Acts 16:25-40 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Acts 16:25-40. Let’s go!
Acts 16:25-36 (NIV)
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.
27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 He then 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–you and your household.”
32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God–he and his whole family.
35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”
36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
On verses 25-36: Here we see why God allowed Paul and Silas to be flogged and imprisoned. It wasn’t because God was cruel, distant or indifferent. Rather God allowed this painful situation so that Paul, Silas and everyone in the prison with them could witness God’s incredible saving power. Not only did God save his servants from prison, but even more God used the situation so that a jailer and his family could receive Jesus and be saved from hell. (By the way, notice also that the jailer and his family got baptized immediately after they placed their faith in Jesus. They didn’t wait or delay to obey Jesus’ command to get baptized. Have you gotten baptized in obedience to God’s command?)
Finally notice what led to the miracle: at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of thanks and praise to God (v25). We tend to thank and praise God AFTER a miracle occurs. But Paul and Silas, like Jesus before them, did the opposite: they would thank God in advance AND THEN the miracle occurred. So if you’re in a bind today, don’t wait for an earthquake before you praise God. Praise and thank God in advance BEFORE the miracle. When you choose an attitude of praise and thanks, it prepares the way for God to give His great blessings to you and also prepares your heart to receive those great blessings.
Acts 16:37-40 (NIV)
37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.
39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.
40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.
On verses 37-40: The fact that the Philippian government authorities allowed Paul and Silas to be publicly beaten and thrown into jail without even putting them on trial was not only humiliating to Paul and Silas, but also illegal, for as Roman citizens Paul and Silas had a right to a fair trial before being punished. So when the governing authorities tell Paul and Silas that they are released from prison and that they may go home, Paul’s sense of justice kicks in. He insists that the governing authorities escort them out with dignity. Why? I believe Paul and Silas insisted on the governing authorities escorting them out, not just because they were personally offended by what the government did. Even more, it’s because Paul and Silas did not want the church in Philippi to be unfairly criticized and looked down upon. They wanted the church to have a good reputation with the local government.
What can we learn from this? A passage like this shows me that while generally speaking we are to submit to the governing authorities placed over us, that does not mean that we must throw away our legal rights and let the governing authorities step all over us. Being a Christian does not mean that you must be a doormat. Second, Paul and Silas’ actions show me that we need to be aware of the reputation that the church has in our respective cities, and to do what we can to uphold that reputation and not allow that reputation to fall into disrepute. For the way outsiders view the church will very much impact their openness to the Gospel message.
Holy Spirit, thank You for this powerful story and the lessons we can learn from it. I choose an attitude of praise and gratitude today, knowing that blessing has come and is coming my way. I also pray that I would have courage like Paul and Silas to stand up to bullies and not allow the church to fall unfairly or unnecessarily into disrepute. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
