Acts 15:36-16:10

Acts 15:36-16:10

• Context:
• Last time we saw where it was decided by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that they would not require the Gentile Christians to obey the Law of Moses.
• But something else came out of that meeting… it anchored the churches commitment to reaching out to the Gentiles with the gospel.
• Paul and Barnabas have returned to Antioch in Syria we don’t how long they worked together after returning from Jerusalem. They were there long enough to do a considerable amount of teaching and encouraging.
• Acts 15:36-41
• 36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord. 41 He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
  • Paul and Barnabas are both teaching and ministering but what do they find to be more called to and concerned with?
    • See Verse 36. They want to go back and check on the congregations they planted in Asia.
    • They both want to do this but what is the disagreement over?  Whether to take John Mark with them.
  • How bad was this disagreement?
    • Look at the word Luke uses concerning John Mark in verse 38 deserted…it turns into a sharp disagreement.
  • Why do you think Barnabas was so insistent to take John Mark with Him?
    • John Mark was His Nephew… Also it was in Barnabas’s nature to do this, he was forgiving, and affirming and accepting when dealing with others…remember he vouched for Paul before the apostles taking a chance on him.
  • How do you think the personalities of the two figured into their dispute?
    • I think they were about opposites…The Paul we find in Acts seems more direct and abrupt…the two of them together brought balance to each other’s natural tendencies.
  • Who do you think was at fault here? How would you resolve the problem?
    • Neither…they both had their own thinking on the issue. I don’t know how you resolve it if neither will give in or compromise.
  • Was it worth giving John Mark a second chance to proof he could handle the rough life has a missionary?
    • John Mark is important to us…he worked with Barnabas then the apostle Peter who gave him the information to write the gospel of Mark…also Mark ends up being there for Paul later in his life.
  • What did the church do about the disagreement?
    • See verse 40; Nothing, the church stayed out of it…it appears the church did not take sides but commended them to the work.  Notice there is no condemnation of Paul or Barnabas. The church learned 2 people can disagree without judging one another.
  • Where did they go?
    • Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul & Silas went through Syria and Cilicia. Notice this was strategic both went thru their native lands first.
  • What is the good that is going to come out of this dispute between Paul and Barnabas?
    • Two missionary journeys…How did Silas end up in Antioch?  He was one of the witnesses of the meeting evidently he stayed in Antioch rather than returning to Jerusalem.  By the way, Silas was a Roman citizen like Paul which allowed them to move around the Roman Empire.
• Acts 16:1-5
• Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
  • Who does Paul find in Lystra?
    • Timothy     
  • Why do you think Paul wants to take Timothy along with him?
    • Timothy could relate to Jews because of his mother and also non-Jews because of his Greek father.  He must be growing in the faith others spoke well of him.  Paul knew that it was important to train up others to carry the gospel.
  • Do you remember what happened in Lystra on the first missionary journey?
    • Paul was stoned and left for dead.  Some disciples were there who must have helped. Most likely tended his wounds. Some think that it may have been Timothy’s mother and grandmother who helped Paul…therefore Paul would have met Timothy on the first journey.
  • Why does Paul circumcise Timothy?
    • See 1 Corinthians 9:20-23: 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win those under the law. 21 To those who are without the law, like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. 23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings.
      • It was not for salvation. Timothy was already Christian. It was for evangelism…So not to offend the Jews in that area. Timothy would have been considered a Jewish outcast because having a Greek Father. By Timothy submitting to circumcision removes many barriers to sharing the gospel with the Jews. 
  • How important will Timothy become to Paul?
    • Very…Paul writes 2 long letters to Timothy and considered him a son in the faith.
  • What are the results of Paul’s visits?
    • See verse 5  5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
• Acts 16:6-10
• 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
  • Where did Paul want to take the gospel?
    • Bithynia.
  • Where did the Holy Spirit prevent Paul from preaching the gospel?
    • Asia. 
  • How did the Holy Spirit block and prevent Paul’s movement?
    • We don’t know.
  • Why did the Holy Spirit prevent Paul from preaching the gospel?
    • To protect them…That area may not have been ready or maybe the Lord has plans for someone else to take the gospel there.
  • Where did the Holy Spirit want him to go?
    • West
  • What becomes clear after the dream?
    • God is leading them to Greece or Macedonia.
• TAKE AWAY
  • God can bring good out of our failures…that does not mean God wants us to fail.
  • As Christians we should be able to disagree without vilifying one another or judging one another.
  • We should be looking for others to train in the service of the Lord?
  • Do we get frustrated when God does not lead the way we want to go?
  • How do you believe the Spirit of God influences and guides your life?