Read Acts 16
Tony Bleckley
Acts 16:31
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.“
Have you ever just wanted God to burst into the middle of your circumstances? Yeah, I know dumb
question, right? Of course, we do. My answer would be – how about every day!
We have made it to chapter 16 of Acts. This is where we find Paul and Silas in prison. I’ve heard many messages that discuss how Paul and Silas reacted in prison, singing hymns and praising God in the midst of their harsh circumstances. But if I look closer, I tend to see myself more in the character of the jailer than Paul and Silas. The jailer awoke to find that all the prison cells had been opened, and he assumed that all had escaped. And then the weight of the circumstances overwhelmed him to the point that he thought that his life was forfeit. All of us have those seasons in life when the panic button seems to be just a hand’s length away. I seem to start hitting that panic button like I’m a player on the Family Feud. I feel as if that’s it. I just can’t take it anymore. I want to quit and find a place to hide and disappear. I’m just too overwhelmed.
Ironically, the jailer found himself in a cell of fear and hopelessness. He believed that his life was
completely void of any way out of his circumstances.
But instead, a voice cried out to him. He heard the voice of Paul, and in an instant, he knew that it was going to be all right. The man encountered the full weight of grace on his physical life; his life was saved. But he also still had the awareness that he was not completely free. So he asked, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ To which Paul replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Believe in, put your trust in, lean your weight onto, or place your confidence in Jesus Christ. Reading that last line on a piece of paper makes you feel like that should be easy. But all of us know that the weight of our circumstances can eclipse our hope. I guess that’s why I identify with the jailer. I’m not usually the one singing hymns and praising God in the midst of adversity, but the good news is that Paul and Silas were not the only ones set free that day; the jailer and his family were as well.
God bursts into the most dire circumstances and brings freedom—freedom to those who are seeking it, like Paul and Silas, and freedom to the one who doesn’t know he needs it, like the jailer. We also see how God gives us immeasurably more than we ask. God brought freedom not only to the jailer but also to his entire household.
Application:
Take a moment and take inventory of your heart. Is there anywhere in your life that is not free? Remind yourself God brings freedom to jailers, prisoners, and disciples. And He’s not finished until He includes your household as well.
Prayer Prompt:
Use Isaiah 61:1-3 as a praise point. Take each action in these verses and thank God that He’s doing this in your life and your family.
