Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
How often have you greeted the sunrise with something like, “well, it’s a new day, I wonder what this day will bring?” I think it might have been like that for Paul, Silas and the jailer as they awakened the night after the great earthquake which broke open the Philippi prison!
Yet I think the transformation of the jailer and his family as they came to know Jesus was more spectacular and long lasting than the prison demolition in the earthquake. What do you think?
After thanking the jailer for their meal and his attention to their beating wounds the night before, I imagine Paul had asked, ‘so, now what?’ To which the jailer had likely explained that they needed to go back to the prison to await the magistrates of Philippi who would most certainly be looking for them.
So back they went, and the record tells us that: “When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jail with the order: ‘Release those men!’ The jailer told Paul, ‘The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.’ (Acts 16:35,36) Wow, what a turn of events?! What happened here? Well, we don’t really know what happened, perhaps the magistrates had met and discussed the events which ended Paul and Silas in prison, and it appears they had a change of heart. Maybe they found out about the earthquake and that Paul and Silas didn’t run, and that showed them an integrity that should be rewarded with release from prison.
What I do know is Paul responded to this offer of freedom in a very interesting and perhaps perplexing way. The record says this: “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.” (Acts 16:37)
Now friends, do you think Paul is being unreasonable, or is being obstinate? Is Paul negating the wonderful example he was for us yesterday when he handled the persecution and beating in such an admirable way?
Roman citizenship was a big deal in the first century. It was not easy to obtain, but once you had it, there were many advantages. One of them had to do with the legal system. Roman citizens were NOT permitted to be punished without a fair trial. Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
Having been beaten and thrown into prison without any trial that now placed the magistrates of Philippi in great danger for if Paul and Silas sought to make their case with regional authorities these magistrates themselves could be removed from their positions and possibly imprisoned.
That is why the record next tells us: “The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 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.” (Acts 16:38-40)
It does not appear there was an angry confrontation, but I think it’s safe to assume there was at least a discussion and perhaps an apology from the magistrates to Paul and Silas.
Do you notice Paul and Silas went directly to Lydia’s home and while there it appears a group of people gathered fairly quickly. This tells me that Paul and Silas had been in Philippi for quite some time and not only had Lydia and her household come to faith in Jesus, but several, perhaps many others.
This group was the beginning of the Jesus movement in Macedonia and before Paul and Silas would leave the area, I’m sure they wanted to have one last gathering of teaching, encouragement, and prayer with these people. Paul had no idea when he’d be back to Philippi, and these new Christians knew of no other Christians in that area.
Perhaps their meeting went long into the night, and maybe even a wonderful meal together. I’m sure there were many tears of farewell. They were becoming good friends, even a spiritual family as Luke referred to them as brothers and sisters in Christ!
About 12 years later Paul would write one of his most encouraging, joy filled letters to these dear people in Philippi. We have it in our Bible as the book of Philippians and in the opening of that letter Paul writes this to these dear friends: ” I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:3-6) Do you hear Paul’s love for these dear friends? Do you hear that Paul often prays for them and he does so with joy?
May I ask, do you have friends like that? Friend who each time you think of them a smile crosses your face. Friends that you enjoy praying for and when you do, you pray with joy. Do you see Paul was confident God was working in Philippi, among these his friends, while he was away from them for years at a time? Can I have that same confidence for you, especially those of you I’ve never met personally?
Finally do you see Paul thanking the Christians in Philippi for their partnership in the Gospel? That tells me that as Paul, Silas, Timothy and Dr Luke were in this final gathering with these new Christians in Philippi, before they are about to leave town and continue on their journey westward, some of these people made promises to Paul about praying diligently for Paul and his team as they traveled.
Daily prayer partners are vital in missionary work, do you understand that my friends? Are you part of the daily prayer partner team for any people who have gone to other places for the purpose of sharing Jesus Christ and His Gospel with those people in that new place? Perhaps some of these folks, including Lydia, gave Paul some finances before he left Philippi, anticipating they would need to buy food, and pay for lodging as they continued their journey.
As we pause here for today, let’s just watch them as they pray together for a last time, embrace one another, and say their goodbyes. Maybe some of these friends even walked with Paul, Silas, Timothy and Dr Luke to the city gates of Philippi and bid them farewell.
Watch them now, as these four men head down the road, leaving behind a remarkable experience of several weeks watching God start a church in Philippi. What is ahead for them? How will Philippi prepare them for what God knows is awaiting them at the end of the road which stretches out before them. As they walk they talk, I’m sure. We’ll join them again tomorrow as they reach a new town. For today here’s a great worship song that might reflect what they were thinking as they walked…
Today’s Scripture is Acts 16:35-40.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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