Life-Changing Grace - Acts 16:11-40

“Life-Changing Grace”

Acts 16:11-40

©Copyright 2003 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche, September 21, 2003

One of my favorite conversation starters are the bulletin boards in my office. These bulletin boards are covered with pictures of couples I have had the privilege to marry over the years. People love to examine those pictures and I love to tell the stories behind each of those weddings. Each picture seems to have a special story about what went wrong with the ceremony or the unique circumstances of the relationship.

Life is filled with stories about the encounters we have with others in life. Some of those stories are tragic, others are hilarious, and still others are heartwarming. In Acts 16 we read the story of three people Paul and Silas met on their second missionary journey. Each of these people lived in Philippi when they encountered the missionary team. Each story has something to teach us.

As we pick up our story Paul, Silas, Luke and Timothy traveled across the Aegean Sea from Troas to the island of Samothrace and on to Neapolis the port city of Philippi. It was ten miles from Neapolis to Philippi. Philippi was a significant Roman colony. The city was a garrison city meaning Roman troops were stationed there.

Apparently there were not many Jews in Philippi because Paul and company did not find a Jewish synagogue. To have a synagogue you needed Ten Jewish men. Since there was no synagogue in the city, Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke (who may have been a resident of Philippi) went to the city gate near the river where they expected to find a place of prayer. Near the river is where we find our first encounter, a woman named Lydia.

The Business Woman: Lydia (Acts 16:11-15)

Apparently Lydia was an influential and possibly a wealthy woman. She dealt in expensive materials that were usually worn by dignitaries, had guest rooms (where she could accommodate a group of men without problem) and had servants. She was called a “worshipper of God”. This probably meant that like Cornelius, she sought the God of Israel but was not Jewish.

Paul and Silas probably participated in the worship and waited to be asked to speak. When given the opportunity, they told those assembled about Jesus, the long awaited Messiah. Our text tells us, “the Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart”. Paul was the preacher but it was God who opened her heart. We need to remember that it is our job to deliver and share the message, but only God can change a human heart. We can take no credit for the salvation of another. We can but enjoy the privilege of participating in the work of God.

Lydia received the message of salvation and she and her whole household was baptized. It’s possible that this may have included servants and children. This passage (and the one at the end of the chapter with the Philippian jailer) raises some questions. Did everyone in the household come to faith when they heard the message or were they baptized in anticipation of faith? Were there young children who were unable to profess faith? Were they baptized also?

Unfortunately we don’t have any of the answers to these questions. Apparently these were considered to be “side issues” by Luke. The main issue was the response of faith by Lydia. Lydia expressed her new life by inviting the Missionaries to make their home base in her home. We are told that she “persuaded” them. She insisted, they agreed.

The Slave Girl and Her Keepers

The missionary band continued to go to the place of prayer. When they went out to the river they were stalked by a slave girl who was possessed by a demon. This woman was able to interpret signs and tell fortunes, whatever that means.

The girl followed the apostles around and said, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (v.17) What the girl said was true. The question we want to ask is, why would a demon make such a statement and why would the apostles want to keep her quiet?

The demon made this statement to associate the gospel with the demonic activities of this woman. They were exploiting the truth for their own purposes. If people believed the gospel it would give credibility to this woman’s words (which of course would increase the profits of her owners). By allowing this woman to continue, Paul and Silas would not only be taking advantage of a tormented woman, they would be encouraging this “prophecy for profit” mentality that seems so pervasive today.

Paul put up with the girl for a while but finally rebuked the demon. When the slave girl was set free from the demon(s) her “power” was gone. The men who had exploited the woman’s power were angry because their “business” had been ruined. So they decided to “get even” with Paul and Silas. They took them before the leaders of the city and charged, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” (vv 20,21)

Since there were not enough Jewish men in the city to start a synagogue, the Jews were an obvious minority. In a sense, these slave owners resorted to a racial slur to stir up the crowds. It seems horrible to us but let’s be honest, there was a time when simply the fact that someone was African American or from Puerto Rico would cause us to already be biased against them. These men were “pushing the buttons” of prejudice to get the response they desired.

Without any investigation at all, the two Jewish men, Paul and Silas (Luke and Timothy were spared because they were Greek) were beaten with wooden rods. Most likely this left them bloodied and bruised. They were put in jail and their feet were put in stocks. Imagine if you had been falsely charged of a crime and before you even went to trial you were beaten and sent to a maximum security prison. That’s what happened to Paul and Silas. Unfortunately, we are not told what happened to the slave woman.

The Jailer and His family

I hate to admit it, if I was Paul and Silas I would have been angry and bitter. I would have called down curses upon my captors and would not have been in a good mood. The real Paul and Silas took a different approach. Rather than complain, they prayed and sang hymns. I don’t know what they prayed but I do know they got a response. There was an earthquake and all the jail doors opened and all the chains fell open.

The jailer was awakened by the quake and when he saw the doors open he assumed the prisoners had escaped. In Roman law, if you allowed a prisoner to escape you would be executed. The jailer was prepared to commit suicide rather than face the humiliation of execution.

Paul called to the jailer. The prisoners had not escaped. Perhaps the other prisoners were kept in their cell by fear, realizing that these things came about because of the prayers of the men. It’s possible that they stayed in their cell because they wanted to hear more about the God who brings hope and salvation to all who would believe.

The jailer came to Paul and Silas and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” What a great question. We can’t help asking, “What did he mean by his question?” The man may very well have been asking about his eternal destiny. But he also could have been asking, “How can I be saved from the trouble that is going to result from this potential escape of prisoners?”

Let me give you an illustration. Suppose a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness. They look at you and ask, “How can I be saved?” What are they asking? Are they asking about eternity or about overcoming the disease in their body? Suppose your child was in trouble and you said, “Please, save my child!” Would you be asking for someone to share the gospel with your child or would you be asking the person to deliver your child from the present danger?

It’s interesting that Paul doesn’t worry about the sense of his question. Paul knows the real need this man had was to find new life through Christ. Paul points past the present circumstances to eternity.

Notice how Paul answers the question. Paul didn’t say, “be good, try hard, go to church”. Instead the answer is simple and to the point, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Here it is again: salvation in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, to the glory of God alone! Jesus is the only way of salvation.

The jailer brought the men to his family and they all heard the gospel message. This offer of salvation was not just for the jailer but was also available for his entire household. They believed, and immediately the fruit of a changed life was evident. They washed the wounds of the men and then Paul and Silas baptized the entire household.

Did they go out to a fountain, down to the river, or did they use the water that was in the basin? Were their children involved? Once again, we don’t know. It is a minor issue.

The next morning, the Roman leaders, realizing they had no real reason to hold the men in custody told the jailer to set them free. Paul and Silas refused to leave. They wanted a personal apology!

They received their contrite apology because of the law of Lex Julia. By law a Roman citizen could not be punished without first having a trial. By law, a Roman citizen could not be interrogated by beating or torture. By law, a Roman citizen always had the right to appeal his case to Rome.

These leaders knew they were in deep trouble. They were like a police officer who beats a person and it is caught on tape. These men could easily lose their jobs, their freedom, and possibly their lives for what they did. They were more than happy to settle for an apology.

Paul and Silas didn’t insist on the public apology to satisfy their own ego. They insisted on the apology for the protection of the infant church in Philippi. These leaders now owed a debt to Paul and Silas. They would be reluctant to go after the new church.

Life Lessons

First, we see that the Gospel is for all groups of people. We live in a day when prejudice is running rampant. We all engage in racial profiling. We measure each other by appearances, income levels, experience, politics, and yes, by race. We try to label everyone. Like it or not, we have a tendency to view some people as more deserving of the gospel than others.

Jesus saw beyond categories. He didn’t see race, gender, or social position. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not for the privileged, it is for anyone who will believe. In this passage we see the gospel extended to a rich business woman, a troubled slave, and a despised jailer. Paul did not dismiss even the jailer. He saw everyone as a person in need of God’s grace. The gospel of Jesus Christ is available to you, to your enemy, and to your competitor. We are not saved because of our background . . .we are saved by His grace. Is there someone you have “written off”? If so, you need to repent and see that person with the eyes of the Master.

Second, we see the unbridled selfishness of the human heart. In the account of the slave woman we see how ruthless people can be. These men took a demon possessed woman and instead of trying to help her, they exploited her. They made her into a “freak show”. When Jesus set her free from her prison, the men didn’t rejoice, they went after the ones used by God to deliver her. They resorted to bigotry and lies to “get even.” Jesus saw a person in need, these men saw only the potential for profit.

It’s unfortunate that we live in a day when people will still sink to unimagined lows in order to indulge their lust for sin. We see television promoting the most base kinds of relationships; blasphemy is broadcast over the airways; immorality is called entertainment; courts legalize sin and restrict faith; religious bodies have given up their position as the anchor for society and have instead chosen to become a sailboat riding the winds of public opinion; religious celebrities distort truth to make a profit or to swell a crowd; and we dare to talk about the advance of civilization.

Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” (Jer. 17:9); Paul said, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”(Romans 3:10-12). These words strip away our defenses. The world may applaud us, but God sees the truth. While others fall for the airbrushed presentation of our lives, God sees our heart. We must be honest about our own sin. We should not be surprised at the sinful deeds of those around us. We must never forget that apart from God’s grace we could easily be just as wicked as the most wicked among us.

Third, we see an appropriate response to trying times. Paul and Silas could have complained when they were imprisoned. Instead they chose to sing and worship. The other prisoners listened (and the word means listened intently). Paul and Silas refused to let circumstances dictate their response to life. They trusted the Lord. They believed that He was in control of all circumstances. They saw every circumstance as an opportunity to glorify the Lord. It was this same Paul who wrote, “We know that in all things God is working for the good of those who love God and called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

There is a lesson here. It’s relatively easy to “trust God” when things are going well. The question is, will we trust Him when we face opposition?

· When we encounter a difficult person

· When we are faced with a devastating diagnosis

· When our happiness is shattered

· When others lie about us

· When things don’t turn out as expected

· When our heart is broken

· When everyone deserts us

· When we feel overwhelmed

Can we sing hymns at that time? Can we continue to rejoice as did Joseph in his jail cell; David as he was chased by his enemies; Jeremiah as he walked through the rubble of his home town; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as the were about to be put in a fiery furnace; Habakkuk as he faced the destruction of Jerusalem; Job as he started over; Jesus as he prayed in the garden and hung from the cross; Paul and Silas as they sat in jail?

Will we sing as we face life’s final moments? Can we worship in life’s hardest times? We can, if we trust Him. We can, if we believe His promise and see beyond the pain of this world to the glory and privilege of the next. It may be that you need to change your focus. Maybe you need to remember where you are headed so you don’t become bogged down by where you are.

Fourth we find in this text the answer to the most important question of life: “What must I do to be saved?” There are many people who want to be saved. They want to be saved from boredom, debt, eating too much, disease, discomfort, and the possibility of dying. The message of the gospel offers to save us from the greatest threat we could ever face. The Bible offers to save us from our sin and the wrath of God that is the result of our sin.

The way of salvation is not complicated. Paul explained it with succinctness: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” If we want to be saved from eternal separation from God, if we want to be saved from living all of eternity without any of God’s goodness in an existence called Hell, we must run to Jesus. We must place our confidence and our trust in the work that Christ alone did for us on the cross. We must receive Christ as our Savior and follow Him as our Lord. If we will do this, God, through His grace and mercy will forgive us and make us new.

The question then becomes quite simple. Have you put your confidence in Christ alone or do you trust your efforts at living a good life? Are you trusting Jesus or are you still trying to save yourself? Are you ready to face eternity or are you still trying to tell yourself that there is “still time”? Are you more concerned about secondary issues than the state of your soul?

Now is the time. It’s time to stop the futility and receive the one who has pursued you and loved you all your life. It is time to stop running from God and run to Him. It is time to begin trusting Jesus. If you have never done so, please, right now “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” so that you can be saved. Believe that He loves you. Believe that His sacrifice was sufficient for your sin. Believe that He will make you new and lead you to eternal life. Don’t worry about the words you say. Forget about what other people might think. Right now focus only on the Lord. Confess your sin honestly, and receive His grace gratefully. If you do, you will find new life and as a result, your family may find that life as well.

©Copyright 2003 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche, September 21, 2003