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by Sandy Shaw
Acts 16:25f. Paul and Silas have been praising and worshipping the living God - the only God there is - in that prison cell - and God honours their testimony. The jailer falls trembling before Paul and Silas. He brings them out and asks - "What must I do to be saved?" I do not want to perish. What do I have to do to escape what is awaiting me - and receive what you have received?
Verse 31. They replied. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household." It is significant that this is said to a man - to the head of the house - "Believe, and it can happen!"
Paul and Silas went to the jailer's home, and preached The Word of the Lord to him and to all the others who were in his house. This man had been quite cruel, has been suddenly and completely transformed by Jesus Christ, and he is ministering to the immediate needs of Paul and Silas - their stripes - their sores - their wounded backs.
Then, Paul and Silas attend to the immediate spiritual needs of the household without even waiting for daylight - without waiting for Luke and Timothy - without waiting for a meeting of the Fellowship which had been gathering in Lydia's house.
Get on with it. Use your initiative and do what has to be done. These new believers were baptised, (plunged) in water. Then they had a meal. Then they celebrated - after they had been adequately and fully birthed into The Kingdom of God. What a sudden and radical change - from the start of that man's shift!
The world asks - What must I do to be rich - to become wealthy - to be popular - to be successful - to be famous? God waits for a man to ask - "What must I do to be saved?"
The jailer realised he was a sinner in need - with needs - and these were men of God who could help. He would be a tough, independent man to be promoted to this responsible post, and probably proud, and God knows how to shake him so that he cries out for help. Paul and Silas give him and his household all the initial help they require. Is this how you would have behaved had you been imprisoned in that Philippian prison?
"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from
Choking can be Hazardous to Your Eternal Health
Read Article »Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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