“Acts 16:1-13”

Sunday, January 24, 2016

“Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily. They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.”

---End of Scripture verses---

It is so interesting to me that Paul took and had Timothy circumcised, then the two of them went around telling people that circumcision is not necessary. This is really a good illustration of the fact that being a Christian is all about giving up your rights in order to help other people prosper. Timothy was half Gentile and he had not been circumcised, even though he had been taught the Old Testament Scriptures since his childhood (2 Timothy 3:15). He had not been circumcised and he was still considered to be a faithful disciple (Christian) with a very good reputation (verses 1-2). It is obvious that circumcision wasn’t required for salvation for one who had already been saved, even though he was half Jewish. So why did Timothy willingly go through this painful procedure? Luke tells us that it was “because of the Jews in those parts” (verse 3). It was because he wanted no impediments to his influence and effectiveness when preaching the Gospel to the Jewish people who knew his background.

Paul wrote in 1 Cor 9:20-23 the following: “To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” Paul’s young protégé Timothy proved that he lived out the principle of “becoming all things to all men” in his life as well. We should do whatever we need to do and give up whatever we need to give up in order to help save peoples souls, as long as those things are not immoral or illegal.

Just a few quick words about the “Macedonian Call” and the events leading up to the Gospel first entering in to the continent of Europe. First of all, I’m not sure why God prohibited Paul and his companions from going into Asia “Minor” (verse 6) and Bithynia (verse 7) to preach the Gospel. What these verses do teach us, however, is that the Lord was directing the steps of these men as they were carrying the Good News throughout the world. God always knows what is best and His timing is always perfect. Secondly, the “Macedonian Call” is an appeal for help. The man in the vision pleaded with Paul to, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (verse 9). But what kind of help did the people in Macedonia need? Did Paul and his companions go there to help build houses in their communities, or gymnasiums or even church buildings in which they could meet together? No, they did none of these things. The understanding that Paul came to after seeing that vision was simply this: “God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (verse 10). God sent preachers and teachers into the mission fields of the world to teach people the truth. That is the help that all people need most desperately of all, and that is what these men were commissioned by the Lord to do. Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke at this point (in verse 10 he wrote “we”), along with other faithful teachers of the word, went and helped people with their greatest need. They helped and blessed them spiritually by teaching them the message of salvation.

Please read Acts 16:14-21 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

-Louie Taylor

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