Sunday Readings : John 17. 20-26; Acts 16. 16-34; Psalm 97
Sermon preached on: – 7th Sunday of Easter- 02. 06.19
Over the last few weeks, we have been exploring the book of Acts of the apostles. And, the way, the church has spread throughout the world in the earliest days of Christianity. From Peter and the disciples standing up to the authorities, to Joppa, where Saul, a new believer is baptized, to Peter realizing God had included Gentiles, to Paul finding the women at the river and the conversion of Lydia- last Sunday, AND now, this unnamed woman in today’s reading is doubly bound, a slave to a cartel of human masters, and a slave to the evil spirit that possesses her. And so, in Jesus’ name, Paul sets this woman free and brings hope to the jailer.
Paul, Silas and most probably Luke (the author of the book of Acts) had come to Philippi to preach the Gospel. Why I am saying Luke was there because of the we (plural) passages denote that Luke travelled with Paul to share the good news of Christ. Our texts says, “One day, as WE were going to the place of prayer, WE met a slave-girl”
They had come to Philippi to preach the gospel. Philippi was in Macedonia. It is the first example we read about the gospel being proclaimed on the European mainland. The Holy Spirit had sent Paul and his partners from Asia Minor to Macedonia to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:6-10).
Last Sunday we learnt that the first convert was a business woman by the name of Lydia. She and her household were baptized into Jesus Christ (Acts 16:14,15). Whereas, Lydia was at least a woman of some independence (as the head of her household), but this second woman has no power of her own, no status of her own or freedom of her own. Yet she speaks the truth about Paul and his partners, following them all around town and providing useful advertising for Paul’s ministry.
But in the end, Paul cannot tolerate it any more. Perhaps even the truth, when proclaimed through abusive systems, ends up necessarily being distorted. It is her declaration that Paul and Silas offer “a way of salvation” (even in Greek its ambiguous) rather than clearly saying “the way of salvation” And so, in Jesus’ name, Paul sets the woman free from the spirit that had occupied her life.
We might expect the people who witness this, to react with awe, wonder, and even faith. Instead, there is greed, bigotry, and a hostile appeal to cultural-political identity that labels the “other” as different, and therefore as dangerous and a legitimate target of violence. Which we notice in our world today. Motivated by greed, the slave girl’s owners charge that Paul and Silas, as Jews, are advocating the practice of customs that undermine Roman law and practice. The magistrates then have them beaten and imprisoned.
Our text says ‘After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.‘
It seems as though bigotry had won the day. But, the first sign that the powers of this world are really not in charge comes with the surprising hymns coming from that innermost dark cell. We also, read a responsive Psalm 97 which declares the sovereignty of the Lord.
Making the Best of Things
“About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25).
Paul and Silas sing praises to God — not laments for the suffering (which would be understandable, appropriate, and biblical) — but praise for the privilege of being God’s servants in the face of injustice.
The book of Acts in 5 & 12 tells us that God has already sprung preachers of the Good News of Christ twice in the past from Roman prisons. So, we readers shouldn’t be surprised that the Philippian jail can’t hold Paul and Silas.
The earthquake in this text is certainly a strange one as it is one that sets free instead of trapping and crushing. This earthquake is the visible manifestation of God shaking this world’s powers to their foundations.
This is an escape story without an escape. Paul and Silas don’t leave. Being God’s servants does not mean escape from dangerous places, but means the opportunity to be the voice and the hands of Christ there. And so just as Paul and Silas shared the gospel in song with their fellow prisoners, now they save their jailer both from the suicide that Roman honor expected with a failure of duty (12:19), and MOST Importantly from a life without faith in Christ. Paul’s treatment of the jailer after his miraculous deliverance is a powerful witness to the nature of Christ’s love.
I believe, the jailer’s question is the key to this whole narrative: “What must I do to be saved? What must I do to be set free?”
The liberating good news of Jesus Christ Paul tells him also unshackles us from what imprisons and enslaves us. Each of us has our own form of chains or demons. It could be doubt or fear or anxiety; addiction; an inability to forgive yourself or someone else; self-pride or a controlling spirit; an illness-physical or mental; or painful childhood memories?
Each of us has our own version of a demon that might be holding us captive. We must not be afraid to name what it is that might be enslaving us. And to bring it to the light of Christ who is ever willing to help us to overcome it. The question of Paul’s jailer becomes THE question: What must I do to be set free? Our Lord says in John’s Gospel “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Jesus with His Gospel is the truth.
Just as Lydia’s life was changed by the gospel, so too is the life of this jailer. He washes the wounds of Paul and Silas, and he becomes their host. Here we notice some essential elements of Christian life. The call to faith in verse 31 and the rejoicing over faith in verse 34b frame a scene in which we find the Word of the Lord being spoken (32), service to others (33a), baptism (33b), and sharing a meal (34a). This is a picture of the church’s life, which the jailer has now entered by faith. I believe that this is a picture of Christ’s High Priestly Prayer which is our Gospel today.
In today’s gospel, Jesus prays for his disciples that they might be one even as he and the Father are one. He prays that his followers in every generation will be thus united, for it is by this unity that the world will come to believe that he has been sent by the Father.
The Lord has called us to be one and become his living witnesses. Every Christian has the responsibility to share the gospel of the Lord by word & deed. The gospel has the power to save souls, and we have the responsibility to teach it. The gospel can work effectively in all kinds of circumstances if we will have the kind of faith that Paul and Silas had.
The faith of Paul and Silas was one of courage, love and passion for others. They challenged the status quo and were imprisoned unjustly. God, however intervened and awhile later Paul and Silas were set free. They were liberated, free again to continue their ministry of sharing the love of God.
And now for us here on this journey through the weeks of Easter, we have arrived the conclusion of where we will be going in Acts. Next Sunday, we will be celebrating Pentecost, when the church was born! May the Lord refresh us with the renewed anointing of His Spirit as we prepare ourselves for Pentecost.
In the name of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen