The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Word Made Plain with Senior Pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, Pastor Tony is teaching a study in the book of Acts. Please open your Bible to Acts chapter 16, verses 19 through 24.

Tony Clark: Oh, I believe Satan was the first one who said if you can't beat them, join them. As we will see, he tried to do in these verses. So, to give you the background and bring you up to date, as this demon-possessed girl kept crying out in verse 17, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." The verse goes on to say Paul, who was greatly annoyed by this demon-possessed slave girl trying to advertise for them—something God doesn't need, God doesn't need Satan to advertise for Him—he cast the demon out of her.

Now, how did her masters react to Paul doing this? Look at verse 19. It says, "But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities." Now, in this verse, we see the horrors of slavery. The masters were not excited that this poor girl was delivered from demonic possession; they were only upset that their hope for profit was gone.

This reminds me of the demon-possessed men in Mark chapter 5. When Jesus cast the demons out of them, and now they were sitting, clothed, and in their right mind, you would think that the city of the Gadarenes where this took place would have rejoiced seeing these men were delivered from demonic oppression. No, Mark 5:17 says that they began to plead with Jesus to depart from their region. Why? Because when Jesus cast the demons out of these men, they went into the pigs nearby and they ran off the cliff and perished according to Mark 5:13.

Many people say, "Man, why would Jesus do that? Send them demons into those pigs, those poor little pigs ran off the cliff and all this." You have to understand, the pig industry—this was an illegal pig industry. It's like the marijuana farmers today; it's an illegal industry. So when these demons entered into these pigs and they ran off the cliff, the Bible says there were about 2,000 of them. They ran off the cliff and perished. Being more concerned about their profit loss than about these men delivered from demonic possession, they begged, or pleaded, or implored Jesus to leave their region.

We will see later on in Acts chapter 19, in verses 21 to 27, when Paul told the craftsmen of Ephesus that the little idols of Diana that they were making, Paul said they're not gods made with hands. Truly, these people looked at Paul and said, "Look here, bro, this is how we make our living. And you're going around telling folks they're not gods made with hands." So they stirred up the crowd and whipped them up into a frenzy that the mob marched into the amphitheater and shouted for two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians," all because the craftsmen thought they were about to go out of business. So they stirred up the city and caused a riot to take place.

People are no different today, more concerned about their economic loss than about people's lives. First Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed concerning the faith and in their greediness pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Notice what the love of money will cause us Christians to do, which is who Paul was writing to. He's writing to Timothy, who was a believer and the pastor of the church of Ephesus. Notice what he said the love of money will cause them to do. "Hey Timothy, tell the people of the church of Ephesus what the love of money will cause them to do. Notice: stray from the faith."

I just have to ask: Is this happening to you today? Have you become so fixated with the love of money that you're straying more and more from the faith and from church itself? I have seen over the 30-some years I've been in ministry, the network marketing schemes and others like it ruin a lot of Christians. No longer coming to church as much, but now going to these gatherings and meetings, listening to the big boys who made millions and millionaires. No longer listening to Bible studies and biblical podcasts, but to the millionaires who made it rich, all in the name of the love of money. They sell you on the pitch of, "Don't you want to be able to take care of your family? Aren't you tired of living from paycheck to paycheck?" And no longer sharing Jesus Christ with people, but only talking with them for the purpose of getting them under you and pushing you further and further up the ladder. It is so tragic to see.

So these masters were upset at Paul because they could no longer pimp this poor girl out spiritually, all in the name of money. And so they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. The Greek word for seized is *epilambanomai*, and it means to catch, to lay hold of, or to seize. In other words, they made a citizen's arrest. They brought them to the authorities. Why? Because Paul and Silas delivered a poor slave girl from the exploitations of these money-hungry men. Don't be shocked when this starts to happen to us here in America for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, seeing people delivered from the sex trafficking industry, prostitution, webcams, drug industry, and other money-making industries in our country. People dragging us off to the authorities in courts for ruining their illegal-for-profit industry. Not excited that people are being set free in the name of Jesus Christ, no, upset because, like this verse says, they saw that their hope for profit was gone.

Look what else happened in verses 20 and 21. "And they brought them to the magistrates and said, 'These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or to observe.'" So as they brought Paul and Silas to the authorities, why just them? Because they were the leaders of this evangelistic group, but also because of their appearance, they were Jews. This is why they said in verse 20, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city." These are very vague charges. Can you imagine going to court? "Okay, state your case." "These men trouble our city." That's a pretty vague charge. In other words, they were saying Paul and Silas were troublemakers.

We see this around our country: Christians and Christianity being looked at as troublemakers. This is why Satan is using atheists to try to rid our country of everything that is Christian—for example, removing crosses from any public places, prayers in Jesus' name from graduations and city council meetings, the Ten Commandments removed from the courtrooms. The world looks at us as believers as troublemakers, spreading what they call "hate speech" because we're declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now the gospel of Jesus Christ is considered hate speech. This book—because we used to be able to say, "Hey, don't shoot the messenger, this is in the Word"—well, that book is a hate book. So this is where our country is today.

In verse 21, they told the magistrates that Paul and Silas were teaching customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe. You see, the Romans had two laws: one for the Roman citizens and the other for non-Roman citizens. Roman citizens were very zealous for their laws and their way of life. Let that sink in. Non-Roman citizens had no rights but were at the whims and wishes of the magistrates and the multitudes, like we see here.

Look what it says in verse 22. "Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods." As we can see, the vague charges against Paul and Silas were enough to stir up the multitude and the magistrate. The magistrates were the lay judges, the civil leaders. These magistrates assumed that Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens—which they were, as we will see later on—and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

It looks like they were the ones who threw the city into an uproar, and not Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas only delivered a poor slave girl from demonic oppression and for preaching the gospel, and they accused them of throwing the city into an uproar when it was really them throwing the city into an uproar. The world always sees things the opposite way God sees things. Here, they accuse Paul and Silas of exceedingly troubling their city, when in fact it was them troubling the city. We will see later on in Acts 17:6 how they will accuse Paul and Silas of turning the city of Thessalonica upside down when, in fact, they were trying to turn it right-side up.

In Isaiah 5:20, tell me if this doesn't sound similar. God said, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." This verse can be written upon and above our society and our country today. And this is what we see happening today. As I talk to my atheist friends on social media and as they mock Christianity and the Bible, I say sarcastically to them, "Oh, yes. Yes, let's stop telling people these things. Let's stop telling them that it's wrong to lie, to steal, to cheat, to murder, to commit adultery. Yes, we need to stop telling them these types of things."

Did you know that the main reason why the atheists wanted the Ten Commandments removed from courtrooms around our country—that's been in courtrooms for over 150 years—this is the reason why they wanted the Ten Commandments taken down? I quote, "Someone may read them and be tempted to obey them." No kidding. "Don't lie, don't steal, don't murder." They will be tempted to obey them if they read them. Wow, this is amazing to me. So they were accusing Paul and Silas of causing an uproar in the city when it was really them.

Look at verses 23 and 24. "And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in stocks." We see in verse 23 that they laid many stripes on them. According to Jewish law, the maximum amount of blows given a person was 40 because 40 is the number of judgment. However, no one received 40; they would get 39 because 39 is the number of mercy. Rome had no such laws. So when it says that they had laid many stripes on them, it was true. Paul, commenting on this time in Second Corinthians 11:23, said that he was beaten above measure. Unfortunately, Paul was beaten three times like this, according to Second Corinthians 11:25, with these rods. Now, these rods were wooden poles bound together and carried around by these magistrates.

They were so outraged against Paul and Silas that the end of verse 23 says that they commanded the jailer to keep them securely, meaning they were put in maximum security. Why? For preaching the gospel, for delivering a slave girl from demonic possession. We know this, that they were put in maximum security, because verse 24 says once the jailer received this command, he put them into the inner prison. To make matters worse, he took these battered, bloody men and fastened their feet in stocks. Wow. Why? Because maybe—watch this—maybe just maybe the news of Peter miraculously escaping maximum security in Acts chapter 12 had reached the city of Philippi, and they wanted to make sure that this same incident didn't occur again.

Now, tell me again why they did this? Because Paul and Silas delivered a poor slave girl of demonic possession and for preaching about Jesus and the resurrection. Surely Paul and Silas were discouraged by all of this, right? Well, you've got to wait until next time, because there's some juicy stuff that's going to take place while they're in prison. We'll pick it up in verse 25, God willing, next time.

Let me conclude with this because there's some things we've got to search our hearts about. As we can see, Satan is coming at us Christians today in our country at an alarming rate, as he did with Paul and Silas. The question is: Are you ready to endure being possibly arrested, beaten, or persecuted like they were? This is happening to our brothers and sisters around the world. China has declared war against Christianity. They have gone in and dragged out of churches many of our brothers and sisters and bulldozed their churches. Pictures are shown of them on top of buildings ripping down the cross, and they have had a meeting and said, "We are declaring war against Christianity."

I don't have to tell you about what is happening over on the continent of Africa against our poor brothers and sisters over there being killed, raped, displaced, all because of their Christianity. Do I need to remind you of what's taking place in the Middle East and how many of our brothers and sisters are being beheaded all because of their stance for Jesus Christ? It's easy for us to just turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to those things because they were happening around the world. They're happening in China, they're happening in the Middle East, they're happening on the continent of Africa, but it's not happening here. But it's here. It is here. Don't—I'm here to tell you—take your head out of the sand.

It is here. I remember when I was in the last chapter of John, chapter 21, and we were about to start teaching through the book of Acts. I said what we're going to see in the book of Acts, we're going to start seeing in our country. I've been in the book of Acts for about three years now, and we're seeing it. I'm amazed at how rapid our country is going down spiritually, very rapidly. So this is happening. But the question is: Are you ready for it to happen to those who are naming the name of Christ, for those who are calling themselves believers? Are you ready for this to happen?

We get ready by becoming serious about our relationship with Jesus Christ. Time is running out with us playing games with God, because if we don't get serious about prayer and Bible study and Bible reading and living for Christ, we will crumble under the persecution that is coming against Christianity here in our country, the country I love, the country that I served. It's here. Finally, don't allow the love of money to cause you to stray away from Christianity. If what you're doing is causing you not to be able to come to church or pray or spend time with your family, then you are straying from the faith, all in the name of the love of money.

There's going to be some people available to pray with you for you to come, repent, and get right with God. He loves you, has a plan for your life, He wants us to be lights in the midst of darkness. Our world, but our country, is dark. Please don't turn a deaf ear when you hear about what's happening to Christians around the world and especially in this nation. Are you ready for it? Are you ready to handle what's coming in little pockets around our country?

I just heard just the other day, the number one rugby player in Australia. He's the number one. He's a Christian. He spoke out against same-sex marriage and he spoke out against those things and he said that, according to the Bible, unbelievers will go to hell. Why did he say that? The Australian Federation of Rugby said, "Come here, man, we need to talk to you." And they fired him. He's the number one rugby player in Australia, making $4 million a year. Fired him. Said because what you said goes against the Australian Federation Code of Conduct. I said, "Since when did you have that in your code of conduct?" "Oh, we just put it in there." So, fired. Number one rugby player in the country, fired because he said what the Bible says.

It used to be a time where we say, "You know what? Hey, don't shoot the messenger, that's what the Word says, don't shoot the messenger." Now, not only are you speaking hate speech, but this is now a hate book, a book of hate. Are you ready? Are you ready to make a stand? Or will you crumble? I think it's time out for us playing games with God and kind of hit-and-miss church and kind of fool around, maybe look Christian, read a verse here. Let me tell you something: you will crumble because now they said, "Okay, Satan said, 'I cannot shut up these Christians because when they share what Jesus did on the cross, people are being delivered. So how can I shut them up?'" Satan says, "Ah," he's clever, "I hit them where it hurts, right in their pocket. You speak out against Christianity, you're going to lose your job. We're going to fire you, we're going to blackball you from Hollywood, we're going to blackball you from your livelihood. I'll get you to shut your mouth. We're going to hit you in your pocket." And if you're all about the love of money, you will crumble. You will compromise. You will cave in.

I looked the other day and I just sat and I thought, and I said, "How in the world did we get here?" Satan is very clever. If you've ever been on a cruise ship before, a cruise ship turns very slowly. If you're on a cruise ship, you're too busy with the activities on the cruise ship to even know it's even turning. Then next thing you know, you're heading in this direction. You're like, "Well, are we heading home?" That's what happens. So we just kind of were quiet, we were kind of all about our life and our kids and our sports and our stuff and our social media, and all the time Satan is like, "Keep being involved with that, and I'm just going to slowly turn this world, this country." And next thing you know, we look up and say, "How did we get here to where if you speak what the Bible says, it is hate speech? Hate, because I disagree with you. I now hate you. I hate you because I don't agree with what you're doing. That's hate." When did we get here? Very slowly.

Are you ready? I'm looking around at some of you, and I don't think you're ready. But you can. You can get ready and say, "You know what, it's time for me to do business with God." And this is your opportunity to do business with God. Father, we pray that Your Spirit would teach us. Your Spirit would draw us to You. Lord, let us get serious about You. Forgive us for fooling around. Forgive us, Lord, for playing games. Forgive us for chasing the dollar sign. Oh God, help us. Have mercy upon us. Do a work in our hearts, Lord. We need You to come and do a work in us. Lord, if there's anyone here who has not repented of their sin and asked You to come into their heart as Lord and Savior, may today be the day of salvation for them. Work today, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Guest (Male): If the Word Made Plain has been a source of inspiration and encouragement to you, why not consider becoming a Word Made Plain giving partner to keep this listener-supported program on the air? As a giving partner, you join forces with Calvary Chapel Newport News's Kingdom Vision of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can make your tax-deductible gift online at calvarynn.org or send your gift of any amount to 15553 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia 23608, and receive a gift from Calvary Chapel Newport News as our thank you. In addition to your financial support, we ask that you pray for the Word Made Plain broadcast, that it touches hearts and generates change in the lives of people around the world. We pray you've been blessed by God's Word today and hope you'll tune in next time to hear the Word Made Plain.