7:37 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. Those words of adoration are being proclaimed to God Almighty right now in heaven. They have been going on since eternity past, and they will continue through eternity future. And I can think of no better words to open this first Lord's Day service in this building as we exalt God as preeminent, as magnificent, and as glorious he was, he is, and he is to come, and he is the thrice holy god. Amen.
8:24 Now brothers and sisters in Christ, members, family, friends, and honored guests, welcome to Maranatha Bible Church in Barrington, Illinois. We look around and we are our hearts are overflowing with gratitude to our great God. This is from him and through him, and ultimately, it is to him. Amen. Everything that goes on in this building from here till we see no more.
9:10 Amen? Amen. Amen. Church, would you please do me a favor? As we are expecting more people, if you wouldn't mind just scooting to the center of the the aisle here so there's no gaps in between.
9:24 Get comfortable with each other, because we are expecting more people, and it would just help us tremendously if you could do that. Just so if you move into the center of the aisle here. As we begin our service today, I invite you as you are able to stand for the reading of God's word. We will be reading from first Chronicles chapter 16 starting at verse number 23. And as I read, may the words of the Lord, may they sharpen our affection for him today.
10:02 May they focus our minds on glorifying him today and giving him our all. First Chronicles chapter 16 verse 23. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.
10:24 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. And he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him. Strength and joy are in his place.
10:45 Ascribe to the Lord, oh families of the peoples. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
11:01 Tremble before him all the earth. Yes. The world is established. It shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice.
11:10 And let them say among the nations, the Lord reigns. Let the sea roar and all that fills it. Let the field exalt and everything in it. Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
11:34 Amen. Let's pray. Heavenly father, you are truly holy, holy, holy, and we worship you today. Father, our hearts are full as we dedicate this service, as we dedicate this building, and as as a fresh, we dedicate our hearts to you. Father, thank you.
12:02 Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your good gifts, and may the may the rays of your blessing just lead us back to the sun of your glory. Lord, may you be glorified in the hearts of your people today. May Jesus Christ be exalted today. Lord, we worship the risen Christ. We worship the living Christ.
12:28 And father, we proclaim and we say, come, lord Jesus, Maranatha. May you receive the glory, and may your people be filled with joy. In Jesus' name, amen. Church, will you please remain standing and lift your voice and song to the king of kings and the lord of lords today?
15:32 What truth can calm the troubled soul? God is good. Where is his grace and goodness known? In our great redeemer's blood. Who holds our faith when fears arise?
15:46 Who stands above the stormy trial? Who sends the waves that bring us nigh? Unto the shore, the rock of Christ.
20:55 We are so thrilled, overwhelmed really by seeing so many of you here joining us on this momentous occasion. Those who are online, those who came here in person, we know that there are many of you from across the Chicagoland area who are joining us to worship the Lord this morning. I got to get used to saying morning now. We've been saying afternoon for four and a half years, but this morning. And I also know that there are people here from out of state.
21:20 I'm aware that there are some who came from Texas to join us this Sunday. Yes. I know that there are some who came from New York and drove here from New York to be here today. Yes. And I know that there are others here from different places, so if you want to just shout out where you're coming from, please let us know.
21:44 Germany are here. Amazing. I heard Tennessee somewhere. Tennessee. Welcome from Tennessee.
21:56 Am I missing anybody else? Michigan. We're the we have the Michigan people here. Yes. And I heard somebody else over here.
22:05 Wisconsin. Of course, our neighbors are here as well. We're so thankful that you were able to join us. Your presence here makes this event that much more special as we come together with one voice to glorify the same God that we worship. No matter which church you represent, we are ultimately the Church of Christ, as the Bride of Christ, the universal church.
22:27 So it has been incredible these last few days, and I have to admit that this is probably the most challenging part for me this day, because my desire is to give thanks, and with all the preparation, this was the most difficult because I'm fully aware that there are no words to be able to describe the gratitude and to be able to put into language just how amazing. Yes, God's hand in this process, but God's people have been. I wish I could take the next thirty minutes to name every single person who has played a role in this pursuit and in this process, but that is that's impossible. There are so many of you here. To those who have been praying throughout the years, this is the answer to your prayers.
23:17 Thank you. To those who have, you can clap for that, yes. To those who have been working in the background, though people may have not seen you, God has seen you and God will surely reward you. To those who have partnered with us financially in amazing ways. To those who have given their time and their energy here, you have to understand that when we closed on this property on April 27, we hit the floor running, and there are people who came here every single day, some driving fifty minutes each way, some who took off a whole week of work, some coming before work in the morning, some coming and parachuting in after work, some who were here till midnight and came in at 9AM.
24:05 These past two months have been one of the most enriching experiences for me in my short time of ministry. I am absolutely stunned by what the Holy Spirit can do through people, and I said this to our ministry team leaders the other day and our ministry teams that, before one sermon was preached from this pulpit, 10 sermons have been preached through their lives. And so we are just so so moved and so grateful. I'm actually finding it very difficult to to say anything more than this because, again, there are not enough words to be able to say how awesome God has been. To the chapel, the former owners of this building who are above and beyond in their gracious generosity and support in our in our process of closing on this building, to the Bridge Church and the Opus Montessori School have been very flexible with our arrival here, and again to all of you who have joined us this day.
25:04 If you aren't familiar with the service times, allow me to remind you that we meet here three times a week. Joyfully, we meet here on Sundays at 10:30, as you are aware. We also meet here on Wednesday nights every single week to pray, and we don't pray here anymore in the sanctuary like we did before, but there is a designated room downstairs in the basement where we do that, and we had our first prayer meeting a few days ago and it was splendid. It was incredible to just hear people fervently cry out to the Lord again. This place is a result of prayer and we trust that any blessing moving forward will be because of our prayers as we remain dependent on the Lord.
25:35 And Friday, we are here every single week to study the Old Testament and we find ourselves in the book of Nehemiah, and it's been an exciting chapter. I can't think of a greater book to go through in this season as a church. Well, in a moment here, we're going to do something, as we always do every week. We're going to give to the Lord, and our proceeds today of our generosity and our contributions will go to this building. Many of you have already given so faithfully, so kindly leading up to this moment, but now we get to do that with the building before us in the very place that we have again, seeking the Lord for and trusting God for.
26:12 We have an opportunity to do that and while the offering is taking place, we have a special song that was written by our own pastor Mark Griffin and Brian Lee, and we just ask that you remain seated and be blessed by this music. Some people ask sometimes, and this is one of the, the advantages of naming this ministry Maranatha Bible Church because they say, what's Maranatha mean? And in case you don't know, Maranatha is a phrase in the New Testament that's really a prayer, Come Lord Jesus. And that's really our ultimate prayer that we want the Lord to come so that we can see him face to face. And this song that you are about to hear is called Maranatha.
42:45 We thank you, father. We give you all thanksgiving, all glory, and honor from the bottom of our hearts. And, father, we do not boast in anything else, but we boast in the lord. You are our boast today, lord. And we just humble ourselves before you for your faithfulness, your great love, and mercy on each of our lives.
43:03 Be glorified in this place. Father, we pray that the power of the holy spirit, the power of the cross would be exalted today in this place and be with us now as we receive your word. May every verse, every word that is spoken penetrate our ears and our hearts and our minds that we may be more like Christ more and more each day. We love you, father. We worship you today.
44:04 One of our prayers in finding a new home for this church family was that when we share the story of how the Lord brought us to it, every person would be able to say, That is only possible because of God. And by God's grace, he has given us that testimony to be able to share to the glory of his name. Now in these past few months, when we were made aware of this very building and prayerfully pursued it, and we're waiting for the closing date, there was one thought that kept resurfacing in my mind, and it is this, the absolute necessity to be led by the Holy Spirit. Not only because of how essential it is to have God's guidance with such decisions of such magnitude, but also because of the joy that comes with that guidance when it is recognized and embraced. And I wanna take the opportunity today to speak on that very truth, the leading of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the scriptures, and we wanna do this for two reasons.
45:14 First, that as a church, as Maranatha Bible Church, we would continue to remain dependent on the Lord moving forward from this place, and secondly, for each of us here, no matter what church you may represent, no matter what land you come from, that in hearing these realities, you would crave again to be dependent on the Lord. It's very possible that at one point you were, and you can remember and recall those days where you freely brought everything to him, but for many reasons, that is no longer the case. It It could be because of disappointment, frustration. It could be because of distraction. It could be anything.
45:58 But my sincere prayer this this morning is that you would hear what God has to say in his word, and you would find yourself surrendering to him, trusting in him, and worshiping him as he leads your life. And we will seek to do this by coming to a passage in the book of Acts, and I invite you to turn there with me in your Bibles to look at a fascinating account of this very reality in Acts chapter 16 beginning in verse six. And as you're turning there, I think it's very important for us to become very familiar with the context here of what is happening in this scene. The Apostle Paul here is ready to move forward with his second missionary journey, and the purpose of this mission is spelled out for us in Acts 15 verse 36 where he looks to his team and he says, Let us return to the cities where we preach the word of the Lord and check-in on our brothers. And after Paul's pastoral care was given, as expected, this man is ready to venture out into new territory with the gospel, and so he is seeking to do that right here at this juncture in the narrative of the book of Acts, and let's read together now what happens in Acts 16 verse six.
47:27 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him saying, come over to Macedonia and help us. And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
48:05 Let's pray again. Lord, we ask you with absolute desperation that you would guide us as we seek to understand the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit move in power in this place. We do not depend on the flesh, Lord. We do not look to our resources, Lord.
48:23 We do not look to our own strengths. Oh, we cry out to you as a church even now, and we pray that you would move in power. Oh, move in power. And may the only name remain on the lips of your people be the name of Jesus Christ, our Messiah. We trust that you will indeed speak to us now and we pray these things in the matchless name of the Son of God, Jesus.
48:44 Amen and amen. From this passage, it would be a great joy of mine to be able to speak to you about four ways, four hows of the Holy Spirit's leadership, and I believe it's important to establish the first point in this, that the Holy Spirit leads those who are on mission. The Holy Spirit leads those who are on mission. It's vital to remember that if we are to expect God's empowerment, his blessing, his enlargement, his protection, his provision, it will be more fully experienced by those who are actively aligned with the will of God. Who are the they in verse six of Acts chapter 16?
49:29 Well, surely it's Paul, but we also know earlier in this chapter that Timothy was freshly recruited to join this man's team. And we know the last verses of Acts chapter 15 that Paul had a man named Silas, a reputable leader who also joined his company. And so as helpful as it is to know who it is exactly is making this effort to go out with the gospel, I suggest to you that it is more important to understand the quality of these men's faith and their love for Christ. Paul said of himself in acts 20 verse 24, when he gives his mission, not just in this moment, but for his life, his existence. But I do not account my life of any value, nor as precious to myself.
50:18 If only I may finish my course in the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. That's the reason why I live, Paul says. To fulfill what God had given me to preach the gospel. And Paul, oh, Paul, what he said about his spiritual son, Timothy, in Philippians chapter two verse 20 to verse 21. I do not have anyone like him, for they all seek their own interest.
50:49 But about Timothy, oh, he says that his interests are caught up in Jesus Christ. Imagine that. Paul saw something in himself in that young man, Timothy, that he is consumed. He's ravished with the purposes of Christ. What about Silas?
51:08 Well, he goes by another name in first Peter five twelve. That's one place where his second name is located. In first Peter five twelve, Peter says, of Silvanus, by Silvanus, a faithful brother. A faithful brother. And you can see that in the way this man moves and lives and ministers in the book of acts.
51:31 So so why am I bringing up the descriptions, these brief descriptions of these men of God that we find here in acts chapter 16? To highlight that there is a correlation, surely, between experiencing the leadership of the Holy Spirit, as we see in this text, and the hearts of these men who are positioned to know it. And what we have to ask ourselves at this time is if we yearn the precious guidance of the third person of the Trinity, do we have our ambitions, our affections, our activity in alignment with the cause of Christ? You know, the Bible tells us that as Christians, as blood bought born again Christians, it is very possible to grieve the Holy Spirit. It is very possible to quench the Holy Spirit, and some people, they perpetually live in that state where the Holy Spirit, because of that, gets quiet.
52:30 And it's also possible to live in such a way where we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. You know, when you know that sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, by God's grace, you will do all that you can to reject anything that would grieve Him or quench Him. Now I'm aware that a truth like this can cause some to perform in a burdensome way, to live in a grueling state of severe introspection. Am I am I good enough? I mean, okay.
53:04 My my ambitions, are are they strong enough? My affections, are they real enough? My activity, are they enough? I'm aware of that. That you can torture yourself wondering always, does he really does he really love me and does he really lead me?
53:19 And do I have enough in me for him to use me, to guide me, to experience him? I want to tell you that as much as these men here are indeed men of God, they are imperfect men. And yes, we see something astounding here about the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Let me add to it that the Holy Spirit is being very gracious to this group of men. Do you know, do you remember that Paul's choice in Silas came from a very interesting background?
53:52 Because back in Acts chapter 13, it was the Holy Spirit in verse two who said, set apart unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I've called them. You have to understand that the Holy Spirit put Barnabas and Saul together. And what do we find at the end of Acts 15? Well, let me read it to you here because this is very important. Look at verse 39 of Acts 15.
54:16 And there arose a sharp disagreement so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. Keep this in mind, the Holy Spirit brought these men together, and it was these men in their flesh that severed what the Holy Spirit brought together. Now people come to this text and they wanna debate who was right. Was it Barnabas or was it Paul?
54:48 I guess you can have that conversation, but read on and realize that the Holy Spirit was still willing to lead Paul. Even though there was division, even though there was a breakup, even though there was this great offense, I'm sure this was heartbreaking, I'm sure to the Lord, and yet the Holy Spirit still meets this team to pursue what their hearts were set on. What am I? What am I trying to say? We can thank God this morning that we don't have to be absolutely perfect.
55:22 We don't have to reach a certain status quo and stay there, and the moment you step outside of it, you lose signal with the Holy Spirit. That's not how it works. He's incredibly merciful. He's incredibly patient and kind, but we have to be realistic. What he asks of us is a heart that longs to do his will.
55:44 These men had that, and also notice that they were doing what they can with the light that they had. Here's Paul trying to go to Asia. Now Asia is not the same continent that we think of in our modern day. This speaks to now Western Turkey of our time. So he's going westward from this position.
56:05 Then he seeks to go to Bethenia, and that's northward. And he's just going. He he's he's doing what he can with what he has and and what he knows, and and the Lord is leading him. You know, you you can't steer a parked car. And I find that there's some Christians who are frustrated with their walk with the Lord.
56:26 But if you call them to examine themselves, there's there's very little for the Holy Spirit to work with to lead them because he was sent to glorify Christ. Can we cast all our anxieties? Yes, we can. The Lord invites us to do that. But if all we're expecting from God is for him to make sure that we're more comfortable in this life and that we have a cushion in our bank account and that our bodies are healthy and that our kids to grow up to be well behaved citizens in America.
56:59 We should not expect testimonies of the Holy Spirit's leadership to the extent that we can know it. So the first thing that we have to lay as a foundation is that the Holy Spirit of God leads those who are on mission, and that doesn't mean you have to be perfect, but it does mean that your heart is positioned to live for his glory. The second thing that we have to recognize from these verses here is that the spirit of God leads through denial. One of the most intriguing aspects of this episode is that the Holy Spirit's guidance is primarily marked by detours and dead ends. So we read it here that after they strengthen the churches, they're seeking to go and preach the gospel, breaking new ground.
57:44 This is a good thing. This is not a bad thing. They wanna expand. They wanna plant more churches. Something strange happens.
57:54 On two occasions, the Lord says no. No. And I'm sure this was an interesting experience for these men. And trying to make sense of these divine red lights, Paul finally says, let's just stay here in Troas until we receive some kind of revelation. And that's exactly what takes place.
58:17 Now, it's quite natural to wonder how the Holy Spirit informed these men that they were not to go to Asia, they were not to go to Bithynia. But I believe here that there is something much more natural, much more providential than the guesses people make. You know, some people wanna say, it must have been the audible voice of God. It must have been through the prophetic instruction like we've seen other parts of acts. Surely, it must have been a dream of some sort.
58:46 But when you compare how the leading of the Holy Spirit is contrasted with Paul's vision in verse nine, you get the impression that there is a difference being set here. In other words, when Paul comes to trust, that's when he gets the vision and perhaps there is a contrast being set here to show that the former ways of direction were much more natural. And if that is being creative, that contrast is being created through the authorship of the Holy Spirit here, then we are reassured that the Holy Spirit's leading, even in this miracle saturated book, can be known in familiar obstacles, trial and error, and a progressive pace. What does that mean for you and I? It means that unanswered phone calls are not accidental.
59:44 Cancelled flights, the motions at work that are unjustified, even physical sickness. I am totally persuaded that Paul was mindful That every intricate detail as he is walking in the will of God is not coincidental. Even when he told the Galatians, as he was reminding them of their relational history, remember Galatians, oh, Paul was trying to rescue this church from heresy. And at one point there in Galatians four thirteen, he says, for it was because of an bodily ailment, I preached the gospel to you at first. You understand what Paul is saying in that?
1:00:36 When I got sick and it could be that Paul's sickness brought him to the region or Paul's sickness kept him in that region, but Paul understood that it was something about his ailment that opened the door for him to preach the gospel to the Galatians. This is how this man thought, and we see it in action right before our eyes in this passage. And as encouraging as this is, there's even more to be gained when we consider why the Lord caused this, why he put up barriers. And it's a very subtle point. You can easily miss it, but when you see it, you will never unsee it.
1:01:20 You know what question I had when I was studying this passage? Why did the vision of the Macedonian man come to Paul only when he came to Troas? Why didn't it come earlier? Why didn't it come to him when he was in Galatia? Why not Mysia?
1:01:41 Why not why not save some time? And the answer lies in the wording of verse 10. Looking at an act 16 verse 10. And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. The key the key words in this verse are we and us.
1:02:06 Do you know why? Because it is the first time that the first person plural pronouns appear in this account of the book of acts. Telling us what? Well, Luke, who's a human author, is injecting himself in this story to show us that from this point forward, he becomes an eyewitness to the events that he is describing and not just an outside observer. So what does that mean?
1:02:34 Here's what it means. That Paul must have met Luke in Troas, and doctor Luke now joins their ministry team. You understand? The Lord did not allow Paul to go where He desired to go because the Lord wanted to meet a doctor. And He wanted to introduce him to Paul, and He wanted him to be a part of Paul's work.
1:03:10 There is so much to unpack with this observation, but I'll leave it at this. We can say with total confidence that one reason, one of the many, I'm sure, reasons why God brought Paul and directed his steps to Troas was to build his ministry. I want you to chain that truth around your heart, dear servant of God. That as you've been praying and as you've been fasting and as you've been faithful where God has placed you, and yet if you're honest with yourself, there is some frustration and there is some challenges with believing God for what you hope to do for him. Look at this with me.
1:03:57 Could it be possible that in the same way, God has a different priority for your life at this moment? And his priority could very well be the same as we see here to build something. It could be to build your character. It could be the increase your knowledge. It could be the fortified the leadership that you are a part of to open doors for relationships to enter in a relationships to go out, And we can go on and on and on what God can be doing this time of waiting, what he could be building without you being aware of it.
1:04:34 In Paul's case, the Lord wanted Luke to link arms with him And surely, this would be of great help to Paul, who is a frequently sick man, having a personal doctor. But I I see something even greater here. Paul is often attributed as being the author in the New Testament who wrote the most, but you have to be careful there. He wrote the most books, but in terms of volume and content, Luke is in first place. In other words, there are more Greek words that Luke wrote in the New Testament when you bring together the gospel of Luke in the book of Acts.
1:05:17 Who would have thought? And so here's this man, who I'm sure if you were to ask him, was Troy as your first choice? He would say, No, it was my third. But it was God's first. You and I wanna be led by the Holy Spirit.
1:05:36 You must be willing to go where he wants you to go, and you must be willing to stay where he wants you to stay. And you and I, by his help, must be pliable, bendable. Now you might be wondering, well well, did the Lord not care about Asia and and Bithynia? Why wouldn't he want the gospel to go to them? And I'm here to give you a wonderful truth.
1:06:02 He did care about those regions. Can I prove it to you? Turn with me to first Peter chapter one. One Peter chapter one, look at verse one. You don't have to go beyond that.
1:06:21 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Do you see that? The gospel eventually came to the very areas that Paul wanted to go. We don't know how, we don't know who, but we know the gospel came. What does that mean to us?
1:06:46 Timing is everything with God. Timing is everything with God. Even good things need to be delayed at times. Even holy things, righteous things. I know that's difficult for us in this microwave generation.
1:07:02 Everything needs to be instant. Let me remind you here in this service that God does not work with the culture. He does not work with our technological advancements necessarily. That's why we need to put our faces in this book and understand how does God work. And I hope you're being reminded today of the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
1:07:20 Dear servant of Christ, if your heart is yearning today, let what God has done here at Maranatha Bible Church be an encouragement to you. Don't think for a moment that we came here after one week of praying. There were many closed doors, unexplained. I mean, shockingly. It doesn't make any sense why so many things did not work leading up to this moment, but oh, I can tell you this.
1:07:42 I praise God for the nose. I praise God for the denials, And I can tell you this, I am more confident than ever that the Holy Spirit leads through those denials. And it's no different for you. So he leads through the nose. This is the second thing that we're looking at, but we have to consider the third.
1:08:00 The Holy Spirit leads supernaturally. While in Troas, Paul finally received insight and revelation instruction about what he should do next, and it came through a vision in the night. And this reminds us that God, a God that we serve is supernatural, and he can do supernatural things. But to be clear, this is not to suggest that there is a method to tapping into dreams and visions. That would be very dangerous.
1:08:29 The scriptures are our primary guide. We have all that we need here in the word of God to know exactly how to be in the will of God. Nor is this a text that we can utilize to make demands for miraculous signs with every decision that we make in life. Even the men and women of of God in the Bible did not receive that kind of leading in an ordinary way. They lived much of their life, many years without these kind of manifestations.
1:09:00 And yet for some reason, there are people who think that they should receive them every day. That being said, it would be untrue to claim that the Lord cannot at times manifest himself in unusual ways to get our attention and to lead us in a certain way. And when that occurs, it is God's prerogative alone. In other words, he deems it necessary when to show up in a way that is undeniable. In my study of scripture, I found that the Lord tends to do this when his people are standing at the threshold of a very significant event.
1:09:39 And so we're not to take what we see here in Acts 16 as license to pursue something that only God can perform when he wills to do it. But we also have to admit that he can do it. The Lord wanted Paul and his associates to go to Europe to preach the gospel, specifically to a region called Macedonia, and the the vision of this is quite simple. Here's a man who appears before Paul, and he's a Macedonian. That could have been revealed through the dress, the cultural dress, or other clues.
1:10:12 And all this man says to this apostle in his in this vision is come to us and help us. And this reinforces what we learned with the first point that God entrusted the supernatural encounter to Paul because he knew that Paul was willing to do all that he can to help. It goes back. Remember, this man's life is set up in a way to to fulfill his ministry and to make the gospel of God known. But there's something so riveting about this vision.
1:10:50 This man simply says, help us. Now that can be interpreted in a 100 different ways. Help us with what? And yet, I want you to see how Paul and his team interpreted the call for help. Look again here at verse 10.
1:11:03 And when Paul had seen the vision immediately, we sought to go into Macedonia concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Do you see this? When this man says help us, Paul understood, we have to preach to them. Now, as vital as humanitarian aid is, charity work, practical assistance in the name of Christ is, that's all great. We don't do much if we don't give the gospel with that work.
1:11:39 In fact, if we wanna be really honest here, if we're primarily about giving people food and water and and other leisures or benefits, all we're really doing, if we don't do it with the gospel, is making them more comfortable into their way of eternal damnation. What people need the most is the gospel. They need to understand that they have sinned, they have rebelled against God. No matter how nice they may seem when comparison to God's holiness, we all stand guilty. And yet the same thrice holy God provided a remedy to deliver us and to reconcile us to him.
1:12:17 That's what people need. And allow me to use this point to remind us why Maranatha Bible Church exists. The main thing is the proclamation of the word of God because that is what the world needs. And everything else that we do from this point forward is going to support that cause. People need the word.
1:12:38 People need the truth of Christ. And in this crazed age that is in desperate need of help, this is the thing that we have to offer. May God help us to do that. So the spirit, he also leads supernaturally, and I can tell you also that there are supernatural things that have been sprinkled across this journey leading up to this moment. So true.
1:13:03 Undeniable things. Things that happen that made this decision much more clear. He's faithful. Does he do it every time? No.
1:13:13 But when he does, just give him more glory for it. Finally, as the Spirit of God leads those who are on mission, The spirit of God leads through denial. The spirit of God leads supernaturally. Finally, the spirit of God leads through community. Where do I get that from?
1:13:33 I find it amazing that though Paul was the one who received the vision, It was both him and his team that concluded that this was indeed from God. We read it. Right? We and us. In fact, do you see that word concluding?
1:13:50 In the ESV, it's there at least. The original, the Greek, the notes knitting or putting the pieces together. So the idea that's being conveyed here is that Paul wakes up the next morning, he finds his men, they come together, and they begin to put all the evidence before them to try to understand what this is all about. You can imagine it, can't you? Here's Silas who speaks up.
1:14:23 Surely, this must be the reason why there was no route to Asia. And then Timothy chimes in, and he says, I have to say this has to be why the plants fell through for Bithynia. And I like to think that Luke, the doctor also speaks up and says, listen, boys, if you didn't come to trust and visit the local hospital, we wouldn't have met. And together, they concluded that this vision must be from God. All the evidence leads to it, and they make the decision to go ahead.
1:15:02 What do we draw from this? I believe it's obvious. That if you and I wanna be somebody who is led by the Holy Spirit, then we must be surrounded by spirit led people. Spirit led people. Can I ask you who you seek counsel from?
1:15:28 Can I ask you who speaks into your life? Who are your closest friends? Who are your spiritual leaders? Is there anybody that you can say with confidence today? That person may not be perfect, but I know that they bathe in the Bible.
1:15:47 And that person has fruit in their life. There are marks of God's hand on them. And I know that if I can bring any question or dilemma to them, they will be a vessel for Christ's wisdom to be poured into my own life. And if you're sitting there today, I say this in love, and you think, I'm fine, I don't need any of that. Then you also must be ready to admit that you're more insightful than the apostle Paul himself.
1:16:18 I love this man's humility. I love the the the wisdom that he is showing here. This giant, this man with a colossal intellect, this man who was one of the spiritual greats, receives this vision, and he doesn't kick down the door and says, alright, guys. I figured it out. He comes before them and says, let's conclude together if this is from God.
1:16:44 And the Holy Spirit blessed that. I'm sure you can see that we can spend more time on these thoughts, but I wanna land it here. What I see in these few verses is something that you and I know very well. That when our lives are yielded to the Lord, it is an absolute adventure. It is an amazing journey.
1:17:07 It is exactly what Jesus said he was willing to offer abundant life. And I wanna give you one final observation to prove that. Who was it that appeared to Paul in the vision? A Macedonian man. Now there is a lot of conversation about who that man could be or who that man could represent.
1:17:28 Some say it was Luke. It was Luke who appeared. Okay? But you can see how that that's not the case. Others say it's an angel who represented the Macedonian region.
1:17:41 Some even argue that it was Alexander the Great, and I won't get into the reasons why they argue for that. We can't say conclusively, but here's one thing that I see, who Paul meets after this vision. Have you ever thought about that? Let's read some scripture together. Look here in Acts 16 verse 11.
1:18:08 So setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in the city some days. And on the Sabbath day, we went outside to the gate to the riverside where we supposed there was a place of prayer. And we sat down and spoke to the woman who had come together. 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.
1:18:41 The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. So Paul has a vision of a man saying come to Macedonia and help us. They pack their bags, they go, and the first recorded person that they find is a woman named Lydia. Interesting. What's going on here?
1:18:59 Only gets more interesting. Who did they meet after this? Look here in acts 16 verse 25. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them and suddenly there was a great earthquake or excuse me here in verse 16. As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gained by fortune telling.
1:19:24 She followed Paul and us crying out, these men are servants of the most high God who proclaimed to you the way of salvation. And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour. So he comes into the area.
1:19:40 He meets a woman named Lydia. Following that, there's this demon possessed, not man, girl. And she's giving free advertising. Hey, you wanna get saved? Listen to these guys.
1:19:57 And I love this because it shows that even righteous men can get annoyed. Paul got annoyed. Enough is enough. And with the power of Christ, she sees deliverance. Why did Paul do that?
1:20:10 Because he doesn't want advertisement from demons. But here's my question. Hold on. You had a vision of a man from Macedonia, and the first person that you meet is a businesswoman. The second person you meet is a different kind of businesswoman filled with a demon, and the owners of this laborer was so upset because they lost their business.
1:20:35 She's not able to tell fortunes anymore. So what happens next? We come here to act 16, now we read verse 25. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Don't you love that verse?
1:20:51 The prisoners were listening to them. You know what that means? When you and I are enduring trials, the world is watching and listening. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were open, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.
1:21:08 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open and he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, do not harm yourself for you're all here and the jailer called for lights and rushed in trembling with fear. He fell down before Paul and Silas, and he brought them out and said, sirs, what must I do to be saved? Do what you want with what I just said. But here's what I see.
1:21:42 Paul receives a vision of a man from Macedonia. And before there's any man, there are two women. Finally, we see the jailer, and he says, I need to be saved. Help me. And if there is a connection here, then it provides a beautiful, wonderful truth that although there was a man, there was an objective, there was a goal, the Lord here had more in store than what Paul had originally anticipated.
1:22:14 There's this man from Macedonia, but before there was any man, there were two women who needed to be healed. There was a woman named Lydia who needed to receive the gospel and was ready to do so. There was a woman who was also shackled by a demonic spirit, and she needed deliverance, and it was given. What does that tell us? I think it says many things, but as we stand here today, we are reminded that God tends to surprise us.
1:22:41 Doesn't He? And here we're praying about one thing. We're believing for one thing. We have one main thing oftentimes, and the Lord wants to sprinkle surprises along the journey. He wants to unfold even more than what we had anticipated and believed him for.
1:23:01 He's done that for this place. He has done that for us. We were believing for a building because we needed it, but he gave us much more than a building. People's lives being touched. Me, personally, I I said thanks earlier, and things are coming to mind even now.
1:23:26 I gotta tell you, as much as the people from Maranatha Bible Church have been so wonderful, There are people from different churches who showed up at our front step and worked in this place as though it was their church. Emails of people who are testifying what the word of the Lord has done for them through the online ministry, who are praying for us, and and there's so many things that we don't even know about. And I wanna just let you know in closing that the Lord has more in store for us because this is the God that we serve. This is what we see here. We see it with these these men.
1:24:06 They got a vision of a man, and there was way more than just one man. All things are possible with our God, but we need to admit our need for his leadership, and I'm here to tell you that he can do all things. Our triune God is for us. In fact, did you see the Trinity in the verses that we just read? Well, if I'm not careful here, we'll keep going, but let's just look at this quickly.
1:24:33 Look again at Acts 16 verse six. Having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. Verse seven. But the spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Look at verse 10.
1:24:50 Concluding that God has called us to preach the gospel to them. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit leading this band of men, and he wants to lead your life as well. But here's the thing, Maybe you're listening to this and you're intrigued, maybe even moved. You're saying you're telling me that this God in heaven who created all things didn't distance himself from creation and allow us to figure this whole thing on our own, but he actually wants to be intricately involved with my life. Yes.
1:25:29 But that can't be known, perhaps for some of us here, unless a barrier that we have created is taken care of, and that barrier is sin. Yes, these truths are for believers, but it's also an invitation for us to know the life that God has called us to live, that he has created us to experience, and yet when he gave us the choice, we turned our backs on him, and we said, we'll take care of our own. I will be the master of my own faith. I will be the captain of my own soul. Thank you very much.
1:25:59 That's called sin. When we determine that we are our own gods. And when we believe in claim that we can figure out our own lives apart from the one who made us and breathe life into us. And so you have to understand something that this is not achievable. These blessings and these promises cannot be known unless something first is done, and it's on you, my dear friend, to determine if you wanted to be done.
1:26:32 Because as we stand apart from Christ, we are all enemies of God. We are all rebels, and you're thinking to yourself, how dare you say that? Please stop comparing yourself to what you see on the news or those that you know that have caused so much ache to your loved ones or those that you work with and you see what kind of a mess their marriage is and look up and see the holiness of God. And where do you stand in light of that? We're all guilty.
1:27:07 We're all in trouble in fact. And yet I want to tell you this. Then the same way we just read how God makes a way God made a way to deal with our sin problem. He didn't abandon us in our sin. So yes, we're talking about ministry.
1:27:25 We're talking about opportunities and we're talking about prayers being answered, but let's end here with the gospel. Let's talk about the ultimate way that God has created for us. Such an amazing thing that he has accomplished that if he does nothing else for us, he has done enough in Christ. Do you know him? Do you know Jesus Christ?
1:27:50 Never mind what your tomorrow's look like. Never mind figuring out some problem that you have. Let's look at our own hearts this morning and ask ourselves this. Am I forgiven? Do I have absolute assurance that I belong to him?
1:28:08 Well, let me know what he's let me tell you what he's done for you and I. He came into this world in the person of Jesus Christ. He took on flesh and he lived a perfect life perfect life. He didn't sin once. Not in thought, not in word, not in deed.
1:28:24 And yet, they crucified him. And some people make the grave mistake in thinking that he was some kind of a martyr. That he was apprehended outside of his will, and that he was nailed on a on a cross, and that's it. He had some nice lessons to leave us. And yet, this Jesus who lived a perfect life, who didn't deserve anything of such nature, tells us that he willingly laid down his life.
1:28:50 Because there was a divine orchestration taking place with all of that, that he would become the sacrifice for humanity sin, that he would become the payment for our iniquity, our transgressions. And so when he hung on that cross that was ordained by the Godhead himself. And in that moment when he hung on that cross, he absorbed the complete wrath of God. Why? Because he allowed the sin of the world to be placed on his shoulders.
1:29:20 I want you to imagine this every sin that you and I have committed, every thought, every action, every misaction, every non action has been considered by God, has been taken by Christ, and was punished on our behalf. And here is what we know as the great exchange, the perfect life that he lived was lived out for us and the death that he died was done for us as well, and when you recognize, is this what Jesus Christ of Nazareth has done for me? And you acknowledge that this is indeed an act of love, an undeserving one, that according to God's word, I am a sinner, and I am guilty, and that is my sin that put him on the cross. And I believe that he is the one who only can make the payment for me. In that moment of belief, of repentant faith, you are justified in the sight of God.
1:30:22 You become a child of God. And not only do we have the assurance that we will have eternal life with him, but the Holy Spirit makes your heart his home. And then you can know the life that we just heard today. A life of continual sanctification and celebration and testimonies and glory until we enter into glory. And I want to tell you today, the greatest part of all of this is that it is a free gift.
1:30:50 It's a free gift today. All you have to do is give your heart to him. In this very room today, you can give your life to Christ. And you can leave out of here with more than just memories and a few handshakes and a chicken sandwich that's waiting for you after the service. You can leave here knowing that you are known by God and that you know him.
1:31:20 Give your heart to him. Ask him to forgive you. Crown him as Lord, and realize that in his great love, he has done what he can to remove this barrier so that you can know life today and life forevermore. Let's pray together. Lord, we thank you that you've taught us and you've reminded us how the Holy Spirit leads us.
1:31:47 And Lord, our prayer here at First is to ask you to comfort every heart that is struggling to believe you for their tomorrows. And Lord, we pray, should you tarry, that Maranatha Bible Church would stand as a testimony of how the Holy Spirit can indeed guide and provide. And Lord, we now pray for those who don't know you, who are visiting us. We are so blessed that they are here, but Lord, we want them to be more blessed by knowing Christ, and we pray that their hearts today would would sense what only you can provide. We have done the singing.
1:32:21 We have done the preaching, but only you can provide the conviction. And we pray that conviction would be known for those who need Jesus. Only you can convince the heart that they need to be saved. Please, Lord, we pray humbly that you would do that. And, Lord, now as we partake of these elements that you've instituted for your church, we that we would all be reminded that we've received the greatest gift, even greater than this building, as wonderful as it is.
1:32:45 You've given us eternal life, that we have a home in heaven. Rust can't destroy it, moth can't eat it up. Thieves can't break in and steal. We will be there forever with you. And as we eat, may we savor that truth together.
1:33:01 We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. We're gonna do something a little different with our communion. Usually we have people come forward and take of the elements and align in every row, but we're just gonna try something different today where the plates are going to be passed. And you're gonna take that, one one cup for yourself and one piece of bread and just pass it to the next person beside you.
1:33:25 And while that's taking place, there will be a song that help us meditate. And as you're waiting, I I really want to encourage you, we take the Lord's supper very seriously here because it's serious. It's it's joyfully serious. Meditate. Meditate.
1:33:40 Meditate on what Christ has done for you. Meditate on his body, his blood on your behalf. Rejoice. If you need to repent of anything, repent, dear believer. If you need to confess anything that's not in alignment with the gospel, get rid of it today.
1:33:51 This is the chance to do that. If you're not a Christian in this place, we kindly ask that you would reserve yourself from participating because Christ instituted this for his church, and we hope and pray that you would one day become a believer even today so that you can enjoy this wonderful feast that Christ has established for his people. But now we just ask that you watch and observe, and I I might I always say this, that as you see people holding those elements, singing, eyes closed, reflecting, you are looking at people who did not attain righteousness to get to this privilege. They have received it freely as a gift. Every person you see here participating in these elements is making a confession.
1:34:30 I have sinned. I am a sinner, but Christ is my savior, and I only have hope for heaven because he made it possible for me. I encourage you to just remain. Actually, we're gonna stand together now and sing, and then we're gonna sit down and we're gonna sing again as we're seated. Please join me in standing for this song.
1:40:48 You may be seated, please. As we prepare our hearts to break bread, I would like to read couple of verses from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 12 verses thirteen and fourteen. God speaks. Take care that you do not offer your burnt offerings at any place that you see, but at the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes. There, you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there, you shall do all that I am commanding you.
1:41:32 Maranatha Bible Church's desire and prayer to always be a place of God's own choosing. In order for that to be true, we must be careful not to allow human invention, cultural preference, or worldly influence to shape our worship. In the verses we just read, God himself makes it very clear to his people Israel. And throughout the book of Deuteronomy, when truth is repeatedly emphasized, worship is not to be determined by man, but by God. Around 16 times in Deuteronomy, we encounter this repeated phrase, the place that the Lord will choose.
1:42:32 It was not Israel's responsibility to decide where or how they would worship. God himself chose the place. Eventually, that place became Jerusalem where the temple was later to be built. But it was not only the place that God determined. God also gave exact instructions concerning the altar, the tabernacle, its furnishings, the sacrifices, the priesthood, and the entire order of worship, every detail carefully prescribed by God himself.
1:43:19 Why? Because worship is not about giving God what we think he wants. Worship is about offering him what he himself has said he desires. God never leaves worship to human imagination. To Moses, God repeatedly said in reference to the construction of the tabernacle according to that pattern shown you on the mountain.
1:44:01 God gave the pattern. God established the order. God defined the sacrifice. God appointed the priesthood. God determined the way.
1:44:14 And whenever man inserts his own ideas into worship, corruption always follows. That's exactly what happened with the high places in Israel. As you read through the old testament and in particular the books of the kings and and the chronicles, you repeatedly encounter these high places where sacrifices were offered. Many of these places had originally been associated with pagan worship, yet over time, the people of Israel began using them in the worship of Yahweh. Outwardly, this may have seemed acceptable since the sacrifices were offered to a true god, yet still departed from god's revealed pattern.
1:45:08 The Lord has already chosen the place where his people were together before him. God is concerned not only with who is worshiped but also with how he is worshiped. And over time, these high places became a doorway to greater corruption. What began as unauthorized worship gradually opened the way for compromise, idolatry and spiritual decline among the people of God. And the danger for the church today is no different.
1:45:52 We must constantly guard against creating modern high places, where worship becomes shaped more by culture, entertainment, personal taste, tradition, or the human creativity than by the word of God. The issue is not merely a style, the issue is authority. Who determines worship God or man? And this principle remains in the new testament. God still determines how he is to be worshipped and remembered by his own people.
1:46:37 And perhaps nowhere is this more seen clearly in the new testament than at the Lord's table. It is called the Lord's table because it belongs to him. Not our table, not a denominational table, not a pastor's table. The lord's table is his table. He is the one who presides over it not man.
1:47:11 He is the host and we are guests seated at his table. Now also notice the scripture speaks of the lord's table not the lord's tables. Christ has only one table. It is where true believers gather unto his name and under his authority to to remember his sacrificial death on the cross. Any table that is not gathered unto his name and under his authority is not his table.
1:47:55 It is a foreign table. He is the center of it. He define its meaning. He govern its order. He invites whom he wills and welcomes those whom he welcomes.
1:48:12 And at that table, you notice there is one loaf of bread. We do have one loaf of bread as the early church did to symbolize the one body of Christ. Paul speaks in first Corinthians ten seventeen. He says, because there is one bread, we who are many are one body for we all partake of the one bread. The Lord's table declares the unity of the body of Christ.
1:48:45 One savior, one body, one people gathered unto one name, the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, our desire at Maranatha Bible Church is not to build something according to modern trend or human wisdom, but to a people gathered unto Christ himself, worshiping in spirit and in truth according to God's word. Because true worship has always been this, God's people gather around God's son according to God's word by God's spirit for God's glory. Amen? On the night in which the Lord Jesus was betrayed, he took bread and after giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples and said, do this in remembrance of me.
1:49:49 The Lord's table is a remembrance feast entirely focused upon Christ. His body giving for us and his blood shed for our salvation. And because this is the Lord's table, it's indented as pastor Daniel said, for those who personally know him as Lord and savior, those who belong to him and desire to walk in fellowship with him. And in light of this, if you have not yet repented, and I pray you well repent, do not partake today. If you are living in deliberate disobedience to him or if you hold to any doctrine that is contrary to the biblical teaching of salvation, By grace alone, through faith alone, as taught in scripture and upheld by Maranatha Bible Church, we ask you please to refrain from participating in the Lord's supper today.
1:50:53 And if you know and you are sure Christ welcomes you to his table this morning or this afternoon, please take the elements as the ushers distributing distribute them and hold them until all are served. The night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread and after giving thanks, He broke it and He gave it to His disciples. He told them, Do this in remembrance of me. Let us give Christ thanks for the bread. Lord Jesus, we thank you for offering yourself for us.
2:02:25 We thank you for your sacrifice. We thank you for your suffering. We thank you Lord God for the cross. While we were still sinners, rebellious, you died for us. There on the cross you took our punishment, the penalty of our sin.
2:02:49 You drank the cup of the wrath of God on our behalf and for this thing we are thankful. Lord yes, we thank you for our salvation and for the security of this salvation. And now Lord in obedience to your word, do this in remembrance of me. We drink or we we eat this bread to remember what you have done for us on the cross. Amen.
2:03:24 Let's eat together. Let's thank the Lord Jesus for the cup. Lord Jesus, it was not until every precious drop of blood was shed. You said it is finished. The work you have done was sufficient for our salvation.
2:04:07 Nothing can be added to it. We can't contribute anything to our salvation. It's all of you. It's all because of your blood. Lord we thank you for your blood.
2:04:20 There is power in the blood. Power that washed away all our sins Yes. And to wash away every sin of every human being. Lord now in obedience to your word, we drink this cup together. Let's drink it with thanksgiving.
2:04:48 Let's stand and sing about in this closing song. Maranatha Bible Church, by the grace of God, we made it. We're here, and we're here to stay. And for our friends and family, thank you for joining us. Listen, we knew people were gonna come visit, but I have to get used to people watching me from above.
2:09:42 That's different. I'm so amazed, so just overwhelmed by loving the support that you've shown, and we pray that you would leave here encouraged and that you and your ministries and your churches will be blessed. And we can't wait to partner together for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This nation needs it. This nation needs strong churches, and this nation needs strong believers, and we can't do it without the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
2:10:08 And so allow me to pray for us after this benediction from Ephesians chapter three. We've we've had so many people quote this verse when they would step foot into this building. In verse 20, now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we can ask or think, according to the power at work within us. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
2:10:34 And, Lord, we thank you, and we say amen because you've done more than we can ask or think, and we know that you can do even more than what you have done here today for each of us. Lord, we genuinely ask for the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We pray for your guidance, Lord. In our short lives, we want testimonies, God. We want stories to tell this generation and the next.
2:10:54 We want to glorify Christ. Help us do it. Help NBC here do it in Barrington, Illinois. Help every minister and every person who serves faithfully in the church do it for your name as well. And Lord, bless our time of fellowship.
2:11:07 We give you glory even in that. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen and amen. Yes. Thank you for your patience.
2:11:19 This is our first time here. We're still figuring things out, and we're so excited that you can even be a part of this, training for us. There is a basement in this church, and it's our fellowship hall, and it's wonderful. And you can head down there where you see the two TVs and the logo. There's a staircase.
2:11:36 You can make your way down there, and there are chicken sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, finger foods, drinks. Please join us. There's an amphitheater open where there's seating and tents. Stay a while. This is this is our new home.
2:11:48 Okay? If you need any prayer, if you need to know what it means to be saved, if you have any questions, the pastors will stay in here as long as we need to. Okay? God bless you. We'll see you next week.
2:11:58 Take care now in Jesus' name.
