Believe in the Lord Jesus
Acts 16:26-40; 12/31/2023; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang
Introduction
When someone believes in the Lord Jesus, the angels and the heavenly hosts will rise up and cheer, singing Hallelujah! Jesus Christ saves the world is the main theme of this world, and even in prison, no force can stop it. Let’s look at the first point:
Evangelistic Power in Bondage
It is an open mystery that no one can bind the gospel! And the gospel is like a basketball on the side of a basketball court. If you don’t hit it, it won’t move. One beat after another, it becomes a drama, a basketball game that can be watched. First, the foundations of the prison were shaken. Humanity knows very little about the causes of earthquakes, and its ability to predict them is equally limited. Especially when explaining earthquakes, it is even easier to be incoherent. Today’s scripture tells us that when God’s servants Paul and Silas were imprisoned, “and suddenly there was a great earthquake,” Why? The Bible doesn’t say it, so some people will inevitably guess. Perhaps we will soon wonder, could it be that God uses earthquakes to cause us to escape from prison? Obviously not! But at least tell everyone here that it is no small thing for God when His servants are arrested and imprisoned. God used a great earthquake to tell us that God’s wrath was provoked. The probability of this alone is enough to alarm all those in power.
Secondly, the prisoners’ chains were loosened. What a script this is! Not only did the prison door open, even “everyone’s bonds were unfastened. “ Who would have thought that this is a prison escape drama! You think about it, of course the jailer could think of it too. Roman law was extremely strict. If a prisoner successfully escaped from prison, the jailer would be guilty of the same crime, and even his family would be implicated. The Bible says: “When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.” Obviously, the jailer’s choice was both helpless and the only choice to protect his family. Because if he died along with this prison break, he could at least keep his family safe. Speaking of which, this jailer is still a responsible and caring person for his family. It is touching that at this moment, Christ still cares about the value of the jailer’s life.
Lastly, the apostles chose to stay. People’s first reaction at this moment is usually to escape as the best strategy, right? As for whether your jailer commits suicide or not, what does it have to do with me? It’s just that the records in the Bible are amazing! “But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ” Obviously, what Paul and his team care about is exactly what God cares about, which is human life. It shows that God’s guidance to Paul was not to escape from prison, but to choose to stay in prison and participate in the occurrence of miracles and wonders. The jailer was also frightened, not because of how powerful Paul and his team were. It was Paul who cared about his life. This is the power of Christ’s great love that made the jailer tremble and fall down before Paul and Silas. Let’s look at the second point:
Released by God’s power
I think whoever encounters this situation will find it difficult. Even few people can easily get out of trouble unless God personally intervenes, participates, and exerts great power. First, be in awe. The results of a person’s life all come from the heart. God’s expectation of people is to love the Lord your God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. What this jailer experienced was not the visible opening of eyes, walking, etc., but the invisible core values. A jailer saw the prisoner thinking about his own life, death and interests, and shouted loudly not to commit suicide. The Holy Spirit moved the jailer and made him understand that the love Paul called out was not of this world. Paul not only called out, but chose to remain in prison. The jailer was so shocked by this love that he even asked someone to bring a light with some hesitation. The Bible says he jumped into a room to see what was going on.
Secondly, ask about the way to salvation. When the jailer jumped in and saw Paul and his party, not only did they not escape, but they stayed quietly in the prison. The jailer was trembling and speechless, and couldn’t help but fall down before Paul and Silas. Logically speaking, jailers are in charge of prisoners and have authority in their hands. But now he was prostrate in front of the criminals, indicating that he was not kneeling to the person, but to the God behind Paul and Silas. The Bible says before: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” The jailer must have been listening, and the Holy Spirit moved him to ask: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” I believe Paul and Silas also understood at this time why God sent them to prison.
Lastly, your whole family is saved. Thank God! We are saved by grace through faith. Not by works, lest any man should boast. But today God wanted to give the jailer double grace, saying to him through the mouths of Paul and Silas: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” This night was lively, and the Lord’s love here surpassed the law, surpassed worries, and conquered death. The jailer took all Paul and his team home to have their wounds cleaned, fed, and more importantly, the whole family was baptized into Christ. At the jailer’s house, Paul and his team held a basic truth class at home, and they also shared life with each other at home, eating and drinking in front of God, and satisfying God’s desire for fellowship. Let’s look at the third point:
Sharing God’s grace and strengthen believers
Those who believe in the Lord are accompanied by signs and wonders. Paul and Silas were no exception, and their miracles had not stopped yet. First, get released. People who go to prison think about when they will be released from prison every day. Because in prison you experience despair every day. The opportunity for the earthquake came, and Paul chose to stay in prison. Because if he left like that, firstly, it would bring trouble to the jailer, and secondly, he would not be able to appear publicly in the Roman Empire in the future, let alone preach the gospel. As a result, the jailer’s family was saved. Now, at dawn, he is back in prison. At this time, “the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” ” What reason? have no idea! When the jailer came to deliver the message, he also brought a blessing and said: “Therefore come out now and go in peace.”
Secondly, urge them to leave the city. Everything God gives must be the best. God not only released Paul and Silas unconditionally, but also left them with dignity. Paul heard from the jailer that they were acquitted. Paul said, how can that be done? You do not listen to the words of God that we preach, but listen to the words of demons! Do you believe what the demon-possessed maid says? I say Jesus Christ is Lord, why don’t you believe it? Not even say that I am a person from the Kingdom of Heaven. I am a Roman citizen, so you can’t just walk around in circles! At that time, it was not easy for people to obtain Roman citizenship, and officials were afraid. So, he came to invite Paul in person. After all the good things he said, Paul gave up and agreed to leave.
Finally, encouraged before departing. The Bible says: “So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.” This was Paul’s first stop after receiving the Macedonian vision. From meeting Lydia to being released from prison, Paul had completed the mission of the Macedonian vision. Next, Paul will begin his mission to the Greek world in Athens, embarking on a new stage. Before leaving, he wanted to go to Lydia to say goodbye, exhort, encourage, and comfort them. From then on, the church’s missionary movement advanced deep into Europe.
Conclusion
Okay, dear brothers and sisters, the church takes a step forward, what about you? The church moves forward in accordance with the pace of its mission, and its mission strategy follows the steps in Acts 1:8, that is, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Let us pray……
Acts 16:26-40
26 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.
27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
29 And the jailer[a] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
