June
4th
16:
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed
with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much
gain by soothsaying: 17: The same followed Paul and us, and cried,
saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew
unto us the way of salvation. 18: And this did she many days. But
Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in
the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same
hour. 19: And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was
gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace
unto the rulers, 20: And brought them to the magistrates, saying,
These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21: And teach
customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe,
being Romans. 22: And the multitude rose up together against them:
and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat
them. 23: And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast
them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24: Who,
having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and
made their feet fast in the stocks. 25: And at midnight Paul and
Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard
them. 26: And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors
were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27: And the keeper of
the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors
open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing
that the prisoners had been fled. 28: But Paul cried with a loud
voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29: Then he
called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down
before Paul and Silas, 30: And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what
must I do to be saved? 31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32: And they spake
unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33:
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34: And when
he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and
rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 35: And when it was
day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
36: And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The
magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in
peace. 37: But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly
uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do
they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves
and fetch us out. 38: And the serjeants told these words unto the
magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39: And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and
desired them to depart out of the city. 40: And they went out of the
prison, and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen
the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Already
the gospel had been successful but now the sparks are going to fly.
There was a young girl in Philippi who was possessed of a demon and
she was exploited by the men of the city because of her soothsaying.
Soothsaying is practised by a person who says a sooth. This is a
statement about someone which is often of a religious nature and the
origin of the revelation is Satanic or Demonic. This young girl was
exploited by the men of the city who took money from people looking
for a ‘sooth’. Soothsayers often would dash about in crowds of
people making statements which were supposed to be divine in origin.
This young girl was doing the same to Paul she was crying out after
them and what she was saying was actually true. However Paul was
offended by this testimony because of its very dubious source so he
determined to end it. Eventually Paul turned and faced not her but
the demon who was controlling her to come out of her. She was
delivered immediately. When her masters knew that the source of their
income had gone they dragged Paul and Silas to the rulers of the
city. The accusations were that they were Jewish trouble makers. This
was a very Roman orientated city and a colony. The multitude and the
magistrates rose up and had them flogged and then had them committed
to prison. The jailer put them in stocks in the inner cell. Paul and
Silas were overjoyed that they were allowed to suffer for Christ so
at midnight they sang praises and all the prisoners heard them. Then
a very great earthquake shook the prison and all the doors opened and
all the chains were released. When the Jailer awoke and found all the
cells open he immediately realised that he would be executed for
allowing these escapes and was just about to kill himself with his
own sword that Paul shouted out of the darkness, ‘Don’t hurt
yourself. We are all still here’. The jailer called for a light and
fell at the Apostles feet and the question that came next is now
famous. He said, what must l do to be saved? Paul and Silas knew how
to answer and they said in the simplest terms. Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and you will be saved. They knew what to say and they
said it clearly and emphatically. The jailer was saved on the spot
and he called for his family to help him in tending to the wounds of
the apostles. His whole house helped and they also heard the gospel
and they all believed. Then the jailer set food before them rejoicing
in the salvation of God. When day dawned the magistrates sent
messengers saying let the men go but Paul said no. They have beaten
us openly when we had had no trial when we are Roman citizens and
they now want to get rid of us in secret. No let them come and fetch
us out for themselves. When the fact of their Roman citizenship was
known the magistrates were very afraid because they had broken the
most serious Roman law - The right of a Roman to a fair trial. The
magistrates came and asked them to leave the city. Paul and Silas
came out of the prison and entered Lydia’s house and after a while
giving comfort to the believers they left the city. This company of
believers would become very precious to Paul, Silas and Timothy. Paul
wrote one of his letters to these Christians.
- After the initial work begins what opposition do the apostles face in their work?
- How does the Lord respond to the treatment of Paul and Silas?
- Why does Paul and Silas refuse to leave quitely?
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