Acts 16:11-15

                                                         Acts 16:11-15

From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.  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.  One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.  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.

Paul knew God was calling his team to go to Macedonia, but it is a big region.  It does not appear that God directed him to a particular place in Macedonia, so it is interesting to observe the choices Paul made.  There seems to be a logical strategy from which we can learn.  It would be a stretch to say this is a strategy the Bible teaches so it should be followed today.  Rather, I think it better to simply look to what Paul did as a demonstration of wisdom that provides some instructive principles.

 

PAUL SAILS TO A LEADING CITY: Perhaps the first thing we can notice about Paul’s strategy is that he chooses to go to the leading city of the region.  Paul recognized that he would not be able to plant churches in all the places of a particular region.  It would be the task of the churches he planted to reach the unreached places that were in their area of the world.  The most likely place from which a movement in a region would start was the major cities.  They had a larger population and would be the destination of people all over the region who would come to market their goods and purchase other goods.  Paul’s hope would be that those in the larger cities would be more likely to have the resources to go out to the smaller cities and that those from the smaller cities would be more likely to come to the larger places.  The goal was for the Gospel to spread as fast and far as possible.

 

PAUL SEARCHES FOR A PLACE OF PRAYER: Apparently there was not a synagogue in Philippi.  It was Paul’s normal custom to go the place of worship of the Jews first whenever he went to a place.  Instead, he went to a place by the river that he had learned was where people gathered for prayer.  We don’t know if these were Jews who gathered here or if they were praying to some Greek or Roman god.  Paul most likely went to this place because people who gather for prayer are seeking God is some way.  It might be the wrong way, but the fact that they are praying would make them open to hearing the truth.  Only God can fill and transform the lives of men.  Those who follow gods have an interest and awareness of spiritual things but will be left feeling empty.  This makes them ideal candidates to follow the Lord Jesus.  As we seek to tell others about Christ, it is wise to seek for people in whom the Spirit of God is already at work.

 

PAUL STAYS WITH A NEW BELIEVER: Paul met Lydia at the place of prayer, and she ended up hosting Paul and his team in her home.  God always has a means of providing for His servants in ways that cannot be foreseen.  It is one of those win win situations where Lydia was blessed by hosting these godly men, who were also blessed by her hospitality.  The Spirit of God was at work in this situation.  He continues to work in these ways today.  It is amazing how the Lord provides in so many different ways.  We can serve the Lord with confidence that He will meet our needs.  We can also be greatly blessed by meeting the needs of the Lord’s servants.  Lydia was blessed by salvation that came into her life and her entire home.  Living for the Lord is such a wonderful blessing.  

 

APPLICATION: Strategy is important to consider as we seek to reach the unreached with the Gospel. Choosing the right place to plant a church and going to strategic places in our target area is wise.  Trust God to provide for our needs as we serve Him.  Share willingly of our resources to further the Gospel and make our homes places of great hospitality.

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