Chapter 6 - The Spirit Guides

Read Acts 16: 1-15

Think about a time when you needed the Lord's direction in a decision. You probably said something like, "If I just knew what God wanted me to do."

How did you seek out God's will? Most of us asked for His guidance through prayer. So, when and how did you get your answer?

I remember praying about this ministry and whether it was what I was suppose to do. I already served as a Sunday school teacher but also knew there would be more that I was suppose to do. I just didn't know what it was going to be. So I prayed for an answer when I was approached with serving in the singles ministry. I emptied myself of human desires and humbled myself as a servant awaiting orders from the Master. And believe me - I'm no saint. I had to get rid of a lot when I went to my Father in prayer.

My answer came to me 3 times because each time I received an answer I asked God, "Did I get this right? Is this what you want me to do? Did this come from you?" Every time I asked Him I got an answer. Finally after the 3rd confirmation I accepted. I realized that when you ask for something or for an answer you just might get it right away. Surprise, surprise! God doesn't waste any time.

In this part of Acts God didn't waste any time either in directing Paul's mission. You see, Paul was already doing what the Father had asked him to do - deliver the gospel. And Paul was fully engaged in doing this when he came to Lystra and met a disciple named Timothy. Paul wanted to take Timothy along on the journey and circumcised him since his mother was Jewish and his father was Greek. We believe he did this because it would make his work more effective among the Jews. They traveled from town to town delivering the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the regions, but were kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. Here we see Paul and his companions first experience the negative leading of the Spirit. How do you think the Spirit told Paul not to proceed into those places? Do you think the road was washed out or something blocked their path? Or perhaps Paul was experienced in understanding when the Spirit directed him?

Let's look at the positive direction from the Spirit. Starting in v9 Paul has a dream of a man from Macedonia standing and begging Paul to come and help them. Paul immediately concludes this vision was God calling them to preach the gospel to the Macedonians. Let's look at what happened when Paul took this path.

Chapter 16 verses 13 - 15 of Acts - On the Sabbath Paul and his disciples had gathered outside the gate of Philippi and had expected to find a place of prayer. There were so few Jews in Philippi that there was no synagogue, so the Jews who were there met for prayer along the banks of the Gangites River. It was customary for such places of prayer to be located outdoors near running water.

Paul spoke to the women who had gathered at the river outside the city gate. One of these women was named Lydia from Thyatira and was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart and she and her household were baptized. She then invited them to come stay in her home. (Lydia's name may be associated with her place of origin, the Hellenistic district of Lydia. Thyatira in the Roman province of Asia. She was a gentile)

From the vision we believe that the Holy Spirit was showing that the path Paul should take was towards Greece where the people were begging for help, therefore receptive and ready to hear the gospel. And this is where Lydia opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. Sometimes the people are at the right place a the right time for the message to be delivered to them by the right person at the right place at the right time.

Do you think Paul would have received the guidance of the Holy Spirit if he had been sitting at home ignoring the call to spread the gospel? Under what circumstances do you think the Holy Spirit helps us to decide the next direction we are to take? Will you know the answer when it is given to you? If we are engaged in a relationship with Christ by actively pursuing his guidance and direction to deliver the gospel, do you think the Holy Spirit will be there to guide us?

We understood from this study that during our journey in delivering the gospel we can expect guidance from the Holy Spirit whether it be a negative direction or a positive one. The path we choose may not be the one the Holy Spirit wants us to take and we should look for that guidance.

Chapter 5 - The Spirit Empowers

Read Acts 6: 1-15 and 7: 54-60

Our group discussion was dynamic, focusing on the "The Spirit Empowers." One of the most powerful statements shared in the study was from Harry Lee a Chinese prisoner, for his faith in Jesus Christ. He replied to the question, "How did you survive such abuse and pain? " His answer was, "Whatever I needed for each hour and each crisis, the Holy Spirit provided. Never any excess. Never any lack."

The study reviewed the story of the first martyr of the New Testament--Stephen, who was chosen to be one of the servants chosen to help with needs of the poor. We found him to be of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, possessing administration gifts, and full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. He humbled himself to serve the needy and probably also served his fellow deacons by working with other men who had the same qualities. The point was made that he probably avoided competition among his coworkers for the greater good of the service in which he was appointed to serve. A point we all need to heed while serving in our communities and in the church. Any one of us would feel privileged to work along side Stephen.

The church grew. Even though a great company of priests were obedient to the faith, they too became believers. Stephen performed great wonders and signs. He was full of grace and power. He engaged in great debates between the non-believers of his times. Two main points that Stephen made upsetting the Councils were that the Temple would be destroyed and the customs which Moses delivered to his people would be changed by Jesus of Nazareth. False witnesses rose up against him and brought him to the Council.

In Acts 7: 1-53 we can find Stephen's testimonial sermon of the witnesses who went before him, from Abraham to Solomon. This part of the discussion was not part of the written study but was read in part by the group to experience the great learner and speaker Stephen was with which he honored his Savior. He did not find favor with the Council and was ran out of the city. He cried out to the Lord, as Jesus did, "receive my Spirit" and "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," as he was being stoned to death.

Stephen was "illegally" stoned. He spoke the truth in love and in conviction. It cost him his life.

The study group shared many life experiences in which we risk persecution, lying, being "stared down", loosing friends, family or our jobs. We are always, like Harry Lee is, comforted by the Spirit and affirmed by the Holy Spirit to be brave and bold. Stephen was not only a great martyr but a great example for us to follow.

We were all encouraged to read Stephen's sermon and to use it as a synopsis in witnessing or encouragement in times of loneliness and distress. We were admonished to memorize a verse each week with reference and subject.

We all have a heart full of love and life-giving substance to weave into our friends, into our families and into our communities through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Graciously submitted,

Hope Pottenger

Chapter 4 - The Spirit Renews

Read John 3:1-8

We had an interesting conversation about what we were first told concerning where babies come. And what it felt like to experience birth. Of course this led up to our study on rebirth as described to Nicodemus by Christ in John 3: 1-8.

The group described Nicodemus as being curious, somewhat believing, searching, testing, and humbling when he came to visit Christ. Being a Pharisee, Nicodemus was part of the largest and most influential religious-political party during New Testament times. He was also a member of the Sanhedrin - the highest Jewish council in the first century. The Sanhedrin had 71 members and were presided over by the high priest. They were predominately Sadducee's but a few leading Pharisees were members - like Nicodemus. Nicodemus was considered a teacher of Israel - an authority on the interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures. (The Sanhedrin would later demand Christ's death)

Nicodemus recognized Christ as a Rabbi or teacher from God, evidenced by miraculous signs Christ was doing and witnessed by many. To Nicodemus, these signs bore witness to the presence of God. What he saw was true. But what Nicodemus didn't see was that Christ was also the Messiah.

When Christ told Nicodemus that no one could see the kingdom of God unless they were born again, Nicodemus did not understand and tested what Christ was saying. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born" he exclaimed! He only understood the birth of the flesh and didn't grasp the spiritual meaning of what Christ was saying.

The group discussed the differences between physical birth and that birth from the spirit. The Holy Spirit plays a big roll when we are born again as Christ was talking about. Being born again of the Spirit is also being indwelled by God's spirit.

Verse 8 was a little challenging. "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." The Spirit is like the wind. It is not under human control. It is not seen and it's path or destination is unknown. Like the wind, the only thing you can see of the Holy Spirit is it's effects. The new birth is inexplicable. One can only observe the results.

If we understand how the Spirit works, then this can effect the way we talk to others about Jesus. We tell the message of salvation and the Spirit draws those who hear to faith in Christ.

We discussed what were some of the signs we observed in those effected by the Spirit. It's evidenced in a person's love, their growth in Christ and knowledge, their change in habits, thinking and participation in earthly things, and in the life changes that take place. Inwardly, we experience the convicting, convincing, and converting of our thoughts and desires. Some of these signs are very obvious in our lives. We described what was lacking or the least obvious and what would it take for us to change those things about ourselves.

In closing, we took a brief alternate route to discuss...why Nicodemus? What was his significance at this particular time? Knowing that God does not do anything by accident, we explored the"why Nicodemus, at this place, at this time".

One aspect we found appears in John 7: 51 where Nicodemus defends Christ at the risk of ridicule from his own group, the Sanhedrin. According to the Sanhedrin, no prophet ever came out of Galilee. So in ridicule they asked Nicodemus in Verse 52 if he was from Galilee too!

But most importantly we read in John 19: 39-41 that Nicodemus contributes to Christ's burial enough aloes and spices to prepare a king for the grave. And so it was, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin - the same Jewish counsel that manipulated the death of Christ, provides the ingredients for a kings burial for the Son of God, the King of the Jews, our Lord and Saviour.

I believe God has shown us throughout the bible that he chooses the right people, at the right time, and the right place, and in the right circumstance to carry out His plan.

Our challenge for the next week is to look a little deeper at the people God puts in our lives - the people he places in our path - the people that seem insignificant but are a part of our landscape - and ask if perhaps God has placed the right person, at the right place and at the right time in our lives.