Mission Impossible I

One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.

Paul & Silas, while traveling to a place of prayer encountered a woman who was a slave and had the gift of being able to tell the future. Actually, she had a spirit (more specifically a demon) within her. This special talent that she had made her very valuable to a few individuals who were taking advantage of her. In fact, there were those (scriptures call them masters) who had taken her as a slave and were making bank off of her special ability. She was able to tell people’s future - and there were those who were willing to cough up the cash for this service.

One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.

Paul & Silas, while traveling to a place of prayer encountered a woman who was a slave and had the gift of being able to tell the future. Actually, she had a spirit (more specifically a demon) within her. This special talent that she had made her very valuable to a few individuals who were taking advantage of her. In fact, there were those (scriptures call them masters) who had taken her as a slave and were making bank off of her special ability. She was able to tell people’s future - and there were those who were willing to cough up the cash for this service.

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

Well, because she was able to tell the future, there were things that she knew about people. She was aware of who Paul and Silas were and she would follow them around the area shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

Well, because she was able to tell the future, there were things that she knew about people. She was aware of who Paul and Silas were and she would follow them around the area shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

Huh… Seems like this might be good advertising, right. Who needs a commercial or billboard when you have a human megaphone following you around proclaiming who you are and why you’ve come.

But Paul knew something that we don’t really understand at face value. You see, this demon-possessed slave girl was communicating a mixed message. One commentator wrote, “Paul’s concern was that she was saying these things under the influence of an evil spirit and was confusing his non-Jesus following audience. What she was saying could have been easily misunderstood. Bystanders could have thought Paul & Silas were under the influence of a demon as well.”

The Greek word here for “shouting” is “to croak as a raven; scream; loud raucous voice”. It doesn’t seem to indicate a nice-sounding tone coming from her voice that would be pleasant to hear. But even beyond just the shear sound was the mixed messaging from someone demon-possessed trying to lead people to faith in Jesus.

But even beyond just the shear sound was the mixed messaging from someone demon-possessed trying to lead people to faith in Jesus.

This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

She was doing this day after day. Paul had had enough. After displaying much patience, she’s following them, screaming in a loud shrill voice, and Paul turns to her and says to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” and instantly it left her. Now we’re thinking - that’s great. She’s been freed from this demon that’s been inhabiting her. Life’s good, right?

This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

She was doing this day after day. Paul had had enough. After displaying much patience, she’s following them, screaming in a loud shrill voice, and Paul turns to her and says to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” and instantly it left her. Now we’re thinking - that’s great. She’s been freed from this demon that’s been inhabiting her. Life’s good, right?

Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.

Imagine the anger her masters would have felt in this moment. She’s their meal ticket, making them loads of money for doing very little. It’s their retirement plan. They’re going to grow old and sit by the pool while watching their net worth steadily climb.

Here’s a funny play on words that you probably wouldn’t see, but the Greek word for “left” in verse 18 when it says the demon “instantly left her”, and in verse 19 when it says their “hopes of wealth were now shattered.” The word “shattered” is the same word for left in the previous verse. The writer of Acts, Dr. Luke, is using a funny play on words. As the demon “got scarce”, so their hopes of wealth “got scarce”.

So what do they do? They grab the two of them - literally, they laid hands on Paul & Silas, dragging them before the authorities at the marketplace. The text seems to indicate that these masters worked quickly to form a mob and get the city in a frenzy in a short amount of time.

“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”

20“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials.

They were accused of “teaching customs that are illegal for Romans to practice.” Interesting, given the fact that Paul and Silas are Roman citizens! So obviously the accusations and charges brought against them are baseless. In fact, if you look closely at the dialogue that was used - “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews! They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”

21“They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” They were accused of “teaching customs that are illegal for Romans to practice.” Interesting, given the fact that Paul and Silas are Roman citizens! So obviously the accusations and charges brought against them are baseless. In fact, if you look closely at the dialogue that was used - “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews! They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”

4 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

24So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

22A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.

And so those in authority did what only they could do in the face of an angry mob railing for justice. As Roman custom, Paul and Silas were stripped of their clothes and beaten with wooden rods. We’re told that they were beaten severely. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it doesn’t make me very happy given the fact that all of this was happening because of false accusations and trumped up charges.

23They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. And so those in authority did what only they could do in the face of an angry mob railing for justice. As Roman custom, Paul and Silas were stripped of their clothes and beaten with wooden rods. We’re told that they were beaten severely. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it doesn’t make me very happy given the fact that all of this was happening because of false accusations and trumped up charges.

And as if things couldn’t have gotten a whole lot worse, they were thrown in prison. Extra precautions were made to be certain that they didn’t escape. The jailer received strict orders that these guys didn’t sneak out over night. So the guard not only put them in jail, but put them in the most inner part of the jail, most certainly the most secure part of the jail, and clamped their feet in stocks.

So let’s just recap...

Have you ever been in an impossible situation? Have the odds ever been stack against you so much that you couldn’t even imagine getting through it?

Here’s the awesome thing - God specializes in the impossible! God has a track record of making the impossible, possible!

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

Around Midnight we’re told that Paul and Silas are crying, whining, yelling and screaming about how badly they have been mistreated. I think one of them said they were upset because they didn’t get their phone call. Someone claimed they heard them say they wanted to speak to a lawyer.

No. Obviously that’s not what happened. Amazingly, these guys are praying and singing hymns to God - and the other prisoners in the joint are listening to what’s happening.

Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

SUDDENLY… Let’s just say, God shows up! There’s a massive earthquake and the foundation of the prison is shaken! The doors fly open and the chains just fall off of every prisoner. Are you kidding me? Seriously?

I don’t know if more could have been stacked against Paul & Silas.

But what if one of the hymns/Psalms that they were praying and praising was;

(NLT) Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

3Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them.

God inhabits the praises of his people

5They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. God inhabits the praises of his people

God has a way of showing up when his people praise… What if that’s what causes the earthquake? What if the attitudes of Paul & Silas changed everything?

Deuteronomy 10:21 NLT

He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.

Deut 10:21

This series is about the miracles we find in the New Testament

Pretty incredible miracle that happened through this massive earth quake; jail doors opening; chains falling off

But what if there was a greater miracle happening that evening?

The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

27The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.

You see when those jail doors flew open. The jailer was startled awake at the sounds of clanging doors and rattling chains. His first assumption was that the prisoners were gone and that meant his life would be quickly coming to an end. If you were the jailer under a prison break, you would be executed for neglect of duty. So he drew his sword preparing to take his own life, when out of the darkness he hears, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

28But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” You see when those jail doors flew open. The jailer was startled awake at the sounds of clanging doors and rattling chains. His first assumption was that the prisoners were gone and that meant his life would be quickly coming to an end. If you were the jailer under a prison break, you would be executed for neglect of duty. So he drew his sword preparing to take his own life, when out of the darkness he hears, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The jailer calls for the lights; ran into the deepest part of the prison where Paul & Silas were and fell at their dirty, stinky, bloody feet. He asks, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

You see, remember all the way back at the beginning of this story? The slave girl who had an evil spirit in her? Remember how she pestered them? “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell people how to be saved.”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” They shared the Good News with him and his family. And they were baptized immediately. And there was great rejoicing because salvation came to their home that day.

Through the worst of times, live like it's the best of times

What demons do you need liberated from in your life?

What demons do you need liberated from in your life

What prison do you currently find yourself in? And maybe you’re doing to much grumbling and complaining and you need to trade it in for some praise and worship.

What shackles are keeping you down?

Who is it that you know of who needs to hear the Good News so they and their household can be saved?

Mission - disciples making disciples

Vision - we want to become a church known for relationships, discipleship, & multiplication

Strategy:

Relationships - Life group; friends in church & outside

Discipleship - Read Bible every day; expand prayer life; serve others

Multiplication - Share faith with at least one; engage in mission; invest in others

Can you see the irony building?

Paul & Silas: Wrongly accused; Angry mob; Ill-based decision from judge; Stripped, beaten, & slapped in strongest of custody

Mission Impossible I

Good morning & Welcome to New Hope

Offertory