Acts Message 39

Acts 16:35–17:9 NKJV

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” 38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. 39 Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. 5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

True Evangelism is…..

I.

VS. 35

Acts 16:35 NKJV

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”

1. It is the morning after. Demon possessed girl had been freed. Paul and Silas beaten, thrown into prison, prayed sing praises unto God. Earthquake, jail doors opened, jailer and all in his house had been saved.

a. The next day the magistrates have a change of heart. They send the Serjeants. Lictor, rod holder. They would carry out the orders of the Magistrates. Beating, beheading.

b. On this day their task is to free Paul and Barnabas. Why? Scripture does not tell us. I believe prayer, the power of God.

VS 36

Acts 16:36 NKJV

36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”

1. Good news not only for Paul and Silas, but also for the jailer. He could let them go. They were back at the prison VS 40

a. The jailer tells Paul to good news. Elab. Now go, leave town, and go in peace. (Quietly)

VS 37

1. Paul’s response is not, let’s get out of here. It’s they beat us in public, they gave us no trial, we are Romans.

a. A Roman citizen could not be beaten, crucified, or expelled from a Roman city. Paul was not going to let them get away with abusing their authority.

b. Let them come to us face to face. Let them show reasonably for their actions.

VS 38

1. These powerful men who were so quick to believe the words of the master of the slave girl, quick to punish these to Jews that had troubled their city, were now the ones that feared.

Fear: means to be alarmed.

a. By Paul and Silas insisted on their civil rights now, perhaps as a means of protecting the infant church in Philippi.

b. There are times when we must endure persecution for the cause of Christ, but it does not mean that we have to let people walk all over us.

VS 39

1. Oh how things changed. Paul and Silas the day before not even giving the chance to defend themselves now they are receiving an apology, and ask “requested of them” to leave the city.

a. Paul could have had revenge; he had a legal right to bring charges against the magistrates. But showed some Christian grace here, he had sewn the seed of the gospel in their hearts.

VS 40

1. Paul, Silas, and Timothy will move on. Luke would stay behind. He would help the new church at Phillip. He was still there when Paul would come back on his third missionary journey.

a. Before they leave they go to Lydia’s house, and encouraged, and gave some instructions to the new believers. There would be trying times ahead for them.

b. But there were also some great memories.

I. Sharing God’s Word VS 1-3

VS 1

1. Paul goes to Thessalonica, it was Major city.

a. Paul would start church in the cities, then the people would spread the gospel into the rural areas.

COURAGE

2. Paul had courage, boldness.

a. Paul goes to the synagogue. Elab

b. When he would preach, the unbelievers would turn against him. This didn’t stop him. More pressure put on him the bolder his preaching got.

VS. 2

1. Paul spends Sabbaths going on the scriptures. “Reasoned” discuss thoroughly.

a. Paul would have been sharing Jesus as we see in the next VS.

b. Probably how the prophets had predicted the coming Messiah.

2. Today when we share the word of God with the lost, we need the stick with Jesus, and the plan of salvation.

a. Ealb. You are given a works answer. Elab

b. Let me show you what the Bible says about that.

c. Satan will try to get you side tracked. Elab Circumcision.

d. Arguing the Bible with a lost person is a good way to turn them away. Stick with Jesus. This is what Paul did.

VS 3

1. The Messiah had come, that was Paul’s message. That was the good news. That was the gospel.

a. Paul told them that Jesus, the Messiah, as scripture had predicted, had to suffer and die.

b. This is not what the Jews were expecting from their Messiah. But it was the truth, it was the Word of God, it was Jesus.

2. In the Pulpit, teach the tell about Jesus. In the S.S class tell the truth about Jesus. The Youth ministry, tell the truth about Jesus. In Children’s church tell the truth about Jesus. When we witness to the lost, tell the truth about Jesus.

3. Paul shared God’s Word, revival broke out, and the lost were reached.

II. Reaching the Lost VS 4

1. “And some believed” “some people get, some people don’t”

a. Those that had become believers, consorted with Paul and Silas. Means “to associate” Elab.

b. Who all became believers? Jews, devout Greeks, (religious) Chie women, (upper class, great influence) not just a few people, a great multitude.

2. The Word of God shared, the lost reached, and many people saved, now the controversy,

III. Not without Controversy VS 5-9

VS 5

1.BUT,

a. The unbelieving Jews. It is always the unbelievers that stir up problems. Acts 14:2

b. “They moved with envy” Jealousy.

c. The unbelieving Jews were jealous (pride fullness) they moved against Paul and Silas.

d. People were turning to the teachings Jesus, and from the teachings of Judaism.

e. God has no room for this kind of behavior in the church today we are all part of the body of Christ. Working together to accomplish God’s will.

f. Stirring things up, working against God’s will is what the opposition wants.

2. These unbelievers Jews, “certain lewd fellows of a baser sort” wicked men from the market place.

a. “set all the city in an uproar”

b. The gospel of Jesus, it will cause a controversy.

3. Jason house. Not a lot is said about Jason. He would have been, and like Lydia his house was being used.

a. An assault “attack” was made on his house, trying to find Paul and Silas. Elab

b. Stand up for what is right, share Jesus, the attack will be on you.

VS 6

1. Paul and Silas were not in the house. Lord led them away.

a. So they out Jason and some other believers to the mob of people.

c. Crying: means, shout out. Look at the charge. VS 6b

d. What a tribute to Paul, and to the power of God.

f. Where ever Paul went things happened. Souls were saved, Elab. People took sides, Elab

Feelings were stirred, Elab. Lines were drawn, Elab

g. Paul didn’t come into town and hold a few quiet meetings, and slip out of town.

h. When Paul came into town and preached the gospel it stirred up passions. Some for Jesus others against. He turned things upside down. It caused a controversy.

I. We could preach Jesus, in Gainesville and turn things upside down.

VS 7

1. Jason one of their own citizens had welcomed these men into his house. Adding and abiding. Guilty by association.

a. They are accusing them of rebellion against the Roman emperor Caesar. By calling Jesus king, which they would have been referring as the Kingdom of God. But the people unbelievers would have looked at it as rebellion against Caesar.

b. Satan will use every trick, every method, and whoever he can to stop the spreading of the gospel.

VS. 8

1. Mob violence would not have been a good thing. The rulers feared things could have gotten out of hand. They also feared the reaction of Rome if the Caesar.

VS. 9

1. “Security” Some type of bail was paid, and they had convinced the rulers that there was and rebellion against Caesar.

a. The Romans didn’t care about the Jew’s being mad over some religious problems, but rebellion over their Government would have been a big problem.

b. Jason and the other believers are freed. Now they would continue the gospel.

True Evangelism is….

Sharing the Word of God.

Reaching the Lost.

Not without controversy.

If we are faithful, see lives changed, souls saved, turn this world upside down.