Based on The Fruit of the Spirit Study, by LGG / W2D1
Today’s Road Map for the Journey: Acts 16:22-25; SOAP: Acts 16:25
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.Acts 16:25
Paul and Silas were under attack because they had cast out a demon from a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She had been following them around, shouting that they were there to tell people how to be saved. Whether it was because she was distracting from the message of the Gospel or simply irritating Paul and Silas, Paul commanded the demon to come out of her, and it instantly left. This no doubt pleased Paul and Silas, but it angered the men who owned the girl because they had been making money off of her ability to tell fortunes. Thus, the subsequent arrest and severe beating they had to endure before they were thrown into the prison and fastened by their feet in the stocks, as Luke described.
Having been beaten like they were, they had to be in pain – yet they were praying and singing hymns to God. Though they were in chains ~ they prayed and praised God, and the rest of the prisoners who undoubtedly were also in misery were listening to them. I like to believe it gave them some kind of hope and encouragement. What a beautiful testimony of their faith in and love for God. And ~ what a beautiful example of the power of God’s peace that passes all understanding, not only for the other prisoners in Paul’s day but for us now.
That isn’t the end of the story, though ~ instead, it was what I like to call a “BUT GOD” moment…
…26Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28But Paul shouted to him, ‘Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!’
29The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’
31They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.’ 32And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, ‘Let those men go!’ 36So the jailer told Paul, ‘The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.’
Excuse me for shouting, but what a GLORY HALLELUJAH MOMENT OF LIFE! Paul, the former persecutor of Christians, was used by God to lead this jailer and his family to Jesus and the salvation that He offers! Paul’s life was filled with suffering and imprisonment and, I imagine, regret from his earlier life, when he persecuted and/or encouraged the persecution of all believers. Luke describes him in Acts 8:1 as one of the witnesses to Stephen being stoned to death for his profession of faith. Luke goes on to say that not only was Paul (then called Saul) there, but he completely agreed with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.1“
As I made notes in my journal about today’s passage, specifically concerning the words “they were praying and singing hymns to God”, this line from an old hymn, “Pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love,”2 filled my mind.
Sweet friend, you may not be sitting in a Roman prison, but you may be sitting in your own kind of midnight. A season that is painful, confusing, and uncertain. A place where joy feels completely out of reach.
Love God Greatly Digital Journal / The Fruit of the Spirit / p60
But be encouraged. The same God who was with Paul and Silas in that cell is with you right now, in yours. And the same joy that filled their midnight can fill yours, too. His joy is not reserved just for the easy days. It was made for the midnight ones, too.
Friends, here on this earth we will face trials and troubles of many kinds, but even then ~ when we don’t know what will happen to us ~ may we remember that we can trust God. And may we let that trust/faith lead us to pray and praise God without ceasing. ~ See 1 Thes 5:16-18. May we never forget that the rest of the prisoners were listening, for it seems to me, at least in part, that this is crucial to the story, as it serves as a lesson/reminder that how we respond to trouble/persecution/fears…is noticed by others and used by God, as we see in the case of the guard who was saved (Acts 16:27-32). We cannot know that our suffering or responses to the daily trials of this life will lead another person to Christ, but I believe we must live as those who know that it can. Whether it is in a dark, damp jail cell, a hospital room, a doctor’s diagnosis, a financial crisis, a broken relationship, a courtroom, a graveside, a classroom, an office … wherever we are, may our lives be filled with prayer and praise and ready with an answer for the hope that is within us.3
16Always be joyful. 17Never stop praying. 18Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. NLT
Prayer Response
Father, please help me to pray and praise You without ceasing. Help me to be found delighting in Your love regardless of the circumstances of my life or those around me. Help me to always be ready with an answer for the hope that is within me – for that HOPE is Jesus Christ, Your Son who came to seek and save the lost. Whether I am living in plenty or in want, in sorrow or in joy, in health or sickness, peace or mounting fears – help me keep my eyes on You, and as James wrote – to consider even the troubles of this life an opportunity for great joy4. ~In Jesus’ Name ~ Amen💜
Worship Song of Response
Reflection and Application
Paul and Silas chose to worship God in the middle of their darkest and most painful circumstances. What is your midnight season right now? What would it look like for you to choose joy and praise God in the middle of it?
The More We Know
The Roman Empire strongly controlled which gods people could worship. This is the likely explanation for the anger and drastic measures taken in the arrest of Paul and Silas… for the full explanation, read Bibleref.com/Acts 16:22. (See also Acts 9:16 and 2 Cor. 11:24-28)
The Answer of Hope:
In the previous verse, Peter instructs Christians not to fear those who cause them to suffer for the sake of Christ. In this verse, he reveals how believers should choose to respond, instead.
First, we should set aside our hearts as the place where Christ is fully honored as the Lord. Peter is writing to people who are already believers. His audience already understands Jesus to be the Lord of all. Still, he instructs Christians to focus intently on Christ’s role as our master, living as if that were absolutely true in all cases, even in suffering. Peter calls us to full submission to Christ.
When we set apart Christ as Lord, it will change us. Peter says those who observe us will notice the difference. That difference is hope. Even in the midst of our suffering, our hopefulness should be apparent. So, Peter instructs us to be ready to answer the question our life should inspire: “How can you be so hopeful in such difficult circumstances?”
Peter anticipates people will become curious. Hopefulness and joy are starkly different from the normal human response to suffering. So much so that people will be eager to understand it. What will we say when they ask? We must be prepared to give our defense, to make the case for faith in Christ. We need to reject the cultural pressure to keep our beliefs to ourselves. Instead, believers should openly share the good news of redemption through faith in Christ.
The Greek word translated as “make a defense,” or “give an answer” is apologian, from the root word apologia. This is not related to the English word “apology,” where one expresses regret or remorse. Rather, the term means a justification, or an “answer back,” or a reason. This is the source of the terms “apologetics” and “apologist,” which refer to a rational defense of the Christian faith.
Finally, it matters how we make that case for Christ. We must present it with gentleness and respect. Christians are not called on to condemn those who are curious about our hopefulness. Nor are we to be vindictive, vengeful, or insulting to those who disagree. Rather, we should explain our faith without harshness or dismissiveness.
Bibleref.com/1 Peter 3:15
