Transcript

Out of the furnaces of war come many true stories of sacrificial friendship. One such story tells of two friends in World War I, who were inseparable. They had enlisted together, trained together, were shipped overseas together and fought side-by-side in the trenches.

During an attack, one of the men was critically wounded in a field filled with barbed wire obstacles, and he was unable to crawl back to his foxhole.

The entire area was under a withering enemy crossfire, and it was suicidal to try to reach him. Yet his friend decided to try. Before he could get out of his own trench, his sergeant yanked him back inside and ordered him not to go. “It’s too late. You can’t do him any good, and you’ll only get yourself killed.”

A few minutes later, the officer turned his back, and instantly the man was gone after his friend. A few minutes later, he staggered back, mortally wounded, with his friend, now dead in his arms.

The sergeant was both angry and deeply moved. “What a waste,” he blurted out. “He’s dead and you’re dying. It just wasn’t worth it.”

With almost his last breath, the dying man replied, “Oh, yes, it was, Sarge. When I got him, the only thing he said was, ‘I knew you’d come, Jim!’”

One of the true marks of a friend is that he is there when there is every reason for him not to be, when to be there is sacrificially costly.

Silas fought side-by-side with the apostle Paul in the trenches of ministry and the spiritual battle. He was a true friend to the Apostle.

When they faced opposition in Philippi, they were both drug into the marketplace, faced the same beating and were imprisoned together. To be there was sacrificially costly, but he stood with the apostle. And following this episode, Silas didn’t leave Paul. Instead, he continued fighting the good fight of the faith with him.

In this episode, we’ll look at Paul’s faithful co-worker, Silas.

Acts 15:22-27: “Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

“And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

“It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.”

This is the first mention of Silas in the Bible. Silas has two names used in the Scripture, Silas and Silvanus. “Silvanus” was the Roman (or Latin) form of his name.

In Acts, the name, Silas, is found 13 times. Paul referred to him three times in his epistles by the Latin form of his name, Silvanus.

Silas was a Jew, and like the Apostle Paul, he was a Jew with Roman citizenship. In Acts 16:37, after Paul and Silas’s mistreatment in Philippi, Paul said, “They have beaten US openly uncondemned, being Romans.” And the Latin form of Silas’s name indicates his Roman citizenship as well.

Acts 15 records the Jerusalem Council which dealt with the issue of whether circumcision and keeping the law were required of Gentiles.

Paul and Barnabas met with the apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church, which included James the Lord’s half-brother, and Peter, as we read in Acts 15.

At this Council, the Jerusalem church recognized Gentile liberty and that the Gentiles were not under the Mosaic Law and that circumcision was not required of them to be saved. This decision was reached based on the recognition of the message of grace and ministry among the Gentiles revealed to Paul for this dispensation.

After this, we learn in verse 22 that the church in Jerusalem decided “to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.”

These official representatives from the Jerusalem church were to carry the letters delineating the decisions that were the result of the Council, and they were to take them to the Gentiles in Antioch.

The two men chosen for this important duty were “Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas.”

These men were chosen because verse 22 tells us that they were “chief men among the brethren.” “Chief” speaks of being a leader.

So we learn that Silas was a leader in the church at Jerusalem, and thus, he was actively involved in the work of the Lord in Jerusalem.

Silas was a leader and a trusted leader because when apostles and elders, together with the whole church, decided whom to send on this important errand of delivering the decrees from the Council, they were united in their decision to send Judas and Silas.

Verses 23-29 detail the contents of the letter, and in it you find how the Jerusalem church expresses its confidence in these two men, stating,

“It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul” (v. 25) and “We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth” (v. 27).

By this, we see that they were sent by the Church in Jerusalem to accompany Barnabas and Paul back to Antioch, which was a 300-mile journey.

This journey together and getting to know one another on it, later led to Silas being chosen by Paul for another journey, Paul’s second apostolic journey.

Judas and Silas’s duty was not only to deliver the decree but to orally confirm the contents of it. Since Judas and Silas were leaders within the Jerusalem church, they could speak with authority on this matter which had been decided by the Church.

And we can be sure that they gave clarity and answered the questions that those in Antioch had about the decree.

Acts 15:30-35: “So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

“Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

“And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

“Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.”

A mailman went up to a house and rang the doorbell. A man answered the door. He told him a joke. It wasn’t that funny, but it was delivered really well. Silas was a mailman. He had an important letter to deliver to Antioch. And he delivered it really well.

Silas faithfully carried out his duty in traveling with Paul, Barnabas, and Judas to Antioch. Arriving there, they all gathered the multitude from the church together and Judas and Silas delivered the letter from the Council.

Reading the good news of their liberty from the law, caused the assembly in Antioch to rejoice for the consolation, for this great comfort.

Judas and Silas stand in contrast to the Judaizers who had come to the Gentiles in Antioch in verse 1 of this chapter, who had cast doubt on their salvation, stating, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”

Unlike those men, Judas and Silas were officially commissioned by the church in Jerusalem to come to encourage the Gentile believers and give confirmation of their salvation apart from circumcision and the law. And this, of course, caused them to rejoice.

At Antioch, Silas and Judas encouraged the Gentile brethren in their faith, and we learn that they were “prophets also themselves.”

So Silas was a church leader, a mailman, and a prophet.

Earlier, in Acts 13:1, we learn about other prophets in the local church at Antioch, “Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, PROPHETS and teachers: BARNABAS, and Simeon…and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen…and SAUL.”

Judas and Silas were “prophets also themselves,” like Barnabas and Saul, and others in the church in Antioch. They held the office of a prophet, having the spiritual gift of prophecy, and they utilized their gift!

Prophets supernaturally spoke revelation from God by the Spirit and by God’s authority without error. They literally spoke the Word of God, and by speaking the Word of God, Judas and Silas “exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.”

They encouraged and strengthened the saints in Antioch by the Word, “and confirmed them,” or established them in their faith.

Silas was a prophet who proclaimed God’s Word and he was a preacher of Jesus Christ.

In Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, he wrote, “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was PREACHED among you by us, even by me and SILVANUS and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in Him was yea.”

You can tell Silas was a preacher, because Acts 15:32 says he “exhorted the brethren with MANY WORDS.” Preachers have trouble saying anything with just a few words. And we usually say it with many words.

But Silas had a lot to say because he was preaching Jesus Christ. And we can never say enough or ever stop talking about Him, our blessed Savior.

After Judas and Silas had delivered the letter, and exhorted the brethren by the Word, they were sent back by the church to the apostles in Jerusalem with their greetings.

Judas left and returned to Jerusalem, but verse 34 states, “Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.” Silas decided to stay a little longer in Antioch.

During Silas’s extended stay, Paul and Barnabas were teaching and preaching the Word in Antioch as they had done in the past. Then verse 36 states,

“And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.”

Paul suggested to Barnabas that they return to the cities that they had planted churches during their first apostolic journey to see how they were doing. Barnabas agreed but he wanted to take John Mark with them.

But because John Mark abandoned them on their first journey, Paul said, “No way!” Their disagreement was so sharp that they split over this issue. Barnabas then took John Mark and went to Cyprus.

And with Silas still in Antioch, Acts 15:40-41 reads, “And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.”

Silas accompanied Paul on his second apostolic journey. They first went over the area of Syria and Cilicia confirming the Gentile churches Paul had planted prior to his first apostolic journey. Tarsus was in Cilicia so they likely went there to visit with Paul’s family and those he had led to Christ during the 5-6 years of ministry he had there.

Then in chapter 16, we learn how they went up to Galatia “to Derbe and Lystra.” There a young man named Timothy joined Paul and Silas on their journey.

Also, “as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem” (16:4).

Silas kept delivering the mail! As they traveled to different Gentile cities, Silas continued to share the letter of good news about Gentile liberty from the law that had been decided at the Jerusalem Council.

From Derbe and Lystra, Paul, Silas, and now Timothy went “throughout Phrygia the region of Galatia” (16:6). Having traversed this area, by the Holy Spirit, they were led to Troas, where Luke joined the team.

Here in Troas, as a result of the vision given to Paul of a man of Macedonia beckoning them to come and help, this missionary team of four men armed with the Sword of the Spirit, invaded Europe with the gospel of grace.

Acts 16:19-25: “And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

“And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

“And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

“Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

Arriving in Europe, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke headed for “the chief city of that part of Macedonia,” which was Philippi.

Here at Philippi, at a riverside prayer meeting, a woman named, Lydia, was saved, and then her household, and they were the first converts in Europe.

Then there was another woman in Philippi, a slave girl with a divining spirit, who hounded Paul and his co-workers, crying out “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.”

This was a true testimony about Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke. They were each servants of the Most High who came to Philippi to share the gospel of salvation.

The source of this testimony was a problem, however, and her words were hindering the gospel in Philippi, and thus, Paul commanded the spirit to come out of the girl.

The masters of this girl, who lost money by her no longer having the ability to divine, caught Paul and Silas and dragged them both into the marketplace to face the authorities.

Paul and Silas were then falsely accused before the magistrates of teaching customs that were not lawful for them to observe as Romans.

The magistrates then tore off the clothes of both Paul and Silas and ordered that they be beaten. After many stripes were laid on them, they were cast into prison.

The jailer was charged to keep them secure, so obeying that charge, he put them into the inner prison and also put their feet in stocks.

In all of this, Silas was side by side with Paul. He was a companion with him in suffering and a true friend in the Lord. Then you see the faith of Silas, who, with Paul, at midnight in that prison, “prayed, and sang praises unto God.” This was the second prayer meeting in Philippi. The first one was by a river, this one was in a prison.

They prayed and sang, with their backs throbbing in pain and still bleeding, while in a foul-smelling prison pit. Their response was totally unnatural. They had no idea what was about to happen with God creating the earthquake to deliver them.

Their prayer and praise sprung from Paul and Silas being men of faith in God, men of the Word, and men of the Spirit.

Charles Spurgeon said, “[Anyone] can sing in the day. It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but the skillful singer is he who can sing when there is not a ray of light to read by. Songs in the night come only from God; they are not in the power of men.”

At midnight, God’s precision earthquake opened the jail doors and loosed their chains. The jailer seeing the prison doors open, naturally assumed the prisoners had fled and was about to kill himself. Paul assured him that they were all still there.

The jailer, trembling, then came and fell down before BOTH Paul and Silas, and asked BOTH of them, “SIRS, what must I do to be saved.” In response, verse 31 tells us, “And THEY said,” both Paul and Silas telling him, and telling him the same thing, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Their unified response was: faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

Silas clearly understood and boldly proclaimed the simplicity of the gospel message. Paul and Silas were on the same page with the gospel. The gospel is trusting Christ alone.

Any and all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He died for our sins and rose again will be saved from their sins and from hell and given a home in heaven.

Following this, verse 32 says, “And THEY [both Paul and Silas] spake unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.”

As we’ve seen, Silas was a man who preached Christ, who showed people the way of salvation, who declared the Word, and encouraged and strengthened people by the Word. Silas was a man of the Word.

Thus, not surprisingly, Silas, with Paul, shared the Word of the Lord with the jailer and his family and instructed them in it.

Acts 17:13-15: “But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

“And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

“And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.”

Luke leaves the team at this point, and Paul, Silas, and Timothy resume their journey. Leaving Philippi, they headed west, traveling on the Egnatian Way, and they came to Thessalonica, where they shared the gospel and planted a church.

Later on during this journey, when Paul wrote the Thessalonian church from Corinth, in 1 Thessalonians 1, we read, “Paul, and SILVANUS, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians…For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.”

Paul, Silas, and Timothy shared the gospel of grace with the Thessalonians and they believed, and “they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

Later in that letter, we learn about the godly character of Silas, by Paul’s testimony concerning the conduct of all 3 of them while with the church in Thessalonica.

Paul told them how they all worked so that they wouldn’t burden them with their needs or have to ask them for money as they preached the gospel to them.

And Paul further stated, “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably WE [Paul, Silas, and Timothy] behaved ourselves among you that believe.”

Being driven out of Thessalonica by persecution, Acts 17:10 states that “the brethren sent away Paul and SILAS by night unto Berea.” Timothy isn’t mentioned in this verse, but he definitely came to Berea later.

After ministering in Berea for a time, the Jews of Thessalonica came to Berea, and stirred up persecution against Paul, Silas and Timothy.

With fortitude and faith, Silas and Timothy then stay in Berea to teach and care for the new believers in Berea in the midst of persecution.

Paul was forced to leave by that same persecution. Paul was then accompanied by some of the Berean believers who took him to Athens.

Arriving in Athens, Paul told these friends from Berea, that when they returned home they should instruct Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens as soon as possible.

As Paul waited for them to come to him, Paul disputed with the philosophers in the marketplace in Athens, and gave his famous address on Mars’ Hill.

According to 1 Thessalonians 3, we learn that Silas and Timothy did come to join Paul briefly in Athens, but then he was again left alone in Athens after he sent them back to Macedonia out of Paul’s concern for the believers there.

Timothy was sent to Thessalonica specifically, because Paul needed a report as to how they were faring in the midst of the persecution in that city, and Silas was sent to Macedonia in general to likely visit Thessalonica, Berea, and Philippi.

Acts 18:1,5: “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth…

“And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.”

This is the last we read of Silas in the Book of Acts. We are not told that he accompanied Paul on his return to Antioch to complete the second apostolic journey.

Paul moved on to nearby Corinth after being in Athens. And it was here that Silas and Timothy rejoined the apostle after their ministry in Macedonia.

Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months according to verse 11 of this chapter. He wrote two letters to the Thessalonians during this time period.

And Silas’s name appears in both letters. In the second later letter, Silas is still with Paul in Corinth, as Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 1:1, “Paul, and SILVANUS, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

As mentioned earlier, Paul noted Silas’s preaching ministry here in Corinth. Silas was a preacher like Paul and Timothy, and he was also a man of prayer like these men.

In both letters to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote of the faithful prayer ministry of this team of three men.

“WE give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in OUR prayers” (1 Thes. 1:2) and “Wherefore also WE pray always for you” (2 Thes. 1:11).

We can only guess what happened to Silas after this. He either died, or he went back to Jerusalem. He might’ve ended up working with Peter, because in 1 Peter, Peter wrote about Silvanus, “a faithful brother,” to whom he had had dictated that letter (1 Pet. 5:12).

Silas goes quietly off the scene of Biblical history, yet there is much we can learn from this faithful man’s life.

Psalm 119:63 reads: “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” This was true of Paul with his co-workers of Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, Luke, and all his other co-workers.

Silas was one who feared God and kept His Word. He willingly and sacrificially faced the afflictions that went with ministering with Paul and sharing the gospel of grace.

On their three-year journey together, he willingly made his way with Paul, Timothy and Luke, through Syria, Cilicia, Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth.

He traveled, preached, evangelized, prayed, worked, was persecuted, beaten, and jailed with Paul. And in that prison in Philippi, his faith still inspires us, to be able to pray and sing praises to God in that difficult circumstance.

Silas was at the forefront of the battle when he worked with Paul and he had the battle scars to prove it on his back.

But he stood shoulder to shoulder with the apostle and did not retreat or back down. He shows us what it means to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”