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THE
GOSPEL CANNOT BE IMPRISONED (Ac 16:19-31)
04/19/15 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. PERSECUTED FOR LOSS OF PROFIT (19-21) A. [19] When the slave girl’s masters
realized that Paul had cast the demon out of her, they also realized that
their profitable venture (ergasia - profit from business or enterprise)
was gone. This prompted them to seize (epilambanomai - lay hold of or
better “seized” (coupled with “dragged” helkō) cf. Lk 23:26; Ac 18:17;
21:30) Paul and Silas to take them before the authorities. It was the
custom in those days that a plaintiff himself could drag (cf. Jam 2:6) a
defendant into court. The courthouse was located in the marketplace, which
was the center of all social life. B. The fact that Paul and Silas were the only
ones apprehended was because they were Jews (cf. Ac 17:10). The recent
aggression toward Jews was a result of the edict of Claudius in A.D. 49 (Ac
18:2), forbidding Jews in Rome, and obviously other Roman areas. Luke and
Timothy were not seized because Luke was a Gentile and Timothy was
half-Gentile. C. [20] They were brought before the
“magistrates” (strategoi) who were two Praetors (Latin), that is,
generals having military and judicial
authority in Roman colonies. D. The accusation against Paul and Silas was
that they were “throwing our city into confusion” because they were outspoken
and troublesome Jews. E. [21] Paul and Silas were accused, not for
removing their source of income (the real motive), but with proclaiming
unlawful religious customs to Roman citizens. Roman citizens were forbidden
from practicing any religion that was not sanctioned by the state. II. IMPRISONED IN A GUARDED JAIL (22-24) A. [22] This false accusation by the slave
girl’s masters was enough to incite the crowd, for they joined in the growing
malicious consent. The mob mentality influenced even the military magistrates
for they ordered Paul and Silas to be stripped and beaten without a trial.
They were beaten with rods (rabdizō - beaten with rods, from rabdos,
Lat. Fasces, by rabdouchoi (lictorae) or military police, cf. 35, 38),
which were wrapped bundles of thin wooden rods often with an axe attached. B. [23] They were beaten with “many blows.”
Paul wrote in his letter to the Thessalonians that he had “suffered and been mistreated in Philippi” (1Th 2:2). To the Corinthians he wrote that he had been
beaten with the rod three times in his ministry for the sake of Christ (2Co
11:25). C. After the beating, they were were thrown
into prison. A command was given to the jailer, most likely a military
veteran, to keep the prisoners secure. D. [24] Following his orders, the jailer
threw Paul and Silas into the “inner” (esōteros) prison, which
was innermost cell for greater security. In addition, he secured their feet
in stocks with chains. III. FREED BY A MIRACULOUS EARTHQUAKE (25-29) A. [25] This passage reveals the heart of
Paul and Silas. They had not been up all night with tears and sobbing. They
had not been fretfully hoping that their circumstance was placed on the
prayer chain. They had not been compiling complaints about their mistreatment.
Instead, they were praying, singing hymns, and praising God. They were
rejoicing that God was in control, not their captors. They rejoiced because
they had been allowed to suffer for the sake of Christ (Ac 5:41; 2Co 4:17;
Col 1:24 cf. Ac 20:23; 2Co 1:4; 2Co 6:4; 1Th 3:3-4; 2Th 1:4). B. They not only strengthened themselves, but
they knew they had a captive audience of other prisoners to hear the gospel
message through singing hymns. C. [26] God had sent an angel twice to free
Peter (Ac 5:19; 12:7), but now God chose to use a natural phenomenon at a
specific time and location. Luke recorded that suddenly, a violent earthquake
occurred, which shook the foundations of the prison. This divine miracle
opened the doors and loosed the prisoners’ chains. D. [27] Obviously, the magnitude of the
earthquake woke the jailer. Equally frightening for him was seeing the prison
doors opened. His response may seem a bit surprising but he drew his dagger (machaira
- short sword or daggar used in hand to hand combat) to kill himself
because he thought the prisoners had escaped. Being a guard for Rome’s
military, the security of the prisoners was kept by an oath on his life. In
other words, if the prisoners escaped, his life could be required (cf. Ac
12:19; Mt 28:11-15). E. [28] Paul saw what the jailer was about to
do and quickly cried out, “Do not harm
yourself, for we are all here.” Paul and Silas had
no fear for they knew that it was God who had miraculously opened the prison
doors. Since God miraculously opened the prison doors, they knew that God had
opened an opportunity for their ministry. F. [29] The jailer immediately called for
lights and “rushed in” (eisepēdaō - leap or spring forward)
to the prison. At this moment, the jailer had understood that the events showed
that Paul and Silas were God’s messengers. G. In holy fear, the jailer came “trembling”
(entromos - involuntary quaking and quivering) and fell at the feet of
these divine messengers. IV. FREED TO GIVE THE GOSPEL (30-31) A. [30] When the jailer had brought them out
of the prison, he asked the timeless question of the ages, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” B. It has been remarked by some that the
jailer was not asking about eternal safety but about immediate physical
safety. However, there are enough clues in the context to maintain that the
jailer was speaking of eternal salvation. It would be implausible to think
that the jailer had not known anything that had transpired between Paul and
the masters of the slave-girl. 1. Paul had been preaching the gospel for
too many days in Philippi for his message to go unnoticed. 2. The demon-possessed slave-girl had been
following the missionaries for days declaring, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God,
who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” 3. Most likely, the masters publically
complained that Paul had rendered their slave-girl useless to continue
fortune-telling after Paul cast out her demon. 4. The earthquake that woke the jailer was
too location-specific to be anything other than miraculous. 5. Perhaps the jailer even heard them
singing hymns and praises to God. 6. Paul’s demeanor, unwillingness to escape
from prison, and his concern for the jailer’s life certainly impacted the
jailer. 7. Since the prisoners were all accounted
for, the jailer’s life was not in jeopardy for neglecting his Roman duties. 8. Therefore, the jailer’s potential
knowledge, the miraculous events, and his reverence towards Paul and Silas,
lead to the conclusion that the jailer’s heart had been convicted by the
Spirit of God to ask these messengers of God about the way of eternal
salvation. C. [31] Paul certainly understood the
jailer’s and gave one of the most concise answers on salvation, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,
you and your household.” 1. If there were more insight into the way
of salvation, this would have been Paul’s opportunity to proclaim it. But he
did not. 2. The way of salvation was and is through
faith alone. They were to “believe” (pisteuō - to believe on, rely
on, or trust upon) in the Lord Jesus. It was not a mere intellectual
assent to the facts but a volitional trust or reliance (“believe on”- epi
- on or upon). 3. It is a trust and reliance upon the resurrected
Lord Jesus as the divine Savior who made atonement for sin on the cross. 4. Being an aorist imperative (pisteuson),
a sinner is saved at the initial exercise of faith. It is at that moment of
faith alone in Christ alone that a person is saved from sin and punishment
for all eternity. V. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. Paul’s response to persecution 1. He prayed and sang hymns and praising God
- a) I’m not suggesting that the mistreatment
and pain did not affect them. b) Their prayers and singing strengthened
them spiritually. But there is more to it than that. 2. He rejoiced because they were considered
worthy to suffer for Christ (Ac 5:41; 2Co 4:17; 6:4; 2Th 1:5) 3. He was ready to share the gospel B. Paul’s understanding of persecution 1. Persecution is sometimes done through
false accusations (material gain, jealousy, political, militant, under the
name of religion) 2. Ultimately, persecution is a visceral reaction
to the conviction of the Holy Spirit 3. Persecution can mean the furtherance of
the gospel (Ac 8:4) a) God does not allow the gospel to remain
behind bars. b) God always opens a door for the gospel
(Php 1:13-14; 4:22) c) Men may die for the gospel, but the
gospel never dies. - (1) the blood of martyrs is the seed of the
Church 4. Believers are to expect persecution (Ac
20:23; 1Th 3:3-4) 5. This was especially true for Paul (Col
1:24; 2Co 4:8-12) C. Today’s realization of persecution 1. How close it is? 2. Boldness to share the gospel (Ep 6:19) |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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