TWO SMALL FISH
February 27, 2006
Acts Chapter 16
Never Compromise
INTRODUCTION:
It is not always easy to know when,
where, and the how to's of God's perfect will for us. In chapter fifteen, Paul
and other elders of the church settled the dispute concerning circumcision as a
necessary act of salvation. In the first three verses of this chapter, Paul's
first step in mentoring Timothy was to have the young man circumcised. This was
not a compromise as some may think. Paul understood when to stand firm and when
to yield to avoid unnecessary conflict. Being a Jew, Paul realized the
importance of circumcision to his people. He wanted to take Timothy into the
synagogue with him to preach. Circumcising Timothy was a formality and a matter
of respect not a matter of salvation.
When we witness to those of different
religious beliefs, we need to show respect for their beliefs. Respect differs
greatly from tolerance which is being taught in our schools and even our
churches. When humanists speak of tolerance, they insist that all religions are
equal in all aspects and all will provide a way to heaven if followed
reverently. This is not what Jesus said, Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me. John 14:6 KJV. When two statements oppose each other, they
can both be wrong; but they cannot both be right. If one is true, the other has
to be false. However, starting on common ground enables us to build a
relationship on mutual respect before we can speak openly about Jesus Christ.
CORE OF THE LESSON:
Paul showed respect for the Jewish
customs then showed them the truth of Jesus Christ. As they traveled, Paul,
Silas and Timothy established churches and encouraged the already established
ones. But they did not go without first seeking the Lord's will. Luke does not
describe the circumstances that kept them form traveling to Asia and Bithynia.
He only states that the Holy Spirit constrained them. Then, Paul had a vision of
a man from Macedonia who cried for them to come and preach the gospel. Paul and
the others knew it was the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Jesus said,
"The watchman opens the gate for him [the shepherd], and the sheep listen to his
voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought
out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they
know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run
away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John
10:3-5 NIV.
Paul and the others knew the
Shepherd's voice and followed Him. There was no danger of them following a wrong
voice because they had been called out by the Lord. Take note: in Acts 17 verse
10, Luke changed the pronoun they to we. At this point, Luke has joined the
missionary team and recorded the information first hand. Prior to this, the
events had been told to him and he acted as recorder.
The missionary team traveled
throughout Macedonia preaching the gospel in Samothracia, Neapolis, and
Philippi. From there, they traveled to Thyatira where they met Lydia. Lydia was
a prominent merchant -- a seller of purple the Bible says. Purple has always
been the color of royalty, therefore, we know that Lydia was wealthy and
respected. She worshipped the true God, although it is apparent that she was not
a Jew. Comparable to the eunuch from Ethiopia mentioned in Acts 8:26-40, Lydia
opened her heart to the message of the gospel and was baptized by Paul. Women
are frequently mentioned in the New Testament to confirm their significance to
God and their right to hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep in mind
that most cultures do not see women as equal to men even today.
As they preached in Thyatira, a young
woman possessed by a demon followed them everywhere. She shouted, "These men are
the servants of the most high God, which show to us the way of salvation." She
spoke the truth, so why was Paul so irritated by it? The problem was not what
she said, but how and why she said it. First of all she spoke mockingly. It was
not a confession, but a disclaimer. Second, she was a soothsayer. The Bible
tells us repeatedly to shun such practices. This woman wanted to discredit the
missionaries by attaching herself to them as though she were in agreement with
them. Third, the Bible says she had a demon. Paul knew the difference and again
obediently acted on the prompting of the Holy Spirit. He commanded the demon to
leave the woman and it did within the hour. The Bible does not tell us that she
became a believer, but I don't think that Paul or the Holy Spirit would have
left the woman vulnerable to more demonic activity. Besides, in verse 19, Luke
tells us that her masters were angry because they realized she was no longer of
any value to them. That would imply that she did indeed become a believer.
In fact her masters were so angry
about loosing their gains that they caused an uproar among the people, brought
Paul and Silas to the magistrates, and accused them of teaching treasury. Paul
and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison. This small obstacle did not stop
Paul and Silas from preaching and praising the Lord. They must have had quite
the revival that night. Luke said all the prison
doors were opened and all the shackles were loosened. But not one prisoner
desired to escape. When the guard realized what had happened, he raised his
sword to kill himself, but Paul stopped him with the amazing news that everyone
was there. The guard fell on his knees in gratitude and reverence. He realized
that something powerful occurred and he wanted what everyone else had --
salvation.
Verse 30 and 31:
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be
saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved,
and your house. How sweet is this message to those who seek
salvation. But be careful not to take it out of context. Verse 32 is often
missed when relating the salvation plan. And they spoke
to him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. Paul
and Silas did not tell them all they had to do was believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. That is only half of the message. Throughout all Scripture the message
has always been REPENT and BELIEVE. To only preach one aspect of God's plan of
salvation is like trying to fly with only one wing. When Paul spoke to the guard
and his household, the message was not changed in anyway.
CONCLUSION:
The early church started with
repentance and faith and it will only continue as long as we continue to address
the whole truth of the gospel. People want to know they are good. We strive
constantly to prove ourselves worthy of all sorts of merits. But we cannot win
salvation by merit. It is by grace alone. We must face the hideousness of our
sin and the gruesomeness of the cross before we can receive the grace, mercy,
and love of Christ with heartfelt gratitude.
This chapter ends with a bold
proclamation of citizenship. The law prohibited a Roman citizen to be beaten
without a fair trial. As Roman citizens, Paul and Silas knew their rights. The
magistrates wanted to acquit them privately, but Paul would have none of it. He
insisted that the magistrates publicly apologize to them.
As American citizens, we have the
right to worship God, but many Christians seem to think that we must be passive
about it. Paul was bold in the Lord and declared his rights as a Roman citizen.
God preserved this account to remind us that he expects us to boldly stand up
and claim our rights as citizens. Let's not forget, while we are citizens of
God's kingdom, we are also citizens of an earthly kingdom. In America, our
children have the right to read their Bibles at public schools. They have the
right to pray to the true God. We have the right to speak about our Lord and
Savoir. These are part of the bylaws of every state in the union.
Prayer Requests:
Melinda & Barry and family, Jenn, Jordan, Joey, Phyllis and husband, Barb, J.J., Joyce, Nora, Karen and Raph, Ann, Trinity, Wyatt, Johanna, Irene, Enos, Chelsea, Helen, Mildred, Norma, Jace, Pauline, Zeb’s family, our Monday Bible Study, special unspoken needs, and remember me, Brenda Hendricks.
Praise Report:
Cassi, a twelve-year-old who recently had surgery with severe complications, is now restored to good health. Aaron, a fifteen-year-old who recently had surgery on his feet, is enjoying the wonder of walking without aide. We are looking forward to more praise reports. Please keep us informed so we can share the wonderful grace of Jesus.
Next Weeks Study:
Read Acts 17. Using the Law in evangelism.
Invitation:
Although we have not chosen to be, we are all born into sin because of the fall of man. Sounds hopeless and unfair, but God in His infinite wisdom and abundant love has provided a choice for us. We can choose to repent of our sinful nature and believe in Jesus Christ. He is faithful and will cleanse us from sin and give us His Holy Spirit to equip us to live for Him. If you’ve made your choice to repent and believe in Jesus, we’d like to hear about it.If you are free in Christ Jesus, pray for those who remain captive. And tell others, Christians as well as non-believers, what Jesus has done for you. Your testimony will benefit them and help you to strengthen your confidence in Christ’s work in your life and in the future.
If you’d like to participate in our Monday Bible Study, please contact us with your comments, questions, and prayer requests at twosmallfish@twosmallfish.org .
A special reminder: to find out what other readers have to say check out the comment page.
May God grant you safety, reassurance of His love, and the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Brenda Hendricks
.