Paul, a slave girl, and a Jailer

After Paul was detoured on his journey, he met Lydia. A wealthly woman of means. One day after this meeting, a slave girl inserts herself to their lives and kicks of a wild series of events.

A Divination Deliverer, a Determined Disturbance, and A Demon Dismissed

Acts 16:16–18 NASB95

It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.

This slave girl was the Divination Deliverer. She was actually in double bondage. She was a slave to her masters who used her to divine for money. She was a soothsayer, a fortune teller, palm reader, whatever you want to call her, she was practicing an art that was forbidden by God.

Deuteronomy 18:10–12 NASB95

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. “For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you.

Not only was she a slave to her masters, she was a bound by a demon.

And here is a good example of why you should not partake in these dark arts. They are mostly demonic.

Anybody who calls on a spirit other then the Holy Spirit...stay away from that person. People who call up the dead...demonic. witchcraft...demonic. Sorcerers and spell casters...demonic.

Notice what the woman was saying...“These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.”

Is this true? Absolutely it is true. But notice how Jesus dealt with this.

Mark 1:24–25 NASB95

saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”

The demons were speaking truth about Jesus and He rebuked them.

WHY? Because demons are deceptive. Just like their master Satan.

So we do not engage with demons as we would engage with our physical enemies. With physical enemies we may sit at a negotiating table and discuss. We are never to discuss anything with demons. We resist the devil and he will flee from us. We stand firm. We cast out...but we never converse.

Hence the reason Paul didn’t even appear to ackowledge the girl at first. The only communication he had with her was to cast out the demon.

Another point is that demons can greatly annoy the righteous. He wasn’t annoyed with the girl. Because she couldnt help it. He was annoyed at the demon.

Money Lost, Misery Inflicted, Missionaries Incarcerated

Acts 16:19–24 NASB95

But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

The masters could have cared less for that girl. But their money making scheme was destroyed the instant that demon left that girl. And they became very angry. So they laid hands on Paul and Silas and dragged them into the public square.

Let me stop there for a minute and drop some numbers on you.

Abortion industry generates 4.8 billion a year

Divorce legal fees generate - 13 billion a year

Pornography industry generates - 100 billion a year

Lottery insutry generates - 100 billion a year

Illegal Drugs generates - 150 billion a year

Tobacco industry generates - 1 trillion a year

Alcohol industry generates - 1.7 trillion year

3,067,800,000,000.00

3 Trillion, 67 Billion, 800 Million dollars a year.

(And some people are jacked up that Elon became a trillionaire this month)

In contrast, We could end US homelessness with 30 Billion a year

We could end US hunger with 25 Billion a year.

In the meantime...Amazon profitted 77 Billion last year

Microsoft profitted 101 billion last year

Apple profitted 120 billion last year

We spent $298 Billion dollars in the US

So its not a matter of means to get it done...its a matter of want to.

If people quit sinning the population as a whole would have almost 3 Trillion dollars a year in disposable income.

And people would rather sin than help one another.

Anyway...now that the money stream is gone, the masters drag Paul and Silas to the market place to the authorities.

Acts 16:19–24 NASB95

These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks

So Paul and Silas took a beaten. And not just any beating...a BEATING. These men were caned severly and then imprisoned.

So we have seen A Divination Deliverer, a Determined Disturbance, and A Demon Dismissed

We have also seen Money Lost, Misery Inflicted, Missionaries Incarcerated

Now...

A Tremendous Earthquake, A Terrific Gospel Presentation, and Total Redemption

Acts 16:25–34 NASB95

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.

After being beaten severely and thrown into prison...Paul and Silas do the most Paul and Silas thing...They PRAY and SING HYMNS...to a captive audience!

Then the earthquake. Now I don’t want to make light of this since there were some very deadly earthquakes in the world this week...But this earthquake was just strong enought the rattle the doors loose, and unfasten all the prisoners, but not strong enough to demolish the prison. That was a Tremendous earthquake. Not tremendous in destruction, but tremendous in precision.

The jailer awoke, saw the doors open and was terrified to the point of suicide. Thinking that everyone had escaped on his watch, his instinct was to take himself out rather than face the same people that just beat Paul and Silas.

But Paul saves him from himself. STOP! We’re here!

And notice the response of the jailer. WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

It kind of reminds me of Peter’s first sermon...

Acts 2:37 NASB95

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

Now look at what Peter said:

Acts 2:38 NASB95

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 16:30–32 NASB95

and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.

Acts 16:33–34 NASB95

And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.

What a glorious event. The gospel was preached, Souls were saved.

In this Chapter alone...3 people, 3 encounters with Jesus, 3 responses.

Lydia, Wealthy, Asian, God Fearing woman, Converted through Preaching

Slave girl, Poor, Native Greek, Tormented by Evil Spirits, Converted through Exorcism

Jailer, Blue Collar, Roman, Spiritually indifferent , converted by powerful Miracle

3 completelety different people.

Wealthy, Middle Class, Poor.

Three different levels of Spirituality: God fearer, Demon possessed, Indifferent

Converted 3 different ways. Preaching, Exorcism, Miracle

The end of this chapter brings us:

A Rapid Release, a Ruthless Rebuttal, and Reassuring Reunion

Acts 16:35–40 NASB95

Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

Release those men. I’m not sure what we got ourselves into here...but they have got to go.

Paul issues a Ruthless Rebuttal. They beat us publicaly. Without Trial. And we are Romans. They threw us in Prison. They made a spectical of us and now they want to sneak us out of town? No Can Do Buckaroo.

They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. We really messed up here. (That’s what happens when you let money rule. The masters of that slave girl drug them beofre the authoirites and claimed...they are costing us money. And the reponse by the authorities...Oh we can’t let our business owners lose money. We have to deal with this quickly.

Rather than doing the right thing...they caved to the money. We can argue that the very same thing happens today. Someone commented that if we release the Epstein files unredacted the whole system will collapse. That ought to tell you something. If the whole system is that orrupt, then maybe the whole system does need to collapse and started over.

Money drives solutions, but sometimes the solutions favor the money and cause worse problems.

After a public beating they publicly begged them to leave the city.

And so Paul and Silas left. They go back to Lydias house.

And when they saw the brethren. There were no converts in this town until Paul and Silas arrived.

But they get back to Lydias house and see the brethen. Apparently Lydia has been busy evangelizing.

It doesn’t say how many...but you have to think it was Lydias household, the slave girl, the jailer and his family and anyone else who saw God’s power on display in Macedonia.

What a powerful scene. God redirects Paul’s journey. Leads him to Phillipi, he meets Lydia. All sorts of trouble begins. But God shows up in a mighty way and 3 households are changed that will change the world. This would become the church at Phillipi that Paul would write his letter of Philippians.

What I want you to leave with today is that God is in the saving business. Whether you are poor, rich or somewhere in the middle.

Whether you have some knowledge of God, are indifferent to the gospel or are demon possessed...there is hope for you.

It may take one person saying the right word that connects the dots from your head knowledge of Jesus to a heart knowledge of Jesus. It may take God literally shaking the ground beneath your feet to get to pay attention. Or you may need to meet someone bold enough to say Demon come out in order for you to be freed.

What ever the case, Jesus is alive. He is actively concerned about you. He is wanting a personal love relationship with you.

The quesiton is. Will you repsond to Him today?