An earthquake opened the prison doors and caused all the shackles to fall off. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: In Troas, God made Pauls direction clear. Lit., a (p.40-42, 1998 edition, Lucis Trust) Acts 16:16-18 Spirit of Divination. After learning how to become a Christians the jailer and his family were all baptized immediately. There was great indignation that Roman citizens should be molested by strolling peddlers of an outlandish religion. a. 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. damsel 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. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. Paul and Silas, their rights having been violated and their backs torn open, their feet in the stocks and locked in the dark inner prison, were praying and singing hymns of praise to God at midnight (16:25)! 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. _paidiske._ See note on Acts 12:13. read "a spirit,. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. They were in, not out, of Gods will. This was as dramatic as it sounds. We need to keep in mind that Paul and Silas did not know the end of this story when they began singing at midnight in the dungeon. iii. Is depression a sin? b. I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her: Jesus cast out demons with His own authority. The other prisoners were listening to them. masters much gai AS WE WENT TO PRAYER, Or, _To the oratory._ The manner in which St. They were physically attacked in an inhumane way. _Gen. Praise the Lord is not a nice suggestion; its a command! They were not given an opportunity to defend themselves. VII. EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: This is Paul's Second Missionary Journey (49-52 A.D.) as recorded in Acts 15:30 - 18:21. Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!' Acts 16:14 Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. She followed Paul and Silas saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation." which guarded Delphi. b. A *Christian called Timothy Joins Paul and Silas. Timothy had a believing mother with a Jewish background (son of a certain Jewish woman who believed), and a (presumably) unbelieving Greek father. By rights, Paul could have had their heads if he had taken his case to a higher authority. The other prisoners were listening to them. as we were going to prayer, there met us a certain female serv And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed AS WE WENT TO PRAYER. There was certainly nothing wrong with Pauls desire to preach the word in Asia; but it wasnt Gods timing, so this was forbidden by the Holy Spirit. 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. The spirit of Christ is to forgive those who sin against us, while at the same time holding them accountable to change their behavior. So perfect were the winds that they sailed 156 miles in just two days, whereas returning the other way at a later time (Acts 20:6) it took five days. (Hughes). The wisdom and greatness of Gods plan was beginning to unfold. Had there been ten Jewish men, they would have sufficed to constitute a synagogue. No indeed! | List ii. Preacher: Joel Fair _Scripture: Mark 16:1-8 _ Luke 24:5b (ESV) "Why do you seek the living among the dead? In this section of Acts, Paul and Silas are arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for delivering the slave-girl from her demonic possession, and they (Paul and Si. It's one of those chapters that you always remember - just the record along of Lydia and her marvelous liberation. 2. Instead of cursing men, they blessed God. (Stott). Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. b. What are some practical steps toward deepening our daily joy in the Lord. They charged the jailer to keep them safely. Paul did things for the sake of love that he would not do for the sake of trying to please God through legalism. Was he a masochist, or what? b. I think that if they were offering any petitions mixed in with their praise, it would have been, Lord, use this situation for the greater furtherance of the gospel. Paul and Silas knew that God could have prevented them from being beaten and thrown in prison in the first place, but He did not do so. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. : in R.V., accusative, She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. But God wanted to give Paul a continent to win for Jesus Christ. give it, a Python spirit. oracles met us. They seized Paul and Silas: Paul and Silas were singled out not only because they were the leaders of the evangelistic group, but also by their appearance, as they were the most obviously Jewish. Do they now release us secretly? missionary venture of the church. Paul and Silas show us four aspects of a right response to wrong treatment. see critical note, a spirit, a Python, margin, _i.e._, a She was possessed by a spirit of divination. 25But as for the Gen-tiles who . Articles, monographs and books hosted on this site by Authors with Surnames beginning with O, P and Q "When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: Release those men! The jailer reported these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent a message for your release; therefore come out now, and go in peace. But Paul replied with this message for the magistrates: They have flogged us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison. How could Paul and Silas prove their Roman citizenship? If Paul wished to maintain his links with the synagogue, he could not be seen to countenance apostasy. (Bruce). God still calls people to the mission field, and He may call through unusual ways. His collection of works is called Thiruvachakam. Maybe they thought that the beating and night in prison would send these guys packing, never to return. If it had been America, they would have sued and had the magistrates removed from office. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great (Matt. It was based on their knowledge of a good and sovereign God. The term emphasizes His omnipotence and sovereignty. 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. All things? Paul later wrote of his life: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. Focus on joy in the Lord and dont forget your witness. Everything else flows from that. Four lessons from Acts 16: 1. See 2 Kings xxviii; Isaias viii. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. Paul never specifically called the keeper of the prison to repent because he was already repenting. Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bonds were loosed. If our rights are violated, we dont take it sitting down. (13-15) The conversion of Lydia. The word "house" is rightly supplied, for the sense is not, that they went into the country of Lydia, as some have been tempted to think; but they went to the woman Lydia, whose heart the Lord had opened, and was become a disciple and follower of Christ; they went to her house it . " Jeremiah 16:16 (KJB) On this episode of 'Rightly Dividing', we are covering a lot of ground tonight and taking your Bible questions as we do it. 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. 3. But Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. As this story continues through the end of chapter 16, the . Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. _._ Beyer, 45f. God may ask us to lay down our rights for the good of another (in this case, for the good of the Philippian jailer). They were assumed guilty without a hearing or trial. Our lives back up the reality of the message. Now we see another reason why they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Acts 15:36-18: . You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Maybe your mate or a family member treats you with contempt because of your Christian convictions. After such a bad beating, they were put in uncomfortable conditions (fastened their feet in the stocks). 20When the slave girls masters had brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates, they said, 'These men, who are Jews, are confusing our city, 21proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or to observe'. Our rights are not as important as our obedience to the will of God. Oxford University Press. He was a man who had learned to focus on the Lord and His abundant grace in every situation, and so he was filled with joy in the Lord in every situation, even in severe trials. Although I have not verified it, I have heard that the most frequent command in the entire Bible is, Sing! And you cant rightly obey the command to praise God and sing for joy unless your heart is full of joy in Him. The demon came out that very hour. Clarke's Commentary. Thats how it always should be. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. I am using the wording of 1 Peter 4:19, which is one of two times in the New Testament God is called the Creator (Rom. And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divinationc met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: Acts 16:17. ii. He comments: The words had scarcely left his lips when she was released from its power.. 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. PRAYER, see on Acts 16:13. 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. professed to divine, that is to reveal things beyond the reach of i. 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. _ (G1096) This commentary on Acts 16 treats the missionary journey of Paul and SIlas through Asia Minor to Philippi, where they were imprisoned. i. This was not only because of its timing and location, but also in the way that all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed. So Paul and Silas went out of the prison, and entered into Lydias house to see and encourage the brethren; then Paul and Silas departed." Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Character of God, Faith, Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. You couldn't wait to get where you were going or do what you needed . 1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. That convicts me of my lack of joy and my grumbling over the minor irritations in my life! And these disciples expected God to do something! labours in that city, Lois a jewess, her daughter Eunice, and Timothy This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 37:4). Paul and Silas beaten. For all they knew, they would be executed the next day, or left to die a slow death in prison. He devised the plan of salvation and sovereignly chose certain individuals to salvation before the foundation of the world ( Eph. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. gave information to the slave girl so that she could tell people Paul and Silas did not sit in jail lamenting, Maybe we missed the signals! This was a promise made specifically to the keeper of the prison. Under Roman law and custom, guards who allowed their prisoners to escape received the penalty of their escaped prisoners. her son, had embraced the faith. Paul insisted that Titus, a Gentile co-worker, did not have to be circumcised (Galatians 2:3-5). Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. By her soothsaying she provided much gain for her 1028-1061. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. i. VIII. Have you ever had an experience where you knew God was calling you to do something, but it didn't come out the way you thought it would? d. Immediately we sought to go: The shift from they (they came down to Troas, Acts 16:8) to we in this verse probably means that Luke joined the band of missionaries in Troas. She followed Paul and us, crying out, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation! She continued doing this for several days. But to them, the lives of others were more important than their own personal freedom and comfort. They trusted that He had another purpose in mind, and so He did, namely, the conversion of the jailer and his family. 5:18). See on ch. The Holy Spirit used the courageous praise of Paul and Silas in their terrible adversity. 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. b. And yet the two missionaries were falsely accused, beaten, and thrown into the inner prison, with their feet locked into the stocks, without any semblance of a trial. Dont be surprised! A disciple, whose mother was a Jewish Christian and father was Greek 3. ii. This is a work God must do in all who believe, because as Jesus said, no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44). The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their imprisonment, and the indignities done them, ver 19-24. This shows Gods provision, because John Mark and Barnabas just left Paul (Acts 15:36-41). ANGER OF THOSE WHO MADE A cheerful, joyous spirit does not depend on having wonderful, trouble-free circumstances. 16 Paul[ a] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. Paul's plans now seemed to begin to go awry. Today, much of what fortune-tellers and psychics do is only a money making sham. 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. 35When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: 'Release those men!' Either the quake or Gods miraculous power loosed all of the prisoners chains. 24Having received such a command, the jailer threw Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. (Acts 16:20-24). 5:3-5). a. They elected Franklin Roosevelt, and he and the Democratic Party remade America so thoroughly that it is unthinkable for all but the most doctrinaire libertarians to speak of returning to the system of "ordered liberty" that existed in Hoover's time, a . A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION CAST OUT BY ST PAUL. a. 2. Compare Mark 3:12; Luke 4:34-35. We are studying the story of Lydia, recorded in Acts 16:11-15 and :40, for Sunday, February 28. Sailing from Troas: Paul and his missionary team (now including Luke) had to sail across the Agean Sea, from the continent of Asia to the continent of Europe. ii. Paul would be qualified. med. As we went to prayer Or to the place of prayer, mentioned before; a certain damsel met us (that is, met Paul and his three companions) possessed with a spirit of divination Greek, , having a spirit of Python, or Apollo. When her masters saw that their means of gain was gone they took Paul and Silas before their rulers and charged them with teaching rules of living that were unlawful. a. ii. (16:35-40) When the 'police' . Both heard the gospel and believed, and through each of them their whole families were touched! Whether this was on the same day ind. If Paul and Silas had been having a pity party because their rights had been violated and they had been treated wrongly when they were just trying to serve the Lord, they would have been depressed and complaining. Ver. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. . The more difficult reading appears to be pu,qwna (74 a A B C* D* 81 He told the Colossians, Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake (Col. 1:24). A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. As we come to the 16 th chapter of Acts we are coming, really, to a chapter that is going to, I think, leave an impression on all of us. Those prison walls had probably never heard such a sound. a. Acts chapter 16. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. 3 Paul wanted Timothy as a companion on his journey. 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. DAMSEL POSSESSED MET US. Save yourselves, &c. That is, "See that you lay these things to heart; receiving them with such regard, as the importance of the case requires. The jailer, roused out of sleep, saw the prison doors open. Her masters made a lot of money from her power. The book of Acts emphasizes the power and abilities of the leaders of the Jesus movement. Site Location117 Pembroke Pines-PEM. Let them come themselves and release us. " (Acts 16:35-37). So Paul went to bring Macedonia the gospel the best possible help. Conversion of the Philippian jailer. 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. d. She begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. Immediately, Lydia set about doing good. Most certainly not! The Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors. a. They came and took them from prison and begged them to leave town. Now, they found Timothy gro WE WERE MET BY A SLAVE GIRL. 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. (Acts 16:38-40). a. frequently, and the party comes to be known. 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. Come on, Paul, get realistic! The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their imprisonment, and the indignities done them (v. 19-24). And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. possessed with the devil, by whose inspiration she foretold future They were whipped and put in the inner prison with chains on their feet. At the beginning of Paul's second mission, the Lord directed him to people who were prepared to hear the gospel. closing to him as in one way or another he was first hindered from Paul, beautifully responsive to the Holy Spirit, was willing to lay down his will and his plans for the direction that the Holy Spirit brings. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. Due to the sweetness and greatness of this work, there is a proverb in Tamil which says, "Thiruvasagathukku . This moved Paul and his missionary team from the continent of Asia to the continent of Europe; this was the first missionary endeavor to Europe. But the overflow of their worship was witness. " 1 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. O, but he did! _Into the_ _proseucha_: Acts 16:13, and Luke 6:12. For Christians, the Old Testament statements are enhanced by multiple verses such as Matthew 10:8, Luke 10:9 and 9:2, and Acts 5:16 that say "heal the sick". It depends on daily cultivating joy in the Lord. What's more, Paul and Barnabus have traveled . The content of the joint AAR/SBL annual meetings, which attract upwards of 11,000 attendees, is very revealing. ii. There (16-40). And this she did for many days. But it was the Holy Spirits plan to lead him there. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. The Macedonian man wanted help.
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