12th Sep 26 | 04:00
Daily Study
The church in Philippi
Acts 16 - Series 04/Episode 57 - Fri 11th Sep 2026 - The church in Philippi - Acts 16:16-40 - EXPERIENCES AT PHILIPPI - Philippians 01:03-05
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Acts 16:35-40 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, "Let those men go." (36) So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace." (37) But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out." (38) And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. (39) Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. (40) So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
The ministry of Paul and Silas in Philippi was now almost completed. The city officials had asked them to leave. Matthew 10:14-15 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. (15) Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! The city officials were choosing to rebel against God by asking the apostles to leave Philippi. They would have to face the consequences at the time of judgment.
The ministry in Philippi began with the establishment of the church in the home of Lydia. Acts 16:14-15 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. (15) And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us. There were now brethren in the church in Lydia's home.
The slave girl, delivered from the spirit of fortune telling, was impacted by the Gospel. Acts 16:18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.
There were several prisoners in Philippi, who were now either believers in Christ or were genuine seekers. Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. / Acts 16:27-28 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. (28) But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."
The church in Philippi grew with the addition of the jailor and his family. Acts 16:32-33 Then 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 stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.
There was now a strong church in Philippi, which needed to be nurtured. We have good reason to believe that it was Luke who remained in Philippi to establish, nurture and build the church. Till the time Paul and the team came to Philippi, Luke uses the personal plural pronoun 'we' in the narrative. Acts 16:10-17
After Philippi, Luke drops the 'we' and uses 'them'. This gives us the understanding that Luke remained in Philippi. _Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews._ Later, Luke reverts to 'we' as the team moves from Philippi to Troas. _Acts 20:5-6 These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas. (6) But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. Luke remained in Philippi and was instrumental in establishing a strong church there.
The Philippian church model gives us several principles. 1. The church was formed through homes and families. 2. Teaching and Discipling were the core effort of the church 3. The church learnt, understood and was prepared to face suffering with joy. 4. Paul ensured continuity for the church before leaving Philippi. 5. The Philippian church became one of Paul's strong partners and supporters in the ministry. Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, (4) always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, (5) for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, / Philippians 4:15-16 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. (16) For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
Learning: Church planting model
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