“Encouraged Them and Departed” (Acts 16:35-17:18)

“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.” (Acts 16:40)

Let's encourage one another by being present when the gospel is preached, assembling with the saints, and doing what we can to advance Christ's cause. By love, let us use the gifts He gave us for the edification of others, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13).  Let the uprightness of your character encourage others that we CAN do all through Christ, and let your teaching point men to their only hope: the grace of Christ and God's gift of salvation to sinners.  Don't allow sin to slide, but encourage brethren in the fight with the encouragement that you receive, ministering what you've learned in private and in the public assembly.  Show your wisdom in meekness, and build up the church, not attention grabbing or perverting scriptures for yourself, “For I know this”, Paul says, “, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:30).  Don't be someone who puts themselves above the scriptures, but encourage others in the liberty of the Lord, and their own walk of faith with a clean conscience.

Secondly, “They Let Them Go” (Acts 17:5-9)

Man can only do so much, and then he must let you go,whether it be by death or the end of the persecution. We read, “But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. "Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king––Jesus." And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken much from Jason and the rest, they let them go” (Acts 17:5-9). Sinners may hate you, but only for so long, and then God shall receive you into bliss.

Even in this world, someone gets mad, but how long do they trouble you? How long did you still think about them? Fearing man is horrible wickedness that stops us from FEARING God, as we must, and we compromise the gospel and miss out on the salvation of Christ. He says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10). The gospel isn't to keep us quiet because God saves, but it empowers us to preach the saving mercies that we've received. If they hate you, it will only be momentary harm, even if that take “much” from you in affliction and rejection, and then God shall rescue you from them, by the Spirit and by power.

Finally, “Jesus and the Resurrection” (Acts 17:18)

Jesus Christ alive is our message! He says, “Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, 'What does this babbler want to say?' Others said, 'He seems to be proclaimer of foreign gods', because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection” (vs18). He is not dead any longer. Too many have a Christ that died, “justifying” them by faith, but they have no relationship with a life giving, life changing, and empowering gospel. But, this is false Christianity. The gospel doesn't say, “Believe on the Lord's past works”, and you'll be saved. It doesn't say, “Believe the right things about Christ for you, and don't worry about Christ in you”. It says, “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col 1:28). The gospel teaches us to believe the WHOLE Christ, and He's alive from the dead, rendering His doctrine of “go into all the world” His message to us.

Christ meets with us, renews us, and gives us the joy of His grace. He says, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt 18:20). We aren't serving rules, but we love and serve the Person of Christ, receiving joy and power from Him.