WEEK 1 ● Day 2
READ ACTS 16:6-40
I love seeing women of God making a difference for the Kingdom of God. And our heavenly Father does too. That’s why I was delighted when I realized that the Philippian church existed in part because of several women who fell in love with Jesus. They hadn’t met Jesus, and they hadn’t yet met Paul, but the Good News about Jesus had spread to their city—and their hearts responded.
Even before he met the women of Philippi, Paul saw women as valuable partners in the gospel. Did you know that the first convert in Europe was a woman who founded the first European Christian church with Paul?[1] (We’ll hear more about Lydia in a bit.) Women weren’t included within the twelve disciples because these twelve were to signify the twelve tribes of Israel, but on the day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit was poured out), God showed the world that He was doing something even bigger, empowering both men and women to spread the name of Jesus Christ:
I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy.
The people who led were men and women, converted Jew and Gentile, circumcised and uncircumcised. We know God loves diversity, and we see that here as a new season unfolds. Nothing was the same as it was before. Everything was new and uncharted.
The New Testament indicates that the gospel radically altered the position of women, elevating them to a partnership with men unparalleled in first-century society. Wherever the gospel went, women were among the first, foremost and most faithful converts. The gospel led them to engage in aspects of Christ’s service that went beyond the cultural limitations of the day. As Ben Witherington III observes, “In the post-Easter community we find women assuming a greater variety of roles, some of which . . . would have been forbidden to a Jewish woman (e.g., being a teacher of men in Acts 18:24-6).”[2]
History Lesson
Another female leader in the New Testament was Priscilla (she and her husband, Aquila, led a church in Ephesus—and later, another one in Rome). If you read their story in Acts 18, you may have noticed that her name is usually mentioned first. This suggests she is the more noteworthy and prominent leader of the two. Priscilla is even listed first when she and her husband explained theology and doctrine to Apollos in Acts 18:24-26. Paul specifically names this amazing couple on several occasions (Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19). What an incredible woman Priscilla must have been!
As Paul headed out on his second missionary journey, he planned to take the gospel to Asia. But in Acts 16, we learn that God put a big red light on Paul’s plan—because He had bigger and better plans:
6-8 They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas.
9-10 That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans.
Did you notice verse 6 says the Holy Spirit “blocked” that route? The Greek word used here is κωλύω (pronounced kōlyō) and literally means “to hinder, prevent, forbid,” “to withhold a thing,” “to deny or refuse one a thing.”[3] I don’t know how they understood God was blocking them. Perhaps they weren’t allowed entrance, or maybe something in their gut told them not to proceed. Whatever the case, God didn’t want them in Asia at this point, and in a vivid dream, He directed Paul somewhere else.
God has certainly blocked my way many times before. In my book Beautifully Interrupted, I wrote about how the life I live now is not the one I thought I wanted. My plan was to get a doctorate in art history, move to Europe, work as a curator at some fantastic museum . . . and kids? They weren’t in my five-year, ten-year, or really any-year plan.
But one day I realized I’d never consulted God in any of my plans. As the tattoo on my right wrist now reminds me, I prayed the words “send me.” I wish God had told me exactly where to go—but instead of knowing what to do, I almost immediately knew what I wasn’t supposed to do. And that was continue pursuing art history. He most certainly blocked and forbade that route for me because He had something bigger and more exciting. I see that now, looking back. But at the time, I didn’t obey without dragging my feet.
1. Has God ever blocked the path you were going down? What happened? How did you respond?
As we continue reading, we learn that Paul and his travel buddies sailed for Samothrace, then on to Neapolis, and from there, they hoofed it to Philippi. The Message says Philippi was “the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony,” and that they “lingered there several days” (Acts 16:11-12).
On the day of Sabbath, Paul and his companions sought a place to worship. They heard about a prayer meeting held along the riverside, and so they found it and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.
2. Why do you think Paul and his companions didn’t go to a synagogue to pray and worship?
To find our answer to this question, we’ll need to back up and learn a little about the city itself.
History Lesson
When they were attacked by Thracians, the inhabitants of this city, previously known as Krenides, sought protection from Philip II of Macedon (the father of Alexander the Great!). Knowing the land was rich in gold, Philip responded by capturing the city himself circa 357 BCE (so much for looking to Philip for help!) and renamed it Philippi.
Years later, after Mark Antony and Octavian took revenge on Julius Caesar’s assassins, Brutus and Cassius, Philippi become a military outpost and Roman colony. Because the city teemed with Roman troops, it was often referred to as “little Rome.”[4]
Self-governing and independent, Philippi was a bit of a melting pot. Because no synagogue existed, we know that not even ten Jewish males resided within the city limits. But, as Paul and his friends knew, when a city did not have a synagogue, those who loved God would meet by the river to pray and worship.
Lydia was likely a Gentile who had heard of the incredible name of Jesus (John 12:20 shows that news of Jesus’ miraculous healings had begun spreading to the people of Greece). She’s the only woman named in this passage, so it’s likely that although she had never met Jesus and had never been formally taught the gospel, she was leading the meeting.
Isn’t it interesting that we don’t hear of any men at this prayer meeting, and yet Luke (the author of Acts) says, “We sat down and spoke to the women who had come together” (Acts 16:13)? In those days, Jewish men and women didn’t worship together. They even had different sections in the synagogue. Once again, however, we see that tide changing within the community of Jesus followers as men and women come together in their love of Jesus.
3. What do we learn about Lydia in Acts 16:14-15?
History Lesson
Because Lydia sold “purple goods,” her customers would have been the wealthy elite, as extracting this dye took a substantial amount of labor and it was highly valued. Tyrian purple, derived from marine mollusks, was especially costly: extracting this dye involved tens of thousands of snails and was quite arduous. Lydia’s hometown of Thyatira was well-known for manufacturing a less expensive and more reddish dye from roots of the madder plant (known today as “Turkey red”). However, since Scripture specifically describes her as a seller of purple (porphyropōlis; πορφυρόπωλις, pronounced por-foo-rop-o-lis) goods, she was likely selling textiles of the more valuable Tyrian purple.[5]
I love so many things about Lydia and Paul’s interaction. She wasted no time telling her entire household everything she learned from Paul as the Lord opened her heart to His wisdom. And then she opened her home to Paul and his companions!
Opening my door and inviting people in is something God asked me to do years ago when I was relatively new to Denver and had no friends. Although we were fixing up a previously uninhabitable house at the time, I decided to obey and offer what I had with a thankful heart. I welcomed in anyone I could possibly think of.
Lydia was a successful businesswoman who likely had a large and beautiful home, but that makes her invitation no less meaningful. She knew the importance of creating a space for all to gather. No matter what your environment, your home is enough to act as a welcome and safe place for others—and you can open your door too.
As they enjoyed Lydia’s warm hospitality, Paul and his three companions frequented the riverside to pray, worship, and teach the gospel. Here they faced a challenge: Day after day, a demon-possessed slave girl followed them around, shouting, “These men are slaves like me, but slaves of the Most High God! They will proclaim to you the way of liberation!” (Acts 16:17, VOICE).
Finally, after many days, the annoyance of her disturbance got the best of Paul, and he cast out the spirit of divination (pythōn; πύθων) that lived within her.
History Lesson
The spirit within this slave girl was python, a term referring to the mythical snake said to guard the oracle at Delphi. Ancient Greeks believed Delphi to be the center of the world and the term python had come to be used of the persons through whom the python guard supposedly spoke and predicted the future.[6]
After Paul cast out the demon, her owners were livid because their fortune-teller would no longer make them money. They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the chief leaders of the city.
4. Reread Acts 16:22-24. What happened to Paul and Silas as a result of this situation?
Wait—didn’t God direct Paul and his companions to Philippi? Didn’t He orchestrate their meeting Lydia and teaching the women at the river, and even healing that poor girl who was a victim of slavery?
Here’s the thing we can’t forget: We can be 100 percent following God’s will and still go through hard stuff. Sometimes God’s will takes us through the hard stuff because He has a purpose in it.
Difficulty brings a rich wisdom that can’t be formed elsewhere. If you can have joy in the darkness, you truly understand life with Christ. I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m not even saying you’ll feel clarity and understanding during every second of hard seasons. But I can promise that clinging to and loving Christ in the midst of even the bleakest situations will develop you into a woman of incredible depth, strength, and empathy.
Think for a moment about the painful circumstances Paul and Silas found themselves in—and the way they chose to respond. Can you imagine being fastened into stocks and still spending hours praying and singing hymns?
I’ve seen enough movies to understand the concept of stocks. And when I tap on this verse (Acts 16:24) in the BLB app and find the definition in the Interlinear, my visualization is confirmed:
stocks (xylon or ξύλον, pronounced ksoo-lon): “a log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs” (strips of leather)[7]
I’m truly not sure how you could breathe, let alone sing, while tortured and bent in this way, yet Paul and Silas did so loudly enough that the guards and prisoners were listening. Everyone around them got to see the depth of their relationship with God, even in the midst of an awful situation. Without God allowing Paul and Silas’s imprisonment, these men in the jail would not have learned of the love and light of Jesus in such an incredible way.
5. What happened around midnight? (See Acts 16:25-27.)
6. Why would the guard respond by wanting to kill himself?
The guard knew that he would be tortured to death for his failure to keep the prisoners in their cells, so he decided to kill himself swiftly. But Paul, realizing what was about to happen, shouted that they were all still there.
7. After realizing that the prisoners had not escaped, why do you think the jailer rushed in and asked Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved?
The jailer’s entire household was saved and baptized that night. Isn’t that incredible? First Lydia (and her household), then the slave girl, and now the jailer (and his family). Paul’s plans were diverted, and yet God used every part of his difficulties to bring forth a new community of believers. And as Paul writes this letter to the church in Philippi, though he is again imprisoned, he writes to a church that is firmly rooted and thriving, living for what really matters. All because Paul chose to follow God and thrive no matter what circumstances he faced.
Talk to God about your struggles and pain. Ask Him to open your eyes to what He may be doing through those hard things. God can handle our hurt and even our anger. He wants you to pour out your whole heart to Him.
Amen.