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May 28, 2017

The Leading of God

The Leading of God

Passage: Acts 16:1-19

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Acts: The Perpetual Power of the Gospel

What is God’s will for my life? Where should I go and what should I do? Either overtly or covertly we all ask these questions in the effort to make the most of our lives. We see in this passage how God mysteriously, purposefully and successfully blocks and opens paths as he uses broken people to bring hope and healing to the most shocking and diverse people and places. This simultaneously draws us into awe of God and his power as well as bold humility as we see him changing the world through us.
Worship Order

Call To Worship: Psalm 143:1,8,10 ESV

Songs: All Who Are Thirsty, My Hope Is In the Lord, Spirit Speaks

Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 & Proverbs 16:9 ESV

Illustration: Drama - Still Small Vineyard

Sermon Title:  The Leading of God

Central Text: Acts 16:1-19 ESV

Illustration: Jeep-Recalculating

Prayer: The Spirit’s Work (adapted from The Valley of Vision)

Closing: Romans 8:14-16 ESV

Scripture Readings

Pre-Service Text: Acts 16:6-8 ESV
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

 

Call To Worship: Psalm 143:1,8,10 ESV
ALL: 1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

 

LEADER: 8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

 

ALL: 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

 

Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 & Proverbs 16:9 ESV
LEADER: 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

 

ALL: The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

 

Central Text: Acts 16:1-19 ESV
Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the (“true”) way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the rulers.

 

Sermon Title:  The Leading of God

 

Prayer: The Spirit’s Work (adapted from The Valley of Vision)
 
LEADER:  O Holy Spirit, move upon our hearts again with the good news of Christ.

 

ALL:  Be our Illuminator, Reminder, and Sanctifier; making known the beauty of “it is finished.”

 

LEADER:  Work in us the never ending truths and grace in Christ; finding volumes in His living Word.

 

ALL: Deepen these saving lessons and lead us in the way everlasting.

 

Closing: Romans 8:14-16 ESV
LEADER: 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

 

ALL: 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

Post-Service Text: Psalm 143:8 ESV
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

 

Related Scriptures:
 
Acts 17:26
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

 

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 Discussion Questions

  1. When you were younger, what did you think you would do with your life? What did you really want to accomplish?
  2. How have you (do you) struggle with knowing God’s will for your life?
  3. When you look back, how can you see God’s orchestration of your paths?
  4. What is the struggle and the freedom of knowing that God directs our paths?
  5. How does Jesus’ struggle with the Father’s path in the Garden (Luke 22:41-44 - “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”) gives us perspective and trust in God’s perfect plans?
  6. From a totally macro point of view (not details), what does God want to do through you (consider question 5 in this answer)?
  7. Who in your daily, regular life can God love through you? How? When?
  8. How does this all then give you freedom when you consider what you should and where you should go?

Book Resource

The Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
Question 1. What is the chief end of man?

 

Answer. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Related Sermons

Life in the Spirit by Hunter Dockery

Acts 13

 

How the Gospel Changes Lives - Part 1 by John Lin

Acts 16:1-19

 

Walk by the Spirit by John Piper

Galatians 5:19-26

 

The Word and the Spirit by Timothy J. Keller

Acts 4:23-37

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