Acts 16

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Paul and Silas

Good morning everyone!
Let me ask you a question....
Are you glad you’re hear today?
Are you glad you came to worship the Lord our God…
We didn’t have to come to church, oh no, we got to come today.
It’s a privilege to be in God’s house, it’s a joy to be here and its a blessing to raise our arms up toward in heaven to the Lord our God.
The early church considered this time as sacred, it was special and they didn’t treat it lightly.
Now let me ask you a question....
Do we think the same about this time this opportunity?
Gathering and worshipping is a tremendous opportunity and joy for us…
We must treat it as such…
Now, think of the early church here. It’s only 12-14 years old. And the Apostles, what are they doing? They are giving their all for the glory of God.
There goal is two fold.... They want to see people come to faith in Christ and then equipped, built up to do the same, make other disciples.
And the church did this....
Now Paul and Barnabas have a little falling out, Paul doesn’t want John Mark to continue with them. So Paul and Barnabas part ways.
Barnabas travels with John Mark and Paul travels with a new man named Silas. Silas is well suited for the work of ministry, he was gifted and a prophet (Acts 15:32).....
So consider a little background to our message today. Paul and Silas come to Lystra and Derbe. And there they encounter a young believer named Timothy. Timothy is a good young man, whose reputation and faithfulness is known to the church all the way to Iconium.
Timothy loves the Lord.... Paul and Silas want to take him along with them.
But there is a problem, Timothy has a Jewish mother and a Greek father. And Luke, the writer of Acts tells us that Timothy is not circumcised. So Paul takes him and circumcises him… why? We just spent time in the last chapter discussing the fact that Gentile converts did not have to participate in this action to be saved..
So what is happening here..
A.) Timothy allows this, but not to ensure his salvation.
B.) Paul believed Timothy was essential to the work ahead of them, and he didn’t want to fight on the non-essentials. Paul also worship and spoke in the synagogues.
It would have been more difficult to witness to these Jews if they knew Timothy was not circumcised.
Now as Paul and Silas, began to set out they wanted to travel to certain areas but the Lord prevented them from traveling there, Instead the Lord led them to Macedonia.. Lets look at verses 9-10
Acts 16:9–10 ESV
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.
And so they begin to head that way.... Verse 12 telling us that they arrive in Philippi, in the district of Macedonia and Roman colony.
Now it is here that meet a dealer in purple garments, a lady named Lydia who worshipped God ( so she was a Old Testament God fearer), As Paul preached, The Lord opened her heart to hear and she was saved and baptized, verses 14-15
And so as they are staying in that city, preaching and teaching the word of God, they found some opposition. Listen the Devil doesn’t like to share space...
And so here is our first thought today...
1. A Demons Revelation...
The devil will do anything he can to hinder and stop God’s work in this world, and if he is well established in an area, don’t expect him to leave quietly.
Lets look at out text Acts 16:16-18
Acts 16:16–18 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.
So here are these missionaries, they are going out to a to a place of prayer for the day and they encounter a slave girl, a servant who is possessed by a unclean spirit and enables her to predict the future.
Now when you go back and research this a little more you find something really interesting, well at least to me. If you’re not, just hang in there with me.
The Greek text literally says this is a “Python spirit, this was symbol of the famous Delphic oracle and it represented the god Apollo, who was believed to render predictions of future events.
And so here I think, he is a demon spirit in this lady and it is represented as a serpent… does that surprise you?
Now the Greeks and Romans put a lot of stock in divination, fortune telling. They wouldn’t make any large decisions without first inquiring from the spirit asking how things might turn out.
Now, when she encounters Paul and Silas, she announces who they are, servants of the most High God who proclaim the way of salvation.
Now why did this irritate Paul so much.. I think there are a couple of reasons...
A.) Paul didn’t want to draw attention to their mission in a gentile world that might hinder the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
B.) The second reason is the belief with the local false gods, these Greek and Roman gods. This slave girl called them servants of the God most high, which for many might have made them associate with Zeus.
Also the Greco/Roman world was full of savior/deliverers type figures so with just hearing that phrase it might cause them to associate with this system of false gods...
But nonetheless, this went on for days. Every time this lady cam across Paul and these other members of the team, she spoke about who they are and who they served...
And so you know where this is going… Paul was mad, frustrated… and so finally he spoke out.
Now he didn’t just tell her to shut up.. no, look at verse 18 again.. Acts 16:18
Acts 16:18 ESV
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.
Paul cast this unclean spirit out of this young slave girl and immediately the slave girl was whole and well, no longer possessed by this unclean first.
This demon might have tried to rat out and discourage Paul and Silas, but it didn't predict, it didn’t see being cast out coming!
Kind of short sided of this python spirit! But nonetheless, the servant girl is well and whole...
The most glorious thought is that Jesus makes us well… Jesus delivers and Jesus restores...
The demon is gone and she is well....
Now this moves us to my second thought my friends...
2. Rejoicing in Jail...
Now I know what you’re thinking, rejoicing in jail ..well I’ve never seen anyone do it
And that’s OK, but I’m here to tell you that when Jesus shows up in the midst of our struggle, well it all changes.
When Paul rebuked that unclean spirit and cast it out of that young lady, well her masters were not happy at all.
Lets look at our text.... Acts 16:19-24
Acts 16:19–24 ESV
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.
Her master didn’t care that she was now whole, no longer being possessed by a demon, they were upset their money maker was gone.
So they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the city square and before the rulers of the city they accused them of crimes they did not commit.
Look at what they accuse them of three things...
They are called Jews.
They are throwing our city into an uproar.
They are advocating customs unlawful for Romans.
Wow, none of the charges are valid, but simply it stirred the hearts of those who were Roman, making them think they are diminishing our nationalism...
And it worked, Roman pride won over the crowd… The magistrates had them stripped for a scourging, and they beat Paul and Silas with rods. Finally they threw them into prison and placed under tight security.
But one thing is missing… They are in a Romans colony, with Romans officials and no one ever asked, are you guys Roman citizens???
See they were Romans citizens and that dictated how they could be treated and guaranteed certain rights. We will take more about this in a minute.
But the damage is done, they are in prison, sore, hurting but they are not swearing, threatening a lawsuit, or acting anything other than Christ like....
Lets look at the text again.. Acts 16:24-26
Acts 16:24–26 ESV
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.
They placed them deep in the prison, fastened their feet in stocks and left them there suffering under the pain of having to stay in a certain position in those stocks
And at Midnight Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns to God.
Are you kidding me… most people would be angry, loathing in self pity… But when Jesus is in the heart, everything else changes...
What a scene, could you imagine with me a couple famous preachers, you know like Billy Graham and someone else in prison and at midnight they are having a prayer meeting and could you hear maybe ‘It is well with my soul.” being sung at the top of their lungs...
And while they are spending time with God, and allowing others to hear their voices suddenly God answers in the midst of their song..
A great Earthquake takes place… and earthquake so strong that is shakes and moves the foundation violently. The building is so shaken that the doors all through out the prison are opened…
But it didn’t stop there, the chains and shackles, the stocks that Paul and Silas were secured in are opened as well..
They have been set free...
Listen my friends in our darkest hour we are not alone, as we turn and call upon our heavenly Father please know He is aware off and at work in our current situation.
Paul and Silas have been treated so poorly, beaten with rods, and thrown in jail for their faith and God has up in their moment of need reminding them yet again, I am with you!
My friends, please know and understand no matter what you are facing today, you are not alone. He is with you. He is with each child, and He is at work in you....
Now this takes us to our next thought for the day, are you ready??
3. A Jailers Deliverance...
The miracle of the earthquake probably caused Paul and Silas to praise God but it caused another to grieve...
Lets go back to our text and let me share this thought with you… Acts 16:26-30
Acts 16:26–30 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. 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?”
Wow, what a story of salvation.
This poor jailer thought the worst had happened… He woke through the earthquake and finding the doors opened in the prison thought the prisoners had escaped..
That’s usually what happens, the doors pop open and the prisoners make a break for it.
Such fear had overwhelmed this jailer’s life that he drew his sword and started to kill himself...
Now you might ask why? Why would he seek to kill himself? Understand these jailers were personally responsible for the prisoners and to have one escape, well his life would be forfeit. He would be put to death for not executing his office effectively.
Roman death would not be nice, He has witnessed many prisoners being put to death and I’m sure that wasn’t something he wanted to participate in.... but he knew to take his own life would be swift and much easier.
So he drew His sword and Paul yells out to him.. Do not harm yourself, we are still here....
The jailer called for a light, most likely a torch and stepped into the cell, still not believing hardly what he has heard with his ears but now seeing with his eyes these two evangelists...
He humbly and tearfully feel down before these two men asking Sirs, what must I do to be saved… wow
Their words, their life and testimony by their actions and now their presence helped the jailer understand Jesus whom they preached about and praised was real and in their midst.
Look at verses 30-34 Acts 16:30-34
Acts 16:30–34 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. 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.
Paul told this Philippian jailer, Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.
Now with verse 31 we see that Paul and Silas t spoke the word of the Lord to all who were in the house. And they believed!
How do I know this, well verse 33 tells us. The jailer in his new life in Christ tended to the wounds that Paul and Silas had suffered. And they went ahead and baptized this jailer and his household.
The jailer, this new brother in Christ brought Paul and Silas inside his home and set a meal before them where they ate and I’m sure rejoiced in the name of the Lord...
What a marvelous conversion… oh my friends our lives and how we live can make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Now as they are fellowshipping and taking in the joy they have experienced in these early morning hours, we find that as daylight came, the order was to set these men free....
But now, Paul speaks up…37-39 Acts 16:37-39
Acts 16:37–39 ESV
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
Did you see what Paul said, He said you did this, and even to Roman citizens… This gave Paul and Silas the upper hand. Those magistrates did this to them without even affording them a trial, which was a must under Roman law.
The punishments like flogging and beatings could be placed upon non citizens, but not if you were a Romans citizen.
Now the magistrates were greatly alarmed… it was a serious offense to abuse the rights of a Roman citizen. This could cost the magistrates their office and even their freedom, and the Emperor could even deny the entire city certain rights because of this violation of the law.
The magistrates came and ate a little crow if you will, they apologized to Paul and Silas and asked them to lead the city.
Leaving the prison, Paul and Silas visited Lydia, and encouraged those brothers of the faith and departed to their next mission..
You know looking over chapter 16 we see great victory and great persecution.. but in the end, 1.) we see the church established there, 2.) we see many saved and 3.) and we see faithfulness in the midst of hardship.
All of these remind us that we are to ensure the church remains healthy and established and to help other congregations as the Lord leads, even helping plant new churches around this world.
We need to do all we can to see people come to faith in Christ both near and far
And we need to be faithful even in the harder days of life.
And as you have listened and as God has spoke to you this morning… Will you act on his leading in your life...
He is asking you to change somethings you are doing your life
He is asking you to serve,
He asking you to do something totally outside your comfort zone and share you faith and witness.
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