Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison
and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and
Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening
to them. (Acts 16:24-25)
What if the local news headline read, “Minister
Charged with Inciting Riot”?
Subsequently, the preacher was convicted and cast into prison. If that minister applied for a position at
your church, would you hire him? Surely
no respectable church would consider such a fellow! Then a criminal by the name of the Apostle
Paul could not serve at your church!
That preacher was a jailbird! In
fact, his ministry in a town often commenced with a riot, and concluded in a
prison!
Christ came into this world with a life of
love to share. The world’s response was
to nail Him to a cross. He warned His
followers that the servant is not greater than his Master. Jesus was a polarizing figure who disturbed
those slumbering in sin. That is a mark
of His followers. Paul certainly fit the
bill. The servant of God is concerned
with the applause of heaven and not the approval of humans. The fact that many will spurn the message,
does not mean that we do not speak the message, nevertheless. Some will believe and be saved. In the sixteenth chapter of Acts, we see a
poor young girl held in the grip of demonic power—yet, she was set free by the
surpassing power of the Gospel! This was
the spark that ignited the riot. Her
employers were more concerned with her making gold than her finding God. So, the opposition arose to these “disturbers
of the peace.” Paul and Silas were
beaten and bound. We should be reminded
that we have brothers and sisters tortured and slain in Islamic and communist
countries for their faith. How long
before the wave of antichristian sentiment hits like a tsunami on our shores? Hostility toward the church is not the worst
thing—apathy toward us is, when the world feels no threat.
Paul and Silas, however, did not sigh or
sob—they sung! They started the first
cell group and had a captive audience! Instead
of whining, they were worshipping. They
really believed that all things work together for good to those who love
God. Nothing is by accident in the
believer’s life, but by appointment. The
adversity may well open the door of opportunity!
God is in the business of shaking things
up. He surely did at Philippi! The devil builds his little playhouses and
God delights to tear them down! When the
jailer who had so mistreated them was about to kill himself, we would have
understood had the missionaries cheered him on—or at least stood back and let
him. They chose to intervene
instead. Love compels us to forgive and
bless even those who are our enemies.
The darkest night gave way to the
brightest day! That was not only true
for the preachers who were freed from their stocks, but the jailer and his
family who were freed from their sins!
Midnight had found the missionaries singing in bonds and morning found
them shouting at breakfast! How quickly
God can turn things around.
What must I do to be lost? Nothing.
We are born in that condition.
The real question is, “What must I
do to be saved?” The simple answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you
will be saved….”
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