Acts chapter 16 is a marvelous chapter. I think our study of it will leave a lasting impression on us. It records the salvation of a woman named Lydia (vv. 14-15). After that, Paul and his companion Silas encountered a demon-possessed woman (vv. 16-24). Then they had the opportunity to bring a Philippian jailer to Christ (vv. 25-40). We will focus on that event in this lesson. The narrative about the Philippian jailer is long, but it is simple to understand. There is a particular element in the story that attracts attention. In verse 30 appears the most important question that a man could ever ask: "... what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas gave the only answer there is: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ ..." (v. 31). There is only one way to be saved, and that is by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." That is the story of salvation.

A. The Plea

The Philippian jailer wanted to know how to become saved. I think sometimes we don't recognize the fact that some people are really looking for salvation. We tend to think that if we present Christ to someone, we are intruding on his life. Instead, we may be giving that person exactly what he has been searching for. I think it is generally true that a man's heart seeks the answer to the question, "What is life all about?" When a person is distressed with his life, he is ready to hear the message of salvation.

One way we can tell that men seek salvation is by all the religious systems that have been invented. People only invent what they think will sell. I recently read about a new religious system that offers salvation through a particular occultic trance. Men want to be delivered from meaninglessness, sin, guilt, boredom, loneliness, insecurity, anxiety, and the dread of death. All of man's invented religious systems offer different kinds of panaceas for those things.

1. AMPLIFIED BY SUPERFICIALITY

The Philippian jailer was probably a hardened, former Roman soldier. It's possible that the Roman government had assigned him the responsibility of running the jail. In those days, all jails were dark and unsanitary. The jailer probably lived for the fact that he had a small amount of honor left from being commissioned by Rome to watch over the Philippian jail. Everyone who is unsaved eventually reduces his life to something that gives it meaning. That something can be money, prestige, popularity, or promotion. Some people find meaning in life from a new car. When life gets dull again, they buy another car. Some people live only for sex, athletics, liquor, or drugs. When some people's meaning in life falls apart, they kill themselves. They do that because they have put their whole life into one thing. If that one thing falls apart, then they fall apart.

The jailer had one thing to live for: the status he received from Rome's commissioning him to watch over the Philippian jail. In Acts 16:26, an earthquake caused the jail to fall apart. The doors flew open, and the prisoners were all freed from their chains or stocks. Consequently, the jailer decided to kill himself (v. 27). Why? Because his meaning in life had fallen apart: He knew that if all his prisoners escaped, he would lose his prestige as a jailer. So, he drew out his sword to kill himself. Many people are like that. Their whole life is reduced to a simple commodity that they put their hopes in.

2. ANSWERED BY SALVATION

Just when the jailer was ready to kill himself, Paul said, "... Do thyself no harm; for we are all here" (Ac. 16:28). God had other plans for the jailer. Verses 29-30 say that the jailer "fell down before Paul and Silas ... and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" In other words, "How do I get out of the mess that I'm in? What do I do to get rid of my fears, loneliness, meaninglessness, and fear of death? Where do I go?" Paul and Silas said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (v. 31). That's the main message of Acts 16:19-40--and the main message of Christianity.

Let's look at the part of Acts 16 that comes before verses 19-40, and set up the scene. Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy were all traveling together as a missionary team. They probably made up the best missionary group that ever reached out to the world.

1. WINNING A SOUL

The missionary team's arrival at Philippi introduced the gospel message to Europe. On the Sabbath, God directed them to go "by a riverside, where prayer was accustomed to be made ..." (v. 13). They met some women there worshiping God. Those women were either born Jewish or were Jewish proselytes. There may have not been enough male worshipers in Philippi to build a synagogue. Therefore, the women met by a river at a little place called a proseuche, which was a place of prayer. The name of one of the women was Lydia. God opened her heart, and she and her whole household became saved (vv. 14-15). They were the beginning of the church in Europe.

2. WARRING AGAINST SATAN

Immediately after God did that wonderful work, Satan began a counterwork. The missionary team ran into a demon-possessed girl, who followed them around, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show unto us the way of salvation" (v. 17). You say, "Why would Satan say that through the girl?" Satan will agree with God long enough to make people think that he is a part of God's system; then he begins to do what he really wants to do. Paul knew that Satan was attempting to deceive people. He turned around and said to the spirit in the girl, "... I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And he [the spirit] came out the same hour" (v. 18).

The reaction to Paul's liberation of the enslaved woman is what set up the situation for Paul and Silas to meet the Philippian jailer. Verse 19 tells us what happened: "And when her [the girl's] masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rulers." The men who were using the demon-possessed girl to make money were angry. Satan's plan to infiltrate the church failed because Paul had cast out the demon. Because Satan couldn't hurt the church by infiltration, he used another alternative: persecution. Satan is most effective when he infiltrates the church. But when he persecutes the church, it grows. Tertullian said that the blood of the martyrs has always been the seed of the church (Apologeticus, 50, 13). However, sometimes Satan gets so disturbed about the church that he can't resist hacking away at it--even though he knows it's futile to do that.

A great principle that we see over and over again in the book of Acts is that persecution always results in blessings. The church continued to grow despite the persecution of the Apostles in Acts chapters 4 and 5. When the church faced widespread persecution in Jerusalem under Saul in Acts 8, Christians continued to preach the gospel message no matter where they fled.

Persecution brings blessing. Infiltration destroys the church. Today, people say, "The church is better than it has ever been." But Satan is probably very active in the church now because we are not being persecuted. Satan can work subtly and effectively through infiltration. Persecution is what causes the church to grow. God overcame Satan's attempt to infiltrate the church through the demon-possessed woman in Acts 16:16-18. In the rest of Acts 16, we will see how He will overcome Satan's persecution of the church.

You say, "How does God take a persecuted man and make him productive? What happens in the process of bringing about a positive result from a negative situation?" There are five steps in that process: Suffering Persecution, Singing Praises, Preaching Salvation, Seeing the Product, and Securing Protection. Let's look first at ...

I. SUFFERING PERSECUTION (vv. 19-24)

A. The Anger (v. 19a)

1. DEMONSTRATED

Paul cast a demon out of a girl. The reaction of the girl's masters is mentioned in verse 19: They got mad at Paul and Silas because "the hope of their gains was gone." The girl had been making a fortune doing the type of things that fortune tellers and soothsayers do. Her masters were getting rich because of that. They probably only gave her a small portion of the money she earned. The fact that the girl's masters were upset with what Paul had done shows that they didn't care about the girl. They didn't say, "She has been delivered from the devil! Those missionaries must be supernatural!" Rather, they said, "Oh, no! We have lost our income!" That kind of greed wasn't unusual. Later on in the book of Acts, we see that greed ...

2. DUPLICATED

In Acts chapter 19, when Paul was in Ephesus, there were some cultic people who got upset with Paul. He had taught in that city day and night for three years (Ac. 20:31). Imagine the impact he must have had! Many people were getting healed and becoming saved. Acts 19:18-20 says that "many ... believed ... and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of those also who used magical arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed."

The Word of God dominated the city of Ephesus. That made the people in the idol-making business upset. Beginning at Acts 19:23, we read, "... at the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man, named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover, ye see and hear that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands; so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought, but also that the temple of the great goddess, Diana, should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshipeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion ..." (vv. 23-29).

Paul's preaching of the gospel was ruining business for craftsmen who made images of the goddess Diana. Vested interests usually react negatively to the gospel. That's what happened when Paul cast the demon out of the girl in Acts 16. The girl lost her ability to earn money for her masters; therefore, they were angry.

B. The Arrest (vv. 19b-20a)

The girl's masters "caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rulers" (v. 19b). The Greek word translated "drew" means "dragged by the heels." That was a change for Paul. In Acts 8:3, he was the one who dragged Christian men and women out of their houses and put them in prisons. Now, he was being persecuted. God had told Ananias in Acts 9:15-16 that Paul would suffer for God: "... the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel; for I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake." When Paul was being persecuted and dragged to the marketplace, he knew that an opportunity would come about for him to share about Christ.

The Greek word for "market place" is agora,

which is equivalent to the Latin word forum. Paul and Silas were dragged to the central area of the city, where the senate houses, courts, temples, and public offices were. The magistrates and dignitaries of the city congregated there. The men dragging Paul and Silas "brought them to the magistrates ..." (v. 20). Magistrates were officially known as duoviri, but they preferred to be called praetors, because that was a classy Roman title. Every Roman colony in a Greek city had two praetors. The praetors had supreme authority in a city.

C. The Animosity (v. 20b)

The girl's masters said to the magistrates, "... These men, being Jews ..." (v. 20). Their words expressed anti-Semitic contempt. Anti-Semitism was widespread in the Roman world. Acts 18:2 says that the Roman Emperor Claudius had commanded that all the Jews leave the city of Rome. If the news about the Claudian edict had reached Philippi, it's possible that a wave of anti- Semitism may have come with it. That might explain the contempt of the men who dragged Paul and Silas to the magistrates. Isn't it marvelous that God chose two people of the right nationality so that the contempt and persecution directed at them would lead to their imprisonment and bring a jailer to Christ? The fact that Paul and Silas were Jews fit right into God's plans.

D. The Accusation (vv. 20c-21)

1. OF CAUSING CHAOS (v. 20c)

The men who brought Paul and Silas before the magistrates said that the two missionaries "do exceedingly trouble our city" (v. 20c). The phrase "exceedingly trouble" means "to throw into total disorder." Paul and Silas were accused of causing chaos in Philippi. In a sense, the accusers were right.

2. OF COMMITTING A CRIME (v. 21)

"... [they] teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans."

According to Cicero, Tertullian, and other writers, the Romans had a law that no Roman could follow the teachings of any religion that had not been approved by the Senate. The Roman government wanted its people to worship the emperor. Some religions were tolerated in order to keep peace in some of the lands that Rome had conquered. But no one could worship in a way that had not been approved by the Senate. Christianity had not received approval from the Senate. That's why Paul and Silas could be accused of teaching anti-Roman customs. Right on the spot where Paul and Silas were brought before the magistrates, a kangaroo court was held. A mob developed. Anti- Semitic contempt was directed toward Paul and Silas, and they were accused of causing disorder throughout the city because they were teaching something that Romans were not allowed to believe.

Paul and Silas ended up being persecuted because of their boldness. Don't ever restrict your boldness for fear of persecution, or you will miss new opportunities for reaching people. In Acts 4, Peter and John were thrown into prison for preaching. Because of that, they had the opportunity to preach to the Sanhedrin. Peter and John were warned by the Sanhedrin to not preach anymore, but they ignored the warning, and more people became saved. Every time Peter and John expressed boldness in the face of persecution, the Lord brought wonderful results. Satan has to learn that the worst thing for him to do is put a Christian into prison. Persecution against Christians only ends up becoming victory for Christ.

E. The Abuse (vv. 22-24)

1. THE IMPOSITION (v. 22)

a. By the Multitude (v. 22a)

Before Paul and Silas were put into jail, a kangaroo court was held. There was no trial or time of questioning. Instead, verse 22 says, "... the multitude rose up together against them ...." The mob was like a pot of boiling water-- when something incites a large group of people to excitement, they get furious without knowing why. The multitude rose up against Paul and Silas, screaming and yelling at them.

b. By the Magistrates (v. 22b)

"... and the magistrates tore off their clothes, and commanded to beat them"

The magistrates had under them a group of men called lictors--they were like policemen. They carried with them at all times a bundle of hard rods wrapped together around an axe. They would be called upon to punish people. The axe could be used for capital punishment. When the axe wasn't needed, they could use the bundle of rods to flail people. The magistrates commanded that Paul and Silas be flailed. Paul had been flailed at least three times in his life. In 2 Corinthians 11:25, he said, "Thrice was I beaten with rods ...." He said that he received "stripes above measure" (2 Cor. 11:23). The bundle of rods inflicted so many wounds on a person that they couldn't be counted. Such punishment was horrible.

2. THE IMPRISONMENT (vv. 23-24)

"And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely; who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks."

Everyone wanted to make sure that Paul and Silas didn't escape. The jailer put them into the inner dungeon, and put their feet in stocks. He had no sympathy toward Paul and Silas; he was doing his job. The jailer had handled so many prisoners already--they just came and went. Paul and Silas were locked in the filthy, dark inner dungeon with stocks on their feet. When we picture stocks, we think of the kind that existed in early America--a simple device that closed on a person's hands and feet. However, archaeologists say that the stocks used in Paul's days had a series of holes that spread further and further apart from one another. The purpose for that was to try to spread the legs of a prisoner as far as they could go so that cramping would be induced. Paul and Silas had already endured terrible beatings with rods, and their backs would have been shredded by now. Sometimes that kind of beating caused internal hemorrhaging, damage to internal organs, smashed vertebraes, broken ribs, or even death. Then Paul and Silas had to have their legs stretched by stocks, and suffer from cramps. They were in a dark cell without light and with lice, rats, and disease all around them. Prisoners were forced to live in their own filth.

You say, "They were willing to go through all that just to preach? Why didn't they just keep quiet in the first place?" There may have been people who told Paul, "Instead of getting into trouble and asking for my prayers, why don't you just stay out of trouble?" But the reason Paul was so effective in doing the Lord's work was because he was abandoned to the cause. He had no thought for himself. He went ahead and presented Christ to people, disregarding the possible consequences. Most of us are the opposite. We are slow to evangelize. We don't want to offend anyone.

Paul didn't mind suffering for doing what was right. He didn't mind being put into prison. When he wrote to the Philippians while in jail, he said, "... brethren ... the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel" (1:12). In other words, "I'm in jail again, but I don't mind. The gospel message is being spread." In Philippians 4:22, he said, "All the saints greet you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household." Do you know what he was doing while he was in prison? He was winning soldiers to Christ. He also said, "... if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all" (Phil. 2:17). In other words, Paul said that if he died on behalf of the Philippians, he would be happy. He was willing to die for the sake of Christ. He saw himself as expendable. In Galatians 6:17, Paul said, "... I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." He rejoiced in the fact that he received wounds that were meant for Christ when he stood in Christ's place.

Paul and Silas suffered persecution. But that didn't dampen their spirits. While they were in jail, we find that they were ...

II. SINGING PRAISES (vv. 25-29)

The way we react to persecution is related to our attitude. None of us have ever been beaten with rods, put in a filthy dungeon, and locked into stocks the way that Paul and Silas were. None of us have ever suffered the way they did. However, notice the attitude that they had in the midst of their suffering.

A. A Spiritual Attitude (v. 25)

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them."

Paul and Silas couldn't sleep. Instead, they talked to God for a while, and they sang. They probably wanted the prisoners to hear them; they were witnessing! You say, "What did they sing?" I don't know exactly, but they did sing praises. They may have sung the Hillel, which is Psalm 113 to Psalm 118. It's possible that the early church had some hymns. You say, "What can the those missionaries possibly praise God for?" Unfortunately, many Christians tend to praise God only when things are going well. That's not right.

1. THE PERSPECTIVE ON PRAISE

Paul and Silas were able to praise God because He never changes. If God is worth praising during good the times, He is also worth praising during the bad times. God never changes. Some people say, "But you don't know the problems I'm facing now." Praising God has nothing to do with your circumstances. In Philippians 4:4, Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord ...." He didn't say, "Rejoice in your circumstances." Paul couldn't rejoice in his circumstances. He said, "... I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart" (Rom. 9:2).

It bothers me when a Christian tells me, "I have a terrible problem now. Where is God? Has He forsaken me?" A person that says that is focusing on his circumstances with a big telescope. God hasn't changed. When you are in the midst of bad circumstances, be patient. God will use your situation as an opportunity to perfect you and to do his work.

Paul and Silas were singing praises, even while they were in tremendous pain. They weren't focusing on their circumstances. We must understand God better and remember that He wants to do His will through us. First Peter 5:10 says, "... the God of all grace ... after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect ...." Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God ...." We read, recite, and memorize that verse; but we don't believe it! Most people develop their ideas about God from their circumstances. They say, "God didn't do this, so He probably can't do that," or "God allowed this to happen, so He will probably also let that happen." But Paul and Silas knew that God had a purpose for their imprisonment. They simply waited on God, and sang praises to Him. They didn't have to wait very long for things to start happening.

2. THE PATTERN FOR PRAISE

You say, "I wish I could rejoice the same way that Paul and Silas did." Do you know how you can have a song in your heart? Ephesians 5:18-19 gives us the answer: "... be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your own heart to the Lord." If you want those things in your life, you must be Spirit controlled. If you are unhappy, it's because you aren't filled with the Spirit. When I meet a miserable person, I tell him, "You are focusing on your miseries too much. You are supposed to live a Spirit-filled life. That will put a song in your heart." When you are Spirit filled, you will still have problems. But you will be able to experience the glory of enduring your problems with victory.

Paul didn't let negative circumstances trouble his heart. In 2 Corinthians 4:8, he said, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." In other words, "We have problems, but we don't let them get us down." In verse 9, he said, "[We are] persecuted, but not forsaken ...." The J.B. Phillips translation says, "... we may be knocked down, but we are never knocked out!" You say, "Paul, how could you handle that?" The answer is in verses 16-18: "... we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Paul looked to the eternal God when he had problems. He didn't concern himself with external things. He lived a Spirit-controlled life and had his mind on God.

B. A Sovereign Act (vv. 26-29)

1. A SUPERNATURAL EVENT (v. 26)

"And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

The earthquake was localized where the jail was. It caused all the doors, chains, and stocks to open. That's amazing! I become excited when I read that, because it reminds me that when I go out to share Christ with others, God is on my side. If He needs to move the earth to accomplish His work, He will do it. Don't ever think that when you evangelize, God leaves you alone. You have His sovereignty behind you. When the proper time comes for God to reach someone's heart through you, God will do whatever is necessary to prompt that person to open his heart. Some Christians have amazing testimonies about how different things worked together to lead to their repentance. No one ever got saved by accident. Perfect miracles happen according to God's plan.

The earthquake was strong enough to cause all the jail doors, chains, and stocks to open. That's exciting! God doesn't just protect His saints; He does whatever needs to be done so that they are able to minister more effectively. God will take care of you, and enable you to reach those whom He wants reached. You have divine resources. God is on your side.

2. A SUBSEQUENT ENCOUNTER (vv. 27-29)

a. Attempted Suicide (vv. 27-28)

1) The Jailer's Apprehension (v. 27)

"And the keeper of the prison, awakening out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled."

The only thing the jailer had to live for was the honor that he had as a Roman jailer. When his jail was shaken by the earthquake and he found all the doors opened, he quickly assumed that all of the prisoners had escaped. He thought, "I've lost my only reason to live. I'll lose my job and prestige. Everyone will blame me for what happened." There is no indication that any of the other townspeople even felt the earthquake! The jailer, in fear, took out his sword to kill himself (the Greek word for "sword" indicates that it was a short dagger). He thought all the prisoners had fled.

2) Paul's Assurance (v. 28)

"But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm; for we are all here."

Paul shouted in the dark jail, not wanting the jailer to kill himself. Imagine how shocked the jailer must have been when he found out that none of the prisoners had escaped! Somehow, God kept them all there. Perhaps the prisoners had become attached to Paul and Silas, or they were too scared to escape. They had heard Paul and Silas singing praises, and felt the earthquake that God had caused afterwards. When Paul told the jailer that all the prisoners were still there, he must have been overwhelmed.

b. Apparent Submission (v. 29)

"Then he [the jailer] called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas"

God can reverse a situation fast. At first, the jailer treated Paul and Silas as lowly prisoners. Now, he was on his knees before them. God did what He had to do for the jailer to get to that point. Salvation is a sovereign work. God prepares a man's heart to receive Christ. The jailer felt convicted about his sins, and God used the earthquake to bring the jailer to his knees. The jailer recognized that he was a lost sinner without the answers to life. Now, God wanted to use Paul and Silas, who had been beaten up but were now singing praises in jail, as instruments for ...

III. PREACHING SALVATION (vv. 30-32)

A. Exemplified

This part of the story is exciting. It shows us that salvation is the work of God. We just explain to people how to become saved.

1. THE DESPERATION OF THE JAILER (v. 30)

"And [the jailer] brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

The jailer asked Paul and Silas the ultimate question. He didn't say, "What happened?" or "Why didn't you guys escape?" He couldn't even think about the earthquake. God had convicted his heart. All the jailkeeper could think about was the fact that he was rebelling against God, and that he wanted to change that. He knew he was a lost man. That's why he got down on his knees before Paul and Silas to ask how he could become saved.

2. THE DECLARATION TO THE JAILER (vv. 31-32)

a. The Way to the Lord (v. 31)

"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

The jailer asked a simple question, and the missionaries gave a simple answer. In Matthew 19:16, a rich man asked Jesus the same question that the jailer had asked. He said, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Christ said, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor ..." (v. 21). When the Lord said that, He didn't mean that the rich man could become saved by selling his possessions. Christ was trying to get rid of a barrier that kept the rich man from putting his faith in Him. That barrier was money. But the Roman jailer didn't have a barrier in his way. He was so desperate he simply said, "... what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ ..." (v. 31). The jailer asked Paul and Silas to point him in the right direction, and they gave him a simple answer.

b. The Word of the Lord (v. 32)

"And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house."

Paul and Silas taught the jailer and his household about Christ. They stated the way to salvation very simply, and they probably also gave a simple presentation about Christ.

1. SAVING FAITH DISCUSSED

Salvation comes by believing in Jesus Christ. There is no salvation apart from faith in Christ. Romans 3:21-22 says, "... the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe ...." John 1:12 says, "... as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name." Acts 2:38-39; 4:12; 8:37; 11:13-14; 13:38-39; and 15:11 all discuss the fact that salvation is offered through Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God--not of works, lest any man should boast." We become saved by faith in Christ, not by our own good works. If we were saved by our own good deeds, then we would have reason to boast.

2. SAVING FAITH DEFINED

You say, "What am I supposed to believe in?" There are two things about Christ that you need believe:

a. You Must Believe Who Christ Is

John 20:31 says, "... these things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." When you believe in Christ, you need to believe that He is who He claimed to be and that He can give life.

b. You Must Believe What Christ Did

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul said, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you ... by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.... Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and ... He was buried, and ... He rose again the third day according to the scriptures." In order to become saved, you have to believe that Christ died for your sins and that He rose again. Romans 10:9-10 says, "... if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

So, salvation comes by believing that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and by believing in what He did.

Is salvation a group experience?

Paul and Silas told the jailer in verse 31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Does that mean that if the head of a household becomes saved, everyone else in the house does too? No. Paul and Silas meant that whoever believed in Christ would be saved. The end of verse 34 says that the jailer "rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." In other words, everyone made the decision to believe in Christ. Don't think you are saved just because your father is a Christian. You can't become saved by going to church, reading the Bible, singing a hymn, thinking religious thoughts, doing good works, or being baptized. In order to become saved, you must believe Jesus's claims about Himself and believe in what He did. That's the only way to salvation.

IV. SEEING THE PRODUCT (vv. 33-34)

When you preach the gospel to people who have hearts that are ready to receive it, you will see results. According to the end of verse 34, the jailer's family became saved. Jesus said in John 15:16, "... I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain ...." In other words, "I want you to be productive." You say, "Does the jailer's fruit remain? Was he really saved?" I think he was. Let me give you four reasons why I think that:

A. His Confession (v. 33b)

"... [he] was baptized, he and all his, immediately."

Romans 10:9 says, "... if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus ... thou shalt be saved." Believing in Christ is not just a matter of believing in your heart, but also of being willing to publicly confess Him as Lord. The jailer and his family was baptized. That was a public declaration of their commitment to Christ.

B. His Compassion (v. 33a)

"And he [the jailer] took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ..."

When Paul and Silas were first thrown into jail, the jailer couldn't have cared less about them. Later on, he was washing their wounds. The formerly belligerent and unsympathetic jailer was caring for Paul and Silas. God changed his life. In John 13:35, Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." The jailer showed that his salvation was real through his love for Paul and Silas. Did you experience that when you became a believer? Do you have love for other Christians? First John 5:1 says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and everyone that loveth Him that begot loveth him also that is begotten of Him." If you really love God and Christ, then you will also love other Christians. If you say that you are a Christian but you don't love your brother in Christ, then you are a liar (1 Jn. 4:20). Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:9 that God teaches us to love one another.

C. His Hospitality (v. 34a)

The jailer did the same thing that Lydia did earlier in verse 15: He invited Paul and Silas to be with him in his house. You say, "That doesn't necessarily qualify his salvation." I think it does. James 2:14 says, "... Can faith save [a man]?" If a man says, "I am a believer," how can you know if he is telling you the truth? Here is a good test: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding, ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" (Js. 2:15-17). If you merely tell a brother, "I hope you find some food and clothing. I'll be praying for you," then your faith is dead. True faith will give a destitute brother food and clothing. That's what the jailer did to Paul and Silas. His works were the fruit of true faith.

D. His Rejoicing (v. 34b)

"... [he] rejoiced ..."

A little while ago, the jailer was ready to commit suicide. Only God can make a man change that fast. The jailer almost killed himself, but now he was rejoicing with his family, Paul, and Silas. I think that the jailer's salvation was genuine.

The last thing Paul was concerned about was ...

V. SECURING PROTECTION (vv. 35-40)

Paul was always concerned about taking care of believers. In the following verses, you will see how Paul planned to protect the Philippian believers when he was preparing to leave town.

A. The Dismissal (v. 35)

"And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go."

The two magistrates thought Paul and Silas had been punished enough. They thought, "After the beating we gave them and the night they spent in jail, they are sure to leave town and not bother us anymore."

B. The Declination (vv. 36-37)

"And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go; now, therefore, depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privately? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out."

Roman law forbade ever beating a Roman citizen. The magistrates had violated Roman law. You say, "Why didn't Paul and Silas say they were Roman citizens before they were beaten?" Apparently God didn't want that to happen. If Paul and Silas had not been beaten and thrown into jail, then the jailer and his family wouldn't have become saved. Paul waited until the right time to tell people that he and Silas were Roman citizens. Paul said, "If the magistrates and their policemen want to let us out, have them come and take us out!"

C. The Dismay (v. 38)

"And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates; and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans."

1. THE ACCUSATION

The magistrates became frightened when they found out that Paul and Silas were Romans. They had violated Roman law by beating Roman citizens. They were in danger of losing their prestigious positions because of that. In effect, Paul told the magistrates that he knew they had violated Roman law. That made them afraid of him. The next time Paul returned to Philippi (Ac. 20:1-6), they didn't do anything to him.

2. THE ASSURANCE

The fact that the magistrates were afraid of Paul was good for the believers in Philippi. In effect, Paul said to the magistrates, "If you touch one Christian, I will tell Rome about the beating you gave to Silas and me." The magistrates did not want Rome to find out that they had beaten Roman citizens. They knew that if they dared to harm any Philippian believers, Paul would report what they had done. Isn't it beautiful to see how Paul provided security for his flock? Paul also left Luke in Philippi to take care of the church. We can see God's sovereignty manifest in the fact that Luke and Timothy were not taken into prison, because they weren't Jewish Roman citizens like Paul and Silas were. God specifically chose Paul and Silas to fulfill His plan.

D. The Departure (vv. 39-40)

"And they [the magistrates] came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed."

The magistrates pleaded for Paul and Silas to leave town. But they stayed in town a little longer just to make sure the Philippian believers would be okay. They secured protection for them.

That is the whole cycle of evangelism: Paul and Silas began by suffering persecution, and they worked to the point of providing protection for the new believers they had brought to Christ. In their encounter with the Philippian jailer, they stated the simple message of salvation: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ..." (v. 31).

Focusing on the Facts

1. When Christians present Christ to unbelievers, what do they often feel like they are doing? What might they actually be doing? 

2. How do we know that men seek salvation? What do men seek to be delivered from? 

3.What do unsaved people eventually reduce their life to? Give some examples of what people focus on in life. What do people do when what they focus on falls apart? 

4.What did the Philippian jailer in Acts 16 have to live for? 

5.What wonderful thing happened when Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy visited the women at the place of prayer by the river in Acts 16:13? 

6.What did Satan do to counter what God had done in Acts 16:14-15? 

7.How did Paul and Silas come to meet the Philippian jailer? (Ac. 16:18-19)

8. What does persecution do to the church? What can infiltration do to the church? Explain. 

9.Why were the masters of the girl that Paul cast a demon out of angry with Paul and Silas? (Ac. 16:19)

10.How did the men who brought Paul and Silas before the magistrates express their contempt toward them (Ac. 16:20)? What did they accuse Paul and Silas of doing (Ac. 16:20-21)? 

11.Paul and Silas ended up being persecuted because of their boldness. What happens when you restrict yourself for fear of persecution? 

12.How did the mob in Acts 16:22 treat Paul and Silas? Describe the punishment that the magistrates of Philippi had inflicted upon the two missionaries. 

13.Where in the Philippian jail were Paul and Silas imprisoned? Describe what their jail cell was like, and the torture that they were exposed to. 

14.Did Paul mind suffering for doing what was right? Explain, and support your answer with Scripture. 

15. What did Paul and Silas do in their jail cell at midnight (Ac. 16:25)? Why were they able to do that? What were they not focusing on? Explain. 

16.How can you have the same attitude that Paul and Silas had? How was Paul able to handle persecution (2 Cor. 4:4, 9, 16-18)? 

17.What did God do while Paul and Silas were praying and singing in jail? (Ac. 16:26)

18.Will God ever leave you alone when you evangelize? Explain. 

19.Why did the jailer almost kill himself after the earthquake? What did he do when Paul told him not to commit suicide? Why? (Ac. 16:27-29)

20.What did the jailer ask Paul and Silas? What was their answer? (Ac. 16:30-31)

21.Is salvation possible apart from faith in Christ? Support your answer with Scripture. 

22.What two things must a person believe about Christ? 

23.What evidence was there to show that the jailer's salvation was genuine? (Ac. 16:33-34)

24.What happened when the magistrates allowed Paul and Silas to be released from prison? (Ac. 16:35-38)

25. How did Paul secure protection for the Philippian believers? 

Pondering the Principles

1.Paul and Silas were not afraid to preach the gospel. Today, many Christians are afraid to share the gospel because they think they will intrude on other people's lives by doing so. Read 2 Chronicles 15:1-15; Jonah 3; Matthew 3:1-6; Acts 8:5-6; and Acts 13:16, 43. How did people respond to the sermons in those passages? What would have happened if the preachers in those passages had been too scared to preach? Do you think that you are doing people a favor by not sharing the gospel with them? What will be the consequences for both you and unbelievers if you remain afraid to share about Christ? You have the answer to the question many people ask: "How can there be meaning in my life?" Let your life be an instrument through which God can let people know about the salvation offered in Christ!

2. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God while they were in the Philippian jail (Ac. 16:25). Rather than focusing on their circumstances, they focused on God. What kind of impression do you think Paul and Silas's attitude made on their fellow prisoners? Write a list of the names of the Christians and unbelievers that you encounter frequently. For each name on that list, ask yourself the following questions: Has that person ever seen you in a negative situation? How did you respond to your difficult circumstance in front of that person? As a result, what kind of impression would that person have of you and how you deal with negative situations? After you have answered those questions for all the names on your list, ask yourself this: Are you a good witness to others by the way you respond to negative situations? Be honest in your evaluation, and clarify any weaknesses that you have in handling difficult circumstances. Meditate on Philippians 4:4-8, and see if your attitudes match up with the attitudes that Paul talks about in those verses.

Added to the John MacArthur "Study Guide" Collection by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 314
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986