Leviticus 10,11,12; Acts 16
Paul And Silas Were Thrown Into Jail To Save The Jailor!
Bad Things Might Happen To Us So Someone Else Has The Chance To Know Jesus Or Be Drawn Closer To Him!
Scripture
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
Observation
I love this story! It is one of my favorites. This story is not at all about Paul and Silas it is about the salvation of the jailor and the jailor’s family.
The jailor was the all-powerful person in that jail. At least that is what he thought. He had thrown Paul and Silas into the deepest darkest part of the dungeon and clamped their feet in stocks. The truly most powerful people in that jail began to sing praises to God and all the prisoners were listening.
In response to their praying and praising - God showed up!
A massive earthquake shook the jail down to its foundation and all the locked doors were now wide open. With the doors wide open not one single prisoner left the prison. When the jailor realized what had happened he ran into the inner dungeon and fell down trembling at Paul and Silas’ feet. Then I love what he asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved.” The two disciples replied “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
Paul and Silas were severely beaten with rods and then they were thrown into the very worst part of the jail. After this you would think that Paul and Silas would be spending their time complaining about their terrible treatment and how all of it was against Roman law, but they didn’t. Instead at midnight they began to pray to God and sing praises to Him.
It was a very bad event for Paul and Silas, but it was a wonderful awesome thing for the jailor and his family.
Sometimes God allows bad things to happen to us because it is going to further His Kingdom or it is going to bring Him a lot of glory.
My heart attack was a terrible thing that happened to not only me but also it was also a very excruciating thing for my extended family and especially my wife. Yet some very good things have come out of that very bad experience. It changed our church. Senior Pastor Bruce Moore told me how praying for me and for my wife Kathy brought our church together.
It also taught hundreds of other churches and possibly thousands of believers all over the world the power of prayer and the power of a church that prays together. I will never forget how people filled up the waiting room and lined the hallway in the hospital to pray for me and I remember how overwhelmed I was when I heard about what they had done for my family and me. They brought God so much Glory. I am so proud of them.
Application
I will pray for those going through sickness with the same faith that people had for me when I was close to death and there didn’t seem to be much hope.
Prayer
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