Beyond the Weekend

September 12 | Foothold

September 12, 2017

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.

Read the entire passage: Acts 16:6-34

TODAY’S MESSAGE

Paul and his team desire to share the gospel but don’t know what is ahead of them as they step into Philippi. Hearing about a group meeting to pray outside the city, they begin sharing the good news there. Lydia hears the gospel and believes. While in Philippi, a demon-possessed slave girl harasses them regularly. Paul, through the power of Christ, commands the demon to come out of her. The spirit departs, and the slave girl’s owners are not happy. They take them to the authorities who have Paul and Silas beaten before throwing them into jail. Paul and Silas praise God in jail and are interrupted as an earthquake rumbles through the prison. The jailer is suicidal, believing the prisoners have escaped. Paul and Silas use the crazy circumstances to share the gospel with the jailer, and he believes.

The gospel gains a foothold in Philippi through three unique circumstances. It wasn’t smooth sailing, nor was it painless. God uses an unlikely group of people in Lydia, the slave girl and the jailer. Through these three people, we learn several things: God opens people’s hearts, belief connects to baptism and service, Christ has power over the demonic and to have joy in the midst of trials.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

God still works in ways we don’t expect to spread the good news of Jesus and to help us develop his mind and character. While Paul and his team didn’t know what to expect, they knew they could trust God in whatever happened. Today, ask God to work in your life through this series. Commit to leaning into the series and engaging it with open hands and an open heart. Thank God that you can trust him no matter what happens.


Download a printable PDF for the week here.

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