Acts - Week 52

Week 52 Acts 16 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 16:11-12 

11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. 

Paul and his party quickly followed the Lord’s directions and eventually reached Philippi. As a Roman colony the people had the rights of the Romans. This figures prominently into the story later. In the first century the trips were laborious but Paul and his companions—Silas, Timothy and Luke—were now ready to embark on their new mission—to help those in northern Greece and even Europe. They did not know what all lay ahead of them at this time. 

REFLECT 

How is it with you? Are you willing to step out for God even though you do not know where it will take you? It is never a mistake to follow what you believe God wants you to do.  

RESPOND 

Be sure you spend sufficient time with your disciple as you consider these passages in 1 Corinthians 16. There are many lessons that can apply to both of you today. 

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 16:13-14 

13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 

Paul and his friends wanted to meet some people to whom they could witness. Again notice “we” that indicated Luke was with them. They sat down and spoke to some of the women. This reveals a relaxed time. Lydia was among the women. She worshiped God, but as the passage reveals she was not yet a believer in Jesus. The Lord “opened her heart” and Paul’s message was accepted. 

REFLECT 

Think of the time when your heart was opened to hear the message of salvation when you placed your faith in Jesus as your Savior. 

RESPOND 

Pray with your disciple and ask God to lead you to people whose hearts have been opened by the Him. These will likely be people going through difficult times and whose hearts are open to talk about God and eternity. Be prepared to spiritually help them when the time comes. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 16:15 

15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. 

Lydia accepted Paul’s message of salvation in Jesus, and then she and her household were baptized. She had such gratitude for what had been done for her spiritually; she wanted to have Paul and his companions as her guests. One wonders if at first they were hesitant—they may have thought their group was too many for her to care for. Whatever the reason, she persisted with her invitation until finally they accepted.  

REFLECT 

When your heart was opened by the Lord to accept Jesus as Savior, did this cause you to be even more hospitable to others? In what other ways did you express concern for others? 

RESPOND 

As Paul lists the qualifications for church leaders, he mentions hospitality. See 1 Timothy 3:1-5 and particularly notice verse 2 that refers to enjoying guests in his home. What lessons do you learn here? 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 16:16-17 

16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 

On another day when they were going down to “the place of prayer,” they met this slave girl who had the spirit of divination that allowed her to predict the future. The demonic spirit enabled her to earn money for her masters. People are curious to know their fortunes and this interest was being taken advantage of. What the evil spirit through her was proclaiming was true but it had the wrong origin. 

REFLECT 

When there are festivals today it seems there are always some there who want to tell your fortune. Have your successfully avoided them Even if you could know the end of your life, it is wiser to trust in the Lord and serve Him for whatever days you have. 

RESPOND 

Read Psalm 39:4-5 to be reminded that the Lord knows the number of your days. Leave that in His hands and control. Seek to honor Him with whatever days you have.  

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 16:18-19 

18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 

Paul was exasperated by this slave girl earning money for her masters by crying out as she was doing. In the name of Jesus Christ Paul cast the demon out of her. The girl’s masters grabbed Paul and Silas. Why not Timothy and Luke?  Some suggest it was an area opposed to the Jews and Timothy was half-Gentile and Luke was likely a Gentile.  

REFLECT 

Do you know of some today who are anti-Semitic; that is, opposed to the Jewish people? The Jews are God’s chosen people and through them Jesus entered the world in human form.  

RESPOND 

Read John 4:21-23 to see what Jesus told the woman at the well about salvation being of the Jews. It was through the Jewish line that Jesus was born into this world. Salvation is only through Him.