Devotionals for July 27, 2023
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READ
Acts 16:22-35
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
REFLECT
Who is the Gospel for? The authoritarian persecutors of believers? The godless heathens?
Paul caused quite a commotion by freeing the woman from her oppression. The magistrates broke Roman law by having Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in jail. The Jailor was just “doing his duty” by locking them up in the deepest, darkest part of the prison.
Romans were experts at many things, but torture, death, and persecution were their specialty. Prisons were nasty and diseased places to be. The Jailor knew that. He didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that prisoners did not escape.
Paul and Silas were not dissuaded by their circumstance and still praised God through song.
When the earthquake came it was with such power, such resonance, that doors could not be held shut and chains could no longer remain locked. The Jailor’s worst nightmare had now come true.
Instead of despair, Paul and Silas showed him God and the Gospel. Instead of letting the Jailor kill himself, they showed compassion by not trying to escape. The demonstration of the power of God to free them (and everyone else in the prison) shook the Jailor to his core. The compassion he showed in return impressed his whole household, much like Lydia, and they all believed. That must have been one tremendous transformation in the Jailor’s heart.
Is the Gospel for the authoritarian, those apathetic to God, or those who persecute His children? There is no doubt that it is.
Paul caused quite a commotion by freeing the woman from her oppression. The magistrates broke Roman law by having Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in jail. The Jailor was just “doing his duty” by locking them up in the deepest, darkest part of the prison.
Romans were experts at many things, but torture, death, and persecution were their specialty. Prisons were nasty and diseased places to be. The Jailor knew that. He didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that prisoners did not escape.
Paul and Silas were not dissuaded by their circumstance and still praised God through song.
When the earthquake came it was with such power, such resonance, that doors could not be held shut and chains could no longer remain locked. The Jailor’s worst nightmare had now come true.
Instead of despair, Paul and Silas showed him God and the Gospel. Instead of letting the Jailor kill himself, they showed compassion by not trying to escape. The demonstration of the power of God to free them (and everyone else in the prison) shook the Jailor to his core. The compassion he showed in return impressed his whole household, much like Lydia, and they all believed. That must have been one tremendous transformation in the Jailor’s heart.
Is the Gospel for the authoritarian, those apathetic to God, or those who persecute His children? There is no doubt that it is.
APPLY
Q: Is there any one person we’ve looked at this week who needed the Gospel more than any other? Are you sure?
Q: How can we show compassion through the Gospel to those who feel they may not deserve it?
Q: Relative to the grace God has shown us, what is the level of grace we should show others? Think about who Paul was before meeting Christ on the road to Damascus.
Q: How can we show compassion through the Gospel to those who feel they may not deserve it?
Q: Relative to the grace God has shown us, what is the level of grace we should show others? Think about who Paul was before meeting Christ on the road to Damascus.
SING
PRAY
"Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."
Lord forgive us for looking back at who we were before You and letting it hinder us in following Your directions. Let us embrace Your grace for ourselves and bring it forward to those who need it, too.
Lord forgive us for looking back at who we were before You and letting it hinder us in following Your directions. Let us embrace Your grace for ourselves and bring it forward to those who need it, too.