God Conversation

Acts 16:25-26

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.

Prayer and worship

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying

It is interesting that the word "praying" (proseuchomai) here in verse 25 meanPrayer associated with corporate worship.

Paul and Silas were also singing hymns of praise to God while in prison. The tense (imperfect) of the verb singing subjects that Paul and Silas began singing in the past and they never stopped singing, even while locked in prison.

Did they "feel" like worshiping? Probably not. They were likely aching, tired, and scared. But they were determined to give glory to God, who they trusted was in control of their situation.

The Miracle

There was the movement of God. In this instance God moved through an earthquake. In other instances He will move in other ways.

​The earthquake had sprung open the jail doors, allowing the prisoners to escape

The jailer, feeling helpless and hopeless, drew his sword to kill himself. He knew the terrible shame and punishment awaiting him and the shame coming upon his family due to his letting the prisoners escape

Rather than escape, Paul and Silas stayed right in their cell and somehow persuaded the rest of the prisoners to do so as well. God’s intent on this occasion was not the physical deliverance of his servants, but the spiritual deliverance of the jailer and his family.

The jailer

He questioned Paul and Silas, what must I do to be saved?

The disciples were God's instruments for proclaiming salvation. They were tired and sore and it was the wee hours of the morning, yet they did not put the matter off until morning. They took time right then and there to meet the man's need.

We may not always experience a visibly dramatic rescue like Paul and Silas,  But we know that God responds to the praises of His people! When He moves, chains fall apart.

Psalm 22:3 (NKJV) “[God], You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.”

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Acts 16:16-18

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.

The pythoness

Luke actually writes that the slave girl had a "python spirit" because of her association with oracle giving. It is referred to the snake that guarded the temple of Ancient Greek God Apollo on Mount Parnassus.

The oracle at Delphi in Greece was reputedly guarded by a serpent or dragon, Apollo, in Greek mythology, killed the serpent and thus became the successor to the serpent's oracular power.

He was thought to be embodied in the snake and to inspire 'pythonesses' - female devotees with powers as mediums and clairvoyants.

She said, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation” indeed. Taking this fact in mind, what was Paul so annoyed about? Was he literally, annoyed with the slave girl?

The casting out

Paul was "deeply troubled." So Paul turned around and said to the spirit (not to the girl), "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" The results are immediate.

"And it came out at that very moment"--this demon obeys the words of Paul. Here Luke is demonstrating Paul's authority over the fallen spirit world. What we have here are servants of the Most High God defeating the python spirit

This woman, this slave girl, brought a great deal of money to her owners because of her ability to tell fortunes. Paul took away her value. She was a commodity to her owners and Paul treated her the same way.

Paul saw what was wrong with the slave-girl, addressed the real issue, and allowed God to use him to set her free from demonic possession. That's what we should be doing, too.

Divination

Deuteronomy 18:10

There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer

Divination in any form is sin. It is not harmless entertainment or an alternate source of wisdom. Christians should avoid any practice related to divination, including fortune-telling, astrology, witchcraft, tarot cards, necromancy, and spell-casting.

Jeremiah 14:14

And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

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Acts 14:8-10

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.

Lystra

After being driven out of Iconium, Paul and Barnabas arrived at Lystra where they continued to preach the gospel

After Paul had spoken to the people, he looked upon a crippled man and commanded him to stand up. The man immediately rose up and began to walk.

The crowd responded to the miracle by concluding that Paul and Barnabas were Hermes and Zeus, gods who had come down in the likeness of men (verse 11)

Idolatry makes men think God is like they are.

The city of Lystra is noteworthy for being the probable home of Timothy, Paul’s young protégé (Acts 16:1).

Many scholars believe the church in Lystra, being in south Galatia, was one of the churches to whom the letter to the Galatians was addressed.

The Miracle

At the gates of their city there stood a great temple dedicated to Jupiter, and they appear to have been his zealous followers.

Paul is in the middle of a sermon, using his eyes to watch the audience as all preachers should do, and not looking up at the ceiling, or at the gallery-front as some preachers are wont to do, he marks this cripple, fixes his eyes upon him, and looks earnestly in his face.

Paul stops the sermon, and with a loud voice cries, “Stand upright on thy feet.” The cripple leaps and praises God. The population are all amazed, and knowing that there was a tradition that Jupiter and Mercury had once appeared in that very town, a tradition preserved in the Metamorphoses of Ovid to the present day, they at once conclude that surely Jupiter and Mercury must be come again.

The lame man the center of this story

The man had visible faith. Paul saw that he had faith to be healed.

Faith was not abstract faith but faith to be healed

Lystra becomes particularly receptive to the Gospel because of its mainly Gentile population and the fact that they had even thought the apostles were gods.

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Acts 13:6-11

6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.

Who was Elymas?

We find the man named Bar-Jesus in the Scripture we just read

The name Bar-Jesus means “son of Joshua” or “son of the Savior.”

The setting of the story of Bar-Jesus is Paul’s first missionary journey. Through prayer, fasting, and the Holy Spirit’s leading, the church in Antioch had selected Barnabas and Saul, who was also called Paul, to be sent out as missionaries.

When they arrived in Paphos, the western port and capital of the island, they were invited to meet with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was Roman governor of the region.

Among the governor’s attendants was Bar-Jesus, a man who made his living practicing magic. He also claimed to be a prophet of God.

Magicians

As far as magicians in the Bible go, Elymas isn’t the first name that comes to mind. Simon the sorcerer was the first to plunge himself into infamy. Peter severely rebuked him for offering money for the ability to pass on the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:18)

Elymas did his best to thwart the apostle Paul’s evangelistic efforts to win the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus, to Christ. While the gospel message was convicting the heart of Sergius Paulus, Elymas was busy contradicting its messengers.

Galatians 5:20

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

The miracle

Filled with the Holy Spirit’s power, Paul looked intently at Bar-Jesus and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun” (Acts 13:10–11).

Immediately, the magician was afflicted with temporary blindness and began groping around for someone to guide him by the hand. The magician’s name Bar-Jesus meant “son of the Savior,” but Paul called him “child of the devil,” a wordplay that would not have been lost on Sergius Paulus.

Sometimes when the gospel is preached, Satan will plant stumbling blocks and detractors like Bar-Jesus in the path of those who are seeking to understand the truth. But God is able to remove all obstacles.

When the governor saw what had happened to the sorcerer, he was astonished by the teaching he had just received from Barnabas and Paul, and he became a believer

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'

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Acts 9:1-9

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Saul's early history

Philippians 3:5–6

5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

In a letter written to the Philippian church, Paul gives us some background into his life.

Luke introduces us to Saul in connection to the first Christian martyr. Stephen had been brought before the Sanhedrin in response to his ministry. While there, Stephen explained how the Old Testament was fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus. After accusing them of being responsible for Jesus' death, the Sanhedrin became enraged.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.And Saul approved of their killing him (Acts 7:54–8:1a).

The conversion of Saul

During one of his persecution engagements against the church, Saul has a surprising encounter.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Ananias and Saul

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength (Acts 9:10–19a).

Paul starts preaching right away

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

In Jerusalem, Saul is well known as a persecutor of the church. So naturally, the believers there are very wary of false conversion stories meant to entrap them.

Saul was a name that would have been associated with his Jewish life. Paul was the Romanized version of the same name.

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Acts 19:11-12

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

Unusual miracles

All miracles are unusual and extraordinary. But Paul is the only one God work unusual miracles

What so special about Paul that God would gave so special anointing and not one of the eleven disciples? Peter also had great anointing. Those who touched his shadow were healed (Acts 5:15).However, God the Holy Spirit did not describe Peter’s anointing as unusual miracles.

Peter was also the only one who could walk on water, but he did not have the special anointing that Paul had.

Who was Saul?

Paul who was previously called Saul (Acts 13:9) had great passion for God in a wrong way. He persecuted the church of Jesus Christ.

He was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). Paul studied the law and he knew the law inside out. The reason he persecuted the church was because he thought the church was perverting the truth of God (Acts 8:1-3 and 22:4-5).

Jesus revealed Himself to Paul

Jesus knew Paul’s heart for God, so He appeared to him on the road (Acts 9:1-9)

After Paul heard Jesus’ voice and when he asked who Jesus was, he was transformed.

After Paul met Jesus in a supernatural way, and he heard His voice, Paul knew he was misled by the high priest. Paul was blinded (Acts 9:9) and he waited for Ananias a disciple of Jesus to pray for him.

No man can be transformed so drastically without the power of the Holy Spirit. He became from Saul (a persecutor) to Paul (an Apostle of Jesus).

Apostle Paul is the man who walked in the Spirit in his life and he received many revelations from Jesus Himself (2 Corinthians 12:7) that sometimes even Peter could not understand (2 Peter 3:15-16).

2 Corinthians 12:7

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

2 Peter 3:15-16

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

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Acts 10:9-16

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

The Vision

God gave Peter a vision of a sheet descending from the heavens. Included in the sheet were some unclean animals.

He told Peter, "What God has made clean, do not call common." Was God telling Peter that it’s now okay to eat unclean animals?

Peter declined when God told him to "kill and eat" (verse 14)

After Peter declined the offer to kill and eat, God said, "What God has made clean, do not call common" (verse 15)

The meaning

God was using symbolism here in order to make a point. The overall message did not apply to the symbols God used in the vision, but rather to what the symbols represented. In this case, the unclean/common animals in the vision symbolized Gentiles. The point is that God wanted Peter to take the Gospel to Cornelius.

Acts 10:19-20

And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them

Acts 10:24-29

And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man." And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me

Jews and Gentiles alike are acceptable to God

That was the point of the vision. Therefore, we don’t have to come up with our own interpretation; Peter already interpreted the vision for us.

Acts 10:34-35

So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him

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Acts 5:12 Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico

Clusters of miracles

The Apostles performed miracles! The grace of God flowed down through them to help build up the Church we know and love today.

Peter was one of the main early Church leaders. People saw him as a pastor of the Jerusalem early Christians

Solomon's Portico

Solomon's Porch, Portico or Colonnade (John 10:23; Acts 3:11; 5:12), was a colonnade or cloister, located on the eastern side of the Temple's Outer Court

The Herodians spent a great deal of money on the Temple courts in order to demonstrate their wealth and power. Since Jerusalem had only one God, all funds could be spent improving the buildings around the Temple. Solomon’s Portico was therefore a beautiful public area for Jewish people to gather in sight of the Temple.

According to John 10:23 Jesus taught his disciples there, so Peter and the disciples are continuing the practice of Jesus by gathering on the Temple Mount.

Porticoes formed the entrances to ancient temples. The disciples formed a spiritual entrance to the kingdom of God there.

Making Disciples by Performing Miracles

We know that miracles are linked to Jesus' ministry as a teacher, and the same is truth when the early Church started to rise.

The Old Testament promises of healing and restoration for Israel (e.g. Isa 58:8; Jer 33:6), of inclusion for the gentiles (e.g. Isa 52:10; 56:3), and of victory over hostile spiritual and temporal forces (e.g. Zeph 3:17; Zech 12:7), are fulfilled (at least in part) in Jesus’ miraculous actions.

Mark 16:17-18

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

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Acts 12:1–10

1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.

2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.

7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

8 Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him.

9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.

10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

The circumstances

v3, we read that the Jews were celebrating Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread. They were celebrating the deliverance of their people through God’s intervention

King Herod imprisoned Peter who was proclaiming God’s redemptive

act of salvation for all humanity through Jesus Christ

Prayer

v5. The church was earnestly praying for Peter’s release

The word “earnest” comes from the idea of being stretched out before God in passionate prayer

Does “earnest prayer” characterize a part of your life? Why, why not?

The escape

Peter was guarded by four squads of four soldiers each on a rotating basis

Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers, with sentries standing guard at the entrance of his cell. By earthly means, there was no chance of escape.

v 7, an angel suddenly appears, and light enveloped his cell. The angel gives Peter a quick shove and tells him to “Quick, get up!”

Then the angel tells Peter to put on his clothes and wrap his outer garment around him. Now being fully dressed and released from his chains, Peter follows the angel out of the prison. On their way out, they pass through two guard posts, and when they approach the iron gate, it opens by itself. Peter is free!

While Peter is walking through the city streets of Jerusalem, the angel leaves him.

Upon his release, Peter heads to the home of Mary where many people were gathering to pray. When Peter knocks on the door, the servant Rhonda answers. She recognizes Peter’s voice and is so overjoyed that she runs back in without opening the door and exclaims, “Peter is at the door!”

Why was the church surprised when Peter interrupted their prayer meeting?

Acts 12:24-25

But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark

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Acts 5:14-15

More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

The early Church

As the apostles established the early church after Christi's resurrection, they traveled preaching the gospel, healing diseases, raising the dead, and exorcising demonic spirits. Here we have gathered the many scripture accounts of their healing in Acts to read in Bible study and faithful encouragement.

As the apostles established the early church after Christ's resurrection, they traveled preaching the gospel, healing diseases, raising the dead, and exorcising demonic spirits.

Many Signs and Wonders Done

Acts 5:12-16

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The book of Acts records at least 20 specific miracles and tells of 9 times when clusters of them occurred

The fact that many miracles occurred does not mean that every believer should always expect one whenever he faces a problem.

The Purpose Of Miracles

God’s primary purpose in performing miracles was to authenticate the ministry of the apostles,

When God answers our petitions for healing or deliverance, He usually works in such a way that the skeptic can easily deny that a miracle happened

Isaiah 53:5

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus's death on the cross healed us from the, or really delivered us or freed us from the punishment of our sin in the past

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