April 22, 2012
Evening Service

We are looking at the life, and teachings of the Apostle Paul.

 

·                     We have noticed since his conversion that he has began teaching that Jesus is the Son of God.  Paul came to this understanding by his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  This also made it a lot easier to explain Jesus being the Messiah, the Son of God, because of the way He fulfilled all the prophecies concerning the Messiah.

·                     Paul has also began experiencing the persecutions he said would come because of faith in this man.

·                     He has just returned from his first missionary journey.  He, and Barnabas has encountered teachers that are saying one must keep the law of Moses, in order to be saved.

·                     The church at Antioch encourages Paul, and Barnabas to take this matter to the leaders at Jerusalem.  They do, and we find that the results are favorable to the gentiles.

·                     When they report this back to the church at Antioch, they rejoice because of the good news.  And that news is that one does not have to keep the law of Moses in order to be saved.

·                     We also have been introduced to Judas, and Silas.  They also came from Jerusalem to bear witness to this truth.

·                     To finish out chapter 15, Paul, and Barnabas split company as traveling companions, and Paul and Silas become workers together. 

 

In chapter 16 we find:

1.     In Derbe, and Lystra, Paul picks up another helper in Timothy.  Paul had Timothy to be circumcised, just to keep down arguments.  His father was a Greek, and people knew it.

2.    Then notice;  Act 16:4  And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.  Notice the results:  Act 16:5  And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

As I mentioned this morning, now besides his testimony, his knowledge of the Scriptures, the Apostle has word from the authority of the church in Jerusalem to preach.

3.    Then notice how the Holy Ghost directs Paul’s travels.

Act 16:6-10  Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,  (7)  After they were come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.  (8)  And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.  (9)  And 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.  (10)  And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

 

Macedonia

In New Testament times, was a Roman province lying north of Greece. It was governed by a propraetor with the title of proconsul. Paul was summoned by the vision of the “man of Macedonia” to preach the gospel there (Act_16:9). Frequent allusion is made to this event (Act_18:5; Act_19:21; Rom_15:26; 2Co_1:16; 2Co_11:9; Phi_4:15).

He again passed through this country (Act_20:1-6), although the details of the route are not given. After many years he probably visited it for a third time (Phi_2:24; 1Ti_1:3).

 

Notice the results from obeying the call of the Lord:

Lydia is converted:

Act 16:13-15  And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.  (14)  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.  (15)  And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

A spirit of divination is cast out:  This kind of thing was considered witchcraft.

• But because it was a means of income for some rich person, he had Paul, and Silas beaten, and then cast into jail.

 

The Philippian Jailer converted:

• The famous question was ask;  “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
• The Jailer, and his household was taken and baptized that night, and ministered to Paul, and Silas’ wounds.

 

In this same area, Thessalonica, Paul preaches again:

Act 17:1-5  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:  (2)  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,  (3)  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.  (4)  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.  (5)  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

 

Then down to Berea:

Act 17:10-12  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.  (11)  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  (12)  Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

 

Just as God opened the heart of Lydia, He opens the hearts of some wherever this gospel is preached.