Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 16
1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.
A Call from Macedonia
6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.
A Call from Macedonia
6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
Commentary:
16:1 Probably Timothy, his mother, and his grandmother had been led to Christ upon Paul’s first witness in Lystra (14:8–23; cf. 2 Tim. 1:5). Having a Greek father, Timothy had not been circumcised, though by Jewish law the child of a Gentile father and Jewish mother was considered Jewish.
16:3 because of the Jews who were in those places. Paul never abandoned his Jewish heritage, and so he circumcised Timothy. It was all the more necessary if Timothy was to join his mission. He did not want to fight on nonessentials (1 Cor. 9:19–21). Paul always began in the synagogues, and to have an uncircumcised Jew with him would have made any witness to Jews much more difficult. (Since Timothy had grown up in this region, the Jews would have known of his mixed family background.)
16:4 The decisions of the Jerusalem council were addressed specifically to believers in Antioch and throughout Syria and Cilicia (15:23), but since the issue of Gentile converts affected all the churches, Paul reported those decisions as he traveled through other cities as well.
16:5 As is frequent in Acts, the section ends with reference to the growth of the church.
16:6–10 Paul Is Called to Macedonia. Through divine direction Paul was led to the town of Troas, where he received a vision directing him to witness in the Greek province of Macedonia.
16:6–7 Paul’s route is not altogether clear. After revisiting his earlier field, undoubtedly traveling on the Via Sebaste (a Roman military road), he proceeded farther west into Phrygia. Had he continued in that direction he would have traveled through Asia with its prosperous coastal cities like Ephesus. The Spirit of Jesus prevented this, and he went north through Mysia. He was also prevented from witnessing in Bithynia.
16:6 having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. From Antioch in Pisidia Paul and Timothy traveled far northward, and then westward. Natural human wisdom would have led them to think they should preach the gospel in all the cities that they passed through, but instead the Holy Spirit directed them on a 400-mile (644-km) journey by foot to Troas (v. 8). They must have had a strong sense of the Spirit’s direct guidance and concluded that he would guide others to preach the gospel in the northern regions of Asia and in Bithynia (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1, where Peter writes to churches in that region).
16:7 the Spirit of Jesus. Another name for the Holy Spirit, who had been sent by Jesus to the church in new power at Pentecost (2:33; cf. John 15:26).
16:8 Troas was a major Aegean port 14 miles (23 km) south of ancient Troy, and the primary Asian harbor for ships destined for Macedonia. The harbor of Troas is still visible, although it is silted over. Ongoing excavations at the site of Troas have yielded a pagan temple and an adjacent agora (marketplace) from the time of Paul. Though not very distant in nautical miles, Macedonia was a different part of the world—Europe—instead of the East, to which the gospel had hitherto been confined.
16:3 because of the Jews who were in those places. Paul never abandoned his Jewish heritage, and so he circumcised Timothy. It was all the more necessary if Timothy was to join his mission. He did not want to fight on nonessentials (1 Cor. 9:19–21). Paul always began in the synagogues, and to have an uncircumcised Jew with him would have made any witness to Jews much more difficult. (Since Timothy had grown up in this region, the Jews would have known of his mixed family background.)
16:4 The decisions of the Jerusalem council were addressed specifically to believers in Antioch and throughout Syria and Cilicia (15:23), but since the issue of Gentile converts affected all the churches, Paul reported those decisions as he traveled through other cities as well.
16:5 As is frequent in Acts, the section ends with reference to the growth of the church.
16:6–10 Paul Is Called to Macedonia. Through divine direction Paul was led to the town of Troas, where he received a vision directing him to witness in the Greek province of Macedonia.
16:6–7 Paul’s route is not altogether clear. After revisiting his earlier field, undoubtedly traveling on the Via Sebaste (a Roman military road), he proceeded farther west into Phrygia. Had he continued in that direction he would have traveled through Asia with its prosperous coastal cities like Ephesus. The Spirit of Jesus prevented this, and he went north through Mysia. He was also prevented from witnessing in Bithynia.
16:6 having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. From Antioch in Pisidia Paul and Timothy traveled far northward, and then westward. Natural human wisdom would have led them to think they should preach the gospel in all the cities that they passed through, but instead the Holy Spirit directed them on a 400-mile (644-km) journey by foot to Troas (v. 8). They must have had a strong sense of the Spirit’s direct guidance and concluded that he would guide others to preach the gospel in the northern regions of Asia and in Bithynia (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1, where Peter writes to churches in that region).
16:7 the Spirit of Jesus. Another name for the Holy Spirit, who had been sent by Jesus to the church in new power at Pentecost (2:33; cf. John 15:26).
16:8 Troas was a major Aegean port 14 miles (23 km) south of ancient Troy, and the primary Asian harbor for ships destined for Macedonia. The harbor of Troas is still visible, although it is silted over. Ongoing excavations at the site of Troas have yielded a pagan temple and an adjacent agora (marketplace) from the time of Paul. Though not very distant in nautical miles, Macedonia was a different part of the world—Europe—instead of the East, to which the gospel had hitherto been confined.
Questions:
- After Paul split from Barnabas, he brought Timothy in to join him. They went from town to town letting people know what the council had decided in Jerusalem: that salvation is through grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone. The churches were strengthened in their faith and they grew in numbers! The grace of God is why we sing, why we pursue the Lord, why people get saved, why missionaries give their lives so that others can hear about it. Our job is the preach the gospel. God's job is to do the rest. Are you spending your life to preach the gospel? When was the last time you shared your faith with someone? Is there someone in your life that needs what you have?
- In verse 6 we see that Paul was prevented by the Spirit from going to Asia. He was going one direction and God says, "No, not there." Paul was in a place where he was hearing, "No, no no" from God. He had to be wondering what God was doing and where He wanted him to go. God had Paul in a holding pattern. He was telling him to wait and to trust in His plan. Have you ever been there? Are you in a holding pattern now? Do you need to learn to trust in God's plan and timing?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would be a disciple that preaches the gospel.
- That you would learn to trust God's timing.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
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