Acts 16:35-40

Acts 16:35-40

 

Macedonia, part 5

 

Sadly, Philippi’s magistrates had a greater fear of Rome than of God. They had publicly beaten Paul and Silas and had thrown them into jail because the men of the city were upset that the kingdom of God had freed a girl from a demon – no regard for the true God and His kingdom. But they wanted to send Paul and Silas away quietly, out of the public eye.

 

So Paul, knowing their fear of Rome, used his Roman status to make a public statement of his own: no matter how people treat God’s representatives, in the end God’s kingdom will be treated with honor. Sadly, in this case God’s ambassadors were treated with honor only because they were also Roman citizens. But the public didn’t necessarily know that. What people saw were men who had been proclaiming Jesus Christ, one day publicly beaten, but the next day publicly let out of prison by the very leaders who had beaten them. Jesus Christ and His kingdom are glorious, and not even the kingdom of Rome can oppose it without apology! That was the message. In the end, this is what the Macedonians heard, the reason God sent Paul and Silas to them.

 

Paul and Silas were able to encourage Lydia and the believers. And then they left Macedonia. Their work there was, for the time, complete.

 

Lord Jesus, one day every tongue will confess that You are Lord, that You are King. No country aligned against You will prosper. You will rule, and Your rule will be wonderful. You died and rose again to free men from sins and allow us to immigrate into heavenly citizenship. May I, like Paul and Silas, use all the earthly resources You have given me to show the people the truth that in the end Your kingdom reigns!