THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL INTO EUROPE
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL INTO EUROPE
The point I want to call attention to is the way in which the apostle Paul carried on his service, a subject which should not only be of great interest to all who would labour, but to all Christians, whether labourers or otherwise, for it indicates the divine manner of approaching man with the gospel. God takes great pains to allay every prejudice in men; and when it becomes a matter of introducing the gospel to a new continent, this manner on the part of God is brought into evidence.
The incidents recorded in this chapter, as many know, mark the introduction of the gospel into the Western world; it was Paul’s first visit to Europe. It recalls to one’s mind the attitude of God as foreshadowed in the temple; the cherubim there were looking out toward the house instead of looking down toward the mercy seat as in the tabernacle, as if to take account of the need which was outside, and to meet it in grace. In that outlook God embraced men, for He has a very long look-out. When the prodigal was moving towards his father in Luke 15, his father saw him a long way off, and so here one may picture God looking out towards Europe. He saw the end from the beginning, and that the introduction of the gospel there was to be of far-reaching consequences to the human race. He had His own chosen vessel, too, in Paul for this work, not one sent from Jerusalem, but as one might say, sent from heaven; he was a heavenly missionary. We have to bear in mind that Paul in his evangelical ministry worked from the full height of his commission, as he tells us in his epistle to the Ephesians, “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us”. (Ephesians 2:4).
[p. 2] As the chapter teaches, Paul is guided to Philippi. He was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach in Asia, and when he assayed to go to Bithynia the Spirit of Jesus suffered him not, and he was subject. A beautiful model for all who serve! Presently, as a subject vessel, he has a vision. There was need in Macedonia, there was need in Europe, a need perfectly known to God, but now already becoming known to a few in Philippi, for there was a spot there where prayer was wont to be made. I wonder if there is any one here who has a spiritual need, who is conscious of his absolute weakness in having to say to God, feeling his powerlessness, and who has the power of evil pressing upon his spirit, and it may be death before him. Is there any one here like that? If so, God takes account of it The man from Macedonia appears in the vision and says, “Come over and help us”. It was a call, and the servant was subject, entirely subject, thus affording room for God to show what He had in His mind, and how He would reach the regions beyond. The divine horizon was far beyond even Paul’s. Later on he spoke of going to Spain, of going to the utmost limits; he had that in his heart, but God had it in His heart before Paul. God had looked out and saw Europe. One cannot but dwell on that.
Now, God is not carrying on government simply for the sake of having government on earth, but on account of those who shall be heirs of salvation. It is said of angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1: 14) We may reckon on that, and we should be concerned, as Paul was, with what is going on in the souls of men and women; and when I say women, I say it, because they are very prominent in this chapter. In two of them a work of God had already begun before Paul preached to them. In the third, a dreadful work of the devil proceeded;
[p. 3] sad, solemn fact! It may be that in this company, small as it is, there are those in whom an initial work of God has taken effect, but whose hearts as yet have not come into the good and blessing of the gospel; but, on the other hand, there may be one in whom the devil has begun to work, who has been employed by the devil in some way or other. The damsel with the spirit of divination said, “These men are the servants of the most high God”. It sounded very nice; apparently she is a helper of Paul, but in reality she is an agent of the devil, and opposing the introduction of the light of grace. It may be there is one here who has come under the power of the devil; if so, now is your opportunity. The mind of God for you is exactly the same as it is for those in whom God has begun to work. The mind of God for this wretched woman was the same as for the others, for God has not two minds. Of the Saviour God it is said, “who will have all men to be saved”. (1 Timothy 2:4) His mind for her was grace, and so the demon was cast out of her.
But to refer for a moment to the first woman mentioned in this chapter, Timothy’s mother; she is an honoured woman, she is said to be a “believing woman”, for that is how it should read; a Jewess, but not simply one who had believed. To make a profession of faith on a certain day and then to go as usual does not constitute a believing woman. A “believing” woman is one who is marked by faith every day. Well, Timothy’s mother was said to be such, she believed not only for herself, but for Timothy. Her mother, too, that is, Timothy’s grandmother, we see also was a believing woman. The apostle in writing to Timothy said, “The unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice”. (2 Timothy 1:5) But I only speak of that to show how important it is for wives and mothers to be believing women; women [p. 4] who bring in faith, who bring God into things, both in regard to their husbands and their children. As to Timothy’s father, all that is said of him is that he “was a Greek”. He possibly had a political status, but nothing spiritual is indicated in regard of him, and therefore this is a word for unbelieving husbands. Is there any husband here of whom all that could be said is, that he is an Englishman?
Timothy himself had a good report. We read, “which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium”. Young man, young brother, what about you? What about the report that can be made about you in your district? That is a word for young brothers! You all understand that I am endeavouring to make a present application of the facts that are presented to us in this scripture, for, if we profess to believe the gospel, God looks for a life in accord with it. Timothy was such as to be worthy to be taken up by the great apostle as a companion and fellow-labourer; it is said, “him would Paul have to go forth with him”. What a trophy of grace! One would appeal to those who have Christian parents as to the importance of following what has come to you through them, lest you should become a profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of meat, a mess of pottage, sold his birthright. One would speak to the young people who know the Lord, for God is taking the old ones home, and you will be called soon, if the Lord tarry, to occupy the ground and to stand for Him. One would desire that your report should be a good one from the Lord’s people in the district where you are.
The next woman that we get is Lydia. What one notices in connection with her is that the apostle’s desire is first of all to associate himself with that which is of God in that place. He did not take a hall in Philippi and start to preach. He found the place where prayer was wont to be made; he found [p. 5] that dependence was already there, and he came into touch with it; he and those with him “sat down and spake unto the women”; and now Lydia comes into evidence. This woman was not of Philippi but of the city of Thyatira. She was a seller of purple, she had a trade; of her it is recorded that the Lord opened her heart, “that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul”. Notice that! She attended to them, and they were taken into her heart and pondered over.
What about your heart? Simeon in the temple, when he took up Jesus in his arms, said that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed in connection with that Child. The coming of Christ involved the testing of every heart. How about your heart? Your heart has to be taken account of by itself. The word of God has to be received there, but I would call your attention to what the Lord says in Matthew 13, that while the word may be received, unless it is understood, the devil comes and catches away that which was sown in the heart. The apostle said “the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in heart”. (Romans 10:8) Now that is remarkable, because it shows that the word may be received, and yet if it not understood, Satan takes it away. One has seen many instances of that kind, where the enemy takes away the word, so that the man remains what he ever was, he is unaffected. I ask again, How about your heart? Has the word been received into your heart, and has it been understood? The word of God brings in what God is, and what Christ is, and so works effectually in those who believe. It is effectual only in those who believe. Lydia believed; she received the word into her heart, and then she opened her house to Paul.
Now I want to come to the jailor, because, after all he is the character of the chapter; he is the man of Macedonia, and I shall show you, if I can, the [p. 6] beautiful manner in which God reached this man’s heart, and what it involved for the servants of the Lord. One is greatly humbled when one thinks of Paul and Silas, and the great disparity between oneself and such men. Here are two men simply in the hands of God. It is God’s work and they are prepared for the path of suffering. “For thy sake we are killed all the day long”. (Romans 8:36) And one trembles, and I say it truthfully, when one thinks of what Paul and Silas were, and compares oneself with such. Here are two men ready to be offered up for the gospel. The jailor was charged to keep them safely, and so in the ordering of God they are thrust by him into the inner prison, and their feet were made fast in the stocks. God would reach that man’s heart, and God would reach your heart through the gospel. At midnight Paul and Silas sang praises to God. God had His portion in them. What a savour ascended to God that night from that dark dungeon in Philippi. Such is Christianity! They prayed and sang praises to God. God was showing Himself through His servants, through qualified vessels equal to the message. He was showing Himself to the jailor, and not only to the jailor, but to all in the prison; “and the prisoners heard them”. (Acts 16:25). God was approaching this jailor and the prisoners.
These servants began by prayer, and proceeded to praise. What energy there was! Their hymns are not preserved, but they sang a hymn of praise, and the prisoners heard; they were compelled to listen. How beautiful! What a moment it was! What a privilege! Think of that jailor being converted that night! Then God acted in power to further His work. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake”. (verse 26) God acted, doubtless, by angelic means in that way, and now the jailor is moved. His first thought was to commit suicide, what great folly; that was his first impulse. Think of the heart of man! Suicide [p. 7] does not take a man out of the presence of God; it takes him into it! The jailor drew out his sword and would have killed himself. Then he heard the voice of Paul, which was full of grace. “He cried with a loud voice” (verse 28); not only were the accents divine, as one might say, but the words themselves, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here”, were beautiful. God would preserve man; indeed He preserves the beast. “O Lord, thou preservest man and beast”. (Psalm 36:6)
Is there any one here who is pursuing a course of sin? To such an one I would say, The gospel is to do you good. Note how this poor man was changed. He sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. He was evidently affected by the words of grace which fell from Paul’s lips as from the Lord’s mouth, for “they wondered at the words of grace which were coming out of his mouth”. (Luke 4:22) And so the jailor calls for a light; he felt the need for it, for his soul was dark; and so is yours if you are groping in the dark and have not come into the light of grace. He rushed in to Paul and Silas, for the light was really there, and he says “Sirs”. (Acts 16:30). He no doubt would have used the roughest terms before, but now his mind is changed about them. He would not have said that when he thrust them into prison, but he was changed. He had to do, no doubt, with the roughest of men, who did not deserve terms of respect, but now his mind is changed; it is the effect of conversion. His mind is changed about God, about Christ, and about the servants of Christ; he had despised them. The jailor now uses terms of respect, and they deserved it, for they are indeed God’s noblemen. Young people are disposed sometimes to speak with disrespect of the servants of God. He says, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (verse 30) May God grant that someone here may ask that question, if not [p. 8] already done! Paul gives a simple answer, nothing could be more simple, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house”. (verse 31) The jailor had a household, and the message not only embraces him, but those he loved. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house”.
That is the message, and the man is reached, he believed, and as we see in the sequel, he was instructed in the word of the Lord. Paul and Silas “spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house”. (verse 32) He is to know not only that the Lord has rights over his soul, but that He has a mind about him. The word of the Lord brings to you the mind of the Lord. It is an immense thing to know that the Lord has a mind in regard to me and to all His own; it is most important, therefore, to know the word of the Lord. This is a case where the word of the Lord was received and understood. In verse 32 we find that the children and wife were also instructed by the apostle, I am speaking now of his methods, for it was to all that were in his house that the word of the Lord was spoken; they were all to be instructed in the mind of the Lord.
Now I want to dwell upon what the effect upon this man was. It says, “he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptised, he and all his, straightway”. He did not wait; mark, it was done “straightway”. I would urge you, whatever the light brings into your soul, to act upon it immediately. He took them the same hour of the night, for the servants had stripes upon their backs. I would never put off baptism, either for myself or my household. It brings them in immediately. Joshua says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”, (Joshua 24:15) and that is what this man says in effect. He washed their stripes, and gave them meat; but he was baptised, he and all [p. 9] his, straightway. Such is an outline of the manner of the introduction of the gospel into the Western world. I may note another effect of the testimony of grace being received. The man rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. God brings into our souls the element of rejoicing. It is said of the jailor, “When he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced”. There was joy in that house. I think it is very beautiful. It is not only that the jailor “believed in God” and “rejoiced”, but he did so with all his house; it is ‘householdly’; the word is an adverb, and it is intended to show that the joy was not only for the jailor himself but for all his house; what a marvellous result of the gospel! The man was genuinely affected.
May God grant to any of those who may have heard the gospel, to believe it, and may the joy that brings into our hearts be more known by us who believe, and may it be shared by all in the house. The households of the people of God should be scenes of joy.
May God bless His word!