The Triune God is Sovereignly Active In Our Great

---

The Triune God is Sovereignly Active In Our Great Commission Activity Acts 16.6-15 Pastor Ryan Gold; 5/4/2014

The outline – and purpose – for the entire book of Acts: My (powerful) witnesses… in Jerusalem: chapters 1-7 My (powerful) witnesses… in all Judea and Samaria: chapters 8-12 My (powerful) witnesses… to the remotest part of the earth: chapters 13-28

As men took Jesus’ story to the ends of the earth, the sovereign Trinity determined the audience (6-10)

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. John 15.26, ESV

“And we believe in the Holy Spirit… He proceeds from the Father and the Son.” Nicene Creed

As men took Jesus’ story to the ends of the earth, God’s revelation played a vital role (9-13) And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Acts 2.17, ESV

But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. 1 Cor. 14.24-25, ESV

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Rom. 10.17, ESV

As men preached Jesus’ story in end-of-the-earth places, God gave people faith that bore fruit (14-15) God is absolutely sovereign over sinners coming to know the Savior (v. 14) “Because of the radical depravity of man’s fallen nature, the human heart is bolted shut by the twin locks of sin and Satan. In its natural state, no heart is open to God. When God saves His elect, He must open that heart so it can receive the message of salvation. The same word for ‘opened’ is used later in Acts to describe the earthquake that struck Philippi, with the result that ‘immediately all the doors were opened’ (16.26). Those closed and locked prison doors were instantly overpowered by the earthquake and made to open. This is precisely what God did to Lydia’s heart – He instantly threw it open by a spiritual earthquake within her soul.” Steve Lawson, Foundations of Grace (1400 BC – AD 100): A Long Line of Godly Men (477) “[Luke]… commended her godliness; and yet he shows that she could not comprehend the doctrine of the gospel, save only through the illumination of the Spirit… ministers do no good by teaching and speaking unless the inward call of God be thereunto added.” Calvin, Commentaries: XIX (103) “O that He may call you by His Spirit, and make you a willing people in this day of His power. For I know that my calling will not do, unless He, by His efficacious grace, compel you to come in.” George Whitefield, The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield (63) Those who have met the Savior evidence the fruit of salvation (v. 15) Three ways we see this in Lydia’s life… 1. She invited immediate accountability into her life 2. Specifically, she invited them to assess whether she’d really believed in Jesus 3. More specifically, she was passionately insistent about loving her Christian brothers “Although she owned a fabric business, Lydia didn’t say, as many of us would today, ‘I’m too busy with my business to care for others in my house. Someone else will have to care for them.’ The gospel had touched Lydia’s heart; she wanted to partner in its dissemination. Hospitality was her way of showing appreciation and love for the God of her salvation. If we are too busy to serve God and help His servants, something is wrong with our spiritual priorities.” Alex Strauch, The Hospitality Commands (27) “[Entertainment says] ‘I want to impress you with my beautiful home, my clever decorating, my gourmet cooking.’ Hospitality, however, seeks to minister. It says, ‘This home is not mine.’ It is truly a gift from my Master. I am his servant, and I use it as he desires.’ Hospitality does not try to impress but to serve… “Entertainment subtly declares, ‘This is mine – these rooms, these adornments. This is an expression of my personality. It is an extension of who and what I am. Look, please, and admire.’ Hospitality whispers, ‘What is mine is yours.’ Here is the secret of community that is all but lost to the church today… The hospitality of the first-century church clearly said, ‘What’s mine is yours.’” Karen Mains