Book of Acts Bible Study Notes

Transcription

1 ACTS CH.16:1-40 PAUL S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT Tonight we are going to take a look at Paul as he begins his second missionary journey. We saw in our last study how Paul, having a Shepherd s heart desired to travel back through the regions to see how the different church s he had planted some five years earlier were doing. It wasn t just about looking at the fruit but more importantly that the fruit had remained. This was one of the promises Jesus gave His disciples in John Ch.15; He said: John Ch.15:16 (New King James Version) 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, Several years have passed and Paul wants to make sure that these churches are flourishing, and that the legalism of the Judaizers had not crept in and began to choke out their growth with their rules and regulations. I am sure Paul of all people, having been a Pharisee would know how the freedom in Christ these Gentiles were experiencing would be a magnet for those still steeped in their Jewish traditions, and so the need to go back and check on their spiritual wellbeing was something I am sure weighed heavy on his heart. We are also going to look at Paul s conscious awareness of the importance of the personal witness of anyone who is going to be involved in the work of the Lord. Remember that the ultimate goal in the mind of Paul is that people would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And whatever obstacle might stand in the way of that revelation, to the best of his ability he would tear down, be it a misunderstanding of principles found in scripture or something he was or was not doing in his own life; nothing was more important to Paul than the salvation of the soul of man. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 1

2 HOW IT APPLIES TO ME / WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Personal application for us from a study like this can be a game changer in our lives. As Christians, our desire should be the salvation of man as well. This is why it is so important to pour the truth of God s word into our lives; so that we too may have the mind of Christ. Paul said in Romans Ch.12 that we can be changed from the inside out; by the renewing of our minds. And that we are to study to show ourselves approved to God, as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth as Paul teaches in 2 nd Timothy Ch.2:15. Peter puts it this way: 1 st Peter Ch.3:15 (New King James Version) 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear We need recognize the importance of our personal witness as Christians. Speak the truth with boldness and conviction, and speak the truth in Love. And most importantly, live your life like you believe it. 1 st John Ch.3:18 (New King James Version) 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ACTS CH.16:1-13 PAUL BEGINS HIS SECOND MISSIONS TRIP 16 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. So we read in Ch.15 that Paul leaves Antioch, travels through the regions of Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches and makes his way back to Derbe and Lystra. Now Lystra is the city you will remember on the first missionary journey, is the place where the people tried to deify Barnabas and Paul calling them Zeus and Hermes. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 2

3 They were ready to call them gods and worship them and before the whole thing is done, they turn on Paul, stone him drag him out of the city and leave him for dead. You would think if Paul was considering his itinerary for his second missionary journey that he would have left Lystra off his list. But he didn t because he knew there were Christians there and he would to know how they were doing. God has been doing a mighty work in Lystra since Paul s first journey and many have come to faith. Paul will later on in life write the book of Romans, and one of the most encouraging promises found in scripture comes from Romans Ch.8: Romans Ch.8:28 (New King James Version) 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. I think it is quite possible as he was writing this he was thinking about how God had turned a low point in his own life, that of being stoned, into the catalyst in which many were saved including someone who would go on to become one of Paul s closest and dearest friends. In the time since Paul had been to Lystra, a young man, a certain disciple named Timothy had been serving the Lord. Timothy had a believing mother with a Jewish background (son of a certain Jewish woman who believed), but an unbelieving Greek father. Because of how Paul describes Timothy in 1 st Corinthians Ch.4 as his beloved and faithful child in the Lord it is thought that Timothy came to faith as a result of Paul s first visit to Lystra. In 2 nd Timothy Ch.1:5 we read about the strong faith of his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois most likely that were saved as a result of Paul journey into Lystra as well. Verse 2 tells us that Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren. I like this because it tells me that he didn t just get saved and throw his life on auto pilot; Timothy is pursuing his relationship with the Lord, becoming strong in his faith and has a good reputation with the brethren. If you guard your character, God will protect your reputation. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 3

4 ACTS CH.16:1-13 PAUL BEGINS HIS SECOND MISSIONS TRIP 3 Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. Paul was impressed enough with Timothy that Paul wanted to have him go on with him. To me this shows God's provision, because John Mark and Barnabas just left Paul (Acts 15:36-41); no single worker in God's kingdom is irreplaceable. When a Barnabas leaves (for whatever reason), God has a Timothy to go on with him. In Israel, the Jews for the most part would intermarry amongst themselves, in accordance with the Law of Moses. But the further you get away from Jerusalem and the further you get away from Israel, is was not unusual for a Jewish woman to marry into a gentile family and that is apparently what has happened here. Now what is interesting is that according to Jewish religious tradition, the child always took on the religion of the mother. The reason being was that it was always easiest to determine the mother of a child; sometimes determining who the father was a little more difficult. And what was known specifically about Timothy was that he was born of a Jewish mother. When Paul took Timothy on this missionary journey, whenever they went to preach to the Jews, their understanding would be that Timothy was a Jew; and if he is was a Jew why was he not been circumcised? Now we know that he was not circumcised because his father was a Greek; and to the Greek circumcision was anathema or an abomination because from their perspective it was an act of mutilation of the human body which is something they worshipped and held in high regard. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 4

5 So it is quite easy to conclude that Timothy s father would step in and say no way not to my son. But apparently he does not have the influence in this situation at this time for one reason or another, he may have died or moved on, scripture does not say. And based on what we know about Paul, I think the conversation he has with Timothy concerning this went something like this: I think he told Timothy that he personally did not care whether or not he was circumcised, in the eyes of the Lord circumcision has nothing to do with salvation either in obtaining or maintaining it. The issue in Paul s mind was not salvation but the effectiveness of the witness. Paul knew as they went into these different cities on their journey that they would come upon Jews, and if Timothy being a Jew was not circumcised, this was going to become a big deal in their minds and they are never going to hear the gospel. So I think he lays it all out for Timothy and says if you want to come along you are going to need to be circumcised; again, not for the sake of salvation, but for the sake of the witness. And I think Timothy agrees with Paul s concern about it being a potential hindrance and stumbling block to the Jew, so he agrees. This is really a huge point for us, and as Christians, one that should be on our minds daily. Is there something in our life that could potentially be a hindrance to someone hearing the gospel? Or are we allowing the freedom we have in Christ to become a stumbling block to someone else? Paul speaks to this in 1st Corinthians Ch.9: 1st Corinthians Ch.9:19-22 (New Living Translation) 19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 5

6 22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. Are we willing to give up our rights so that won t unnecessarily cause someone else to stumble, are we willing as to cut it out of our lives? That is a tough question, and one worthy of some serious thought on our part. 1 st Corinthians Ch.10:23-24 (New American Standard Bible) 23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. It is interesting that later on in Paul s ministry that he is going to have the same kind of thing happen with another one of his disciples. In Galatians Ch.2 we read how when Paul and Titus went to Jerusalem that the false brethren tried to lay a trip on them and compel them to have Titus circumcised. Unlike Timothy who was half Jew and half Greek, and was circumcised in order to not become a stumbling block to others, Titus was totally Greek, a gentile through and through, and to have him circumcised would have sent the wrong message. Paul s whole argument was that a gentile did not need to become a Jew in order to be saved and that is what circumcising Titus would have said. Paul resisted their pressure because it was for all the wrong reasons. Paul would have never told Timothy to become circumcised for the sake of legalism. But Paul would do things for the sake of love that he would not do for the sake of trying to please God through legalism. We should look at liberties and freedom in Christ the same way, our decisions in what we do with those freedoms must be based on the love of the brethren, otherwise what we do or don t do in terms of our liberties will be nothing more than a form of legalism. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 6

7 We talked about this last week how these Judaizers came in and were spreading their opinion like it was judgment of the church in Jerusalem of what it took to be a Christian, to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses. And how Paul had gone back to Jerusalem to get this sorted out, and we read in Ch.15:13-14 that it was the judgment of the Holy Spirit and the church leaders that the only things the Gentiles need to do was to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, things strangled, and from fornication. And this is the message that Paul and Timothy are delivering to the churches, and the result is that they are growing both stronger in their faith and numerically. ACTS CH.16:1-13 PAUL BEGINS HIS SECOND MISSIONS TRIP 6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. This is interesting to see, Paul is on a missionary journey to spread the gospel and we see the Holy Spirit not once but twice refuse to allow Paul to go to a city that he is trying to get to. Paul typically would find the largest city in a region and try and establish a church there and then let that church spread out into the surrounding areas. And so Paul was trying to get to Ephesus, but the timing was not right, he will eventually go there and end up spending a couple of years there but not on this journey. After his the attempt to go to Asia, Paul sought to go north into Bithynia, but is again prevented by the Holy Spirit. So, they came down to Troas. Paul didn't set out to go to Troas. It was at least the third choice for him. But it was the Holy Spirit's plan to lead him there. As intense as Paul was, he was at the same time sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit Paul, and is willing to lay down his will and plans for the direction that the Holy Spirit brings. Paul is being guided by hindrance. The Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 7

8 How exactly did the Holy Spirit forbid them? It is difficult to say exactly how the Holy Spirit said no; it may have been through a word of prophecy, or by an inward speaking of the Holy Spirit, or by circumstances. One way or another, Paul and his company got the message. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Again we see the consistency of the Christian who is in tune with God. Verse 10 says immediately after seeing the vision Paul sets out for Macedonia. We have talked about this before, when we are directed by the Lord to move in a specific direction, we need to move on it. Because delay will also bring with it doubt. Did I really hear God? We have to recognize that there is balance in scripture. God s word is very specific that there are times when we need to wait on the Lord. But there are also times when we need to move when God leads. To know which to do in a given situation can be challenging. But we do have very specific promises from God that He will lead and direct our steps. That is why it is so important to pour the truth of God s word into our hearts. To quote a lyric from a Bob Dylan song; I need to change my way of thinking and stop being influenced by fools. Paul says it this way: Romans Ch.12:1-2 (New American Standard Bible) 12 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 8

9 Something else that we should take note of here in verse 10 is the change of pronouns in the narrative. Notice back in verse 6-8 we read they had gone through Phrygia, they came to Mysia, and they came to Troas. And then in verse 10 we read: Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. The narrative has changed because Luke is now traveling with them. It is quite possible although this is total speculation, that when the scripture says that holy Spirit did not permit Paul to go to Ephesus or Bithynia the way He directed him was by an affliction of some kind, and thats the reason Luke the physician joins them now was so that he could look after Paul. While it is just an assumption on the part of many bible scholars what we know for sure is that Luke has now joined them. ACTS CH.16:11-15 PAUL BEGINS HIS SECOND MISSIONS TRIP 11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. So what verse 13 tells us is that there was not a Jewish Synagogue in Philippi, which means there were less than 10 Jewish males in the city, it is almost completely a Gentile city. So Paul cannot as was his custom, go into a Synagogue and begin preaching Jesus as the Christ. The Jews taught in their traditions that if there was not enough Jewish men to build a Synagogue in a city then on the Sabbath day, that if there was the river in the city they were to go there to pray. The river is symbolic in scripture of the overflowing love of God. And water is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Psalm Ch.36:7-9 (New Living Translation) 7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. 8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. 9 For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 9

10 So Paul arriving in town a few days before the Sabbath seeing there is no Synagogue, searches out and finds there a meeting place down by the river. So he goes down to the river and finds there are a group of women who have met there for prayer. Remember that Paul being led by the Holy Spirit and through a vision has been directed to come to Macedonia to preach the gospel. And coming to Philippi and finding no Synagogue and then coming to the river and finding no men must have caused him to think at least for a moment am I in the right place is this where the Spirit of God is going to start a church? But Paul is faithful, and sits down and begins to share the gospel with these women. ACTS CH.16:11-15 PAUL BEGINS HIS SECOND MISSIONS TRIP 14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. So she persuaded us. Lydia was a seller of purple: Anyone who was a seller of purple dealt in a valued, luxurious product. The dyes used for making purple were expensive and highly regarded. The dye was produced from a murex seashell and was a costly and very labor-intensive dye to produce. This dye was used in royal robes, other kinds of special ceremonial or ritual garments, or garments indicating high rank. It is thought that the dye was the same dye as that which featured prominently in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, and was in the clothing of the High Priest. Lydia who was from Thyatira had come to Philippi to develop her trade. Verse 14 also says she worshipped God. This is neat to see and is again very consistent with scripture; everywhere there is a seeking heart after God in the world; God makes sure that that life comes into contact with the truth. We saw it with the Ethiopian eunuch earlier in the book of Acts; we saw it with Cornelius, now we see it with Lydia. The Holy Spirit redirected Paul and brought him to Philippi so that Lydia would here the gospel and be saved. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 10

11 She is also quite the salesperson; notice how she frames her question to Paul in verse 15, she doesn t just ask if they would like to stay at her place she phrases her question in such a way that Luke says she persuaded us to go. If you are in sales, you don t just lay out your assortment of items and ask someone do you want one of these you ask them which one they want. Lydia doesn t ask if they need a place to stay, she says if you believe that my faith in God is sincere then you will come and stay at my house. ACTS CH.16:16-22 PAUL AND SILAS IMPRISONED 16 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. 17 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. 18 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. Luke s description indicates that she was a young girl, not only enslaved to man but also enslaved to the devil being demon possessed. And being demon possessed, she was a source of much profit for her owners as a fortune teller, because demons would give her supernatural insight into the lives of others. The words spirit of divination literally means a spirit of Python She was controlled by a group of individuals whose business was 'deceiving people through witchcraft'. As a 'soothsayer' she told people their fortunes, future events, and revealed hidden knowledge. This lady must have been good at her trade, for she made a lot of money for her masters. At first glance, one would think she was doing a good thing, "she's drawing attention to the good News, and she s drawing attention to Jesus". Not so! First, she was drawing attention to man, not God. She was drawing attention to Paul and his co-workers. These are good men. These are godly men. These are servants of the most high God. See how spiritual they are". Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 11

12 Second, she was drawing attention to herself. This lady was loudly hollering and shouting, over and over again. She was making a real spectacle of herself. She was constantly drawing attention to herself. In essence she was trying to improve her own credibility for the purpose greater gain. Just the fact she was in company with them said, "I am important! I can run with the 'big dogs'. See how spiritual I am. Come to me, and I will prophesy and reveal your future". And Paul was greatly annoyed at this harassment. The word, in Greek, is not really "annoyed." That makes it sound as if he were merely irritated by this woman who kept following him around. It does not mean that at all. The word means, he was "deeply troubled." Why? Because he knew where this would lead; he knew what would happen if he allowed or recognized her testimony. It was the right message but the wrong messenger. So finally, in the power of the Spirit of God, he turned and said, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And the spirit came out that very hour. The girl was set free. And notice that he addressed the spirit, not the woman, and said, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" We must remember that Satan is the enemy, not the people he manipulates. People who attack Christianity are not the enemy but the victims of the enemy. Paul did not attempt to use any power of his own, but rather he used the power of the resurrected Lord to cast the demon out of the girl. The result was that she, the captive, was set free from her spiritual enemy. She was still a slave of Rome, but no longer a demon-possessed slave. 19 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. 20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe. Look at the reaction of the woman's master. They weren't amazed that Paul had just cast a demon out of the woman. They weren't rejoicing in the fact a 'captive' had been 'set free'. They were angry, enraged, and infuriated. This man, Paul, had just taken away a large source of their income. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 12

13 Notice that it says that Paul and Silas were seized and dragged into the market place before the authorities, this was a pretty violent crowd. I find it interesting that these guys didn t not seem to have any problems with Paul and Silas and their ministry until it touched their pocket book. Notice their complaint; These Jews have brought trouble into our city this had nothing to do with them being Jews, it was all about the loss of their revenue stream, but this hatred for the Jew was very much prevalent. Although Anti-Semitism, is a the term that was coined in the late 19th century in Germany as a more scientific-sounding term for Judenhass which means "Jewhatred"; this hatred toward the Jew is something that has been going on for thousands of years. It comes from the pit of hell and is being encouraged by Satan himself. God declared war on Satan in Genesis Ch.3:15 and told him that the seed of the woman was going to crush the head of the serpent and he has been trying to stop it ever since. Beginning with the murder of Abel Satan has tried to systematically disrupt God s plan. And when God told Abraham in Genesis Ch.17 that He was going to raise up a nation through his descendants through which ultimately the Messiah would come, Satan was able to direct his focus and attention on one specific family line in hopes of thwarting the plan of God, and for the last 4000 years the Jewish people have been relentlessly persecuted. And what we see going on here is just a continuation of that assault. In a rage, these men had Paul and Silas arrested, beaten, and thrown in prison ACTS CH.16:16-22 PAUL AND SILAS IMPRISONED 22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Under Jewish law prisoners never received more than 39 lashes; unfortunately Roman law knew no such mercy. These guys were beaten with many stripes, probably until their backs were raw. And then they were thrown into the deepest part of the prison and had their feet put in stocks. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 13

14 Pretty brutal, pretty demoralizing and one would think that their spirits would have been broken and given the opportunity they would run home. ACTS CH.16:25-34 THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER SAVED 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. I love this verse of scripture because it reveals so much not only of the mindset Paul and Silas, but also the reality that the world is watching. Jesus said persecution was coming, He promised His church that because the world had Hated Him they were going to hate His church as well. So the question is not whether or not we are going to be persecuted for His names sake, but how are we going to respond to that persecution. Are we going to recoil and seek to lash out at those who do us much harm, or are we going to recognize it for what it is and praise God for the opportunity to be a witness to those around us? Verse 25 says the prisoners were listening ; the same is true for us, the world is watching, how are we going to respond? And it never seems to watch and listen more closely to what we have to say about Who we believe in than when we are stuck smack dab in the middle of a crisis. Like Paul and Silas, in the midst of adversity and persecution, instead of allowing bitterness to come out of our lives, we should look and pray to God, and praise Him in the middle of the situation. What could have Paul and Silas been thanking God for in this situation? Perhaps it was for the deliverance of that girl from her demon possession. When they did a cost verses value analysis, they concluded that the value of one person coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ far outweighed cost they paid in the sufferings they experienced in their physical bodies. 26 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. 27 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. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 14

15 We have seen this in previous studies; Roman law was very clear and without compromise or mercy when it came to prisoners escaping. Whoever was on duty at the time of the escape was responsible to serve any time left on their sentence. When the Philippian jailer was awaken by the earthquake and seen all of the prison doors were open he assumed everyone had escaped and figured it was better to commit suicide then spend the rest of his life locked up. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. It would have been easy for Paul and Silas to escape thinking God had instigated another miraculous jailbreak. But to them, the lives of others were more important than their own personal freedom and comfort. 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. 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 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. 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 wants the kind of life that Paul and Silas have. 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. Jesus has called us to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Salt has several applications many of which can be likened to the Christian life. Salt adds flavor, it creates thirst, it is used to preserve and to heal. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 15

16 Jesus said let your light shine before man in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify God our Father who is in heaven. (Matt. Ch.5:16) The Philippian Jailer witnessed firsthand the genuineness of their faith in God and wants to have the same experience. The fact that he asks Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved indicates that to me that he most likely heard the girl whom Paul has cast the demonic spirit out of. Remember we were told back in verses that for several days she had followed Paul and Silas around crying out for all to hear that these guys were the servants of the Most High God and that were proclaiming the way of salvation. And so that coupled with this earthquake and Paul s genuine concern for his life is what breaks this guy, he runs in, falls down at their feet and says what must I do to be saved? Paul's answer to the keeper of the prison is a classic statement of the essence of the gospel: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. This is salvation by grace alone, received by faith alone. Some have suggested that Paul's invitation to salvation here is too easy, and promotes an "easy-believism" and a "cheap grace." Others use this as a proof text as to why it is not necessary to preach repentance, claiming that this text says that it is not essential. 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. Paul s words to the Philippian jailer are short, sweet, and to the point. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. The gospel message is just that simple: trust in Lord Jesus. Believe in His life; believe that his death on the cross was sufficient payment for our sin. The fact that God raised Him from the dead confirms that His sacrifice for our sins was not only sufficient, but that it was accepted by God as complete payment for our sin. This was the message of john Ch.3: Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 16

17 John Ch.3:14-16 (New King James Version) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. There has also been a lot said about Paul s statement to the jailer in verse 31 where he says: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household, as if to say that Paul was teaching that one s commitment to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior would also save their family. That is not what Paul taught. I believe that Paul had a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit concerning the disposition of the jailer s family and was just communicating to him that the witness of his personal conversion would be the event God would use to bring his family to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as well. In real estate, as the saying goes, it is all about is location, location, location. In understanding scripture it is context, context, context. You cannot pull a single verse of scripture out of the bible and build an entire doctrine around it. Look again at the context of verse 31: 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 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. Paul shared the gospel him and all who were in his house. And verse 34 says his entire household heard the message and believed in God. God does not have any grandchildren, only children. We each individually enter into a personal relationship with God by accepting what Jesus did for us personally, in terms of paying for our sin debt by His death on the cross. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 17

18 Paul explained clearly what was meant by believing in Jesus. As the people listened, the Holy Spirit opened up their minds, and they all expressed a desire to become Christians. So through was Paul on the salvation message that they understood the importance of being baptized, not for the purpose of receiving salvation, but for the purpose of making a public declaration of something that had already occurred on the inside. And when they saw the water, like the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts Ch.8, they took advantage of the opportunity. ACTS CH.16:35-40 PAUL REFUSES TO DEPART SECRETLY 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, Let those men go. 36 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. 37 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. To arrest, beat, and imprison someone; then to quickly release them was common in societies that recognize few rights for their citizens. This sort of treatment effectively terrorizes the population into submission. These magistrates had assumed these two guys who had wandered into town Jews and not Roman citizens, and because of that treated them harshly, no trial just beat them and threw them into prison. However Rome took their justice very seriously and to do what they did to them being Roman citizens without any kind of trial was pretty much a capital offense in of its self, at the least they could lose their positions of authority if not their heads. 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 was directing them to not reveal it until a certain time. Think about it: If Paul and Silas were released the day after their beating, arrest, and imprisonment, why did God send the earthquake? Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 18

19 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. As Christians, our rights are not as important as our obedience to the will of God. God may very well ask us to lay down our rights for the good of another (in this case, for the good of the Philippian jailer). This whole event has had the fingerprint of the Holy Spirit all over it. Paul and Silas set out on this journey planning on going a completely different direction. Because of their sensitivity and awareness of the Holy Spirits leading they end up in Philippi. Because of their determination to remain silent about their Roman citizenship they are beaten and thrown into prison. Because of their presence of mind and their understanding of who is really in control, when the prison doors are opened as a result of the earthquake, they don t try to escape. Instead they speak the words of life into a man who was on the verge of committing suicide and being eternally separated from God. And the net result is that he and his entire family come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And now the revelation of their Roman citizenship is not only going to be of value to them personally, I think the church they establish here is going to be left alone at least for a time because of the fear of the magistrates in terms of what they did to Paul and Silas. 38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. 39 Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. 40 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. So it appears that the house of Lydia has become the gathering place for this new church and Paul and Silas are able to spend some time here before they leave and are able to encourage the brethren. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 19

20 Later on while in another prison, Paul will write one of his most encouraging letters to the church in Philippi. And he is going to remind them that God does indeed works all things to the good for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. And when he says that real joy can be experienced even in the midst of suffering they are going to know that he is not just writing platitudes or clichés or some words on a page; but that he is speaking from his heart and they will know that his love for them is genuine. People are not going to care how much you know, until they know how much you care. We can speak all the truth we want, but it is when our word and deed are the same that the words we speak will have the greatest impact. Pastor Steve Acts Bible Study - Lesson 16: Paul s Second Missionary Journey June 17, 2014 page 20