Mike Seawright

Scripture: Acts 16:9-15

⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

¹¹ So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. ¹³ And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. ¹⁴ One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Devotional:

Last week, we observed the journey that God led Peter on in preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles.  This week, the text shows us God’s continued commitment to cross the boundaries of man in his relentless pursuit of the lost.  First, Cornelius receives the Gospel and the blessing of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of Peter; now, Lydia and her household receives the Gospel through the ministry of Paul.

In the conversion of Lydia, we see the very first convert on the continent of Europe.  We also see the conversion of a named Gentile woman.  Lydia is not a vague abstraction, but an actual person.  The Holy Spirit’s clear instruction to Paul to go to a specific place results in the conversion of a specific person, as the “Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” 

Our lives are often so busy, so noisy, so distracted, that it can be quite difficult to pay attention.  And yet the text makes clear—when we pay attention, we get to participate in the mission of God in ways we might otherwise miss.  Paul goes to Macedonia only because he was paying attention to the direction of the Holy Spirit.  He listens, even when it significantly alters the plans he has already made.  Lydia comes to believe the good news of Jesus only after the “Lord opened her heart to pay attention,” and as a result her whole household is baptized.  Oh Lord, open our hearts that we might be people who pay attention, and give us the courage to respond to Your voice, that we might participate in the transforming work of the Gospel by the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Response:

1) What are the things in your life that make it particularly difficult to pay attention to the voice of God?

2) Listening to God’s voice—paying attention—is not particularly easy with the constant distractions of modern life.  What has helped you to pay attention to the voice of God?

3) Has listening to God’s voice ever led you to a surprising place?  What was that like in the moment?  What is it like now, in retrospect?

Scripture: Acts 11:1-18

11 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ³ “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began and explained it to them in order: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. ⁶ Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’⁹ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;¹⁴ he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Devotional:

The early church frequently referred to what we now know as the “Christian faith” simply as “the Way” (Acts 9:1-2).  This indicates that the Christian life is a journey—specifically, the invitation into the Christian life is an invitation into a life spent actively following Jesus.

The motif of a faith journey is evident throughout Scripture, but has been particularly evident as we have followed the life of Peter the last few weeks.  We have seen impulsive Peter declare that he will never betray Jesus (Matt. 26:35.) only to almost immediately betray him three times (Matt. 26:69-75.).  We have seen a humbled Peter reconciled with the risen Savior and commissioned as a shepherd (John 21).  We have seen an empowered Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, imitate Jesus (Mark 5:21-43) as Tabitha is restored to life (Acts 9:36-43).  And now, we see God leading Peter even further into what was previously unimaginable, as the Holy Spirit comes to the Gentiles (Acts 10 and 11).

God had been leading Peter on a journey so that he would be prepared to respond well to this groundbreaking revelation of the Holy Spirit.  We are witnesses to the patience of God as He gently brings Peter along to a place where he is able both to accept and defend the invitation of the Gentiles into God’s mission and family and their receiving of the Holy Spirit.

Of course, this new thing isn’t really a new thing at all, but a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 17:4).  But for Peter, this story is a signpost pointing to God’s commitment not just to save His people, but to transform them so that they might participate in the even bigger thing that He is doing—the thing that they might not have been able to comprehend earlier on in their journey of faith. 

Response

1) How does Peter’s story challenge or encourage you?

2) Remember and share a time where God did one thing in your life to prepare you for an even bigger and more difficult thing.

3) How has the Holy Spirit been challenging your previously held assumptions about God or His plans, either for you, the church, or the world?