In yesterday’s blog article, we read about two men who used a demon-possessed slave girl to make money. When Paul and Silas set her free from demonic influence, the men lost their source of income. Retaliating, they brought Paul and Silas before the authorities, had them beaten, and threw them into prison.
In prison, Paul and Silas sat on the floor with their backs against the wall, their feet painfully secured in stocks. Yet, despite their suffering, they prayed.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25)
Prayer is a major theme in the book of Acts. It is mentioned 31 times, and in many instances, prayer precedes a mighty act of God. This occasion was no exception.
While they were praying, God sent an earthquake to the Philippian jail. The prison doors flew open, and all the prisoners were freed from their chains. Yet, because of Paul and Silas’s influence, no one ran away; they all stayed where they were.
Assuming the authorities would execute him for letting the prisoners escape, the jailer drew his sword and was about to take his own life. But Paul called out and told him to stop.
The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. Then, he brought them outside and asked the ultimate question:
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30)
At the very least, the jailer recognized Paul and Silas as men of God. After witnessing the miraculous earthquake and the prisoners’ supernatural restraint, their God must have seemed incredibly real to him. He desperately wanted to be on the right side of their God
Most likely, Acts gives us a brief summary of a much longer conversation, condensing Paul and Silas’s teaching into one foundational statement about salvation:
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)
Sharing the Good News
Paul and Silas were ready with an answer. How about you? Do you know how to answer the question posed by the Philippian jailer?
Imagine we were having coffee, and you asked me what you needed to do to be saved. I would pull out a napkin or a sheet of paper and write down John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
I would tell you about God’s immense love and the everlasting life He wants you to have with Him. Then, I would share John 10:10, where Jesus said:
“I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Abundant life is the best life possible. However, there is a problem we must face, so I would also write Romans 3:23:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We have all sinned, and that sin keeps us separated from God’s love. Romans 6:23 warns us, “For the wages of sin is death.” Death means spiritual separation from God, but thankfully, that is not the end of the story. The verse continues:
“But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
After explaining how Jesus’s death on the cross makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven and for us to live securely in God’s love, I would write Revelation 3:20 on the napkin. I would highlight its main message: God stands at the door of our lives and knocks. He wants to come in. If we hear His voice and respond, He will enter our lives and live with us as our closest friend.
How do we open the door to God? In the exact same way we open the door when someone knocks at our house: we simply say, “Come in.” I would then invite you to pray a short, sincere prayer, asking God to become a part of your life.
This is a quick overview of a topic that would naturally take longer to explain in a real conversation. I share it with you as something you can make your own and use whenever someone asks, “What must I do to be saved?”
Enemies to Friends
I love the expression: “God defeats His enemies by making them His friends.” I do not know if the jailer was originally an enemy of Paul and Silas, but after meeting the Lord, he certainly became their friend. He washed their backs and treated their wounds. Then, he served them a meal, and they joyfully celebrated God’s goodness with his entire family.
This is the beautiful transformation we get to experience whenever we share the gospel and someone becomes a follower of the Lord.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 16:25–40 on YouTube today.
