Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And they traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. And when they came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. So going through Mysia, they went down to Troas..” (Acts 16:6-8)

Chapter 16 continues Paul’s journey. He and Silas come to Lystra and a young man named Timothy joins them. They continue through the region, delivering to every church the instructions from the council of Jerusalem. The churches were strengthening and more people were joining them daily. Their journey was guided by Holy Spirit, keeping them from some areas and encouraging them to go into others. One night, Paul had a vision of a man in Macedonia asking Paul to come help them. Immediately, that became their destination.

Their first stop was Philippi, the main city of that part of Macedonia. They spoke on the Sabbath and a woman of influence named Lydia became a believer in Jesus. She provided them with a home base to operate from. As they went about doing what they were called to do, they began to be followed by a servant girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination. That spirit followed them everywhere shouting about how they were servants of the Most High God proclaiming the way to salvation. It was disturbing. It probably interrupted every public talk Paul and the others tried to give. Paul got upset about it and one day turned to the girl and commanded the spirit out of her. She was delivered and free, but her owners were mad. No spirit of divination meant they couldn’t charge people to tell their futures. They had lost money. So they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the magistrates. They were charged as Jews upsetting Roman customs, promoting illegal actions. No trial. Just the charges. The magistrates ordered them stripped and beaten and thrown into stocks.

Throughout the night Paul and Silas were praising God. At midnight, the building shook in an earthquake and the stocks were opened. Not just Paul and Silas’, but everyone in the prison. The jailer, responsible for them all, was about to kill himself when Paul called to him from the darkness. None of the prisoners had left. They were all still there. Which was a miracle, really. They shared Jesus with him and both he and his household got saved. The jailer cared for them, treated their wounds, fed them, and rejoiced with them. The next day, the magistrates sent word they could be released. But Paul refused. If he slunk away quietly, the church in that city would be cowed. So Paul stood up for their rights. They had received no trial. They had been publicly beaten and imprisoned. Why that was a big deal was the fact that they were Roman citizens. If Roman citizens were deprived of their rights, those who deprived them could be executed. Paul insisted that the magistrates come and escort them out personally. Which they did. After being publicly released, they met with the church, encouraged them, and then left the city.

Chapter seventeen brings them to Thessalonica. There was a synagogue there, so Paul went in and started preaching the gospel message. Some believed and joined Paul, but others did not and were jealous. They stirred up the marketplace, joining with evil men into a mob. They came looking for Paul and Silas, found other believers instead and dragged them before the officials of the city. They weren’t punished by prison, but had to pay bail payments before they were released. They immediately went and told Paul and Silas, who left the city and went to Berea. Where they went into a synagogue and started preaching. It went better here and many in the city believed, including honourable Gentiles of the city. But the Jews of Thessalonica heard about it and they came down to make trouble. Paul was sent away immediately by the believers, but Silas and Timothy stayed behind.

Paul found himself in Athens, waiting for Silas and Timothy. While he was there, he looked around and then started interacting with the thinkers of that city. He used their monument to ‘the unknown god’ as his launching point. He went through the gospel message and they didn’t chase him off. They weren’t sure about the whole resurrection from the dead thing and wanted to hear more about it. But some of the young men trusted that it was true and believed in Jesus. Among them were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Saul, Silas, Timothy, Jews, Gentiles

Key Verse(s): Acts 16:25-34; 17:22-34