Your Blessings aren't Always for You

Context

Paul, Silas (man sent by the church in Jerusalem), Timothy (from Lystra), Luke,

Second missionary journey. Far from Antioch.

Passed through all the churches started in the 1st missionary journey. (aka Galatia)

Up around Asia because the spirit didn’t let them preach the gospel there. To Troas, a port city. Saw a vision of a man in Macedonia so they crossed the Aegean sea.

(Acts 16:16-40)

Read 16

“We” Luke was also there

“Place of prayer” near the river.

“By which she predicted the future” is a lot of context. Pythian Spirit. The Pythia is the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo.

Known for a particular type of fortune telling. Violent and writhing around. Some speaking “through their stomachs”.

Virgil’s (Roman Poet) description of Sibyl ( Pythia oracle)

“And as the word she spake

Within the door, all suddenly her visage and her hue

Were changed, and all her sleekèd hair and gasping breath she drew,

And with the rage her wild heart swelled, and greater was she grown,

Nor mortal-voiced; for breath of god upon her heart was blown

As he drew nigher.”

Read 17-18

Why?

Paul didn’t want someone with her reputation proclaiming the truth; wrong

She was mocking them; conjecture

She was irritating. Love it

I command you to come out.

Read 19- 21

Luke and Timothy were obviously gentiles so they were not charged.

This city is not like the others. Very little Jewish presence.

Don’t be mistaken, this was the official charge but the actual problem is the lost profits. But you can’t just beat someone for exorcising the demon from your slave.

Read 22-24

They were stripped, humiliated

beaten severely

then tortured (stocks)

Read 25-28

Why were the chains loosed and the doors open if they weren’t supposed to leave?

The chains didn’t fall for the sake of Paul and Silas, but for the sake of the guard.

Different than Peter. He was going to be killed, God saved him. Paul was getting out in like 6 hours.

Read 29-34

Because this is a narrative it’s important to remember the setting of the story

It’s the middle of the night, he woke his family up to hear the gospel and to be baptised, then fed and bathed them.

Read 35-37

The beat us (accusation)

publically (accusation)

without a trial (accusation)

Roman citizens (accusation)

prison (accusation)

escort us out, a public testimony to their innocence

Read 38-40

requesting that they leave the city

Lydia was a wealthy believer that lived nearby

Conclusion

Sometimes we are like Peter and God saves us for our own sake. So that we can go back to the church and testify of His goodness. Sometimes we are like Paul and God saves us for the sake of others. Not so that we can take advantage of the blessings, but instead testify the gospels validity by them. Alvera getting 2000$ and putting a kid through school. Your blessings aren’t always for you.