Notes from a sermon heard on 3 March 2013
Act 16 verses 1 – 10
In this chapter we
see the apostle Paul and Barnabas going forth.
God can use very little to do great things. He is able to use that which we give to him. Here we find these 2 going out on a
missionary journey, they have a longing for souls in their hearts. The
apostle Paul was going forward.
The vision
he had. The Acts of the Apostles should
really be the Acts of the Holy Spirit working through the lives of men and
women, individuals like you and I. The
Spirit took someone like you or I for the extension of his kingdom. He does use it. We don’t understand it but never the less he
does it. The vision Paul has. We read in chapter 15 about the missionary
outlook Paul had. Verse 36 “where we
have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do.” In other words 'let’s go back and visit those places where we
preached the word of God.' Can we say 'let’s
go back and visit that person we spoke to the other week, told them about the
Lord Jesus Christ?' Is there anybody I
could say I am going back to? This is
missionary outlook. He wanted others to
hear the message he had heard, to come to this saving faith he had come
to. When Paul met the Lord on the road
to Damascus God did something for him that would change his life. That is what God does. He changes our lives. The moment we are saved we are changed. When you look back in your life the things
you loved, were content in, you wouldn’t be content in them now. The moment God saved us there was a change in
our hearts. God gives us a new heart and
we become a different person. He will
change us totally. God puts new desires in
our heart. This man wanted to see others
getting what he had. Remember when in
front of King Agrippa, there was a time when he was listening to Paul just
declaring what God could do for his heart and soul. Agrippa was in a real dilemma and he told
Paul “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Maybe you could say “almost”. Maybe you know there was a time when you were almost saved just like
Agrippa. Agrippa listened with a heavy
heart but Paul replied “I would to God that now not only thou Agrippa but also
all that hear me this day would be almost and altogether such as I am except
these bounds.” Acts 26 verse 29. Romans 10 Paul bears his soul for the nation
“my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is that they might be
saved.” What a longing, what a
heart. Here in Acts 15 he says to
Barnabas “let’s go back again.” He had a
desire in his heart, a longing in his heart.
He thought that maybe the tempter had got in and they had been taken
away. He had a passion for souls. He had plenty of time for people in that
place. We need to be going out and
bringing them in, gathering them in, praying and seeking God for souls. You and I need to have that same passion and
desire to see the work of God going on.
To be not just a member but a soul winner. Remember Andrew when he met Christ one
day. His first thought was to share the
message with Peter his brother. He told
Peter “Here’s the Messiah, he is the one who claims to have come into the world to
save everyone.” We need to reach our
families for God. Remember the young man
out in the tombs who couldn’t go out of that place because of the demon
possession. One day he met Christ. He wanted to go with Christ and follow him
but Jesus told him to go back to his own town, to his own family and friends
and tell them of the great things God had done for him. The woman at the well, when the Lord dealt
with her, she left her water pot, her home, her sinful past, relationship with
a man who was not her husband, she left everything and went out to the
surrounding towns and country to tell them about what God had done for
her. C T Studd said “O that God would
give you and me a vision.”
The void that Paul faced. In verses 6, 7 and 8 we read that the places
Paul visited were closed to him. What
had happened? Look back to chapter 15
and verses 36 – 40. Paul and Barnabas
did not leave together. There was a
dispute over a young man called John Mark.
Barnabas wanted to take him with them but Paul said no because he
deserted us before. A dispute arose
between the 2 and they parted company., they went their own ways. Barnabas took John Mark and Paul took
Silas. As they arrived at these places
we read – verse 6 “were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word” and in
verse 7 “but the Spirit suffered them not.”
Paul knew in his heart that he was going to Asia but the Spirit said
no. That was why there was no
blessing. Paul didn’t go away with bad
blood, with a chip on his shoulder though.
Maybe you are at a place today and God is closing doors on you. Maybe things are not moving quickly enough
for you. The devil is perhaps pointing
to something in your past. You are not
receiving the blessing of God, we need to be careful we don’t run before the
Lord. Saul the first king of Israel God
left him down before the Philistines waiting for Samuel to come and offer a
sacrifice. There he was waiting for
Samuel. The Philistines were gathering
so Saul decided to do something. He slew
an animal and made a burnt sacrifice. He
shouldn’t have done it. Maybe we are
thinking God is not moving fast enough and we think we should move quickly into
a particular area but it is not God’s will.
The voice that Paul heard – verse 9. Do you hear the cry of precious souls today, going into a Christless lost eternity? Do we hear it? There was Paul wondering which road to go. God was closing doors all around him then God opened a door. A man from Macedonia in his vision was asking him to come and visit, show us Paul how we can be saved. Paul heard that cry. Do we hear that today? We need to take care today. Have we heard the call from Christ? We need to get into the habit of winning souls.
The venture
that Paul takes. Notice the 2 words in
verse 10 - “immediately” and “assuredly”.
The team went off with great assurance.
John Wesley had a vision in the 1700’s. When the church doors were being closed down he preached a message of saving grace and
sanctification in the spirit. No-one
wanted to hear it. “The world is my parish”
he said. C T Studd prayed about China
but nothing happened. Then he prayed
“take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee.” His vision never materialised until he
ventured out. Our vision will never
materialise until we move, lay our all on the altar for Christ. Nehemiah came to Jerusalem with God’s word burning in his heart. Peter came to the house of Cornelius with
God’s word burning in his heart.
The victories
that Paul saw. Lydia and the
Philippian jailer and his family came to know Christ as Lord and Saviour as a
direct result of Paul going to Macedonia.
If you are willing to go through with God today what would you do? Would
you go on with him to see this vision, see this call and do what you can for the extension of God's kingdom?.
No comments:
Post a Comment