Last week, we saw how Paul’s vision of the “man from Macedonia” redirected his travel plans, and as a result, he encountered a Gentile by the name of Luke who would join the trio (Paul, Silas, and Timothy) as they entered Macedonia. I also asked all of us to remember that “course corrections” are actually part of God’s plan. Where we see a “disruption” of our plans, God sees it as part of His “original” plan for us.

It’s now time for us to travel with the ministry team into Macedonia, where they would leave Asia Minor and enter Europe for the first time. Their first major stop was at the town of Philippi, the seat of a Roman colony. And being a city with predominantly Roman citizens, there was likely no synagogue for Jews to gather. As a result, on the Sabbath day, the ministry team went outside the gate to the river that ran through the town, assuming that they would find a place of prayer for the Jews in the city. Luke tells us that they found some women who had gathered for Sabbath prayers,

…and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. And a certain woman name Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purpose fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:13-14).

I don’t know about you, but I love the fact that Paul didn’t remain standing to present the gospel to them, but they all sat down with the women so as not to give the impression that they were “lording it over” them. In other words, the ministry team “joined them on the ground by the river” and began to share the good news of Jesus. What a lesson for each of us as we share Jesus with others, that we should not only share it “on” their level, but also “at” their level of understanding, keeping it simple, yet on target. Lydia responded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and became the first convert in Europe.

After Lydia received Christ as her Savior, she shared with her entire household, and Luke records that they were all baptized, and encouraged the ministry team to stay in her home, which they did (Acts 16:15). However, the following Sabbath, as they were returning to the place of prayer by the river,

“…a certain slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17).

Our first thought might be to think that this was a really good thing to have a woman pointing others to seek out the ministry team who would be able to share the gospel with them. But that’s not what Paul thought because,

As she continued doing this for many days, Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment (Acts 16:18).

Why was Paul so upset with her? Notice that it took Paul several days to become agitated with her, and during that time he obviously saw some things that compromised the gospel. Even though she may have directed many people to seek out Paul and the ministry team, Paul could not have anyone, man or woman, with an evil spirit trying to promote the gospel. Furthermore, I have a hunch that once the demon left her, she believed the gospel for herself and became a follower of Jesus.

But, as you might have guessed, she had been a “money-maker” for her “handlers,” and now that their source of profit had vanished, they began to agitate others in the town saying,

“These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs which are not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans” (Acts 16:20-21).  

So, what wasn’t lawful or acceptable to the Roman citizens? It likely had something to do with the spiritual freedom that a young women experienced and the fact that they were depriving a small group of her “handlers” of their income. Furthermore, others may have relied upon her fortune-telling, and so the exorcism undoubtedly affected others in the town who looked to her to foretell the future for them.

At any rate, the chief magistrates of the town ordered them to be stripped of their robes and beaten with rods, and thrown into prison where they were chained to the walls. Apparently, because Luke and Timothy were not the spokesmen on the team, they were spared. Amazingly, the jailer and the other prisoners began hearing Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns of praise to God because they had been given the opportunity to share the good news with many townspeople in Philippi. At midnight,

There came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened (Acts 16:26).

Thinking that all the prisoners would escape, the guard drew his sword and was about to kill himself when,

Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!” (Acts 16:28).

What a shock that must have been to that Roman jailer! He immediately fell down before Paul and Silas and asked the one question on his mind that was above all others,

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).

And Paul and Silas replied:

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

Luke records that Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to all in the jailer’s household and they believed. But the jailer was not done, as he

…took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with him who household (Acts 16:33-34).

The power of the gospel to change lives is so special to witness. Spending time in jail led to a divine encounter, which led to the transformation of the jailer and his entire household. But that’s not all, as the following day, the chief magistrates ordered Paul and Silas released and to “go in peace.” But Paul had something to say about that:

“They have beaten us in public without a trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now they are sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out” (Acts 16:37).

You can see why this would have been disastrous for the magistrates of the city. Paul, a Roman citizen — beaten and jailed without a trial! If reported to Rome, this could have resulted in major problems for the magistrates and for the city itself. And so, the magistrates begged Paul and Silas to leave the city (quietly), which they would do after spending a few more days in Lydia’s home, visiting with all those in Philippi who had come to faith in Christ. This fellowship of believers had become the first church planted in Europe! Wow!

The gospel message is so simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!” (Acts 16:31). What were the essential elements of the gospel that the jailer, or any of us, had to believe?

• That Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God;
• That He died on the cross for our sins;
• That He was buried and rose again from the dead;
• That He lives today and continues to forgive sins;
• That if we “confess our sins, He is willing and able to forgive our sins” (1 John 1:9).

Friends, that’s the message of the gospel, and that’s our message to the world. It’s not, nor has it ever been, about doing good works or performing religious rituals. No, it’s about repentance and faith. That’s what transforms a life. Let’s not fail to proclaim it!

Hope to see you next week.