Come Over....And Help Us!

In Acts 16 the Apostle Paul experienced something that he never had experienced before. On his second missionary journey Paul wanted to preach the Word of God in Asia but the Holy Spirit forbid him. Then as they were in Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia but the Holy Spirit would not allow them to go. The next leg of their trip took them to Traos. It was there that Paul had a dream in the middle of the night. “There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, ‘Come over into Macedonia, and help us.’” (Acts 16:9) Paul immediately endeavored to go into Macedonia discerning that the Lord wanted them to preach the Gospel there. While talking with a group of women at the riverside Paul met a woman named Lydia. She trusted in Jesus as her Messiah and was baptized. Then he met a “certain damsel” who was demon possessed and made her masters lots of money. The demons knew who Paul was but Paul rebuked the demons and they came out of the little girl. The little girls masters were not too happy because it meant the end of their livelihood. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison. It was while they were in prision worshipping God that they met the Philippian jailor. An earthquake caused the jailor to fear for his life, thinking the prisoners would escape and that he would have to give his life if any of them escaped. The rest of the story is that the Philippian jailor trust in Jesus as his Messiah, as well as his whole house, and they were baptized.

These were the first converts on the European continent. Paul would eventually go to the city of Thessalonica and Philippi. It was these churches that financed Paul’s further missionary endeavors. Because of Paul’s obedience, the Gospel would continue to spread westward, some speculating that Paul made it all the way into Spain. We know that the Gospel has continued its course from east to west. I believe the Macedonian Christians were so thankful for the Gospel that they wanted to be a part of its spread to others who had never heard. So the question for us to consider is this: How can we be like those Macedonian churches? The answer: we can pray; we can give; and, if the Lord calls us, we can go. Just think how your single act of obedience to the Lord might be used to further the Gospel.

Jose Esquibel, 07/10/2009