2013 – Year of Continued Revolution

Once when we were going to the place of prayer,

we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.

Acts 16:16

 I forget that Jesus Christ is a revolutionary.

I know the story of Paul and Silas’s miracle release from prison.   While praying and singing to God, an earthquake caused their chains to fall from them (v. 25-26).  After seeing the work of God, the jailer and his whole household accepted Jesus as Lord.

I forgot why they were put in jail in the first place.  I forgot that other chains were broken.  After this slave girl followed them for a few days, Paul cast the evil spirit out of her (v. 18).  Paul healed the slave girl.  He also overturned the economic apple cart.  Without the evil spirit, her owners couldn’t make as much money off of her.  (She could still be used as a sex or labor slave.)  So they grabbed Paul and Silas and took them to the authorities.  The owners were too sly to admit their greed, so instead they accused the two of “throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice” (v. 20).

What was the unlawful part?  Was it unlawful for people to be free?  Was it unlawful to set people free?  Was it unlawful to heal people?  Was it unlawful to interrupt business?  Shouldn’t it have been unlawful to have slaves?  I’m not sure.  The city, however, was thrown into an uproar, because a “crowd” (v. 22) joined in the attack against Paul and Silas.  Slavery was supported by the state.  Instead of intervening on the side of Paul and Silas, the magistrates had them stripped, beaten, thrown in jail and placed under armed guard (v. 22-23).

As a result of setting someone else free, Paul and Silas ended up in jail, and it’s a price they were willing to pay.

My pastor said that sometimes obedience to God would come at great cost to ourselves; but if we persevere, not only will we be blessed, but that act of obedience would have a far-reaching impact on the lives of other people.

I pray that we all take that radical, chain-breaking obedience into 2013.  Happy New Year!

 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners . . . .

Isaiah 61:1