25th May 26 | 06:30
Daily Study
Fulfilling the call of God
Acts 16 - Series 01/Episode 01 - Mon, 25th May 2026 - Fulfilling the call of God - Acts 16:01-05 - THE INDUCTION OF TIMOTHY - Acts 26:19
Acts 16:1-3 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. (2) He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. (3) Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
This was the route for the second missionary journey undertaken by Paul and Silas. https://www.thebiblejourney.org/biblejourney1/10-pauls-journey-to-phrygia-macedonia/paul-starts-his-2nd-missionary-journey/
The team was now Paul and Silas. Yet, Dr Luke tells us that he (Paul) came to Derbe and Lystra. Silas had joined Paul in the second missionary journey. Silas's concern was to complete two assignments. One was to communicate the verdict of the Jerusalem Council to the churches, especially in Syria and Cilicia, and encourage them. He was very much into this task as they travelled to Syria and Cilicia. Acts 15:23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. / Acts 15:40-41 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. (41) And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
From Syria and Cilicia, Silas was a learner. Silas was now fully under Paul, as he led the mission. Silas was with him, but it was Paul who was visiting the churches, which he and Barnabas had planted.
When Dr Luke says specifically that he (Paul) came to Derbe and Lystra, we are reminded that these churches were where Paul was responsible for planting the church along with Barnabas. These were places where Paul and Barnabas saw amazing fruit of their ministry. Acts 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, / Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
These were also places where they faced severe opposition to the ministry. Acts 14:5-7 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, (6) they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. (7) And they were preaching the gospel there.
To come back to these places was a personal pastoral visit of Paul. It was more than just the second missionary journey, as we call it, but it was places for heart-connections that Paul had with the believers. We can imagine how deeply connected Paul must have been with the believers in these places and how intimate they must have been with him. We can appreciate how much Paul would have longed to visit the believers in these places. The believers, too, would have been yearning to meet Paul and Barnabas once again. They would have been disappointed that Barnabas was not with Paul, but the replacement for Barnabas was Silas. They would have surely welcomed Silas.
Timothy was an outcome of the ministry that Paul and Barnabas had done in these areas. Paul took personal responsibility for inducting Timothy into the ministry team. The visit to these places and inducting Timothy were Paul's decision, and that is why Dr Luke says that he (Paul) came to Derbe and Lystra.
Luke shifts in the use of the pronouns 'he' and 'they'. These usages give us an idea as to what was taking place within the ministry. If we miss the usage of these pronouns, we will only read the overt activities that took place, but miss out on what was happening within the ministry. There is a need for both individual and team leadership. The Lord uses us differently as we yield to Him. We cannot limit God's ways to one type of leadership. The Bible tells us exactly how things happened, along with the underlying dynamics.
Paul's calling to the Gentile churches was his personal calling from God. Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, They were a team, but Paul was pursuing his call. Team members may change, and new members may be added, but the call from God remains.
The Lord calls each of us individually and also places us in teams. In unique ways, the Lord uses us to accomplish our personal call, and he also uses us in teams to accomplish the team's call and purpose. Both happen simultaneously, and this is the example that we see happening here.
The split with Barnabas was God making them into two teams to operate in different directions. God's ways are higher than our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. (9) "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
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