January 24, 2011

Acts 16
Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey

“Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then . . . they headed north . . . but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. . . then we concluded that the Holy Spirit wanted us to go to Macedonia." Acts 16:6, 7, 10

Pastor’s Reflections

We come to Paul’s second missionary journey, his greatest one, the one that brings the gospel to Europe. But the Holy Spirit didn’t keep it simple. Here’ what we learn:

1. Paul wanted to head north, but the Holy Spirit “said no”. The “no” could have come in the form of circumstantial obstacles, lack of agreement among one another about where God wanted them to go, a spiritual, mental or emotional unsettledness about each place they considered, or something else. Whatever the “no” we learn that God’s guidance is negative as well as positive. It consists of closed doors as well as open doors.

2. God’s guidance comes by wrestling with the data, using your mind, and making a choice. The Greek word for “conclude” means putting the pieces of a puzzle together. God’s guidance is rational as well as circumstantial.

3. Notice the pronouns we, they, us. They are plural. God’s guidance comes to groups who must discern together. Jesus famously said, “where two or three are gathered, there I am”.

4. Guidance is gradual. They travelled back and forth across Turkey with no results. They were “muzzled”. Often there are long periods of time when it feels like nothing is happening. But in reality God is working His plan. If they had gone north there may never have been the letters to the Thessalonians or Corinthians or Ephesians. Nor may Paul have ever met Luke.

Beware of “God told me”. The guidance of the Holy Spirit is normally more comprehensive than that.