Introduction:

1. Again, godless persecution becomes a catalyst for kingdom expansion as a clash with one group of pagans led to the conversion of another.

2. Paul and Silas never let circumstances silence the gospel, and it paid off.

Discussion:

I. Casting Out a Demon (16:16-18)

A. A demon-possessed girl followed Paul and company shouting that they served God Most High proclaiming the way of salvation.

B. Why was Paul aggravated by her apparent confirmation of the gospel?

1. Jesus refused demonic testimony (Mark 1:34; 3:11-12; Luke 4:41).

2. It could have been perceived as fellowship among Christ and these unclean spirits thereby soiling the pure gospel of Christ.

II. Wrongfully Arrested and Beaten (16:19-24)

A. Casting out the demon pitted Paul against the slave girl’s masters.

1. The reason was their “possession” was no longer profitable.

2. They used the Roman disdain for Jews to get the desired result.

B. They stirred the people and had Paul and Silas beaten and arrested.

III. Undauntedly Toiling On (16:25-34)

A. At midnight, they sowed the seed of the kingdom among their fellow prisoners via prayers and hymns.

B. After a miraculous intervention loosed the prisoners’ bonds, Paul stopped the jailer from killing himself.

C. In his gratitude, he asked for terms of salvation, and upon hearing Paul preach the gospel, he immediately obeyed it, being baptized into Christ.

IV. Demanding Accountability (16:35-40)

A. The magistrates who mistreated them openly sought to send them away secretly, but Paul held them to account for their wrongs.

B. It is okay for a Christian to use civil rights to hold wrongdoers to account.

1. The oppression of the apostles was an ever-present danger.

2. The proper response is to sow the seed of the kingdom in all circumstances.

3. The Philippian jailer proves good soil is often found where we least expect it.