July through September our series is entitled: Paul's Odyssey II
Odyssey means "a long and adventurous journey or experience". It is the second of a three-part series about the life and ministry of Paul. The text for these three months will cover Acts 15 - 18, Paul's second missionary trip.

We are looking at the life and missionary trips of a man named Saul, who later became known as the Apostle Paul.
This is not a complete study of the book of Acts but is focused on how the early church spread Christianity in the midst of pagan society while enduring hostile religious persecution.

As you think about a NASA rocket lifting off for space, think of how much preparation goes into the process.
This gives you an idea into what this series has covered in the first four messages. It's all about preparation for Paul's second missionary tour.

Last week we followed Paul and his team across Asia Minor. The Holy Spirit led them to the city of Troas. There Paul received a vision from the Lord to continue to Macedonia. On that journey Paul and Silas added Timothy to their team and then Luke, the physician.
Acts 16:11-12
Samothrace: home to a mysterious pagan culture center called The Sanctuary of the Great Gods
Neapolis: port city for the larger city of Philippi which was 10 miles away
Philippi: a 1/2 day's walk inland and an extremely prosperous and prestigious city. This city earned Roman citizenship by helping Caesar Augustus and Mark Antony defeat the armies of Brutus and Cassius...those responsible for assassinating Julius Caesar. Augustus exempted them forever from paying taxes and placed a large military garrison there.

In verses 13-15 we see Paul and the team at the river's edge. If a synagogue wasn't available, the study of the Law and corporate prayer could take place in a "ceremonially clean area"...typically a riverside/moving water.

Here we meet the first of our 3 key people at Philippi.

1. Wealthy Woman/Lydia
Acts 16:13-15
- a religious person
- an influencer associated with other women
- from Thyatira (an upscale town)
- a business woman (purple cloth and dye)
- had a household (family and servants)

Through this text we see that she opened her heart to the things she heard and then demonstrated hospitality.

Lesson: Our role is to seek people out and tell the Story, it is God's role to open their heart.

2. Fortune-Telling Female
Acts 16:16-22
- this woman hounded the team by trying to confuse their message. In effect she is saying they are proclaiming A Way...not the way of salvation
- this led the team to confront the woman and cast the demon out of her
- this didn't please her "handlers" which resulted in a mob mentality full of senseless rage

How could this happen? How could they endure this?
If we go back and look at how this section started, we get a little insight into the strength and determination of Paul and his team. They had a strong faith!

Lesson: As we tell others the Story, we will suffer attack from the forces of evil.

3. Suicidal Soldier
Acts 16:23-40
- jailers were usually former soldiers that were kept somehow from active duty
- the jail was a very dank hole or cave, rat infested, filthy, and void of daylight
- according to Roman military law, if prisoners escaped the jailer would be given the punishment the fugitives would have received
- we see that the faith of Paul and Silas is energetic and effective in that they are influencing the other prisoners
- a violent earthquake shook the doors and loosened the chains
- we see the fear of the jailer/soldier as he nears the edge of suicide, fearing the prisoners were escaping
- all the prisoners stayed instead of running
- once the jailer realized this, he asked how he could be saved
- verses 32-34 shows us how the gift of salvation can transform lives

As this passage concludes, we see the beginning of the very first church in what we now know as Europe. The make up of this church would have included the Wealthy Woman and her family/associates, the Fortune-Telling Female and possibly others who saw her transformation, and the Suicidal Soldier and his family/associates.

Lesson: Faithfulness will bring fruitfulness when God is honored.