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Feeding the 5,000

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Feeding the 5,000 Purpose in Your Position Acts 16:16-34 11/15/20 Intro: Why here, why now? In Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas are sent on a mission by God to preach the Gospel to those in a town called Philippi. After experiencing success in seeing a woman name Lydia and her household come to salvation, it seems that their next steps would take them to an unlikely destination as they are thrown in prison. Though stuck, locked up and locked in, what we will see is that Paul and Silas did not use it as an opportunity to give up, or give in, rather, they understood that the Lord could use even the difficult position they found themselves in. And after being beaten, bloodied, and bound up, they knew there was still purpose in their position and did not let their difficult condition get in the way of their God given mission. Read Acts 16:16-34 Falsely accused and placed behind prison bars, Paul and Silas hit the floor in prayer and praise rather than sleep the night away. The bars that shut them in became an avenue for Lord to continue to use Paul and Silas to do what they otherwise would not have been able to do. Though their conditions had changed, their mission remained, they knew that they were to go to Philippi and preach the Gospel. Though things became difficult and hostile, they would not waver or waffle. Their condition became another way to move forward in their God given mission. I. Remain Fastened to Jesus Acts 16:23-24, When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. • After being falsely accused, dragged before the chief magistrates, beaten and jailed; Paul and Silas find themselves in prison. • Paul and Silas came to Philippi to share the gospel of Jesus. With great excitement, they began sharing and encouraging those in the land to give their lives to Jesus. • I am sure they expected a degree of difficulty in their mission; however, they might not have envisioned it going this way. • After being badly beaten, the jailer given charge over them is ordered to guard them securely and places Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and to fasten their feet in stocks. • The inner cell of the prison was the harshest, least ventilated, most degrading location. The stocks would have been wooden stocks, which were anchored to the floor and were commonly used for torture and detention. • The stocks were reserved for prisoners with low social status. Once in these stocks, the prisoner was immobilized. • Additionally, there are two factors surrounding the charges that should be noted: o There was an assumption that Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens based on their Jewish appearance. This was an incorrect assumption, as Roman citizens their civil rights were guarded 2 and, in this case, illegally violated due to their appearance as Jews. o Secondly, due to the bias against Paul and Silas, the vague charges of being “troublemakers” their reason to falsely accuse, beat, and place them in prison. • These two factors could have given Paul and Silas a sense of entitlement when they arrived in prison. “We will be out of here tomorrow, we don’t belong here.” “Let’s just do our time, wait it out and tomorrow we will sort all of these false accusations out!” • However, they understand a greater purpose to their position, and it seems that they looked at it as an opportunity to sing a different song than most would in their situation. • Though they were fastened to wooden stocks, they used it as an opportunity to more firmly be fastened to the Lord, to look for an opportunity for His good in the midst of a bad situation. Like Paul and Silas, we too have been given a mission to pursue. And it is imperative for me and for you to remain fastened to Jesus… • Just as Paul and Silas had a mission to preach the gospel despite their current conditions, we do as well. 2 Corinthians 5:20, Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us. 3 Matthew 28:19, Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. • These verses give us insight that we have a mission in this life. So easy it can be to let our disposition surrounding that mission to change based current events or conditions, but our mission, despite difficulty, remains. 2 Corinthians 4:17, For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. • It is interesting that Paul would call his afflictions momentary and light. He had been stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, thrown out to sea, placed in prison, and had a thorn in flesh that simply would not rest; yet he calls it all “light.” • He calls it light because he had great spiritual sight, he saw whatever he was facing circumstantially as light compared to the weight of God’s glory. Psalm 16:8-9, I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices… 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 4 Illus. 40,000 pounds of pressure. • Here in Acts 16, what Paul was seeing didn’t look so good: His body bloodied and beaten after being struck with many blows, placed in a dirty inner cell, and his feet fastened to stocks likely rendering he and Silas, his partner in ministry, physically immobile. • Afflicted, persecuted, and struck down; Paul knew that there was more at stake than what was included in the current wake they were facing. And what we find when they are pressed, is a song begins to rise. • And with you and I, when pressed, afflicted, or struck down…We have the opportunity for a song to begin to rise. • The question, however, is: will that song reflect our being fastened to Christ? Or a picture of our being immobilized by chains of this world? Psalm 34:1-3, I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. Illus. In 1 Samuel 19, we see Saul send men to David’s house given orders to watch him all night and put him to death in the morning. David finds out what is happening and decides to sing praise instead of declaring his fear. Psalm 59:16, But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. 5 A. Know that the song you sing matters Acts 16:25, But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. • Picture this. Paul and Silas are thrown in prison, bloodied and beaten. • Surely the others in prison knew the condition Paul and Silas were in. They had just been severely beaten. • Surely the jailer knew why they had been placed there. Those in the other prison cells understood their position, they too were stuck. • But right there, while locked down and locked in, Paul and Silas don’t throw in the towel, give up, or give in, rather, they let the praise begin. • And for me and for you, the proper posture, when your circumstance is beyond you. • What do they do? At midnight, in the midnight hour, they begin praying aloud and singing hymns of praise to God. Illus. Do you hear that? Illus. Let’s see if we can get them to join us! • The song you sing in difficulty matters, how you sing it and who you sing it to matters. If you are a follower of Christ, your actions and decisions, they matter. 6 Colossians 3:2-3, Set your mind of the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. • You never know who might be listening or watching you in your life. Make your life hidden in Christ, so that when others see you, they see a reflection of Him. Illus. Huh? 1 Corinthians 11:1, Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. • Here Paul essentially says, “if you want to know what to do…Just follow my example.” My hope personally would be that we can make this statement a reality in our lives as well amongst our families, co-workers, and those who we come in contact with.
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