Sensitive, Humble, and Obedient to His Direction

In one paragraph

Pastor Jonathan walked through Acts 16:6-40 on Memorial Day weekend, tracing Paul and Silas's journey across Asia Minor and into Macedonia and focusing on three vignettes from Philippi. The through-line was simple: God is in the business of saving and changing lives, and He accomplishes that through people who are sensitive, humble, and obedient to His direction. The passage opens with a...

Read together

1. Acts 16:6-40 the main passage preached through for the entire sermon
2. 2 Peter 3:9 quoted near the end as a benediction about God not being slow about his promise and wishing all to come to repentance

Talk about it

1. Pastor Tim described Paul and Silas being blocked by the Holy Spirit from going into Asia and Bithynia, and compared it to a time he and Tanya felt hindered from going to Morocco and Spain. Have you ever sensed God closing a door on something you were pursuing? How did you recognize it, and what came next?
2. When Paul saw the vision of the Macedonian man, Luke and the others together concluded that God was calling them to bring the gospel there. What does it look like in your own experience to discern God's direction as a group rather than alone?
3. Lydia already knew the Old Testament and worshiped God, yet the text says the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. What do you think the difference is between knowing about God and having your heart opened to the gospel?
4. Paul waited several days before commanding the python spirit to leave the slave girl, even though it was clearly causing her harm. Why do you think he waited, and what does that tension between patience and action look like in situations you face?
5. All three people in this passage, Lydia, the slave girl, and the jailer, came from very different places, yet each encountered the same gospel. After being saved, both Lydia and the jailer immediately showed generosity and hospitality. What does that pattern suggest about how genuine faith shows up in ordinary life?