Portraits of Salvation

Acts 16:

Acts 16:5–10 HCSB

5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 During the night a vision appeared to Paul: A Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.

They were in the right place.

John MacArthur

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Right Place

Having received the divine summons, Paul did not hesitate. Luke notes that when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. The missionary team’s experience illustrates a basic principle of knowing God’s will: to move ahead and allow Him to close doors until the right opportunity is reached.

This illustrates that Paul and Timothy and Luke (“we” passages) — are the people God uses.

The Right Passion — Look at verse 3

And look at who God saves.

I. Portrait of Two Women

Acts 16:3 HCSB

3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek.

The first is a woman who is liberated — Lydia.

Acts 16:11–15 HCSB

11 Then, setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:11-

It’s interesting that Paul, who is often caricatured as a male chauvinist by those who reject his teaching on the role of women, was not prejudice here. In sharp contrast to his fellow Pharisees, he sat down and taught a woman. Daily prayers often included thanking God they were not Gentiles, slaves, or women.

Aspects of her conversion

And so they went and delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders.

What was that decision?

Worshiper of God. She had a seeking heart, already turning from pagan idolatry to worship the one true God. She was like Cornelius. And before we think that this is outside of the working of God. Don’t forget they were sent of the Holy Spirit to Macedonia. And here is Paul to preach to Lydia.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. You remember this was in response to the Jews who were preaching you must be circumcised as prescribed by Moses or “You cannot be saved!”

So not only did she seek, she listened. She didn’t ignore the Gospel when preached to her. . Lydia listened with faith to the saving Gospel.

The Lord opened her heart to Respond to the things spoken. A. W. Tozer said this.

The Right Priority

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Liberated Woman

Probably the hardest thought of all for our natural egotism to entertain is that God does not need our help. We commonly represent Him as a busy, eager, somewhat frustrated Father hurrying about seeking help to carry out His benevolent plan to bring peace and salvation to the world; but as said the Lady Julian, “I saw truly that God doeth all-thing, be it never so little.” The God who worketh all things surely needs no help and no helpers.

Too many missionary appeals are based upon this fancied frustration of Almighty God. An effective speaker can easily excite pity in his hearers, not only for the heathen but for the God who has tried so hard and so long to save them and has failed for want of support. I fear that thousands of young persons enter Christian service from no higher motive than to help deliver God from the embarrassing situation His love has gotten Him into and His limited abilities seem unable to get Him out of.

We may think that God is wholly dependent on us to reach the loss, but Paul cleared it up rather poignantly.

1 Corinthians 2:1–4 HCSB

1 When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2 For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit,

And notice her passionate response.

Acts 16:15 HCSB

15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

The Enslaved Woman

Acts 16:16–24 HCSB

16 Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation, are the slaves of the Most High God.” 18 And she did this for many days. But Paul was greatly aggravated and turning to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away. 19 When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20 Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews 21 and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.” 22 Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded. 24 Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

Again, they are where God put them and they preach the Gospel. But this one is strange encounter.

We’re left without any knowledge of anything but deliverance from bondage. But we can say this. She was a woman in bondage in desperate need of deliverance.

II. Portrait of Providential Placement

Acts 16:25-40

Acts 16:25–34 HCSB

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because all of us are here!” 29 Then the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had believed God with his entire household.

This is a reassuring portrait of God’s sovereign rule over the universe in that He is able to bring good results of bad circumstances.

Romans 8:28 HCSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

The most heinous crime ever — crucifying the Lord of Glory, we are told

Acts 2:23 HCSB

23 Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him.

The young girl’s deliverance and consequential throwing into jail of Paul and Silas — brings salvation to a jailer and his family.

We see first the praising of God in a dark prison.

How could they be praising God? This would seem to be a time for deep prayer!

They understood what we seem to forget — praising God does not depend on circumstances. “Rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say Rejoice!”

1 Peter 5:10 HCSB

10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Praise

Paul and Silas’s reaction underscores another vitally important truth in living the Christian life: How Christians live is directly related to their concept of God. No one expressed that truth more clearly than A. W. Tozer:

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God.…

Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, “What comes into your mind when you think about God?” we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man.…

A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God.

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Provision

When the gospel is preached to hearts prepared by God, results are inevitable. The jailer and each member of his household were saved. That his salvation was genuine is evident from four considerations. First, he expressed genuine love for Paul and Silas when he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Second, immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. By that act they publicly identified themselves with Jesus Christ. Though the hour was late, other people were no doubt still outdoors because of the earthquake. Even if there were no others to witness the baptisms, word of them would surely get around. Third, he showed hospitality, as had Lydia before him (v. 15), by bringing Paul and Silas into the house and setting food before them. James 2:14–17 shows the importance of hospitality in relation to faith. Finally, he rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household. A short time earlier he was ready to commit suicide. Now he radiated the joy that comes from knowing one’s sins are forgiven (cf. Ps. 32:1; Rom. 4:7). Only the grace of God could effect such an instantaneous transformation.

How should we be prepared to preach the Gospel?

It matters not the culture or the social status. What matters is God.