Sermon Tone Analysis

Have you ever set someone free?

Loved one in grip of alcoholism; chronic worrier, spiritual darkness - give a key!

On our floor in UofG, pressure cooker in science - Vet program.

Attempted suicide.

Maybe some of you experience literally to save a life - Gospel believers have opportunity to give a person that kind of key, lifeline.

Starts realizzing what you have in Christ that our culture doesn’t,then giving quiet witness, then opportunity to do actual evangelism!

Philippi was the site of one of the most significant military engagements in Roman history.

In a series of battles there in 42 B.C.E., Mark Antony and Octavian (later endowed with the title 'Augustus') conquered the republican forces of the assassins of Julius Caesar, Cassius and Brutusthen Brutus and famous suicide - then Roman colony… Military not mercantile colony.

Divided between citizens/”strangers” - usually Italy and rest.

Those made freemen - colony -citizenship - strongmen magistrates - praetors…

Seemingly idyllic, meet by river side, worship in Lydia’s house - many turning to LORD JESUS as Messiah and Saviour… Storm brewing out of isght about to swamp them!

Message Luke is giving = no room for Jesus in the inn; life of hardship and suffering for others;; not that much different for his followers = choice to get involved ie.

Psych experiment = no one replies… = work of divine grace often advances through difficulties and discouragements

Storm brewing out of isght about to swamp them!

Message Luke is giving = no room for Jesus in the inn; life of hardship and suffering for others;; not that much different for his followers = choice to get involved ie.

Psych experiment = no one replies… = work of divine grace ofetn advances through difficulties and discouragements

= misunderstand in reaching out with the gospel, slandered as against people and culture = Rutherford - God knows what he is doing demonstration of witness in hard circumstance often best use = NOT TIMES OF EASE AND PROSPERITY, … Samuel Rutherford: "I find it most true that the greatest temptation outside of hell is to live without temptations; if water stands, it rots; faith is the better for the sharp winter storm in its face and grace withers without adversity.

The devil is but God's master fencer to teach us to handle our weapons."

~ Samuel Rutherford= not by might not by power, but by my Spirit… Paul and Silas, seem to understand this with their slow beginning, and even patient endurance of the clamour of a false witness!

= expalins praise and prayer while fresh wounds stil bleeding, sitting in uncomfortable stocks… ...

Key Truth: The LORD grows His Church through quiet witness and simple evangelism

But before we can learn how to have this quiet witness and prepare to give simple but bold evangelistic offer, we must recognize standing as a Christian with the hope of the gopsel will expose us to misunderstanding, false witness that will twist people’s minds about what we stand for, and persecution that is ultimately demonic!

A. Stand Against Satan’s Attack of False Witness

A. Stand Against Satan’s Attack of False Witness

You would think Paul was pleased for the publicity … ie.

song on radio mentions God - but twisted to keep God safe distance, idolatry… heart and minds like that;

Unwelcome not just because annoying, but deceptive - Jesus just another god, doesn’t actually say THE way of salvation; but one of many ways like new E mystery religions, like traditional Greek and Roman gods ;

Pythonic and Appolo - seems some really had prophetic powers from supernatural.

An insidious satanic attack.

The original Greek behind the phrase "had a spirit" reveals the horror with which she was involved, literally reading "had a Pythian spirit" or "had a spirit of Python."

According to myth, Python was a snake that guarded the Temple of Apollo and was eventually killed by Apollo.

Later the word python came to mean a demon-possessed person through whom Python spoke.

An insidious satanic attack.

The original Greek behind the phrase "had a spirit" reveals the horror with which she was involved, literally reading "had a Pythian spirit" or "had a spirit of Python."

According to myth, Python was a snake that guarded the Temple of Apollo and was eventually killed by Apollo.

Later the word python came to mean a demon-possessed person through whom Python spoke.

Some were upper class, others lower.

Some quite sane, others out of their mind, ranting, … some from lower classes, mutter-ers - ventriloquists… Like this girl exploited, clairvoyant owned by spiritual pimps!

bound by dark spirit - but enslaved to rich who take advantage of lower classes superstition … only reason - drop her when spirit is gone!

Paul in a bit of power encounter - stops the false witness - and does so in the powerful name.

Not like a magic incantation, But as a revelation of Jesus Christ! - Not any God but the Saviour from the only true God … the Son of God Incarnate.

This is the Saviour who frees both a free influential purple dyer entrepreneurial business woman; and equally a victim of human trafficking and even demon possession.

Do we believe the gospel is for both here in Barrie?

But then comes the real confrontation and persecution - the owners - seize them to the market place - Paul had driven out the spirit, but the same word is used to described that the masters’ ability to make money -driven out too! Satan changes tactics, crowds galvanized as God works, so when deception won’t work, now try by persecution:

ie.

Richard Collier, the historian of the Salvation Army, says:

Persecution was great from the beginning. . . .

Gangs frequently hurled mud and stones through the windows at the preaching and the crowd.

Booth kicked, mocked in papers, Field Marshal von Booth, Police blamed them - in 1889 669 members assaulted, one even threw lime into eyes of a child during outdoor service.

Hearts were in their wallets, so persecute the gospel!

Taken to agora, market place where courts and magisterial officers gather.

From police court, to the Praetors!

no investigation, no opportunity to explain - notice the form of their accusation, because P & S eventual response follow the same order:

They says “These men who are Jews , not Roman …customs!”

Here is the second false witness, much more hostile and accompanied with persecution!

Assumption is like Jews kicked out of Emperor Claudius from Rome forbidden travel to Alexandria - that this Jesus movement is anti-Roman!

Religion is about customs NOT LAWFUL for Romans!

Philippi, model after Rome, appeal to same hatred of Jews.

No talk of slave girl freed, but prejudice!

They want to casts this as Rome vs. Jewish.

See that in church going fmailes vs non-church going families - Your people, religious we aren’t, doesn’t form part of our history, our family cultlure - butt out!

No talk of slave girl freed, but prejudice!

They want to casts this as Rome vs. Jewish.

See that in church going fmailes vs non-church going families - Your people, religious we aren’t, doesn’t form part of our history, our family cultlure - butt out!

They want to casts this as Rome vs. Jewish.

See that in church going fmailes vs non-church going families - Your people, religious we aren’t, doesn’t form part of our history, our family cultlure - butt out!

No talk of slave girl freed, but prejudice!

They want to casts this as Rome vs. Jewish.

See that in church going families vs non-church going families - Your people, religious we aren’t, doesn’t form part of our history, our family culture - butt out!

But is this true?

First Philippian Lydia almost certainly Roman citizen, ties to Caesar’s household.

Before that Cornelius a Roman Centurion of Italian cohort… Sergio Paulus,proconsul of whole Island province of Cyprus, - then his family in Antioch - Asia Minor.

Now look does this Jesus way of salvation have anything to do with what class or clan you are part of?

salve girl freed in His name?

But is this true?

First Philippian Lydia almost certainly Roman citizen, ties to Caesar’s household.

Before that Cornelius a Roman Centurion of Italian chorot… Sergio Paulus,proconsul of whole Island province of Cyprus, - then his family in Anitoch - Asia Minor.

Now look does this Jesus way of salvation have anything to do with what class or clan you are part of?

salve girl freed in His name?

But do you remember why Paul is here?

Vision in Asia Minor, by Bithynia.

Do you remember his call , after Damascus for 3 years like 3 years of other apostles - called you to Gentiles, revelaed myself directly to you as ascended Lord.

Remember commission confirmed - to Gentiles…

Why not giving up, why circumstances, even though another twist - not what expected, started with no synagogue, non Jewish but not Macedonia leading woman… now authorities representing Emprie trying to reach with gospel rejecting … what will they do.

They are scourged with rods, not 40 minus one of the Jews, but Romans no limit.

All illegal for Roman law without due process.

Then thrown into dungeon pit prison!

B. Witness Where God Opens Doors

Roman prison usually had three parts.

One where prisoners had light and air (communiora), the interoria - where strong iron gates and bars with locks shut prisoners in, and then the Tullianum -or the dungeon for executions, where prisoners condemned to die were confined!

Here the prison guard was instructed not only to lock them up - but charged with keeping the safely - responsible with his own life to keep them!

ie.

, Peter’s guards executed upon his escapee!

So into the fetter, not just safety, but wide apart to torture them.

Black dungeon full of pain?

Could despair, no place for missionary work?

What would they do?

Not just take it lying down, but not fought with weapons of this world.

They are not defeated, mindful of the heavenly battle going on - they pick up the weapons of warfare in … what are they?

just like first place of sharing the gospel must be with each other - so too our prayers, and our praise -Praying was simultaneiously singing - praying God’s wordpromises.