Are You Trying To Enter Bithynia?

Stiffkey 16-05-04

Acts 16:6-15: The Vision of Macedonia

This morning’s first reading – Acts 16:6-15, is the earliest record of how the Gospel first came to Europe.

And I’d like to focus on one verse only – verse 7 which says:

“When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them. (Acts 16:7)

Paul had carefully planned his second missionary journey and he was going to Bithynia!!.

The only problem was that Bithynia wasn’t on God’s travel itinerary!!

God had other plans for Paul.

God was calling Paul very clearly to take the Gospel into Europe.

Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia calling him over to bring the Gospel to them.

And this morning I would like to suggest to you that one of the reasons that Paul was not allowed to go to Bithynia might have been so that we could be sitting here in at church in Stiffkey this morning.

The great thing about being a Christian is that God speaks to us. Sometimes it is in surprising way.

Story. In May 1994, I went to a Christian Conference just outside Berne in Switzerland. It was a German-speaking Conference and over lunch I was introduced to a Texan called Harold Fox.

I asked Harold what he did for a living and he said he was a prophet.

Without thinking, I asked him: “Well have you got a word from God for me”

He replied “Yes I have . You won’t be in Switzerland much longer”

I looked at Maddy and thought:

“This guy is out to lunch. There is no way that I am moving.

I have a very well paid job, two houses in Switzerland and we had just built a swimming pool.”

Yet by October that year, I was living in Leven in East Yorkshire and was Head of the Group Patent Department in Hull.

And that was the first step on the road to becoming an Anglican vicar!

I’d like to ask you this morning: Are you on the road to Bithynia or have you received the call to go to Macedonia?

No one is too old to be used by God.

Moses was 80 when God called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land.

Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born!

When God calls – God enables.

We need to be in THE PLACE where God wants us to be.

Are you sure that where you now are is fullly in the will of God? If not, allow God to speak to you.