve shrunk God… We have put our faith and trust in our lack of experience, rather than the God of the Bible.

Divine Deliverance

And With the expulsion of that evil spirit, went the hope of gain from her masters.

Persecution tends to come when wallets gets effected. So they seize Paul and Silas and drag them before the rulers and trump the charges! They LIE!

“THeir Jews!”--- they play to the massive Roman populance with antisemitism.

“They are anti-roman”— they play to the paxromana way of life.

And the crowds attack them! They are then beaten and imprisoned in the inner prison with stocks on their feet! Probably because of the divine power these men seem to weild… so better be careful.

But as we’ve seen over and over again, Christians, regardless of circumstance are full of hope and Paul and Silas are just worshipping!

They have a captive audience literally--- and they pray!

And God delivers! The Prison doors fly open and the stocks fall off their feet!

And awaking the Jailer knows he’ll be killed for their escape but before he can kill himself Paul says, “DO NOT HARM YOURSELF”

And the man, realizing that something divine is happening says, “What must I do to be saved.”

A slave girl declares, “THese men proclaim the way of salvation!” The Jailer asks… proclaim it to me.

So the Jailer takes him to his house and his whole household is saved and baptized.

And probably the pool in which they were baptized, was the pool that this converted man used to wash their wounds.

Divine Deliverance that led to the salvation of an entire household!

In his prayer and worship, Paul knew who God was. That He is so big and so strong and so mighty, there is nothing our God cannot do!

And God miraculously delivers..

We read that so nonchalantly but if we were honest we’d acknowledge...“Well I’ve never seen that.”

And because you’ve never experienced something like that we rationalize and explain it away!

It’s just superstition.

The earthquake was just coincidental.

And if that’s not enough shriking for today, let me add one more…

The WHOLE HOUSEHOLD of that Jailer, and Lydia was converted in this text.

Whole household.

What do you think about that one? Have you experienced that?

No… instead we scoff.

Hah, you must not know my family…they are beyond salvation!

Great for the Jailer, but that could never happen to my family… we put the fun in dysfunctional!

Be careful… are you shrinking God? Are you putting your faith in your lack of experience, or in the God of the Bible!?

We are all tempted to do this…

Lack of visions or divine direction--- you conclude he can’t.

Lack of spiritual warfare--- you conclude he doesn’t.

Lack of divine power in the salvation of your family--- you believe he won’t.

You have limited God because of your lack of experience.

But Paul didn’t…

He trusted, that the God of the Bible is who he says he is. Their faith didn’t rest in their experience or lack thereof, but in the power of God.

Conclusion

So church as I conclude this morning, let me ask you where are you placing your faith and trust?

The Bible teaches that God is so big, and so strong, and so mighty. That there is nothing our God cannot do.

He can use your

hurt by others.

and unmet expectations.

He can

direct you with visions or any means he desires.

he can overcome evil even in the form of possession

he can deliver you with displays of his power

and he can save, even or maybe especially those you deem unsavable.

So has your experience, or lack of experience actually served to put a lid on the God of the Bible?

I want to leave you with that question… and we are going to do something a little different this morning. Our team is going to come back up and before we all sing in response, I want to offer some intentional time for reflection.

As they play and sing ponder, has your experience or lack of experience actually served to put God in a box in your life?

Ponder that question: If your faith and trust in your experience or lack thereof, or in God?