Acts 16:6-40 - Trusting God Through Adversity and Success

Every trip begins somewhere. How on earth do we decide where and when to go? And who to take with us? Acts 16 gives us insight into how much God loves us and his providential power to lead us.

        We are a road-tripping family. That’s often the case with Western Canadians. We get used to the highways, as straight, long, and snow-covered as they may be. And having five kids, we couldn’t afford to fly. So we piled the kids in the minivan, and off we’d go - West to Vancouver Island, East to Saskatchewan, or south to the gold ol’ USA. We’ve always made it a family habit to pray in the vehicle before we embark. We recognize the need for God’s guidance and protection.

        This Scripture passage reminds us that God cares about our path; He goes to great lengths to get us on it! God’s GPS is much better than Garmin’s. God will call or prompt or nudge or draw us to go where we are needed. Right to the bullseye. Yet, we rarely know all the details of the locale, the route, or the means of travel. Embrace that uncertainty. The Holy Spirit will provide for us to get where we need to be. He’s brought us this far! But beware; the demons will put up as many roadblocks as possible. And remember that God implores us to hold fast and firmly to Jesus and our confession of faith (Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Peter 5:9, 1 Corinthians 15:58, etc.). God gives us all the light we need. But He does not force us. It’s God’s gift and our privilege to be on God’s path.

        This passage shows God’s unique creativity. It is a reminder to put away cookie-cutter programs, mandatory church planting modules, and step-by-step guides. Anyone that’s been on a hop-on, hop-off bus or cruise will tell you it is nowhere near as fun as a unique itinerary. Just like visiting New York-New York in Vegas is nothing like a visit to the actual city. God's purposes always prevail. And He has a unique plan made just for you. Yes, we need teams. And yes, we need well-managed organizations. But don’t trust in anything other than God. Like Paul, we must have a strong desire to go and take action. Christian work takes courage. In the Christian life, we don’t get a set, simplistic itinerary. We must go in faith. And we need not worry that we are nobodies from nowhere. That’s who God loves to use. God is the author and creator of excellent outcomes through unlikely actors and humble beginnings. 

Paul, Silas, and Timothy ventured, town by town, to the bustling Roman colony of Philippi. It was precisely where they needed to be, albeit via a circuitous route. This was Paul’s second church-building and soul-winning excursion. He was learning as he was going. Undoubtedly our path will be filled with adversity and extraordinary outcomes. Please be encouraged by God’s word. God has a good and pleasing plan for you. You are the perfect person for the work God needs to be done. Like Paul and his companions in Philippi, I believe men and women of Christ are about to turn the world upside down. God is not finished with us yet. Salt and Light will do just what God wants us to do. He is not yet done building His Kingdom.

This is a crazy and unlikely story, my favorite kind. Who looks for a prayer meeting by a riverbank? Paul and Silas (Silas was a prophet 15:32) did. They feared God, obeyed God, and didn’t allow their prejudices to bar the fruit God had ripened. We must be alert as it can be easy to miss what God presents. Some of the mysteries of this story will have to go unsolved until we get to eternity. Who was the man in Paul’s dream calling them to Macedonia? What was the name of the Jailer? We won’t find out in this lifetime. God’s always way ahead of us. Let’s catch up. It’s a day for action.

Like Cornelius, Lydia worshiped God and had some sort of a relationship with God or at least a distinct desire to know Him when God brought her the message of Jesus (v.14). Lydia listened to the news, and God worked on her heart to give her understanding and then she believed. Oh, the power of sharing God’s message, nay, the power of the news itself!  

Notice too, just like Cornelius - and as we’ll see in a minute, the awestruck Jailor - both Lydia and other members of her household were baptized. Being a Christian is very much an individual thing (God knows your name and requires each of us to accept or reject His gift), but the Christian way is very much one of fellowship and community. Knowing God impacts our entire household. A life of integrity starts inside our own home and grows outward from there (Psalm 101:2). You are a bright light where you are. That is why we are often more effective in non-Christian organizations.

        We are what Jesus wants us to be when we act as salt (Jesus’ preservative and nourishment for the world) and light (showing the way forward). That is when we share God’s message of love and redemption through Jesus Christ. We must continue to fear God. Little concerns me more than overconfidence and self-deceit. May we not fall victim to Satan’s schemes. So many do not fear God. They have every confidence in themselves yet care little for what God thinks. God's opinion is the only one that matters. We see in this passage that we can trust the Holy Spirit to transform people (Lydia, the Jailor, and their households) with forgiveness of sins and faith in Jesus Christ. God is doing the same transformative work today.

Paul and Silas and Timothy didn’t need multi-layered organizational support. We overcomplicate things with our programs, bureaucracy, and hierarchies. Like the Acts Church, we should keep it simple and rely on Jesus Christ. Jesus is the author of Creation. He has all the resources that we need. And he is already at work in people’s lives and hearts. He has prepared His harvest. Oh, Lord Jesus, please let us speak your words of life. Thank you! Amen.

Let’s talk about the writer of Acts for just a minute. Luke is a reliable author. Luke traveled with Silas, Paul, and Timothy. He was there in Philippi and saw Lydia baptized. He stayed in her house like the others did and saw firsthand the miracles and the severe beatings Paul and Silas received alongside them. Who knows, maybe Luke, too, was beaten. We don’t know. Luke was a doctor, a historian, and a man of God. And he was an ambassador for Jess Christ, a disciple-maker, and a church planter. What’s history good for? Well, a lot. History is about taking to heart the repeated ways of mankind. The cycles, trends, and consequences. And it is about the faithful love of God. It is about understanding personal responsibility to best prepare for eternity. Scripture is that, but much more. Through Scripture, God answers mysteries and all sorts of extraordinary revelations. I thank God that he used Luke to write this reliable account. Ok, back to the story.

Demons are as real today as they were when Luke wrote this. We have the authority of Jesus, as servants of the Most High God, to rebuke demons in the name of Jesus Christ. Remember that Jesus said we must fast and pray. Take these matters seriously and remember that God’s strength and name have the authority, not ours. And think of this: the demon-possessed girl knew and spoke the truth. That’s sobering. How often have we listened to demon-possessed people and thought we heard from God-directed people? Make sure you use discernment in who you listen to.  

Here, God performed signs and wonders to free Paul and Silas and to show the Jailer God’s power. This jailbreak is even wilder than Peter’s escape with the angel in Jerusalem. That was amazing, but this story is even more so. People, like the Jailer, when they see the power of God, and the joy of His followers, want to know how to be saved. We must share God’s good message of salvation through Jesus Christ. This jailbreak story shows the character and resolve of Silas and Paul. It’s also incredible because it shows starkly how lukewarm our Christianity is today. If our churches believe in Jesus and His power to transform lives, we should immediately baptize believers after they accept Jesus. We’d do as the Acts Church did. As Peter did with Cornelius. And as Paul and Silas did with Lydia, her household, the Jailer, and his household. Why? Because time is of the essence - it is so important to live for Jesus and to be transformed by Jesus. That’s why.

Lord Jesus, please use us to help grow your Church. Like you did so miraculously in Philippi. And please strengthen our character and our resolve. Amen.