Positioning Ourselves for Engagment

Notes
Transcript
Before Christmas, we left off at Acts 15. We study the importance of the Jerusalem council. At the end of chapter 15 we read that Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement and decided to part ways. Today I want to look at the first part of Acts 16.
Have you ever been on a trip, only to have your plans completely fall apart? Maybe your flight got canceled, your car broke down, or the weather ruined your carefully planned itinerary. At first, it’s frustrating—especially if you’re someone who likes to stay in control.
I remember hearing about a family who had planned their dream vacation. They had the itinerary mapped out—every stop, every meal, every activity. But on the first day, their car broke down in a small town they had never even heard of. They had to stay overnight while the car was repaired.
Initially, they were disappointed, thinking their plans were ruined. But that night, as they wandered through the town, they stumbled upon a local festival. They met kind strangers, tried amazing food, and created memories that ended up being the highlight of their trip. What seemed like a disruption turned out to be a divine redirection.
This is often how God works.
9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
In Acts 16, Paul and his companions experienced this firsthand. Their plans to go to Asia were interrupted by the Holy Spirit. But God wasn’t saying, “Stop.” He was saying, “Go this way instead.” Because of their willingness to adjust, they brought the gospel to Macedonia, and lives were transformed.
Before Paul and Silas get too far in their journey they meet Timothy.
1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek.
2 The believers 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.
4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
At this point things are going pretty well for Paul. God has added to his ministry team. They are spreading the message of Jesus and they are seeing the church grow in faith and numbers. Then in verse 6 they hit a road block.
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.
It is so important that we listen to the voice of God when He says NO.
When you want to do something, how many of you like to hear the word no? None of us do.
We must recognize God’s sovereignty in redirecting our plans.
Do you know how many times I wanted to change the name of this church, but each time I never felt a peace about it until the Spring of last year.
God’s timing is better than our timing.
Are you willing to accept God’s no or not yet?
When you are willing, look at what happened.
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 receives a vision of a man calling for help in Macedonia. They immediately respond.
It is so important that we are obedient when God says go. We can not wait. We must walk through the door that God has opened for us.
Make it a practice of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit leading you. And when He leads be quick to obey His leading.
When you follow the Holy Spirit, you will reap an amazing reward that is waiting for you.
11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis.
12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.
God brought them to that place. What they didn’t know yet was they were about to have a divine encounter with a person that help them in their ministry.
Are you positioning yourself to engage with those God is preparing?
Are you positioning yourself to engage with those God is preparing?
God is getting people ready to join this team of believers. He wants to use this church to change the world. Are you positioning yourself to engage with those that God is preparing to come along side of us?
14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Lydia was a person of wealth. She was a person who was willing to open up her home to them. And she wanted to be a part of the church.
She got saved, baptised, and committed to working for the Lord all in the same day.
God knew where they needed to go at the right time, to the right place, to encounter the right people.
God is preparing people to come into your life that will change your life and will change this church. We have to be willing. We have to position ourself to engage with those God is preparing.
As we look at this text, it reminds us that God directs His mission, through His people, for His purpose.
God is calling us to strengthen His church as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. As we walk in the steps that are ordered of God, we are to faithfully share the Gospel.
When you step out in obedience and choose to go the way God leads you to go, God will open the doors that need to be opened. When you walk in obedience, God will transform the hearts of those God wants to use for His purpose. And as we are obedient to Him we will see His kingdom grow with new believers.
This week we begin our week of prayer. Each night we will emphasize something particular to pray for. We need you here each night, praying for God to move in our church and in our community. We need to pray that God will give us guidance and what doors our church needs to walk through to change our city and the community around us.
Just like Paul was sensitive to the Spirit’s leading, we need to be sensitive to the spirit and position ourselves for an engagement with those that God is preparing.