In this blog, I reflect on a passage that may strike us as quite strange. Its perceived strangeness may be a reason, not to ignore it, but to more closely listen to it. Our church family is on an uncertain journey, as we search for a place to come together. The following passage tells us of a missionary journey by Paul, Silas, Timothy, and maybe others. No doubt they were sent out with prayers and with a well-planned itinerary. But now look at what happened in the journey.
Acts 16: 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. [emphasis mine] (NIV)
Do you find it strange that the Holy Spirit kept missionaries from preaching, or not allow them to go where they prayerfully planned to go? If you do, good. You’re tracking with Luke. There’s a lot we’re not told. How did they know they were not to preach in Asia or enter Bithynia? We’re just not told. Now, there is a vision in the text, but that’s where they were to go, not where they were not permitted to go. So, it seems strange.
The missionary company is not condemned for making plans. Nor is there the slightest suggestion that their plans were made without faith or prayer. What it does tell us is that Paul and his company were sensitive to the Spirit’s leading while on the journey. I won’t argue the point here, but I reject the notion that this would only happen in the apostolic age. Part of the reason is that the Bible nowhere demands that notion, and another part is that we have experienced that leading ourselves. Looking back on our lives, we see the blessings of doors slammed shut, that led to open doors. I’m convinced that this was due to the Spirit’s leading and not to chance at all!
When a church, such as ours, ordains leaders, we expect them to plan and decide. Yet, more importantly, we expect them to listen. Not only listen to us but crucially listen to the Lord. It is my judgment that in the past churches have installed leaders (which is fine for plumbing!) when we needed to anoint leaders and ordain them with prayer so that they might be filled with the Spirit, in order to faithfully lead. Many years ago, a friend told me that his leaders were debating what to do. My friend objected, citing Paul. The “archbishop” said, “I don’t give a ____ what Paul said, we’re doing this!” I didn’t know that elder, but I’ve met his kind, many times over! Had controlled obsessed elders been in charge of Paul’s mission, Macedonia and Greece would have been deprived of the Gospel, possibly for years.
We, at Littleton, have wonderfully spiritual leaders. I would love for them to know that we love them and pray for them. They need to plan and listen to the Spirit. They and we need the humility to drop our plans if needed in order to move to His plans. Be humble, for control is not ours!
Listening to the Spirit is not just about church planning. It applies to each disciple of the Anointed One. And it is not just about decisions we consider big. All of our lives are to be lived in His will. James speaks to each of us about this:
James 4: 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (NIV)
Life is indeed brief (ask a septuagenarian!). Every moment is to be lived in the Lord’s will and in seizing every opportunity to do good.
Tim