Acts 16

The Gospel goes to Europe

We meet Timothy who was converted on a previous journey to Lystra. He had a reputation with the believers, he was young, but was ready to lead. The name Timothy means "one who fears God". He was a Greek by birth-his father was Greek. He was not circumcised. His mother and grandmother were Jewish. In those days, the Jewish lineage followed the mother's line. (1 Corinthians 4:17)

His circumcision was not to cow tow to the Jews, but so it would not arouse suspicion while witnessing in synagogues and to the Jewish community. (1 Corinthians 9:19-20)

We are to accommodate ourselves to the prejudices of others as far as we can without sacrificing principle.

They delivered those letters of encouragement, the guidelines for Gentiles.

The Holy Spirit forbid them to enter to preach in what Rome called Asia...not present day Asia. This is an area where Ephesus was the capital. Another call to labor in fields unentered came: Macedonia.

This kingdom was under Philip and Alexander and had absorbed Greece, conquered Persia and spread the Greek language all over Western Asia. It had fallen to Rom and Thessalonica was the capital. So Tim, being fluent in Greek, was good to have along!

In verse 10, it is supposed that Luke joined the band of travelers because the language changes here:

When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

It's a small speed bump when you read it.

They seem to stop at key cities, any city that had more than 10 Jewish men could have a synagogue. And their usual sequence was to speak at the local synagogue first. There was no synagogue in Phillipi. There was an inscription on the gate that said no "unofficial" religion could meet in their city. Sounds like it was only government approved religions. Do we know a place like that today? Yes, China is one.

So they go outside the city gate to the river. They find a group of women there, it is the Sabbath so they weren't doing laundry or any chores.

They meet a businesswoman named Lydia. She sold purple cloth. Purple was a royal color. A common man would not wear purple, it was too costly. So, she was a high-end merchant with access to homes of officials, maybe royalty. She would sell her goods to the ones who created the garments for the wealthy. Can you imagine the impact her witness could have on that city?

So think about who you have access to. We're not talking about job prestige here...we're talking having the ear and maybe the heart of someone that could impact large groups of people. It's a matter of getting The Word out! We're not dealing in Tupperware or life insurance...it's something so much more!

Later the travelers meet another type of businesswoman. She is a slave girl who made money for her owners by telling the future to people. If you ever come across someone who is being controlled by something that is not of this world, it can be scary. Hollywood makes it oh so visual...but really, this woman was a prisoner in her own body. The spirit that controlled her could not help by cry out about Paul and his group.

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. James 2:19

You see in the spiritual realm, the enemy must bow his knee to Christ. And since we are covered by His blood, we have that same authority. And Paul wielded that authority and simply spoke to the spirit and it came out of her.

Again, it's a question of access. Who do you know who is a slave to something that needs deliverance? Maybe it's time you spoke to them "in the name of Jesus".

This act of healing the girl gets them in trouble. It dries up a source of income that the slave girl's owners had. So now the owners take them to court. They are charged by the Romans with disrupting their lives with unlawful customs. Remember, this is a city with "government approved" religions. So it was legal civil disobedience they were charged with. And note, never once do Paul and Silas mention they are Roman citizens. Which would've stopped all this in it's tracks. They had something bigger to do.

They are thrown into jail. They are chained and shackled. About midnight, about the time of the night services in the temple courts--they were singing songs and praising God where they were. Don't wait a moment longer--praise God even when you feel defeated and locked up. Praise is powerful! (Psalm 77:6)

They experience an earthquake and the chains fall off and the doors open. But...they stay put. The jailer comes running to the jailhouse and assuming they all left, prepares to commit suicide. Because an escape of this magnitude he would surely pay with his life anyway. But Paul yells that they're all there. And he says, "What must I do to be saved?" The jailer is saved, and so is his whole household.

Their actions spoke louder than words. These men were different and he wanted what they had. Again...who do you have access to? There is no prestige in prison. The jailer realized he was in his own prison that had no bars. Who do you know that is locked up in their heart or literally in jail? Who needs to hear about the freedom that Christ brings, even in jail?

Now Paul and Silas finally reveal they are Roman citizens and the magistrates send word to free them. Paul tells them to come to them and release them. They didn't want this swept under the rug...note they didn't witness to the magistrates. This is evidence that Christians are not to be doormats.

Christianity is never about prestige, name-dropping or hanging with the elites. That person who seems to "have it all" sitting next to you in church could have just lost it all the night before. Church is not a social club, or the way to happiness. The only name we should be dropping is Jesus. His name gives you full access to eternal life. Sharing that name with whoever you have access to is what mission work is all about!

We recently had two men from Central travel to Africa to work at a mission there. Every year they do a special Bible school for kids and teach them songs, and work on the orphanage. They went there recently to do more work and expected to hang out with the kids again. They got word that the chief of that area wanted them to come to a ceremony. So here sits our two guys in large chairs with the chief, with TV cameras and there is dancing and celebrating...and oh what access they had!

Where is God putting you today?