By Jay T. Robertson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
Value All
Acts 16:16–19; Psalm 139:13–16
As we recognize Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, we need to remember that every human being is created in the image of God. Every human being should be treated with dignity and respect from the womb to the tomb. Acts is the unfolding story of the people of God, filled with the Spirit of God, engaging in the mission of God. As the gospel is proclaimed and the kingdom of God advances in the Book of Acts, we see the dignity of broken people restored in Christ.
Freedom Gained (Acts 16:16–18)
Paul and Silas met a demon-possessed slave girl. The phrase “spirit of divination” literally reads “python spirit.” According to mythology the Python guarded the temple of Apollo. Over time the word “python” came to mean a demon-possessed person through whom the Python spoke.
This slave girl made clairvoyant predictions and uttered words in all sorts of strange voices. Because the people believed that such people were inspired by Apollo and the Python, many sought them out to hear their predictions. The girl’s owners made lots of money from her predictions.
When she saw Paul and Silas, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” Satan attempted to use the slave girl to associate Paul’s message with the occult. After many days, Paul was greatly annoyed. He resented the satanic assault on his ministry and felt sorry for the slave girl. In the power and authority of Jesus Christ, Paul commanded the demon to come out of the girl. Jesus set her free.
She presumably became a Jesus follower, just like the Gadarene demoniac in Mark 5. She now had a new owner, the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who freed her from spiritual and physical bondage.
The Complaint (Acts 16:19)
The reaction of the demon-possessed girl’s owners revealed the inhumane cruelty of the institution of slavery. Instead of rejoicing in her deliverance, they became enraged when they saw that that their source of revenue was gone. Their attitude was similar to that of the Gerasenes in Mark 5. Instead of rejoicing over the possessed man’s deliverance, they were angered over the loss of a herd of swine. They were so upset that they begged Jesus to leave.
Later in Ephesus the craftsmen who made shrines of the goddess Artemis became violently opposed to Christianity. They were fearful that the spread of the gospel would hurt their business. Reactions like this demonstrate a sad spiritual reality: love of money blurs spiritual perception.
The owners of the girl made up false charges against Paul and Silas. They claimed they were disturbing the city and advocating unlawful customs. Soon the crowd joined the attack, and the magistrates ordered the men beaten with rods and thrown into prison.
Valued by God (Psalm 139:13–16)
Every human being is created in the image of God. Each has been given God-like glory and the moral capacity to reign and rule on the earth as God’s representatives. Here God revealed that He was active as the unformed substance (embryo) grew and developed. God was the one who formed our inward parts and knitted us together.
God saw our unformed substance and even had written in His book every one of the days that were formed for us. The worshipper realized that, even before his mother knew she was pregnant, the Lord was already showing His care for him. We should praise God for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We know from this psalm that God has set His special love upon us from the earliest stages of life.
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