Cover Over Into Macedonia

When Paul was on his second missionary journey in Troas, Luke recorded, “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”  Paul’s reaction to this revelation was prompt: “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them” (Acts 16:9-10).  I wondered as I thought on this story whether Paul was indeed able to “help” them as the man in his dream pleaded. Macedonia was a region that now covers parts of northern Greece, southern Albania, and the present day Republic of Macedonia.  From what I can tell the next three cities that Paul visited were all in Macedonia: Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.  Was he able to help them and answer this petition of the person in his vision? 

               The account of Paul’s labors in these three cities of Macedonia is found in Acts 16:12-17:14.  In Philippi they met Lydia the “seller of purple,” and she was baptized along with her household.  Paul and Silas were later beaten and put into prison there, and they were able to convert the keeper of the prison after miraculously being freed.  In Thessalonica Paul preached and “some of them believed, but most did not (Acts 17:4).  There was an uproar in the city, and Paul had to flee to Berea.  The people there “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  Therefore many of them believed” (Acts 17:11-12).  But the Jews from Thessalonica came and stirred up the people against Paul, and he fled out of Macedonia to the south to Athens.  That’s all the detail that we have of this trip through Macedonia—so did he help those he was supposed to help?  I think we can be confident that he did given his willingness to follow the Spirit, though we certainly don’t have all of the details.  Even though there were many in these three cities who rejected Paul’s message, it was clear that there were numerous converts whose lives surely were greatly blessed.  Most notable among these was Lydia and the jailor, and I’d like to think that the jailor was one for whom Paul was especially brought to Macedonia to help.  When Paul was in prison God provided an earthquake which freed their bands, but Paul didn’t use that to escape.  Instead he stayed in the prison, and was able to teach the jailor because of it.  In other words, God provided a way for their escape not to actually have them escape, but to help them preach the gospel to this jailor.  When the earthquake freed the prisoners Paul calmed him and prevented him from committing suicide.  This seemingly unfathomable concern—what prisoner is concerned for the well-being of his jailor, especially when his way for escape is clear?—and surely this helped him to want to learn of the gospel from Paul.  We read that not only he alone received the gospel, but “all his house” also and they were baptized immediately (Acts 16:34).  If this were the only thing Paul had done in Macedonia, surely we could count his mission to answer the call for help as being complete.  And the story begs the question for each of us: who is calling for our help to bring them the gospel?