Acts 16:1-10

I. Discipleship lessons

a. Possible mistakes of Barnabas

i. Desire to take care of Mark causes him to be separated from the man God is using

ii. Not recommended by the church 16:4

iii. He is not mentioned again in Scripture

iv. Though we need men with the heart of Barnabas we need the balance of discipline from Paul

v. When it gets personal it is hard to take the right stand

b. Started in the home—every parent should take personally the responsibility to train their children to love God and to serve Him II Timothy 1:5

i. It is more caught than taught—so it matters more what you do than what you say

ii. It is not just teaching theory but more of practice so that they can see the application and live it II Timothy 3:15

iii. You must realize that they will love what you love and do what you do

c. True discipleship will give them a good reputation among the brethren 16:2

i. It is about far more than knowledge

ii. It is practice and behavior

d. Turn your disciple over to the next person who can take them further when the time comes 16:3, 3:30

e. A true disciple learns obedience in everything—even circumcision 16:3

f. He had a claim to freedom or the right not to be circumcised but many times though we can have the freedom we limit ourselves for the kingdom and cause of our God 16:3-4

i. It had been determined that they did not have to be circumcised

ii. They are delivering the letter that gave them freedom that they did not seek for themselves

II. Finding God’s will is not always so easy or clear even for an apostle

a. Attempts

i. First they visited their churches and left them a copy of the letter from Jerusalem 16:4

ii. They apparently want to preach in Asia but the Holy Spirit forbids them 16:6

iii. Then they try to go to Mysia but the Spirit stops them there too 16:7

b. Assuredly gathering

i. Paul has a vision about Macedonia 16:9

ii. He concludes that it is God’s will for Him to go there and so makes plans and seeks or attempts to go there 16:10

c. Lessons to be learned

i. Try to do something for God every place and chance you get Ecclesiastes 9:10

ii. You can not be sure where or when God is going to bless Ecclesiastes 11:6

iii. God is not going to use you everywhere you might think

iv. Though God doesn’t open one door of ministry to you keep trying

v. Know that the best we can do is attempt to do great things for God

vi. We can assuredly gather

d. Some mistakes in finding God’s will

i. Basing it upon emotions

ii. Basing it upon my desires, my comfort, my benefit Matthew 6:33

iii. Don’t go through every apparent open door

iv. How did the Spirit forbid and suffer not

1. Closing doors

2. Not giving them peace

v. Later they will go to Asia—it simply wasn’t God’s timing

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