(Read Acts 16:31-40)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” Yesterday I told you of how the jailer responsible for watching Paul and Silas was at the brink of killing himself when he thought the two Apostles had escaped from the prison. Just when the jailer was about to fall on his sword Paul shouted, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” The jailer then called for lights and ran to the dungeon. When he saw Paul and Silas still there, he fell down trembling at their feet and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
The Jailer took Paul and Silas to his home. He washed and cared for their wounds. He woke his family up in the middle of the night. Paul and Silas preached the Gospel of Grace; that a Jewish man named Jesus was the Son of God and He willingly died for their; paying a price they could not pay for a debt He did not owe. The jailer’s entire household was saved and baptized that very night. The jailer fed the Apostles, setting a meal before them, as he and his family rejoiced because they all believed in God.
The next morning the city officials, not knowing any of what had happened the night before, sent the police to tell the jailer to say, “Let those men go!” Paul and Silas had come back to the jail, so the jailer would not get in trouble. The jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” But Paul was not willing to let the government off that easy. The Apostle replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” Paul had a holy boldness about him.
When the police reported the fact that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, the city officials were alarmed and afraid. It was one thing to unlawfully mistreat a Jew, but to do it to one of their own countrymen could cause a public outcry. So the city officials came to the jail and apologized to Paul and Silas. Afterwards the officials escorted the Apostles out of the prison and begged them to leave the city. Paul and Silas had been through enough there. The Apostles left the prison, returned to the home of Lydia, encouraged the believers who were there, and then left town.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. God can give you favor with the most unlikely people. The man responsible for keeping Paul and Silas locked up in prison wound up being the man who willingly let them out, washed and cared for their wounds, and then fed them a hot meal. I like to say that divine favor comes when the Lord touches someone’s heart to use their power, their ability and their influence to help you in ways you cannot help yourself. That is exactly what happened to Paul and Silas and it can (and will) happen for you when you walk with God and seek to accomplish His will.
2. Be willing to share the Gospel with whomever the Lord leads you to. Paul and Silas could have been upset with the jailer. After all, they had been unlawfully arrested, unrightfully beaten, and unquestionably mistreated by the Roman police. The jailer was charged with watching them and he represented all the bad that had been done to them. But when the Holy Spirit started moving, Paul and Silas were quick to be led of God and share the Gospel with the jailer. The result? The jailer and his entire household received Jesus as Lord and they were baptized that very night. What if Paul and Silas had allowed their “feelings” to get in the way? The reality is that many of us do not share the Gospel of Jesus with anyone we don’t feel comfortable with. But we must be willing to share whatever God leads us to share, with whomever He leads us to share it with!
3. Being a Christian does not mean that you have to be a pushover. Once the Roman government realized Paul and Silas had done nothing wrong, they were willing to let them go, but Paul refused to leave silently. He and Silas were Roman citizens and he would not let the government off that easy. Paul made the city leadership come down to the prison and personally apologize for what they had done. After the apology, the city leadership personally escorted Paul and Silas out of the prison and asked them to leave the city quickly. But once again, Paul and Silas did things on their terms. They only left after they visited with Lydia and encouraged the believers there. The point is that sometimes people confuse being meek with being weak. Paul had holy boldness and the Lord will sometimes lead us to operate with His boldness as well.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for giving me favor with You and man. You touch the hearts of key people and you lead them to use their power, their ability and their influence to help me in ways I cannot help myself. You sometimes even use the most unlikely people to help me, and for that I give You praise. I thank You for being better to me than I deserve. I thank You for continually blessing me by Grace. Father, I am so committed to You and Your plans for my life, that I am willing to do whatever You lead me to do, whenever You lead me to do it. I am open to share whatever You want me to share, with whomever You lead me to share it. I will not allow skin color, ethnic background, rank, position, socioeconomic status, age, religion, or anything else to keep me from reaching someone You want reached. I won’t even allow my feelings to get in the way. I am open to doing whatever You want, and by faith I declare that I shall obey Your leading without hesitation. And lastly Father, I thank You for holy boldness. I boldly declare whatever You want me to declare and I am not afraid of what any man can do to me. Fear has no power over me and I am certainly not afraid of man. I submit myself to You, I am led of Your Spirit, and I boldly pursue Your Kingdom plans and purposes for my life! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
