Acts, Chapter 16

Please, read the chapter in your Bible.

Verse 1, 2: “He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him”.

About Lystra Paul had mixed memories. That’s where a man, who, since his birth had never walked, jumped to his feet and walked (Acts 14:8. 9. 10). At Lystra Paul had been stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19, 20). Nevertheless, back to Lystra he went and met Tiomothy.

Verse 3: “Paul wanted to take him along on the journey . . . .”.

We know why Paul rejected John Mark But why was he so keen on Timothy?

We need to trust the Holy Spirit. He knew why the one and not the other. Timothy was His choice because only He knew what was going to be needed in a certain church at a different time.

The quiet and encouraging ministry by Barnabas in the life of John Mark was fruitful. At a later stage Paul would testify to that.

2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry”.

Time, teaching and encouragement had shaped and formed John Mark to become ‘helpful’. But from the day of his birth Timothy had been destined to ‘leadership’.

2 Timothy 1: 5 “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded, now lives in you also?

2 Timothy 3:14 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus”.

While Timothy was still a young man (1 Timothy 4:11) Paul left him in Ephesus, with the authority to ‘command certain men’ (1Timothy 1:3 / 6:7). When we read Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus we find much advice and encouragement but no rules or rebuke. In Timothy that church apparently had a wise, well-trained and godly leader.

Being human, Paul and Barnabas found reason to part company, over John Mark. But . . . God! He knew both young men and had His plan for each. In due time both would qualify for a particular ministry. One of them to be ‘helpful’, the other to be in ’leadership’. Both would be in need of each other.

Verses 4, 5 “As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers”.

Ever since the Church has been growing in numbers, of which millions are already with the Lord. But in heaven or on earth it is one Church, one body in the Lord.

Verses 6, 7: “Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the Word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to”.

The human spirit in Paul and his companions was sensitive to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus. Whether or not, in those areas, there were churches to be strengthened, it was not for them to decide.

Verses 8, 9: “So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us’ “.

Paul had a vision. Was it a deceptive dream? Was it for Paul to act upon it? Paul needed to have some confirmation. And he did get it.

Verse 10: “After Paul had seen the vision we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them”.

Verses 11,12 “From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight to Samothrace, and on the next day on to Neaplis. From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days”.

Years ago it had started on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. At that time the message to the Jews was ‘Jesus of Nazareth is God’s long promised Messiah’. The Jews obstinately rejected that message; finally and temporarily God left them to their own and sent His message of love and salvation to the Gentiles. The time of transition came to its end. No longer was it the message of the Messiah for the Jews; it now was the message of the Savior of the world. Both messages were and are being rejected by the masses and accepted by the minority.

Verses 13, 14 “On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to

speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message”.

On that Sabbath day they did not go into a Jewish synagogue. But . . . God! He knew about Lydia and where she was. And God prevented Paul and his companions from going anywhere else, but to Lydia. We may assume that Lydia was aware about the holiness of God. She was conscious about His abhorrence of sin. We do not know whether or not she did bring animal-blood sacrifices to atone for her sinfulness. But she worshipped God. And He opened her heart when she heard the message about the blood-sacrifice on the Cross, when she heard about the love from the heart of that holy God, His love for sinners like Lydia.

Verse 15: “When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord’, she said, ‘come and stay at my house’. And she persuaded us”.

Verses 16, 17 “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved’ “.

A moment ago we met Lydia, a self-made business woman who worshipped God. Now we read about a slave-girl, who must do business and earn money for her owners. This girl did not worship God but was possessed by an evil spirit. But . . . God! Glory to His Name! He knew and loved both women and knew the condition of both.

Verse 18:”She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the Name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her”.

The Name of Jesus Christ! In the realm of evil spirits just as much as in the realm of humanity it was, it is and ever will be the all-powerful Name of Him Who gave Himself, to save sinners from eternal hell and bring them into His Father’s house.

Verses 19 – 21: “When the owners of the slave-girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said: ‘These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar, by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice’ “.

Do you see it? The owners of the slave-girl also, they too were possessed by an evil spirit. They did not know it, but they were looking for trouble, a confrontation with God, the Holy Spirit

Verses 22 – 24: “The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks”.

Yes, oh yes. They did all that. BUT . . . GOD! What did HE do?

Verses 25, 26 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken At once all the prison doors flew open and every body’s chains came loose

While their bleeding bodies were suffering, their spirits were rejoicing. While they were shackled hand and foot their souls were free, to glory in God, While, humanly speaking, their preaching was stifled, their singing testimony was heard by other prisoners. In the midst of human pain and misery they could not have been any safer. The mighty arms of the living God embraced them. He saw, and He heard and out of their sordid situation He would bring glory to His Name and to His dear Son, Jesus.

What did He do?

Who exercises authority over ‘a violent earthquake’ breaking the foundations of a prison? Or a hurricane which tears trees out of the soil? Or a hail storm, that breaks the tiles on the roof? Or floods here and drought there? Or a roaring sea breaking down the coastline, who controls all that? All of that, and much more, is the prerogative of God, the Creator. It is totally outside the power of proud men..

Verses 27 - 30 “The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted ‘Don’t harm yourself. We are all here!’

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ “.

‘Well, Mr. Jailor, you better quickly write your report about what has happened. The authorities may understand and be merciful on you. And do not forget to carefully observe the Law and the commandments. God also may have mercy on you’.

No! Thank you. Nothing like that! His fingertips on the foundations of this tiny earth surely are the same fingertips that in control of earth’s puny authorities.

Verse 31, 32: “They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesuis, and you will be saved – you and your household. Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house”.

It was the Word of the Lord bursting through, flaming into the thick darkness of that man’s spirit. From deepest darkness he was saved into everlasting light. Paul and Barnabas repeated to him the words of the Lord Jesus Himself ( John 3:16 ).

Verse 33, 34: “At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole family”.

At that hour of the night, in and through this man, the Spirit of Jesus did manifest itself. That Spirit banished all fear of magistrates and officers. The Spirit of Jesus filled this man with light and joy, because he had come to believe in God. And one man with God is always in the majority.

In your Bible will you now read the verses 35 – 39. We will end this chapter with Verse 40: “After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left”.

When they were commended by the brothers in Antioch (Chapter 15:40), they never knew what to expect. When they left Lydia’s house, once again they trusted the sure faithfulness and wisdom of God. God did lead them to Thessalonica.