Timothy
When we talked about this opening
passage for Acts 16 in the Bible Study that I am doing for our congregation, we
had the most fascinating conversation about Timothy. We know that his father was Greek, but his
mother was Jewish. We know that Timothy
had a great spiritual relationship with his mother and his grandmother. (See 2 Timothy 1:5) And we don’t know it for certain – but it is
logical to conclude – that Timothy was there to deal with the lead up and after
effects of Paul’s earlier stoning in Lystra.
Imagine the impression that watching
such an event would make on a young man.
Imagine watching a person willing to die for his faith and then come
back into the town and continue his ministry (at least for a day). Then, regardless of the fact that the
townsfolk already tried to kill him, after heading off to Derbe he comes back
through town just to check up on things and say “Hey.” Then, on his next journey out, he stops back
in and says, “Hey,” again! Paul doesn’t seem
to care about avoiding dangerous lands.
Paul welcomes walking into dangerous territories for the sake of
ministry. And Timothy sees it happen all
right there before him.
Here’s a young boy: Greek father,
faithful mother, faithful grandmother.
Imagine the impact that the Holy Spirit’s use of Paul must have had upon
him. And kudos for Timothy for being
willing to rise up and follow God’s leading through Paul! Amen!
I think we all really need to stop here and make sure we understand that
Paul was willing to be used and Timothy was open to following and serving. That’s what it takes for true discipleship to
happen, and we know from the letters in our Christian Bible that Paul and
Timothy had one of the greatest discipleship relationships (outside of those
Christ had with His followers, of course).
Want discipleship? Look for a mentor. Then follow.
Want to disciple? Become a mentor. Then lead.
It really isn’t any harder than that.
Lydia
Then Paul meets Lydia. What does Lydia do? She sees a mentor in Paul. So she listens. And then she opens up her house in ministry
for Paul.
She sees a mentor; Paul disciples. She follows, he leads.
It is the way. It is Christ’s way. He is the Way!
Demon-possessed Slave Girl
Along comes a demon possessed
woman. Now, this passage has always
intrigued me. I’ve always wondered why
Paul would get annoyed at the demon-possessed woman. After all, she was telling the truth! Paul
and his followers are men of God and are proclaiming salvation.
However, I can also imagine it being
annoying to not be able to go about the Lord’s work on the Lord’s terms. People who take it upon themselves to
announce your business are annoying and quite destructive in their ability to
interfere with the Lord’s work. That is
the key to understanding this passage.
It isn’t so much the content that annoyed Paul, for the content was
true. It was the methodology that got on
Paul’s nerves. Leave it to demons to be
able to use the truth in a way that drives people away from the work of the
Lord!
So Paul casts out this demon in Jesus’
name and ends up in prison. The masters
of the slave girl were no longer able to get rich off of this girl because her
talents for knowing the future were gone.
Again we see our old friend the self-monger rear its ugly head in
humanity. The people aren’t concerned
that this girl is freed from her oppression.
They aren’t concerned that the very power of God had come to them. They only care about the almighty
dollar! {Or whatever form of currency they used in Phillipi at that time.} What a shame that money blinds the people of
Philippi to truth of God.
But the jailer is not blinded. The jailer sees that Paul cares more about
the life of the jailer than his own freedom.
Again Paul throws away his own comfort and security for the sake of
proclaiming the Gospel. Paul could have
fled, knowing that it would have cost the jailer his life. But Paul stays put. The jailer sees in Paul exactly what Timothy
must have seen in Paul in Lystra.
Sacrifice is noticed by people.
Of course, Jesus is the Way – and His way is the cross. Sacrifice is Christianity.
Magistrates
Then we have this little end of the
story about Paul making the magistrates come and escort them out of
prison. So many people interpret this as
Paul’s ego at work. Let it not be
so! If you are one of these people,
repent now! LOL.
I use a little jest, but it is
important to not see this as an act of ego.
Think about it. Paul sees he has
to leave Philippi. He also knows that he
is leaving a fledgling church that is being led by a woman. It would be nothing for the magistrates to
wait until Paul was out of town and then come down on Lydia and her house
church.
Paul makes the magistrates do a public
service regarding Paul to make it clear that Paul did nothing wrong and his
followers are deserving of no persecution.
The magistrates’ act of coming out is not for Paul’s benefit at
all. Rather, the people who benefit are
Lydia and those who worship with her – no doubt the recently converted jailer, too! What so many people like to see as ego at
work is actually a gracious act of protection bestowed upon a fledgling
church. Oh, the mysterious ways that God
works!
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