Ouch! That Hurts!
Opening Prayer
Gracious Lord, my faith is sometimes weak. I pray that You will work in me to make it strong.
Read Acts 16:16-40
[16] Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. [17] She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” [18] She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. [19] When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. [20] They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar [21] by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” [22] The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. [23] After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. [24] When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. [25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. [26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. [27] The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” [29] The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. [30] He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” [31] They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” [32] Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. [33] At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. [34] The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God-he and his whole household. [35] When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” [36] The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” [37] But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” [38] The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. [39] They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. [40] After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What good came from the imprisonment of Paul and Silas?Philippi was a Roman colony (12) where many Roman military veterans lived. Paul and Silas’ formal release from prison (38) is only activated when they declare that they are Roman citizens. Paul has challenged the comfort zones and lifestyles of many in Philippi: he has removed the slave owners’ source of income (19), he has challenged the fears of the jailer (27), and he has refused to leave quietly (37). Enabling people to respond to the Gospel can be an uncomfortable task and can undermine the status quo. Yet, people’s lives and behavior are transformed when they hear the good news (34,40). We have traveled with Paul and various companions as they spread the transforming news about Jesus Christ. Look back over what you have read and note how they made the most of every opportunity to speak to whomever would listen. Notice, too, how much the Holy Spirit was in evidence and be encouraged that God’s word cannot be silenced. May God give us, too, a passion to share Jesus wherever we are. Sometimes that means imitating Paul by taking the light of Christ to those who have not yet heard (13:46).
Apply
Where can you take “the light of Christ” in the week ahead? How will you make the most of any opportunity?
Closing prayer
Pray for an opportunity to share Christ in the coming week. Ask God to prepare you and those to whom you will speak.
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