Acts 16:16-40 (Click title for audio access)
"The Power Of Joy." • 10.20.11 •
Sunday Morning Service, Calvary Christian Fellowship
Intro.
- When the
people of Israel returned from Babylon and had finished their work in
rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, the first thing that they did was to sit
together to read the law.
- The people
heard Ezra the scribe give a sermon, which caused them to weep. But this was a
day of celebration and Nehemiah said to them, "Don't sorrow, for the joy
of the Lord is your strength!"[i]
- We are
looking at Paul's second missionary journey, which has brought the gospel to
the continent of Europe, where God has begun a work in the life of a Greek
merchant named Lydia.
- The rest of
this chapter will provide us with a great study on the power of Christian joy
and why it is indeed, the believer's strength. In this passage, we'll see
I. Joy Tested (v.16-24)
II. Joy Revealed (v.25-30)
III. Joy Triumphant (v.31-40)
Text
I. Joy Tested (v.16-24)
• Acts
16:16 : "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." : The Apostles
were on their way to prayer, which was likely at the Gangitis River where they
had met Lydia. It's been a week or two since coming to Philippi.
- As we mentioned last week, Lydia was a rich
merchant of Thyatiran purple clothing. She was an entrepeneur, confident and
successful. What a contrast to this other girl.
- Going to prayer, the Apostles were interrupted
by a slave girl, to say the least, the other side of the spectrum She
"met" them, a word indicative of a hostile military greeting.
- She was more than a certain damsel. She was a
military attache for the Kingdom of Satan!
- This girl, either in her teens or just prior
to it, was not a neutral person, but was demon possessed, having, literally a
Python Spirit.
- This is a reference to a culturally
understood Greek myth called the "Oracle Of Delphi."
˚
"This was a shrine
in Northern Greece where the gods could be petitioned, and was guarded by
Python, a female serpent. Her priestess, called Pythia, was a middle aged woman
who descended to an underground chamber and sat on a three-legged stool over a
chasm in the earth. After chewing laurel leaves (containing small amounts of an
hallucinogenic substance), she entered into a trance-like state, so that the
oracle spoke through her. Her voice changed, and the message sometimes had to
be interpreted by another medium." [ii]
- Later this word would be used to describe
ventriloquism. Like any spiritist, medium, or tarot card reader today, this
girl had become a channel that demons used to communicate.
- In using this word to describe her
possession, I believe that Luke is telling us that this young girl would have
been acting like this because she had been exposed to illicit substances.
- Drugs opened the door for demonic entities to
enter her life and to speak through her! It's likely that her masters made sure
that she had more than enough of whatever she needed!
- What a sad state that this young girl was in.
When you and I think about missions and reaching people for Christ, we often
think of fully grown people who have plotted their own course.
- However, let us remember that in this world
there are children, abandoned or neglected by parents, who have been victimized
by the world around them. They need a Savior. We have one!
- Unlike Timothy, this girl had not been raised
above her circumstances, but was a victim of exploitation. Child porn, human
trafficking and international kidnapping are just a few modes today.
- This girl was "employed" by local
merchants who made use of her ties to the demon world. She spoke as a local
oracle, sort of akin to a modern day palm reader or an astrologer.
- Her masters cruelly paraded her around,
calling out to the marketplace to bring their attention to the
"prophecies" that she would make.
- This brought a tremendous amount of money
into their pockets, forget the fact that this girl was constantly and miserably
tormented by the demons that invaded her life.
• Acts
16:17,18 : "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.' 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." : This girl was
part of a calculated plan of the enemy to harass and annoy Paul's team. When
she was not following Paul, she followed one of the others.
- When Luke uses the word "cried
out," that describes the cackling sound of a raven.
- She croaked out, like a raven, the truth of
the situation, which the enemy is happy to use. A little bit of truth, combined
with malicious intent and the insertion of any lie possible.
- Paul and his team were servants of God and
they were on a mission to give bring salvation. She spoke the truth to a degree,
but in a manner that was a major annoyance to the Apostle.
- This girl represents the first test of joy
that any believer experiences. A grievous person.
- This word "greatly annoyed" is
widely translated. It has been translated "grieved,"
"distressed" and "troubled."
- Paul was worked up, strenuously exercising
restraint every time he saw her! When she saw them, she would begin cackling and
he would become irritated. Ever met a person like this?'
- They test our joy, but that was not all that
grieved Paul. He knew that in confronting her, he would be opening a proverbial
can of worms, and likely ending his tenure in this city.
- That is the second test of our joy:
Circumstances that require our action. Wrongs that must be made right, despite
the cost.
- After several days of this, he finally took
charge of the situation. Paul commanded the Spirit to come out of her and that
Spirit did! Nothing more is said of this woman. Was she saved?
- Some would say, "She was dealing with
Paul. She had to get saved!" Others take the opposite tact, saying that if
she did get saved, then the record might have shown it.
- I'm going to tell you that I want to believe
that she was, so I'll leave it there!
• Acts
16:19-24 : "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. 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. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they
threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having
received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their
feet in the stocks." :
Her Masters did not see that this demon possessed girl was now free from
oppression. They were not happy for the girl whose life was saved but at the
profit that was lost!
- That is the heartbeat of the world around us!
Worldly friends love you when they see a "hope of profit" coming from
your life. When that dries up, you'll never hear from them again!
- This story is reminiscent of the Gadarene
Demoniac that Jesus healed. When Jesus sent those demons into the pigs, the pig
famers asked Jesus to leave! What a sad commentary!
- In the same way, these merchants brought
these men before the authorities charging them with insurrection. "These
Jews teach customs which are not lawful for us."
- Here is the third test of joy that they faced:
Unfair, unrighteous accusations!
- Notice that they are assumed to be Jews and
that there is definite Anti-Semitic tone. Fairly soon, one of the Roman
emperors will expel the Jews from the land.
- What customs were they referring to? It's
likely that in preaching Christ, lifting up His name, that they understood that
if Christ was God, then Caesar could not be.
- To worship Christ was to repudiate Caesar or
any other god for that matter! By the way, that is true: Jesus can not be added
to your personal pantheon! He sits on the throne alone or not at all!
- When the merchants made their case, the
Apostles were publicly beaten. Remember how the Jews gave 39 lashes? The Romans
had no such mercy law! They could lash until they were tired! - This is the fourth test of their joy:
Undeserved punishment! After that beating, they were thrown into prison for
safe keeping!
- He made sure that the prisoners were kept in
the lowest part of the prison, with their feet tied to stocks, or leg irons, designed
to hold the legs in thoroughly uncomfortable conditions.
- Which test will you be facing this week?
Grievous people? Circumstances that you will need to stand up in? Unrighteous
accusations? Undeserved punishment? These are the tests of your joy.
- Let's see how the Apostles did.
II. Joy Revealed (v.25-30)
• Acts
16:25 : "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to
God, and the prisoners were listening to them." : These Apostles have been dragged through town by hostile Philippians.
- They have been arrested on false pretenses.
They have been beaten. They are in the lowest cell with no credible hope of
escape. What were they doing? They were praying and singing!
- Here they were in the darkest part of the
evening, feet in stocks. Paul and Silas were there, it seems alone. Luke and
Timothy were seemingly outside of the prison.
- These men teach us a valuable lesson about
joy in the Lord being their strength. It's no wonder that the book of
Philippians is known as the book of joy!
- Here is the subjective outworking of joy. The
world sees men praying and singing when they should be whining and wailing!
That is the visible aspect of joy. Graciousness. Warmth. Happiness.
- The prisoners were listening to them. They
were taking note of the difference heard in their voices! A Christian should
consistently be looking to effuse joy. If not, it's time to pray!
- They were able to pray and sing because they
knew the outcome, which is the objective portion of joy. They belonged to the
Lord and He was there with them!
- They reasoned thusly: "The worst that
could happen is that we'll die and go to heaven!" What can you do to a
person who has anchored their soul to a place that only death can reveal!?
- Joy in the Lord is our strength because there
is nothing that the world can do to take it from us! It is a settled condition!
These "prisoners" could not have been more free!
- In your darkest moments, what does the world
around you hear and see? I pray that you and I would commit ourselves to
walking in the Spirit, so that we might show His joy!
• Acts
16:26 : "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." : It
turns out that Greece is a very active seismic region, the Greek islands existing
over fault lines that run in all kinds of directions.
- Additionally, there are several volcanoes
nearby, like Nysiros, which is currently overdue for a major eruption! Throughout
Greek history there have been major seismic events.
- The foundations were overthrown, doors were
opened and the chains were loosed. How did that happen? It's likely that the
stones that the chains were attached to were broken as they moved.
- Some of this can be naturally explained, but
understand that this is also God, who makes things that shouldn't happen,
happen!
- There is a beautiful devotional moment here:
Men and women of God are loosed from that which binds them, when they are free to
choose worship! Think about that!
• Acts
16:27-30 : "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. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, 'Do yourself
no harm, for we are all here.' Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell
down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?'" : This warden
was my kind of guy! It seems that he slept through the earthquake!
- When he woke up, probably due to the noise
and clamor of others, he saw through the moonlight from the newly renovated
prision, that the doors were open. Bad news!
- We have noted before that a Roman prison authority
was to stand at his post and make sure that his prisoners were served their
justice.
- To fail meant that he would face the
punishment for their crimes, ie. death! He immediately and instictively decided
that suicide was a better option than the cruelty of Roman homicide!
- Here is the antithesis of joy. This man's
life was wrapped up in his position and what came of it. Was he a success or
not? Would he be approved by those in his life or not?
- When your life is tied up in what cannot be
controlled, then you will be free, but in real chains!
- Paul called out to stop the man. Each of the
prisoners had stayed right where Paul was. When he realized that Paul had
control of the situation, he fell down trembling before them.
- This is probably the only case in history
when it was preferred that the inmates run the prison!
- Notice that this jailer quickly came to a
place of surrender. What happened? When a person surrenders to the Lord, there
has been an introduction of gnawing circumstances.
- All of a sudden, everywhere that person looks
there is a Christian. He turns the radio on and finds a Christian talking. The
same with other media. Before long, it's more than a coincidence.
- Incidently, here is another reason that you
should be looking for opportunities to share your faith. You might be God's
latest introduction to the topic in that person's life!
- If gnawing circumstance won't work, there is
always overwhelming stimuli! God cares enough about a person's life to allow
some rain to fall.
- Whatever it is that God chooses to allow, it
hits that person where they live! If they live for finances, the finances will
be depleted. If it's about their possessions, all of a sudden there is a loss.
- In the case of the Philippian jailer, the
gnawing circumstance were these joyful apostles that stood in stark contrast to
their fellow inmates. That had to eat at him.
- Why are they like this!? Why does it seem so
real to me right now? Everyone is listening to them, ie. they've gained an
audience. Folks, your joy on display is a mighty apologetic!
- The earthquake was the overwhelming stimulus
drawing the man to conclude that his life was over. When he saw that the
prisoners were all there at Paul's request, this drew him to God!
- The earthquake had shaken the city and his
prison, but God had shaken the man's soul!
- Before Paul could start any presentation.
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Consider something here. This
jailer was in control just minutes ago.
- As the jailer, he had acted proudly, ordering
people around, having his way with any of the prisoners. Now, he is facing a
crisis and he needs someone else to give him peace.
- His mortality was right before his eyes and
all his control was gone. Where did he go? Who did he consult? Who had the
answers when the time came? The man of God!
- If anything, pray that God would be merciful
enough to break down every control which keeps a person from ever asking the
question! This man was there: What must I do to be saved?
- What will you answer when you hear the
question? Think about it. Put yourself in their shoes. Let's get their answer
and compare!
III. Joy Triumphant (v.31-40)
• Acts
16:31-34 : "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. And he took them the same hour of the night and
washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 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 triumph of Christian joy is to
see enemies converted into family and circumstances turned for the good!
- Paul and Silas tag teamed, confirming each
other's words that belief on the Lord Jesus Christ was essential.
- We have talked about true belief, so I will
not beat that dead horse. I will say that the type of belief that the Bible
speaks of will change a destiny!
- It's not just his own destiny, but that of
his entire household! He would be saved and so would they! Were they advocating
that he could get saved for all of them?
- What Paul is saying is this: "If you and
any of your family believes upon Christ, they will be saved." The offer extended
to them as well as to the Philippian Jailer.
- He had come to them in humility and proved
his conversion by his immediacy. That same hour, he took them and washed their
stripes.
- He heard the word of the Lord and began to
right the wrongs that he had committed against the Apostles, cleaning them up
and taking care of the wounds that were inflicted upon them by him.
- The whole family was baptized and they
rejoiced. They all believed in Jesus.
• Acts
16:35-40 : "And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, 'Let
those men go.' 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.' 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.' And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were
afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with
them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. 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." : The officials
who imprisoned the Apostles had done so in order to ease the tensions of the
merchants and to keep the men "safe" though they treated them
roughly.
- When the Philippian jailer relayed the news,
Paul would not have it. He threw out his Roman citizenship and demanded that
they be treated better!
- You will recall that while Paul was a Jewish
man, he had grown up in Tarsus and was therefore a Roman citizen. A citizen of
Rome was not to be treated in the way that Paul was.
- This set off a wave of deep concern for the
city officials who did not know that these men were Roman citizens! They could
lose their positions over this!
- When Paul and Silas received the treatment
that they did at the hands of the people, they did not seek to insulate
themselves from being maltreated on account of Christ.
- Now, they demanded their rights after all of
it was done. Why was that? Why now?
- I believe there are two reasons: First, this
was the only leverage that they had and Paul wanted to use it to minister to
the people who had abused him. He wanted to see them saved.
- They were not just misguided religious nuts
from Jerusalem. They were Roman citizens, with some degree of pedigree. Maybe
that would help the Magistrates listen.
- On the other hand, Paul might have invoked
his citizenship on behalf of the church, knowing that these officials would
think twice when treating any more Christians the same way.
- In the end, they just wanted them out! Paul
and Silas stopped by Lydia's, said goodbye and moved on.
Conclusion
- The joy of
the Lord is your strength. That will be tested this week through grievous
people, circumstances that require action, unfair accusations, or undeserved
punishment.
- One of these
will be your squeeze. What will come out? Will there be singing and praying or
weeping, wailing and complaining? It's not joy unless it's the former!
- But here is
what we hold onto: Maybe this week our joy will be made full! Maybe this person
will be added to our family when they face a personal earthquake!
- The joy we
allow the Lord to display today gives us the privilege of being the one to
share in that day. Let's pray!
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