Acts 16:1-10 When God says No
One
of the most DISCOURAGING words in the English language is the word No!!/ most
of the time we don’t like to Hear it
A.)Kids
hate it – mommy ice cream – NO!
Taking Little kids to
store can be real trial { they want everything! NO!!
B.)
A
Young man expresses heart to young woman – asks if she feels the same way – she says no – heartbreaking{ No is a Hard word to hear!
C.)And
it doesn’t get any easier in the Christian life because – we can approach God
about things –
A dream / a
desire/ A hope / Make a request
1)He too will at times
answer no
D.)
Been said God answers our prayers in 3 ways
/ yes rejoice.
E)Wait
Ok still
hope – often the waiting answer is jus met by silence
1)
We want direction go? Silence.
He is saying wait – stand still
That
is hard but I can deal with it
But
The toughest ANSWER is when God says no
A)In our text this morning
we are going to see where God says No to the Apostle Paul.
B)How
did Paul react to that news – what did he do?
1) We
will also look at another great man of God – that God said no to and see what we
can learn from his situation.
RD V.1-5
So
Paul and Silas head off to Visit the Churches that Paul and Barnabas planted on
their first missionary Journey.
A)The first place he goes is
to Lystra – this is the place where Paul was stoned
and left for dead – revived – Goes back into the city.
B)Five years have passed. Upon his return to the
people who had stoned him,
1)Paul
discovered that his ministry “took”
in a young man of real promise named Timothy.
C)Timothy would become a special young man
in Paul’s life. Six times, in six different epistles.
1)
Paul referred to Timothy as “my son in the faith.”
D)If
you’re older in the faith, one of the greatest joys you’ll ever have is that of
investing yourself in a younger person. Son or daughter in the faith.
Now I am sure there are some
of you who are scratching your heads over v.3 – Paul had Timothy circumcised.
A)Didn’t
we just see in Ch. 15 Paul making a big deal of this in Antioch – no need for
the Gentiles to be circumcised - Council at
Jerusalem.
B)Why
is Paul doing this now – is he caving in ? Compromising. ? No not at all
C)See notice the text again
closely – v.1 tells us that Timothy’s mom was a Jew and v1 tells us that his
father was a greek.
1)Obviously
in this area of their family life – Dad won out – My son doesn’t need to be
circumcised. – Was not the practice of the greeks.
D)But now Timothy was going
on the road with Paul – they would be going into cities – going into Jewish
synagogues – Timothy’s dad was well known.
1)The
Jews would want to Know – He is ½ Jewish is he circumcised?
E) Paul didn’t want Timothy
to be a stumbling block to the very people he sought to win!
1)It
was a matter of sensitivity.
Paul’s
Philosophy of ministry is stated in
1 Corinthians 9: 19-22
“For though I
am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the
more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who
are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the
law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law(not being without law
toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are
without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some.”
Timothy
went along with that Philosophy – for the sake of the Kingdom. – But he didn’t
have to.
Aa)He could have said – Circumcision
– I will pass- stay here in Lystra.
B)Timothy could have had a
ministry in Lystra – he was well respected in Lystra and Iconium – could have
just stayed
C)The people in those cities
were mostly Gentile they could care less if he was circumcised or not –
1)Timothy
sacrificed for the sake of the Kingdom – Big Sacrifice.
C) What about you and me –
Are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom –
1) Good
question to ponder today!
Pick up the
story in v.6 -
6
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were
forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
A)When
Paul finished his ministry in Galatia, he decided to go south and minister in
Asia (not the continent of Asia, but a small province called Asia, where Ephesus was
located).
B)Ephesus was
the chief city of the province of Asia. Reach Ephesus major impact on the
region - smart
Note:
Paul had a GREAT VISION for Asia Minor. BUT - The Spirit of God had something
else in mind.
A)We are told that
Paul was forbidden by the Holy to preach
the Word down in Asia.
B)That is really amazing, isn't it? Interesting statement –1)Paul was called to
go preach – take the Gospel all over the world – reach as many people as
Possible –
C)He is trying to go to this
city that needs Jesus
1)But
he was forbidden by the HS to do what He was called to do! – Seems Weird.
D)But
the HS knew that Ephesus wasn’t ready to hear that message Yet.
1)See
when we get to Ch.19 God did some things to prepare them.
Specifically
how did the Holy Spirit restrain Paul? A)Not told –
but here are some ideas – what God does with us.
B)Loss of peace? Did He lose his peace
1)
He couldn’t move forward because no peace – He knew –he would be fighting God
if he went.
C)Maybe it was a lack of
provision.
–
1)He
couldn’t move forward in that direction because of Cost. God guides he provides
D) A Prophetic
word?
I
think also Possible that it was illness,
A)The reason that I think
that is because Luke, a physician, joined them right
after this time, as is shown in verse 10
B)Notice
that the narrative changes from they to we in v.10 when Luke changes the
narrative from “they” to “we.”
C)At this point The
story is no longer told in the third person but in the first person.
1)That tells us that Luke was there, an eye-witness and a
companion of Paul.
D)In 17:1 it
changes from we back to they
suggesting that Luke may have stayed in Philipi to minister at the new
fellowship.
1)Then in Ch 20:5 it reverts back to we – and that happens again
in Ch.27:1-28:16
E)Three
different occasions where Luke all of a sudden joins the team.
QUESTION:
Why should Luke emerge so suddenly on the scene? Luke was a doctor.
A)It seems very likely that he met Paul then because Paul needed
his professional services, Paul got sick
B)That could
have been the means by which the HS forbade Paul to move forward.
C)Whatever
the case – we see God saying No to the great Apostle Paul
1)forbidding him to go in the direction that was really on his
heart. What did Paul do? Quit Sulk – angry?
D)What do you do
when God says no – how react – how affect your walk with God.
Before
we see what Paul did – lets turn now to
1
Chronicles 17 and see how another great man of God – handled God saying No to him.
A)That man was David – King in Israel for about 10 yrs by this
time –
B)David was UNIQUELY given this title by God: David is a man after
my own heart. –
C)Doesn’t get
any better than that – But to this man after his own heart – God said no
David
was about 40yrs old he had been reigning in Israel about 10 yrs.
A)He
had ESTABLISHED his kingdom, SUBDUED his enemies, and PROSPERED materially in
that he constructed a glorious palace.
B)David was not partying in
this palace, he was FELLOWSHIPPING with a prophet named Nathan
C)As they were talking,
David came up with an idea
As
David sat in his palace with Nathan, his heart and mind raced outside to where
the Ark of the Covenant was sitting in a tent.
A)David desired to build a
house for the Ark of the Covenant unto the Lord
VERSE 2 “Go for it David...
That’s a great burden”
B)NOTE: Nathan was a PROHET of God
and He spoke on behalf of the Lord for God is with you
1)Any man of God... Any
prophet of God, is still a man
C)As
anointed and gifted as Nathan was, he was still a man. And here we see his
humanity.... his fallability.
D)He
spoke in his own wisdom... in his own energy.
But
he was WRONG
RD VERSES 3-15
The
Lord said: “David, you CAN’T build Me a house”
A)But then the Lord went on
to do something that is so characteristic of Him.
B)The
disappointment
that David experienced was tempered with a new appointment.
1)“You CAN’T build Me a house,
but I’ll build YOU a house.”
C)And
then He gave the promise that there would come a descendant of David that would rule forever.
1)This
is a promise of the coming of Messiah
D)God was going to allow
David’s Son Solomon to build a physical house
1)But
God was going to build a Spiritual house – the Body of Christ – Thru David’s
descendant Jesus
Perhaps
YOU are confused as to why the Lord is saying “NO” to you.
A)“Lord, I’ve offered myself
to You to serve. Why have you closed the door? Why can’t I serve?”
B)“Lord, I wanted to adopt
that child. Why have you closed the door?”
C)“Lord. I wanted to start
that buisness so that I could give money to Your work.
1)Why
did you allow it to go bankrupt?”
D)“Lord, I wanted to marry
him and be an assistant to him in the calling that you have upon him.
1)Why
hasn’t that relationshipped developed?”
It
is in those times that we need to be careful because when God shuts doors and
says no -we can become vulnerable to becoming bitter.
A)What did David do when God
said “NO”.
1
Chronicles 17:16 And David the king went and sat before the LORD
He
did NOT stomp out and say: “FINE... GREAT... See if I ever offer to build You a
Temple again.”
1.) When God says “NO” to you, sit
down, don’t stomp out
A)David could have become
very hurt because this door didn’t open. “God didn’t APPRECIATE my offer.”
B)But
rather than respond like that and stomp out or stand up in defiance, or crumple
in despair before the Lord we are told that David sat down before the Lord
C)Bridget Salas – 24 hr rule
NOTE: Because David sat
down before the Lord he was given enlightenment.
1 Chronicles 22:7-8
7 And David said to Solomon: "My son, as for me, it was in
my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God; 8 but the word of the
Lord came to me, saying,'You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you
shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the
earth in My sight.
The Lord did NOT initially
give David the reason.
A)But as David was quiet
before the Lord the Lord gave David insight into WHY He said “NO”.
B)Man of war and Blood Shed
– House of Peace ….
Built by Solomon a man of
Peace.
As You
sit down – God will enlighten you – help you see what you are missing – see the
situation from a different perspective – from his perspective.
A)NOTE: Because David sat
down before the Lord he was given ENCOURAGEMENT.
2 Chronicles
6:8 God speaks to David – about his desire to build God a House
“God says the desire of your heart was good – your heart
was in the right place.”
B)Man refers to that
structure as “Solomon’s Temple”. But God looked at it as “David’s”.
1)David
din’t do the actual building, but it was in his heart.
C)It is what is in your
heart that counts.
1.)
David Sat before the Lord.
2.) When the Lord says “NO” we
should focus in on the blessing rather than freaking out on the
disappointment
A)Some
people perpetually freak out over the disappointment and fail to see the OBVIOUS
blessings.
B)In David’s case, the Lord
said: “You can NOT build me a house, BUT I will build YOU a house.
From
your loins will come the Messiah. You will be the ancestor of the anointed
One.... My Son.”
C) What did David say as he
sat before the Lord?
1 Chronicles 17:16
“Then King David went in and sat before
the Lord; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that
You have brought me this far?”
GOD I DON’T DESERVE THIS!
1 Chronicles 17:18-20
What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant? For
You know Your servant. 19 O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to
Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these
great things. 20 O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides
You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
NKJV
NOTE: David is NOT freaking
out over his disappointment, but he is focusing in on the blessing
A)APPLICATION: When the Lord says “NO” to
you and me, we should immediately get our eyes OFF of the disappointment and
get them on to the blessings of God
B)Starting with the fact – You are Saved – not
going to hell! - RELATIONSHIP – INHERITANCE – destiny
1)You have a Job – a family
that loves you. –
Friends that are believers -
Not starving –
C)Life is not as easy as it
once was – but it could be a lot worse!
1)Church
family that loves you – stand by you.
REALITY:
IF God NEVER answers a prayer in the affirmative.... or NEVER opens a door that
you desire to walk through....
A)IF
God NEVER blesses you in any other way....
B)You and I should be CONTINUALLY sitting
before God blessed and blown away for what He has already done.
C)Given
us already way more than we deserve
3.) When the Lord says “NO” we
should pray in the promises, don’t pout
A)AFTER
he was blessing the Lord for what the Lord had promised to do, David begins to
pray
1 Chronicles
17:24-27
24 So let it be established, that Your name may be magnified
forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God.' And
let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 25 For You, O my
God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore
Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You. 26 And now, Lord,
You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant. 27 Now You have
been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before
You forever; for You have blessed it, O Lord, and it shall be blessed
forever."
NOTE: Don’t pout when God
says “NO” or doesn’t seem to responding as you had expected or desired.
A)Instead, take the promises
that God has given you & say: “Lord, on the
basis of Your promises I am going to pray”
B)EXAMPLE: You are financially wiped out. Things did
NOT go the way you had expected.
Instead
of pouting pray in the promise of God that says: Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
EXAMPLE: You are desiring to be married and you
have just experienced a heartbreaking disappointment. Instead of pouting you
can go to the promise of God that says: Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD;
and he shall give you the desires of
your heart.
EXAMPLE: You are lacking peace. Instead of pouting over a
beer or a drug you can pray in the promise of God that says: Isaiah
26: 3 You will keep him in perfect peace,whose mind is stayed on
You, because he trusts in You.
There
are over 4,000 promises in this Book. A)You can chose to POUT or you can chose to PRAY in the things that God
has promised to you.
B)That
is what David Chose to do.
4.)
Rather
than complaining
about what couldn’t do he did what he could do.
A)David
could
not build the Temple. But he saw what he could do.
He
gathered financial resources – he gathered timber – He gathered gold and silver
– he met with architects and had plans drawn up.
B)NOTE: David did NOT say: “Why even
do anything? God seems to always pass me by so if I can’t do this or that then
I might as well do nothing.
C)The
heart of David said: “I CAN’T build the Temple, but He didn’t say I couldn’t
get the supplies and devise the plans. I’ll do what I can
APPLICATION:
Perhaps
you CAN’T go to the mission field. Do what you can do...... Pray, give,
send.
A)What Can you do? –
B)In what ways like Timothy
are you willing to sacrifice for the Kingdom?
C)know
this: It is the man after God’s own heart who does what he can rather
than complaining
about what he can’t do
That
is the same thing we see in the Apostle Paul – turn back to Acts 16 – V. Acts
16:7-9
7
After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit
did not permit them.
ANOTHER NO!
8
So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
A)Paul kept knocking on doors kept moving – kept going with the mission
B)He did what He could do in
the situation and continued to wait on the Lord for further direction
C)Notice v.9 it came! 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of
Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and
help us." 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord
had called us to preach the gospel to them.
D)God uses a vision a man
with a need – and they responded.
Note
Immediately - This was a ready response.
A)No Procrastination – no
debating – no discussion
God said Go and they went!
B)God loves that kind of
response – That is the Kind of person He can lead – do amazing things with
C)We will see what God does in Phillipi with Paul in our study next time. –
Meet this Man from Maced.