1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. 3 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: Act sixteen twenty five. As words of Act sixteen resonate 4 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: in my spirit, I stand excited because I now have 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: a major key to my unending success to day. I 6 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: acknowledge that prayer should be my first response and not 7 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: my last resort. As I look at Paul and Silas, 8 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: I realize that my worship is a warship that can 9 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: be used to break the oppression and chains of the enemy. 10 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: Through my voice and through my praise and worship, you 11 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: will send a shock wave and an earthquake that will 12 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: shake the foundation of my prison and free me. No 13 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: matter where I am or what I face, I will 14 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: never forget that one of the greatest weapons that I 15 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: possess is my worship. With this truth, I will sing 16 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: your praises everywhere I go, and when I do, the 17 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: chains of hell and the chains of my enemy will 18 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: not be able to hold me. In Jesus name, Amen, 19 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time 20 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story brought to 21 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 1: you by Bible in a year dot. 22 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 2: Com singing jailbirds. 23 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 3: In our last story, we were able to read the 24 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 3: letter Paul wrote to the Galician Church. Paul, with the 25 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 3: love and wisdom of Jesus, implored the Galician Church to 26 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 3: stop binding themselves to the law. He encouraged them to 27 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 3: live under grace and living in the spirit. Now we 28 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 3: see Paul and Silas faced with a vexing demon. As 29 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 3: Paul confronts the demon, he is met with imprisonment. As 30 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 3: Paul and Silas dwell in the dark depths of a 31 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 3: Roman jail cell, they are able to be lights of hope. 32 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 3: Inspired by the Book of Acts. 33 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 4: We're so glad you joined us on the Bible and 34 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 4: of your podcast today. The Bible any of your podcast 35 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 4: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come 36 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 4: to you each week through the support of listeners just 37 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 4: like you. Your support today is so important that we 38 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 4: want to thank you for your gift by giving you 39 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 4: a copy of my book called The Jesus Book. It 40 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 4: is a powerful guide that shows how every book of 41 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 4: the Bible points to Jesus and how his living word, 42 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 4: the truth of God's works, will transform your life. So 43 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 4: to get a copy of the Jesus book. Simply go 44 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 4: to Jack Graham dot org slash Jesus. That's Jack Graham 45 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 4: dot org slash Jesus, and thank you for your support. 46 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 4: In our last episode, we heard Paul's letter to the 47 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 4: Church in Galicia and his powerful, beautiful explanation of salvation 48 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 4: by grace alone in Christ alone. He urged the Galatians 49 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 4: to not let themselves be enslaved of the burden of 50 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 4: the law now that they have received the liberty that 51 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 4: is ours in Christ. He then encourages us to use 52 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 4: our freedom in Christ, to walk by the spirit and 53 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 4: not the flesh, and to produce the fruit of the 54 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 4: Spirit in our lives. Today we'll find Paul and his 55 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 4: missionary partner Silas confronting an evil spirit and facing a 56 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 4: Roman prison. Yet even in the darkness of their cell, 57 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 4: they are full of hope and praise as they glorify 58 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 4: God with singing, and as a result, a man in 59 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 4: his family comes to personal faith in the Lord. Let's 60 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 4: listen now, in this reading from the Book of. 61 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 3: Acts, servants of the Most High God. She screamed, make 62 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 3: way for the servants of God. She yelled even louder. 63 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 3: These men have come in the name of God. She 64 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 3: laughed and twirled around in circles. It had been days 65 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 3: of her nonsense. Paul, Luke, Silas, and Timothy had been 66 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 3: followed through Thiaterra by a slave girl possessed by a demon. 67 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 3: For days. She rolled around on the floor, yelling and 68 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 3: proclaiming their arrival. It had grown maddening. Even though what 69 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 3: she was saying was true, she said it spitefully and jokingly. 70 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 3: Every place they entered into she yelled and screamed. It 71 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 3: deterred people from listening to them. It scared people away. 72 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 3: Sometimes truth spoken rudely can do just as much damage 73 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 3: as a lie. The slave girl was clearly disturbed and 74 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 3: fed multiple herbs to keep her mind. Trapped in a cage, 75 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 3: her owners would make money off of her, selling her 76 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 3: off as a fortune teller. At first, it broke Paul's 77 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,119 Speaker 3: heart to see a girl so broken. However, after days 78 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 3: of endless yelling, Paul was thrown into a small rage. 79 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 3: These men are of God. Hear them, hear them, she shouted. 80 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 3: Her wicked cackles pierced the ears of people in the streets. 81 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 3: Here are the men who have come to be in 82 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 3: the name of Jesus. Come out of this girl, you 83 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,919 Speaker 3: unclean spirit, Paul interrupted and yelled. The girl fell on 84 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 3: to the floor, rolling in the dirt. Her fists banged 85 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 3: on the floor and her teeth bit into her tongue. 86 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 3: But then, like a storm that had finally been broken 87 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 3: by the sun, the demon left her. She wept where 88 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 3: she lay on the road. Paul and Silas lifted her 89 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: to her feet and brushed the dirt off her clothing. 90 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 3: She gave a remorseful grin towards the men, and then 91 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 3: ran back to her master's Even though the exacerbating noise 92 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 3: was gone, Paul had a sinking feeling that this was 93 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 3: not over. The girl ran home to her owners, wailing 94 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 3: with tears of joy and freedom. Her owners, however, were 95 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: displeased with her restoration. They made a great deal of 96 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 3: money from the demon inside her. The demon was able 97 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 3: to tell fortunes and speak in ancient dialects. Many people 98 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 3: paid a great amount to listen to a tongue of 99 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 3: dark magic. They struck the girl and she crawled back 100 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 3: into the space she was kept. The owners would deal 101 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 3: with her later, but for now they set their sights 102 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 3: on Paul. Silas and Paul were enjoying themselves in the 103 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,679 Speaker 3: market place. They bought food for their travels and spoke 104 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,919 Speaker 3: about Christ to the shopkeepers and venders as they passed. 105 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 3: Paul was walking towards a man selling dates and bread 106 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 3: when he felt a swift blow to his right temple. 107 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 3: Paul fell immediately on to the ground. He looked up 108 00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 3: to see a boot coming down on his rib cake. 109 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 3: Paul felt the air leave his chest. He gasped and 110 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 3: looked over to see Silas pinned onto the ground by 111 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 3: another large figure. Paul was turned around and bound by ropes. 112 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 3: He and Silas were tied up and marched to the 113 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 3: magistrate court house. These Jews are disturbing our city, the 114 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: slave owners declared before the court. They advocate for traditions 115 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 3: that are not Roman. Paul and Silas looked at one another. 116 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 3: They would not be receiving a fair trial. Paul opened 117 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 3: his mouth to speak to the judge, but was interrupted 118 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 3: by a right hook to the jar. Their robes were 119 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 3: ripped off their bodies and the magistrates ordered for Paul 120 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: and Silas to be beaten with rods. Paul watched the 121 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 3: long and thin branch strike Silas's back. Silas did not scream. 122 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 3: He was strong and knew what being a Christian entailed. 123 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 3: He turned his back on those who whipped him. Paul 124 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 3: received the same beating. The sharp branch broke through his 125 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 3: bare skin, blood and splinters caked onto his back. After 126 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 3: a steady beating, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. 127 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:12,679 Speaker 3: The stone floor was cold and jacket it ripped Paul's 128 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 3: feet underneath him. Before the two men could catch their breath, 129 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 3: the jailer arrived. He was a large man, clearly well 130 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 3: built for his job. His grip was violent and hard 131 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 3: as he fastened their ankles into chains. However, there was 132 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 3: something different about him. Paul could see that behind the 133 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 3: scowl was a face of a lost sheep. It was 134 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 3: midnight and the cold prison walls enveloped the prisoners in darkness. 135 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 3: A dim torch light could be seen from the distant 136 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 3: hallways where the jailer slept. Paul could hear a steady 137 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 3: drip of cold water fall on to the jagged stone. 138 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: It echoed across the silent prison. All the prisoners were 139 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: in the corners of their cells, shivering and waiting for 140 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 3: morning light. Paul and Silas thought about Jesus, how he 141 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: had suffered the scorn of men, yet still loved them. 142 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 3: He maintained hope and joy, so they would do the same. 143 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 3: One by one, the prisoners lifted their heads as they 144 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 3: heard voices singing hymns to God. Paul and Silas sang 145 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 3: with joyful shouts and beautiful melodies. Their songs bounced off 146 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 3: the cold stone walls. Its echo was hauntingly powerful. The 147 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 3: frigid prison air was filled with the warm praises of 148 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 3: God's children. The songs became louder as other prisoners joined 149 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: in on the melody. An orchestra of hope erupted from 150 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 3: the dark depths of the Roman dungeon. As herding men 151 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 3: turned to their God. As they sang, the earth itself 152 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: began to shake, as if God was joining in on 153 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 3: the music. A mighty earthquake shook the foundation of the prison. 154 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 3: The hinges of the doors were shaken open, and the 155 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 3: iron bars fell like the walls of Jericho. Paul and 156 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 3: Silas's chains were unfastened, and there was a clean escape 157 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 3: made ready for them. However, Paul and Silas did not move. 158 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 3: They could hear the footsteps of the jailer approaching. He 159 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 3: turned to the corner to see the gates busted wide open. 160 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: Assuming that Paul and Silas had escaped, the jailer drew 161 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 3: his sword. He wept, knowing that he had dishonored his 162 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 3: country and to allow escape was inevitable death. The jailer 163 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 3: pressed the tip of his blade against his throat and 164 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 3: mumbled a last word before stepping forward to fall on 165 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 3: his sword. Stop, Paul yelled. The jailer stumbled forward and 166 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 3: was caught by Silas before he could fall on his blade. 167 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 3: Do not harm yourself, Paul said, We are all here. 168 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 3: The jailer trembled in the arms of Silas. He was 169 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 3: bent over before them, weeping at the fact that they 170 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 3: saved his life. Paul and Silas guided the jailer out 171 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 3: of the prison into the moonlight. There they sat speaking 172 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 3: about the hidden brokenness in the jailer's heart. What must 173 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 3: I do to be saved, the jailer asked, with tears 174 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 3: in his eyes. Paul and Silas smiled. Believe in Jesus 175 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,199 Speaker 3: and you will be saved. You and your household will 176 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 3: be blessed, they answered. So the jailer brought them back 177 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 3: to his home, and they preached the gospel to his 178 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 3: entire family. He hid them in his home until it 179 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 3: was the appointed time for them to be released. It 180 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 3: is time for you to leave in peace. 181 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 4: The jailer said. 182 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 3: The magistrates have asked for you to go quietly and 183 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 3: in peace, but Paul knew why they wanted them gone. 184 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,119 Speaker 3: Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, and they were imprisoned 185 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 3: without a trial. What they had done was condemnable under 186 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 3: Roman law, so the magistrates were forced to apologize to 187 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 3: Paul and Silas. After the magistrates groveled, Paul and Silas 188 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 3: were content to leave with joy. 189 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 4: We begin today's reading learning that Paul has a new 190 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 4: companion in ministry, a man named Silas. Paul, Silas, and 191 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 4: Luke were in the Roman city of thyrah Tyra, where 192 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 4: they were staying in a home of a new believer 193 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 4: named Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman who dealt in purple fabrics. 194 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 4: As they went about town preaching the gospel, they were 195 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 4: constantly followed by a young slave girl who was possessed 196 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 4: by a demon that predicted the future. Her owners used 197 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 4: this young girl for personal gain, unconcerned about her or 198 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 4: her well being, and as Paul and Silas walked through 199 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 4: the city, the young girl would cry out loudly for 200 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 4: all to hear. These men are servants of the Most 201 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 4: High God, who are telling you the way to be saved. 202 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 4: Her words were true, but they did not come from God. 203 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 4: It is a reminder that all who proclaim Christ Jesus 204 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 4: are not true followers or true worshippers. There are false prophets, 205 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 4: their demon spirits that exist that proclaim a message. This 206 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 4: was a work of the enemy Satan himself, to distract 207 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 4: people from the message of Jesus and the Gospel, and 208 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 4: Paul saw write through it. Finally, when he had had enough, 209 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 4: he spoke to the evil spirit in this young girl. 210 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 4: With the authority given to him by the Holy Spirit. 211 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 4: He commanded the spirit the demon, to leave her, and 212 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 4: at once she was set free, just as Jesus had 213 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 4: called out demons. Paul continues the Lord's work in liberating 214 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 4: captives from the forces of evil and the powers of 215 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 4: Satan to experience the power of God. What a relief 216 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 4: this must have been for the young demonized girl. The 217 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 4: voices in her head had left her without peace, and 218 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 4: now these voices were silenced. But her masters, who profited 219 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 4: greatly from her condition, were very angry. Their trafficking had 220 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 4: come to a screening halt, and they knew who was 221 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 4: to blame, so they appealed to the local magistrate, saying 222 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 4: Paul and Silas were stirring up trouble and advocating practices 223 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 4: that were contrary to Roman law. Of course, this was 224 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 4: a huge lie, but when your enemies have no real 225 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 4: claim against you, they will come with lies and slander. 226 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 4: Once again, Paul and his friends find themselves persecuted, only 227 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 4: this time not by Jews but by Romans. He and 228 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 4: Silas were seized, beaten, and thrown into prison. But even 229 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 4: in this, Paul and Silas persevered with praise and saw 230 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 4: the opportunity to worship God as a testimony and a 231 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 4: witness of the power of Jesus. When bad things happened 232 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 4: to us, when circumstances turn against us, when we are 233 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 4: persecuted or set aside for our faith, do we continue 234 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 4: to praise God? Too often we miss the opportunity to 235 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 4: witness to the glory of God and the grace of 236 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 4: God in our lives, in our hardship. But Paul and 237 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 4: Silas didn't miss this chance. So as they sat in 238 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 4: their cell that night, rather than weeping and whining and 239 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 4: licking their wounds. These men sang great songs of praise 240 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 4: and worship, and the other prisoners could hear them lifting 241 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 4: up their God in the name of Jesus. We then 242 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 4: hear how at about midnight God sent a mighty earthquake 243 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 4: and rock the prison through open the prison doors and 244 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 4: cause the changed to fall off. All the prisoners. This 245 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 4: was their chance to escape, but they didn't. They didn't 246 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 4: run away. When the jailer awoke, he was certain that 247 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 4: the prisoners would be gone, and it would cost him 248 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 4: his life, because when commanders were found out that they 249 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 4: had not done their job, they would be executed. So 250 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 4: he resolved to take his own life, but Paul stepped in, 251 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 4: letting him know that no one had escaped. Listened to 252 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 4: the jailer's response. In Acts sixteen, verses twenty nine to thirty, 253 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 4: the jailer called for the lights and rushed in and 254 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 4: fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them 255 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 4: out and asked, sirs, what must I do to be saved? 256 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 4: That's the most important question that any one of us 257 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 4: can ask and be answered by the witnesses of the Gospel. Sirs, 258 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 4: what must I do to be saved. When we see 259 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 4: a miracle like this, when the earthquake came and shook 260 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 4: the house, there's a greater purpose and plan. The change 261 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 4: God wanted to were not merely those binding Paul and 262 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 4: Silas and the other prisoners, but the chains of sin 263 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 4: that held the jailer and his family. And as a 264 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 4: result of Paul's perseverance and praise, this man and his 265 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 4: entire family opened their hearts to the Gospel of Christ. 266 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 4: They were all saved. The men went with him to 267 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 4: his home, and his entire family worshiped the Lord with 268 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 4: the apostle Paul and Silas. And that next morning, the 269 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 4: magistrates that were that Paul and Silas were to be released, 270 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 4: they discovered that these men weren't merely Jews, but Roman citizens. 271 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 4: It is the first indication that Paul will wisely use 272 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 4: his Roman citizenship to advance the Gospel of Jesus far 273 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 4: and wide, all across the Roman Empire. And we'll hear 274 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 4: more about that in our next reading. Dear God, we 275 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 4: thank you for this great scripture in Acts chapter sixteen, 276 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 4: and the power of the Gospel to change lives. Lord, 277 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 4: in the midst of our trials and tribulations. May we 278 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 4: always praise you. You have told us to give thanks 279 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 4: always that we can praise you even in the darkest 280 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 4: of times, because when we do, You are glorified and 281 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 4: Jesus is magnified, and people will see and hear our witness. 282 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 4: Because of what Christ has done for us, we can 283 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 4: stand firm in the midst of life's greatest challenges. May 284 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 4: it be so in our lives. In Jesus's name. Amen. 285 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to today's Bible into your podcast, 286 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 4: and before we go, I wanted to let you know 287 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 4: that the Bible into Your Podcast is an outreach of 288 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 4: PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to you each week 289 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 4: through the support of listeners like you. Your support today is 290 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 4: so important that we want to thank you for your 291 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 4: gift by giving you a copy of my book called 292 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 4: The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful guide that 293 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 4: shows how every book in the Bible points to Christ 294 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 4: and how you can better read and understand the Bible 295 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 4: and how God's Word informs our lives. So to get 296 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 4: your copy of The Jesus Book, simply go to Jaggraham 297 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 4: dot org slash Jesus. That's Jagraham dot org. Slash Jesus 298 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 4: and thank you for your support.