Philippians 1 verses 1 – 11
Acts 16 verses 1 – 14
The epistle to the Philippians opens with an
introduction to 2 men – “Paul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ.” Our minds are drawn to Acts 16 and Paul’s discovery
of Timothy. He became his beloved helper
in the gospel. He was possibly converted
under Paul’s ministry. In spite of much
persecution he saw great fruit. God by
his matchless grace saved a young man and provided a companion to Paul. Acts 15 verse 41. Timothy accompanied and assisted him in
founding the Philippian church. There
were many rich deposits of gold in this area as well as many fertile plains. The gospel was first preached in Philippi on Paul’s
second journey.
The voice of the Spirit. Having accomplished much in Galatia Paul and
his company of workers were eager to continue their campaign for Christ. Asia was the next place in their mind. God had different plans for them. Verse 6 – “they were forbidden of the Holy
Ghost to preach the word in Asia.” God
stopped them preaching the word in Asia – why would he stop his servants? Surely it is the Lord’s desire to have
ambassadors to go into the whole world?
The steps and the stops of a good man are ordered by the Lord. It is possible to be going on in the service
of God and not be in the appointed place.
God’s Spirit sometimes has to restrain before he will constrain. The place in which we serve should be by
divine appointment. It is wrong to choose
the location of our service. It should
be set forth by the Holy Spirit. He may
prevail us to go on and he may prevent us from going. We must have spiritual perception and
sensitivity in order to hear the Spirit’s voice. John writing on the isle of Patmos said “he
that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Divine leading is a clear indication of a
right relationship with God. Those who
desire after the Lord will want to be directed by him. He will want to lead those who have a clear
longing for him. “For as many as are led
by the Spirit of God these are the sons of God.” (Romans 8 verse 14) There are far more rewards in witnessing to one
soul to preaching out of the will of God to those millions of people. The Holy Spirit selected servants in the day
of his Spirit and directed them. Their
success lay in their willingness to build.
When we are ready and willing the Holy Spirit will lead us into definite
way where no power will be able to resist.
Their ministry bore the stamp of divine hands. The spirit is both a propelling and
restraining force. How we need to be
those who will follow the Lord’s forbidding as well as his advance.
The vision of the Spirit. After the voice comes the vision – verses 9
and 10 “a vision appeared to Paul in the night.
There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him, saying, Come over into
Macedonia and help us. And after he had
seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly
gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” Some say this man was Luke, others Jesus
himself. The word of God doesn’t tell
us. It is not ours to know. At this particular point Paul saw a vision. Another indication of the Spirit’s leading in
his life. Each vital decision to leave
Asia Minor and head for Macedonia. At
the direction of a man it became clear that this was a calling from God to
continue his mission. The large
populated cities needed God’s message.
The cry from the man gives clear indication of his spiritual state. “Help me”.
What was going on? Heathenism has
no workable or redemptive power. That
was the problem. Heathenism with all its
brilliant civilisation and culture needed what only Christ could supply. Verse 10 – “immediately we endeavoured to go
into Macedonia.” Another door opened up
and the place of God’s choosing has been set.
Are we hearing the crying from the human heart for help? This land is full of needy lives who
desperately need our help tonight. Will
we take to them the one message that can only save them? Our vision of lost sinners constitutes the
Macedonian call to every child of God.
Will you help those who are needed?
Those who are on the road to lost eternity. Will we endeavour to tell them of Jesus the
mighty to save? Such a vision of the
lost will compel every child to carry the gospel to the furthest ends of the
earth? Acts 1 verse 8 “But ye shall
receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth.” It
could not be clearer. Everyone on the
face of the earth has the right and opportunity to hear the gospel therefore it
is our responsibility to spread the good news of salvation. Is that our vision tonight? Do we see it clearly? It is so easy for our vision to become so
blurred by the old world and its ways.
Paul had his companions in the gospel who would do nothing other than
obey the Lord. He obeyed the Lord even
though couldn’t produce the results but the one thing he was certain about – he
went in the will of the Lord.
The victory of the Spirit. I am sure you have often heard it said – God
is no man’s debtor. When Paul obeyed the
vision and voice the outcome was victorious and glorious. He answered the call of God, witnessed the triumph
of God over pagan idolatry. It is a
matter of waiting and being patient for the Lord to move in many ways. When he arrived in Macedonia there was no-one
waiting to help and show them around.
They were on their own. “and we
were in that city biding certain days.”
That should be no surprise to God’s servants when they arrive in some
mission field – that no-one wants them.
The need is great. The heathen
don’t know their need. Paul found a
group of women gathered for prayer. An
opportunity to witness of the living Christ.
There was one woman in the group called Lydia, a business woman who sold
dyed material. She was originally from
Thyatira, the leading city of Asia. The
Lord works in mysterious ways. The
Spirit restrained Paul from going to Asia, now he was speaking to open
hearts. In other words the Lord prepared
her heart for the message Paul would preach.
God was in this. There was no
half hearted reception of the truth. It
is only the Lord who can make the ears to hear, eyes to see, minds to
understand and the heart to experience.
We have evidence – she opened her heart verse 14. Until the word was spoken by Paul. What an encouragement this must have been for
the apostle Paul. Stopped by the Spirit,
constrained to go where he doesn’t know.
I am sure he is probably thinking ‘what is the end result?’ Lydia’s
heart was opened. It is wonderful to
think that sometimes we think ‘what is the will of God? I want to go here and there.’ The Lord stops us. We have to go somewhere the Lord wants us to
go. It will not end in disaster but
victory. What an encouragement this was
to Paul. What a victory for the Lord
Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment