Dealing With Changes of Plan - Acts 16:9-15

This sermon was first preached by Sera R at St Denys Church as part of the 'Significant Changes' series. You can find the Bible passage here. As we look at Paul's journey to and through Philippi he needs to change his plans a number of times. As a God-orientated person who lived prayerfully and humbly he shows us how to be open to God's direction as he combines listening to God's nudgings with applying his own understanding and logic. It's a rich combination. 

I wonder whether whether you are someone who positively embraces a change of plan, or someone who really struggles when things go differently that you expect. Maybe you are someone for whom there never is a plan in the first place! We are all different characters, with our different comfort zones and challenges when it comes to plans. 

Whatever our natural character, looking at how Paul handled some changes of plan is really valuable, as it doesn't just speak to us of planning but also of tuning our lives into God's life - whether we make plans or not. The lessons are all drawn from Paul's journey to Phillipi as described by Luke in Acts 16:7-15.

Paul and his companions were planning to head to Bithynia to bring the good news of Jesus. Their intentions were good, but God had a different journey and destination in mind. Through varies means, Paul's plans changed, and lives were changed. He approached the journey as a God-orientated person of prayer and humility, and so was able to navigate the different kinds of changes in ways that were fruitful.

Change #1: 'No' - a decision shaped by the Spirit

The plan was originally to go to northern Asia, but 'the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them' (v7). The message was 'no!'. We're not told how exactly the Spirit got the message over, but what is evident is that Paul was open to being guided and nudged and redirected. And Paul accepted that his plans

I wonder if you can spot when the Holy Spirit is guiding you. It might be loud and obvious, but experience has shown me that often it through a whisper, a soul-stirring, a persistent pull. Often it is subtle. The key thing is that you are God-orientated, prayerful and humble as Paul was, and that you have travelling companions in life who you can check things out with, and discern together. It rarely is a whim, though it often is a whisper.

In this circumstance, the Spirit's guidance was 'no', but sometimes it's might be other directions...

Change #2: 'Go' - a decision-shaped by a vision

I love the observation made another member of St Denys that 'Sometimes you need the 'no' so that you have the space to say 'yes' to a better thing.' And this is what happens for Paul. The second change of plan involves the instruction to 'go' to Macedonia. It comes to Paul this time in a vision. 'During the night Paul a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' (vs 9). God is offering direction in a bold and clear way, and the mission team were 'convinced that God had called them to proclaim the good news to Macedonia' (verse 10). 

What I notice here is that the clear vision is consistent with character and calling of God for Paul's life. I also notice although the new direction was set, but the going was very ordinary. It was slow and steady one step at a time with the need for hard-work, laborious travel, decision-making on the way. 

The 'go' that God speaks into our lives is not always about a physical trip to an inconvenient faraway place. It might be 'go' into a new relationship, or a deeper friendship, or 'go' into a new job or a different voluntary role. It might be literally a 'go' for a walk in the local area, or 'go' and chat to someone in a group you attend. It probably involves leaving your comfort zone, but not your safeguarding protective habits.

Change #3: 'Divert' - a decision-shaped by logic & understanding

Once Paul and the team arrive in Philippi, he then changes his plans based on his logic and understanding. An obvious gathering place for him to aim towards would have been the local synagogue, but there wasn't one in Philippi. So they had to work out where to go to find people who would be open to their news. The decision they made was to head outside the gate to the river 'where we supposed there was a place of prayer.' (vs 13). 

They used their initiative and problem-solved, drawing on their own experience and understanding to work out where to divert to. Isn't this great! The encouragement that the wisdom and understanding we gather through life can also be part of God's work and guidance. We don't need to switch our brains off to be a follower of God.

Change #4: 'Accept' - a decision-shaped by a thoughtfulness

Paul and the team need somewhere to stay in the city, and they accept the hospitality of an influential business woman from out-of-town who has a base in town. Lydia, a God-worshipper, who had 'opened her heart to Paul's message' (vs 14) and had been baptised, had to do some persuasion (vs 15) for them to accept her hospitality. This suggests a thoughtfulness rather than a compulsiveness on Paul's part. He needed to weigh things up, to consider the different factors, but in the end he was willing to accept the hospitality from an unexpected person. The mission team move in for a while, tapping into her connections and receiving her kindness. 

Sometimes a change of plan is not about what you can do for others, but what you can receive from others. I wonder if there is an unexpected someone from whom you could accept hospitality or kindness. As Paul was thoughtful, so we need to be, and we need to keep ourselves safe and honour our own boundaries. It might be accepting a cuppa in a cafe, or a walk in the park, or a chat with a group of you. You can always go with someone else. 

This journey to and through Philippi is a wonder weaving of the extraordinary and the ordinary, the nudging of God's spirit and the wise application of logic and understanding. Together these strands lead to the news of Christ being spread and embedded into new communities, through the actions of someone who was God-orientated in a prayerful and humble way. So much for us to learn from today.