Philippian Baptisms

Psalm 54:4–7 ESV

4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. 5 He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them. 6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. 7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Acts 16:11–34 ESV

11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Introduction

We thank for the two, Sigfreda and Jemima who have been baptised here this morning. I want now to look at two others, plus a few more, who were baptised in Philippi, Lydia and the Philippian Jailer. I want examine what was different and what was the same about them. Firstly we need to know something of the background.

1. Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

a. Antioch (Syria)

Acts 15:39–41 (ESV) 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

b. Timothy

Acts 16:1–3 (ESV) 1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

c. No-Go Areas

Acts 16:6–7 (ESV) 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

d. Macedonian Call

Acts 16:8–10 (ESV) 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

2. Lydia

a. Philippi

Acts 16:11–12 (ESV) 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.

A Roman colony under Roman law. Wealthy city largely due to extensive gold mines. Paul’s first visit to Europe.

b. Sabbath Day

Acts 16:13 (ESV) 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

There was no synagogue because of their being no Jewish men.

Women under the guidance of Lydia met for prayer.

Paul ministered to them.

c. Lydia

Acts 16:14 (ESV) 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

i. Purple Goods

Lydia had left Thyatira, crossed the Aegean Sea, and taken up residence p 590 in Philippi as a seller of purple cloth. The purple dye applied to fine linen was obtained from the secretion of shellfish (molluscs) that live in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. “Since approximately eight thousand molluscs were required to produce one gram of purple dye, purple cloth was extremely expensive.” Purple garments were worn by emperors and by private citizens as a status symbol. In Rome, purple stoles were attached to senatorial togas. We conclude, then, that Lydia belonged to the class of wealthy merchants and was the owner of a large house (vv. 15, 40). Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol. 17, pp. 589–590). Baker Book House.

ii. A Worshipper of God

In Thyatira, Lydia had become a believer in Israel’s God and, as a Gentile, was classified as a God-fearer (10:2; 13:16, 26, 50). That is, the Jews had not fully accepted her as a convert. In Philippi, she faithfully worshipped on the Sabbath at the place of prayer. When Paul taught the gospel of Christ, she listened attentively to his words. Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol. 17, p. 590). Baker Book House.

iii. The Lord opened her heart

Only the Lord can open the heart.

d. Baptised

Acts 16:15 (ESV) 15 And after she was baptised, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

i. Obedient

Was baptised and her household

ii. Faithful

Gave hospitality

3. The Philippian Gaoler

a. In Prison

Acts 16:16–24 (ESV) 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

b. Praising God

Acts 16:25 (ESV) 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

c. Earthquake

Acts 16:26 (ESV) 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

d. Fear

Acts 16:27 (ESV) 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

e. Reassurance

Acts 16:28–29 (ESV) 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

f. Conviction

Acts 16:30 (ESV) 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

g. Conversion

Acts 16:30–32 (ESV) 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

h. Baptised

Acts 16:33 (ESV) 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptised at once, he and all his family.

i. Faithful

Acts 16:34 (ESV) 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

4. Different but the Same

a. Different

i. Gender

Woman and Man

ii. Social Extremes

Lydia - wealthy, influential, powerful

Gaolor - Former soldier, cruel, sadistic,

iii. Religion

Lydia - Godfearer, not Christian

Gaolor - Not christian

b. Same

i. Sinners

All sin is the same

ii. Converted

John 3:3 (ESV) 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

iii. Obedient

Acts 2:38 (ESV) 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

iv. Faithful

Acts 2:42 (ESV)

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Conclusion

Acts 2:38 (ESV) 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.