Macedonia

Paul made his first “missionary journey” into the regions of Galatia in the time period which is represented in your bible by Acts chapter thirteen and fourteen. After returning to Antioch in Syria (which is not the same as the city named Antioch in Pisidia which Paul visited during his trip into Galatia) some disturbing news had come to him. Judaizers from Jerusalem had come along and were trying to get the Galatians to put themselves back under the performance system of the law of Moses.

As a result of all this, the Lord revealed to Paul that he should go to Jerusalem and “communicate unto them that gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.” Paul did that at the time of Acts chapter fifteen. Afterwards he, accompanied this time by Silas, went back through Galatia.

Afterwards the bible says that he was “forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.” It also says that he was not allowed to go into Bithynia (a province probably just north of the province of Asia.) So at Troas, which is a city on the very western edge of the province of Asia (present day Turkey) Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia saying “come over here and help us.” “Assuredly gathering” that the Lord had called him to go to Macedonia he sails over into Europe and the first city he goes to is Phillipi.

This is where you find the bible account of the “Phillipian jailor.” Paul had been beaten and cast into prison in Phillipi. At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing when suddenly there was an earthquake. It was a startling event because all the prisoners in the jail were freed from their shackles. The terrified Phillipian jailor, about to commit suicide rather than face the Romans for letting the prisoners escape hears Paul shout, “Do thyself no harm, we are all here.” Now that’s amazing! Not a single prisoner had run. It seems like that would be the natural thing to do...but none of them did.

The jailor, undoubtedly shaken by the magnitude of such a supernatural event, gets a light and rushes in, trembling, and he asks them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Guess what Paul’s answer was? Paul didn’t tell the man to DO anything. As a matter of fact he didn’t tell him to do anything, to go anywhere, or even to say anything.

Isn’t it amazing that in religion today people are told to do all sorts of things. Things such as “walk the aisle for Jesus,” pray at the alter, repeat some type of so-called “sinner’s prayer,” and all sorts of nice looking and nice sounding religious things that religion comes up with. But Paul didn’t say one word to the man about doing, repeating, or saying any of those things and he certainly didn’t tell him to “come down front,” or for that matter to go anywhere. Let’s look at what the bible says that Paul told the man:

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Wow! Did you see that? Paul said that instead of doing things in order to be saved that this man should BELIEVE something. He said “believe ON,” not just believe IN, but believe ON the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, what am I to “believe on” concerning Christ?

Acts 16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

So what is “the word of the Lord” here? Obviously it is the gospel which Paul preached. Here is that message that Paul preached:

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

So the “word of the Lord” Paul “spake” to the Phillipian jailor was that if he would simply put his faith in what Jesus Christ had done on the cross for him, truly believing that Christ had died in his place as the full payment for the penalty for sins....which is death...that God would receive him and save him. No begging and pleading. No promising to be good. No going anywhere or doing anything. Simply trusting what Jesus Christ did for you instead of what you are GOING to do for the Lord.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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