Timothy is first mentioned. he is in Lystra. His mom is a believer. “”…but, his father was Greek.”
v2-3 Paul wanted Timothy to go on with him. And, because of the Jews there, he circumcised Timothy himself because they all knew that his dad was Greek. We had just gone through the events where it was not important to get circumcised to be saved. Now, we see that Paul is circumcising Timothy because of the Jews around him. Was this to gain credibility with the local folks? Was this a “when in Rome” concept being played out?
Were the Jews going around looking at the penises of all the men? v4 Says that they traveled around a bunch of cities. Would word spread or something? What does this mean?
v4 Their mission trip to the cities was to deliver the decrees coming out of Jerusalem, which were determined by the Apostles and elders there. So, we see the start of the church government.
v5 The fruit of this is that the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily,
v6-7 The Holy Spirit stopped them from going to Asia and then to Bithynia.
v9 Paul had a vision in the night that man in Macedonia pleaded with him to come there. God will always direct our paths.
v10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Notice: “he” saw the vision; “we sought to go”; “Lord called “us” to preach.
v11-15 They preached to the women in Macedonia on the Sabbath day. Something about that… They met Lydia (rich lady who sold purple) who convinced them to stay at her house.
v16 They run across the girl who was possessed by the spirit of divination, “who brought her masters much profit by fortunetelling”.
v17 This girl followed them proclaiming that they were of the “Most High God”. Even the evil spirits proclaim God. But, this one did it to harass them.
v18 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.
1) No special words. Simply, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. That is how we should do it.
2) He said to the spirit. Paul didnt address the girl.
3) This was a slave girl who was possessed. Possession binds us. We have the power to loose.
4) And he came out that very hour. The spirit of divination is a “he”. Paul’s command forced the spirit out that very hour.
5) The spirit attacked them. Paul did not go seeking it out. Once it came onto their radar, they must have been given authority to cast it out.
v19 Her masters seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the marketplace to the authorities when once they saw their hope of profit was gone.
1) The herodian or babylonian spirit was operating.
2) The masters took Paul and Silas to their place of operation – the marketplace. They had lost their power to operate.
3) Their “hope” was gone. They had placed false hope in a false god. When our idols are removed, we tend to rebel against those that removed them rather than thanking them and putting our trust in God.
v22-24 They were put in front of the magistrates and then beaten and then put in the inner recesses of the jail. Big punishment for rising up against the world’s system.
v25 BUT at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
v26 Suddenly, there was a great earthquake.
1) The foundations of the prison were shaken.
2) IMMEDIATELY all the doors were opened.
3) EVERYONE’s chains were loosed.
Movements of God will shake the world system, doors that hold us captive will open and bondage will be broken. Prayer and Praise led this charge. This was the lion of Judah displaying His might.
v27 The keeper decides that everyone jetted so he wants to kill himself.
v28 Paul says that everyone is there so dont do it.
v29 He calls for a light, ran in and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Yup, calling for the Light will do that to you.
v31 It is interesting to note that if the jailer believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he and his household will be saved. Can one man save his entire family by believing?
v33 The next thing the jailer does is washes their stripes. Why that act? Then “immediately” he and all his family were baptized.
v34 They went and had a party ad the jailers house. And REJOICED. He was going to kill himself an hour earlier; now he rejoices with his family.
v35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”
Would God send two men, have them beaten with rods, thrown in jail, experience an earthquake (note that the walls didnt fall on any prisoner) just to save one man and his family? You bet.
v37 Paul is funny. He confronts them. They beat us openly and threw us into prison. Now, they want to secretly let us go (us being Romans too). Nope, they have to come out themselves and face us. Boldness.
v38 The magistrates were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Romans.
Was Silas a Roman?
v39 Then they came out and pleaded with them and asked them to depart the city. Note: “asked”.
v40 Paul and Silas submitted to the authority and left having said goodbye to Lydia and the brethren.