February 15, 2026 | Mission Expectations

Mission Expectations | Missions Conference 2026

Acts 16

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. (ESV)

In Mission Expectations, Jon Farra, joined by Jason Garro, walks through Acts 16 to show what mission often looks like when God is at work. Paul and his team face closed doors, then the Spirit redirects them to Macedonia, where God opens Lydia’s heart and begins gathering a new church through ordinary conversations and hospitality. Just as quickly, the work meets resistance, leading to public beating, prison, and an unexpected scene of worship at midnight. God sustains them through suffering, uses an earthquake without a jailbreak, and brings the jailer and his household to faith, reinforcing that the gospel advances even through hardship. Along the way, the sermon ties Psalm 23 to God’s restoring, guiding presence and connects Philippians to Paul’s later call to love with discernment and to embrace the fellowship of suffering. The main takeaway is simple: expect God to lead, sustain, and grow His church as disciples pray, follow His direction, and multiply the work through people and homes.

Transcript of Mission Expectations | Missions Conference 2026

Psalm 23

Jon Farra: Let's start with Psalm 23. Say it with me. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his namesake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Opening Prayer

Jon Farra: Let's go back to prayer. Father, we are grateful for that ancient literature, uh, those words that David penned. 3000 years ago, uh, are true and right for us today as we continue the look into, uh, missions conference, missions week, your good work in our own hearts, as well as our church body and our families and Knoxville and Tennessee and America and the world. We want to, um, be about those truths. Thank you, God, that you are our shepherd. Thank you that we cannot, we shall not want. We ask Father, that you would grant to us a good word today and thank you for making disciples. Thank you for the examples of it through scripture. May your word rightly be divided this morning. We love you Lord, and we thank you for one another and your precious name. Amen.

Overlaying Acts 16, Psalm 23, and Philippians

Jon Farra: This morning we're going to continue the, uh, story of Acts 16 specifically. Uh, that was started last week a little bit, and then we're gonna overlay that a little bit with Psalm 23 and then a few notes from the book of Philippians, which Paul wrote after his experience in Philippi, which is the Act 16. So there's kind of three texts, but Act 16 is the main text. Um, that sounds complicated. So clearly I need some help on stage.

Introducing Jason Garro

Jon Farra: Um, this is, uh, Jason Garro. Uh, he is a, um, parent of Berean Christian School students, and he just spoke in our Sunday school hour. Give the room just a few more minutes about your mission, your background, and why you're with me here.

Jason Garro: Yep. Yep. Yeah. So my name's Jason. He just said that we have kids that go to Berean Christian School. My wife and I served, uh, 12 years on the mission field in Tanzania and Darsala, it's the commercial capital. Um, prior to that, my wife was a missionary kid. I spent years in Venezuela as an intern. So we've been in missions and a part of missions for years, and even now I'm still we, we would say a non-resident and missionary, some people that, you know, call that a not real missionary because, um, I live in the United States now and so my role now is to oversee six mission te uh, 12 mission teams in six countries in Venezuela, Spain. Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana. So, um, I'm just privileged and honored to be here with you guys today.

I love Act 16. This is the passage we use in all of our discipleship training in Tanzania and so it's just crazy how the Lord works things out. So I'm honored to be here up on the stage sharing.

Continuing Acts 16 From Last Week

Jon Farra: Yep. Thank you. We'll be tag teaming throughout this morning, so a little bit of color commentary and reflections from both of us.

So. This morning, um, we want to, um, reflect, first of all on being a teacher. I'm gonna ask you what you learned last week. So. Last week, uh, Tim Hood spoke with us. Uh, if you wanted to turn off the, um, stage lights, that would probably help a little bit. Uh, Tim Hood, he is the, uh, leader of Shepherd Staff, and he said, preach boldly, disciple practically live sacrificially. Obey immediately and act expectantly. And so that is the story when Jesus said, go and make disciples. And then he touched on the beginning of Acts 16, so we're gonna go deeper in through that. So we saw that demonstrated by Paul and then the early church. And then, uh, Tim had a number of examples that, of modern stories that he was reflecting on these things being worked out.

What Is the Greatest Story?

Jon Farra: Probably one of the key verses in all of missions teaching and training. Oh my, my clicker died. You wanna advance the slide? There we go. Oh, nope. Back one, sorry. Acts one, eight. But you'll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.

I want to ask you, what is the greatest story you've ever heard? Maybe, maybe, uh, com compartmentalize that a little bit and say, what's one of your favorite movies? Because when you watch a movie, you hear a story and you, you, you're drawn to one or another.

I, I'm going through the book of Narnia, uh, the Narnia Chronicles and in the, uh. In the voyage of the dawn shredder. Lucy at one point goes to this island and she goes into this magician's house and she reads this amazingly magical book, and she reads this story. She actually can't remember all the details of the story, but she tells herself, that is the most wonderful story I've ever heard.

And then for the rest of her life, it says she compares any story that she ever hears to that story because it was so wonderful. And she hopes to be able to get back to knowing more of that story.

When we talk about the story of God in us, the story of God in our own hearts, when we talk about redemption, when we talk about the early church growing, when we talk about the fact that Christ is at work. To ask for forgiveness. Christ is at work to help you overcome a challenge in your life. Christ is at work in your extended family's heart and lives.

Evangelsm and Persecution

Jon Farra: It is so sweet to see the work of God. And here in the Book of Acts, it starts, the one of the first reflections is that you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth that will be empowered by the Holy Spirit. So this is what Jesus said immediately before his feet left the ground, so to speak.

Did that get fulfilled in the Book of Acts? Do we have another example of this taking place? Well, one of the, uh. One of the, uh, both good and challenging things that took place is if you go to Acts one, eight and then flip whatever to Acts eight one, you see the fulfillment of Acts one, eight in Acts eight, one, but it's done by persecution.

This is when Steven was just stoned and Saul at the time, who will become Paul, who will be talking about soon. Paul, or excuse me, at that time, Saul was approving of his execution of the execution of Steven, who was, by the way, the first deacon. So thank you deacons for your heart and important work. Um, and he was stoned for giving testimony of the gospel.

And by the way, that word witnesses, when it says you'll be my witnesses, is also the word for martyr. So you'll be my martyrs in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. And there arose in that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.

So when Paul's, or excuse me, when Jesus said, you'll be my witnesses. The Holy Spirit will come upon, you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. That did begin a story of taking place, but it was through persecution. Three truths there on the bottom that will be reflected on a number of times this morning is God is sovereign.

We use words like that. We don't really know what they mean. We struggle to know what they mean, especially in the face of challenge or crisis or pain. But we do believe and pray, and sometimes we're like the man in scripture talking to Jesus. Jesus I believe, help my unbelief and its God is sovereign. His gospel will go forth, the church will be planted, the church will thrive, and there will be persecution.

Second Timothy reminds us that all who lived, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. So those are three truths. God is sovereign. His gospel will go forth and there will be persecution. Any comments or reflections or,

Jason Garro: Yeah, I, I would just back that up and say the, um, you know, you look at the end of the story, right?

Sometimes you get discouraged, you think, how's this gonna happen? How are billions of Muslims become, you know, believers in Christ? How are there gonna be people from every tribe, from the Somalis and the Afghanistan groups, and how's that gonna happen? But you see at the end of the book, in the book of Revelation, that there will be people from every tribe, tongue, and nation, and that every knee will bow.

That Jesus is Lord. Right? So we know it's gonna happen. It's just hard. Just like you said, it's hard to understand how God's gonna work it all out, but he's working it out. Yeah.

God Grows and Restores

Jon Farra: Let's go to Act 16.

I'll read the first. There's a number of segments to it, so to speak. This is one through five, Paul, and by the way, this is immediately after the split with Barnabas and John Mark. So like the next verse, so to speak.

Paul came also from Derby in Lira and a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer and his father was Greek. He was well spoken of among the brothers at that in Lira and Aian. And Paul wanted Timothy to com to accompany him and he took him and circumcised him because the Jews who were in those places for they all knew his father was Greek. And they went on their way through the cities and they delivered to them were for, for observance, the decisions that had been reached by the elders and the apostles who were in Jerusalem. So the church were strengthened in faith and they increased in number daily.

So this is Paul and Barnabas by way of a few simple observations. Paul and Barnum has just split. Pull up in your mind or your heart, a time where you were significantly disappointed or felt betrayed by another Christian. As one author said, I don't know a pastor who hasn't been, and that's not unique to pastors. That's our Christian life. We do want to walk in council and communion with one another and one of the sweetest best parts is one another. And the fellowship there is. And then when you interview missionaries of why they left the field, the number one reason that usually bubbles up is conflict with other missionaries. A hundred percent.

And you say that is so common in our Christian walk. And so this is just, this isn't really a teaching on it, this is just an example of it, but Paul and Barnabas just split, uh, if you want to hear a few more reflections on that. Listen to last week's sermon. Uh, Tim Hood went a little deeper into that and had some good observations in that.

Um, and then he creates a new team and he has a new vision, and that, again, started by prayer and fasting among the elders of the church. And they again partnered Paul with Timothy and they prayed and they sent them out. So this is his second trip and there is some fruitfulness in that.

I'll go back to Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

That word restore. Can mean to fill back up. If you use the, uh, example of the, uh, after you host a big Thanksgiving meal at your house and you have a huge table spread and you have hundreds of people over, not hundreds, that's an exaggeration. Feels like hundreds, many, many, many over, and they eat and there's all the dishes, and you finally get through cleaning it up and you, you drift off to sleep. And one of your children goes to the cabinet or the pantry the next day and opens the door and it's empty because you just ate everything and you're like, mom, there's nothing to eat. Maybe true. You might also say, have some leftover green beans. You can guess how that this row can. Guess how that goes.

And so you take your, you take your car and you drive down to Sam's Club or Aldi, wherever it is, you do your shopping and you fill your cart back up and you get more bags than you usually do. And you walk back in your house and you stock all the things back in your shelf and after your fridge, and you say, okay, we are now restocked, refilled, ready to go again.

When it says, God restores your soul, God is filling back up your soul. God's doing that with you as a person. God's doing that with you, with your expectation. This slide presentation started with mission expectation. What is your expectation of God? So God restocks, God fills you back up. God restores your soul.

Paul's Missions Trip to Macedonia

Jon Farra: Uh, this, this was a good example here for Paul and now Timothy restocking or restoring your soul. Thoughts or comments? Okay. Um, Jason, will you come and read the next section six through, uh. Six through 10 there,

Jason Garro: I'm gonna use yours as

Jon Farra: Bigger print. Sure, yeah. Yeah. I had to buy the big print Bible. I'm getting a little bit old. And you know, they have small words nowadays, so,

Jason Garro: so, uh, acts 16, verse six, it says, and they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they'd come up to Mysia Mysia, they attempted to go to Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

So passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia was standing there urging him and saying, come over to Macedonia and help us. And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought it to go onto Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Should I go beyond? Yeah,

God Leads

Jon Farra: That's good. Okay. Alright. So they have a vision, or excuse me, they, uh, let's use the words, they start on a missions trip and actually Act 16 nine is the key verse for this whole missions theme, which is. A man from Macedonia in a dream was calling Paul to come to Macedonia.

Macedonia would what? If we were to use words today, we would call that Northern Greece, which was the first church in what we would call Europe. And so the gospel started obviously with Jesus in Israel, and then it went through what is now called Asia Minor or Turkey. And then this was the first touch into, going into a very unreached place, in fact, so specifically that, um, yep. Advance at one. Nope, sorry. There we go. Uh, so, uh, they, they were headed now into, to the ends of the earth because Paul had, or the, the, the first touch with the. Direction was Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Well, back then, Europe would've been the ends of the earth. The place with no gospel witness, the place where Rome was the dominant military and political force in the world. And so when Paul had this vision to go to Macedonia, it was to the ends of the world.

It is interesting that they go on a missions trip and Paul and, and the God tells the spirit don't share the gospel. So he's closing the door there in Asia Minor. He's closing the door in what we would call Turkey. Go on this missions trip, but say nothing about the gospel. In fact, even list some very specific places like Bithynia.

If you want your heart to be encouraged about God being sovereign, because we know the end of the story. Look at the beginning of one Peter at some point, because in the beginning of one Peter, Peter writes to these churches that God closed the door to Paul ministering to. God wanted Paul and Timothy at that time to go into Macedonia, which we would call Europe. And then that's, and eventually he's gonna end up in Rome.

So he does, uh, he, he does close that door. And then he is beginning a new conversation. Let's go to that new conversation. I'm gonna be in verse 11. So setting sail for Troas, they went to direct a direct voyage to Samothrace and the following day to Neapolis. And from there to Philippi, which was a leading city in the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We remained in the city some days, and on the Sabbath day we went out to the gate by the riverside where there was supposed to be a place of prayer. And we sat down and spoke to a woman who had come together.

One hearing from this woman was Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods who worshiped, who was a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul and after she was baptized her and her whole household as well, she urged us, saying, if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. And she prevailed upon us.

2015 Trip to Greece

Jon Farra: I want to, uh, a number of years ago, my wife and I had a, um, opportunity to go to Greece. This is Brad and Jamie Newport. Uh, this is my wife and I with Brad and Jamie Newport at a restaurant there in Greece. And the picture there on the right is now called Cavalla. Back then it was called Neapolis. So that is a, that statue or it's that little rock there with that mosaic behind it is what Neapolis looks like today. Well. In 2015, I think it still looks mostly the same, but that was a, we went to the place and then it said they went to Philippi. Well, that's about a 10 K or 10 kilometers, six miles away now.

Back then they walked it. We had the luxury of a car, so we drove to Macedonia and back then it was a big city. Now Philippi is just a ruins out in the middle of a countryside. I'll give you a few more pictures in a second, but it is, it, it's a preserved, uh, arch archeological dig that you can still go see. It's not like many of the other things where you have a a little sign next to a Starbucks because there's so much growth and industry around it. Philippi is still way out in the middle of the Greek countryside.

So my wife and I had the privilege of doing that. And when you get to go to places that are spoken of in the Bible, it really helps you put context to things. It helps you imagine. It helps you understand a little deeper and better.

And so it says here that they went to, I'm gonna go back. It says here that they were not to go to Bithynia. They had a vision and they followed it. And then they go down to the river and they meet a Lydia, a lady named Lydia. She had been a worshiper of God. She was in a place of prayer. And it specifically says God opened her heart.

That word opened is only used three times in the New Testament. That word opened is specifically in opening that God does, God opened her heart. One of the other places in scripture in the New Testament's used is, um, when they're walking from, um, the road to Emmaus. And the disciples post, uh, death and um, just as the resurrection was, the resurrection story was just going out. They meet this guy and they don't know who this guy is, and these two disciples are going to Emmaus. It's about a seven mile walk. And they get, they go back and forth with this guy, we know the story because it's Jesus. They didn't know that story. And this guy is explaining to them how the Christ was all throughout the Old Testament.

And then they prevailed on him and said, come have dinner with us. And when he prayed, it says God opened their eyes. They specifically knew at that point it was Jesus, and it wouldn't have been known if Jesus hadn't opened their eyes. God opened their eyes and then they run all the way back to the rest of the disciples in Luke 24 and say, we just met the Christ because God opened our eyes.

Another time. Jesus heals a deaf man and it says that God opened his ears. This is God opening her heart. It says the Lord opened her heart. I'm in verse 14. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul, and after she was baptized her and her household as well, she urged us, saying, if we, if you've judged me to be faithful, come and stay.

And she prevailed upon us.

Jason Garro: So in the Sunday school this morning, I taught, or we went through in a discovery Bible study, Luke chapter 10, and in Luke chapter 10, it's the steps that Jesus gives to his 72 disciples. He does the same thing in Matthew. In Matthew six, and in Mark, no, Matthew 10 and Mark six.

He's telling his disciples to go two by two, not to bring a bunch of stuff with them and look for a person who will receive peace. Remember that if those of you know the story and we're here in the morning, so we would call that person a person of peace. And in a sense, I believe, and I think a lot of other commentaries would say this as well, that Paul is actually operating on the disciple making strategy and principles that were laid down in, in the gospels, that Jesus taught his disciples to go out two by two. Notice they're two by two, and it says that that person will welcome you to their house. And you see it's her and her whole household who becomes believers. And so this is a really great example of a person of peace that Jesus was talking about and they're actually doing it in this, in this passage here.

So just wanted to highlight that for you.

Jon Farra: Psalm 23, which is ancient, it's ancient literature even for Paul. And so when Paul was doing these experiences, he had the Old Testament. He was one of the foremost scholars on it. He knew the Psalms, and specifically we would say Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known Psalms, but the verse there is that God restores their soul and guides them in paths of righteousness.

That's a great prayer for you and your household to walk in paths of righteousness. Actually, take just a minute right now and pray with somebody right now. In this room that you would ask God of two things that you would ask God to open somebody's heart and that you would ask God to lead you in a path of righteousness.

Take a quick prayer time right now.

One of the verses that Paul will write later back to the church in Philippi, some of these very people he was likely talking with are these verses here in Philippians one and it says, and it is my prayer that I'm in verse one, nine. It is my prayer that your love may a bound more and more with knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve what is excellent.

And so be pure and blame us for the day of Christ. Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, the glory and praise of God. There are times in your life when you just don't know what to do. Something comes up and you don't know the answer. You don't have a script, you don't have a playbook. It overrides all of your faculties. This is a great prayer for that. Lord, may I abound in love and knowledge and discernment. Approving what is excellent, pure, and blameless for the day of Christ. That's Philippians one, nine through 11, which Paul will be writing back to them later in the text or later in the story, so to speak.

God Sustains

Jon Farra: Alright, let's go back to Acts 16.

Jesus said just before he went to the cross, in this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world. That's John 16:33. Uh, Jason, will you come back up and read this text? This is now Paul being thrown in prison. Go 16 through 24.

Jason Garro: Okay, great. Here to here. Yep. As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gained by fortune telling. She followed Paul and us crying out these men are servants of the most high God who proclaimed to you the way of salvation, and this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. It came out that very hour, but when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, these men are Jews and they're disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice. The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore their the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison. Ordering that the jailer was to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stalks.

Jon Farra: Is this where the story gets hard? Is this where the story gets not fun? Well, Paul had just followed a vision. Paul had just rebooted his, his missionary experience. Paul had just come and found a person of peace and had made a first disciple, her and her household, and praise God for that. And then when you turn the page in scripture, so to speak, Satan attacks specifically with this slave girl to begin with, who is giving fortunes by demonic power. And she is calling out after Paul and Barnabas, or excuse me, Paul and Timothy, uh, and mocking and reflecting, um, servants of the most high God. And Paul silences her simply, I say simply by rebuking Satan. And it says that the evil spirit came out of her.

Well, that was, we would say that was good for her. That was not good for her. Uh, owner or the person who made money by that fortune telling power, he brought them to civic leadership. He brought them to civil authorities, and Paul and Timothy were beaten and then specifically thrown into jail in some sort of stocks, in some sort of, probably very uncomfortable situation. And they were put in, uh, prison fastened with their feet in stocks. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Paul writes that to the guy in stocks with him, Timothy, later in Timothy's ministry.

Is that your expectation of the Christian life? Is that your expectation of a loving God who is all powerful and all good? It bumps into that, doesn't it? It bumps into that because we believe God is God, and we like our comfortable life.

Now. What were Paul and Barnabas doing at midnight in jail? Singing. Okay, so about, this is verse 25, about midnight. Paul and Barnabas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Verse 25, praise God in stocks? Praise God with a bloody back? Praise God with uh, an uncertain future? Praise God with all this good that you just started may never come to any more work from your point of view? Praising God.

Now, let me ask you a little bit of a deeper question for me and you. Were they praising God for other people's sakes or were they praising God for their sakes? When Paul writes to First Thessalonians or the church in first Thessalonian Thessalonica, he says, give, give thanks In all circumstances for this is the will of God for your life. Sometimes I'm glad Scripture is just that clear. God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances. That word all is easy to say and hard to do. Easy to preach, hard to live, easy to, easy to see in other people's lives. Be thankful. In all circumstances, they are praising the Lord in jail at midnight.

What happens? And suddenly there is a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were open and everyone's bound bonds were unfastened and everybody ran away. Wait, no, that's not what it says.

So this is the first prison break in probably the history of the world, maybe ever, where there's a great prison break and all the doors fly open and nobody leaves.

You say, why? Okay, so, and the jail and the, and then the jailer woke up and the prison doors were open. He drew out his story and he was about to kill himself. Because he knows that his life and job are bound up in keeping up with these prisoners. If the prisoners get out on his watch for whatever reason, he's now accountable, he's going to take his own life, understandably, thinking, I'm in charge of the prison. All the doors are open. I'm a dead man, until this voice comes out of some sort of darky haze and it says. And then, but Paul cries out in a loud voice. Don't harm yourself. We are all here. You might wanna underline that text somewhere in your Bible if you're an underliner. We are all here.

And the jailer called for lights and rushed in trembling with fear. This is the jailer trembling with fear. The jailer trembling with fear and he fell down before Paul and Silas. And then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household. And they spoke the word of Paul to him and all who were in the house, and he took them about that same hour that night, wash their wounds. He baptized them at once and he and their family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before 'em. He rejoiced along with his entire whole soul. That he had believed in God.

Thoughts or comments?

Jason Garro: Yes, definitely. Uh, so again, we have another person of peace. Uh, the jailer becomes a person of peace. You can see that he and his household, uh, are baptized and they also are invited to his house. Just like we saw Jesus said, what happen in Luke 10.

Another thing that I think is really fascinating about Paul, he does this later on the ship, but he uses his boldness and his confidence.

He's been sort of working the, the prisoners and must have been talking also with the jailer at some point, because the question from the jailers is what it must, what must I do to be saved? So he's, he didn't just make that up out of thin air. He's probably been hearing Paul talk to the prisoners about salvation. So Paul is so bold, he's not afraid. He's a Roman prisoner now, or he is in a jail and he's, he basically. My belief is he basically tells the guys, no one's leaving. We're all staying right here. And they're like, yes, whatever you say, Paul, because he basically does the same thing on ship later and everyone, even the centurian commander say We're doing whatever Paul says.

So just his faith and his boldness is just amazing that God, he just knows that God wants to work in this situation. So, but second person of peace, that's the highlight.

Jon Farra: Psalm 23. Even though I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me. You're Rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Philippians three verse 10. I want to know Christ, raise your hand if you want to know Christ. I want to know Christ. The power is resurrection. Raise your hand if you want to know the power of his resurrection. Raise your hand if you want to know the fellowship of his suffering. 'Cause it's right there. I want to know Christ, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering, so I may come become like him and his death. And so also to obtain to the resurrection from the dead.

Those first two preach really well. I want to know the fellowship of his suffering. Paul says earlier in the book of Philippians, it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him. And remember, he's writing those words back to this church. Had he lived that out? Had he been an example to that? Well, act 16 would say yes.

Praise God for that faith. Praise God for that story that we can have, that testimony that we can learn from, so that we can be encouraged in those hard spots. This is a modern day picture of the prison of Paul. Now if you go to Macedonia, that's what the countryside and some of the ruins look like. Uh, some of the old ancient Roman structures, which are still there today, by the way. So this is 2000 years later. Actually, it's more than that because this is 2000 years since Paul, so the Romans built it before that. So this is what Paul was experiencing countryside wise. And then that is a picture of the jail in, uh, Philippi, where likely Paul was thrown into.

There's a whole internet thing about that's not really real. They just sell those to for good tickets. I'm not sure, but I can certainly say that it's something like that if that's not the actual place. Certainly it was actually there in Philippi and it is again, sweet to see God's to be in the same place geographically that God was working. And it does help you understand God's love for the world and God's love through specific places in history.

God Grows His Church

Jon Farra: All right, let's finish this up.

God will grow his church. God will establish his church. God will sustain his church and now grow. God will grow his church. But then it was day and the magistrate, uh, sent the police, let us let these men go. So after this whole event, the, the, the leaders of the city were like, just get these guys outta here. We, we, we clearly had a big problem. Uh, they just need to leave, let them go. And the jailer reported these words to Paul saying, the magistrates have sent to let you go, therefore come out and now go in peace.

But Paul said they have beaten us publicly. Uncondemned men who are Roman citizens and have thrown us into jail. Do they now throw us out secretly? No, let them come themselves and take us from here. The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they learned that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them and they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of prison and they visited Lydia, and then they had seen the brothers. They encouraged and then they departed.

God is establishing his church. That is true in Berean Bible Church in 2026. In this room right now, God is establishing his church. He is making disciples. That was true then. That was true today and that will be true until Jesus chooses to return.

We are grateful for the earthquake and the miraculous events. We are grateful for a second convert a second person of peace. And then this fledgling church that is now starting to grow. You have Lydia and her household. You have, um, the jailer and his household. Some surmise that maybe the servant girl also became a believer. It doesn't actually say that, but some would reflect That's a, a potential, and God is starting to draw together these coals of people and blowing on these coals to establish his church. God is developing it.

We just sang a song about Jesus is mighty to save. We just sang a song about bowing down before the throne of God in demonstrating that God is worthy. God is worthy of our worship. God is worthy of our suffering. God is worthy of the, the joys and the sorrows of our life. We bring all of that to God as a pleasing aroma before him because to link back to Psalm 23. He has prepared a table before us in the presence of our enemies. And there that is where our couple overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will guide us all the days of our life and we'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

And then the only other comment back from back from the book of Philippians, later, he's gonna write back to this church again. And he says these words. Uh, Philippians three, verse 20, but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to him himself.

Thoughts or comments?

Jason Garro: Well, I would say one thing, just the concept of suffering that what's the thing we don't really like as Americans? That's the one thing we all wanna avoid. But in my life, I've seen with the 12 years being on the field and two years in Tanzania, in in, uh, Venezuela. Giving up everything, selling everything, dealing with tons of hardship. It transformed me, it transformed my wife. It's, it's changed us. So it's not that something you should seek out, but it really is true. Like it says in James, consider it pure joy when you face troubles and trials. 'cause it really will deepen you and change you. So it actually is something to look for, you know, um, as well.

So I would just highlight that.

Berea, Our Namesake

Jon Farra: What happens next in the book of Acts. They leave Philippi, they cross city, they go to Thessalonica, which is the second largest city in Greece, was back then, still is today. They went to Thessalonica. They also more converts were made. And then there was a mob that was formed and they chased Paul and um, Silas out of, uh, Thessalonica. And then they went to Berea! And it says, there's a key verse. Now, the Jews were more noble than in Thessalonica, and they received the word with eagerness, examining the scriptures to see if they were so many of them believed with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

So after Paul leaves Thessalonica, or excuse me, well. Philippi to Thessalonica. He goes as extension of a suburb, so to speak, of Thessalonica, and it's a little town called Berea. And they were known because they studied the scriptures to find out if it was true.

Does that be relevance for us? Yes. That's what that is. Our namesake, we want to study the scripture and to go a little deeper with through suffering. It is the scripture that gives us that. Uh. Story of God and that, and we want to not only seek people of peace, we want to be people of peace.

The Discipleship Cycle

Jon Farra: Jason come and help us know what this means and why it's important.

Jason Garro: Okay. So when we do the trainings in Tanzania, training people to make disciples who make disciples, we actually use Act 16 as our main text. So it's really crazy that this was just happened to be, happened to be the passage today. Um, we say there's four, five different things you see in the disciple making process that all play out in Act 16. Act 16 is actually the best example of all of these happening.

So number one, you have to pray. And, and fast. It says, but you're a, you're seeking the Lord. Lord, where do you want us to go? Who do you want us to go to? And you see that in the beginning of the, of the chapter where they're praying, should we go to Asia? Should we go to Bithynia? This Holy Spirit says no. Right? It says, don't go, which seems counterintuitive.

So then moving forward, they, they do find this person of peace. They, they, they go and they. They start ministering. They're looking for people. They find Lydia, she becomes a person of peace. You also have the jailer as a person of peace.

They start a group in her home. All the early churches of the New Testament were started in homes. They didn't build any buildings for the first few hundred years of the church. So this is just a great example for us. Like you can make disciples in your home. You can invite people over. You could start a group, you could do a Bible study. Your homes are great places to do that.

Um, but then the mal, it says embrace multiplication. What's really fascinating, we've already hinted at this. It, but Thyrotira is in Asia, I believe. And this other place is mentioned later on by Peter as being a place where there were disciples. So God uses probably Lydia and her household to take the gospel to one of the places the Holy Spirit said, don't go. 'Cause that's the whole point, is that we're supposed to make disciples, and then those disciples are then equipped and trained to go and make disciples.

And I think that's why Jesus says. In Luke 10, don't go from house to house preaching to everyone and doing all the ministry. You pour into one family, you pour into this one small group and you disciple them.

And so that's the first, uh, that's the, that's called the disciple making model cycle. Uh, there's another slide, uh, which I'll. And so kind of bring you back, we shared this in the Sunday school, but we wanted to reiterate it. Um, what can you do, right? Like, what can you do? Like maybe you're not gonna go to Tanzania, maybe you're not gonna go to Spain. Uh, but you can do a lot right now, today, where you are in your life.

And so, number one, you can pray. Like we could tell over and over again, God would make things happen because we knew people were praying back mostly in the United States.

Uh, number two, you can give, you can partner with missionaries financially, you can support them. So you can give 'cause like all the missionaries that I know, they all are being supported by people that are being generous and are giving.

Uh, number three, this one's very applicable to all of you, and you could do it today at lunch or today when you go to Sam's Club, you can be welcoming.

So when you walk into, uh, Aldi, let's say, and you see a woman, like a veiled Muslim woman, instead of being like, oh, we gotta, we gotta call ice, you know, or something. What you probably should do is walk over to her and say, Hey, I see you're looking at couscous. I've always wanted to know how to make like a, a woman walk up to another Muslim woman. I'm not telling you guys to do this. Uh uh. Yeah. And so you walk up to her, the you women, and say, Hey, I've always wondered how to make couscous it. I've had it once in a restaurant. Can you teach me how to make couscous?

That woman will probably almost fall over, like no one's ever talked to me before. Everyone hates me. They all think I'm the enemy. And so just by befriending people and being welcoming the Lord God is bringing the nations to America. So you have huge opportunity, especially in Knoxville as people are moving here. You can do the same thing with, you know, Hispanics, anybody.

Uh, number four, mobilize. So you can encourage and send others. You can even send your kids. So you parents, right? They say the hardest thing in in John three 16 is God sent his son. And so you can say, you know, you can encourage your families and your kids and people you know to go and make disciples if you can't go.

And then the last one is you actually can go, you can start with a short trip. You could go on a mission trip in the summer. You can go with me. I'm going to Spain this summer, uh, to be a part of a prayer walk. I'll be leading the team in the Malaga region in uh, cia. And so you're welcome to come. I have like seven to 10 spots. I've got a couple people that have signed up. Uh, it costs about $2,500 total estimate, but you, God can provide. And if you want to go and experience missions for real overseas, you can, and you're welcome to go.

Uh, and then if you want to meet up with me or talk to me or anything, you can scan that QR code. You can also get our newsletter. That's another way to pray. Um, so there's lots of things you could do now. So don't think that I'm never gonna be a missionary. This doesn't apply to me. This is a waste of my time today. It really does. Like I would say that the entire Bible. Is a book of missions. It's God's heart to reach the world. It starts all the way back with Abraham when he says, I will call you and bless you and make all the nations bless through you. So this is God's heart. It goes all the way to the end of Revelation. God wants to reach the world and he wants to, to use you to be a part of that.

Jon Farra: Thank you.

Jason Garro: Thanks.

Jon Farra: Let's go back to Philippians chapter three. Um, verse 20, in closing. Pray with me. Father, thank you that our citizenship is in heaven. And it is from it. We wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Father, thank you that our home is in heaven and we longingly wait for that. Thank you Father, that in this world we will have trouble, but take heart for you have overcome the world. Thank you, father, that you desire us to pa walk in paths of righteousness as you have restored our souls. Thank you, father, that your church will be established, your church will be planted.

You will sustain your church through hardship and suffering and all the things, all the ways that the world, the flesh and the devil attack us. And yet you will plant that church and that church will go forth. Thank you Father, for the picture of discipleship here in Acts 16. Thank you, father, that when you said, go and make disciples, this is a picture of it.

And it is as we are going, so may all of our lives be a representation of the goodness of God. Thank you. That it is your kindness That leads us to repentance. I pray Father, for our generosity and compassion toward others. We ask Father, that you would bless our fellowship and our, um, our body here, that these things may be true of us.

Thank you that this wasn't started with us and this won't be completed with us. This is not our idea. This is yours, and we want to link ourselves to scripture. And to the sovereignty of God, you are good. Your love endures forever, and your faithfulness continues throughout all generations. In your precious name, amen.