Study of Acts

Paul begins 2nd Missionary Journey - Unlikely Disciples

In chapter 15, we saw a brewing controversy develop between two of the pillars of the church.

Paul and Barnabas had a falling out.

It became so divisive that they split and each went his own way.

Acts 15:36–41 NASB95

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Yet as we begin this chapter, we will see some unmistakable signs that the Lord is still actively leading His church.

GOD LEADS LEADERS

Acts 16:1–3 NASB95

1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

While Barnabas had chosen to go in the direction of the island of Cyprus, Paul determined to take the overland route into Anatolia, visiting the churches they had planted and strengthening them.

Paul proceeded northward, through the Cilician gates to the cities where he and Barnabas had established churches on the first missionary journey.

This time Paul traveled east to west and reached the towns in the reverse order from the first missionary journey.

In this manner, he came to Derbe, Lystra and finally Iconium.

It was there that he recruited a young man named Timothy.

Timothy was well spoken of by the Christians in Lystra and Iconium.

Timothy was only half Jewish.

His mother was a Jew while his father was a Greek.

This meant his upbringing had been mixed.

It meant he had not been circumcised.

According to later rabbinic law, a child born of a Jewish mother and a Greek father was considered to be Jewish.

According to this understanding, Timothy would have been considered a Jew.

Timothy had received some godly instruction in the home during his youth.

Paul alludes to that instruction in a letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:5 NASB95

5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Timothy had a godly mother and a godly grandmother.

This had given him a heritage of faith.

He had become a believer in the God of glory.

Timothy had become a disciple.

This was what you called a believer; a Christian.

Somewhere along the line, he had heard the gospel of how Jesus was born and lived and died and rose again in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

Timothy had heard the message and had believed and had become a disciple.

However there was something that might prove a stumbling block to the ministry.

It was the fact that Timothy was uncircumcised.

That did not matter in the case of those Gentiles who accompanied Paul.

They were expected to be uncircumcised.

But Timothy was half Jewish.

His situation would raise unneeded questions.

His father, however, being a Greek, would not have had his son circumcised; and the local Jews were aware of this.

Thus Paul had Timothy circumcised, as Paul always worked through the Jewish synagogues where possible.

To have had a member of his group be of Jewish lineage and yet uncircumcised would have hampered Paul’s effectiveness among the Jews.

It was at the very least a matter of missionary strategy to circumcise Timothy.

1 Corinthians 9:20 NASB95

20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;

Titus served as Paul’s proof that a Christian can be filled with the Spirit and yet not be circumcised.

Paul and his companions were firm in their stand against the pressure of those who tried to make circumcision a requirement of Christianity.

This was not an issue on which they could compromise.

The truth of the gospel was at stake.

If Titus were to submit to the rite of circumcision, then this action would make it seem as though circumcision was a necessary part of salvation.

Salvation through faith alone is at stake.

Paul’s gospel is on trial.

Paul was not unmovable because his personal reputation might be at stake or because he simply wanted to have his own way.

He refused to yield because the truth of the gospel was in the balance.

On the other hand, Timothy’s circumcision did not take place because anyone was denying the validity of Timothy’s relationship with God.

His circumcision would serve to eliminate the attention of people to his particular situation.

Paul wanted nothing that would detract the attention of people from the gospel.

GOD LEADS WITH A MESSAGE

Acts 16:4–5 NASB95

4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. 5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.

What were the "decrees" that Paul and Silas were delivering to the churches?

They were the decrees that had been determined at the Jerusalem council back in Acts 15.

These were some of the essentials that had been decided upon by the entire church.

They were things that were used to unite the church.

Notice the results of this message.

The results are described in verse 5.

They are twofold.

First, the church was being strengthened in the faith.

Secondly, the church was increasing in number daily.

I believe that when the first is taking place, the second will follow naturally.

GOD SOMETIMES LEADS BY CLOSING DOORS

Acts 16:6–8 NASB95

6 They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

Paul and Silas had already experienced some open doors.

There had been open doors on the first missionary journey as church after church was planted.

There had been open doors on this second missionary journey.

It was an open door when Paul and Silas received the support of their home church in Acts 15:40

Acts 15:40 NASB95

40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

It was an open door when they were able to strengthen the churches that had been established.

Acts 15:41 NASB95

41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

It was an open door when they recruited Timothy in verses 1-3.

But now there is a closed door. T

he closed door is the door to Asia.

Paul and Silas had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

This reference to Asia speaks of the Roman province of Asia.

This was the area of southwestern Anatolia.

It was the area in which lay the seven cities that would host the seven churches of Revelation 2-3.

Paul and Silas had already seen this area as fertile ground for the gospel.

They had plans to start churches in this area, but the Holy Spirit said, "Not now."

There is a lesson here. It is that today’s closed door might be open tomorrow.

God sometimes closes a door only temporarily.

There eventually was an open door in this area.

Indeed, there would be seven open doors in this area.

How do I know that?

Because the book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches that were eventually planted in this area.

Revelation 3:8 NASB95

8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

This was written to the church at Philadelphia.

There was an open door placed before this church.

It was open because God had opened it.

Paul came to this area and the door was closed, but a few years later there is a church here with an open door.

while God sometimes closes a door temporarily, He also sometimes opens a door temporarily.

A closed door is no guarantee that the door will stay closed and an open door is no guarantee that the door will stay open.

We don’t like to hear about closed doors.

But they are a real part of life.

An unexpected and debilitating illness; the loss of a job; family problems; the onset of discouragement or depression -- closed doors can take on a variety of forms.

The good news is that we worship One who is able to work all things together for good.

That is seen in this account.

Paul was thinking of winning the land of Anatolia; God was thinking of winning all of Europe.

He had temporarily closed this door only so that Paul and his missionary team would go through a better door.

GOD LEADS THROUGH NEEDS

Acts 16:9–10 NASB95

9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

God had other plans and sent a vision to Paul, perhaps in a dream in the middle of the night.

A man of Macedonia appeared to him begging him to come and witness to the Macedonians.

Notice in verse 10 that there is a change in pronouns.

We have been reading what Paul and Silas and Timothy have been doing.

Suddenly there is a change.

Do you see it? It is in verse 10 when Luke says, Immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Luke has changed to the first person plural.

"They" has become "We."

What happened?

We are not told.

Paul and his mission company had been traveling through Anatolia in search of a place to do ministry, but the doors had been closed.

In one way or another, the Holy Spirit had made it evident that this was not the place for their ministry.

That had to be disheartening.

It is at such a time that Paul has a vision.

It comes in the middle of the night.

It is a man of Macedonia.

This was the land to the north of Greece.

This man of Macedonia was asking for help.

There is a lesson here.

It is that God often leads us through needs.

He makes known to us a need and that knowledge is a call to action.

How do we determine what is the will of God?

How do we come to see God’s leading?

I think that God uses several different means.

We rarely see a giant hand come down from the sky and point us in a certain direction.

So how does God direct us when we pray for such direction?

Let me suggest several ways:

1. Through His Word.

If you are contemplating doing something and that thing is forbidden in the Bible, then God is "leading" you NOT to do it.

That seems like an obvious one, but I include it because of the times I've heard people say that they thought that God was leading them to do that which was clearly against what the Bible taught.

2. Through Spiritual Leaders.

Proverbs 11:14 NASB95

14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

We all tend to suffer from spiritual nearsightedness.

We all have our own blind spots.

The advantage of several spiritual counselors is that they can sometimes see with a better perspective that which we are missing.

3. Through Circumstances.

1 Corinthians 16:9–10 NASB95

9 for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am.

It seems that a portion of his decision-making was determined by the way the Lord had revealed Himself through the open door of circumstances.

Along these same lines, Paul and his companions reported

Acts 14:27 NASB95

27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

They viewed those acts of circumstances as God having opened a door for them.