During yesterday’s sermon, Pastor Mary provided us with some Biblical context about what was transpiring in Acts 16 where we see that the Apostle Paul is out ministering with Silas and they come across a demon possessed slave girl; and Paul says to the demon, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her” (v.18) and the demon instantly left the slave girl. This did not go over very well with the girl’s owner who demanded that the missionaries be arrested. Since the magistrates (officers or judges of the religious law) did not like troublemakers, they had Paul and Silas beaten and put in jail. Around midnight, Paul and Silas began to pray and sing in jail. God responded by shaking the prison with an earthquake that opened the doors and freed the prisoners. (v.25-26) As Pastor Mary reminded us, not one prisoner left, but the jailer didn’t know that and so as he was about to commit suicide because of the mess at the jail, Paul stopped him and led him to Christ. The jailer took Paul and Silas home with him for a meal, and there he cared for their wounds from the beating. The men baptized the jailer’s entire household, and they all believed in Christ (v.31-34).
That brings us to the next morning which is found within today’s passage. The city officials sent word to the jailer to let Paul and Silas go. However, Paul was not willing to sneak out of town because he did not want the new Church to be left under a cloud of suspicion. He told them that he was a Roman citizen, and he demanded a public apology for their unlawful acts. According to Roman law, Roman citizens, as both Paul and Silas were, could not be beaten and put in prison without a fair trial. We don’t know why Paul waited until this moment to mention this fact, but God certainly knew, and He used it for good.
The magistrates respectfully came to Paul and Silas, and although they did not offer a public apology, they did escort them out of prison and politely asked them to leave town. This satisfied Paul, as he was not looking for revenge, rather he wanted protection and respect for the for Church, the believers of Christ that would be left in that town.
What Paul did took Biblical and spiritual strength, power, and integrity. Paul did not campaign for societal change in an unbelieving world. Rather, he allowed the Holy Spirit to provide him with spiritual strength, power by His wisdom and guidance, and Biblical integrity to change the hearts of the people that Jesus brought within his path. Notice that not “all” of the people’s hearts were changed (like the magistrates), and Paul and Silas knew that would be the case, so rather than organize a public demonstration to prove their point, they quietly left town. You and I have the opportunity today to share the Good News about the saving love of Jesus Christ. We must not focus on all of the darkness of this world because the enemy is busy and not everyone will except the message of love that Jesus wants to offer through us. So, we need to be focused on how we are going to allow the Lord to work in and through us, by His strength, power, and integrity, to change one heart at a time, and not be shaken when some do not respond, rather pray for those hearts, and rejoice for the ones that will be forever changed. Never underestimate where, when, and with whom God will use you.
Acts 16:35-40 NLT
35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for saving each one of us. We want to be willing vessels for You to move in and through so that more hearts can be saved. Holy Spirit, we need Your strength, Your power, and Your integrity as we walk out today, again tomorrow, and every single day that follows. Use us today to help hearts see Your love, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.