In Acts 16 two Preachers (namely Paul and Silas) have been arrested, yet falsely so. In the process they were beaten (with “many stripes”), their clothes having been ripped off their bodies!
Then the men were “cast” (in Greek “ballo,” meaning thrown, flung, thrust) into the jail, “maximum security.” (Into the “inner prison,” our beautiful King James Version says).
What pain and suffering!
What humiliation!
Their jailor even went further, “making their feet fast in the stocks.” Locked into one position, therefore cramping (for hours) now as well as bleeding!
And they stayed that way until the “earthquake,” another story indeed, not germane to today’s Lesson.
But the devilish persecution and hatred of Paul’s party had reached such a feverish pitch, the missionaries had to depart from their beloved Philippi. Yet plenty of brethren (and some sisters in Christ as well) remained behind in that city, and continued worshipping God in that little (but now well-known) Church.
In fact, these Preachers were officially commanded to leave town! The city fathers insistently “desired them to depart out of the city.”
Now comes today’s verse: “And they (Paul and Silas) went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they COMFORTED them, and departed.” Acts 16:40
Watch one verb here, “comforted.”
It’s not that the Christians (that new-to-the-faith core of believers) in Lydia’s house “comforted” Paul and his team. It’s the reverse, the very opposite! Paul (and at least Silas, but maybe Timothy too) comforted them!
We might have thought that the Church would have comforted the suffering missionaries at that point!
“Comforted” … the Greek here is “parakaleo,” and clearly carries the idea of exhorting, encouraging, and certainly strengthening!
These men with sore (maybe even still oozing blood) stripes on their backs, with torn clothes, with humiliated egos … COMFORTING a whole Church family!
In English that verb, “to comfort,” derives from the Latin, meaning “with courage, with fortitude, with stamina.” (Simply spelled con or com + fortis … I wish Miss Smith, my High School Latin teacher were still alive and could read this Lesson!)
What should have been the weaker group is here comforting what should probably have been the stronger group!
And so it goes in much of Christian life, of Christian service!
Folks, you seasoned believers, even when you are “down” … you will often need to look around, find some weaker Christian and go “strengthen, edify, uplift” him or her!
Paul often did!
In fact, he’s the one who later wrote: “Exhort (parakaleo) one another daily,” framing the sentence not as a suggestion, but a stark command, an imperative mood verb! (Hebrews 3:13)
Oh yes! There may be some times when you as a Christian feel you need some comfort … but instead you in reality will need to “give some comfort!”
May we become so mature in Christ, that such a ministry will be no problem! Be sensitive today … you may come across a fellow believer who needs a few words of comfort, encouragement, help. Please GIVE SUCH GLADLY … no matter how you feel!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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