"THE BOOK OF ACTS" Persecuted For Righteousness' Sake (16:16-25) INTRODUCTION 1. Jesus spoke of being persecuted for righteousness' sake... - Mt 5:10 2. The apostles of Christ certainly suffered much persecution... a. As Paul alluded to in his epistles - 1Co 4:9-13 b. Paul especially endured much suffering for Christ - 2Co 11:24-25 [Such persecution came as a result of trying to live godly or righteous lives (cf. 2Ti 3:12). At this point in our study of Acts, we find an example of Paul being "Persecuted For Righteousness' Sake"...] I. PAUL EXPELS A SPIRIT A. THAT POSSESSED A SLAVE GIRL... 1. She possessed "a spirit of divination" - Ac 16:16 a. The Greek speaks literally of a "python spirit." b. The python was the symbol of the famous Delphic oracle and represented the god Apollo, who was believed to render predictions of future events. c. The serpent had thus become a symbol of augury, and anyone who was seen to possess the gift of foretelling the future was described as led by the "python." -- Polhill, J. B. (1995). Vol. 26: Acts. The New American Commentary 2. She brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling - Ac 16:16 B. THAT GREATLY ANNOYED PAUL... 1. The possessed girl followed Paul and his companions on the way to prayer - Ac 16:17 2. She would cry out "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." - Ac 16:17 3. This she did for many days, which annoyed Paul - Ac 16:18; cf. Lk 4:34,41 4. Why was Paul annoyed ("grieved", KJV)? a. The acclamations may have been true in one sense b. But they were open to misunderstanding by pagan hearers c. The term "Most High God" was commonly applied to Zeus, and "the way of salvation" could also be misconstrued by Gentiles - Polhill, ibid. 5. "The course pursued by Paul was the same with that of Jesus, who invariably stopped the mouths of demons when they attempted to testify to his claims. The propriety of this course will be apparent upon observing: a. "First, That to have permitted demons to testify for the truth would have convinced the people that there was an alliance between them and the preachers. b. "Second, This supposed alliance would have caused all the good repute of Jesus and the apostles to reflect upon the demons, and all the evil repute of demons to reflect upon them. c. "If Christ and the apostles had given countenance to demons while telling the truth, they could have used their endorsement to gain credence when telling a lie; and thus, believers would have been left to the mercy of seducing spirits, fulfilling, with the apparent sanction of Christ, the prophesy of Paul that, 'In the latter times men shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, speaking lies in disguise, having the conscience seared with a hot iron.' (1Ti 4:1-2) d. "To guard against this result, it was necessary to exorcise all demons who ventured to speak in favor of the truth." -- McGarvey, J. W. (1872). A commentary on Acts of Apostles 5. So Paul commanded the spirit to come out, and it did that very hour - Ac 16:18 [In exorcising the spirit, Paul was doing the slave girl a kindness, an act of righteousness if you will. But as Jesus implied, righteousness can often lead to persecution...] II. PAUL AND SILAS ARE PERSECUTED A. BY MASTERS AND MAGISTRATES... 1. The slave girl's masters motivated by loss of profit - Ac 16:19-21 a. Seized Paul and Silas, dragging them to the marketplace and the authorities b. Accusing them as Jews troubling the city, teaching customs not lawful for Romans 2. The magistrates (normally two per colony) motivated by the multitude - Ac 16:22 a. As the multitude rose up together against Paul and Silas b. The magistrates tore off Paul and Silas' clothes, commanded them to be beaten with rods B. WITH BEATINGS AND IMPRISONMENT... 1. Beaten with rods - Ac 16:22-23 a. Probably by lictors; lit., rod bearers (the "officers") - cf. Ac 16:35,38 b. With many stripes; likely one of the three times Paul mentions - cf. 2Co 11:25 2. Imprisoned with stocks - Ac 16:23-24 a. Securely in the inner prison b. With feet fastened in stocks C. FOLLOWED BY PRAYER AND PRAISE... 1. Despite pain of beaten skin, discomfort of fastened feet - Ac 16:23-25 a. They prayed, likely with thanksgiving - cf. Php 4:6-7 b. They sang hymns to God (hymns are songs of praise and joy) - cf. Ep 5:19 2. Thus Paul and Silas rejoiced when persecuted for righteousness' sake! a. As Jesus told His disciples to do when persecuted - Mt 5:11-12; Lk 6:22-23 b. As other apostles did they were persecuted - Ac 5:41 CONCLUSION 1. By precept, we're told how to respond when persecuted for righteousness' sake... a. Jesus: "Rejoice...be exceedingly glad; leap for joy!" - Mt 5:12; Lk 6:23 b. Peter: "Rejoice...glorify God" - 1Pe 4:12-16 2. By example, we're told how to respond when persecuted for righteousness' sake... a. Pray, as Paul and Silas prayed to God in prison b. Sing, as Paul and Silas sang hymns to God in prison May the example of Paul and Silas inspire us to keep the precept...!Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2013
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