This post by christinecoltman was originally published at GRACE PLACE
A Different Trajectory – Acts 16:6-34
The gospel reaches Europe during Paul’s second missionary journey; continuing the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ and the fulfilment of his commission to be witnesses to ‘the ends of the earth’.
Big idea: The Holy Spirit directs and leads Paul and his companions on a different trajectory to the one they had planned, in order to reach those who needed to hear the good news in HIS timing. We can trust God to guide us as we keep in step with the Spirit and follow where he leads.
1. Ice breaker: Share a time when you felt the LORD’s direction clearly leading you; how did you know?
Read Acts 16:6-10
2. In v 6-7 Paul and his companions have set out with the goal of strengthening and encourage the believers in the churches they planted in the first missionary journey (Acts 15:35). However, they encounter two ‘closed door’ moments.
a) Can you identify these?
b) They would have been walking huge distances (taking weeks or months), only to meet another ‘closed door’. How might they have felt?
c) How does this challenge our expectation of how God speaks and directs us today?
3. In v9-10 Paul has a dramatic vision; we see the Spirit’s direction has moved from ‘don’t go there’ to ‘come here’. How does Paul respond? (NB. Note the use of ‘we’ for the first time in the book of Acts, and the meaning of the word conclude in the Greek here means to draw a conclusion based upon the evidence being brought together).
4. Discuss the role of discernment and wise counsel when considering knowing God’s will vs seeking our own desires (see also Proverbs 15:22 and 27:17; these are Scriptures Paul would have known).
Paul and his travelling group cross the sea and arrive in Philippi, Macedonia (now north-western Greece). The Spirit leads Paul to three different characters who respond to the good news of Jesus, completely transforming their lives forever! Read Acts 16:11-34.
4. Complete the table with a brief description of Lydia, the slave-girl and the Roman jailer, and how they responded to the gospel:
| Character: | Status/job: | Response to the gospel and actions: |
| Lydia | ||
| Slave-girl | ||
| Roman jailer |
6. In v14-15, Lydia responds with an open heart to the Spirit’s work within her. What can we learn from the fruit of Lydia’s obedience? How does Lydia’s openness and practical outworking of her new faith challenge your heart in your response to what Jesus has done for you?
7. In v 22-25, the LORD leads Paul and Silas to a place where they significantly suffer, yet they remain a faithful witness in the dark jail. What impact do you think this might have had on those around them?
8. Our sinful nature prioritises our comfort; when we find ourselves in a difficult situation, we can question God’s sovereignty or leading and simply pray for a way out. When you experience opposition, how do you respond? Do you respond with fear, or do you trust in God’s sovereign plan for your life?
At the start of this study, the Holy Spirit seems to stop Paul doing something we know to be good; preaching the gospel. The halting of Paul’s plans was not because they were not good though, but because of re-direction, timing and ultimately, God’s better plans. Like Paul, we can trust God with the direction he wants our lives to take, even if that is on a different trajectory to one we had planned. We know the result will be for our ultimate good and his glory and the growing of his kingdom!
PRAY:
- Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit! We are not alone as we journey through this life.
- What challenges are you facing today? Ask God to help you by his Spirit to keep trusting him and hearing from him, even when you are not sure where he is leading, or you are facing difficult circumstances.
- Thank God for the example Paul gives us of keeping in step with the Spirit; listening to the Spirit’s prompting, aligning his desires with those of Jesus, and trusting the Father to use all the circumstances he faced for kingdom purposes.
- Ask the LORD for a greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life.