1. Journal December 3, 2015 Read Acts 16:16-35
Make 10 observations about the passage. (words, nouns, verb tense etc.)
Remember to explain your observation
Summarize the passage
What do you get out of this passage?

2. The Blessed Life 3c

3. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10

4. What does it mean to be persecuted?
Persecuted – διώκω - dee-o'-ko- The Greek word refers to a prolonged suffering
Jesus is talking about being persecuted for the sake of righteousness
Righteousness = dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay – the condition acceptable to God
As we seek to follow God me may encounter resistance
If we stand firm in our faith we may face persecution

5. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Even as we face persecution and struggles we should take comfort that we have hope for something beyond this life

6. A Biblical Example Acts 16:16-18
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune- telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

7. Acts 16:16-18 Paul and Silas were spreading God’s word
Paul was trying to do something righteous by casting out the demon

8. A Biblical Example Acts 16:19-24
But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”  The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.  And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.  Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

9. Acts 16:16-18
Because of the good work Paul did he and Silas were persecuted
They were publically stripped, beaten and thrown in jail

10. A Biblical Example Acts 16:25-26
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.

11. Acts 16:19-24
Paul and Silas responded to their persecution by praying and singing to God
As they went about doing this the people around them were listening
In the end because of their faithfulness throughout the persecution the jailer and his family came to faith in Christ