God Has a Better Plan

God plan is better than our plans

So Often, we think we have the plans all set out before us, but only come to find out our plans were so much smaller than God’s plans. They don’t even come close to his plan.

Today, we are going to look at how God’s plan was so much bigger than Paul’s plans. How God took some questionable actions by Paul, and still used them for his glory and plan We will look at the beginning of what is known as Paul’s Second Missionary Journey and how God took a desire to go back and made it something greater than anyone could imagine.

Acts 15:36 NIV

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”

Paul Feels God is calling him to go and visit the believers where they had already preached. They were excited to go back and see what God was doing and how their friends were doing.

God had a different and better plan

Two Maps of Missionary Journeys

Paul did make it to Lystra, Derbe and Iconium, but God did so much more.

Paul and Barnabas

Paul and Barnabas had been co-servants for Jesus, and Paul was excited to go back on the road with him, but that was not God’s plan.

Acts 15:36–41 NIV

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Strange that Paul and Barnabas got in such a disagreement over John also known Mark. Aren’t we supposed to forgive? All we know is John Mark left and it obviously hurt Paul a lot. There is a lot we can go into here, but I want to focus on this...

Paul and Barnabas argued, split up, and I would say that probably did not look so good for the kingdom, but God used it in a mighty way. The gospel was spread to more people. Barnabas and Mark went toward Cyprus and Paul and Silas went north. All expanding the gospel and the kingdom.

God’s plan was better than Paul’s plans.

Paul and Silas went by land instead of by sea. Syria and Cilicia.

Look how much more land they covered. They strengthened the churches as they went, and preached the gospel. Paul probably even got to stop by his hometown on the way.

Derbe and Lystra

Paul had been run out of here in his first missionary journey, but not before the gospel was received by many. Here we see Timothy and his mother who were already disciples, probably converted the last time Paul was there. They had continued to grow in their faith. So much so, that Paul wanted to take him along on the journey.

Acts 16 interestingly Paul had Timothy Circumcised before they continued because Timothy’s father was a Greek. This is so strange, because Paul had just left the council of Jerusalem, where he had argued vehemently about Greeks being forced to obey the law.

Acts 16:3 NIV

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.

Perhaps Paul, was trying to give Timothy access to synagogues as a Jew who was a believer. That would make sense, since Jewishness was passed through the Mother not the Father. But it is even weirder when you read on and see what Paul, Silas and Timothy proclaimed as they continued on their journey

Acts 16:4–5 NIV

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Isn’t that strange? But for whatever reason Paul and Timothy thought circumcision was important for Timothy and it happened and they continued on.

MAP

Phrygia and Galatia

Couldn’t go to Asia— interesting

Acts 16:6–8 NIV

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. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

Paul thought they were going to Asia, but God had other plans. Then he thought he was going to Bithynia but God had other plans. Isn’t that strange? The spirit blocked him from going places. Isn’t the gospel for everyone? Aren’t we supposed to go everywhere? But here God clearly blocked them.

I am pretty sure this was all because God had a specific plan and I know his timing is perfect. Don’t worry Asia heard the gospel. We know that because Paul goes right through the middle of it in his 3rd Missionary journey and the 7 churches of Asia the book of Revelation were all in Asia obviously. But God did not let Paul go to Asia and Bithynia now, because God had a better plan.

Macedonia

Acts 16:9–10 NIV

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 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.

God gave Paul a clear plan now. You are going to Macedonia. So he woke up and went. Interesting here, how the man begged Paul to “help” and Paul knew immediately his job was to “preach the gospel to them.” He knew the gospel was the only thing that could truly HELP.

The Gospel is True Help

Maybe that is something we need to remember. The gospel is the only true HELP. that does not mean we should not serve and help with food sheltering etc. BUT the only true help is the gospel.

MAP

(Cross the Aegean)

Paul did not mess around he went Philippi, Roman Colony and leading city of Macedonia. I want you to look at the two maps again.

TWO MAP SLIDE

Paul has now covered more than twice as much ground in this trip than he planned when he said he would set off to see the places they had visited. God actually took Paul to another continent. Did you notice that, Paul left the continent of Asia and is now on European soil. Crazy isn’t it. I would imagine their are people in this room that have never been to more than one continent and we have airplanes.

The church has grown and been strengthened. All because, God’s plan was better than Paul’s plans.

I can’t wait as we see what God does next. It is amazing.

God’s plan is better than OUR plans

Story of God’s plan being better than my plans.

Are you ready to be open to God’s plans? I promise the adventure is great!