Lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P. O. Box 1173

Claypool, Arizona 85532

520-425-8345

Date: 12-10-00

Sermon Number: 028

Text: Acts 16:16-40

Topics Addressed in this Lesson

(The providence of God in Salvation)

In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul declared, ". . . I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16 NASB)

In the tenth chapter he wrote, "For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." {12} For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; {13} for "WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." {14} How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!" (Romans 10:11-15 NASB)

These texts remind us that a sinner must hear, understand, and believe, the Gospel or he can never be saved. For the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of the sinner. That is why God moves heaven and earth in whatever way necessary so that at the right time the elect have the Gospel presented to them. He may bring the sinner to the Gospel or He may take the Gospel to the sinner. But one thing is certain; God saves His people through the hearing and believing of the Gospel. In Ephesians 1:13 Paul, speaking to Christians, said this; "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise," This it the way of salvation. Everyone who is a Christian now has at some time heard the message of truth, has believed that message, and was saved for all time and eternity by God the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation and God sees to it that all His lost sheep hear the Gospel.

In our last study of the book of Acts we were granted some insight into how God gets the Gospel to His lost children. I speak of Lydia of Philippi in Macedonia. Paul and his companions had determined to preach the Gospel in Asia but God prevented them from doing so. They tried to enter Mysia but the Spirit of Jesus said no. The only place they were permitted to minister was in Philippi. That is where a woman named Lydia resided. This woman was one of God’s elect but lost children and it was time for her to be saved. Therefore, she must hear the Gospel, which is the power of God for the salvation of sinners. Therefore, a preacher must be sent to explain the Gospel to her. There were others who would be saved in time but at that moment in history Lydia was all that mattered. It was her time, God’s time, for her to be saved from His coming wrath.

When she heard the Gospel God opened her heart so that she understood and believed the truth. She trusted in Christ for forgiveness of sins and was in that moment saved. The Gospel was then explained to her family and they were also granted the repentance that leads to eternal life. Paul, Silas, and Timothy could not have been any place else on earth at that moment in time for God had determined to save this woman and her family.

In today’s lesson we see yet another who must be saved as well as the path that God’s messengers must walk to get the Gospel to him. Today we witness the salvation of the Philippian Jailer and his family. The road to this man’s salvation was strewn with sorcery, fortune-telling, mobs, an arrest, beatings, imprisonment, the singing of hymns, an earthquake, and at last, the preaching of the Gospel and the exercise of faith. It is a fascinating story that illustrates how God works all things together for the good of those who love, or will love, God and are the called according to His purpose. This lesson will remind us to look beyond difficult, wicked, frightening, even dangerous, circumstances to the good things God is accomplishing through them for his people.

This slave-girl was possessed by the devil, a demon, a spirit of divination. This demon apparently enabled the girl to literally or, at least, appear, to see into the future. The text reveals that the demon understood the truth of the Gospel and that these men were true servants of God. For by the voice of this girl the demon declared, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." This demon spoke the truth, he had great knowledge, but he was still a demon. With all his understanding of God and of truth, he was not a Christian, he was a devil, using and abusing this poor unbeliever. By this, we are reminded of a very serious and solemn truth; not all faith is saving faith. An intellectual understanding of the details and facts of Christianity does not make one a Christian. True saving faith cannot exist apart from the details and facts contained in the Gospel but it does not stop there either. True faith goes way beyond the data. This devil knew the truth when he heard it. He knew a real servant of God when he saw one. He knew that sinners need to be saved in order to escape the wrath of God. He understood the way of salvation but he was not saved himself, he remained a demon, a servant of the devil. And the sad thing is, humans can have this kind of faith, a faith that does them no eternal good. How does one tell the difference between the faith of devils and the faith that saves?

To put it simply, the faith that saves is the faith that changes the sinner into a lover of God and of man. Of course the classic passage dealing with this issue of saving verses non saving faith is found in James 2:14-20 where James asks, "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?

The works spoken of are works of love toward God and man that are the product and result of faith. Good works consist of obedience to the truth from a heart of love and devotion of God as one’s Father. Good works toward our fellow man consist of serving him and meeting his needs, physically and spiritually, when it is in our power to do so because of our love for God and Christ. These "works" are the children or fruit of real saving faith. Which faith cannot be shown or proven without such works. Therefore, James asks, "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?

Can that faith save him? {15} If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, {16} and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? {17} Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (In other words, faith that does not move one to love God and his neighbor is not saving faith at all. The devil possesses this kind of sterile, fruitless, loveless, faith. He and his demons believe in God, Christ, God the Holy Spirit, they have no bobt of their existence or power. The demons know and believe the gospel but they do not love God, Christ, or Christians, rather they hate them. Such belief, such faith, cannot save a devil or a man.) {18} But someone may well say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Here James makes his point clear by offering a challenge. "Prove to me you have saving faith without the evidence of good works." On course this is something that cannot be done. For true faith is always accompanied by real fruit, the fruit of good works toward God and man. Saving faith cannot be proven to exist except by the affect it has on its possessor. Saving faith turns one into a lover of God and man. James says, "I have this evidence and can prove that I am saved but you cannot."

{19} You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. {20} But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?" Faith that does not produce works of love toward God and man is not saving faith. It consists of knowledge, of information, of data, but it has no redeeming value.

This demon-possessed woman recognized the true servants of God. She recognized the truth of the Gospel but she was not saved by this knowledge. She was still in the bonds of her iniquity, a slave, and servant, of the devil. Sadly she was helpless to free herself. This is not a unique historical event. Rather, this is a picture of all sinners, for all are slaves and servants of the devil as the scripture reveals.

We humans like to speak of freedom and self-determination. Many like to style themselves as the masters of their own destiny. But God the Holy Spirit, in this passage of scripture, tells us, clearly, that prior to being saved by God the sinner is "held captive by the devil to do his will." He has been snared, entrapped, he is not free to do what is right and good. He is not free to go to God. So, as the text indicates, the minister of the gospel must proceed patiently with people. He must preach and teach the truth, the good news, understanding that the people to whom he speaks are enslaved to the devil and can only be freed by a miracle of grace. God must grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. He must bring them to their senses and facilitate their escape from the snare of the devil just as He set this slave girl free from demon possession. She was helpless to free herself just as sinners are helpless to free themselves from the bonds of iniquity.

Acts 16:18 "And she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it (the spirit of divination) came out at that very moment." Behold the power of God over the Evil one! With a word this woman was set free from demon possession. Likewise, with a word the sinner who God chooses to save is immediately set free to trust in and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

One might think that with this exorcism a problem was solved but in reality another was created. Look at verse nineteen. {19} But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities,

If its not one thing, its another! Doors had been closed in their faces, a demon possessed girl had tormented them and hindered their work for days, now they have been dragged before the authorities. It is not immediately apparent, but what we are witnessing is God working all things together for good for those who are called and will be called according to His purpose. We are being walked through the details that had to be in place for the salvation of the Philippian Jailor.

{20} and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, {21} and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans." (This was, of course, a lie.) {22} And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them, (Paul and Silas were stripped) and proceeded to order them to be BEATEN WITH RODS. {23} And when THEY HAD INFLICTED MANY BLOWS upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; {24} and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks."

Talk about confusion and discouragement! Might not both of these men have been doubting their call to the ministry? "Surely if God intended that we be ministers of the Gospel He would keep us from such danger and hardship, wouldn’t He?" Paul and Silas had every human excuse to be cast down and depressed. But that was not the case. For, they knew that these circumstances had come from God. Therefore, they cast themselves upon His mercy and wisdom. They knew He had not left or forsaken them. I doubt if they knew what He had in mind but I am certain they knew that He was in control. Therefore, they made the best of the situation and, after being arrested, beaten, thrown into prison, and locked in stocks, they worshipped God. {25} "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;"

In essence, these men were continuing their evangelistic work. They were letting their light shine in a very dark place to the praise and glory of God. In addition, they were comforting and encouraging themselves in a dangerous and frightening situation. Here are wonderful lessons for the Christian. By peering through this prison window we see that it is always time to pray and worship God. It is always time to be concerned about our Christian witness and the souls of the lost. It is never just about us. Paul and Silas remind me of Job who, having lost his children and wealth, fell down and worshiped saying, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." He knew, as these missionaries knew, that God does all things and He does them right, whether we understand His ways or not. It is always time to worship, pray, and to sing praise to God and to trust Him with our lives.

One might attribute the opening of the prison doors to natural causes since an earthquake could twist the doorframes so that latches fail to hold. Many commentators have said as much. However, the next statement takes it all to a new and supernatural level. Not only were the doors opened, the stocks and chains fell open as well. This was without a doubt the work of God.

{27} And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and had seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. (The Jailor’s attempted suicide is explained by the fact that; any jailer who lost a prisoner would be put to death by the Romans. This man preferred to take his own life rather than suffer at the hands of the authorities.) {28} But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!" (How can this be explained except by the intervention of God? For, under normal circumstances, prisoners set free would immediately try to escape. But not this time, God kept them from dong so.) {29} And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, {30} and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Believe it or not there are those who argue that the Jailer was doing nothing more than asking, "What do I need to do to keep from being executed," saved from being put to death. But that could not be the case for all the prisoners were present and accounted for. There was no reason for him to fear for his physical life. This question concerned his soul. He had listened to the singing and praising of God. He had witnessed the demeanor of these men who had been beaten and imprisoned for no good reason. Perhaps in the singing and praising of God there were things said about man’s guilt, the coming judgment, and one’s need to be saved from it. Somehow, not revealed in the text, Paul and Silas made known to this man his need of Christ. On top of that was the miracle. All the doors were open. All the stocks fell off yet, no man tried to escape. All of these things, not to mention the working of God in the mans heart, moved him to ask, "What must I do to be saved?" "What must I do to have my sins forgiven?" "What must I do to be made right with God?" "What is required of me by the Creator who has condemned me for my sin?" "How do I get Jesus to be my Savior?" The answer given was brief and to the point.

{31} And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." (If this man would trust in Christ he would be saved, and , if the individual members of his family trusted in Christ they would be saved as well.) {32} And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.

This last statement tells us that Paul went on to explain to both the jailor and his family what it meant to believe in Christ. This was necessary since the man might have thought that some great thing must be done to be saved. This, after all, was a common mind-set as evidenced the exchange recorded in John 6:26-29 NASB where Jesus says, "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal." {28} They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" (That is, how do we perform the work you speak of, work that will result in eternal life? What things, what deeds, must we perform to be acceptable to God?) {29} Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, (This is how you "work" for the food which endures to eternal life.) that you believe in Him whom He has sent." In other words, there is no work to do at all. Rather, one must trust in the work that Jesus has done on behalf of sinners. The sinner who wants to be saved from the wrath come must believe in, accept, receive, trust in, run to, come to, Christ whom God has sent for the salvation of sinners. THIS IS WHAT MUST BE DONE BY MAN FOR SALVATION. That is exactly what Paul told the Philippian Jailor.

{33} "And he (the Jailer) took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. (Obviously, both the Jailor and the individual members of his family acknowledged their belief in Jesus as Savior and Lord. That is why Paul baptized them.) {34} And he (the Jailer) brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household."

The mission had been accomplished. The Gospel had been delivered to this lost sheep, the Philippian Jailor and he was saved. God knew exactly what He was doing all along, but on the human side there were many mysterious and confusing events involved in the man’s salvation. God’s servants had to suffer much hardship and pass through great danger and fear on their way to this elect soul. But they trusted in their Sovereign God and believed that He was in charge doing what was right and good even though they could not tell what He had in mind.

The words, "And when they saw the BRETHREN, they encouraged them and departed," reveal that a church had sprung up in Philippi. No longer was it just Lydia and her family, there were others, "the brethren". Now, the Jailer and his family would add themselves to the local church and the good news would continue to spread. This brings us to the end of our text.

This lesson reminds us that God has a plan for the salvation of His people and He is working it out. That plan has in it all the ingredients necessary for the salvation of each one of His Elect people. He will see to it that all His lost Sheep hear and believe the Gospel. He will do so in spite of any obstacle or opposition. He will save His people from their sin in the car, in an airplane, or in a dark dungeon. When all is said and done everyone for whom Christ shed His blood with believe in Him for salvation.

Secondly we find great encouragement for messengers of the Gospel, which we are. We must never be surprised when we find themselves in difficult situations or strange places. For God has brought us to this place. It just might be that somewhere, very close by, there is one of God’s lost sheep that needs to hear the good news from our lips. One who needs to see how a Christian handles hard times.

Are you in the hospital? Look for and remember the lost. Are you traveling? Look for the lost. Have you been thrown into prison? Look for someone who will allow you to explain the way of salvation to them. Let your light shine in every situation. Always pray, always worship, always sing praises to God for in doing so you are bearing witness to the people around you. And you never know, one of them might be the very reason you were brought to this place. Remember, we make our plans but the plans of God are the ones that will come to pass. He moves heaven and earth for His children both lost and saved. He does so for His glory and their good. Ours is to submit to the daily providence of God and watch for opportunity to love God, your brothers and sisters, and your lost neighbor.