Dedicated To The Men of God
Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
"HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED"
TEXT : PHILIPPIANS 4:15; ACTS 16:1-18
INTRODUCTION:
Acts 16 relates to us how the church at Philippi got started.
It is interesting to note that churches of today have not got their start as the church in Philippi. Many churches of today have come into being because of church splits, people could not get along with one another. But this was not how the church at Philippi started. (Philippians 4:15) "Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel..." It started with just a few converts. I'm glad that God deals individually and not collectively in saving sinners from their sins. The "beginning of the gospel" means that it started and continued to operate. Lydia and her household was saved, the damsel was saved, the jailer and his household was saved, yet their were untold numbers after them that got saved. It continued to work!
Before examining this thought let us look at three things that were important to the Philippian church:
1. Identity: (vs.15,33) "And when she was baptized, and her household...And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."
2. Charity: (vs.33-34)
3. Family: (vs.15,33-34)
Let us look how the church of Philippi got started: The
truths found here, not only are important for the starting of a church: they are important for the continuation of the church!
I. THE (VOICE) SPIRIT CONTROLLING
(vs.6-8) It is evident from these verses that there was a regular, consistent, and constant leading of the Spirit of God for Paul's life! Note the amazing occurrences: (vs.6) "...and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia... (vs.7)
...they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not."
Not only are the Steps of a good man ordered by the Lord but also the Stops of a good man are ordered by the Lord!
Sometimes the Spirit Restrains before He Constrains!
Sometimes the Spirit says No before He says Go!
Sometimes we are Forbidden of the Spirit before we are Bidden by the Spirit.
Sometimes the Holy Ghost Prevents our going before He Prevails upon us to go!
Paul and Silas were:
A. Sensitive to the Holy Ghost: They were tuned in to the
frequency of heaven. To listen to a station you have to do more than turn your radio on. You must tune in to the frequency it sends out.
B. Surrendered to the Holy Ghost: They obeyed his bidding.
C. Sweet Toward the Holy Ghost: They could have got frustrated but did not!
II. THE (VISION) OF THE SINNER CRYING
III. THE (VIRTUE) OF THE SALVATION CONVERTING
The word "convert" means to become changed in character, to alter, to transform. Here we find Salvation Converting:
A. Sinners: Here we find three different sinners who are transformed, who turn from a sinful life to a righteous life! It is amazing how salvation operates and works for all different kinds of people. First we have Salvation Converting a:
1. Cultured Sinner: (vs.13-15) Lydia was a business woman who apparently was successful. She was a seller of purple. Probably she was a woman of wealth.
a. Salvation Incredible: It is unbelievable, it is amazing, that a woman would come from Thyatira (city in Asia) to Philippi, and then get saved. (Note Stella's testimony)
b. Salvation Initiated: (vs.14) "...whose heart the Lord opened..."
c. Salvation Influencing: (vs.15) "...And when was baptized..."
2. Captive Sinner: (vs.16-18)
a. She is a Sinner Chained:
(1). Bound by Slavery: Social ill but not her real problem. First sin separated Man from God, second sin separated man from man. (Cain killed Abel.) We must get right with God before we will get right with our fellowman! Paul majored on her spiritual problem, not her social problem! Church emphasizing feeding sinners instead of leading them to a saving knowledge of Christ. Church has fell into the world's current of emphasizing the Education of Sinners rather than emphasizing the Salvation of Sinners!
(2). Bound by Satan: She was possessed with a demonic power. She was controlled by the power of sin. The sinner cannot help but sin. That is not an excuse for sin, but it just states a fact. Before you were saved, you were a slave to sin and its practice.
b. She is a Sinner Changed:
(1). Thru the Intervention of the Saving Gospel: (vs.18) cf.Acts 4:12--"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
(2). The Revelation of Sinful Greed: (vs.19- 23) There are businesses that ought to be destroyed. Businesses that trade on people's lusts and wicked desires, undermining society, wrecking homes, ruining health, and spreading disease.
Businesses which peddle drugs, sell liquor and beer, sell porno- graphy, promote gambling, and sell sex.
3. Callused Sinner: (vs.23-34) The word callused means to be hardhearted, cold, indifferent, insensitive, unfeeling, untouched, etc.
a. The Jailor Awakened to Salvation: Thru:
(1). Practice of Godliness: (Testimony) Paul and Silas praying and singing in the prison.
(2). Power of God: (Tremor) The earthquake was a divine miracle. It did not tear down walls or ceilings but opened doors and unloosed bands!
b. The Jailor Appealing for Salvation: vs.27-32
The Philippian jailer was staring death in the face. He was about to commit suicide.
c. The Jailer Applying Salvation: vs.33-34
B. Situations: What should have been their defeat, God changed to victory. What should have been their downfall, God changed to their uplifting. What should have been sorrow for Paul and Silas, God made joy for them. Note five truths manifested thru this experience:
1. The Prayer and Praise to God is Rendered:
2. The Promise of God is Reliable: (Mat.18:19-20)
"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I (THE I AM) in the midst of them."
3. The Power of God is Revealed:
4. The Purpose of God is Realized: The salvation of the jailer. Here is the "man of Macedonia."
5. The Perseverance for God is Rewarding: They were in PAIN yet they did not COMPLAIN; they were in the COLD yet they did not FOLD; they were SORE yet they BORE; they were in the NIGHT yet they did not lose SIGHT; they were BLEEDING yet they were not SUCCEEDING; they were CHAINED yet they MAINTAINED.
Sermon From Steve Dagenhart- Pastor Calvary Baptist Church - Taylorsville, NC --USA
