Philippians 1:1–6 · Mission’s Great Beginning · Part 1

Bold Evangelism: The Gospel Reaches Philippi

Watch this message on BFFBible — Part 1: He Who Began a Good Work

(2) Bold evangelism

Acts 16:10: Luke first writes at Troas, “we sought to go into Macedonia.” Luke evidently joined Paul’s party there.
Acts 16:10–12: Luke continues using “we” through the journey to Philippi.

Evangelism is a broad declaration of God’s invitation to know Him through Jesus Christ and the saving work He has done for us, including His death and resurrection. Paul led the evangelism effort, bringing the Gospel to the people of Philippi. As a leading city, it had no church. The evangelist always seeks out the best places to preach the Gospel. People are saved and baptized. God uses His changed people, in this case Paul and Silas, to share the Gospel.

Map of Paul's second missionary journey showing the route from Troas across the Aegean toward Neapolis and Philippi, then toward Amphipolis, Thessalonica, and Berea — Paul's second missionary journey and the route to Philippi (Acts 16:11–12).

11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. 14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” (Acts 16:11-15)

He found a crowd and preached. (Being a Jew, He knew how to reach them and kept the principle of going first to Jews, then to the Gentiles.) Lydia, a businesswoman, was the first to know the Lord and provided a central meeting place.

God uses the most unexpected situations to accomplish His good work. This was very true of Jesus, who not only died but suffered for us. This is the foundational work of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, which must be told to others. Many use the word Gospel but don’t understand the saving work done in the first coming of Jesus (i.e., Christmas), including His being born a Jew, choosing and teaching the apostles, appointing and anointing them, dying and rising from the dead, and sending His Spirit (i.e., His presence) to be with them. The evangelism in Philippi ended up in this way:

Paul was annoyed by the girl possessed by an evil spirit of divination and finally delivered her (16:16-19).
Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned by local authorities (Acts 16:20-32).
Luke and Timothy were not jailed and continued their ministry there.
While Paul and Silas were praising God, an earthquake struck, leading the chief jailer, his family, and others to know the Lord (Acts 16:26-34).

The way God begins a work is always significant, though it can be unwelcoming at times.