A New Trip, Acts 15:36-41; 16:1-15

This post concerns a new preaching trip for Paul.

A New Trip describes events on a second preaching tour.

Paul and Barnabus decided to see how congregations established earlier fared. Barnabus wanted to take John Mark. But Paul did not. Thus, a sharp disagreement caused Paul to choose Silas and go to Asia Minor while Barnabus and John Mark went to Cyprus.

When Paul came to Lystra and Derbe, he found a young convert, Timothy, Acts 16:3. “he…circumcised him because of the Jews… for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”

This circumcision occurred not for salvation, but for better acceptance by Jewish audiences.

Then, Paul tried to preach in northwest Asia Minor. But the Holy Spirit forbade him to turn to the right or the left. So, they pressed forward to Troas. Paul had a dream of someone in Macedonia wanting help. Therefore, they concluded that they should cross into Europe, arriving at Philippi.

No synagogue existed in Philippi. So, Paul preached to a group of women engaged in prayer by the riverside. He had success, Acts 16:14-15. “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia… a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul…she was baptized, and her household as well”

Several facts are important. First, it was rare to find a woman in business, especially one that worshiped God. Second, the Lord needed to remove some impediment from her heart to help her obey the Gospel.

Her heart problem may have been any one of several. We do not know.

But she may have had a prejudice against Jesus, due to His crucifixion. Paul, citing a few Old Testament passages such as Isaiah 53, may have taught her that the death of Jesus was prophesied. So, when she believed, she obeyed Peter’s instructions, Acts 2:38. “Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

Thus, God can use scripture to open hearts.

Let us use the Bible to instruct people today.

So, what did we learn?

1.Use the scriptures to open hearts today.

2.Salvation comes by believing, repenting and baptism.

For more on the Bible, click tdroberts.org or https://justchristian.com or https://podcastjustchristian.com

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