Acts 16
Bible Passage: Acts 16
Young Timothy joins the group! How exciting! This was the second missionary journey they embarked on that is, when Paul, Silas and Timothy journeyed from Troas to finally reach Phillipi, the foremost city of Macedonia. Here in this chapter, Paul received the Macedonian call as he had seen a vision; he concluded that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel to those in Macedonia. Something for us to think about today: are we heeding the Lord’s call on us to preach?
Answering the Macedonian Call…
At Phillipi, Lydia and the jailer and their families believed and were baptised. Even the beginnings of Phillipi church came about and brethren worshipped at Lydia’s house. The church in Phillipi grew in love and worked in one accord and one mind in divine works. Would all these works of the gospel have been possible if Paul had not answered the Macedonian call?
There are many people all over the world who have yet to hear the truth. It just cannot be emphasised enough how much we must answer our Lord’s call to preach the gospel. Good people like Lydia, the jailer and their families were eager to receive the word of truth. The Lord desires all man to be saved and to come to know the truth. So what is our answer for them?
Why Answer the Macedonian Call…
Surely we know the reasons why we ought to preach, but a brief reminder is always good for us. Remember that the grace of God is freely given to us. He bought us at a price and we ought to repay the debt of love that owe. We ought to glorify Him by serving Him, to present to Him our body as a living sacrifice. By answering the Macedonian call, it enables us to build up our spiritual life and it can increase our zeal and love for the house of God.
There are souls to save-the souls of our loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbours, who are precious to us and to the Lord too. We have been chosen. We are His workmanship. We are His special people. We have been granted the power of the Holy Spirit that we shall witness for the Lord in the work of evangelism.
WANTED…You Have Been Called to Serve the True God…
Maybe you are already participating in some divine or maybe you hope to take part in other works later on. Just remember why should you serve God (self-reflection)? It’s also important to try and enjoy the kind of divine work you take up, so that you remember to pray and sing along your journey in the Lord for your own experience of joy in the Lord, and also so that others may also be encouraged.
“God gave you very special gifts, talents, and abilities. You can use those gifts to bring others into His kingdom!”
Think about your special talent.
Keep practicing, keep working at it.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
Remember your all comes from God,
so even our friends have gifts too!
Let’s unwrap the gifts that God has given us, and try and answer His call today.
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biblereadingcompanion
When things do not go our way….
In all the previous chapters of Acts, we have seen how the Holy Spirit has been leading the apostles and followers. But in today’s chapter, we find that the Holy Spirit was blocking Paul’s way. Twice, Paul’s plans were disrupted – and finally the Holy Spirit directed Paul where God wanted him to go.
And when Paul followed the instructions of the Holy Spirit after seeing his own plans being stopped, he ended up being flogged and sent to prison!
Certainly not quite what he expected as he had been obedient to God!
How do you respond when your plans fall through and God seems to close a door? WIth discourgement or enthusiasm?
Have you ever had occassions when you have planned, or you have been greatly inspired to do something for God… but for whatever reason, our proposals might not suit His big-picture plan? If the Holy Spirit later moves us in a different – even opposite direction from what we had in mind, what do we do? And when we follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit and are submissive – we end up in a bad situation which makes us wonder … did God get it wrong this time? Or is He playing me for a fool?
I was asking my 2 daughters when we read this chapter what verses caught their attention. One of them mentioned v. 25…
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
The other mentioned v. 34…
“Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.”
These 2 verse summarizes nicely what I want to learn to do when things do not go my way….
Especially when even in obedience to God’s Word I find that the circumstance I am in is extremely unpleasent and huge obstacles (like being beaten up and imprisoned) keep throwing themselves before me…
I must keep on praying and keep on singing! All of us in the family agreed that perhaps in dire situations, we will still be able to keep on praying. But to keep on singing? That’s hard isn’t it? Cause when you are able to sing, that is when you have uplifted spirits… that’s when you feel a certain amount of joy and having a firm confidence. But Paul and Silas has shown us.. that by trusting in God.. that’s what we should still do… pray and sing!
And the second lesson is related to the first.
If Paul and Silas had not obeyed God and got thrown into prison… do you think the jailer and his household will be baptised and saved? Seems unlikely isn’t it?
But in the unlikelilest of situations, God has His wonderful will behind it. It was as if everything that Paul and Silas went through was just so that they can get to meet the jailer, allowed him to witness God’s power and grace… and have Paul telling him what he must do to be saved. And he was! With his household. And there was great joy… not just with him and his household. But also great joy experienced by Paul and Silas… the rest of the disciples… and also the heavenly hosts. Just imagine that!
So when things do not go our way… how do we respond?
Are we able? said the Master…
Found this youtube video…love it… and the lyrics is certainly a reminder for us in our missionary journey in this world today….
Perhaps one day our ensemble can play and offer this too! 😀
BRC's Companion
In last Saturday morning sermon, Pr Chin recounted an incident when he was in Myanmar with other missionary workers. They were accommodated by the local preacher which is forbidden in Myanmar. Foreigners are not allowed to stay with the locals in their residence. That night when the dogs barked, they were worried that the Government secret police were in the vicinity conducting a search. If caught, the local preacher would be arrested and sent to a remote place in the country for years. Who knows what they would do to the preachers in detention! By the grace of God, the preacher managed to get a taxi and got the mission workers out to a hotel.
In democractic Spore, it is hard to identify with such situation, let alone empathise with the fear of our Myanmar preacher and his family facing these dangers in their faith. Similarly, can we truly feel for Paul and the other apostles who had suffered much for God?
I was approached to join in the mission work in a third world country and I knew from the account of the other workers that the general living condition there is not something I can imagine. Never in my dream have I envisioned myself to be serving God in this way. As much as I admired those who do, I was secretly contented not be in this league. Never aspired to be! Could I have rejected it? Yes of course. But the calling was not from man, it was from God (I felt). I was afraid to reject. Dont get me wrong that now I belong to a special league. I still have butterflies in my stomach and the dreadful feelings before trips. I would go for my favourite food before flight as if it was my last meal 🙁
The point of the lesson is – Be Prepared (motto of Christians). We often pray for peace and joy in our life and subconsciously we believe that unwanted events may not happen to us. We will not be stricken with deadly diseases or be called to do the undesirable tasks. The truth is, God’s children will be refined like pure gold before that great meeting with Him. And the refinement does require some hard processes.
The hymn Are Ye Able is a hard one to sing.
appleofHiseye
On that note, thinking about the hymn’s lyrics and today’s passage, I know that my faith is still very shallow. I have yet to meet such experiences in missionary work (but I am content with what I am doing at the moment, neither can I imagine doing missionary work).
So when I read of Timothy, knowing that he was “young” and probably only a teenager, who served God and joined Paul and Silas in doing divine works, I admire his choice. It really isn’t easy to answer the call of God. But… “refinement does require some hard processes” …to be faithful servants…
PS
Acts 16:14-15 The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul . And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
Acts 16:31-32 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke of the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.
Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
Acts 8:37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all you heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Lydia & her family, the jailer & his family and the eunuch received baptism very swiftly.
Were their faith shallow just bec they were baptized very swiftly?
No, Philip required that the eunuch to believe with all his heart.
Paul and Silas judged Lydia to be faithful (真信主的ie truly believe in the Lord) to Lord Jesus.
The jailer had a cold brush with death a moment ago. He got back both his physical life and spiritual life by the great mercy of Lord Jesus.
Not only were the disciples from Jerusalem scattered bec of persecutions. Believers, as newly baptized as Lydia, were moulded by circumstance to grow up in faith quickly.
They did not have the luxury of time like us.
In a tinkle of an eye, the house of Lydia was already a service point.
Next, the church in Philipi was established. And in my childish mind, it must have a good organization as they managed to pass down a letter from Paul. Today this letter is still being read and continued to encourage many through the generations.
Acts 16:40 So when they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
i like Luke’s expression in Acts 16:40. “When they had seen the brethren” , Luke did not write “when they had seen the new believers”…. they encouraged them and departed.
What might Paul and Silas have said to the brethren?
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Hold fast to the word of life.”
Their faith might be shallow at baptism.
They grew up in grace and love of Lord Jesus.