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Main Idea
God is sovereignly at work through all of man’s circumstances.
The Bible is full of redeemed situations with imperfect people. Think about the despair Naomi must have felt when her husband and sons died. And yet, God brought Ruth and Boaz. Think about David’s colossal failure with Bathsheba, and yet, he was still a man after God’s own heart. Think about the dread the three Hebrew men felt as they were forced to decide to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s stature or face the flames. They weren’t saved from being thrown into the fire but were saved in the midst of it by the fourth man there with them – Jesus. If they hadn’t stood their ground, we wouldn’t have that beautiful appearance of Christ in the Old Testament.
The beautiful truth in these stories (and many more), is that God is sovereignly at work through all of man’s circumstances. Nothing happens without His purposes in mind, not even in today’s passage.
Passage
Acts 15:36–16:10 ESV
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 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. 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. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 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.” 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.
Outline
I – Man’s division, God’s provision
II – Sacrificial Service
III – Spirit-directed evangelism
I – Man’s division, God’s provision
Where we left off
When we left off, these two men were teaching and preaching the word in Antioch. The gathered body of believers rejoiced in their retained freedom in Christ without being shackled to adherence to all the Mosaic laws and circumcision. As they unpacked these clarified truths and how they were to live in a blended Christian community with Jews and Gentiles, they became convinced that the church plants in Asia Minor needed to be informed of these same glorious truths. They, too, needed to be equipped with the same sound doctrine and unified Christian fellowship.
Paul and Barnabas argue over John Mark
So, as Barnabas and Paul started to create their travel itinerary, outline their agendas, and discuss who might accompany them, Barnabas put John Mark’s name in the pot. Paul looks at this and wants to put his name in the shredder. If you remember, John Mark parted ways with the other two on the shores of Asia Minor in Pamphylia. We can only speculate why [some speculate that he was a Judaizer but later accepted the Council’s decision. Others say he couldn’t handle the rigors of missionary life]. Whatever the motivation was, Paul viewed this as an act of abandonment and did not want to give this deserter a second chance. This initiates an argument between our two missionary all-stars. Paul demonstrates discernment and conviction while Barnabas exercises love and forgiveness (plus, it’s his cousin). We can respect Paul’s concern and empathize with Barnabas’ compassion.
The disagreement separates them
There was such a sharp disagreement that they separated.
sharp disagreement – paroxysmós – provoke, to spur, to stir to anger, irritation, stimulation
1. negative connotation to irritate or stir someone to anger (this context).
2. positive connotation to stimulate, stir up, provoke as found in Hebrews:
Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
This begs the question: Who is right?
Wrong question. Situations like this are rarely that black and white. Instead, ask yourself: What should I learn from this?
Luke is neutral on this matter. Both men show aspects of God’s nature. God is wise and discerning. He makes judgment calls and decisions based on His holy convictions. He is also a God of forgiveness and compassionate love. Just look to the cross as the ultimate demonstration of selfless, sacrificial love. One isn’t necessarily right, and the other is wrong. It is simply how the hand was dealt. The sad reality of this situation is that a great team was divided. There is no way to apply a new veneer or cast it in a better light. The issue of John Mark brought division. And sadly, that happens in ministry all the time.
Barnabas took John Mark and traveled west to Cyprus, Barnabas’ birthplace. And, when Barnabas cuts ties and sails away, he sails out of recorded history. We don’t see him in the Book of Acts again.
Paul took Silas and traveled north to Syria and Cilicia, the regions mentioned in the Council’s letter. Some say Paul followed the trail of Judaizers north to the newly planted churches. Paul put the bus in reverse during his first journey and re-visited the planted churches instead of taking this route home. On the second journey, he intentionally travels through the rocky terrain of the Taurus Mountains and the Cilician Gates, a narrow path through the mountains.
This separation reminds us that even Paul and Barnabas – the early heroes of the faith – were human. We are human and will, therefore, have arguments and disagreements over people, decisions, and doctrine. These men provide us with two godly vantage points, and we should strive to handle tense situations with grace, wisdom, and compassion, depending on the Holy Spirit to guide our thinking so that the outcome of being provoked is in the Hebrews 10:24 sense, not the Acts 15:29 sense.
God uses the separation to equip other leaders
There is a silver lining to this quarrel, however. There are two missionary teams now, and other young men are groomed for leadership and equipped as a result.
• Silas was mentored by Paul
• Timothy would be mentored by Paul
• John Mark would get a second chance and be mentored by Barnabas. Praise God, he did because he plays a vital role in the church. Paul speaks well of him in other letters, so we see reconciliation eventually (Col. 4:10; Philemon 24; 2 Tim. 4:11).
Despite the unfortunate division of these two godly men, they remained unified on the mission: to bring the gospel to the nations.
Consider this moment: What would our Christian worldview lack if these men were never equipped? We wouldn’t have the gospel of Mark, Silas’ contributions to Peter and Paul’s writings, or Paul’s two letters to Timothy. I challenge you to read those books in the coming weeks and discover the theological depths that would be missing had this event not occurred.
Some of life’s greatest moments are born out of our greatest failures. We all fail at certain points in our lives, but it can be these painful times where we grow the most because we are forced to cling to God with all our might. All things work toward God’s purposes. He doesn’t think like we do. I’m sure the early church never would have guessed that the gospel would spread outward from Jerusalem through martyrdom and persecution, yet that is how God designed it. His ways are far different and superior, so when things don’t go how we think they should and confuse us – rejoice! That’s a good sign that God is the one at work. The gospel advanced, even through this sad departure.
Be encouraged that though we only have our human perspective, God sees it all and redeems all situations. God is sovereignly at work through all of man’s circumstances.
And the Spirit sovereignly guides Paul to his next protege.
II – Sacrificial Service
Paul recruits Timothy
We don’t know if Paul met Timothy on this trip or his previous trip. What matters is who Timothy is. We know from 2 Tim. 1:5 and 3:14-15 that he grew up in the faith under the spiritual care of his mother, Eunice, and grandmother Lois. They set a firm foundation in the Old Testament scriptures for his spiritual growth and eventually pointed him to Christ. We know this because Timothy is called a disciple and the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer (in Christ).
And, what’s more, Timothy had a good reputation with the church in Lystra and Iconium. Even though he was young (we see Paul address that in one of his letters), Timothy was a righteous and upstanding man in the faith. Just listen to how Paul speaks of him in his letter to the Philippians (whom they are about to visit):
Philippians 2:19–24 ESV
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
The one issue Paul must deal with is the impact of Timothy’s Greek father. This one fact would have given him a lower status in the eyes of the Jews, especially since neither parent adhered to the covenant of circumcision. This posed a severe hindrance in their outreach to the Jewish people.
Paul circumcises Timothy
Why? Didn’t Paul just reject circumcision as a requirement for salvation? What gives?
This is a crucial distinction. Timothy was limited in his witness to the Jews because of his Greek dad. Culturally, he was Jewish because his mother was Jewish and he was raised Jewish, but Daddy failed to have him circumcised as a baby. He could have corrected that later in his life, but he didn’t, so it’s possible he could have been considered an apostate (or one who has turned away from Judaism altogether). If that is the case, having him as a companion could have even prohibited Paul from entering certain synagogues. With Timothy in his current state, the ministry to the Jews was shut down. This is where we see Paul and Timothy living out Paul’s own convictions he would later write to the believers in Corinth:
1 Corinthians 9:19–23 ESV
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
This was not an attempt to adhere to the Mosaic law to become a Christian or a cave under pressure from the circumcision party (as was the case for another believer named Titus). This was becoming like the Jews in order to win the Jews… to remove any roadblocks on the highway to the synagogues so Timothy could speak with respect and authority to the Jews. It was a cultural step, not a salvific one.
This shows just how badly Paul still wants to reach his Jewish brothers and sisters.
This results in another positive report about the Church
Evidently, this strategy worked because the church grew. It is here that Luke gives his 5th status update:
1- Acts 2:46-47
2- Acts 6:7
3- Acts 9:31
4- Acts 12:24
5- Acts 16:5
“The churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” Praise God that He is sovereignly at work through all man’s circumstances, even when things don’t look like they should.
Don’t let this passage cause you to think that we must earn God’s favor. Timothy already had Christ before Paul arrived. He was already a disciple. But he made sacrifices to become a more effective witness. Brothers and sisters, we are free in Christ, saved by His grace alone. Praise God! But, as we live out our faith, we should always seek ways to witness to others in a way that will best connect with them, even if that means making willing sacrifices of time, resources, and energy.
With two new recruits on his team, Paul sets his sights on other, un-evangelized regions of the Roman Empire.
III – Spirit-directed evangelism
Paul desires to enter new territory
After traveling further north in the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, Paul wanted to push farther into Asia (westward), where the well-known cities of Ephesus and Laodicea are, and to Bithynia (to the north), which was a region in the north of modern-day Turkey, which was a senatorial province, and wealthy area. As an FYI – as a contrast – Philippi (where they were headed) was poor—something to dig into at a later time, no doubt.
The Holy Spirit sovereignly forbids it
Twice, the Holy Spirit forbids Paul to move forward:
1. Forbidden on their way from Galatia to Asia by the Holy Spirit.
2. Not allowed when attempting to travel north into Bithynia by the Spirit of Jesus. Did you notice the change in title? I think this is Luke’s not-so-subtle way of reminding Theophilus and his readers that Jesus is the one who sent the Spirit (John 15:26) and is called out here as still playing an active role in empowering His people to carry out the Great Commission. In fact, by mentioning Christ, Luke has given sovereign credit to the entirety of the Trinity. God calls, Jesus sends, and the Spirit guides. That is a powerful truth.
As a result, they pass through Mysia and arrive in the port town of Troas.
The Holy Spirit guides through a vision
It is Troas where Paul has a vision in the night. We are told that a man from Macedonia (modern-day Greece and the birthplace of Alexander the Great) is calling Paul to where he is. I see this as Paul on the eastern shores of the Aegean Sea, looking over the bay to the other side where he can see a man waving his arms to get his attention, and once he has it, he cups his hands over his mouth, begging for help. “Come over here and help us!” This is yet another connector that parallels Paul’s life to Peter’s.
So, three weeks later, they set sail, right? No! Immediately, Paul listened to the direction of the Spirit, concluding that God had called them to go there and preach the gospel. And not only Paul, but Luke as well. Did you notice how Luke changed the pronouns in verse 10 to ‘we’ and ‘us.’ Luke is not only along for the ride but is also one of the ‘called ones’ to preach the gospel in Macedonia. Be on the lookout for the ‘we’ passages because there are times when Luke indicates that he is there – boots on the ground – being a part of the story as a reliable eyewitness.
This is another passage of many we have already seen that God is sovereignty working out his plan in human history. We may not get a vision or hear an audible word from the Holy Spirit of God that we should go here and not there. That doesn’t mean He isn’t doing this same thing today. He does. Our side looks different, but His doesn’t. I think we might describe His guidance as Him opening and closing doors. We don’t often get this level of clarity in our own lives, but God is as sovereign today as He was 2,000 years ago, amen?
Our takeaway is in how we handle His work. Earlier, we learned a few different vantage points on how to handle conflict. Here, we must learn how to be willing to have our plans frustrated so that God’s plan will become apparent. God prioritized Macedonia over Asia. Maybe He doesn’t want you to take that new job or move to that new town. Maybe His answer to your prayer (the one you think is going unanswered) is a no: not because He doesn’t love you, but because He has other plans, and at the end of the day, do you want to carry out your plans, or His?