THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
Increasingly, people are devoting anywhere from around forty thousand to more than eight million dollars to install a bunker on their property. The philosophy behind spending this much money is simple: in case of disaster, people want to be safe and comfortable, and to potentially be safe and comfortable for a long period of time.1
You may not be ready or able to shell out millions of dollars to install a bunker, but we can all relate to the desire for safety, stability, and comfort. These are all good desires, but if they are incorporated into a church, they can be counterproductive to the church’s mission.
Though the majority of churches in America are not closed to outsiders; many have a “bunker” mentality. They stay safe and warm on their own church property. They want other people to visit, however, and even get involved. They may even make guests feel welcome—if they come to church.
Unfortunately, most people never come to the church building. We need to come out of our church bunker, go where people are, and extend the invitation.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Acts 16:6-8
6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas.
Paul never had a bunker mentality. His entire life was devoted to going out and meeting people wherever they were with the message of the gospel. Sometimes that meant meeting Jews in the synagogue; other times it meant meeting Gentiles in the marketplace. How Paul presented the message of the gospel differed from occasion to occasion because he adapted his method to fit the audience (see 1 Cor. 9:20-22), but his core philosophy remained the same: don’t wait for them to come to you; go to where they are.
It’s important for us to see just how eager Paul was to reach others. He wanted to go into Asia, but the Spirit stopped him from doing so. This is the opposite of what many of us experience. We are hesitant to share because we’re concerned with getting the words right. So we look for some kind of divine confirmation that this is the right moment, and this is the right person. We should have the opposite perspective. The gospel should be so readily on the tip of our tongues that we reckon any moment is the right moment and any person is the right person. This was how Paul approached his life and ministry.
What might keep us from having that same kind of passion and perseverance in sharing the gospel?
- Prosperity. One of the most subtle but dangerous enemies of our passion and perseverance in evangelism is prosperity. Prosperity inevitably makes us feel comfortable—and the more comfortable we are, the more hesitant we are to do anything that might disrupt that sense of comfort. The temptation is to simply keep the status quo.
- Busyness. Going out to reach others for Christ will take time—a lot of time. And time is a scarce resource in our culture. If we want to be about the business of evangelism, then the time to witness to others is going to have to come from somewhere. We may have to rethink all our activities and rearrange our priorities to make time to do so.
- Faithlessness. One final obstacle to our passion and perseverance in evangelism is simply a lack of faith. Do we really believe the gospel has the power to change people’s lives? Perhaps our own lack of faith is one of the reasons it is sometimes difficult for us to tell others about Christ.
Compounding these obstacles of prosperity, busyness, and our lack of faith is the simple reality that sharing the gospel is not always a one-time conversation. Rather, it often requires an investment of time in a relationship that provides several opportunities not only to talk about the good news about Jesus, but also to faithfully model the gospel.
Acts 16:9-10
9 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Paul was constantly looking for an opportunity to share the gospel, and the Holy Spirit was faithful to give him a dream that specifically directed him to cross over into Macedonia. Paul immediately obeyed.
You probably won’t have a dream directing you to travel to a particular place, but the truth is you don’t need one. Jesus has already given us the clear command to go into the entire world and share the gospel as His witnesses. (See Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8.) What we need more than a dream is a posture of ready awareness.
To assume this posture of ready awareness, we must keep certain truths before us:
- Jesus is coming back. It could be today. Like now. Or now. Or now. Or maybe tomorrow. That’s kind of the point. Jesus taught a series of parables that all centered on His return and how His people should prepare. (See Matt. 24:4-41.) Then He declared in Matthew 24:42: “Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”
- Opportunities are all around us. God has gone before us to prepare opportunities for us to speak and demonstrate the truth of the gospel. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do” (Eph. 2:10).
- We have the tendency to drift. No one drifts toward Jesus. Instead, like a boat not anchored in the middle of the sea, unless we are actively and alertly fighting against it, we will always move away from our original position. “For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away” (Heb. 2:1).
Acts 16:11-15
11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
From this simple story, we learn a few key things about sharing Christ with others:
- Sharing Christ requires a verbal testimony. An old saying states: “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” Speaking the truth of the gospel has little effect if the words are not backed up by a lifestyle that exemplifies the love and compassion of Jesus. But this statement is erroneous if implying words isn’t necessary. Preaching the gospel always requires words.
- Responding to Christ requires the work of God. Paul and his companions did their part—they gave a faithful witness to the truth of the gospel. Lydia and the other women at the river were listening intently. And that’s when “the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.” This is an important truth: responding to Christ requires the work of God.
- Sharing Christ produces ripples. After Lydia believed, the effects of that gospel encounter began to ripple outward. Lydia believed—and so did her whole household! It was through those ripples that the believing community in Philippi grew and Philippians was eventually written. We should not underestimate the power a single conversation can have in the hands of God.
LIVE IT OUT
The church should not be a bunker. Instead, we must go where others are. Choose one of the following applications:
- Pray about fear. What is your biggest fear or apprehension about sharing the gospel with someone else? Share that fear with someone in your group and ask him or her to pray for you to overcome it.
- Seek the opportunity. Who is one person in your relational circle you know does not believe the gospel? Pray and look for the opportunity to share with that person.
- Serve together. Brainstorm with your group about practical ways you can go out together to serve and speak the word of the gospel.
To truly be a welcoming church, and to obey the commission of Jesus, we cannot sit around and wait for people to come into the church building. We must instead take the initiative and go to where the people are.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher's Notes:
Teacher's Notes:
Video: Welcome to Our Church
Where do you feel most safe?
- People are spending anywhere from $40,000 to more than $8M to install a bunker on their property. Why? In case of disaster, people want to be safe and comfortable.
- Now I can’t shell out millions of dollars or even $40,000 to install a bunker, but we can all relate to the desire for safety, stability, and comfort. These are all good desires.
- But you know what, if they are incorporated into a church, they can hurt the church’s mission.
- It’s a problem in many churches today, they’re not closed to outsiders, but they have a “bunker” mentality. They stay safe and warm on their own church property. They want other people to visit, and even get involved. They may even make guests feel welcome—if they come to church. But that’s where it ends.
- We need to get out of our church and go where people are, and then extend the invitation.
The words God, gospel, and good news all begin with the two letters "go."
- God, through his Son, Jesus Christ, left heaven to go to earth to provide the means of salvation for all humanity. Jesus's story that we know as the gospel or the good news is taken and proclaimed to all people. In fact, Jesus told his followers in what has been label the Great Commission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). The gospel story must be told. The good news must be delivered. The only way for that to happen is for God’s people to go.
- This was the life of Paul. No one did that better than the apostle Paul. Following his conversion and training, he spent his life going out into the world to proclaim the message of Jesus. He modeled for all believers what we should do daily to declare God's story. In this text, we learn of some of Paul’s travels and his intent to take the gospel wherever God led him. From this pivotal experience, we gain incredible insight into being sensitive to God’s leadership in going out with the gospel.
I. God’s leading supersedes our geography. Acts 16:6-8
They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas.
When have you wanted to do something for God, but God had another plan?
- Twice the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus prevented Paul and his companions from going where he wanted. Luke mentioned several place names, which are important, but secondary to Paul’s sensitivity to the Spirit’s leadership in his travels. How the Holy Spirit communicated with Paul is not provided. But God had other plans for Paul at this time. Paul took these roadblocks as divine guidance. Paul and his team were sensitive to the Spirit's leadership and direction. God is much more concerned about our obedience and faithfulness to him. When we are open to His guidance, we can share his gospel anywhere and anytime.
Two important points about Paul:
1. Paul never had a bunker mentality.
His entire life was devoted to going out and meeting people wherever they were with the message of the gospel. How Paul presented the message of the gospel differed from occasion to occasion because he adapted his method to fit the audience (see 1 Cor. 9:20-22), but his core philosophy remained the same: don’t wait for them to come to you; go to where they are.
2. Paul had a passion and perseverance for sharing the gospel.
It’s important for us to see just how eager Paul was to reach others. This is the opposite of what many of us experience. We are hesitant to share because we’re concerned with getting the words right. So, we look for some kind of divine confirmation that this is the right moment, and this is the right person. We should have the opposite perspective. The gospel should be so readily on the tip of our tongues that we reckon any moment is the right moment and any person is the right person. This was how Paul approached his life and ministry.
Why don’t we have that same kind of passion and perseverance in sharing the gospel?
- Prosperity. Prosperity makes us feel comfortable—and the more comfortable we are, the more hesitant we are to do anything that might disrupt that sense of comfort. The temptation is to simply keep the status quo.
- Busyness. Going out to reach others for Christ will take time—a lot of time. And time is a scarce resource in our culture. If we want to be about the business of evangelism, then the time to witness to others is going to have to come from somewhere. We may have to rethink all our activities and rearrange our priorities to make time to do so.
- Faithlessness. Do we really believe the gospel has the power to change people’s lives? Perhaps our own lack of faith is one of the reasons it is sometimes difficult for us to tell others about Christ.
II. God closes a door to open another. Acts 16:9-10
During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
When God closes a door, He opens a window. For Paul that window was in a dream where a man was begging him to come to Macedonia.
Again, it wasn't geography that concerned Paul as much as being obedient to God's leadership. He was going where God led.
Since the previous two roadblocks were Spirit directed, Paul assumed that this open door was from God’s leadership, too.
How does God tend to help you be aware of certain people who need Jesus?
- All people in all places needed to hear the gospel. Paul’s greater sensitivity was to communicating God’s message. He concluded that “God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” Their task was to go and to preach. Paul’s change of plans is reminiscent of other missionaries and Christian leaders who have set out in one direction only to be nudged or driven in a different direction. They embraced the opportunities given to them. When God directs, He opens doors, allowing the gospel to go forth to reach people with its life-changing message.
- Paul was constantly looking for an opportunity to share the gospel, and the Holy Spirit was faithful to give him a dream that specifically directed him to cross over into Macedonia. Paul immediately obeyed.
You probably won’t have a dream directing you to travel to a particular place, but the truth is you don’t need one. Jesus has already given us the clear command to go into the entire world and share the gospel as His witnesses. (See Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8.)
What we need more than a dream is a posture of ready awareness.
A posture of ready awareness keeps certain truths at heart:
· Jesus is coming back.
It could be today. Or maybe tomorrow. That’s kind of the point. Jesus taught a series of parables that all centered on His return and how His people should prepare. (See Matt. 24:4-41.) Then He declared in Matthew 24:42: “Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.” Billy Graham said last week, “Keep your bags packed – Packed and Ready to Go.”
· Opportunities are all around us.
God has gone before us to prepare opportunities for us to speak and demonstrate the truth of the gospel. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do” (Eph. 2:10).
· We have the tendency to drift.
No one drifts toward Jesus. Instead, like a boat not anchored in the middle of the sea, unless we are actively and alertly fighting against it, we will always move away from our original position. “For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away” (Heb. 2:1).
III. God accomplishes His plan in His way. Acts 16:11-15
From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
From this simple story, we learn 3 key things about sharing Christ with others:
· Sharing Christ requires a verbal testimony.
An old saying states: “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” Speaking the truth of the gospel has little effect if the words are not backed up by a lifestyle that exemplifies the love and compassion of Jesus. But this statement is erroneous if implying words isn’t necessary. Preaching the gospel always requires words.
· Responding to Christ requires the work of God.
Paul and his companions did their part—they gave a faithful witness to the truth of the gospel. Lydia and the other women at the river were listening intently. And that’s when “the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.” This is an important truth: responding to Christ requires the work of God.
· Sharing Christ produces ripples.
After Lydia believed, the effects of that gospel encounter began to ripple outward. Lydia believed—and so did her whole household! It was through those ripples that the believing community in Philippi grew and Philippians was eventually written. We should not underestimate the power a single conversation can have in the hands of God.
Paul wanted to go to Asia, the province in Asia Minor, but God closed that door. That does not mean that God did not want those people to hear the gospel message. In fact, He loved them as much as He did the people in Philippi, where Paul would preach next. Paul's customary practice in a new city was to visit the local Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath, to preach. Since there were not enough Jewish men in Philippi to justify a synagogue structure, they met outside the city gates along the Gangites river. What was going through Paul's mind, not finding a sizeable Jewish population to merit a synagogue? Paul joined the group, probably mostly women, for worship and waited for an opportunity to share the gospel story. The time came and Paul shared the message of Jesus. Of those present at Paul's preaching was a woman called Lydia, probably not her name but a nickname, indicating her home region. She was a gentile woman (God-fearer), and a successful business person. If you looked on a map, Lydia is a province in Asia. This woman had heard the gospel proclaimed by Paul and respond in faith. She was from of all places Asia, the very place Paul wanted to travel to preach but was prevented by the Holy Spirit. Ironically, Paul’s first convert in Europe was a woman from Asia. Not only was she converted but her household (children and servants) were saved too. And, they all would be traveling back to Asia to conduct their business. And, as they went, they would tell their story of how a man had come over from Troas to Philippi to tell them about Jesus.
Conclusion: God works in mysterious ways. Indeed, God will accomplish His purpose in His way in his time. Our responsibility is to be sensitive to God's leadership, realize that when God closes one door, He opens another, and know that God will accomplish His plan in His time and way.
1. Sharing Christ doesn’t have to be scary. When Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world, He didn’t necessarily mean that you have to give up everything and move to another country to be a witness for Him. In Matthew 28:19-20, commonly known as the Great Commission, Jesus simply meant, “as you go…” As you go about living your life, you look for opportunities to share the message of Christ with those you come into contact with regularly. Think of your family and friends. Do they all know Christ? What about your co-workers or fellow students? Have you ever talked with them about Christ?
2. God wants you to begin right where you are. Begin with the people you know and come in contact with daily. Talking about repentance and forgiveness is more difficult than inviting someone to Church. Christ never commanded the world to come to the church and learn. He commanded the church to go into the world and teach. He wants us to leave the four walls of our church buildings and take His message to people who have not come into the building.
3. Now, Get Outta here! When you get out of the church walls, and speak naturally about Christ, you will find that people aren’t as offended by the gospel as you might think. People are often pleasantly surprised when you naturally transition to talking about Christ without grabbing them by the collar and shouting, “ARE YOU SAVED?!” You don’t come off as “churchy.”
