Jesus Sets us Free to Love
Preacher: The Rev. Andrew Van Kirk
Scripture: Acts 16:16-34
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas encounter a young woman possessed by a python spirit—a powerful, ancient spiritual presence linked to the oracle at Delphi. She follows them, shouting the truth: “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.”
And yet Paul casts out the spirit. Why? Because truth isn’t enough—not if it’s wielded in a way that still enslaves. The gospel isn’t just about speaking correctly. It’s about freeing people.
Everyone in Philippi is possessed by something—not always a spirit, but a fear, a desire, a craving for comfort or control. That world is not so different from ours. We are gripped by fear of outsiders, desire for wealth, pressure to fit in, apathy about what really matters.
It takes more than hearing a truth to be free. It takes an earthquake. A breaking open of old certainties. A jarring encounter with the living Christ. The jailer doesn’t ask, “What did I do wrong?” He asks, “What must I do to be saved?” And the answer is beautifully simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus.”
But belief is not passive. The jailer washes wounds before he’s baptized. His household becomes a church. Because faith—real, freeing faith—is always lived out in love.
Reflection Questions
What “possession” or inner pressure—like fear, greed, or conformity—do you wrestle with most?
Where are you being called to ask, not “What went wrong?” but “What must I do to be saved?”
How has Jesus been breaking open old patterns or expectations in your life lately?
What small act of love can you offer this week that flows from your belief in Jesus?
How is your community helping you grow in the way of salvation—not just belief, but love?
