Acts 16:1-40 - The Spirit Leads To Divine Appointments
Notes
Transcript
Show choir
Regularly praise—I had a huge head.
I wanted to be the lead guy.
I wanted to outdo everyone in the performance visually and through choreography.
When I looked at other show choirs, I loved when they were in perfect sync.
But when I was in my own show, I wanted everyone to see me.
I was so focused on being seen that I missed the whole picture.
So often, we get focused on the small details that we miss the big picture that God is leading us to.
Context
Paul tries really hard to go to Asia but the Holy Spirit will not allow him to go.
God gives Paul a vision of a man saying, “Come to Macedonia and help us!”
So Paul receives this call to go to Macedonia and immediately sets sail.
What we’re going to see in our text today is:
Big Idea: Listening to the Spirit leads to divine appointments
Big Idea: Listening to the Spirit leads to divine appointments
Stand to read
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 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. 13 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. 14 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.
Leader: This is God’s Word.
Everyone: Thanks be to God.
Explanation
We meet Lydia, a wealthy entrepreneur.
She’s gathering with some Jewish sympathizers to study the Scriptures.
She’s a Gentile that has a monotheistic faith, but doesn’t know Jesus.
She believes in the God of Israel, but likely doesn’t ascribe to the dietary customs of the Jews.
She was a seeker.
She’s open to religion, perhaps she ascribes herself to be religious or “spiritual.”
She’s not saved.
She does not have a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
She’s a seeker, but seekers need the gospel
The Lord opened her heart (v. 14)
Paul and Silas were forbidden to go to Asia, and Paul received that vision, and it turned out that God was leading them to Lydia.
God had a divine appointment for them to meet Lydia because God was going to save Lydia through the gospel that Paul preached!
She’s begins following Jesus in obedience and service!
15 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.
Lydia immediately wanted to serve.
When it says that she “prevailed upon us” this was a strong urgency.
She wanted to serve them because they brought her the message of salvation!
They introduced her to Jesus!
She wanted to be part of Christ’s church.
What this shows us,
Divine appointments are God’s plan for our neighbors
Divine appointments are God’s plan for our neighbors
God has led you to where you are for His divine plan.
God has sovereignly led you to the house you live in because He has a plan for your next-door neighbors.
God has given you the job you work for the coworkers that you spend hours in the day with.
Don’t think that divine appointments require lights to shine from heaven.
Divine appointments are often found in the regular and mundane.
What was Lydia doing when she was saved?
Attending a Bible study.
Gathering with a group to study the Scriptures and to pray.
A lot of Christians find this boring.
The Christian walk is has some serious spiritual break throughs, and a lot of Tuesdays.
Not everyday are we emotionally overwhelmed by God’s presence.
Most days is just us being faithful and trusting God to work in our lives.
I come to my Bible in the morning to read, drink some coffee, and pray.
I trust the Lord is going to meet me there and be faithful through the day.
Similarly, the Lord has given you the relationships you have to demonstrate His glory through the way you love, serve, and enjoy Jesus in front of the people God has given you.
Paul begins leaning into the ordinary with these people.
They’re accustomed to going to this regular place of prayer, so Paul and Silas seek to get in on this regularly to get to know the people and make disciples.
16 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. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 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. 19 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.
Explanation
This slave is under physical and spiritual ownership.
This girl was under intense torment and is led by this demon to follow Paul.
The demon’s want very little to do with Jesus/Paul
She proclaims an astonishing message over them
That they are “Servants of the Most High God” (v. 17)
The Romans were very polytheistic (many gods)
Paul is the servant of the God who can kick all the other god’s butts.
She is challenging the cultural religious belief in her statement.
Paul casts out the demon in Jesus’s name.
This girl has been set free from the bonds of spiritual/physical torment.
No longer qualified to tell people’s “future.”
The money is gone. This leads her owners into fury.
Her owners drag Paul/Silas in front of the magistrates/commander of the guards (Roman administrator—Has the highest legal authority in that city)
Their Sheriff or Chief of Police
They’re stripped and beaten publicly and then hauled off to prison.
23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
He receives his orders, and over delivers.
They’re swollen, lacerated, sticky with blood, and now they’re going into the stocks
Explain stocks
Wooden confinement device fastened to the wall that would stretch and tort and force intense pain and cramps all over the body.
These guys are accused of undermining the authority of Roman rule.
Which makes this next bit even more amazing.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
They turned their jail sentence into a worship opportunity!
They were celebrating what that God did in delivering the slave girl!
“Silas, did you see that? God delivered that girl from the evil spirits!”
The Lord had led them through that area for this moment!
Church, Paul and Silas show us
Divine appointments are worth suffering for
Divine appointments are worth suffering for
You may not like where you are in life right now.
Things might be excruciatingly painful.
“God, why have you let this happen? Why did you lead me to this? When is this going to end?”
It’s hard to sing.
There is always a motive for what God leads us to: His glory.
Notice they were singing these praises “to God” (v. 25).
They are seeking the Lord because of who He is and what He’s done!
They know their Deliverer!
Church, we have a reason to sing.
God’s kingdom is not shaken by suffering.
He came for us to bring us rest and security that He will make right everything that is wrong.
He came to liberate us from the bondage of sin and give us life with Christ.
God has given us hope for the future.
It won’t always be this way.
God will restore all of these things when King Jesus comes back.
Until then, we’re called as Christians to suffer well, just like Jesus suffered for us.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
We want to have faith that endures to the end.
Faith that endures to the end is steadfast.
Faith that endures to the end sings because we know in whom we trust.
God is going to get the ultimate glory.
“We need more Christians who will take a beating and give a blessing.”
When Christians suffer well, lives are changed.
While Paul and Silas were singing, an earthquake happened and the prison was shaken!
All the doors were opened and the jailer thought he lost everyone!
He was about to kill himself, because he was responsible for every prisoner.
Paul assures him everyone is there and look what happens.
29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Explanation
This man asks what we all ask—What does it take?
He likely offered sacrifices to Roman deities in hope that never paid out.
Now he knows somethings up.
People didn’t just “sing” in his “care.”
This unbreakable joy in the Lord Paul exhibited spoke to this guy.
Paul and Silas’s suffering led to yet another divine appointment.
“What must I do?”
Gospel presentation
Perhaps you’re wondering the same question.
The answer is simple.
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
God has provided a Savior, Jesus
He came and died on the cross so that you and I could be set free from our sin.
He took our punishment.
He took your prison death sentence.
He took the wrath of God coming for you onto Himself.
Then, He conquered death by raising on the third day.
What does He require of you?
The work is finished. He doesn’t need your help to save you.
Believe in the Lord Jesus.
Repent of your sins and turn to Christ.
I believe you’re here today on a divine appointment.
God has brought you to this church today to hear that you can be saved from your sins today.
You can be changed.
Just like Lydia.
Just like the slave girl.
Just like the jailer.
He and his family believed the gospel.
34 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.
Church,
Divine appointments lead to life and joy
Divine appointments lead to life and joy
Do you want to have life and joy in Christ today?
Don’t get so trapped in the small details that you miss the divine appointments that God has led you to.
Show choir.
I wanted everyone to focus on the small picture because I missed the big picture.
You’re so focused on this small problem in your life that you’re missing the big picture that God has for your life.
You can be changed and shaped into the image of Jesus today.
Just take a next step.
