Study From the Book of Acts,16

Study From the Book of Acts,16

Today we study the sixteenth    chapter of the Book of Acts and we choose two biblical principles and their lessons which are useful in Biblical Counselling.

Timothy was the son of Eunice a Jewish woman of great faith as in 2 Tim. 1:5. Eunice had taught the Holy Scripture to Timothy from infancy. His father suggest was not a believer. Timothy should have been circumcised and raised as a Jew even with a Gentile father. But in Greek law, the father dominated the home. Because he was circumcised so that God could use him to reach all people-even the Jews- with the message of the gospel.

“We” is the first of four “we” sections in the Book of Acts indicates that Luke, the author of Acts, accompanied Paul at least these four times. Paul received a Macedonian call to cross over and reach Europe preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Luke’s description of the slave girl in Greek indicates that she had a spirit of Python. When it was said that one had a spirit of Python, it meant that the person was controlled by an evil force. People paid the girl for her divination service earning her master a lot of money. Paul was upset not because what the girl said was untrue, but because the girl was being viewed as the source of truth.

Before prisoners were beaten with rods, their garments were literally torn off so that their flesh would be exposed for the flogging. Paul and Silas then were put in prison. Even so, they were praying and singing. It is the time of darkness that the light of a Christian witness shines brightest.

The earthquake as it passed along the ground, probably forced the doorposts of the prison apart so that the bars fell to the ground. Under Roman law, a guard who allowed the escape of a prisoner was generally put to death. Believing that all the prisoners had escaped, the keeper of the prison assumed that death was certain for him.

The events surrounding the arrest of Paul and Silas, the way they responded to suffering, and the mighty acts of God brought the jailer to his knees. He finally knew he needed God’s salvation. But how could he be reconciled to God? Paul and Silas’ Answer was simple -just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. No other work was needed. The jailer and his family placed their trust in God and immediately expressed that faith by being baptized.

Paul and Silas were beaten in Public, people believed that they had done something wrong. If Paul left quietly then the perception would be that those associated with him, in particular the members of the Philippian church, had also done something wrong.

Structure:

Verses 1-5: Timothy joins Paul and Silas

Verses 6-10: the Macedonian call

Verses 11-15: Lydia baptised at Phillipi

Verses 16-24: Paul and Silas imprisoned.

Verses 25-34: the Philippian jailer saved.

Verses 35-40: Paul refuses to depart secretly.

Principle 31: 16:6,7 --“---they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia----they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.”

Lesson 31: Paul and his companions had developed a plan for evangelism that they tried to follow, but they never let their plans get in the way of the Spirit’s leading. God wants our planning and His guidance to go hand-in-hand.

Principle 32: verse 16:14:” ----The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.”

Lesson 32: No one will respond to the gospel message unless God goes before us and sends His Spirit to do the work in human hearts. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” John 6:65. 1/6/2025.