Monday, February 08th, 2010 | Author: Chris
Today is the beginning of Ekklesia’s 3rd year as a church! Yesterday we celebrated our 2-year anniversary, and we had a great time. We mentioned the statistics that around 3,500 churches will cease to exist this year alone, AND only around 25% of new church plants make it. So, praise God for the incredible work He’s doing through Ekklesia!
Today, we pick up our reading in Acts, starting with chapter 16. What would you like to blog about today concerning Acts 16?
Category: Daily Scripture Reading
Email This Post
Monday, 8. February 2010
I like the prophetic slave girl/proclaiming the truth about paul and silas. Also the fact that they did not flee from prison when the doors opened, establishing their innocence thus making their message more effective as mentioned in sundays serm.
Monday, 8. February 2010
Whenever I read the story of Paul & Silas in prison and the earthquake that broke all their chains I remember my grandfather. He loved this story and every time he would read it to us he would cry. He used to say: Do you see what God did for Paul and Silas? How much God loved them? That is how much He loves us too. There is a Romanian song about this also and it was his favorite song. He would sing it often and I can remember tears flowing down his cheeks.
I saw in my grandfather a little child that was so proud of his dad (God) that he would always boast about the things that He did.
Whenever I read this chapter I remember my grandfather and I’m reminded of how great our God is. The Scriptures are full of examples of His mighty works. I am going to boast about my dad, He is awesome and He loves me.
Monday, 8. February 2010
What stood out to me is how the Jailer reacted when he realized that Paul and Silas did not run away after the earthquake had opened the gates of the jail. It wasn’t Paul and Silas reasoning or debating with the jailer, it was their actions. The jailer knew that his life was spared because the prisoners did not run away and that’s what brought him to Jesus.
Monday, 8. February 2010
Also, the slave girl with the spirit. Even though what she was saying was true, I wonder if she was creating a mockery of the apostles. Maybe it was satan trying to get some credibility for the girl, that people would listen to other things that she would say.
Monday, 8. February 2010
In Acts 16:6-10, I can see God using disappointment to lead Paul and his companions. First they want to go into the province of Asia (western Turkey); God says no. Then they want to go to Mysia and Bithynia (northern Turkey); God says no. So they keep heading northeast until they get to the coastal city of Troas, and only then does God give Paul the vision to go to Macedonia (northern Greece/the former Yugoslavia). I can imagine Paul and his companions getting frustrated along the way–why does God keep telling us no?
Later on, Paul will go to the province of Asia and its major city, Ephesus. He will stay there for at least two years and be in significant danger during this time (Acts 19:10; 2 Cor 1:8). Maybe God wanted Paul to begin the evangelization of Macedonia and Greece first, before he ended up spending significant time in Ephesus.
Sometimes our disappointments are God’s means of leading us to a better plan than what we would have thought of.
Monday, 8. February 2010
Really powerful message in this chapter. Paul, Silas, and the others did not flee when they had a chance to so that the jailer’s life would be spared. Afterwards the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before them. That night he and his household dedicated their lives to Jesus.
I don’t know about you guys, but I think if I were in that situation and had a chance to escape – I would take it. I think most people would do the same. It’s proof that God works through people to reach others. God is the only one who can see the whole picture – that’s why we need to pray to him for wisdom. That’s why we need to submit our lives to him and to trust that he will do what is best for us and for all who live among us.
Monday, 8. February 2010
When Tim gets circumsized I wonder if that’s kind of like wearing a suit to a church that thinks you need to dress up. Yeah, he didn’t need to get circumsized, but they did anyway for the sake of others.
I noticed that Luke switches to saying ‘we’ about halfway through the chapter.
Also, do I sense a little bob dutko in paul and silas when they demand to be escorted out because of their roman citizenship?
Tuesday, 9. February 2010
I like this story, I love how they sang praises to God even while in jail. Their faith in God showed through this and helped bring the jailer to God.
Tuesday, 9. February 2010
In Acts 16 Paul and Silas’ attitude stands out to me the most. I love that they were singing hymns and praying at midnight instead of grumbling or planning of a way out of their situation.
When it appeared that God was supernaturally freeing them from prison like Peter they recognized that God was doing something different this time. They must have remembered what had happen to the jailers the last time and out of love for them Paul and Silas stayed in prison. Act16:28 & 29. The Jailer responded to this love and became a disciple and began ministering to Paul and Silas’ physical needs.
It also occurs to me that they really knew when to submit and when to challenge. I don’t know the reason why they did challenge the Magistrate though. I don’t think it was out of arrogance or the pride that causes people to want to be proven right. The first thing they did upon release was to go and encourage the brothers and sisters at Lydia’s house. Maybe this was their purpose for making the Magistrate squirm to encourage the disciples and possibly to get him to think twice before grabbing and beating one of the other disciples in the future
Tuesday, 9. February 2010
So God sends an earthquake such that all the prison doors fly open and then He loosens everybody’s chains, yet not one person escapes from the prison. Not even Paul or Silas! Clearly this was the hand of God, but what was He trying to accomplish? Did His plan fail?
I believe that these supernatural events that took place that night were for the jailer (not to say that they were not for Paul, Silas, and all the rest of the prisoners). The experience of the earthquake, the chain’s being loosened, and not one prisoner escaping opened the eyes of the jailer to see his personal need of salvation. And it is just like God to have the right people in the right place to complete His work.
Paul and Silas, who’s hearts were for the lost, did not escape even though they could have. The life of the jailer was more important to them than their freedom. Wow! I’ll be honest, but had I been in that situation I more than likely would have chosen to escape. I would have thought that the supernatural event sent by God was just for me (I know, pretty selfish of me, huh?)
This event is such a wonderful example of how making disciples takes place. God gets the jailers attention and then has His servants, compelled by love and discerning what has taken place, reach out and share the gospel.
Monday, 15. February 2010
16:28
I think Paul did this to demand respect. He may have also been saying he wanted the magistrates to apologize and to change their ways of proceeding without a trial.
Monday, 15. February 2010
I like how when the people became believers, they told others how good it was and then those people became believers too. Right after that, they were baptized.
Monday, 15. February 2010
16:28
Why did paul stay when the chains came off? Why didn’t he run away from the people that beat him so they wouldn’t do it again?
Monday, 15. February 2010
OOPS!!! My comment was for 16:37 NOT 16:28.