Conversion At Midnight
Acts 16:16-34
The gospel works twenty-four hours a day. People have been
converted to Christ in very unusual circumstances. Sometimes, we may refrain
from speaking about Christ because we just do not think the circumstances
suggest a very favorable outcome. We could be making a wrong choice when we
think that way.
Consider one such set of unfavorable circumstances. The time just isn't right;
it is very late. The place is inappropriate; the two believers are in a dungeon.
Besides that, the teachers themselves are suffering from physical injury.... oh,
and another thing; they are not in a position to move around very much because
they are in stocks. Finally, the potential convert is a heathen jailer who has
seen it all.
Some Preliminary Points
The text for this article is found in Acts 16:16-34. The believers are Paul and
his coworker Silas. They had come to Philippi to teach the gospel. Philippi was
in Macedonia. It is the first example we read about the gospel being proclaimed
on the European mainland. The Holy Spirit had sent Paul and Silas from Asia
Minor to Macedonia to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:6-10).
The first convert was a business woman by the name of Lydia. She and her
household were baptized into Jesus Christ (Acts 16:14,15). In the New Testament,
it is only believers that are baptized, so we must conclude that Lydia's
household was made up of people old enough to believe the gospel (Mark 16:16;
Acts 8:37).
As Paul and Silas continued to teach the gospel, a servant girl who was
controlled by an evil spirit began to follow them. Everywhere they would preach,
she would cry out "These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are
proclaiming to you the way of salvation." (Acts 16:17). The statement was true,
but it was disruptive. A look at the messages of Paul shows that his discourses
were always well reasoned and logical. He wanted people to concentrate on the
message. It was not just empty catch phrases or emotional outbursts, but an
intellectual pursuit of truth. He wanted people to think about what they heard,
but the girl's ranting made this difficult. The evil spirit was cast out of her.
Now everyone can be happy. Well, not everyone.
Arrest and Prison
"But when her masters saw that their hope of profit gone, they seized Paul and
Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities." (Acts
16:19).
The girl had been used by her masters to "tell fortunes" and so forth. People
figured she had a "gift" and paid money for her services. Her owners accused
Paul and Silas of throwing the city into confusion and proclaiming customs
unlawful for Romans. Paul and Silas were severely beaten with rods and thrown
into prison. The jailer, told to guard them securely, put them into the inner
prison in stocks. This would be where the most hardened of criminals would be
kept (Acts 16:19-24)
Making the Best of Things
"But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to
God, and the prisoners were listening to them." (Acts 16:25).
In prison; in stocks; bruised and bleeding and surrounded by the very worst
criminals. What does one do? Pray and sing praises to God, of course! Well,
that's not the usual thing that is done, but these two are not your usual
prisoners. They were more interested in pleasing God than men, and God had given
them great boldness and confidence even there in that awful place. See Paul's
later remarks about this ordeal (1 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
Imagine the impact of the things said in prayer and hymns on the jailer and the
other prisoners. It was a far cry from the oaths, threats and curses usually
heard in such places. The message had its effect on the listeners, it always
does. The kind of effect depends on each individual heart, but it is always
there.
Conversion
It was about the midnight hour that an earthquake shook the dungeon. The chains
dropped from everyone's arms and legs and the prison doors swung open. The
jailer, certain that prisoners have escaped, prepares to do the thing expected
of him. He failed his assignment so he must die. The most honorable thing to do,
in this heathen society, is to take his own life (Acts 16:26-27).
Paul assured the jailer that the prisoners all remained in the prison. Perhaps
it was for fear of the earthquake that the other prisoners did not escape. Maybe
it was because they knew they were seeing the power of God at work. But the
jailer knew enough about these two preachers from the things he had heard to ask
the most important question that can be asked; "Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?" (Acts 16:28-30).
It is the word of God that tells us what to do to be saved. It is a proper
question because there is a proper response to make to grace (1 Peter 1:22; Acts
10:34,35). There is something we must do!
The jailer needed to believe in the Lord Jesus. This means to put his trust into
the Lord, and doing so involves action. It involves submission and obedience
(Acts 16:31).
This means that the jailer would need further instruction about the One he must
put his trust into, and about the will of that One, the Lord Jesus. Paul and
Silas spoke "the word of the Lord" to the jailer and his household so that they
would know what they must do (Acts 16:32).
The jailer washed the wounds of Paul and Silas, and then, that same hour of the
night, he and his household were baptized into Christ. He and his whole house
rejoiced that they had put their faith in Christ (Acts 16:33-34). There is no
example in the Bible of any new believers waiting days to be baptized.
Yes, the gospel has the power to save souls, and we have the responsibility to
teach it. The gospel can work effectively in all kinds of circumstances if we
will have the kind of faith that Paul and Silas had. What are you doing with the
Gospel of Jesus Christ?
By Jon W. Quinn
From Expository Files 7.5; May 2000
