Jesus’s Power Displayed in Philippi

Acts 15:36–16:40

Main Idea: In the first part of Paul’s second missionary journey, the gospel advances to Philippi, and a new church is established as Jesus’s power is displayed in various ways.

1. The Journey to Philippi (15:36–16:10)
   1. Paul’s missionary companions (15:36–16:5)
   2. Paul’s Macedonian calling (16:6-10)
2. New Converts in Philippi (16:11-34)
   1. Jesus transforms a wealthy woman (16:13-15).
   2. Jesus transforms a slave girl (16:16-18).
   3. Jesus transforms a jailer (16:19-34).
3. A New Congregation in Philippi (16:35-40)

This week I have seen numerous pictures on social media of my friends lounging at the beach. I even have one friend cruising to Alaska. A sea adventure sounds nice, doesn’t it? Well, in this chapter we’re going to sail across the Aegean Sea with the apostle Paul. But we won’t be riding on a cruise ship. Paul was on a battleship of sorts. In chapter 15 we see him and his companions on another mission to make the gospel known in new territories, and it’s difficult to find a section of Scripture any more convicting, exciting, and encouraging than this one. So, all aboard! Let’s go.

In Acts 15:36–18:22 we read of Paul’s second missionary journey, during which Paul and his companions reach the people of Macedonia and Achaia. Then, after taking a brief furlough in 18:22, the team sets out on the third missionary journey to the Greek cities of the Aegean, giving special attention to Ephesus (18:23–21:14). Luke’s description of the trips, however, is selective. He doesn’t describe the founding of every church; instead, he presents many of the high points of the journeys and gives us their basic framework. Luke gives particular attention to the influential cities in which Paul spent most of his time evangelizing and establishing churches.

The text under consideration sheds light on the first time the gospel seed was planted in European soil. While the lines between Asia and Europe didn’t exist in Paul’s day, we can see how epoch-making this event really was when we consider it with the benefit of hindsight. The gospel would eventually spread throughout Europe, and Europe would become a base for missionary outreach around the world (Stott, Message of Acts, 258).

The Journey to Philippi

Acts 15:36–16:10

Trips require planning: Who is going and how will they reach the intended destination? In the following three paragraphs Paul’s companions rely on God’s guidance to answer those questions. In many of our journeys, we often experience the unexpected. So it is here. We probably wouldn’t predict the change in companions or the strange route to Philippi that contributed heavily to what would happen in the journey to come.

Paul’s Missionary Companions (15:36–16:5)

Paul’s second missionary journey also started in Antioch. Paul and Barnabas had been ministering there after delivering the Jerusalem Council’s letter to the church. After a period of time, Paul decides that it would be a good idea to revisit the churches established on the first missionary journey. As it happened, however, Paul didn’t actually follow up with all the churches from the first trip. He neglected to visit Cyprus, but his companion Barnabas goes to Cyprus because of a division in the team.

Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them on the journey, perhaps to give him a second chance. Paul rejected the proposal because he considered Mark’s desertion in Pamphylia totally unacceptable. We previously covered in 13:13 some of the reasons Mark may have left the mission. Regardless of what happened, Paul would eventually be reconciled to Mark, seeing him as a beloved coworker (Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11; Philemon 24).

As a result of competing views, Paul and Barnabas have a “sharp disagreement” (15:39), which in Greek carries the idea of violent action or emotion. The team had an intense conflict. Who was correct? Kent Hughes states the feeling of many of us: “Our judgment goes with Paul, but our hearts go with Barnabas” (Acts, 203).

So Barnabas, the consummate encourager, takes Mark to Cyprus. Paul takes Silas after the two were commended by the church “to the grace of the Lord” (15:40; cf. 14:26), for the work of strengthening the churches in Syria and Cilicia (15:41). The two would, among other things, deliver the report from the Jerusalem Council to these churches.

What should we make of this separation of Paul and Barnabas? First, they were men, not angels. Flawed humans, even these mighty missionaries, will sometimes face moments of contention. I’m thankful for this dose of harsh reality here in Acts because many dream of doing ministry in a perfect church, certain that a perfect pastorate or lay leader role is out there. But it’s not. To fix our thoughts on the idea that there might be is ministerial pornography, which appeals to the lustful heart of idealists, whose thirst is never satisfied as they bounce from one church to the next in hope of finding the ideal post. We will all encounter relational challenges while doing God’s work, so let’s walk humbly and graciously before God and one another.

We should also be encouraged that God sovereignly worked through the conflict to achieve his purposes. The result of the split is that instead of one mission journey there are two. This doesn’t imply that all Christian arguments are justified! This text doesn’t give us a warrant to complain, murmur, and quarrel with other brothers and sisters—these are sinful behaviors (1 Cor 10:10; Phil 2:14). But it tells us God can work through all sorts of means to advance his gospel; he can even bring about growth through separations. This split surely wounded both men, for through it Barnabas lost the companionship of the most powerful missionary of all time, and Paul may have lost the friendship of a man to whom he was greatly indebted. Yet through pain and the conflict, the gospel marches on.

In 16:1-5 another companion is added. Traveling from east to west this time, Paul and Silas arrive in Lystra and Derbe and encounter a young Lystran named Timothy, who stands out to Paul. The boy’s father was an unbelieving Greek, but his mother and grandmother were Jewish and brought him up to know the Scriptures (2 Tim 1:5). These two ladies, along with Timothy, probably became Christians during Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 14:19-23). Timothy apparently displayed tremendous spiritual maturity (16:2). As a result, Paul desires that the young man accompany him and Silas (v. 3).

Paul has Timothy circumcised out of sensitivity to Jewish audiences. Some argue that this act compromised the Jerusalem Council’s decree, but it didn’t. Paul resisted circumcising Titus, who was a pure Greek (Gal 2:3,5), when the gospel was at stake. But Timothy’s situation was different. Timothy was both Jew and Greek. And because rabbinic law taught that a child born of a Jewish mother and a Greek father was considered to be Jewish, Paul knew Timothy would have constantly offended the Jews if he didn’t get circumcised. So as a matter of missionary strategy, as a sign of respect to Jewish heritage, and as an attempt to maintain Jew-Gentile unity, Timothy undergoes painful surgery. In time Timothy’s Jew-Greek background would allow him to bridge different cultures effectively.

A wonderful relationship developed between Timothy and Paul. Paul considered this young man from Lystra a “son” (1 Cor 4:17; Phil 2:22; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2) and a “coworker” (Rom 16:21).

In this passage we once again find a missionary application for today. Paul was willing to “become all things to all people” in order to reach them with the gospel (1 Cor 9:22). He wanted to adapt to different audiences without changing the gospel. We should be willing to do the same. As long as adapting doesn’t mean adopting a sinful action, we should be willing to follow certain cultural customs in order that hearers may receive the gospel. Our goal, after all, isn’t to press our culture on another culture but to press the gospel into various cultures. So if people reject your ministry, make sure it’s the gospel—and not your cultural biases and practices—that’s the stumbling block to effectiveness. If you need to wear a yarmulke when speaking to Jews, then do it. If you need to sit on the floor with Muslims in order to converse, sit on the floor. If you need to wear a particular type of robe in a village in order to address the unreached, then put on the robe. If you need to abstain from certain foods, do it. Put no stumbling block in the way of the gospel.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy continue their journey, visiting the churches and reporting the Jerusalem Council’s decision. One can’t help but admire Paul’s concern for ensuring the stability of local congregations. He went on these arduous trips through the rugged mountains, through many dangerous territories, out of love for Christ and his church. As a result of his efforts, by the grace of God, the churches were strengthened and continued growing. What an inspiring picture of God-given resilience and passion he provides!

Paul’s Macedonian Calling (16:6-10)

After visiting the churches, the mission team travels north, probably from Antioch in Pisidia. Somewhere along the journey, they decide to go to Asia, but the Holy Spirit had “forbidden” them from speaking there (16:6). We don’t know for certain what is meant by “Asia” here since it had two meanings. John Polhill points out that it could mean the Roman province of Asia (Lycia, portions of Phrygia and Mysia, as well as ancient Asia), or in a more narrow sense, it could refer to the cities along the Aegean coast (Acts, 334). If Luke intended the latter, it may indicate that the team attempted to preach in Ephesus, among other places (ibid.). But Paul wouldn’t reach that important city until his third journey.

We also don’t know exactly how they were forbidden. Did they receive a divine vision? Did the Lord withdraw their sense of peace? Did they experience transportation difficulties? Did sickness hinder them? We don’t know. All we know is that they were blocked. God may prevent us from doing certain things and going certain places in a whole host of ways. So should doors close, don’t despair (2 Cor 4:8; Phil 1:12). Keep trusting in the Lord, who leads his children.

Another closed door is mentioned in the next verse. The team travels northward in an attempt to go to Bithynia to reach cities like Nicea and Byzantium, but they aren’t permitted to go there either.

Next the team is led away from the cities of Bithynia, through the wild backwoods of Mysia, over to the coast and down to Troas (Polhill, Acts, 345–46). Luke records an epic calling given there (vv. 9-10). God intended to get the mission team to Macedonia, and he chose to use a vision to make his plan known. Many have speculated about the identity of the Macedonian man who appears in the vision—some even suggest he is Alexander the Great, but we aren’t told who he is. Regardless, when Paul related this vision to Silas and Timothy, they agreed that God purposed for them to evangelize the Macedonians.

Verse 10 is the first certain occurrence of what people call the “we passages” of Acts. The use of “we” here most likely refers to Luke’s joining the team at this time. All four men set out to cross the Aegean to engage people in Macedonia who need the gospel.

Several things are left unclear in this paragraph. We know little about the geography, about how exactly the doors were closed, about the nature of the vision, or even why the “we” passage appears. The thrust of the paragraph, though, is clear: God is guiding these missionaries. We shouldn’t miss the Trinitarian nature of this Macedonian call. In verse 6, the Holy Spirit prevented them from going to Asia. In verse 7, the Spirit of Jesus didn’t permit them to go to Bithynia. Later, in Verse 10, God the Father called them to go to Macedonia.

While this story is descriptive and not prescriptive, we can still draw from it some safe and helpful points for how to perceive and follow God’s guidance. Even without receiving divine visions in the night, we too can make decisions that honor him.

God guides us through both closed doors and open ones. God blocked Paul and his companions from going to Asia and Bithynia but appealed to them to travel to Macedonia. In the first two instances the missionaries receive a divine no. In the last case they receive God’s yes. This double guidance of restraint and prompting typifies many missionaries’ experiences. David Livingstone, for instance, wanted to go to China but was sent to Africa instead. William Carey wanted to go to Polynesia but was sent to India. Adoniram Judson went to India first but then went on to Burma. Let us rejoice that God both restrains us and prompts us; he prevents and he permits (Stott, Message of Acts, 261).

God’s guidance isn’t just circumstantial; it’s also rational (ibid.). Understanding what the Lord desires involves thinking over matters as this text illustrates. It’s not about guessing but about using godly wisdom. The verb translated “concluding” in verse 10 carries the notion of “putting the pieces of a puzzle together”—that is, gathering information and drawing a conclusion (Keller, Evangelism, 136).

God’s guidance is personal and communal. It may involve researching data, pondering things with other godly individuals (notice the plural terms them, we, and us in this section), and trying to come to the right conclusion based on what is known about God’s character and overarching plan. Don’t seek God’s will apart from listening to the counsel of other godly Christians.

God’s guidance often comes gradually and unpredictably. The missionaries’ trip doesn’t follow a neatly ordered formula, as if the men completely understood God’s will from day one (Hughes, Acts, 202). The whole experience started with a simple idea to go revisit the churches (15:36). There was nothing dramatic about that decision. The missionaries just used wisdom to make it. But once they got into the trip, the Lord began to expand their plans, and the men must have been perplexed by traveling an extremely circuitous route.

You probably have experience with this feeling. In some seasons of life Christians can feel they are going nowhere and accomplishing nothing, but in reality they are waiting on God’s guidance. The Lord often prompts us gradually. Of this experience Timothy Keller says,

It is often like a mountainous road, on which you often labor hard, doubling back and seeming to get nowhere, until you come to some vantage point where you can see the “big” picture and see how much progress you’ve made and where you are going. (Evangelism, 136–37)

When it comes to following God’s guidance, begin by obeying God’s revealed will in the Bible. Then remain sensitive to the Spirit’s prompting. Seek godly counsel when you aren’t certain what to do, and think over a situation carefully before making a decision. Also, don’t grow discouraged along the way. Sometimes doors open; other times they shut. The Christian’s life goal is to be faithful wherever the Lord leads and to maintain a humble and open heart along the journey. As missionary David Livingstone said, “Without Christ, not one step; with him, anywhere!” As long as God is with us, we have reason to rejoice—whether we’re in a season of perplexity and wandering or in a season of certainty and fulfillment. After their own wandering days, this mission team enjoyed some unforgettable days of ministering in Philippi. There they endured different kinds of trials, but they did so with confidence that they were in the right place.

New Converts in Philippi

Acts 16:11-34

Samothrace, a mountainous island, was on the direct route between Troas and Neapolis, the port of Philippi. Scholars point out that travelers must have had the wind to their backs to make it to Neapolis in just two days; it was 150 miles away from Troas. From Neapolis the mission team would have walked along the famous Via Egnatia about ten miles to Philippi.

Philippi was a Roman colony and a leading city of the district. Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, had seized the city in the fourth century BC. Philip named the city after himself and enlarged the gold-mining operations there. It came under Roman domination in 168 BC and was enlarged in 42 BC, when Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius (Polhill, Acts, 347). In 31 BC Octavian granted the city the status of a colony. A number of military veterans settled there (ibid.). Thus, Roman influence was heavy in Philippi—as one can see from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Archeological evidence also shows why the city was a “little Rome.”

The missionaries may have stayed a number of weeks (Stott, Message of Acts, 262). While probably several people were converted during this time (see v. 40), Luke only records three conversions—probably to display “how God breaks down dividing barriers and can unite in Christ people of very different kinds” (ibid.). These encounters should encourage us as we behold Jesus’s power and grace in transforming people. They should also instruct us as we consider how three different types of people, in three different events that led to their conversions, were reached by the one and only Savior. Consider this chart adapted from Tim Keller’s Church Planter Manual ( 102):

Jesus Transforms a Wealthy Woman (16:13-15)

Apparently Philippi lacked a Jewish synagogue, so on the Sabbath day the missionaries go to the closest thing to a synagogue. It was a “place of prayer” (v. 13) outside the city gates and was located by a river (probably the Gangites). The men speak to some women there, one of whom was named Lydia.

She was from the city of Thyatira, which was on the other side of the Aegean, within the province of Asia. Lydia was a seller of purple, which makes sense because Thyatira was the center of the purple dye trade (Polhill, Acts, 348–49). She was most certainly wealthy, for purple goods were expensive, often associated with royalty, and the business was profitable. Her hosting people in her home also implies that she was indeed a woman of means. Lydia was an entrepreneur, setting up business in Philippi. But despite professional success, she was still searching for more.

Luke also says that she was “God fearing”; she was like Cornelius. The description doesn’t mean she was a Christian, but she was seeking God. Perhaps she had read Ezekiel 36:26-29, in which the Lord promises to give a new heart and a new spirit to people. Regardless of whether that prophecy was something she had thought about, she was a beneficiary of it: “The Lord opened her heart” (v. 14).

What does this mean? It means that the God of all grace opened her spiritual eyes so that she could embrace Jesus as Lord (cf. 2 Cor 4:5-6). God worked in Lydia’s heart and gave her new life as she heard the gospel. She wasn’t ultimately won over by Paul’s effective communication skills but by God’s gracious and saving initiative. Lydia was saved in the same way anyone else is converted (cf. Acts 11:18; 13:48; 14:27; 18:27).

So here we have the first mention of someone converting to faith in Jesus on European soil, and that convert is a wealthy lady named Lydia. I can’t help but admire the quietness of this world-changing event. In a setting that may well have resembled more of a picnic than a prayer meeting, Paul explained the gospel and the Lord transformed an individual into a follower of King Jesus. While the scene no doubt lacked drama from the perspective of passersby, the Lord was at work in a big way. He opened Lydia’s heart, and she—like a flower opening to the sun—embraced Paul’s message.

If you aren’t a Christian, let me encourage you to listen to the gospel being preached or at least to read the message on your own in the Bible books of John and Acts. See if the Lord might do something in your heart as a result of your encounter with the good news to cause you to confess Jesus as Lord. If you are a Christian, remember that the Lord still does converting work through faithful messengers of the gospel. Your Lydia is waiting! Trust that when the Bible is taught, God does work in people’s lives.

After Lydia’s conversion, and based on her confession of faith, she is baptized, along with her household—which probably included her servants. The latter must have believed through the witness of Paul and Lydia. If we use the Cornelius narrative to help us understand this household baptism (and the conversion of the Philippian jailer’s household; v. 33), those who were baptized both heard the gospel and believed the message prior to baptism (10:44; 11:14,17). A scan of the baptism accounts in the book of Acts reveals that baptism is based on personal faith.

Lydia not only shared her faith with her household, but she also shared her home with the missionaries. The apostles affirmed her profession of faith and accepted her invitation to come to her home, the location of which eventually became the gathering place for the entire church in Philippi (v. 40). This woman provides a wonderful example of generosity and hospitality at work (cf. 4:32-37). Later Paul would write about the wonderful generosity and support of the church in Philippi (Phil 4:10-20), and it’s not difficult to imagine Lydia as one of the main contributors to whom he referred.

Once again in Acts we see the use of one’s home as a wonderful tool for ministry. This is a reminder that we should all seek to practice hospitality in order to serve the church. Extending hospitality isn’t the same as entertaining, however. Entertaining shows off; hospitality shares. Use your home to serve others, not to wow them with your financial success or decorating abilities or as an escape from socializing.

I can’t help but admire the number of godly ladies in the book of Acts; some of them are mentioned by name. Soon we will read of the leading women of Thessalonica (17:4), women of high standing in Berea (17:12), Damaris in Athens (17:34), and Priscilla in Corinth (18:2). All of these inclusions remind us that the early missionary movement was not directed only at males. This also means that Christianity was never intended to reach only the ladies who stay home, raising families and concerning themselves with household matters. Lydia and the other women I mention appear to have been strong ladies with influence. They played huge roles in extending the ministries of their local churches. The book of Acts highlights the need for all people—male and female—to find their places in God’s mission and to join the work for the good of others and for the glory of God.

Jesus Transforms a Slave Girl (16:16-18)

Next Luke highlights the missionaries’ encounter with an exotic figure, a young tormented girl. The contrast between this slave girl and Lydia couldn’t be greater. F. F. Bruce suggests Luke made this stark contrast “in order to show how the saving name of Jesus proved its power in the lives of the most diverse types” (Book of Acts, 332).

The phrase “spirit by which she predicted the future” literally reads, “spirit python.” According to mythology the Python guarded the temple of Apollo. Over time the word pytho¯n came to mean a demon possessed person through whom the Python spoke (Hughes, Acts, 214). Luke and Paul obviously understand the girl to be demon possessed.

A “pythoness” made clairvoyant predictions and uttered words in all sorts of strange voices. Because the locals considered such fortune-tellers to be inspired by Apollo and the Python, many sought them out to hear their predictions about the future. There was “large profit” in this business (v. 16). Perhaps that’s why instead of feeling sorry for this demon-possessed girl, the owners used her to make money.

Don’t miss that the poor girl featured in this chapter is in double bondage. Her slave owners treat her like property, and she is abused by a demonic spirit.

Satan tried to derail the missionaries’ work in Philippi by attempting to form an alliance with the missionaries for his own devilish purposes. Satan tried to use the slave girl to associate Paul’s message with the occult (v. 17), but the missionaries obviously needed to distance their ministry from this evil work. For many days the slave girl uttered things that were entirely true, but the missionaries didn’t fall prey to the evil scheme behind the girl’s words. In the Gospels demon-possessed people say true things about Jesus, but Jesus rebukes them every time (e.g., Mark 1:24-25; 5:7-8; Luke 4:34-35).

After becoming “greatly annoyed” by Satan’s attempt to associate with the team through the girl—or perhaps out of deep grief for her—Paul frees her with a word in Jesus’s name. In a moment, Jesus casts out the demon at work through the girl; Jesus masterfully crushes serpents.

With this move the power of Christ is displayed. The pythoness is delivered. What a relief this must have been to the girl! She, like the Gadarene demoniac, was suddenly in her “right mind” (Mark 5:15) following an encounter with Christ. We presume that she too—like the Gadarene man—became a follower of Jesus after deliverance (so say Stott, Message of Acts, 265; Hughes, Acts, 215; et al.). She suddenly had a new owner, the only good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, who freed her from spiritual and physical bondage and gave her peace, joy, freedom, and rest.

Contrast the two conversions. Lydia is wealthy; the slave girl is poor. Lydia is a community member of high standing; the slave girl was exploited and abused. Lydia is religious and moral; the slave girl is broken and tormented. Lydia comes to faith through a quiet Bible study; the slave girl gets transformed through a dramatic power encounter. Lydia was presented with Jesus as the Messiah of Israel; the slave girl met Jesus as the mighty Deliverer. These two different ladies both were brought to faith in Jesus—a reminder that the gospel can transform all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. The power that brought the evil spirit out of this girl is the same power that opened Lydia’s heart: it’s the power of Jesus.

Perhaps you want to distance yourself from the powerful encounter involving the girl because you assume it doesn’t relate to you. But this passage should give you hope. If Jesus can free a pythoness, he can break your addictions. He can set you free from negative thinking. Jesus Christ is Lord over all—believe it!

Jesus Transforms a Jailer (16:19-34)

As in the case of the Gadarene demoniac, the slave girl’s deliverance upset the economy (Mark 5:16-17; cf. Acts 8:19-21; 19:24-28), leading to a major disturbance in Philippi. The owners of the girl were about to lose a lot of money, so the angry profiteers made false charges against Paul and Silas. They claimed the missionaries were disturbing the city and advocating unlawful customs. Soon the crowd joined the attack, and the magistrates ordered the men beaten with rods.

It is difficult to imagine undergoing the excruciating torture Paul and Silas endured next. The jailer beat the missionaries, leaving them swollen, lacerated, and sticky with blood. It would have been impossible for the wounded evangelists to lie down on their backs after that. The jailer kept the prisoners as secure as possible in what we might call the dungeon, adding to the punishment by putting their feet in stocks. John Polhill describes this particular device:

Their feet were placed in wooden stocks, which were likely fastened to the wall. Often such stocks were used as instruments of torture; they had a number of holes for the legs, which allowed for severe stretching of the torso and thus created excruciating pain. (Acts, 353)

All of this makes the deliverance of this pair all the more dramatic.

Peter slept in prison (12:6); Paul and Silas sing in prison. Both sleeping and singing are expressions of faith and peace in the Lord (cf. Job 35:10). Those hearing the men’s raised voices were surely astonished by their example of faith in the midst of suffering. Silas and Paul probably lifted their voices in singing psalms, in quoting Scripture, and in pouring out their hearts in prayer. To all of this the prisoners listen eagerly, and then it happens. God shakes the earth!

Breaking chains is our Lord’s specialty. When chains fall off in this scene, the jailer panics. In fear of the consequences of having to report an empty prison, the jailer prepares to commit suicide. But while Paul and Silas could flee in the chaos following the earthquake, they pause to save this man’s life (v. 28). As the jailer calls for light, he rushes to fall before the missionaries with one question: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v. 30). This jailer knew of the deliverance of the pythoness, and he had handled the incarceration of the missionary pair. He had probably been listening to their songs when the earth rocked beneath him. This question, then, makes sense.

Paul points the jailer to the only name that saves, to Jesus the Savior of Lydia and the Savior of the slave girl (v. 31; cf. 11:14). He effectively tells this man, “Jesus can transform you, and he can transform your whole family too.” That’s what we must keep telling people: all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.

Soon the jailer’s whole household hears the gospel, believes it, and is baptized. The jailer, in an act of humility and repentance, not only washes the wounds of the missionaries but also serves the two a meal. This is a sweet picture of transformation! No longer does the jailer view the wounded men as prisoners; he cares for them as brothers in Christ. In this wonderful picture of gospel hospitality, the jailer and his family rejoice in their new life. Perhaps they even sing a few songs from the Prison Hymns Collection Paul and Silas advertised.

This blue-collar Roman jailer, jolted by a miracle, was converted to faith in Jesus through the proclaimed gospel. His story is another reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God’s saving grace. This account also highlights the gospel’s unifying power. Jesus incorporates all kinds of people into his family, intending that the individuals he saves then serve one another as brothers and sisters on a common mission.

A New Congregation in Philippi

Acts 16:35-40

Verse 35 records that at daylight the magistrates order the release of Paul and Silas. We aren’t told why. Likely they just want them to leave town. But when the jailer reports the order to Paul and Silas, Paul declares his Roman citizenship and demands due respect. The officials, he knows, have stepped beyond the boundaries of their authority—a serious offense.

Why does Paul respond by insisting on an official escort? He’s certainly not known for trying to humiliate people. So in all likelihood Paul did it to ensure the safety of the church he was leaving behind in Philippi. By showing that he and Silas had done nothing wrong and that Christianity was no threat to the Roman way of life, Paul helped the church’s relationship with the Roman authorities. He wanted to make sure the church had a good reputation and to protect it from future harassment. Once again Paul’s actions shout of his love for the church.

The magistrates were the lawbreakers in this story. Out of fear they came and apologized to Paul and Silas before escorting them out of the jail.

The missionaries make a visit before heading out of town. They stop at Lydia’s, where those comprising the local church had gathered. Don’t miss that, before this journey to Philippi, there were no spiritual brothers or sisters in Philippi. But now, because of the power of Jesus, Paul and Silas could meet with several members of their spiritual family. Among them, in all likelihood, were Lydia, the slave girl, the jailer’s family, and other converts too. Prior to meeting Christ, these individuals likely spent no time together. But accepting Jesus as Lord changes everything. In Christ people from all types of backgrounds are united as fellow citizens of heaven.

Thus, the first church on European soil is established! In Philippi, in the middle of the “Little Colony of the Kingdom of Rome,” there was suddenly a “Little Colony of the Kingdom of God.” Later Paul would write these words to this beloved church:

I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:3-6)

Who knows? Maybe it was the slave girl who read the letter aloud to the congregation. Perhaps the jailer read it. It’s possible that Lydia did. What’s certain is that God did indeed begin a good work in Philippi, bringing many people to faith in Jesus and establishing a beachhead in Europe as he did so.

What a privilege to hear and receive this gospel! What a joy to partner in advancing the gospel with other brothers and sisters who confess Jesus as Lord! Let’s seek God’s guidance. Let’s trust in his power. Let’s declare his salvation day to day, from shore to shore, until the day when Christ returns.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What does this passage teach about relational conflict?
2. What missional lesson do we learn from Paul’s decision to have Timothy circumcised?
3. What can we glean about God’s guidance from Paul’s journey to Philippi?
4. Why should the conversion of Lydia encourage us?
5. Compare and contrast the spiritual transformations of Lydia and the slave girl.
6. What can we learn about suffering from the afflictions Paul and Silas faced in Philippi?
7. What did the Lord use to convert the Philippian jailer?
8. What were some of the signs of the jailer’s transformation?
9. What does this chapter teach about the importance of opening our homes in hospitality?
10. How does Paul display a love for the church in this chapter? Take a few moments to pray for those trying to engage the lost and plant new churches around the world.