A Spirit-Filled Ministry

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. - Acts 16:1-8

    The supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit by which the apostles were confirmed as the messengers of Christ (Heb. 2:4) ceased when the canon of Holy Scripture was complete and the apostles had all died (1Cor. 13:10). The Bible is the perfect, complete revelation of God. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it (Rev. 22:19). Since there are no inspired apostles today writing out a new word of revelation from God, there is no need for those gifts of a supernatural, miraculous nature by which the apostles were identified as apostles. However, the ministries of God's servants today are just as truly Spirit-filled ministries as were those of his servants in the apostolic era. Every true gospel preacher, being called and directed in his labours by God the Holy Spirit, exercises a Spirit-filled ministry as he preaches the gospel of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 16:1-8 gives us an example of such a ministry. This chapter begins with Paul and Silas coming to Derbe and Lystra. It is the beginning of Paul's second missionary journey. We are told nothing more about Barnabas, but Paul and Silas continued faithfully to preach the gospel of Christ, being led by God the Holy Spirit in all things. That is what a Spirit-filled ministry is. It is a ministry dictated by the Holy Spirit, a ministry controlled by, and in submission to, the Spirit of God (Eph. 5:18). In these eight verses Luke shows us four things that characterize a Spirit-filled ministry.

    1. A man prepared by God (16:1-3)

    Wherever you find a Spirit-filled ministry you will find a man prepared by God for the work of the ministry. No man is called by God to preach the gospel who has not been prepared and qualified by God for the work (1 Tim. 3:1-7). When Paul came to Derbe and Lystra, he found a young man named Timothy, whom he ordained to the work of the gospel ministry (1 Tim.4: 14;2 Tim.1:6). Neither Paul nor Timothy knew how the Lord might be pleased to use him, but Timothy was a young man whom God had called and gifted for the work of preaching the gospel.

    The Lord began his preparation of Timothy in his earliest years by his special providence. Timothy's mother Eunice was a Jewish woman who was a believer. His grandmother Lois had also been converted by the grace of God. From his earliest days of childhood Timothy had been taught the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make sinners wise unto salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Tim.1:5; 3:15). Eunice gave her son the name 'Timothy', which means 'honoured of God'. Like Hannah of old, Eunice got her son from the Lord and gave him to the Lord. From his boyhood he was taught the Word of God.

    It should be the greatest concern of parents to instruct their children in the gospel of Christ and train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). If parents would train their children as they ought, they must:

    1. Train them in the way they should go—not the way they want to go (Prov. 22:6).

    2. Discipline their children firmly and consistently, insisting that they behave in the way they should (Prov. 22:15; 23:12-14; 29:15).

    3. Walk before their children in the way of faith and obedience, showing them the way by example (Gen. 18:19).

    4. Pray for God's wisdom, direction and grace in training their children, and for his merciful blessings upon the training they give (Gen. 17:18).

    5. Commit their children to the hands of God (l Sam 1:24-28).

    We see in Timothy's parents a display of God's marvellous providence and grace. Though his mother and grandmother were both believers, his father was an unbelieving Gentile. Eunice's marriage to him was an act of disobedience to God (Deut. 7:3; 2 Cor. 6:14). But providence took the sinful union of an unbelieving man and a believing woman and prepared a messenger of sovereign grace! As God overruled David's adultery with Bathsheba and gave them Solomon, so he overruled Eunice's disobedience and gave her Timothy. Thank God, he does not remember the sins of his people against them! Indeed, as John Trapp put it, 'God can (and often does) turn our sins to our good and comfort.' Like a wise physician, our Lord takes the most deadly poison and makes it a medicine for our health.

    In the fulness of time Timothy was also prepared by grace for the work to which God had ordained him. He who preaches grace to others must first experience grace in his heart, and Timothy did. He was a devoted disciple of Christ, a man of blameless reputation in the community where he lived and 'well reported of by the brethren' (cf. 1Tim. 3:7). It is apparent that Timothy was willing to serve God's cause in any capacity. That service which Mark despised as shameful, Timothy counted an honour (13:5; 15:38). God uses men like that!

    Timothy was further prepared for the work of the gospel ministry by his willing submission to a man of proven faithfulness (16:3). Before a man can lead men, he must learn to follow. Before Elisha could be a prophet he had to sit at the feet of, and serve, the prophet Elijah. And before Timothy could be entrusted with the care of the churches he had to prove his care for the churches by serving Paul. He even submitted to the painful ordeal of circumcision, simply because Paul, God's faithful servant, said it would be best for the gospel's sake (1 Cor. 9:19-23). Timothy was a man prepared by providence, grace and obedience for the work of preaching the gospel.

    2. A message proclaimed from God (16:4)

    That man who preaches by the Spirit of God is God's messenger, God's ambassador to men. He has a message from God and faithfully delivers it (2Cor. 5:18-21). Spirit-filled preachers all have the same message—the gospel of Christ. And they are all to be heard, received and treated as God's ambassadors. They constantly declare 'the decrees' ordained of the apostles by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (15: 11,28): the Scriptures alone; Christ alone; grace alone! All God's servants preach God's gospel: ruin by the Fall, redemption by the blood of Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. A Spirit-filled ministry is a ministry characterized by the message of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ.

    3. A ministry performed by God (16:5)

    Paul and Silas went about preaching the gospel. They did not employ entertainers to make the gospel more appealing, have puppet shows to reach the children, host ball teams for the men, or organize bowling leagues for the women. They simply preached the gospel and waited for God to work, and he did (2 Cor. 10:4-5). As John Trapp commented, 'Some were converted by their ministry, others confirmed. This is still the fruit of faithful preaching.' This much is certain: whenever a man preaches the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit something happens for the glory of God (2 Cor. 2:14-17).

    4. A messenger propelled by God (16:6-8)

    Faithful gospel preachers are led, directed, motivated and inspired in their work by the Holy Spirit. God's servants will not allow either their own desires or the influences of men to determine the course, place, or message of their ministry. Paul wanted to go to Asia, but the Holy Spirit would not allow it. He tried to go to Bithynia, but was providentially hindered. It was the purpose of God that the gospel be carried to Troas and then to Macedonia. There are some places in this world where God's servants are 'forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word'. 'This was a heavier judgement upon those coasts,' wrote Trapp, 'than to be denied a harvest, or the light of the sun. Prize the preaching of the gospel as a singular privilege. They that are without a teaching priest are without God (2 Chron. 15:3).' Blessed beyond measure are those people to whom God sends his servants to preach his Word faithfully (Amos 8:11-12; Isa. 52:7).