Chapter 32
Somthing to Sing About
The Reading: Acts 16:16-40
The Problem:
Our story opens with Paul and Silas proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in the city of Philippi, the chief city in that part of Macedonia, a Roman province. A young girl, who was identified as having an evil spirit, a spirit of divination, followed them around everywhere they went, shouting out that the men were servants of God and preached the way of salvation.
Of course, that statement was true, but the Lord doesn't need any help from the devil. And collaboration with evil is the last thing God wants for His church, because a partnership with evil disguises it and makes it seem innocent, much like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Jesus warned us about that in Matthew 7:15. Partnership with evil also puts a stain on the cause of Christ. Though the young girl spoke the truth, the evil spirit’s intent was to disrupt and mock the ministry of Paul and Silas. It was also a part of Satan’s strategy to infiltrate a false believer among the true believers. He wanted the people to believe she was a part of their group, and that her power was from the same source as God’s. In other words, through this girl Satan was trying to say, “Hey, we’re all on the same team!”
Discerning this, Paul cast out the evil spirit. But the men who owned this girl were furious because they had just lost their primary source of income. So they turned Paul and Silas in to the Roman authorities, and claimed the two were troublemakers disrupting their city and violating their customs. Now the Roman influence was especially strong in Philippi, as it was also where the Roman governor resided. The Roman authorities ordered a public beating and then had Paul and Silas thrown into prison.
Now it was the jailer’s responsibility to ensure that Paul and Silas did not escape, so he took them down into the innermost part of the prison. To be sure they were secure and couldn’t escape, he fastened their feet into stocks. After he was sure they wouldn’t be able to make a break for it, he laid down and went to sleep.
The Turning Point:
But during the night, instead of sleeping, Paul and Silas began to praise God and sing hymns. They didn’t spend their time complaining, nor did they think their predicament was unfair. The faith of these two men transcended the difficult circumstances they were experiencing in Philippi. They were sure that no matter what happened, God was in control and had a good plan for their lives.
Now remember, the apostle Paul had been a Pharisee, so he knew the scriptures very well. Verses such as these might have come to his mind when he was praising God.
- Psalm 32:7: You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
- Nehemiah 8:10b: "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
- Isaiah 12:6: "Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."
- Psalm 59:16: But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Later, when Paul was writing the Epistles, he may have been remembering that night when he penned these verses.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice.
Paul and Silas were simply following God’s directives when they sang praises to Him, in spite of their pain and discomfort. They already knew from the Word what to do in times of trouble, and they followed through without hesitation. But then, unexpectedly, God moved through their worship and praise and rescued the two men.
The Miracle That Followed:
The prison began to shake and all the cell doors were jarred open. This had to have been a terrifying moment for the guard. This jailer was responsible for keeping his prisoners secure. In those days, if they escaped, he would have been punished with death! This was a real crisis for the jailer, and he was so convinced that Paul and Silas had escaped that he was about to commit suicide.
Many times God will use a crisis to get our attention. You have wondered why something bad happened, and often it remains a mystery. But sometimes God is trying to break through a wall of indifference in our hearts. Other times, we need to be sensitive to others going through a tough time, because that may open the door for us to tell them about Jesus.
In the jailer's life, it was Paul and Silas who were sensitive to his emotional state. They told the jailer all about Jesus Christ, and he was so excited - he took them to his home, dressed their wounds and fixed them dinner. None of them got any sleep that night, as Paul and Silas shared with the entire family about Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead. They told them about the Lord's salvation, and how we can have a relationship with God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ. They told those people how to turn to Jesus, and trust in Him. And in verse 34, every person in that jailer’s home put their trust in the Lord, and was saved.
What a change! Just a few hours before, the jailer had no sympathy whatsoever for Paul and Silas, and had been quite content to throw them into the worst part of the prison, locking their feet into painful stocks. But by the next morning, those two prisoners had led the jailer and his entire family to the Lord and they were all friends. It was a night to remember!
I see two miracles in this account that resulted from Paul and Silas rejoicing in spite of adverse circumstances:
- There was an earthquake, and all the cell doors were opened.
- Not one prisoner ran away, which would not be the normal reaction for robbers and murderers suddenly released.
The Bottom Line:
It has been said that it is not what happens to us in life that determines the fullness of our lives, but rather how we respond to what happens to us. Paul and Silas were examples of this truth. God moved through their worship and praise to accomplish miracles and to bring salvation to the jailor and his household.
We only need to read the headlines in the morning paper or turn on the evening news to confirm what we already know to be true … suffering is an ever-present companion in this world. Since the Fall, every person throughout the history of humanity has known suffering, and Christians are not exempt. Actually, in many cases, the suffering Christians have been called to endure has been even greater (John 15:20) than that which the unbeliever endures in this world.
Not only should we cope patiently with the suffering that comes our way, but we should also rejoice in the midst of it. The world may not understand, but we know our suffering can be endured with rejoicing because it gives glory to God and deepens our relationship with Him. And if we obediently rejoice in the middle of a difficult situation, God may miraculously rescue us, just as He did for the Apostle Paul and Silas.
