", "When the slave girls masters had brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates, they said, These men, who are Jews, are confusing our city, proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or to observe. Why didnt Paul and Silas reveal their Roman citizenship earlier? He comments: The words had scarcely left his lips when she was released from its power.. Many of Gods faithful saints have died for their faith, but like John Hus, who was betrayed and burned at the stake, they die singing. i. There was an old chaplain general of the British Army Bishop John Taylor Smith who used a unique test on candidates for the chaplaincy. It is written in the scriptures that no one can please God without faith. They were assumed guilty without a hearing or trial. Always? Therefore, a most important element in evangelism is asking God through prayer to open hearts, for without this there can be no genuine conversion. In last Sunday's lesson, Paul met Lydia while he was looking for a place of prayer. Some wrongly teach that we should never defend ourselves, either legally or against aggressive attacks against our character or person. Suddenly there was a great earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. Romans were exempt from public beatings. 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. 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. Paul and Silas went to the house of Lydia, saw the brethren, comforted them, and departed. LIGHTNING SOURCE INC And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. TIMOTHY WORKS WITH PAUL AND SILAS, 16:1-5 That his mother was a Jewess originally, but believed in Christ; her name was Eunice, his grandmother's name was Lois. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. The first Acts 16:12 However, the jailers 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. certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her When we were on our way to the place of prayer.. it happened that a CONVERSION AND BAPTISM OF LYDIA. 10/13/22. A slave 2. Commentary on Acts 16:16-34. On the morning after "a great earthquake" (v. 26) strikes a city, there is much turmoil, as people assess . Acts 16:1 - Timotheus; Acts 16:10 - we Lord had . William Carey wanted to go to Polynesia, but God sent him to India. I'll try to post some notes on that . The term emphasizes His omnipotence and sovereignty. Why did Paul do that? He must let go of his own separative tendencies and of his deep sense of persecution. Maybe your mate or a family member treats you with contempt because of your Christian convictions. The conversion of the Jailer in Philippi Acts 16:16-40: At a place of prayer in Philippi Paul and Silas came across a girl that had a spirit of divination. Click on the different category headings to find out more. _AS WE WENT TO PRAYER_] , Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 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. i. and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first It would be a very long time before these officials would beat a man without a trial. 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. God may ask us to lay down our rights for the good of another (in this case, for the good of the Philippian jailer). Most certainly not! We see another reason why the Spirit did not permit them to go into Bithynia. So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. 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. 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. which Paul witnessed. Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Acts 2:40. The jailer then saw that all the prisoners were still there. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 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. That convicts me of my lack of joy and my grumbling over the minor irritations in my life! O taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. And now do they put us out secretly? And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. i. Lydia was a churchgoer; the guard was not. pp. 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. b. May God enable us all, when we are mistreated, to imitate these men of God in entrusting our souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right! 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. 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. 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. Him, that was a disciple of Christ, Paul took to be his disciple, that he might further train him up in the knowledge and faith of Christ; he took him to be brought up for Christ. The Key teachings of Jesus Christ are focused on Faith and Love. WENT TO PRAYER; went towards the place where their public prayers were They were biased because of their Jewish appearance, and because they assumed Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens. Greek. i. 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. An earthquake opened the prison doors and caused all the shackles to fall off. Timothy had a believing mother with a Jewish background (son of a certain Jewish woman who believed), and a (presumably) unbelieving Greek father. A man called Timothy lived in Lystra. Sale Date(s) . by day, incessantly crying after them, _These men are serva And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed The main application of this story for me is to work on having joy in the Lord in every situation. This was a promise made specifically to the keeper of the prison. A CERTAIN DAMSEL POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF Do they now release us secretly? Now we see another reason why they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Acts 16:16. So many professing Christians are grumbling, discontented people. i. Paul began this missionary journey having come from Antioch. PRAYER, see on Acts 16:13. ii. 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. For though the Greek noun here is without Those prison walls had probably never heard such a sound. OUTLINE I. TIMOTHY JOINS PAUL AND SILAS (1-5) A. TIMOTHY'S BACKGROUND (1-3) 1. Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. Acts 16:16. _Possessed with a spirit, &c._] _As we went to prayer_ Or to the place of prayer, mentioned before; _a The Jewish religion was tolerated, but Jews were prohibited from proselytizing Romans. That couple was in Peru to serve Jesus Christ. Focus on joy in the Lord and dont forget your witness. Preacher: Joel Fair _Scripture: Mark 16:1-8 _ Luke 24:5b (ESV) "Why do you seek the living among the dead? " 1 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. of prayer._ (See Note on Acts 16:13.) V1 Paul went to Derbe and then he went to Lystra. OF DIVINATION; or, of Python, the name of Apollo, from The phrase, being Jews, was no doubt said with a slur. 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. The work, under the Spirit, opens to the glory of the Our responsibility in such difficult times is to trust and obey Him. Were out of here! And they would have run for their lives. Authors Vern and Bonnie Bullough write in The care of the sick: the emergence of modern nursing, that this is seen as an aspect of following Jesus' example, since so much of his public . Clarke's Commentary. Are we out of the will of God? Being in the will of God is not a guarantee of protection from trials. The response of Jesus in the following verses also indicates that He did not . 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. part. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in that region: Paul had Timothy circumcised, not for the sake of his salvation (Paul would never do so) but so there would be less to hinder ministry among the Jews. And fifty days after the Passover, the second major Jewish feast, the Feast of Pentecost, or the Feast of Ingathering. 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. Acts 16:11-15 Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi. , . These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Acts 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. David Guzik commentary on Acts 1 describes the ascension of Jesus into heaven and the appointing of Matthias as a replacement for Judas. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. see critical note, a spirit, a Python, margin, _i.e._, a not to be understood of their just going to the act, or dut And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed i. The late Romanian pastor, Richard Wurmbrand, spent 14 years in prison for preaching the gospel, three in solitary confinement in a dark cell. masters much gain by soothsaying"Going to the place of prayer" Ac 16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most spirit of a pythoness_, or, according to superior authoriti EXPOSITION Three stories in the Bible help us to distinguish three kinds of belief. He devised the plan of salvation and sovereignly chose certain individuals to salvation before the foundation of the world ( Eph. AS WE WENT TO PRAYER. Most certainly not! (G3814) DISCOURSE: 1786 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. Luke notes that the prisoners were listening to them (16:25). _And he came also _for _then came he, _A.V._ _and T.R. Scriptures: Acts 16:11-15. And the prisoners were listening to them: What a strange sound this was to the other prisoners! 34The jailer then brought Paul and Silas up into his house, and set food before them. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. It seemed as if nothing would make them stop praising God. MUCH PROFIT BY FORTUNE-TELLING. iii. _for _Lystra, _A.V._; Timothy _for _Timotheus, _A.V._; of a Jewess Hand-drawn illustrations based on sermons by Kevin DeYoung guide you through the book of Acts helping to communicate truths in a unique, compelling way. Our rights are not as important as our obedience to the will of God. i. We demand that they personally come and bring us out (16:37). 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!' i. In light of the economic populism evident in the Progressive-era Social Gospel movement, one might expect religious studies scholars to exhibit some modestly reformist attitudes, but the field is pre-occupied with radical LGBTQ themes. b. "When the slave girls masters had brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates, they said, These men, who are Jews, are confusing our city, proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or to observe. Paul and Silas show us four aspects of a right response to wrong treatment. 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. Acts 1:8 Commentary; Acts 20:17-27 Commentary; Acts 20:28-38 Commentary; COMMENTARIES AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT CAN BE BORROWED FROM ARCHIVE.ORG. He did not discuss the spiritual terminology of the jailer. It depends on daily cultivating joy in the Lord. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. 25But as for the Gen-tiles who . Peter echoes this: But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation (1 Pet. 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. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who . iii. Our series on Acts and the early church continues with the beginning of Paul's second missionary journey. How could Paul and Silas prove their Roman citizenship? EPILOGUE. A cheerful, joyous spirit does not depend on having wonderful, trouble-free circumstances. 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. a. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Acts 16:12-40 He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. What does Acts 16:16-40 mean? EXALTING JESUS IN Acts (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) - GOOD - $16.40. Acts 16:1-18 Saving, Guiding, Empowering.