Acts 16:6-10 | "Concluding That God Had Called Us"

Prayer

Pray

I. The Reading

A reading from Acts 16:6-10, reading from the English Standard Version translation of the Bible.

This is God’s Word:

Acts 16:6 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

Acts 16:7 ESV

7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

Acts 16:8 ESV

8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

Acts 16:9 ESV

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Acts 16:10 ESV

10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Say Amen

If you receive this word by faith, as the word of God and not the word of men, will you join me and say together, “Amen?” — Amen!

Introduction

This sermon is one that I’ve been working on for many years now. I share it with you, in process, not because it is a completed masterpiece, but because it continues to challenge me.

You see, I want to please God. I want to know God’s will for my life.

And in a general way, I do know God’s will for my life. It is the same as God’s will for your life — that we have eternal life through knowing Him and knowing Christ (John 17:3).

But what about the details of God’s will that are not revealed in His Word? I’m talking about the decisions we each must make along the way — decisions that are unique to each one of us.

Who am I to marry?

Where am I to live?

How am I to serve God?

God cares about these details. They are every bit a part of God’s will — but I need God’s help to know which way to go.

I need God to show me his will in the way.

This is one reason why we pray, isn’t it? For wisdom? For God’s detailed will to be known to us so that we might obey with faith?

I used to think that I could discern God’s will if I had peace about something. And that is partially true!

But the problem I discovered was that I had the wrong source of peace — it wasn’t God’s peace I had, but it was my peace. The peace and comfort of having my own plans! It wasn’t God’s will I felt good about, but it was my own will!

God has a way of showing us that His ways are not our ways — and that His peace is a better peace.

God’s peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and endures when nothing goes according to our plans!

I say this by way of introducing our text, which finds missionaries of Jesus in need of His guidance. Their plans are being frustrated.

They know they are to be witnesses to the end of the earth, they know they are to preach the gospel — but they don’t know where they are supposed to go next.

II. The Exhortation

Often when this text is preached, the vision in the night of the man of Macedonia calling for help gets the most attention — because that’s how we want God to guide us, isn’t it?

We look for God to guide us in extraordinary ways!

We expect angelic messengers, audible words, feelings or visions where we can know with clarity and some certainty — “This is what God wants me to do.”

But this text of Scripture before us, gives us something different and unique.

This text gives us the verses before the vision.

In the verses before the vision, frustrations develop in the way.

In the verses before the vision, God guides through a process, not a plan.

In the verses before the vision, we are given the grace to believe that even when our plans are frustrated, when we are frustrated, when nothing is going according to plan — God is still there, and God is still guiding, and God’s plan is still being accomplished — yes even, through frustrations.

Brothers and sisters —

When God does not give us a plan, we must trust He is guiding through a process.

The Scriptures teach —

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

III. The Teaching

Look with me at verse 6 again —

A. Acts 16:6

Acts 16:6 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

The text suggests that Paul, Silas and Timothy wanted to go on to Asia, or at least were open to it —

To continue carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ to places it has not yet been. To witness for Jesus to those who do not know him!

Asia fits with the mind of someone like Paul who thinks strategically.

If Paul travels to important cities with a diversity of people, with intersections of government, travel and trade — then the message of Jesus can naturally be exposed to a greater number of peoples and cultures and lands.

Such a strategic city would become a launching point for gospel advancement.

Asia has a capital city that is such a strategic city, and Paul wants to preach the word there.

Do you know what the capital city of Asia was?

The capital of Asia is a port city called Ephesus.

(NIVAC, 433).

Perhaps they might go and plant a church in Ephesus, and minister to the Ephesians, and tell them:

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 2:9 ESV

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Our text suggests this could have been Paul’s intention. That may have been Paul’s plan. That fit with Paul’s proximity and timeline.

If this is what Paul wanted to do, it was certainly within the scope of God’s purpose for him.

It was a plan that agreed with God’s calling on Paul’s life.

Remember, Jesus had set Paul apart to be an ambassador for His name not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles. Paul was a “chosen instrument” of Christ for this very purpose! (Acts 9:15).

And Ephesus is an important Gentile city!

Ephesus needs to know Jesus and the message of the cross!

But Paul and his company encounter resistance to ministering the word in Asia.

It is not a resistance of persecution.

It is not threats on their lives.

It is not armies or mobs (yet).

Instead, the one standing in their way, forbidding them from doing what God has called them to do, is none other than God Himself!

Verse 6 again —

Acts 16:6 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

Notice carefully that the Holy Spirit did not prevent them from going to Asia, but in a more puzzling way, the Holy Spirit forbids them specifically from speaking the word in Asia.

How frustrating!

To be kept — by God — from doing the very thing that they were set apart and sent out to do — by God!

I know God as my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer — but now my Frustrater? — Can this be?

The words “having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit” indicate that God was not going to let that happen.

This is an example of when God says “No.”

And no explanation is given as to why.

We tell our children “No” and they want to know “Why?”

Sometimes parents don’t give an explanation.

God in His infinite wisdom and knowledge does not owe us any explanations.

And when no explanation is given, we must trust God with the details that are His to give or withhold.

Notice, this text does not give us any explanation for why the Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking the word in Asia. It was simply forbidden.

Is God contradicting Himself in all of this?

Didn’t Jesus say “you will be my witnesses …to the end of the earth?” (Acts 1:8)

Doesn’t that mean that ALL the earth is fair game for gospel proclamation?

If so, then what is the Holy Spirit of God doing by preventing them from speaking the word in Asia?

After all, God removes barriers. God makes walls fall. God opens prison doors and sets the captives free!

When the disciples prevented children from coming to Jesus, Jesus said “Do not hinder them” (Mt 19:14).

When the disciples saw someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name, Jesus said “Do not stop him” (Mk 9:39).

Shouldn’t we send missionaries into all the earth at all times, unhindered?

Shouldn’t we speak the word to all people all times and in all places, unhindered?

What does it do to our faith to know that the Spirit of God may prevent at times from accessing certain places and from speaking the word?

Here, the Holy Spirit is preventing, hindering... forbidding them from speaking the word in Asia.

And this forces Paul to abandon what may have been his plan, in exchange for the next step of God’s process.

And what was that next step?

B. Acts 16:7-8

Look with me now at verse 7:

Acts 16:7 ESV

7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

With the possibility of speaking the word in Asia — God stopped them.

Now, they attempt to go into Bithynia —and God stops them again!

This time, the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of Jesus.”

This preventing work, is once again, the work of the same Jesus, who called Paul to do this missionary work!

What are you doing, Lord?

What are we doing, Lord?

This must be frustrating for Paul and his friends.

The word “forbidden” in verse 6 means it was kept from happening (LN/BDAG).

This word “ allow” in verse 7 is a word of permission.

The Spirit of Jesus did not “permit” what they attempted. They were not successful. They failed, because of the Spirit of Jesus.

Paul should expect resistance from others, from the Jews and unbelievers. But resistance from the One who called Him...!? This is difficult.

Brothers and sisters, If we’ve ever been frustrated with circumstances in our Christian walk, if what we expect doesn’t materialize, or what we attempt doesn’t succeed, this Scripture encourages us.

Frustrations in our plans do not equate to God’s absence.

Frustrations in our plans may be the direct result of God’s activities! — “The Spirit of Jesus did not allow them!”

Jesus said to His disciples: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

That means Jesus is present in His preventing as much as He is in His permitting.

The Spirit of Jesus is letting Paul wander, and when Paul attempts to go to a place where the Lord doesn’t want him to go, the Lord does not allow him to go there, without explanation and without direction on where to go next.

Paul may be frustrated, but he is not forsaken!

So they press on.

Paul and his companions can’t go Southwest into Asia, because of the Holy Spirit —

They can’t go North into Bithynia, because of the Spirit of Jesus —

They’ve already travelled through all the Eastern regions —

the only way to go now— is to travel directly West.

Look with me at verse 8:

Acts 16:8 ESV

8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

So they travel West.

Now, they are not traveling extensively through (or being thorough) as they were in Phyrgia and Galatia — but now they are “passing by.”

They are not planning or attempting to stop in Mysia.

Paul and company are being maneuvered not by the leading of God, but in a sense by the limiting of God.

Then all of this changes once they arrive in Troas.

They have persevered. They have not given up. They have continued on and come now to a place where God wants them to be, WHEN God wants them to be there.

For in the night, something happens in Troas —

— not in Asia, not in Phrygia nor Galatia, not in Bithynia, but in Troas — but in the right place, at the right time.

Verse 9 tells us what that is:

C. Acts 16:9

Acts 16:9 ESV

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

This vision is is the first positive direction, guidance or leading from God they have received on this journey.

They wouldn’t have received the vision without first enduring the frustration.

Let us not quit too soon!

Surely this must be refreshing for Paul, who is likely a frustrated (even embarrassed) leader at this point (Keener, Acts).

Paul had separated from Barnabas at the end of Chapter 15, he has a new team of companions now, and appears to be wandering without success — forbidden, attempting and not being allowed in.

How many of us would follow such a leader?

But finally, some semblance of direction is given leading them further West into Macedonia from this vision in the night of a man from Macedonia.

But even still, if we look closely at the text, it is not altogether clear whether this vision is from the Lord.

The text only says that they “concluded that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” This is a conclusion, not a certainty.

This vision is not from a known angel. This vision is not from the Lord Jesus. This vision is not attested to the Holy Spirit.

— So what will they make of it?

Is this vision, from God? Or is it not?

Look with me at verse 10:

D. Acts 16:10

Acts 16:10 ESV

10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

This word “concluding” is a word that means “to bring together, to unite, to combine” (LN).

For these missionaries, this guidance of the Spirit was not given ahead of time as a pre-packaged plan, but it came to them through a process and conclusion — and it was no less God’s leading!

They discovered God’s leading by putting together pieces of information from along the way.

Imagine with me the process of putting together a jig saw puzzle.

Most boxes have an image of what the puzzle looks like when the puzzle is finished.

That’s the plan, known to God.

But when we open the box, we stare at hundreds or thousands of individual pieces, jumbled in a pile — a mess.

One by one, we begin a process, of piecing together that puzzle. We try a piece and it doesn’t fit. We try another and it fits.

As more pieces fit together, the picture starts to come into view.

And after much searching and attempting, with guidance from the image on the box, the last piece fits into place. The puzzle is finished. The work concluded.

We see the same image on the pieces that we see on the box.

It is the image that God sees all along. It is the pieces that God provides all along. But the puzzle was completed through a process — maybe even a frustrating one!

God is sovereign over the pieces.

We can’t ruin our lives if we walk with God.

“We were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go into Asia —

the Spirit of Jesus did not allow us to go into Bithynia —

and now, here we are in Troas and Paul sees a vision —

Could it be? Might it be?... It MUST BE, they conclude, another piece of this puzzle, another step in this process into the will of God, and another little reminder in the way, of God’s presence.”

And immediately, the text says, they sought to go on into Macedonia.

Because they concluded that God was calling them there.

And if God was calling them there - then God would be there in Macedonia too!

G.Campbell Morgan said,

“It is better to go to Troas with God, than anywhere else without Him.” (GCM)

(G.Campbell Morgan, Acts, 377).

God guides even when we do not hear spoken words, or see open doors, or visions.

God guides even through closed doors, through disappointments, frustrations and obstructions (see G.Campbell Morgan, Acts, 375).

Let us not look for the guidance of the Lord only in the light, in the happiness, in the bliss of life — for we may miss it.

God leads us in the dark places, too — In the valley of the shadow of death, in the questions and even frustrations of His own working.

The difficulties of our walk with God, the walls that we run into, the obstructions, the barriers, the forbidding and not allowing are opportunities, even gifts, for us to walk with God by faith and trust Him like never before (GCM).

It is when we reach the point in the process where we say: “this isn’t going according to plan,” that God ultimately reminds us of His plan — and what it has been all along.

This brings to —

The [Christ] Conclusion

God was accomplishing His purposes through Paul and his companions when forbidding them, and not allowing these missionary movements.

God saw what these missionaries could not see — that Christ was going before them, and with them, and behind them in the way.

They need not arrive too soon. They need not get ahead of Christ!

This is why in the first chapter, Jesus orders his disciples not to GO — but to first WAIT for the promise of the Father, for the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1.4, 8).

What Paul, Silas, and Timothy could not see in their wanderings, was the work the Lord had already started in Macedonia and prepared for them there in a city called Philippi.

In Philippi they would find a woman named Lydia — and the Lord opened Lydia’s heart to pay attention to what Paul had to say. Lydia heard the gospel of Jesus and was baptized!

What Paul, Silas, and Timothy could not see in their wanderings, was that they would be beaten and thrown into prison, where they would worship and sing hymns in the night — where they would be freed by an earthquake and prevent a jailer from ending his own life out of fear —

so that in response to his question: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” they might say “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

And that jailer and his household would believe in God because they were there.

What Paul, Silas, and Timothy could not see in their wanderings, was that they would later speak the word in Asia, and in Ephesus where they were originally forbidden.

And what would happen in Ephesus would require Paul to have a maturity and experience in ministry that he did not yet have.

A riot would ensue and open the doors to great Gospel advancement.

Growth is gained through a process. Faith is fortified through a process. Sanctification is secured through a process — even a frustrating one!

If we doubt this, we are invited to look at Christ and His cross.

Our redemption didn’t happen in one day.

Our salvation wasn’t secured in one night.

But a process led Christ to leave His Father’s glory and enter into our humanity (Phil 2).

To increase in stature and favor with God and man (Luke 9:52).

To fulfill all that was spoken of Him in the Scriptures.

And this process led Jesus to a garden, where he knelt down and prayed a discerning yet yielding prayer —

Luke 22:42 ESV

42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Jesus was speaking of the cross that He would soon carry.

With the cross, the Jews thought they were stopping Jesus, forbidding his “tale” of being the Messiah.

With the cross, the Romans thought they were stopping a riot, eliminating yet another Jewish king and keeping the peace.

With the cross, the enemy thought that he was stopping God’s redemptive plan — ending the life of Christ for good.

With the tomb, the grave thought that it was stopping the promised resurrection. Sealing the end of sin forever.

But thanks be to God —

God frustrated these plans!

And on the third day God raised Christ from the dead in power! And in so doing, God fulfilled His redemptive plan through a process.

Our sins kept us from knowing God and receiving eternal life — and the cross was the only way to reconcile us back to God.

By trusting God’s process, Christ willingly laid down His life in our place, and was raised in power, so that we might enter into His salvation process and conclude by faith the same thing the Scriptures declare —

That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name (Jn 20:31).

What will we conclude by faith, with what God has given?

What will we conclude by faith, with what we have now received?

Through Christ, the Word gives us confidence even in uncertainty.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

( And here is God’s process ) —

Romans 8:30 ESV

30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

In the details and decisions of life, remember this — when God does not give us a plan, that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have one.

If God is frustrating our plans, it doesn’t mean He isn’t faithful.

We are simply invited to trust that God is guiding through a process — a process He has completed, and will complete through Christ.

Amen.