You Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
Philippians 4:15-16
Paul had planned to revisit the churches begun during his earlier missionery journey but instead God guided him and his companions to Macedonia, where they headed for the capital city, a Roman colony called Philippi. St Luke tells the story in Acts 16.
After a few days, they find a group of people worshipping by a river who believe the Good News about Jesus. The meetings continue. Then a female slave, empowered by a demon to prophesy, began to follow Paul, shouting that he can tell people the way of salvation. This was the sort of publicity that Paul didn’t want.
We know from the Gospels, and from what St James wrote, that demons know very well the truth about Jesus. But why should one of them publicise it like that? Possibly to taint Paul's message, to try to reduce it in people's minds to the same level as all the other religions practiced in the city.
We know from the Gospels, and from what St James wrote, that demons know very well the truth about Jesus. But why should one of them publicise it like that? Possibly to taint Paul's message, to try to reduce it in people's minds to the same level as all the other religions practiced in the city.
Paul was annoyed and banished the demon. The slave could no longer prophesy and so her owners had Paul and Silas arrested on a bogus charge of staring a riot. The magistrates were not diligent and probably corrupt because they had the two missionaries publically flogged and jailed without a proper hearing.
I expect all this seemed like a great tragedy to the new Christians, challenging their new-found belief in the Sovereign LORD. It must have severely tested their respect for authority, which is the subject of next weekend's Reflection.
The mission to Macedonia, that had begun so promisingly, seemed to have turned sour. But then, while Paul and Silas are worshipping God in their prison cell, an earthquake frees all the prisoners. Rather than take the opportunity to escape, Paul sees God working towards something greater. This leads the jailer and his family, one of the prominent families in the city, to believe on Jesus. Suddenly, the injustice and humiliation the missionaries had suffered became the means God used to expand the new church. But then there's another setback! The magistrates banished them from the city!
I wonder if Paul and his companions left Philippi with a sense of unfinished business, afraid that the new church he had planted would wither and die without experienced nurturing. Of course, we know that it did continue: it grew to become one of the few churches to support Paul in the years to come. When we read in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians about the financial support he received from Macedonia, we know from the quotation at the start of this Reflection that he is actually referring to the Philippians, because they were the only church in the region to support him.
Planted in the most unlikely of circumstances, and left without any experienced ministry, the church continued to grow and stand as an example to all others. As Paul explained in his letter to the Christians in Corinth, seeking to address the divisions among them that focused on different ministers, one minister plants, another waters, but God gives the growth. I’m therefore sure that Paul left Philippi not with a sense of unfinished business but confident that God would use others to bring the work to completion.
To be content as St Paul was content, we need the discernment to do what God calls us to - to do our bit - and then happily move on. We must never become precious about what God calls us to do, never try to hold on when He calls us to move on or calls others to work over us. If we do cling on, God may continue to bless us, because that’s the sort of loving God He is, but we may miss better things He has prepared for us.
© Copyright Philip Evans 2014.
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Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
