Sermon Notes 11-16-08

“Getting In His Game”
13 Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. Acts 16:13-15

When we last left Paul, he and his fellow-missionary, Barnabas had parted company. Remember? They had a heated argument over Barnabas' recommendation that they give Jon Mark a second chance and take him along with them on this second mission trip.
They couldn't or wouldn't resolve the issue and it ended up causing a permanent break up of that missionary dream team from Antioch.

Barnabas took Jon Mark and went on mission to Cyprus. And Paul chose Silas and headed toward his hometown of Tarsus-stopping along the way to visit and encourage each of the churches he'd founded on his first missionary journey.

I believer Paul and Barnabas realized their sin and repented, they were able to once again join God in His will and work.

AFTER this dispute, the missions effort was doubled. Instead of just Paul and Barnabas going out-ONE TEAM-TWO departed: Paul and Silas, as well as Barnabas and Jon Mark. Plus, Jon Mark was able to prove himself-and he did just that.

With all of the different problems that had come to Paul—I wonder: “How Can You Know The Will Of God?”

Points To Ponder:
1st To Know God’s Will: You Must Be in the Right Camp! You’ve got to be a Christian!
Romans 8:14 "...those who are LED by the Spirit of God, are the SONS of God."
Jesus promised that when the Holy Spirit came He would speak in ways that would, "...guide us into all truth." (John 16:13)

Only Christians, like the believers in Acts, have the Spirit's presence within!
Remember Jesus did not say, "I will SHOW you the way"...He said, "I AM the Way."

Illustration: E. Stanley Jones tells of a missionary who got lost in an African jungle-nothing around him but bush and a few cleared places. He found a native hut and asked the owner if he could lead him out. The native said he could, "All right," said the missionary, "show me the way." The native said, "Follow me." They walked and hacked their way through the unmarked jungle for more than an hour. The missionary got worried and asked, "Are you quite sure this is the way? Where is the path?" The native said, "Bwana, in this place there is no path. I am the path."Paul follows the Leader:
Acts 16:11-12 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

Paul was listening to the Spirit and not only listening—he was following!

Christians are not to only “Hear” what God is saying but they are to “do” what the Holy Spirit says! James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Philippi would be the point of a change in “Church Policy!”

Points To Ponder:
1st To Know God’s Will: You Must Be in the Right Camp!
2nd To Know God’s Will: You Must Be Willing To Change!

Acts 16:13 “On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” To know God’s will you must be willing to “Change” you thoughts and prejudices!
Women were considered to be items of “ownership” or items of “trade!”
Paul and his followers—“…sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.”

Jesus said to the “Women At The Well”—John 4:4-27 “Will you give me a drink?” 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) Paul and his followers were breaking traditions —“We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” To Know God’s Will: You Must Be Willing To Change!

Points To Ponder:
1st To Know God’s Will: You Must Be in the Right Camp!
2nd To Know God’s Will: You Must Be Willing To Change!
3rd To Know God’s Will: You Must Get In His Game! Do what?

Open Your mouth and begin to speak!
Acts 16:14 “14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”

Lydia was from Thyatira.
Thyatira was noted for its skill in the manufacture of purple dye, which was extracted from the juice of the madder root. It took 8000 of them to produce one gram of purple dye. Thyatira’s waters were said to be well adapted to dyeing cloth. Purple dye was very expensive. Purple garments were worn by emperors and by private citizens as a status symbol. (Gucci)

Lydia was an owner of a very lucrative business—but she was also a “Worshiper!”
Can you know about God and still not be a follower of God? Yes!
Lydia was most likely a “Proselyte” Jew!
Lydia needed someone to tell her “The Messiah Has come!”

Paul obeys the Lord’s direction and begins to speak to “Women!” Acts 16:14 “14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”
To Know God’s Will: You Must Get in the Game & Begin To Do! Do what? Open Your mouth and begin to speak!

Lydia was drawn to the Lord—“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” “Opened” literally means the same as in Luke 24:45 “45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”
We must open our mouths and speak—but it is God’s Spirit that gives it power!
It is God, not the preacher. Everything depends on God.

The Proof of salvation is found: Acts 16:14-15 “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.”
This is the first conversion in Philippi and every conversion throughout the New Testament is accompanied with “Baptism!”

Peter said: Acts 2:38 “38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Some say they believe—but they have never been baptized—strange!

Not Being Baptized: is like those who live together but never get married! They can’t say that they are married! Marriage is a legal union between a “Man and a Women!” Baptism Legitimizes the relationship between you and God!

1st To Know God’s Will: You Must Be in the Right Camp!
2nd To Know God’s Will: You Must Be Willing To Change!
3rd To Know God’s Will: You Must Get In His Game

Did you know that the Church at Philippi was started and established because of this woman—Lydia receiving the Gospel from Paul?

We have the book of Philippians, which was written to those believers in the house of Lydia!
The book of Philippians is known as the “Joy Book!”

This church that you sit in today is in existence because of someone deciding to open their heart and open their ears and then their house to the Holy Spirit’s leadership!