Subscription Lists

Acts 16:25f. Paul and Silas have been praising and worshipping the living God - the only God there is - in that prison cell - and God honours their testimony. The jailer falls trembling before Paul and Silas. He brings them out and asks - "What must I do to be saved?" I do not want to perish. What do I have to do to escape what is awaiting me - and receive what you have received?

Verse 31. They replied. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household." It is significant that this is said to a man - to the head of the house - "Believe,…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:25. In a way Paul and Silas appear to be in a mess. In that Philippian prison they are hurting and scarred and sore, yet they are singing - "Jesus is Lord - Thou art worthy - Hallelujah, Hallelujah, give thanks to the risen Lord - Exalt the Lord our God - How great thou art!" And God joined in and shook everything!

Suddenly there was a great earthquake. The foundations of the prison were shaken - all the doors flew open - everybody's chains fell off - and nobody ran away.

Here we see the greatness of the power of God. It shakes the whole jail…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:25-40. These two men of God, Paul and Silas, are in this Philippian prison, as a direct consequence of their ministry in the Name of Jesus Christ, and in the Power of the Holy Spirit. That girl had been delivered from an evil spirit - a python spirit.

None of us in our fellowship in Scotland has experienced being in prison for our faith - yet! How would we face up to that if it became a distinct possibility? How would we react and respond if we were confronted by some kind of threat, because we claimed to belong to Jesus Christ?

We saw how the ministry…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:18, Paul sets a girl free from an evil spirit which was controlling her. She was released from that evil spirit which controlled and dominated her life. This too can be part of mission, but how often is that taught today?

She was a slave in more ways than one. Now she is released but release for her meant financial loss to her owners. When the hope of personal profit is gone, trouble usually comes.

Some people want to make money and they do not mind how they do it. They exploit human weakness, and when the Holy Spirit moves, such men are going to lose…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:17, this girl who was deeply involved in the occult and who was owned by pimps, followed Paul, shouting and screaming - "These men are servants of the most high God who are telling you the way to be saved." Every word is true. She is being fed the truth about Paul, but from a wrong source. It has been said that today she would have been welcomed as a founder member of the fellowship in Philippi.

This went on for a number of days. Paul ignores it and puts up with it for a few days.

Paul is not going to be diverted suddenly. He wants to preach the…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:16, we have read of Paul and Silas making their way to the place of prayer. They were concentrating their ministry where the interest was keenest. God began to work with those who were gathering for prayer.

All of a sudden, a certain young girl who had an evil spirit met them and followed them. It is amazing what can happen to you on the way to the Prayer Meeting - to prevent, hinder, delay, distract, or stop altogether.

Sometimes the hardest part of the Prayer Meeting or the Worship service is getting there - getting from your place to the place of Prayer…  ( Click for more )

Acts 16:16 - God has led Paul and Silas over to Europe. They are based in Philippi, and this business woman, Lydia, has come to faith in Jesus Christ and so has her household. After they have been baptised, Paul and Silas are invited to her home. They are given hospitality of the highest quality.

This was God's best for Paul. We read of how he was prevented from going north to Bithynia in modern day Turkey, when he has this vision to come over to Macedonia and preach the Gospel in Europe.

God does not let Paul have his own way, and neither will He permit…  ( Click for more )

We are in Acts 16:11. Now these men of God, led by the Holy Spirit, have crossed over into Europe and are in the central city of that region, Philippi. The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been proclaimed there before. What are they to do? Where is the best place to begin ministering? Where are the most interested and likely people?

There was no synagogue! The situation is real virgin territory. You needed ten Jewish men to have a synagogue and there were not even ten men who believed in God in the whole city. But there were some women meeting on the Sabbath…  ( Click for more )

As we read on in Acts 16:9,10 let me just remark that this is Study 100 which I have prepared on the book of ACTS. The missionary team sail from Troas - just beside Troy - over to Europe - and they make for Philippi - the main city of that part of Greece. Philippi had a strong Roman colony, and there was also a famous medical school, which gives rise to the question - "Was this where Luke did his medical training?"

Permit me one further personal remark. Many years ago when I was only eight years old, God called me to serve Him. The following Sunday at Sunday School…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:9, we see that having prevented Paul and the missionary team from going north, God has something else for Paul. God always has something for His servants. Paul receives a vision. One night a man appears to him and says - pleading with him - "Come over into Macedonia and help us."

Now, they realised why they had been prevented from going north. Jesus had to close a door before He could open this door, and sometimes that is upsetting and distressing when God closes a door, but through that vision God met with Paul and spoke with Paul and made some things clear.…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:7, we read of how God has to close certain doors sometimes - doors which we desire to go through - and our motives can be high and pure and worthy - but GOD HAS SOMETHING ELSE FOR US. We don't always see that at the time, and when HE says "NO", He doesn't always give us the reason and full explanation. We just have to accept what HE says, and that HE is Sovereign. Jesus Christ is LORD and our calling, role, task and joy is to serve HIM. Come to terms with this hard challenging lesson. That is the best way to live!

The missionary team came to…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 16:6, we are reading of Paul and Silas setting out on what has become known as The Second Missionary Journey. They visit Christian Fellowships - strengthening the believers - reassuring and confirming the disciples - giving encouragement to each individual believer in Jesus.

We can never over-emphasise this aspect of mission. We need to be strengthened continually - in the service of Jesus Christ - and for the service of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God. Over the years I have met very few confident, strong, reassured, disciples of Jesus.

We saw how…  ( Click for more )

At the end of Acts 15 we read of rift between Paul and Barnabas, resulting in two missionary teams instead of one! Now, I am not saying the rift was good, but we do see that God used it for good. Is there anything which separates Christians worth holding on to? Is there anything worth dividing over?

This rift arose and Paul and Silas move off to Syria and Cilicia. They go, confirming the churches, strengthening every fellowship, reassuring them, grounding them in the faith, and encouraging each group.

When they come to Derbe and Lystra Paul meets a young…  ( Click for more )

Acts 15 describes how a horrendous situation was avoided and how men of God who were leaders in the church of Jesus Christ handled a potentially explosive situation in the city of Antioch. Paul and Barnabas are back there too, and note their work - teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord - with many others also.

This is what moulds our characters. This is what gives us quality, and transforms us into the men and women Jesus Christ wants us to be.

All this is New Testament reality. It is real. This was how the Church of Jesus Christ should have remained -…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 15, we read of how The Church of Jesus Christ dealt with that serious problem which could have caused such deep division.

The Church faced up to the problem. We too must do this at times. The Church was open to listen to the leaders - to those in positions of responsibility - and also open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Listening to men - sensitive to the Holy Spirit - and arriving at a unanimous decision.

Notice how the whole church welcomes the leadership of the leaders, and did not question their judgment. The solution to the problem was a blend…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 15, a lovely and wise decision has been made by the Church in Jerusalem to resolve a highly contentious problem, with its potentially divisive characteristics.

Verse 24. Some of our members have troubled you unnecessarily. We gave them no such authority, to come to you and speak in these upsetting and distressing ways, but we have come to one mind on the matter, and we send this letter with these men, to explain everything to you.

Verse 25. Our dear friends - (Greek means beloved) - Barnabas and Paul. Speak well of fellow Christians - even although you…  ( Click for more )

The leadership is dealing with a contentious difficult situation, which has arisen in the Church of Jesus Christ, and Peter arises with the right word at the right moment. Now that is part of mature leadership. Peter explains - Acts 15:7,8 - I remember when I was thrown into a Gentile situation, and the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ blessed these Gentile people with the Holy Spirit. In this present situation, let's NOT add unnecessary yokes and laws. Peter speaks from his own experience. Learn from the experiences you have experienced, and be prepared to share…  ( Click for more )

A contentious issue has arisen in Antioch as a consequence of unsent unwanted visitors arriving and introducing foreign material into the fellowship. Paul and Barnabas and a few fellow disciples are dispatched to Jerusalem to deal with this matter.

In Acts 15:3, we read that along the way, on the road to Jerusalem, every opportunity is taken. Even problems can be used for the advantage of the Gospel.

Verse 5. There were Pharisees who had been converted to Jesus Christ, but they still wanted to hold on to their old legalistic ways. They had no real freedom and liberty.…  ( Click for more )

In Acts 15, unwanted troublesome visitors arrive in Antioch and say things which could have unsettled the Church of Jesus Christ and brought it back under the law.

Paul and Barnabas, with a few other disciples are dispatched to Jerusalem to raise this contentious matter with the leadership. These issues MUST be confronted and dealt with urgently. They are welcomed in Jerusalem, but there arose a fierce furious argument. Some people would want to say today, "Let's keep off doctrine and theology. Let's keep politics out of the pulpit. These divide us. Let's…  ( Click for more )

As we move on to Acts 15 the scene changes. What is called Paul's first missionary journey is over and we have been reading, yes, and I hope studying, over these weeks of everything that happened. Now Barnabas and Paul have returned to their local church. They have come home to rest and be refreshed - to recuperate and be repaired. They have also shared what God has been doing through them during these past two years.

That is important - to tell those who have prayed for you what God has done in you and with you and through you. Those who had supported…  ( Click for more )

At the end of Acts 14 we read of Paul and Barnabas returning home. They have travelled around 1,200 miles, and this missionary journey took around 2 to 3 years. There must have been the satisfaction of a job for Jesus well done.

They came into their local church and they began to share all that God had done with them - and through them. They gave a full report. I did this in Nairn when I came back from Uganda last December. We must share at times what Jesus has done with us and through us - especially with the people who have been praying for us. They had supported…  ( Click for more )

We are studying these final verses of Acts 14, where we learn that to be effective disciples in the New Testament sense, we must be rightly related in The Local Church. Christians can only be strong when they are committed and involved and worshipping and praying and serving and ministering and feeding upon The Word of God in loving fellowships.

Paul taught them that they were in for much trouble. Verse 22. Sadly, there are many who do not want to hear that truth! Paul could show them his own scars - the wounds and the bruises. This is how he strengthened disciples…  ( Click for more )

In Acts Chapter 14:21, Paul has come almost a complete circle, but instead of quietly and quickly making his way home, he says, "Let's go back and visit the disciples in all the places where we have preached - where there are now believers. Let's go and confirm them in the faith, and let's encourage them to remain faithful. Let's return and strengthen them and see if they are growing - maturing - enduring."

Paul really cared for those who came to believe in Jesus under his preaching. Paul had a shepherd's heart, and he was concerned that they did…  ( Click for more )

We are in Acts 14, and we come to this final section, verses 21 to 28. It is really all about the second half of this first missionary journey where Barnabas and Paul have been preaching and teaching and ministering, from Cyprus and across central Turkey.

We learn many basic fundamental principles in these passages. We saw a cripple man receiving faith, and soon he received the ability to walk. We saw these people in Lystra so impressed - so moved - by Paul and Barnabas that they want to worship them. But they got it so terribly wrong.

We saw that gang arriving…  ( Click for more )