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Philippians: Ode to JoyPart 1

By Samuel E. Ward

Introduction

Eighteenth century Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote in a poem entitled, To a Mouse,

“The best laid schemes of Mice and Menoft go awry,

And leave us nothing but grief and pain,For promised joy!”

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The truth of the matter is found in . . .

(Prov 16:9 NIV) In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

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I. From Antioch of Syria to Philippi

A. The Original Plan—Paul desired to visit the churches, Acts 15:36-41

(Acts 15:36-41 NIV) Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." {37} Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,

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{38} but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. {39} They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, {40} but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. {41} He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

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B. The New Partner—Timothy was added to the missionary team, Acts 16:1-3

(Acts 16:1-3 NIV) He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. {2} The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. {3} Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

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C. The New Direction—Paul and the team were sent to Macedonia due to a vision, Acts 16:7-11.

(Acts 16:7-11 NIV) When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. {8} So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

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{9} During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." {10} After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. {11} From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis.

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We must be careful not to interpret closed doors as lack of God’s presence or interest. There is a providence at work to which we are not privy. Timing is everything and our labors are not unrewarded.

(1 Cor 15:58 NIV) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

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Waiting for the right opportunity to witness is not a biblical concept. Opportunities abound.

(John 4:34-36 NIV) "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. {35} Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. {36} Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."

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1. We all have been called.

(Mat 28:19-20 NIV) "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

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2. We might be re-directed by circumstances .

(Mark 16:19-20 NIV) After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. {20} Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

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D. The First European Convert, Lydia, Acts16:12-16.

(Acts 16:12-15 NIV) From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. {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.

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{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. {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.

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II. From the Place of Prayer to a Place of Praise (w/stopover in

jail)

A. The Demon Who Did the Unexpected, Acts 16:16-17.

(Acts 16:16-17 NIV) Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

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{17} This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved."

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Just because you or a demon can speak “gospelese” and even believe the basic facts concerning the gospel doesn’t mean that you have placed your faith in Christ.

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(James 2:19-22 NIV) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. {20} You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? {21} Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? {22} You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

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B. The Charlatans Who Did Exactly the Expected, Acts 16:18-23.

(Acts 16:18-23 NIV) She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. {19} When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.

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{20} They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar {21} by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice." {22} The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. {23} After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.

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Josh McDowell and Don Stewart have offered five reasons people reject the gospel:

1. Their ignorance of the facts of the gospel2. The simplicity of the gospel3. The expectation that life will be boring4. The guilt related to sin that the gospel

naturally exposes5. Their love of sin6. Their self-centeredness and inability to see

their need for Christ 21

Acts 16:18-23 reveals another we might add to the list.

7. Their business would be affected.

Think of all the businesses that would be hurting in our society if people suddenly stopped purchasing certain products and participating in certain activities that are inconsistent with Christian principles.

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C. The Missionaries Who Found Freedom in Praise, Acts 16:24.

1. Paul and Silas were alert to every opportunity to witness.

(Acts 16:24-25 NIV) Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. {25} About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

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2. God is ready to use every opportunity we take to witness, Acts 16:26-29.

(Isa 55:9-11 NIV) "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. {10} As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, {11} so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

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It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

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3. God is not opposed to initiating a physical crisis to awaken unbelievers to a deeper spiritual need.

(Acts 16:26-29 NIV) Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.

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{27} The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. {28} But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" {29} The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

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4. Humans are most prone to call on God when in a crisis they cannot control.

(Acts 16:30-32 NIV) He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" {31} They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." {32} Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

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5. God sometimes proves His power to save spiritually by bringing us through physical crises.

(Acts 16:33-34 NIV) At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. {34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.

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C. God often does more with our crises than we expect—Remember, it’s not over until God says it’s over.

1. The magistrates thought it was over—It wasn’t.

(Acts 16:35-36 NIV) When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." {36} The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace." 30

2. The missionaries properly claimed their rights as citizens—As they should.

(Acts 16:37 NIV) But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out."

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3. The magistrates were alarmed—As they deserved to be.

(Acts 16:38-40 NIV) The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. {39} They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. {40} After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.

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Conclusion:

“When one door closes, another opens, but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.”

-Alexander Graham Bell

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"Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home."

C. S. Lewis

Each day is a brand new opportunity to be Jesus to the world.

- R. Falcon

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I would add a sentence to Falcon’s

remarks.

“Don’t waste any!”

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