Acts 16:25 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God: and the prisoners heard them.
During the times that all the prison doors were opened and all the chains fell off the prisoners, there was one prisoner that was still bound. The jailer was bound by sin, but the Lord regenerated him and Paul preached the Gospel to him, and then his prison doors, and his sinful chains fell off too…him and his whole household. The jailer that was bound, was set free. What a glorious Gospel picture! Oh that those we speak to that are bound by sin would too have the Gospel preached to them. Realize that God places us in seemingly horrible situations (they were beaten and placed in jail) and then will use his servants to boldly proclaim the Gospel. You may have a difficult time wrapping your brain around the fact that God would put his servants through pain, jail, and stocks (MacArthur shares, concerning –Acts 16:24– inner prison…in the stocks. The most secure part of the prison. The jailer took further precautions by putting their feet “in the stocks.” This particular security measure was designed to produce painful cramping so the prisoner’s legs were spread as far apart as possible.). If the Lord beat His very own Son, Jesus Christ, on behalf of our sin, are we above the Christ? Certainly not! God planned and used the situation of Paul and Silas being in prison to glorify Himself and to promote His Son! Look at what Paul and Silas said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then look what took place! 32 “And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” God establish this whole scene from the beatings and jailing of Paul and Silas, having His servants praise Him, causing an earthquake to release those jailed in that prison, and this leading to the proclamation of His Son (saving a family bound in sin). It is just like God to reveal the truth here, the jailer was the one that was bound and shackled in sin and needed to be set free. He who the Son sets free is free indeed.
Preach the Gospel no matter what situation you are in…when you feel like it and when you don’t. Isn’t the Son of God worth more than gold. He must be the greatest treasure in your life and mine. There are families RIGHT NOW that need the Gospel because they are bound in sin. Imagine if the Gospel was brought to Hitler’s family, Stalin, and others. The whole world needs that Gospel. The US President, Barak Obama needs that Gospel. This is why he supports abortion (murder of children) and can’t figure out that marriage was instituted by God (as one man one women) not government. Mark 16:15, “Preach the Gospel to every creature”!
Until the nets are filled…
Blessings,
Phil – Soulfishing Ministries <>
He Has Magnified His Word 