Shawn on 19 April 2005

John 8, Acts 15, 16

Scripture

(MkJV)
Act 16:27 And being awakened, and seeing the doors of the prison being open, drawing a sword, the jailer was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
Act 16:28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.
Act 16:29 Then asking for a light he rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
Act 16:30 And leading them outside, he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your household.
Act 16:32 And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his household.
Act 16:33 And taking them in that hour of the night, he washed from their stripes. And he was baptized, he and all his, immediately.
Act 16:34 And bringing them up to the house, he set a table before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his household.
Act 16:35 And day coming, the judges sent the floggers, saying, Let those men go.
Act 16:36 And the jailer spoke these words to Paul: The judges have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.
Act 16:37 But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly, men who are Romans and uncondemned, they threw us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! But coming themselves, let them bring us out.
Act 16:38 And the floggers reported these words to the judges. And hearing that they were Romans, they were afraid.
Act 16:39 And coming they begged them. And bringing them out, they asked them to depart out of the city.

Observation

Here, the jail that Paul and Silas were in was split open. A chance for them to escape! However, they stayed and managed to convert their jailer and his family. The next day, Paul and Silas were quietly released by the officials but boldly asked the Judges themselves to come free them.

Application

Wow. I see a situation where I would have acted differently. Instincts tell me what I should escape when I get the chance to. Paul and Silas had a chance to escape from jail but instead chose to minister to the jailer. Instincts tell me to leave when given the chance to, but instead Paul and Silas chose instead to confront the judges and demanded they personally brought them out. God defies convention. He acts when people least expect it and His acts are acts of boldness. I need that sense of daring.

Prayer

God. Impart a sense of daring and ‘can-do’ in me. I want to be like Paul and Silas. Unafraid, bold and deeply convicted in faith. Let me defy convention and the expected. Use me in ways that surprise people and as a result, come to know you. In your name I pray, Amen!