Acts 16

Introduction

Paul decided it was time for his second missionary journey. The first one began with Paul, Barnabas and John Mark heading out to Cyprus. When they got to Pamphylia John Mark deserted them and went back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continued on and their first missionary journey which lasted about one year before they arrived back in Antioch, Syria.

Some time has passed, the conflict with circumcision has been resolved by the Jerusalem Council and now Paul is restless to hit the road again. He tells Barnabas about his desire and Barnabas is fine with it; but Barnabas was insisting that John Mark come along. Paul would have nothing to do with that because John Mark deserted them on the first trip. It created a sharp disagreement and so they parted company. Barnabas and John Mark went one direction; and Paul and Silas went another direction. Paul and Silas would pick up Timothy in Lystra and he would accompany them on the missionary journey. And just so you know the first journey took about a year; the second missionary journey would take 40 months.

Points

The New King James Version Chapter 16

6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

Paul wanted to go into the area of Asia which is present day Turkey. And then Paul wanted to head North and go to Bithynia by the Black Sea but the Holy Spirit did not permit it.

How did the Holy Spirit not permit him to go to Asia?

Galatians 4:13-15 (NIV) 13  As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14  Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15  What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

At that time, Paul contacted some type of illness that caused some type of physical conformity and the loss of his eye sight. We are not told what illness it was, so the Holy Spirit did not think that was important for us to know. Now Paul wanted to go to Turkey and Bithynia but instead he was lead to Troas.

And the reason that He was lead to Troas. can be found in Acts 16:9-10.

The New King James Version Chapter 16

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Remember who wrote the Book of Acts?

Luke 1:1-3 (NIV) 1  Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2  just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3  Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Acts 1:1 (NIV) 1  In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach

So, Luke wrote the book of Acts. And Luke by profession is a doctor. Now look at verse 9 they came to Troas.. Now look at verse 10 we sought to go to Macedonia…that the Lord has called us to preach. The doctor/writer of the Book of Acts is now including himself in the narrative which means that he meet Paul at Troas and doctored on him and we will see that Luke is with them through Acts 16 and then he drops off and rejoins them again in Acts 20.

And while Paul is in Troas, he gets a vision at night of a man pleading for Paul to come over and help us. So Paul thought that was a sign to go to Macedonia which is Greece and the beginning of the mainland of Europe. So God sends Paul to Europe rather than Asia.

Did God write off Asia? No!

1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV) 1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2  who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Biblical Relevance

Although Acts does not record missionary activity in Bithynia, the 1 Peter passage indicates that the gospel was brought there by unnamed evangelists.

The New King James Version Chapter 16

Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days

Philippi is described as a colony- a Roman colony. Macedonia has been in the hands of the Roman since 146 B.C. The Romans divided Macedonia into 4 districts and my referring to it as foremost city it would have been in District One.

And it says that they were staying in the City for some days. Obviously, they arrived during the early part of the week and we are not told that they went out and preached. Why?

The New King James Version Chapter 16

13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there

Because Paul always began his ministry to the Jews first. Romans 1:16 (NIV) 16  I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

And then we are told that they went out to the Riverside where prayer was customarily made and spoke to the women. Why? Because there is no synagogue. We know by Jewish law that there has to be 10 Jewish men over the age of 13 to have a synagogue. And if there was not enough men that the law stated that the worship must take in a cleared area preferably by a Riverside. And that is exactly where these women meet. And so knowing that there is no synagogue, he heads down by the river to play. There are Christian songs about going down to the river to play , they are based upon this Jewish law. And so Paul sat down and began to speak with them. It does not say but I know that he spoke about Jesus.

The New King James Version Chapter 16

14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

Lydia means to travail or strife. It would have been a Greek name so she was probably a God fearer. She was from the city of Thyatira which is in the Roman province of Lydia.

People say that Paul was a male chauvinist about what he said about women- no talking in church, the women or not to rule over men in church. That was about role not worth. There were 10 women there and he spoke with them. Galatians 3:28 (NKJV) 28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And interestingly, the Pharisees were the chauvinist, because they would not teach a women; they would often pray thank you Lord that I am not a woman.

Lydia was a seller of purple fabric. It was in high demand by the wealthy. Purple dye was very very expensive.

So Lydia was a God fearer. And Paul describes her conversion. First she hear the message of Jesus, the Lord Lord opened her heart, and she did what Paul said in order to be saved. And she was baptized in the river; nothing about speaking in a foreign tongue. And she invites Paul, Silas, Luke and Timothy to stay with her.