Acts 16:16-40: Share the Good News
Pastor Phil Moser
October 1, 2023
Share the Good News With
- Those I Know
- Those I Don't Know
- Those Who Aren't Like Me
- Those Who Are Far From Me
Acts 16:25-34
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Those Who Are Far From Me
- People groups or nations outside of my culture, language and geographical reach
As You Share the Good News
- Don't be discouraged
- Lead with prayer
- Expect disruptions
- Anticipate suffering
Don't be discouraged by closed doors - God is opening hearts elsewhere (Acts 16:6, 7, 14)
Don't fight God's "not now" just because it doesn't fit your plan.
Lead with prayer--the Lord opens the hearts, we're just message bearers (16:14, 18)
Acts 16:13
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Acts 16:16
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
Expect disruptions-changed lives will impact other lives (16:19)
Acts 16:16-19
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, " command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
Anticipate suffering -people can be selfish, vengeful and cruel (16:22, 24)
Acts 16:22-24
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Why the Gospel is Good News Right Now
Don't fight God's "not now" just because it doesn't fit your plan.
Lead with prayer--the Lord opens the hearts, we're just message bearers (16:14, 18)
Acts 16:13
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Acts 16:16
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
Expect disruptions-changed lives will impact other lives (16:19)
Acts 16:16-19
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, " command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
Anticipate suffering -people can be selfish, vengeful and cruel (16:22, 24)
Acts 16:22-24
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Why the Gospel is Good News Right Now
- We prefer cultural division; the gospel is good news to all.
- We pursue fake freedom; the gospel is the good news of real freedom.
- We value personal accomplishment; the gospel is the good news of Christ's accomplishment.
We prefer cultural division; the gospel is good news to all.
- an affluent entrepreneur (Lydia)
- an exploited/abused captive (slave girl)
- a blue-collar family man (jailor)
We pursue fake freedom; the gospel is the good news of real freedom.
- in your relationship with God (Lydia)
- from your personal demons (slave girl)
- to forgive and be forgiven (jailor)
- from circumstantial contentment (Paul and Silas)
- If you're not content with what you HAVE, you'll never be content with what you WANT.
Acts 16:23-25
23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them...
We value personal accomplishment; the gospel is the good news of Christ's accomplishment.
Acts 16:31-32
..."Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:33
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
Acts 16:40, NLT
When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Why the Gospel is Good News Right Now
Acts 16:23-25
23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them...
We value personal accomplishment; the gospel is the good news of Christ's accomplishment.
Acts 16:31-32
..."Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:33
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
Acts 16:40, NLT
When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Why the Gospel is Good News Right Now
- We prefer cultural division; the gospel is good news to all.
- We pursue fake freedom; the gospel is the good news of real freedom.
- We value personal accomplishment; the gospel is the good news of Christ's accomplishment.