Who Does This?!

Rules to Live By

We’ve all got them. Some of us just aren’t brave enough to tell anybody.

I don’t have many. Some, I’ve already shared at different times. But, here are a few.

Use your friends wisely. If you’re good for something I will make sure I get some of it.

Be the 1st one to turn on the TV. You will have a distinct advantage is choosing what you watch.

I tend to avoid the cooking shows and dancing shows.

More sports and crime.

I always eat whatever Sara puts in front of me whether I like it or not.

Never, under any circumstances, try to organize Sara’s kitchen. I just try to find what I need and get out quickly. When I’m trying to find something it’s always dangerous to ask where it is today. And, it’s scary to try to think like here.

Don’t get frustrated w/ the futility of trying to organize the garage. After a few weeks I’ll get my work bench cleared off just to give someone else the opportunity to stack paper towels, toilet paper, and cans of food on it.

There are 3 places in the house that are mine. My spot on the sofa, my seat at the dinner table, my side of the bed. Outside of that, I have no squatters rights anywhere in my big house and will not try to occupy any of it.

There’s another rule that would be good for all of us to have near the top of our respective lists.

Paul wrote this to the Philippian church:

Philippians 2:3–5 NIV

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Philippians 2:1–5 NIV

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Here’s the rule:

Be more concerned that everybody else gets what they need before being concerned about what you want.

But, who really does this?

It would be great if he were writing this from the recipients perspective. But, he’s not.

He’s writing this from the giver’s perspective.

This costs us something.

What do you think he was thinking when he wrote this?

He goes on to write that Jesus did this.

Jesus was more concerned about what we need than He was about what He wanted.

He was in heaven, came to earth, born, lived, died, tortured, all so we could live.

In the Garden, “Not my will but Your will be done.”

Sure, He did it. But, He’s God.

We’re just mere mortals living in culture that is becoming more and more “me” focused.

This is counter-cultural.

We should more concerned about what everyone else needs before we are concerned about what we want.

Who does this?! Hopefully, a lot of us. B/C, where this is one of the rules to live by, it’s a good place to be.

Does Paul really understand what he’s saying here?

I think he does.

Who does this?! Hopefully, a lot of us. B/C, where this is one of the rules to live by, it’s a good place to be.

B/C, here’s what happened when he got to Philippi the first time.

Encounters w/ 3 different people. Probably, no more ethnically diverse group in any other passage.

A wealthy, business-owning woman. Born Gentile, became Jewish and kept a lot of the law.

A young, demon-possessed, slave girl who was being used and abused by her owners to make them a lot of money.

And, a suicidal Roman jailer.

They all needed something he could help them get. And, in each case it cost him something.

First, Lydia. A woman like no other he would have ever encountered in his previous life as Pharisee.

If he had, and treated her like he did here, he would have been ostracized by the rest.

His reputation would have been ruined.

Lydia, a Gentile Business Owner

Acts 16:11–15 NIV

From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:

The journey to Philippi

Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke are traveling together.

This is Paul’s second journey.

Remember, last week he and Barnabas split up over the issue of whether or not to take Mark.

Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus.

Paul took Silas, was later joined by Timothy and Luke, and they headed for Macedonia in northern Greece.

Philippi was a principal city in the Macedonian region.

A Roman colony. Meaning, all the rights, rules, and privileges of being Roman applied even though it was so far away from Rome.

It was a wealthy city. There were copper, silver, and gold mines in the vicinity. Not only did this provide nice incomes for these mine-owners, all of the support and service businesses did well, too.

There was a strong Roman and educated presence.

And, just a small Jewish presence.

The Greek and Roman culture afforded women more opportunities than the Jewish culture.

Paul and his traveling companions found a group of women praying and engaged them regarding Jesus and their faith.

Lydia was part of this group and proved t/b a valuable asset to the church that would be established here later.

Lydia was a leader

This was a regular gathering spot for the women to come and pray. It was by a river where they could practice the ceremonial washings of Jewish law.

Can’t say about all of them, but Lydia was not born Jewish. She was Gentile. But, she became Jewish and practiced at least some of the law.

A Jewish woman, by law, was not allowed to own a business. She didn’t obey this one.

She was a

In saying she dealt w/ purple cloth, what Luke meant was she sold expensive clothes to wealthy people.

And, she was the head of her household. So, either divorced or widowed.

Her home become the place where the Philippian church that Paul later wrote to was birthed.

A lot of churches begin in living rooms.

You get the picture she was a high-capacity person, she got a lot done.

Luke wrote that she was a worshiper of God, that is, in a Jewish sense. She had not met Jesus as her Savior, yet.

So Paul laid it all out. God opened her heart and she accepted the gracious work of Jesus as her own payment for her sin and was saved.

Paul and her group went to her home and ended up staying there.

Christianity is turning the culture upside down.

Paul and Silas, Jewish men. Timothy was half-Jewish. And, Luke was all Gentile.

They traveled and did ministry together.

They gave women more respect than most in the culture. Spoke to them as equals, giving them the chance to decide for themselves about Jesus.

Then, they stayed in her home. Just a short time earlier a Jew would not even enter a Gentiles’s home at all. They slept and ate there.

Paul and Lydia were equals by faith. He elevated her status. And, he was more concerned about Lydia’s need for life than his own reputation among the Jewish leadership he used to be involved with.

If/when they found out, if they weren’t already committed to getting rid of Paul, they would have been even more so then.

As bad as this may have been for his name among the Jewish leadership, what he did next cost him even more.

A Demon-Possessed slave girl

Acts 16:16–24 NIV

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Acts 16:

An evil distraction

Acts 16:16–18 NIV

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

Demons are wise, but they don’t know the future. Only God knows what tomorrow will bring.

Demons are really smart, can read you, are very culturally aware and predict what you’re going to do next.

Just like a Vegas act or fortune teller only w/ evil supernatural abilities.

She would have eerily accurate in her predictions. Therefore, she made her owners a lot of money.

For many days, Paul put up with her distractions. He was a patient man.

Paul would have introduced himself as a servant of God. And, the demon believed in God.

Demons believe there is a God and Jesus is His Son and our Savior.

They don’t want anyone else to know.

So, her ranting would have disrupted every discussion Paul and his group would have tried to have. The distractions would be more annoying than a mom giving her toddler her set of keys to play with during a sermon.

Not that I’ve ever known that to happen!

Even though she speaks the truth, she did it in such an annoying way Paul and his group couldn’t have any meaningful discussions w/ anyone.

The demon couldn’t overcome God so it became the most annoying it could.

Again, like a 3-year old who wasn’t getting the attention she thought she deserved.

Have you ever tried to have a serious conversation among adults w/ a 3-year old in your lap?

So, Paul dealt w/ it.

He liberated the girl. She was being used and abused by the demon and her owners.

Immediately she was delivered.

the miracle is an aside here. But, it proved Paul’s message that accepting Jesus by faith will deliver you from whatever evil oppresses you.

The miracle proved the message, as always.

Gentile. Slave. Girl. Demon. All things Jewish men avoided. Paul did not.

He crossed every ethnic, cultural, religious, and social barrier to provide for her what she desperately needed.

And, he did it knowing it would cause a problem.

Her owners retaliate

Acts 16:19–24 NIV

When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Acts 16:19-

Her owners’ reaction is as important to this message as the miracle is.

They are not happy. If they cared at all about her they would have been thrilled.

But, their concern was not for her well-being but their own revenue stream. She was, literally, their cash-cow. Easy money.

And, Paul dried it up.

Their money was even more important to them than Paul’s message about their salvation. They rejected Jesus b/c their income source was ruined.

A trumped up charge. Paul and Silas hadn’t disturbed the peace. They disrupted the men’s business because it was disturbing the peace.

Maybe, they didn’t understand how she was so accurate in her predictions, but they also didn’t understand how Paul shut her down. More magic?

Magic was against Roman law.

The town square had a judgment seat, a ‘bema’ seat, where the magistrates would sit and hear a case and rule.

This seat has already been excavated by archeologists.

The issue was economic, not religious. Not only would their case be against Paul for ruining their business, but if many people became Christians they would no longer purchase any items related to the existing Pagan religions of the area and put a lot of merchants out of business.

The concern was it would undermine their economy.

They were obviously not concerned about the slave girl’s well-being or what good God could do for them and their economy.

Without allowing Paul and Silas to defend themselves they are ordered stripped and publicly beaten with rods.

Painful, but not as bad as whipped or flogged. The idea was this was just a warning. Stop what you’re doing or next time it will be much worse.

BTW, which verse describes the faith of the girl?

There isn’t one. She was not a believer before she was delivered from the demon. No idea if she ever became one.

God moved before she believed, if she ever did, and delivered her from evil.

Faith was not the point. God’s deliverance was.

Paul was more concerned about the girl’s well-being than her owners and it cost him. He was beaten and jailed.

And, the girl maybe never came to faith. Was it worth it?

Ask the jailer.

The Roman Jailer

Acts 16:25–34 NIV

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Acts 16:

It’s after midnight, after being beaten for doing a good deed, unjustly imprisoned and they’re praising God.

Singing. Praying. Like that jail has ever heard that before.

Everyone was listening. Are they insane?

The next thing they hear is a major earthquake. The walls crack and crumble. The doors fall off their hinges. And the anchors for the chains that bind them fall out of the wall.

Nothing can stop them from walking out to freedom.

The jailer wakes up. His immediate assumption is the prisoners, whom he had been instructed to pay special attention to, had left.

That’s a capital offense for him.

If his bosses come and find any prisoner gone he would be tortured to death.

So, rather than face torture, he’d prefer to take his own life quickly, painlessly.

Peter miraculously escaped twice. Paul is about to have his miracle story. But, he chose not to go.

And, it wasn’t just him. Other prisoners, too.

How’d they feel about that?

He realized what the jailer was about to do to himself and he stopped him.

Paul, once again, was more concerned about the jailer’s well-being than his own freedom.

The jailer was going to die, by his hand or another. Paul saved him.

Then, God saved him.

He knew why they were in jail. And, he wanted what they had.

Joy. Praise in the pain. Assurance. Salvation. Jesus.

The earthquake delivered them. Their chains fell off.

He wanted some, too. He begged them to tell him how.

Faith in the gracious work of Jesus on the cross is enough. His chains then fell off, too.

As gratitude for his life, he took them to his house where he treated their wounds and fed them.

Gratitude for his immediate life and eternal life.

He treated them as graciously has he had just found out Jesus treated him.

He washed their wounds after he had received a better washing by the Holy Spirit, then in the water of baptism.

He washed their stripes as his sins had been washed away by Jesus’ stripes.

Those who were once enemies were then brothers.

Think about the credibility Paul had as he wrote these words:

Philippians 2:1–5 NIV

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

In Philippi, one woman and one man was saved. A third girl, we won’t know till we get to heaven.

It cost him with the Jewish leadership, cost him getting beaten, cost him his freedom, and cost him with his fellow prisoners who could have gained their freedom had he not stopped them.

We read these verses, study them, even memorize them w/ little consideration for what was behind them.

Everything else he wrote to the Philippian church came in this same context.

Be more concerned about the well-being of others.

Be more concerned about what they need than what you want.

If this could be one of the rules we live by then this will be an even more special place to live.

Is there someone who needs something that you can provide but you’d rather have something for yourself?

Just asking, for a friend.

Applications

Regret

Are you more concerned about your reputation in Munds Park than you are that a friend is not going to join you in heaven?

People talk. They may call you Jesus freak. Religious fanatic. Bible thumper.

They may assume you have no fun. B/C we all know Christians don’t have any fun. Only evil things are fun and we don’t do that.

Right. Anyway.

What if one of your friends dies, doesn’t go to heaven, realizes you are in heaven and could have told them how to get there but didn’t.

No regrets. It may cost you something. But someone you know needs to hear about who you know.

Who is that?

Distractions

Satan is smart and powerful. He will do anything to create distractions and disruptions to keep you from having a positive spiritual impact in the lives of others.

Shut Him up. Don’t let Him.

To the extent that you can, eliminate evil distractions from your life. Recognize them for what they are.

Don’t let it happen.

Praise

Learn to praise God in your pain. Praise will become your best friend in bad times.

It will be like ibuprofen to you. Anti-inflammatory pain relief. Physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological.

It’s a learned discipline.

Praise God no matter what you’re dealing with. It will help.

Be more concerned that everybody else gets what they need than you are concerned that you get what you want.

It is counter-cultural.

Think about the odds.

If everyone in this room is only concerned about themselves, how many people are looking out for you?

ONE

If everyone is looking out for everyone else instead of themselves, how many people are looking out for you?

?

This is already a great place to live. Let’s make it even better by making this one of the rules we live by.