THE
MACEDONIAN CALL
At
the end of Acts
15
we find Paul,
Silas & Luke setting
out on the second missionary journey to
visit the churches that had been established during Paul's first
missionary journey.
In
Acts
16
we are told they visited Derbe & Lystra where they picked up
Timothy.
Acts
16:6-10 AN
URGENT
CALL IN THE NIGHT
while at Troas
vs.
9 "...There
stood a man of Macedonia, and
prayed
him, Come over to Macedonia, and
help us." [kjv]
"...A
man of Macedonia stood and pleaded
with
him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia
and
help us.'" [nkjv]
pleaded
(prayed)
[parakaleo]
- (Elsewhere translated beseech)
- "To call to ones side,
hence, to call to one's aid...which has a stronger force than aiteo
(to
ask)."
Acts
16:11-12 PAUL
& HIS COMPANY WASTED
NO TIME GETTING THERE,
ultimately
arriving a Philippi.
vs.
13 APPARENTLY
THERE WAS NO
SYNAGOGUE THERE. Philippi was a Roman
military outpost & probably had few Jews
living
there since Claudius Ceasar had
banished the Jews from Rome (and
likely from
any military outposts as well)
Acts
18:1-2 "After
these things Paul departed from
Athens and went to Corinth.
[2]
And he
found a certain Jew named Aquila,
born in Pontus,
who had recently come
from Italy with his wife Priscilla
(because
Claudius had commanded all
the Jews to depart from
Rome);
and he
came to them."
MACEDONIA
WAS AN UNPLOWED FIELD OF WORK - NEW
GROUND FOR THE SEED OF THE GOSPEL TO BE PLANTED IN.
PHILIPPI:
The base camp for the spread of the gospel in Macedonia. This
was typical: Corinth (Achaia), Ephesus (Asia)
THE
NEED FOR HELP IN PLANTING THE SEED WAS EVIDENT.
Acts
16:14-15 Lydia,
the first convert in Macedonia.
SHE
DID HER PART by housing these men who had come to this new work.
FROM
A SERENE RIVERBANK TO A SWELTERING PRISON CELL
Things
seemed to be going smoothly - then trouble came along.
Acts
16:16-24 Paul
& Silas imprisoned unlawfully -
without trial - after public
flogging.
THIS
INTERRUPTION COULD HAVE STIFLED THIS NEW WORK - BUT DID NOT.
In
any work, Satan will do his part to destroy it. Problems will
inevitably come.
2
Tim. 3:10-14 Persecutions
were a part of the work
in Antioch, Iconium & Lystra
(Acts
13 & 14)
Heb.
10:32-36 A
letter written to those who knew
what trials were like.
TRIALS
ARE OVERCOME BY LOOKING BEYOND
THEM - TO THE DESIRED END
Rom.
8:18 "For
I consider that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us."
Acts
16:25-34 Another
convert - the Philippian
jailer.
FROM
THIS SMALL NUCLEUS OF CHRISTIANS A FAITHFUL CHURCH RESULTED.
Phil.
1:1-2 10
- 13 years after this work began we
see it flourishing - elders &
deacons.
HOW
DID THEY GET TO THIS POINT?
Phil.
1:3-7 CONFIDENCE
(faith) that Christ would
complete His good work in these
Christians.
Eph.
3:20-21 "Now
to Him who is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all that
we
ask or think, according
to the
power that works in us,
[21]
to
Him be
glory
in the church by Christ Jesus
throughout all ages, world without
end.
Amen."
WORK
- They were "partakers with (Paul)...of
grace."
GRACE
= "in my chains
and in the defense
and
confirmation
of the
gospel."
THEY
SHARED IN THE WORK WITH FAITH IN CHRIST!!!!
THIS
WAS THEIR "fellowship
in the gospel
from the first day until now."
Phil.
1:27-28 CONDUCT
WORTHY OF THE
GOSPEL.
STANDING
FAST IN UNITY
- RESOLUTE!
"striving
together
for the faith of
the gospel."
One
spirit,
one mind,
one purpose
ARE
WE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE? - LOOKING TO THE SAME GOAL?
Is
our focus on numbers
- a building
- another choice
of places to worship - or lost
souls?
Eph.
4:1-6 "...endeavoring
to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace."
CARE
FOR ONE ANOTHER
- love (agape)
Phil.
2:1-4 Paul
appeal rhetorically
- IF (do) YOU
HAVE THESE QUALITIES:
Encouragement
("consolation")
in Christ
Comfort
of love (lit.)
"Allowing love [agape]
to speak to us
."
Fellowship
of the Spirit
"Sharing or communing with the Spirit"
Affection
and mercy [splanchnon]
("bowels and mercies", kjv) "Passion,
yearning"
LIKE
PAUL - THEY HAD THE SAME THINKING, resulting
in the same:
Love
[agape]
- THAT RESULTED IN BEING OF:
One
accord
[sumpsuchos]
(lit.) "one-souled"
One
mind
[phroneo]
(lit.) "To be minded (or mindful) in the same moral
interests as opposed to opinion."
NO
SELFISHNESS
- THIS
LEAVES OUT OTHERS
Not
looking out for self
BUT Looking
to the INTEREST
OF OTHERS
HOW?
KEEP
IN CONTACT - LET BRETHREN KNOW WHEN YOU'RE AWAY
How
would we react to our husband or wife leaving and saying nothing? "That's
none of their business?"
COMMUNICATE!!!
WE
ARE FAMILY
FAMILY
DEPENDS ON ONE ANOTHER
Eccl.
4:9-12
Solomon knew there is strength in
numbers - we
need one another
1
Cor. 12:20-27 Each
member is important
- not a
burden.
1
Pet. 2:9-10 "But
you are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, His
own special people, that you may
proclaim the praises of Him who
called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light; [10]
who once were
not a people but are now the
people
of God,
who had not obtained
mercy
but now have obtained mercy."
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