I. Obey No Matter What 16:1, 2
A. Obedience Can Be Difficult
Lystra- Paul attacked by a mob, stoned, and left for dead.
Fear, discouragement, heartbreak, attack @ Lystra.
Scars probably still visible, memories real.
Paul willing to return to place of difficulty.
Paul’s motivation- obedience & love for God outweighed desire to avoid painful memories or situations.
Paul needed to choose between his comfort level & God’s will.
2 Cor. 5:14 “For the love of Christ constrains (compels) us…”
Paul obeys- He follows the leading of the Holy Spirit back to Lystra.
B. Obedience Brings Blessings
5+- years since Paul had been in Lystra.
He probably thought about that stoning often. Painful memory.
By returning to Lystra, Paul meets Timothy.
Timothy may have been saved during Paul’s first visit.
Had Timothy seen Paul stoned, or heard him preach?
Timothy went on to follow Paul, and to become his closest lifelong friend.
Philippians 2:19-22 19But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
Obedience to God and the passage of time brought perspective & blessing to Paul.
Realization of God’s perfect plan & perfect love.
Story- “A Voice From The Past”. Subtitled- “The Angel With The Shopping Cart”
II. Adapt For The Sake Of Others 16:3-5
A. Adapt On Nonessential Issues
1. Circumcision not needed for salvation.
2. Paul & Barnabus fought Judaizers (legalists) in Acts 15.
3. Jewish culture-children follow faith of mother
4. Greek culture-children follow faith of father.
5. Paul always sought to reach the Jews first. Always started in synagogues.
6. In order to reach Jews, Timothy was circumcised, so as to not be a distraction.
B. Deny Your Own Identity
1. Be a stepping stone, not a stumbling stone.
2. Lead people to, not away from Jesus.
3. Be thinking about how to best adapt your life so that you can reach others.
C. Motivation Is Love
1. Love For God
2. Love For People
3. Turn to 1 Cor. 9:19-23a
4. Paul placed a high standard on Timothy.
5. Timothy was willing to meet that standard.
6. The result was hassle-free ministry; the churches grew & were strengthened.
III. Follow The Leading Of The Holy Spirit Acts 16:6-15
A. Follow God’s General Plan
1. Paul understood why he existed.
2. Phil. 1:20b, 21 “…as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
3. Whatever specifics may develop, that was Paul’s unchanging foundation.
4. Every detailed plan would fit on to that general, unchanging foundation.
5. God’s will is first intentional, and then directional.
6. Wrong to ask for directions, when you disregard God’s intentions.
B. Follow God’s Specific Plan
1. Holy Spirit leads by the reading of God’s word. God’s unchanging foundation.
2. Circumstances. “Open & closed doors”. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
a. Verse 6- Noble desire, closed door.
b. Verse 7- Noble desire, closed door.
c. Vs. 8-10- Keep moving, clear direction. “Concluding…”
d. Vs. 11-13 Keep moving. V. 13- where prayer was customarily made…
e. Ps. 37:23 “The steps (and stops) of a good man are ordered by the LORD…”
1. Visions & dreams.
2. Words of prophecy, wisdom, or knowledge.
3. Turn to John 10:1-5 Inner witness, “voice” of Jesus Christ.
C. The Danger Of Following Your Plan
1. Prov. 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
2. We sometimes feel that we have more wisdom than God. Make our own plans.
3. We forfeit so much when we do not follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
4. Isaiah 11:1, 2 The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus.
Is. 11:1, 2 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
5. We cannot afford to miss that seven fold work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
D. The Blessing Of Following God’s Plan
1. Through a series of redirected efforts, Paul & Co. come to Philippi.
2. They discover God’s plan for them, and they see the evidence thru the salvation of Lydia.
3. Lydia’s entire household receives Jesus Christ, and all are baptized.
Obey at all costs
It can be very difficult.
It can take you back to the thing that almost killed you.
It may take years for you to see the blessing that comes from your Lystra.
But if God is leading you back, and you never go, then that Lystra will forever remain a bad memory, with no understanding of how God used it for good.
You can believe that God used it for good, but as the Lord leads, how wonderful to see that good with you own eyes.
But as you obey God’s leading, you find a lifelong blessing.
Adapt for the sake of others
Be flexible with non-essential issues.
Be willing to adapt yourself to whatever situation will help you reach others for Jesus.
Be a stepping stone, not a stumbling stone.
Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
First, have the foundation of your life settled.
Secondly, make sure that every thought or action is built on that right foundation.
God’s will is first intentional, then directional.
If you have the right intentions for your life, God will lead you by His word, & by His Holy Spirit.
Don’t be a person who is wise in their own eyes. There’s more hope for a fool.
Don’t make the fatal shift towards thinking you can direct your own life.
Don’t be a Sardis type of person.
Busy, and having a reputation of being alive, but being spiritually dead regarding usefulness in God’s kingdom.
Have the right intentions, God will give you the right directions.