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¹⁶ As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

¹⁹ But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. ²⁰ And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. ²¹ They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” ²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. ²³ And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. ²⁴ Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. (ESV)

Where the Gospel threatens the vested economic interests of wicked people you can count on a backlash. Paul and Silas felt the full force of it (19). There was an explosion of anger, and they were peppered with shrapnel.

‘What a contrast between Lydia, who had come over from Asia Minor, and employed a number of hands in the dyeing trade, and the poor girl who was possessed by the demon! Yet each of them recognized the divine ministry of the newly arrived messengers. What a contrast, also, between the gradual response of Lydia’s heart in the revelation of the risen Christ, to whom it opened as a flower to the sun, and the sudden awakening of the jailor!

When Christ touches the pockets of worldly men, He arouses their direct opposition. The world is troubled when it loses its gains; the saints are troubled when they see Christ’s property being injured! See Acts 16:18.’ F.B. Meyer.

The jailer was given an impossible charge. To ”keep them safely” in prison was not within his power, however deep within the prison he put them. I found myself inevitably thinking about Acts 12, and Peter’s miraculous escape. In terms of guarding the apostle, the authorities had given it their best shot! But their best was not good enough. Who, indeed’ can stop the Lord Almighty? As the grave could not hold Jesus, prison gates could not hold His ambassadors, when He wanted them on the outside.

So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. ¹³ And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. ¹⁴ One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (ESV)

I love this story of the conversion of the seeker, Lydia, the Thyatiran business woman.

It is a story of the Spirit’s leading. As we have seen, this is how Paul and his team came to be in Europe;

It is a story of God’s Sovereignty in Lydia’s coming to faith;

It is a story of simplicity, with the forming of a Christian community in Lydia’s home. There was no razzamatazz! How beautifully F.B. Meyer expresses this:

‘This was an epoch-making moment, but how quietly it is recorded. There was no heralding of the gospel which was to transform Europe. The need for it was unspoken and unfelt. It stole in like the dawn.

Paul’s first experiences in Europe were not promising. In most cities there was a Jewish synagogue; but here only a small group of pious women in an arbor by the riverside. Let none despise the day of small things.’

Great things happen in prayer meetings, and great things can come out of them!

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷ And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (ESV)

Thus begins the thrilling story of how the gospel first came to Europe! It shows the primacy of the Holy Spirit in the whole enterprise, closing certain ‘doors’, but opening wide another. Just a week or so ago, my wife, Jilly, prayed a heartfelt prayer for God’s guidance for us as a couple. It then ‘just so happened’ that we read the above passage as part of our Bible reading together. I found the timing of this to be significant and encouraging.I wrote these words in my journal:

‘On a morning where we have again talked about our future, and prayed to know God’s will, we ask, Lord, that you will keep us from wrong turnings and lead us in right paths for your Name’s sake.’

Note the words ”immediately” and ”concluding” in verse 10. We can see that they had responsive hearts to what God was doing and saying. Also, we note that guidance is not a mindless process. There were conclusions to be drawn from their experience and the vision.

‘Our path through life will often be indicated by the fact that the doors which lead off the straight track are barred and bolted, so that we have no option save to go on. Paul was blocked first on the left, that he should not go into the province of Asia; then on the right, that he should not go into Bithynia. Finally he reached Troas, and stood face to face with the ocean that lay between him and Europe.

Here he had a vision which made a deep impression upon him. He saw a man of Macedonia standing in an attitude of entreaty and saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. Note that word, concluding, Acts 16:10 . God often leaves us to infer our course. He does not ignore His own great gift of reason.’ F.B. Meyer

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ² He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. (ESV)

Timothy had a good reputation, and this is a priceless thing. Proverbs 22:1 says, ”A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favour is better than silver or gold.”

‘Timothy replaced John Mark and became a true son in the faith to Paul. God has the right person ready at the right time, so be patient.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

It is important for us to understand that Timothy’s circumcision was not about his salvation, but was rather, as someone put it, ‘cultural sensitivity for the sake of evangelism.’ It’s an example of Paul’s clearly stated principle, ”For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

We further note here that the wise decision of the Jerusalem council, wisely and sensitively communicated, led to church growth in both depth and numbers (5).

PRAYER: Lord, please give us your wisdom in our dealings with all people, that we may put no unnecessary obstacles in their road to faith in Jesus.

³⁶ And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (ESV)

The early Christians were not ‘stained-glass window’ saints. They were real, flesh and blood human beings. They could see things differently, and in the case mentioned here, Paul and Barnabas differed sharply. It seems typical of what we know of Barnabas, that he would want give his cousin, John Mark, a second chance. But Paul’s reasoning was understandable. He was unhappy that Mark had ”deserted” them (38) during their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13), although we do not know why he did so. Whatever, God over-ruled in this ”disagreement” so that there were now two missionary teams where previously there was one.

Tom Hale writes helpfully about this:

‘In one way, we are sad to read about the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. We see their weakness. They are men like ourselves. Disagreements can arise even between good and godly men, and cause them to separate.

But, in another way, we can see a good side to this event. Paul and Mark were evidently not compatible with each other. It would have been unwise to force Mark to travel with Paul. We can guess that Mark’s spiritual development might have been thwarted if he had remained under Paul’s authority. But Barnabas believed that, in time, Mark would become a mature and effective disciple. Barnabas, more than Paul, would be able to help Mark grow spiritually. Thus we can see that it was to Mark’s benefit that he and Barnabas went off in one direction, while Paul and Silas went off in another..

We know that in the end Barnabas’ assessment of Mark proved to be correct. Later on, Mark became an important colleague of Peter. He wrote the New Testament Gospel of Mark. And even Paul’s opinion changed as time passed, because some years later Mark became one of Paul’s closest colleagues (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 23).’

PRAYER: ‘Lord God, help me to be one who sees the best in others, believes the best about them, and reaches out to help and encourage the weak and straying.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ²⁹ that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. ³² And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. ³³ And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. (ESV)

Verse 28 shows the correct order for blessing and progress in church life. In the first place, we need to become attuned to what is ”good to the Holy Spirit”, and then get our own hearts in tune with Him. It must become good ”to us” also. We need to lead the church with ‘God-ideas’ and not merely ‘good ideas’.

‘Notice the conjunction of the Holy Spirit with the persons who issued this letter, Acts 15:28 . Here is convincing proof that the Spirit of God is a person; that He presides in the Church; and that He is willing to become our guide and teacher whenever we are perplexed.’ F.B. Meyer

In Acts 15 we can see that a wise decision, wisely and sensitively communicated, led to a blessed outcome, in a spirit of brotherly kindness. My wife, Jilly, noted that there is a repetition of ”the brothers” throughout the passage (and also in 36-40). Let’s repeat that this was no doctrinal compromise, but a practical accommodation for the sake of Christian cross-cultural fellowship

 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. ³ So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. ⁷ And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

¹² And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

¹⁶ “‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
     and I will restore it,
¹⁷ that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
    and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
     says the Lord, who makes these things ¹⁸ known from of old.’

¹⁹ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰ but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (ESV)

Once more we see, in this chapter, a repeated emphasis on what God Himself has done.

It’s important to see that the gospel of grace alone was affirmed (9,11). Both Jews and Gentiles must come the same way. They share the same Saviour, the same salvation. Gentiles did not have to be circumcised in order to be saved. However, this watershed council in Jerusalem did call on Gentile believers to make a few practical concessions that would make table fellowship possible between Jewish and Gentile Christians.

‘It was difficult for the orthodox Jews to see that their glorious religious system, given by God, had been fulfilled in Christ and was now out-of-date. (That is why the book of Hebrews was written.) Rather than abandon it, they tried to blend the old religion with the new (Matt.9:14-17).

When sincere Christians disagree, they must get together, see what God is doing in His church, and find out what the Word has to say about it. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas told what God was doing among the Gentiles, and James related it to the Word (Amos 9:11-12).

In the decision, there was no compromise doctrinally, but there was consideration practically. In the decree, the church asked the Gentiles not to deliberately offend the Jews. You will find the expansion of this principle, the basic principle of love, in Romans 14-15 and 1 Corinthians 8-10.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

⁸ Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, ¹⁰ said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. ¹¹ And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸ Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, ²⁶ and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. ²⁷ And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained no little time with the disciples.

‘Lystra was situated in the highlands, amid a wild, mountainous country. In Paul’s audience here he saw a cripple who had faith to be healed, Acts 14:9 . What quick insight God gives the soul that lives in fellowship with Him! There was an old tradition that the gods had frequented this very region. Jupiter, the father of the gods, was the guardian deity of Lystra. There was, accordingly, an especial reason for the excitement among these simple and untutored folk. Man has ever longed for a daysman, and believed that there might be commerce between heaven and earth. Oh, that we were as quick to worship and adore the Son of God!’ F.B. Meyer

It’s been pointed out that the desire of the people to worship the men of God was more dangerous than the outright persecution. But the latter quickly came. Crowds are notoriously fickle. The change of mood at verse 19 seems, to my mind, to be as sudden and dramatic as that in the synagogue in Luke 4 (see especially verses 22 and 28-30 of that chapter). The ministry of Jesus continues!

In spite of what happened to Paul, and the trauma of it all (19,20), his instinct was to carry on. Even though they had previously suffered in these places (21-23), they retraced their steps, and encouraged the new disciples. They were outwardly focussed. We note that the appointment of elders was performed with all due seriousness.

For these men, their only boast was in God. They did not seek to glorify themselves, either in the world or the church (see Rom.15:17-19).

‘…when they returned home, they told the church what the Lord had done, not what they had suffered. Paul and Barnabas put Christ first, others second, and themselves last. They had a job to do, and they were determined by God’s grace to do it.’ Warren W. Wiersbe