The Why and the What - “Mountain Moving Prayer” - Part V

“Moving the Mountain of Circumstances” - Acts 16:16-34

FBC Canton - Sunday am - March 29, 2020 – Bro. Mike Roberson

Introduction: God is more interested in changing our eternity than changing our

circumstances.

Our present circumstances as a nation:

Your present circumstances as a believer. Your future circumstances as a believer.

Why then do our prayers focus more on changing our circumstances than changing eternity?

Because we value the temporary more than the eternal. “focusing on the

unseen…”

Because we are more concerned about our comfort than the mission God

has commanded us to follow. “Crucified with Christ…or consumed with comfort… the

2 things are mutually exclusive.

Because we desire the healing more than the healer. What would you say right now to the

most important question ever asked by Jesus?

Jesus asked the blind man, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Because we cling to this dust, it is all we know.

Earth is greater than heaven in our eyes, not ‘for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

God may very well move the mountain of our circumstances, but he is more concerned with

our intimacy with him than alleviating our circumstances.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not have their circumstances change. They had a fiery

God overcome the fire of Nebuchadnezzar.

It is because they knew God would save either way…but they refused to bow down.

They knew God intimately.

Daniel did not have his circumstances change. He had the lion of the tribe of Judah shut the

mouths of the lions of Darius.

It is because Daniel was highly favored by God. Daniel turned his heart to prayer to the

Lord and rejected pagan Babylon.

God put Moses and the children of Israel in between the Egyptian army and the Gulf of Aqeba

just to show them a way when there seemed to be no way.

It is because Moses knew the God of the burning bush that God destroyed the Egyptian

army.

Let’s stand and read and pray for the Lord to change our eternity as we pray for the changing of our

circumstances.

I. When can we be sure He will change our circumstances? This text provides several

clues:

a. When it furthers His mission of saving souls. Matthew 28:16-20

i. Physical life on earth is temporary, life eternal is more important than physical life.

John 4

b. When it brings Him Glory. Lazarus. John 11

a.

c. When it draws you to more intimate fellowship with Him. II Corinthians 12:1-10.

II. Paul and Silas are living on mission, for his glory, and in intimate fellowship.

a. On mission. Mission flows from personal intimacy with God. 2nd of 3 missionary

journeys.

i. Mission above all else, especially above circumstances.

ii. When you know God loves you perfectly that means you can surrender to him

completely.

b. On location.

i. Location cannot limit the mission.

ii. Always be where God wants you to be.

No, the ‘Safest Place’ Isn’t the Center of God’s Will

It's important not to misunderstand the phrase.

• POSTED ON AUGUST 19, 2016DECEMBER 27, 2017 CRAIG GREENFIELD

Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who was imprisoned for helping Jews escape the Nazis, coined the

famous phrase, “The safest place is in the center of God’s will.”

Sadly, we’ve twisted a phrase that came out of great suffering into a Christian cliché—misunderstood

to mean that we are somehow “bullet-proof” if we are obediently following Jesus.

Corrie ten Boom knew what it meant to follow Jesus into dangerous circumstances and suffer the

consequences. She and her family were responsible for rescuing nearly 800 Jews through an

underground network of safe houses.

But just after midnight on February 28, 1944, the Gestapo burst into the ten Boom house and arrested

the whole family.

Corrie’s 84-year-old father died soon after in prison. Corrie and her sister Betsie ended up in a

concentration camp. Later that year, Corrie watched her beloved sister die with these words on her

lips, “There is no pit so deep that He [God] is not deeper still.”

When I moved with my family into a Cambodian slum to live among the urban poor, I soon came face

to face with that very hard truth that Corrie and her devout family must have grappled with:

Obedience to God’s calling doesn’t earn a Christian any kind of magical protection.

We will end up in places of suffering and brokenness. Serving God in the slums didn’t earn me protection from cancer, the death of my friends and

neighbors, betrayal, robberies or any of the other struggles we have faced. In fact, we likely faced

more of those things because of where we followed Jesus.

Perhaps it’s time we realized that the safest place, physically speaking, is NOT in the center of God’s

will. The center of God’s will may, in fact, be one of the wildest, most dangerous places you could

imagine.

He never promised you a rose garden. He never even promised to spare your life. Frankly, you could

definitely be killed in the battle.

Without a theology of suffering—I would have given up this game a LONG time ago. If my only

defense against pain was a pocket full of clichés and platitudes, I’d be unlikely to last.

What puts things in perspective for me, is the reminder that I follow someone who was beaten,

mocked and ultimately executed—and who invited me to take up MY cross.

This truth is the foundation of a Theology of Suffering. As Paul demonstrates, there is a cost in

following Jesus…

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods,

once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open

sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in

danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in

danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone

without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold

and naked. ” (2 Cor 11:24-28)

We live in this “therapeutic” culture—even in missions and ministry circles—where plenty of people

will tell you that you shouldn’t have to suffer. We’ve allowed a healthy doctrine of self-care to negate

a theology of suffering.

Self-care is meant to sustain us in the battle, not become an excuse to avoid the battle.

We hear it all the time: You deserve comfort. You deserve perfect health. You deserve this and that.

These statements are simply not true. Nor are they helpful. Would anyone dare say these words to a

soldier in battle? Would you say them to a political prisoner? Or a sailor in the midst of a vicious

storm?

When the focus is on ourselves, this pursuit of what we deserve makes sense. But when we step back

and look at the wider battle, then this grasping after safety and comfort seems ridiculous.

Only the bigger picture gives meaning to our suffering. Like the metaphorical ship in a harbor—yes there is safety to be found in calm waters. But our ships

were never built to float idle in a harbor. These ships were built to sail the wild seas. And at times, our

vessels will be battered by relentless storms. Along the way, a few of us will probably be lost

overboard.

That’s the hard truth.

So what does God promise through these trials?

His promise is simply this: He will never leave us or stop loving us. That’s all. But it’s enough.

He is with you in the storm because He loves you. And He will never stop loving you.

Corrie ten Boom lost everything following Jesus. Her dear father and beloved sister lost their very lives

in horrific circumstances. When we count the cost of following Jesus we will surely weep with both

sadness and joy.

Corrie ten Boom didn’t live a safe life. She fought the good fight. She lived a wild, vibrant and FULL

life of service to the most marginalized. And I know she wouldn’t have had it any other way. Because

she knows the truth and so do I: that there is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.

This article has been adapted from a similar article on the same theme from Craig Greenfield’s weekly

social justice blog.

1. Being where God wants you to be is not a promise circumstances will be

easy.

a. Beaten and imprisoned.

c. About personal salvation.

i. Lydia. A Jew.

ii. Demon possessed girl. Greek.

iii. Jailer. Roman.

d. In adoration and prayer.

i. In the midst of the circumstances, not in order to change their circumstances. For

when the circumstances changed, they did not run from the prison, but stayed to

be a part of salvation.

ii. Isolation could not contain the mission.

e. And God then changes their circumstances.

i. He shakes the foundations of their prison of circumstances,

ii. He shakes the heart of a man and his family in need of salvation in distressing,

deadly times,

iii. He shakes and frees the chains of the circumstances.

But notice the progression:

Conclusion: It is only when God’s people are on mission, on location, about salvation, and in

adoration that He changes the circumstances!

Don’t wait until God changes your circumstances to do all those things…do all those things and God

will change your circumstances.

And even if He does not change your circumstances…

The mountain He just moved in you will change your perspective.

And isn’t that what sanctification, being more like Jesus, is really all about

anyway?

A Biblical Perspective on Dealing with the

Coronavirus Crisis 23 hours ago Dr. David Reagan

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is considered to have been one of the greatest defenders of the Christian faith during the 20th Century. For those of you who may not be familiar with him, he was born in Northern Ireland and became a professor of Medieval English Literature, first at Oxford University (1925-1954), and later at Cambridge University (1954-1963).

He committed his life to Christ when he was 32 years old, and he proceeded to write many insightful and inspiring books about Christianity. These included some that have become Christian classics, like The Problem of Pain (1940), The Screwtape Letters (1942), The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-1956), and Mere Christianity (1952).

In 1948 he published an essay titled, “On Living in an Atomic Age.” Although it was written 72 years ago, it is very relevant to the coronavirus pandemic that we are dealing with today. As you read the excerpt below, just substitute “coronavirus” for “atomic bomb.”

C. S. Lewis’ Essay “In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. ‘How are we to live in an atomic age?’ I am tempted to reply: ‘Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.’

“In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors — anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.”

“This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things — praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts — not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

Concluding Thoughts The Bible says that one of the reasons Jesus came to this earth was to free people from their bondage to the lifelong fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). Those of us who have put our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior should live and walk in that freedom.

We should live with confidence and not in fear because we have hope — the promise of living forever in new, glorified bodies in a new Jerusalem on a new earth (Revelation 21:1-7).

David Reagan: We should live with confidence and not in fear because we have hope

— the promise of living forever in new, glorified bodies in a new Jerusalem on a new

earth (Revelation 21:1-7). CLICK TO TWEET

So, as people gripped with panic fight each other at stores to purchase toilet paper and Spam, we should be salt and light by exhibiting peace and calm in the midst of chaos. Doing so may prompt people to ask why we are behaving so calmly, giving us an opportunity to share the Gospel. One other thought — if you think the current panic is bad, it is nothing compared to what the mass panic will be like after the Rapture of the Church.

Corona Crisis and the Concentration of Control?

by William J. Federer • March 22, 2020

Former President Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel stated in 2008: “You never want a serious

crisis to go to waste.” The Russian dictator Joseph Stalin stated: “Crisis alone permitted the authorities

to demand – and obtain – total submission and all necessary sacrifices from its citizens.” From the

beginning of history, people have given up freedom in a time of fear. Fear and insecurity caused

people to give up the independence of their farms and gravitate together for protection in the first

communities. They looked for someone good at fighting to be their captain.

An example of fearful people wanting a captain is in the Book of Judges 11: “And it was so, that when

the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went … unto Jephthah, Come,

and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.”

After captains won victories, people showed favoritism to them and their families, leading to a

concentration of power in the hands of kings. An example this was after Gideon led Israelites to

victory (Judges 8): “Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy

son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

Another example is the Roman Republic, ruled by 600 senators. When there was an attack, they

created an emergency one-year position called a “dictator.” After the year of crisis, the Republic went

back to business as usual. Julius Caesar took the unprecedented step of making himself dictator for

life.

Crises can be natural, such as the famine in Egypt, where people surrendered not just their freedom,

but their cattle, land, and lives to the Pharaoh in exchange for food.

In the 16th century, Machiavelli chronicled the devious tactics of Cesare Borgia. Machiavelli, who is

credited with the concept of the ends justifies the means, reasoned that if a prince conquered a city in

his quest to unify Italy, the people would hate him. But if the prince paid agitators and criminals to

create terror, the people would panic in fear and cry for help. The prince could then come in and

dispense with the criminals, and the people would praise him as a hero.

It is good marketing – create the need and fill it — go around the back of the house and set it on fire,

then go around the front of the house and sell them a fire extinguisher. They will pay anything for it

and even thank you for being there. The term “Machiavellianism” refers to creating or capitalizing on

crises to consolidate control. Machiavelli stated: “Politics have no relation to morals.”

In 1793, the mob in Paris beheaded King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. In order to consolidate

control in the new “fraternité,” the French word for socialism, Maximilien Robespierre instituted a

Reign of Terror, where the government intentionally terrorized citizens, till out of fear, they submitted.

As head of the “Committee of Public Safety,” Robespierre gave a speech to the National Assembly

titled “The Terror Justified,” 1794, stating:

“Lead ... the enemies of the people by terror ... Terror is nothing else than swift, severe, indomitable

justice.”

Ivan the Terrible, Sultan Abdul Hamid, and innumerable despots through history used terror to bring

rebellious people under control. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels explained (Marx and Engels Collected

Works, Vol. 10, p. 318):

“Conspirators by no means confine themselves to organizing ... Their business consists in ...

spurring it into artificial crises ... They are the alchemists of the revolution.”

Prussian philosopher George Hegel advocated that crisis was necessary to bring change. Hegel

influenced Russia’s Lenin and Stalin, as well as Germany’s Hitler, who, in the crisis of the burning of

the Reichstag capitol building, blamed his political opponents, arrested and executed them, then

became dictator.

A crisis needs to be blamed on someone or something other than those seeking power. A tactic called

“psychological projection ” or “blame-shifting” is where the perpetrator blames the victim, as Marx

said, “accuse others of what do.”

Fidel Castro, the leader of Communist Cuba, explained:

“The revolution needs the enemy ... The revolution needs for its development its antithesis’ ... And

if enemies were lacking, they had to be fabricated.”

Richard Pipes wrote in his book, Communism-A History:

“Stalin’s regime needed another crisis ... In 1934, a prominent Bolshevik, Sergei Kirov, the party

boss of Leningrad, was assassinated under mysterious conditions ... evidence points to Stalin ...

Kirov was gaining too much popularity in party ranks for Stalin’s comfort ... His assassination

brought Stalin two advantages: it rid him of a potential rival and provided a rationale for

instigating a vast campaign against alleged anti-Soviet conspirators ... Purges of the 1930’s were

a terror campaign that in indiscriminate ferocity and number of victims had no parallel in world

history ... Authorities ... beat them until they confess to their crimes they have not committed.”

A crisis can be an economic collapse to eliminate the middle-class, leaving deep-state, elite in control,

who take money from political opponents and funnel it to political supporters, as the axiom goes: “He

who has the purse strings has the power.”

Socialist Friedrich Engels wrote (London: W.O. Henderson, The Life of Friedrich Engels, 1976; Outlines

of a Critique of Political Economy, 1844):

“Every new crisis must be more serious and more universal than the last ... Every fresh slump must

ruin more small capitalists and increase the workers who live only by their labor. This will increase

the number of the unemployed, and this is the main problem that worries economists. In the end,

commercial crises will lead to a social revolution far beyond the comprehension of the

economists with their scholastic wisdom.”

The media irresistibly exacerbates crises to an urgency where people almost believe the world will

end. In each case, the media whips the country into a frenzy, pressuring Congress or the President to

act quickly to pass legislation or issue executive orders. Only after the crisis, when the dust settles, do

citizens find out what they gave up in the panic. Predictably, as well-intentioned as responses may be,

the government ends up with more control over people’s lives.

There is a tactic called “gaining the moral high ground,” where those concentrating power need the

public to perceive them as having superior altruistic motives, while at the same time, they must

portray anyone voicing concern over potential unconstitutional power grabs as having irresponsible,

selfish motives. Healthcare crises can be particularly opportune times to demand citizens give up

rights, as anyone voicing concern can be maligned as uncaring.

The CDC estimates that in the United States, there are 30,000 flu-related deaths annually. In 2009, the

H1N1 Swine Flu resulted in 12,469 deaths. As of March 17, 2020, there have been 70 persons in the

United States who have died of Corona virus; 42 of whom were in Washington state, and 29 of those

from one place – Kirkland Nursing Home, and reports were they were not given adequate medical

treatment and allowed to die. Not discounting the health dangers of the virus, the fact that it is

getting an unprecedented amount of media attention as compared to previous cases of flu raises

questions.

One historical point to ponder is, whoever is President when there is financial panic or economic

collapse is almost always voted out of office; Herbert Hoover being a case in point. Being that the

2020 Democrat Party’s Presidential front-runner is not a strong candidate, there is speculation that

the same media that spent years pushing a Russian collusion narrative, then a Ukrainian quid pro quo

narrative, may actually be fanning the Coronavirus panic to precipitate an economic downturn for

which the President will take the blame.

The Book of Revelation describes an end-times scenario of a global crisis and financial collapse, which

will cause the world to submit to the anti-christ and out of fear, take the mark of the beast. Though

this current crisis may not be that, from a faith perspective, this could be an opportunity for

something else — a great revival of people turning to the Lord, as it is in crises that people turn to

Christ.

It is also in times of crises that God raises up courageous leaders, such as Moses, Gideon, David, and

the Apostle Paul. In its final words, the Bible is replete with verses encouraging believers to “fear not”

and “be not afraid.”

“The LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, FEAR NOT, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy

exceeding great reward.”

Genesis 15:1

“FEAR THOU NOT; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I

will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isaiah 41:10

“Be strong and of a good courage, FEAR NOT, NOR BE AFRAID of them: for the LORD thy God, he it

is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

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Lockdown: Foreshadowing the Final Age?

by Ron Matsen • March 17, 2020

In recent weeks, the world has witnessed a global phenomenon that is unprecedented in human

history. National governments, businesses, churches, and local communities have responded to the

COVID-19 Coronavirus epidemic with, what appears to be, a sudden and severe suspension of

people’s individual liberties. National borders are closed, travel is restricted or completely suspended,

businesses are closed, and planned public events are canceled. One of the sad results of this global

crisis is the panic-driven purchasing of essential goods by a bewildered public who have been forced

into unwanted and unprepared isolation. At this point, it is very hard to discern what is really going

on.

As I am writing this article, I have been communicating with friends in Italy, where they have been told

that all citizens must remain in their homes until further notice. Limited to “essential errands,” the

Italians are forced to remain in isolation. One gentleman told us that he was not allowed even to cross

town to visit his own family. Restaurants are closed, coffee bars are silent, and streets are empty.

In the midst of these initial chaotic days, I was faced with a nagging question of “How did so many

give up so much so quickly?” The speed of this blitzkrieg has surprised even the most pessimistic

conspiracy-theory advocate. It has been said that Knowledge is Power. Therefore, it would appear that

an informed and powerful elite can easily control an ignorant public if fear blinds the minds of the

masses.

Now, the purpose of this article is not to debate the reasonableness of these actions or reaction as

they are related to the current WHO1 declared pandemic but to examine a possible Biblical

perspective that might give us insight into this current social phenomenon. In other words, is there a

future parallel to the coming subjugation of the whole world as predicted in Scripture?

The Coming of the Lawless One

Prophecy buffs are very familiar with the Biblical predictions concerning an anti-Christ that will arise

and lead the whole world into its final age of rebellion against God. As you begin to read and collect

scriptures that relate to this character, you are constantly confronted with the fact that he becomes a

world-wide leader with what appears to be, irresistible power and authority.

In chapter 13 of the Book of Revelation, John calls him “the beast.” The beast is given power by Satan

himself.2 The “beast” will be unbeatable. “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto

the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make

war with him?’”3

The Beast’s Control of Commerce

This beast will be joined by another who will perform, in the presence of the beast, many amazing

signs and wonders in the sight of all mankind. An image of the beast will then be constructed and

brought to life. Worship of this image of the beast will be mandatory.4 It is at this point that we are

told,

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their

right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or

the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Revelation 13:16,17

Over the years of reviewing these predictions, I have wondered how this would actually take place.

Given all of the national, cultural, religious and individual differences in the world, how would anyone

be able to enforce such an edict as is described in verses 16 and 17 of Revelation, chapter 13? As we

can see, history is riddled with accounts of regional despots attempting to exercise their dominion

over a conquered people. Ultimately, the dictator is deposed, and the cycle starts again somewhere

else on the planet.

The quest for liberty has compelled mankind to attempt to cast off the shackles of draconian rule and

to seek individual freedom. Why then do we see the world described in Revelation chapter 13 as

willing to worship and submit to this beast? Simply put, I believe that FEAR will be the motivation that

most will have to drive them into submission. We certainly have seen the fear-factor at work today as

it has enabled these latest world-wide restrictions to be enforced so quickly and easily.

The Beast and Armageddon

The end game of the beast is not mere world domination but to finish the work of rebellion that was

started in Genesis Chapter 3. His objective then is the same as his objective now, to separate mankind

from their relationship with a loving God. Out of fear, a desperate and deceived world will follow this

man of sin in his final attempt to resist the God he has known since before the world was created.

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the

mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils,

working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them

to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles,

which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of

that great day of God Almighty.”

Revelation 16:13,14

This gathering will be the last time the world is united against God. “And he gathered them together

into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”5 A united world will make one last stand for

independence from God. This is very sad given the fact that the God of the Bible desires to free

mankind from the bondage to one who will now lead them to certain defeat. With their blinded hearts

and minds they follow to their own destruction.

The end result of this rebellion is clearly predicted in Scripture:

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,

and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of

Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in

them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10

Fighting Fear with Faith

For informed Christians, none of these current events should leave us in a state of confusion or fear.

Jesus told His disciples of the end-times condition of the world, “For nation shall rise against nation,

and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in

diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”6

Fear is the byproduct of ignorance and helplessness. As Christians, we need not stumble into either of

these snares. As children of Light7 we need to “walk in the light as He is in the light.”8 Therefore, we

should stand firm in faith in our sovereign God, who is still on His throne and directs the affairs of

mankind from His throne of mercy and justice. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of

power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”9 During these troublesome times, we need to focus our

mind on the things that are eternally true. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed

on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”10

We should be constantly comforted by the lyrics of the Psalmist that says,

“Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars

to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth

the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be

exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:8-10

The World is Watching

As the fabric and foundation of our world is being tested, many are seeing their livelihoods and

lifetime ambitions wiped away in a heartbeat. In their struggle to gain some kind of balance, I believe

many will be looking for answers to the deeper things of life. Therefore, Christians can be

ambassadors of hope to a world that are lost on the raging sea of uncertainly. Jesus told us what to

do in times of darkness.

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is

thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the

light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it

under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light

so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:13-16

CHAPTER 16 ——————

THEME: The second missionary journey of Paul

The final verse of chapter 15 actually told of the beginning of the journey. Paul and Silas “went through Syria

and Cilicia, confirming the churches.” From there they will go up into the Galatian country. Paul will visit the

Galatian churches because that is where the problem had arisen with the Judaizers. The Epistle to the Galatians

is Paul’s letter to them, sternly warning them about being led astray by those who are trying to put them under

the Mosaic system. It is his strongest declaration and defense of the doctrine of justification by faith. Not only is

a sinner saved by grace through faith, but the saved sinner lives by grace. Grace is a way to life and a way of

life.

Again let me suggest that you follow Paul’s journey on the map. You will find that traveling with Paul is a

very thrilling experience. On this second missionary journey we will go with him to Europe (after he has

received the vision of the man in Macedonia). We will see that he arrives in Philippi where he ends up in the

local jail. At midnight Paul and Silas pray and sing praises! An earthquake shakes the jail, the doors are opened,

and the jailer opens his heart to receive Christ as Savior.

PAUL REVISITS THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus,

the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:

Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium [Acts 16:1–2].

Paul first comes to Derbe, then over to Lystra where he finds this young man Timotheus. Paul knew his mother

and his grandmother, and he had turned this young man to the Lord on his first trip. So Paul takes him with him.

The team is now Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews

which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek [Acts 16:3].

I want to note carefully the method of the apostle Paul. When he went up to Jerusalem, he took along Titus, a

Gentile, who wasn’t circumcised—and Paul wasn’t about to have him circumcised. However, now Paul wants

to take along Timothy as a fellow missionary. He wants Timothy to go out to reach people for Christ. Since he

doesn’t want any kind of argument or any reason for offense, he has Timothy circumcised. This is not because

there is any merit in circumcision, but because he doesn’t want it to be an issue. This is what Paul wrote in 1

Corinthians 9:19–20: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might

gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law,

as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law.” Paul did this in order to break down all

arguments.

Sometimes people come to me and say they want to join a certain church but that church has a different idea

of baptism than they hold. They ask if they should be baptized and join the church anyway. So I ask them, “Is

the church a good Bible–teaching church? Does it teach salvation only and alone through faith in the Lord Jesus

Christ? Is it a place where you can serve, and be blessed, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth?”

If they can answer yes to these questions, then I tell them to go ahead and be baptized and affiliate with that

church. There are fundamentals of faith in which there can be no deviation. However, there are forms and

rituals which are not essential to salvation, and I believe there is a great deal of elasticity in these areas. This

was Paul’s feeling. Certainly, circumcision had no bearing on Timothy’s salvation, but the rite was performed

so that the ministry of Timothy with the Jews would not be handicapped.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were

ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily [Acts 16:4–5].

Paul has another tremendous ministry in Galatia. Not only does he visit the churches which had been founded

the first time, but multitudes in other places turn to Christ. New churches are formed and there is an increase in

number daily.

PAUL GOES TO PHILIPPI

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the

Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia [Acts 16:6].

Galatia includes all this area. I am of the opinion that Paul moved into the northern part of the country at this

particular point. The province of Asia is down south where Ephesus is. In fact, Ephesus was the chief city of the

province of Asia. Paul may have been planning to make a circuit through Asia Minor. This was a heavily

populated area in that day, and it was really the center of Greek culture. This was a great commercial area, a

great political area, a great educational area. Paul would make a great circle by going through the Galatian

country, then Phrygia, then south into the province of Asia, and then back again to Antioch to report to the

home church.

The Spirit of God had something else in mind. We are told that the Holy Spirit forbade him to preach the

Word down in Asia. That is really amazing, isn’t it? Paul wanted to go there, and the Spirit of God wanted the

Word of God given out, but the Spirit of God wanted Paul in a different place at this time. So Paul naturally

thought that if he could not go south, he would go north. Bithynia was in the north, along the Black Sea. That

also was a large population center, and there was a very heavy concentration of Hebrews in that area. This

section is in Turkey today.

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not

[Acts 16:7].

The Spirit forbade them to go south into the province of Asia. Then the Spirit of God forbade them to go north

into Bithynia. He has come from the east. Where will he go? Well, there is only one direction left and that is

west. You see, it was not Horace Greeley of The New York Sun who first said, “Go west, young man, go west.”

Instead it was the Spirit of God speaking to the apostle Paul!

So Paul kept going west until he came to Troas. He had to stop there because from that point he would need

a ship to continue. Paul couldn’t imagine what he was to do or where he was to go from that point.

And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas [Acts 16:8].

I think that if we had met Paul during the time of his delay in Troas, we could have asked him, “Paul, where are

you going?” I’m sure his reply would have been, “I don’t know.” I’m afraid our next statement would have

been something like this: “Now brother Paul, do you mean that the great Apostle of the Gentiles doesn’t know

where he is going next? Surely you must know the will of God for your life.” Then we would have sat down for

a nice long lecture on how to determine the will of God in his life. My, I’ve read so many books on that

subject—it’s too bad Paul didn’t have one of those books with him at that time! Paul does not know the will of

God. Why? Because the Spirit of God is leading him. Paul is simply waiting. It is going to take a mighty

movement to get Paul out of Asia and move him over into Europe.

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him,

saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us [Acts 16:9].

This is Paul’s call into Macedonia. Now Macedonia is across the Aegean Sea, over in Europe. Paul is in Asia.

The gospel is going to cross from Asia into Europe. The Spirit of God is moving him in that direction.

I do not know why Paul was not moved east to China. All I know is that the Spirit of God moved him west

to Europe. I thank God that this is the direction he went. At that particular time my ancestors, from one side of

the family, were roaming in the forests of Germany. They were pagan and they were evil, worshiping all kinds

of idols. They were a low, heathen people. The other side of my family came from Scotland, and perhaps my

ancestors were already in Scotland at that time or came there a little later. At any rate, I am told they were the

dirtiest, filthiest savages that have ever been on the topside of this earth. I thank God the gospel went to Europe

to reach my people over there.

Now maybe you are smiling, thinking that your ancestors were very superior to mine. Well, you can wipe

that smile off your face because your ancestors probably were living in the cave right next door to mine! They

were just as dirty and just as filthy as mine were. Thank God the gospel crossed over into Europe. This was a

great and significant crossing.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly

gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them [Acts 16:10].

Note it says “we endeavored to go.” We have never had “we” before. It has always been “they” or “them” or

“he” or “him.” What about “we”? Well, Dr. Luke has now joined the party. It is really quite a party now—in

fact, it is a quartet. There may have been others along also, but we have four who are named: Paul, Silas,

Timothy, and Dr. Luke. This is quite a delegation that crossed over into Europe.

Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to

Neapolis [Acts 16:11].

Neapolis is just a little inland from the coast.

And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and

we were in that city abiding certain days [Acts 16:12].

Philippi was a colony in Macedonia, which means it was a Roman colony. This would be where the Roman

governor resided. These people had Roman customs and they spoke Latin. It would be a city where they would

“do as the Romans do.”

This is their first destination in Europe. Paul went to a strategic center to begin his ministry in Europe. That

alone makes the church in Philippi a remarkable church. For other reasons, which we will learn when we get to

the Epistle to the Philippians, we will see that this church was close to the heart of Paul. This was the church

which loved him; and Paul loved this church. There were wonderful saints in this church, as we shall see.

PAUL’S MINISTRY IN PHILIPPI

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made;

and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither [Acts 16:13].

Just outside the city, down by the river, there was a prayer meeting. I wonder whether that prayer meeting had

anything to do with Paul coming over to Europe and the vision of the man of Macedonia! We will find that the

“man of Macedonia” is a woman by the name of Lydia who was holding this prayer meeting.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped

God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken

of Paul [Acts 16:14].

Thyatira is over in Asia Minor. It is the place where one of the seven churches was located which received

admonition from our Lord in the second chapter of the Book of Revelation. This woman had come from over

there. She worshiped the living and true God, but she had very little knowledge.

Lydia was a remarkable person. She was a dominant person and a leader. Apparently she was the leader of

the prayer meeting. She will be the first convert to Christ in Europe.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to

be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us [Acts 16:15].

We do not know anything about Mr. Lydia, but he must have been around there somewhere. There are families

like that, you know, where the woman is the dominant one in the family. Apparently that was the way it was in

the family of Lydia. Thank God she was that kind of woman because her entire household turned to God

through her witness. And now we find Paul and his group staying at her home and boarding there. I would

assume she was a person of means and was able to take care of them.

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination

met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying [Acts 16:16].

Don’t think this was just foolish superstition. This girl was possessed by a demon. We are seeing a resurgence

of demonism in our own day. I have before me now a letter from a Christian woman in El Paso, Texas. She got

tied up in spiritism by just fooling around with it, not thinking that it was dangerous. She has quite a story. It

was hearing the Word of God through our radio program that delivered her from it. She cried out to God, and

He delivered her. Demonism is a reality. This girl in Paul’s day was demon possessed. She was a slave girl and

her masters were using her to make a big profit. The Mafia had already begun in those days.

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high

God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command

thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and

drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers [Acts 16:17–19].

Paul was able to cast out the demon in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This dried up the profit her masters

were making, and you know that if you touch a man’s pocketbook, he will begin to move. So now these men

really turn against Paul and his group.

And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our

city.

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans [Acts

16:20–21].

Remember that Philippi was a Roman colony and practiced Roman idolatry. Paul and his men were charged

with trying to change things. Of course the real issue was that the girl’s masters had lost their source of income.

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and

commanded to beat them.

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to

keep them safely:

Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in

the stocks [Acts 16:22–24].

These men are beaten, their backs are lacerated, and they are locked into the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them

[Acts 16:25].

What a wonderful thing it is that these men were singing praises unto God while they were in such a miserable

situation. No wonder the doors were shaken loose!

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken:

and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew

out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled [Acts

16:26–27].

Let’s look at this Philippian jailer for a moment. He was responsible for those prisoners. He naturally assumed

that if the doors were open and the chains lying loose, the prisoners would be gone. He would be responsible for

their escape and would have to forfeit his own life. So he stands there, poised, ready to fall on his own sword.

When a man is in a position like that, he thinks about eternity. This man did just that, as his question to Paul

indicates.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? [Acts 16:28–30].

He had looked into eternity. He knew that he was a lost man.

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house [Acts

16:31].

How can a man be saved? By believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Could he believe for someone else? No.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and if thy household believes on the Lord Jesus

Christ, they shall be saved also. That is the meaning here.

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and

all his, straightway [Acts 16:32–33].

What a difference! He had put the stripes on these men. Now he washes their stripes. He is a changed man.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in

God with all his house [Acts 16:34].

All in one night they were flogged, thrown into jail, freed by the direct intervention of God, and now they are

being royally entertained in the home of these rejoicing young converts!

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.

And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now

therefore depart, and go in peace [Acts 16:35–36].

You see, they realize that what they had done was illegal. Now they are issuing orders to free the prisoners and

get them out of town. However, Paul objects. He says that he will not leave under such circumstances.

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast

us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves

and fetch us out [Acts 16:37].

Of course Paul’s reason for insisting upon a public recognition of their innocence was to protect the new

believers whom he would soon be leaving there in Philippi.

And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that

they were Romans.

And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the

city.

And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the

brethren, they comforted them, and departed [Acts 16:38–40]1

Chuck Smith: C2000 Series on Acts 16

References for Act 16:1 — 1 2

Click here for the correlating audio message

1 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: Church History (Acts 15-28) (electronic ed., Vol. 41, pp. 31–41).

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

We remember at the end of our study last week there arose a contention between Paul and Barnabas

who had been close companions on the first missionary venture of the church. But because Barnabas

was insisting on taking his nephew John Mark, who deserted Paul and Barnabas on the first trip,

Barnabas was wanting to take him on the second trip and Paul was objecting because of his

defection on the first trip. They had a dispute over this, contention so great that Barnabas took Mark

and headed off for Cyprus, and so Paul took Silas and they headed for Asia Minor.

So in chapter 16,

Then he [Paul and Silas] came to Derbe and Lystra (Act 16:1):

Derbe was one of the few places where Paul had a very peaceful, uneventful kind of a ministry. It

didn't end with a riot or with Paul getting jailed or stoned or anything. He was able to leave town very

peacefully which was unusual for his ministry. But then they came to Lystra where Paul was stoned

and thought to be dead, and drug out of town thinking that he was dead.

and, behold, there was a certain disciple there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which

was a Jewess, who was a believer; and his father was a Greek (Act 16:1):

Now this second-coming of Paul to Lystra was probably some five years after his first visit when he

was stoned. Coming back to that place where he had planted a church five years later. It was no

doubt extremely encouraging to Paul to see that there was a church continuing in that area. They

were going on in the Lord.

Jesus said to His disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that

you should be my disciples and you should bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John

15:16). And a very important part to any ministry is the remaining fruit. It's not really how many people

you can get excited and make a commitment to Jesus Christ. Five years later, how many people are

still going on with the Lord? That's what really counts. And coming to Lystra, they found this certain

disciple, Timothy, who probably had accepted the Lord five years earlier under Paul's ministry there in

his first journey. But now, of course, in the five years he's grown up, he's matured, and here he is a

faithful disciple. His mother a Jewess, his father a Greek.

And he received good reports about Timothy from the brethren that were there in Lystra and Iconium

(Act 16:2).

He came highly recommended. And Paul wanted Timothy to join them. Now, earlier Paul had Mark on

the journey. It was handy to have these young men with a lot of energy and enthusiasm going along.

And also, I believe there was that desire to disciple Timothy.

I think that discipleship is a very important part of the ministry when God has blessed and used a

person in the ministry. I think that if they are wise, will always be looking towards the next generation.

I have a very keen interest in young people, in young people who have those God-given abilities,

anointings upon their lives. I like to invest time with them, because they are going to be carrying on

when we're carried off. And I'm concerned that the work of God go on. And so Paul, no doubt, had

asked Timothy to go, thinking of the fact that he wasn't going to be there forever and the training of

these young men to carry on the work once they are gone.

So Timothy became a companion of Paul. In six of Paul's epistles, as he opens the epistle, he

includes Timothy in the greetings. Paul writes two epistles to Timothy. Paul speaks of the help that

Timothy was to him. He asks that they would send Timothy to him speedily, bringing some of the

documents and all that he was desiring. And so there came a very close relationship between Paul

and Timothy, who Paul called, "my own son in the faith." So Timothy was one of Paul's converts, but

then he was also tutored by the apostle Paul.

Paul would have him to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which

were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the

cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders

which were at Jerusalem (Act 16:3-4).

Now what were these decrees from the apostles in Jerusalem? That you as a Gentile don't need to

be circumcised to be saved. And so it is interesting that Paul had Timothy circumcised when they are

then going right out and telling the Gentiles you don't have to be circumcised in order to be saved.

This was the decision of the church in Jerusalem.

Then why is it that we have a paradox? Why would then Paul see that Timothy was circumcised? I

am certain that it was just that beautiful adaptability of Paul not wanting to create a greater havoc that

already existed among the Jews who knew that Timothy's father was a Greek. And so rather than just

having a hassle with them, it was, "Go ahead and do it, what difference does it make? It doesn't

matter. Go ahead." And for the sake of these contentious brethren, go ahead and be circumcised. It

was as Paul wrote later, "I have learned to become all things to all men, that I might gain the more" (I

Corinthians 9:22). To the Jew I became as a Jew. To those that are free from the law, I became as

one who is free to the law. All things to all men.

And I think that this is just a part of Paul's philosophy, and I think that it is a good philosophy. As he

wrote to the Romans, "Live peaceably with all men, as much as lieth in you" (Romans 12:18). As far

as is possible on your part, live at peace with all men. And if some issue comes up and it is no big

deal to you, go along with it instead of, you know, making a big issue and creating a big scene over it.

Just be cool and flow with it, you know. And this was Paul's philosophy, just to get along as best as

possible.

Now when it came to a thing of conscience or faith, then you stand your ground. Now when the

church in Jerusalem was trying to throw the law upon the Gentiles, Paul stood his ground. When

Peter there in the church of Antioch who was eating with the Gentiles until certain brothers came

down from Jerusalem and then Peter separated himself and wouldn't eat with the Gentiles and it

caused a division there in Antioch, Paul said, "I withstood him to the face because he was at fault."

Creating this division by his separating himself from the Gentiles, as though there were in Christ

some division between Jew and Gentile.

So on a matter of principal, a matter of conviction, stand your ground. But where there's no big deal,

flow with it. Go for it. You know, just to keep peace among the brethren. I think that was, no doubt,

Paul's philosophy behind the circumcision of Timothy when they are carrying the very message from

the church in Jerusalem, you don't have to be circumcised if you're a Gentile and keep the law in

order to be saved. So just because they knew that his father was a Greek, Paul had him take the right

of circumcision just to keep peace. So they went through the cities delivering the decrees from the

church in Jerusalem.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily (Act 16:5).

The early church was a powerful church; it was a successful church. And as we will soon see, it was

a church that was under the direct governing power of the Holy Spirit. He was guiding the activities of

the early church and I believe that that was the reason for success. It was a tragic day when in the

church man decided to substitute the work of the Holy Spirit with his own work.

Paul wrote to the Galatians later, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you would so

soon turn from the truth. Having begun in the Spirit, will you now be made perfect in the flesh?"

(Galatians 3:1,3) And I'm sure if Paul were writing to the general church today, the whole church, he

would write an epistle to the church of Jesus Christ of the twentieth century, "O foolish people! Who

hath bewitched you that you should turn from the truth? The church having begun in the Spirit, do you

think that you can perfect it, complete it in the flesh?"

And yet, when we look at the church today and we see all of the man-made programs, all of the

fleshly hype, I'm hyped to death when I turn on television or when I listen to the radio, or some thank

you brother whoever-you-were put me on the mailing list of some of these high powered evangelist

who have more gimmicks than I can believe to get me to send them an offering!

I can't, you just can't believe...well, I don't want to get into that. Now, these churches, without the

programs, the pressures, without all of these modern conveniences and assists that we have today

were increasing daily just as the result of Word of God being taught and the fellowship of the body

growing. Their numbers increased daily.

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the

Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they attempted to go to

Bithynia: but the Spirit would not allow them. And passing by Mysia came down to Troas (Act 16:6-8).

Now Paul is trying to move north into Asia, but every attempt he makes is being blocked by the Spirit.

Now it is interesting that it tells us that the Spirit forbade them to go and preach the Word in Asia. The

Spirit would not allow them to go to Bithynia. How is it that the Spirit forbid them? By what process? It

is interesting they do not tell us by what process. Was there a word of prophecy that came? Surely

Paul would have had to been assured that the prophecy was from the Lord because he was a strong-

willed person. How did the Spirit forbid them? We really don't know.

Many believe that the Spirit forbid them through Paul's sickness, that Paul was just too sick to travel.

Now you remember when Paul wrote to the Galatians, he said, "You remember how that when I was

with you," (notice they were passing through Galatia here), "how I ministered to you out of great

weakness, physical infirmity. And you showed such great love and concern for me because of my

physical infirmities." I think that does give us a very strong hint of the method of the Lord in stopping

Paul. It is interesting, as I said, he was a very stubborn kind of a person. I mean, he was one that was

hard to stop.

When he wanted to do something, he was going to do it no matter what. When he was determined to

go back to Jerusalem, there was no stopping him. His friends, when the prophecy came and said,

"You know, you're going to be in prison when you get to Jerusalem," and his friends began to weep

and said, "Paul, don't go. They're going to throw you in jail!" He said, "Hey, what do you mean by

these tears? Are you trying to dissuade me? Don't you realize that I'm not afraid of being thrown in

jail? I'm ready to die for Jesus in Jerusalem."

So you just don't stop those fellows with a tap on the shoulder and say, "I don't think you ought to go

there." Paul's an unstoppable kind of a fellow. And this is a good characteristic in one sense. Surely

he would not have been able to endure all of the hardships of his missionary ventures had he not had

this strong, powerful spirit. Yet our strong points can also be our weak points. And if this strong point

is not totally yielded to God, then it can become a weak point in my life. And it means that when God

wants to direct me, He has to get pretty tough.

And it is possible that Paul was so determined to go to Asia that God had to put him on his back and

make him so sick he couldn't get out of bed. And after several days in bed not able to roll over, he

said, "Well, the Spirit forbid us to go to Asia. And so then we attempted to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit

would not allow us. So we went on to Troas." So there at Troas, Paul had a vision.

And there appeared to Paul in the night; a man of Macedonia, and he prayed to him, saying, Come

over into Macedonia, and help us (Act 16:9).

So Paul in the night vision saw this man from Macedonia crying for help.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go to Macedonia (Act 16:10),

Now notice, here we had a plural pronoun, we. You remember that Luke is the author of the book of

Acts. This is the first time the personal pronoun is used. So it is no doubt here at Troas where Luke

met Paul, and it is very possible that the reason why Luke met Paul is because Luke was a physician

and Paul was so sick he was about to die. That's one possibility.

There are others who believe that Luke was the man that Paul saw in his vision crying, "Come over to

Macedonia and help us." Whatever the case may be, now Luke turns to the personal plural pronouns,

because at this point, Luke became a companion with Paul. Notice it in the rest of the verse. "And

after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go to Macedonia,"

assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them (Act 16:10).

So we see the we and the us as Luke joins Paul's party at this point. God directing Paul's ministry by

a vision is one of the ways by which God can direct people into their various ministries. I do know of a

man, Dr. Edwards, who was the president of a bank in San Jose who committed his life to Jesus

Christ and who really felt called of God to serve the Lord. And thus, he began to take courses in

study, though he was a bank president, to leave the bank, to retire from the banking business and to

go full time into the ministry.

And as he was preparing himself and waiting upon God, he received one night a vision of this old

gray haired man standing behind a plow with a field that was only partly plowed. And this old man

called to him and said, "Come to Panama and help me harvest the souls that are here." And so he

took that as a call of God, studied the Spanish language and then went down to Panama to carry to

gospel to the Panamanians.

He established a very successful work in Panama City, and one evening he received a call from one

of the doctors at the hospital there in Panama and he said, "We have an old man who doesn't seem

to have any friends or family and he's dying, and we thought it might be well if there were a minister

here to just talk to him. He seems to be delirious."

And so Dr. Edwards went to the hospital, and when the nurse led him to the room, to his amazement,

the old man was the man he saw in his vision. And he became very curious about this old man. And

so he began to inquire and they found out that he was a Cumberland Presbyterian missionary. They

really didn't know much of what was accomplished through his work there, but Dr. Edwards was so

amazed that here's the very same man he saw in his vision in San Jose when he felt the call of God

to go to Panama. And he felt really that he was completing the harvest that this man had begun. He

had established just a few mission stations out in the bush of Panama.

So God is not limited by His means. I have never had a vision nor was I directed by a angel or vision

or whatever to go into the ministry. God's call upon my heart was different. I just felt a strong urge to

go into the ministry. God just placed a deep desire in my heart to commit my life to Him. And so I

always thought it would have been exciting had the Lord sent some angel along or had given me

some vision, and there had been some dramatic experience of which I could testify to you tonight of

how God came to me in the night hours and suddenly the room began to glow with a strange

incandescence, you know. And I heard this voice say, "Chuck...I want you!" You know, but nothing

like that happened to me.

It was interesting when I was in Bible college, I met several young people who did testify of these kind

of experiences. And I was always extremely fascinated by their testimonies. However, just as a point

of interest, all of those fellows who had these remarkable testimonies, I don't know any of them who

are still in the ministry today. I think that emotions are great. To have a strong emotional experience

in your relationship with God is wonderful. I have had some pretty powerful emotional experiences in

my worship of God. But yet, it is more important, even than a powerful emotional experience, is to

found my life upon the Word and my faith upon the Word.

Our faith has to be established in fact. God's Word is the fact upon which my faith is established, and

that way my faith never wavers because God's Word never changes. Now, if I am founding my faith in

some experience that I have had, then I'm in dangerous water. Because I may get another contrary

experience or the experience can fade. Emotions can wane, but the Word of God remains, and thus,

my faith must be established in God's Word. And my ministry must be established according to the

Word of God, not according to some exciting, remarkable fiery letters in the sky that I saw at one time

when I was watching a sunset.

So Paul was directed by this vision. He sought immediately to answer it.

Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to

Neapolis (Act 16:11);

The winds were with them, and they headed straight across from Troas to Neapolis, which was the

port city of Philippi. It took them only two days. They had good winds. They were carrying them the

direction they wanted to go. Later Paul made this same crossing. It took five days. But God is guiding

him now to Macedonia, he endeavors to obey the call of God. The winds are with him and he comes

right across to Macedonia.

Sometimes as we're serving the Lord the winds are with us. Things go smooth. We're cooking right

along. Other times, hey, it's a heavy push all the way. You know, it seems like you're rowing all the

way, the wind is against you. But it doesn't mean that I'm out of the will of God because it's difficult

now. And I cannot really just say, "Well, God, which direction do You want me to go?" And try to

determine which way is the wind blowing and then head that direction.

And from Neapolis they went to Philippi (Act 16:12),

Which of course was a Roman colony. Philippi was an important city in history. This is where Brutus

was defeated by Marc Anthony in that critical battle there at Philippi.

they were in that city abiding certain days (Act 16:12).

So they're now in a whole new environment. They're into Greece; they're into Europe. It's different

from the Asian culture, and they're just there for several days really doing nothing.

But on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we

sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither (Act 16:13).

Now the fact that there was no synagogue in Philippi indicates that there were not ten adult Jewish

males in the town. Whenever in any city there were ten adult Jewish males, they would have a

synagogue. In the towns where they had less than that number adult Jewish males, not enough to

have a synagogue, then they usually would meet by a river for prayer and they would go through the

sabbath prayers by a river. And so Paul found out where they were meeting and he went down, and

evidently there weren't any Jewish men believers, just women that were there. And so Paul sat down

and he spoke to the women which had gathered there by the river to pray.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who was from Thyatira [she was actually from

Asia], which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the

things which were spoken by Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she begged us,

saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide. And she

constrained us (Act 16:14-15).

Now notice she was a seller of purple, and I might say she no doubt was a very successful

businesswoman. Notice the way she puts the pressure on Paul and the party. "Now if you have

counted me worthy, then come and stay at my house." Well, you know, if you don't stay then you're

saying, "No, woman, you're not worthy, you know." And so she puts it in such a way. She no doubt

was a very good sales person. She was surely able to put the pressure on Paul and the party. "If you

judge me to be faithful to the Lord then come and stay at my house. And she constrained us."

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel who was possessed with a spirit of

divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by her soothsaying: the same followed Paul

and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the

way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I

command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And

when her masters saw that the hope of their profits were gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew

them into the market place unto the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men,

are Jews, and they are exceedingly troubling our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us

to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them; and

the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many

stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: who, having

received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks (Act

16:16-24).

So opposition arises, and this time from a little different reason. There was this girl possessed by a

spirit by which she could tell fortunes. There were men who controlled her. They made a lot of money

off of her fortune telling ability. In those days people had a strange respect for the insane. They

believed that the gods had taken their minds from them and replaced them many times with the

minds of the gods. And so the people had sort of a strange reverence towards the insane.

This young lady, possessed by this spirit, able to tell fortunes, able to divine things, was declaring the

truth about Paul and his company. She said, "These men are servants of the most high God and they

show unto us the way of salvation." Now she's really advertising for them. What she is saying is true.

But Paul doesn't want Satan running his advertising campaign. Again, I think that there is a danger of

the church seeking to emulate the world in its advertising campaigns. Doing it the way of the world,

following the worldly patterns. It is indicative of the church today in many quarters to hire

professionals to come in for church growth programs. And there are professionals who will come in

and they get a percentage for as many members as they can add to the church, they get so much for

each member they can add to your church.

There are those professional fundraisers who will come into the church, and they will raise the church

budget for you by going around contacting all of the people and putting the pressure on them for their

pledges to give so much to the church this year. And then you set it all up on a computer program

and if you don't get your pledge in this month, you start getting letters, you know, "We missed your

pledge. The church is depending upon your promise to give so much and our whole spending is

predicated upon that and you have missed." And you start getting all this kind of stuff. And it's really

following the worldly patterns.

Paul wanted nothing to do with advertisement from this quarter. So he commanded the spirit to come

out of her. He was grieved over this experience. It was a hard thing. And so when those men who

were profiting off of her ability saw that she was healed, they were upset. Isn't that terrible that men

would be so mercenary that they would be upset because this young girl was set free from this tragic

experience that she had being possessed by an evil spirit. At any rate, Paul's in jail. Thrown into the

dungeon, the inner prison. His feet are fast in the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them

(Act 16:25).

I imagine that they weren't too happy with them singing at midnight, and they probably wondered

what kind of nuts have they thrown in here! But yet what a witness to these men! They had been

beaten; they had laid many stripes upon them. It doesn't say anything about them washing the blood

off their backs, but just thrown into this filth infested dungeon, tied to the stocks. And rather than just,

you know, here you are, you're so far from home, you're in a different culture, you're in a different

territory. You don't know what you're future is. It's midnight and usually that's the darkest hour of the

day, and here they are praising the Lord, singing together, praises unto God and praying.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and

immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the

prison awake out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and was

going to kill himself (Act 16:26-27),

Because if the prisoners escaped, he was held responsible for them and would have been put to

death.

And he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself

no harm: for we are all here. So he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell

down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Act

16:27-30)

You know, I believe that the Lord allowed Paul and Silas to be put in jail just to reach this man. And

when you get to heaven and you say, "Do you think that that's fair, Paul, that God allowed you to get

beat like that and thrown in prison just so that jailer could get saved? Do you think God's fair doing

that to you?" I think as Paul would point out, "Well, there he is over there and there's his family. Not

only was he saved, but his whole family. Hey, you bet! I'd gladly do it in order that I might have him as

my eternal brother here in God's kingdom." And I really believe that God was just reaching that

Philippian jailer. And that was the reason why he allowed Paul to be in prison.

"What must I do to be saved?" Paul said, "Join the church; pay your tithes."

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Act 16:31),

You mean, that's all? That's all. Believing in Jesus Christ. God has made it so simple. There's no

excuse for anyone not being saved. Paul added,

and thy house (Act 16:31).

Now there are some people who take this as a promise of the scripture, claiming their salvation's

family because Paul added, "and thy house." I do not believe that this is solid enough scriptural base

to establish a doctrine. I believe that Paul could have been speaking here a word of prophecy. There

are indications that even Paul's own house was not saved. I do believe that we are to pray and to

believe God for the salvation for our families. And I strongly encourage each of you to continue to

pray for those, your loved ones, your kin, who are not yet saved. And to believe and trust God for

their salvation. But I do not believe that you can use this as a scriptural base to claim their salvation

as some do. Because it says,

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house (Act 16:32).

So they witnessed not only to him, but to his family.

And he took them the same hour of the night [that is, the jailer took them], and washed their stripes;

and he was baptized, he and all of his (Act 16:33),

So his whole family was baptized.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in

God with all of his house (Act 16:34).

So there was salvation of all of his house, but they all believed and all were baptized.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper

of the prison told this to Paul, he said, The magistrates have sent to let you go: therefore depart, and

go in peace (Act 16:35-36).

And here is Paul's stubbornness coming out now. Oh, I really more than excuse Paul, I say, "All right!

Go for it Paul!" He's doing what I would have no doubt done under the same circumstances.

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast

us into prison; and now do they think they will just let us go privately? No way; but let them come

themselves and fetch us out. So the sergeants told these words to the magistrates [the judges]: and

they feared, when they heard that they were Roman citizens (Act 16:37-38).

The actions that were taken against Paul were thoroughly unlawful to take against a Roman citizen.

Now this was a Roman colony. They prided themselves in being a Roman colony, following Roman

justice. But my, if word gets back to Rome that they have beaten and thrown in prison a Roman

citizen without any charges against them, they could be immediately dismissed from their positions of

authority. So they were really afraid. And Paul had them where he wanted them. Let them stew.

And so they came and begged them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city

(Act 16:39).

Hey, fellas, do you mind just leaving town?

And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the

brethren, they comforted them, and departed (Act 16:40).

Now a good strong church was established in Philippi. And later as Paul is in prison in Rome, he

writes to the church in Philippi. And having dealt here with the beginning of the church in Philippi, as

extra credit this week, read the epistle to the Philippians. And these are the people that grew out of

this work that Paul established in Philippi.

2. (Act 16:16-17) A demon-possessed slave girl follows Paul. David Guzik

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of

divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed

Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who

proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

a. A certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination…brought her masters much profit:

This girl, though demon possessed, was a source of money for her owners as a fortune teller.

Presumably this was because demons gave her supernatural insight into the lives of others.

i. “It actually says, ‘She had a spirit of Pythona.’ That does not mean much to most of us, which is

why it is not translated literally. But ‘pythona’ was a certain kind of snake – a python. It is used here

because the python was associated with the god Apollo…not far from Philippi, in this very area of

Europe, there was a shrine to the Pythian Apollo.” (Boice)

ii. Today, much of what fortune-tellers and psychics do is only a money making sham. But when it is

true and has a supernatural origin (as opposed to clever, insightful guessing), there is no doubt that it

is inspired by demons. There are still those today who are possessed with a spirit of divination.

iii. Because demons are created beings, not “gods” themselves, we suppose that they cannot read

minds, nor actually foretell the future. But they can read and predict human behavior, and can attempt

to steer events towards a previously predicted conclusion.

b. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the

Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” The demon-possessed slave girl

preached for Paul, giving a demonic testimony to their divine credentials and their message. She

didn’t do this only once, but for many days (Acts 16:18).

3. (Act 16:18) Paul casts the demon out of the slave girl.

And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I

command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very

hour.

a. But Paul, greatly annoyed: Paul was greatly annoyed, and he did not appreciate the free

advertising from the demon. He did not appreciate the source of the recommendation, and he didn’t

need demonic approval of his work.

i. Paul knew that a man will be identified by both his friends and his enemies, and could do without a

demonic letter of reference. In this, Paul was like Jesus, who often told demons to be silent, even

when they told the truth about Him (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 3:11-12).

b. I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her: Jesus cast out demons with

His own authority. Paul was careful to speak to demons only in the authority of Jesus Christ, and he

spoke beyond the afflicted girl to the demon itself with this authority of Jesus.

c. And he came out that very hour: The idea behind that very hour is that the demon came out

immediately. Yet Jesus said that some demons would be more difficult to cast out than others

(Matthew 17:21).

i. Bruce translates the phrase, It came out there and then. He comments: “The words had scarcely

left his lips when she was released from its power.”

4. (Act 16:19-24) Paul and Silas are arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for delivering the slave-girl

from her demonic possession.

But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and

dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. And they brought them to the

magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach

customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” Then the

multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and

commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they

threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a

charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

a. Her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone: This explains why Paul and Silas were

treated so badly. The masters of the demon possessed girl cared nothing for the girl herself, only for

their ability to exploit her demonic possession for money. They were occult “pimps,” prostituting her

spiritually.

b. They seized Paul and Silas: Paul and Silas were singled out not only because there were the

leaders of the evangelistic group, but also, by their appearance, they were the most obviously Jewish.

This is indicated by how they began their accusation: “These men, being Jews.”

i. Luke was a Gentile, and Timothy was only half Jewish. Paul and Silas looked Jewish, and “Anti-

Jewish sentiment lay very near the surface in pagan antiquity.” (Bruce) The objection that these men

were Jews is even more interesting knowing the Jewish community in Philippi was small.

c. Exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being

Romans, to receive or observe. Their charges were vague, simply accusing Paul and Silas of being

troublemakers. But those vague charges were enough, because both the multitude and the

magistrates were biased against Paul and Silas. They were biased because of their Jewish

appearance, and because they assumed Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens.

i. In the Roman Empire there were two very different laws: one for citizens of the Roman Empire, and

one for those who were not citizens. Roman citizens had specific, zealously guarded civil rights. Non-

citizens had no civil rights, and were subject to the whims of both the multitude and the magistrates.

ii. Since they assumed Paul and Barnabas were not Roman citizens, they were offended that these

obviously Jewish men harassed Roman citizens with their strange religion of a crucified Savior. As

well, the multitude and the magistrates felt free to abuse Paul and Silas because they assumed

they were not Roman citizens.

iii. “There was great indignation that Roman citizens should be molested by strolling peddlers of an

outlandish religion. Such people had to be taught to know their proper place and not trouble their

betters.” (Bruce)

d. When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison: After being severely

beaten, Paul and Silas were imprisoned in maximum-security conditions (commanding the jailer to

keep them securely…the inner prison…fastened their feet in the stocks).

i. Jewish legal tradition gave a maximum number of blows that could be delivered when beating a

person, but the Romans had no such limit. We simply know Paul and Silas were severely beaten.

Paul later wrote of his life: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more

frequently, in deaths often. (2 Corinthians 11:23)

ii. After such a bad beating, they were put in uncomfortable conditions (fastened their feet in the

stocks). “These stocks had more than two holes for legs, which could thus be forced apart in a such

a way as to cause the utmost discomfort and cramping pain.” (Bruce)

iii. Even in their pain, God was not far from Paul and Silas. Tertullian said, “The legs feel nothing in

the stocks when the heart is in heaven.”

5. (Act 16:25-32) Paul and Silas sing in prison.

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners

were listening to them.

a. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God: Though they were

arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for doing good, Paul and Silas were filled with joy, and sang praises

to God. It seemed as if nothing would make them stop praising God.

i. Anyone can be happy in pleasant circumstances, but real joy comes only from within, and is a gift

available to Christians at all times. “Instead of cursing men, they blessed God.” (Stott)

b. And the prisoners were listening to them: What a strange sound this was to the other

prisoners! Prayers and praises unto God at midnight, in the midst of a brutal prison. Those prison

walls had probably never heard such a sound.

6. (Act 16:26-29) The great earthquake and its result.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken;

and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the

keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the

prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud

voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and

fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

a. Suddenly there was a great earthquake: This earthquake was clearly supernatural. This was not

only because of its timing and location, but also in the way that all the doors were opened and

everyone’s chains were loosed.

b. The keeper of the prison…was about to kill himself: The jailer did this for a good reason. Under

Roman law and custom, guards who allowed their prisoners to escape received the penalty of their

escaped prisoners. Knowing this, Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for

we are all here.” He assured the jailer that no one had escaped.

i. It would have been easy for Paul and Silas to escape thinking God provided another miraculous

jailbreak. But to them, the lives of others were more important than their own personal freedom and

comfort.

ii. In not escaping, they showed tremendous discernment. The circumstances said, “escape.” But love

said, “Stay for the sake of this one soul.” They were not guided merely by circumstances, but by what

love compelled.

c. Ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas: This hardened keeper of the prison fell

down trembling. This was as dramatic as it sounds. This man was more affected by the love and

grace demonstrated by Paul and Silas than by the earthquake. As well, this may have even been the

same guard who beat them a few hours earlier.

7. (Act 16:30-32) The conversion of the Philippian jailer.

And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe

on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke

the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

a. Sirs, what must I do be saved? The jailer was so impressed by Paul and Silas – by the love they

showed to him, and from their ability to take joy even in misery – that he instantly wanted the kind of

life that Paul and Silas have.

i. This is how God wants our lives to be: Natural magnets drawing people to Him. Our Christianity

should make others want what we have with God.

b. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved: Paul’s answer to the keeper of the

prison is a classic statement of the essence of the gospel. This is salvation by grace alone, received

by faith alone.

i. Some have worried that Paul’s invitation to salvation here is too easy, and would promote a too-

easy faith or a cheap grace. Others refuse to preach repentance, claiming that this text says that it is

not necessary.

ii. Paul never specifically called the keeper of the prison to repent because he was already repenting.

We see the humble repentance of the jailer in that he fell down trembling, in the full idea of the word

believe (pistis, which means to trust in, rely on, and cling to), and in the command to believe on the

Lord Jesus Christ).

iii. For the Philippian jailer, Paul did not direct him to counseling. He did not give him a lecture on

theology. He did not discuss the spiritual terminology of the jailer. He did not talk about sacraments or

even churches. He pointed this obviously repentant man to faith in Jesus Christ.

iv. There was an old chaplain general of the British Army – Bishop John Taylor Smith – who used a

unique test on candidates for the chaplaincy. He asked them to say how they would speak to a man

injured in battle, who had three minutes to live, how to be saved and come to peace with God. If they

couldn’t do it within three minutes, they weren’t fit for the chaplain’s service. Paul would be qualified.

c. You and your household: This seems to be a specific promise for that Philippian jailer. Under

inspiration by the Holy Spirit, Paul told the keeper of the prison that his household would trust Jesus

just as he did.

i. This was a promise made specifically to the keeper of the prison. But it is a promise that the Holy

Spirit may well make alive to us, helping us to trust Him for the salvation of our families.

ii. However, the jailer’s household was not saved merely because he was; Paul came and spoke the

word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. They were all saved because they all

trusted the word of God and the Jesus revealed to us through the word.

8. (Act 16:33-34) The Philippian jailer serves Paul and Silas.

And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he

and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food

before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

a. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes: The same jailer who

had punished them now cared for Paul and Silas, caring for their wounds and he set food before

them. This shows how repentant he was and how he followed the example of love shown by Paul

and Silas.

b. And immediately he and all his family were baptized: The jailer and his family saw no reason to

delay baptism; they were baptized that very night, and all this began around midnight (Acts 16:25).

c. And he rejoiced: This man was carried from suicidal fear to abounding joy in just a few minutes.

The Holy Spirit used the courageous praise of Paul and Silas in their terrible adversity.

9. (Act 16:35-36) Paul and Silas return to the prison, and are set free by the magistrates the next day.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” So the

keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let

you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”

a. The magistrates sent the officers: Paul and Silas left the prison (in the protective custody of the

jailer) to minister to the jailer’s household. Yet they returned to the prison willingly to spare the jailer

certain death.

b. Let those men go: In societies that recognize few rights for their citizens it is common for one to

be arrested, beaten, imprisoned – and then quickly and unexpectedly released. This sort of treatment

effectively terrorizes the population into submission.

c. The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace: If Paul and

Silas were released the day after their beating, arrest, and imprisonment, why did God send the

earthquake? We see that the earthquake had absolutely nothing to do with freeing Paul and Silas

from prison. But it had everything to do with the salvation of a certain prison guard and his household.

10. (Act 16:37-39) Paul and Silas reveal their Roman citizenship.

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown

us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves

and get us out.” And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid

when they heard that they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought

them out, and asked them to depart from the city.

a. They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans: Because Paul and Silas were Roman

citizens, they had recognized civil rights, which were violated by the Philippian magistrates. Upon

learning this, the magistrates were filled with fear, because it was a grave offense to treat Roman

citizens as Paul and Silas had been treated.

i. Why didn’t Paul and Silas reveal their Roman citizenship earlier? It is possible that they didn’t have

the opportunity, but it is more likely that the Holy Spirit directed them to not reveal it until a certain

time.

ii. Our rights are not as important as our obedience to the will of God. God may ask us to lay down

our rights for the good of another (in this case, for the good of the Philippian jailer).

iii. How could Paul and Silas prove their Roman citizenship? “They may each have carried a copy of

his professio or registration of birth, in which his Roman status would have been recorded. These

were convenient in size…To claim Roman citizenship falsely was punishable by death.” (Williams)

b. They came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the

city: The magistrates acted as politicians often act by instinct. They tried to make their problem go

away quietly by sweeping it under the rug.

11. (Act 16:40) Paul and Silas leave Philippi on their own terms.

So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the

brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

a. When they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them: Only after this did they agree to go.

Paul and Silas would not be hurried out of town until they had brought their work there to a

conclusion.

i. The great missionary David Livingstone summarized the spirit of Paul when he said, “I am prepared

to go anywhere, so long as it is forward.” (Cited in Barclay)

b. They encouraged them and departed: In Philippi, Paul and Silas left behind two notable

converts: Lydia and the prison guard. Each of these two had their lives touched by Jesus in very

different ways.

i. Lydia was a churchgoer; the guard was not. Lydia was prospering in business; the guard was about

to kill himself. Lydia’s heart was gently opened; the guard’s heart was violently confronted. The guard

had a remarkable sign – an earthquake, but all Lydia had was the move of the Holy Spirit in her heart.

Both heard the gospel and believed, and through each of them their whole families were touched!

ii. It was a strange and wonderful church they left behind in Philippi: Lydia, perhaps the slave girl, the

jailer and his household, and others. The use of “they” here suggests that Luke stayed behind in

Philippi for at least a while, perhaps to care for this new congregation.