Turning An Ordeal Into Opportunities

[SLIDE 1] Introduction

If you have your Bible, then please turn to Acts 16:16-40. I want to begin by reading from verses 16-24. (READ)

Last Sunday, God led the Apostle Paul and his missionary team from the east coast of the Mediterranean sea all the way to the west, crossing the Aegean Sea, and ended up in the city of Philippi. That’s about 1300 km of travelling.

And by God’s amazing grace, they proclaimed the gospel at this location called the place of prayer whereby a woman named Lydia became a follower of Jesus.

Philippi would become the 1st city where a Christian church was first planted in Europe.

What we saw earlier in Acts 16 was a fruitful ministry.

Illustration

Now, I don’t know about you, but I like it when things are fruitful and going well in my life.

I like it when God is doing mighty works in our church family.

I like it when church ministry is becoming fruitful and believers are faithfully serving the LORD.

I love it when the church is healthy.

I have no greater joy than to hear the church walking in the truth.

That’s probably what happened to the Apostle Paul. He hit a homerun or a jackpot - so to speak - in his gospel ministry.

Because of that, what does he do?

He and his team return to the same place, the place of prayer, possibly to do more evangelism and perhaps hoped to see a similar result.

Now, as we have just read, the outcome was not what the missionaries anticipated.

You don’t always hit the jackpot twice. Although I’ve been reading things on Facebook that some folks are winning the lottery twice or consecutively…but I digressed.

Things got rather rough for them.

Know this, brothers and sisters, that life may not always be flowery.

You will face suffering and hardship. You may be wronged and perhaps even persecuted.

And as we have been going through the book of Acts, we have seen a number of times how the Apostles and the early church suffered persecution.

The Bible gives us a repetition for a reason. It is to emphasize the truth of the Christian life and it is to help us look at the theme of suffering, for instance, from a different angle.

The main point of this passage is learning to respond to an ordeal or suffering as a Christian.

It is not a matter of if you will suffer, but rather when you will suffer.

God designed suffering for the purpose of either testing the genuineness of your faith OR refining and strengthening your faith with fiery trial.

And when you suffer, how will you respond to it?

And that’s what we’re going to learn from this passage.

When you face an ordeal, use it as opportunities to glorify God. How?

Biblical Theology

Context

[SLIDE 2] Acts 16:16-18 sets up the main point of this text.

We have a situation where Paul encounters a slave girl as he was going back to the place of prayer.

She’s a complete contrast to Lydia in the previous passage.

Lydia was a wealthy businesswoman in the upper class.

This girl, however, was in the lower class, who was enslaved and exploited by her owners for their financial gain. Also, we don’t know her name.

Not only that, she was possessed by a spirit of divination, and the owners used that to profit their business.

Philippi was a Gentile city. It would have been a polytheistic culture with pagan practices.

In Greek mythology, there was a story told about a spirit of python or a pythonian spirit. That’s what the spirit of divination means.

Python was a serpent that protected the Oracle of Delphi, who was said to be able to communicate with supernatural entities and prophesy the future. In other words, divination.

In the Old Testament, God condemned the practice of divination when He stated in Leviticus 19:26, “Do not practice divination or seek omens.”

The OT law also forbid God’s people from consulting with mediums and necromancers.

But these Gentiles did not worship the God of Israel nor did they follow the OT law.

So, the slave girl was possessed by a pythonian spirit, but we can attribute that as a demonic spirit.

And her owners profited by her fortune-telling.

Fascinating enough, the word, “fortune telling,” in the Greek has something to do with “being out of one’s mind.”

So, even though she was possessed by a demon, she was also driven by madness.

Which, I think, explains the reason why she was following Paul and his team and crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”

Now, she was telling the truth.

Paul and his team were indeed servants of God.

She was able to use biblical terminology in referring God as the Most High God, which was an OT designation of the God of Israel.

She also told people that these men spoke of the way of salvation.

But she kept announcing this message out loud for however many days to the point that it got rather annoying.

Now, I’m sure all of us have been annoyed by someone or something in our life. Whether it’s a friend who just won’t stop talking, or a coworker who’s too loud, or your spouse not doing what you expect him/her to do.

This is the only recorded instance, I think, in the New Testament where the great Apostle Paul got annoyed. I suppose that being annoyed isn’t always a sin.

You can imagine him getting harped by this girl every day.

So, Paul just casts out the demon out of her in the name of Jesus. And this is the 1st instance in the book of Acts whereby a demon was cast out of a person.

Some people may understand this as exorcism. But the world portrays this notion in an unbiblical fashion.

Biblically, when the Apostles and Jesus casted out demons, it’s always immediate and only once.

Now, why did Paul do that?

I think a reasonable explanation is that Paul didn’t want his ministry to be associated with demons, wickedness and evil.

The fact that she’s crying out the truth about these men for many days may be perceived by others that she’s part of this (crazy) missionary team.

Plus, while the demon was telling the truth, we must remember that the evil ones are always disguising themselves as angels of light.

When Paul cast out the demon, it certainly was good news because the slave girl was now free and was no longer possessed by the spirit of python.

[SLIDE 3] However, in verses 19-24, the owners of the slave girl were unhappy about what happened to her.

They saw that their hope of gain (their business or trade) was gone. This means that they’ve lost their means of gaining wealth even if it means exploiting her for selfish gain.

Sadly, doesn’t this still happen in our day?

We can talk about human trafficking.

We can talk about individuals and corporations preying upon vulnerable people, like the children and refugees.

We can talk about the opioid crisis in our city and nation.

We can talk about the slavery that happened in America.

When people fought for justice to end exploitation, the owners would get upset about it.

Unfortunately, the godlessness in the last days is manifested in greediness, selfishness, and heartlessness.

In response, the owners ganged up on Paul and Silas, seized (arrested) them and dragged them (by force) into the market place before the rulers of Philippi known as the magistrates.

But what about Timothy and Luke? Aren’t they part of the team?

I think it’s because of ethnic prejudice. Luke was a Gentile. Timothy was half Jew and half Greek.

Paul and Silas were completely Jews. It’s quite possible that their skin tone was more noticable.

Hence, the owners complained to the magistrates in verse 20, “These men are JEWS, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice”

So, Paul and Silas were beaten, stripped naked, and then beaten more with rods, and were thrown to the deepest and darkest part of the prison.

Those of you who are familiar with the Apostle Paul, we often look at him as the great missionary and theologian who contributed many of the letters in the New Testament.

But we may often forget that he was also a great sufferer. If you remember in Acts 14, he was almost stoned to death. Try to imagine what he would look like.

Perhaps a disfigured face with scars around his body. I’m reminded of what he said in Galatians 6:17

Galatians 6:17 ESV

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

When I look at this text, I cannot say that I have suffered too much in my lifetime. I’m sure that there may be some here who have suffered more than me.

But there is a lesson to be learned from this passage.

[SLIDE 4] When you face an ordeal, turn it into an opportunity to share in Christ’s sufferings (vv.19-24).

When you look at this passage alone, we should be reminded of our Lord Jesus Christ who was beaten, flogged, spat upon, punched, stripped naked from all his garments, wronged as an innocent man, and thrown into prison (and eventually crucified on the cross)

I’m not saying we should seek to suffer to the extent like Paul and Jesus to prove ourselves to be Christians.

But what I am saying is that all Christians who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We will suffer for His name’s sake to a certain degree. And we are to rejoice in doing so.

Exposition

So, we get to the prison scene in verses 25-34. This is a famous story in Acts whereby Paul evangelizes to the Philippian jailer and his family. (READ)

[SLIDE 5] It is midnight and Paul and Silas are in prison. How do they respond to their suffering.

For some Christians, they might have reacted with regret over the choice of their life. They might have wished they never started doing mission work.

But they spent the night hours in prayer and praise to God.

In other words, they were worshipping the LORD.

Imagine all of us were thrown in prison like them at this hour, we would have a choir, singing hymns and songs of praise in prison to our great God and Saviour.

It’s quite possible that they’re praying for their enemies just as Jesus taught us to do in Matthew 5.

This leads us to another lesson.

[SLIDE 6] When you face an ordeal, turn it into an opportunity to worship God (vv.25).

How is it possible for Paul and Silas to praise God under such conditions?

That’s because worshipping the LORD and being joyful in this situation does not depend on circumstances.

They’re able to worship and rejoice because they knew their God; that God is sovereign over all circumstances.

Paul, who wrote the letter to the Philippians, said this, “Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Paul did not write that out of the blue. The man who told others to rejoice had also learned to rejoice himself under such dire circumcstances.

James 1 does exhort us to count it all joy, when you meet trials of various kinds...

Here’s what reality should look like when we suffer persecution:

The persecutors may be able to lock us up, but they shouldn’t be able to lock up our devotion and praise to God. We should be not silenced.

Even if they duck taped our mouth, they cannot rob us of our joy and praise to God from our hearts.

Even if they try to end our lives, well…for to live is Christ and to die is gain.

I also notice another lesson we can take away:

[SLIDE 7] When you face an ordeal, turn it into an opportunity to set a godly example for others (vv.25).

Another thing to keep in mind when we’re suffering as Christians is that others are paying attention to us.

[SLIDE 8] The text says that the prisoners were listening to them pray and sing.

And it is at this moment where we could either respond to our suffering in a worldly way, such as being angry and impatient.

OR in a Christ-centered way that testifies to the world that we are disciples of Jesus.

Now, you can apply this not only in prison, but also in the hospital, for example, where you can be Christ’s witness before the nurses, doctors, and even other patients.

Now, why do I bring this up?

Allow me to get ahead of ourselves.

Look at verse 28 in your Bible. When everyone had the chance to break out of prison, Paul said to the jailer, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”

For whatever reason, these prisoners noticed that Paul and Silas did not leave prison, so they also chose not to.

Perhaps they noticed something very different and unique about these followers of Jesus.

That’s indeed what Christians are supposed to be like. To be different and set apart from the world.

Now, in verse 26, as they were singing and praying, suddenly, there was a great earthquake and all the doors were opened and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (And it’s not because their singing was bad).

Certainly, the prison scene is a repeated event in Acts when the Apostles were in prison.

We remember in Acts 5 and Acts 12 where the angel of the LORD broke the Apostles out of prison.

On both occasions, the angel gave them direction and guidance of where to go.

Here, on the other hand, there is no mention of the angel of the LORD to lead and guide them. But it is still nothing short of a miracle.

Paul and Silas could have just broke out of prison with the rest of the prisoners, but for some reason, they did not leave.

Quite possibly, Paul, who was familiar with the Roman law, understood that if he left, the jailer would have been executed.

[SLIDE 9] That’s what led the Philippian jailer to respond with panic and fear after he woke up...

...because he saw the doors opened, and the prison cell was dark, and he immediately assumed that the prisoners escaped in this dark dungeon.

As a soldier, it was his responsibility to guard the prison and make absolutely certain that he didn’t allow any prisoners to escape.

Being negligent of this duty would cause him his own life, which was execution.

I also read that not just simply an execution, but he would also be tortured.

So, ending his own life would be a simple and swift way to die.

However, Paul stopped him before the jailer did anything to himself. Here, we learn another important lesson:

[SLIDE 10] When you face an ordeal, turn it into an opportunity to evangelize (vv.30-34).

You see, the jailer was trembling with fear and fell down before Paul and Silas and asked them a very important question that all sinners should ask: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

[SLIDE 11] Now, I thought it was a simple question, but as I have studied it, we should ask ourselves, “What did the question intend to mean?”

Did the jailer want to know how to be safe from physical harm or punishment? Or, did he want to know about eternal salvation, since we can assume he heard the slave girl say that Paul and Silas proclaimed the way of salvation.

Now, I believe he wanted to know how to be saved from eternal damnation and wrath of God.

The question he asked has an irony.

The jailer called them, “sirs,” but the word can also be translated as “Lords” or “Masters” because they come from the same Greek word, “Kurios,” which is usually a reference to our Lord Jesus.

So, he regarded them as “Lords” or “Sirs,” out of deep respect for them and sensing that there is divine force at work around them or in them...

Because remember he was a pagan, so it’s possible that he thought of them as gods who caused an earthquake and break out of prison.

In response to his question, “What must I do to be saved,” Paul and Silas told him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

So, it seems like there’s a bit of play on words in the Greek.

The jailer called them, “Kurioi,” or “Lords,” but they pointed him to the one true Lord (kurios), the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul and Silas were not the Lord of salvation, only Jesus is.

So, Paul and Silas explained the word of the Lord (same word, kuriou) to him and all who were in his household (which means family).

Certainly, Paul and Silas explained further to the jailer what believing in the Lord Jesus meant because he wouldn’t know who this Jesus was that he’s supposed to believe in.

By the grace of God, the jailer and his family were saved on that same night. They received the gift of eternal life found in Christ and they got baptized, symbolizing that their old self has died and they’re now new creation.

Their reaction and response was nothing short of joy. Like Lydia, the jailer was very hospitable and provided a meal before them.

So, I wonder if there is anyone who is listening to this sermon is also asking the same question, “What must I do to be saved?”

The answer that Paul and Silas gave was not good deeds. It was not through penance.

The simple answer to the simple question is this, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

Believe is not an intellectual faith nor easy believism. Like anybody can just say they believe in Jesus. Even demons can believe in Jesus, but refuse to obey and change their sinful lifestyle.

Believe means faith. It means placing your entire trust in the person and work of Christ, His death, burial and resurrection. You believe that He is the only way, truth, and life. He’s the only way to the Father. He’s the only way to salvation whereby your sins can be forgiven.

Believing also implies a total commitment and loyalty to our Lord. It is turning away from your sins and turning to Christ and confess to Him that He is your Lord and Saviour.

Finally, we get to verses 35-40. (READ)

[SLIDE 12] When you face an ordeal, turn it into an opportunity to exercise your civil rights (if possible) (vv.35-40).

[SLIDE 13] After the night is gone, here comes the next day when Paul and Silas were released from prison, but they’re to leave in peace and be “thrown out” secretly.

Now, we don’t know why they suddenly wanted to release these missionaries.

Perhaps the Romans were aware that there was no real justification for the charges against them, so they might not have understood why they were being accused in the first place.

Whatever the reason might have been, we do know however that Paul wasn’t happy with the way he’s treated. He protests in verse 37.

Some translations, like the NASB, say, “they have beaten us in public without trial.”

The Roman government strongly protected the rights of Roman citizens.

And it was a violation against Roman law to beat their own citizens and throw them into prison without trial.

Since Paul was a Roman citizen, the magistrates certainly made a grave mistake and were deeply embarassed and afraid about what they have done (v. 38-39).

What they did could be devastating for them and their city. They could lose their jobs and be severely punished.

Therefore, the magistrates were to respect the Roman citizens by taking Paul and Silas out themselves.

Now, why did Paul insist on getting the magistrates to “escort” them out?

Paul’s reputation would have been at stake if he were thrown out secretly. Remember, he and Silas were persecuted publicly and unjustly. People would have thought of him as a criminal. So, he needed to be vindicated.

Furthermore, he wanted to make sure that the church in Philippi was safe as he’s about to leave. Without addressing the injustice, the magistrates could abuse their power by mistreating the missionaries, churches, and Christians. So Paul needed to deal with that.

By insisting on a public apology by the magistrates, it can positively influence the mission and the church there, granting them more respect and admiration in the eyes of the public.

Yet at the same time, the Apostle Paul was also compassionate and forgiving. He could have exercised his right and reported this incident to the higher authority and hold them accountable.

But he chose to forgive the wrong and not to seek revenge. He was not vindicatory.

When he was asked to leave the city, he did not insist on his rights, but gladly obeyed their wishes.

Now, what can we glean from this passage?

When the government crosses their line (or overreach) and breaks their own law to the harm of their own citizens…

I think there may be times when we as Christians who are citizens of a country should be able to exericse our civil rights and challenge our government to obey their own rules and not be out of line.

As Canadians, we have the charter of rights and freedoms. That every Canadian possesses fundamental freedoms: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion; freedom of peaceful assembly; freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression.

If the government tries to take those rights away from Christians living in Canada, we should hold them accountable for their role and responsibility so that they don’t abuse their power and mistreat other Christians and churches.

Yet, we should do it carefully, wisely, and prayerfully.

The government isn’t perfect. They make mistakes and lack integrity. They break their own laws out of ignornance.

Most of the time, the NT instructs believers to submit to governing authorities because they’re appointed by God for the interests and good order of society.

I’ll let you reflect on that part of the lesson.

[SLIDE 14] So, our passage concludes with Paul and Silas visiting Lydia and other Christians one last time to strengthen and encourage this new planted church in Philippi before they continue their missionary journey.

It seems like Luke stays behind in the city of Philippi. We know this because at this point, Luke drops the use of “we” that he began to use in verse 10, and starts the use of “they.” It says they departed.

A possible explanation for why Luke decided to stay behind was because he was there to disciple and pastor the new flock to be spiritually mature in Christ.

Application

What a comprehensive passage that we have just covered about suffering and learning to respond to opportunities for the sake of Christ’s glory.

[SLIDE 15] In summary, when you face an ordeal, turn it into an opportunity to:

Share In Christ’s Suffering

Worship

Set A Godly Example For Others

Evangelize

Exercise Your Civil Rights (if possible)

[SLIDE 16] Conclusion

We should praise God for His work in the city of Philippi.

I can’t help but to say that God is willing to save sinners from all socio-economic status and diverse background.

Lydia was in the upper class from the city of Thyratira.

The Philippian jailer was probably in the middle class.

What about the lower class? Well, I wonder what happened to the slave girl after the demon was cast out of her.

Well, I’m sure she may have been included among the 1st Christian church in Europe, including the jailer’s household, maybe even some inmates if they were released from prison, and other brothers and sisters in Christ.

Last of all, there’s Luke, the discipler…the historian and the physician.

What an amazing thing the gospel can do.

Prayer

Benediction