A Venue for the Gospel
Read Acts 16
Like Paul and Silas, the prophet Jeremiah was once placed into a dungeon prison. He felt his life had been cut off and he might die there. But Jeremiah cried out to the LORD in prayer, “I called upon thy name O Lord from the low dungeon” (See Jeremiah 37:15, 16; Jeremiah 38:26; Lamentations 3:53-55).
In Job 13:27; 33:11 Job likened his afflictions as being from God. “Thou puttest my feet in the stocks and mark my heels. Thou looks narrowly at all my paths and marks my ways.
Paul would have been familiar with the imprisonments of Jeremiah and the afflictions of Job.
In our devotion today, we learn that at midnight Paul and Silas were also in a deep inner prison with feet in stocks. Their bodies bleeding from a beating and feet bound fast. However, their spirits were are rest and at peace. In another place, Paul will teach us that we can have peace in EVERY circumstance! Their prison circumstance was exacted upon them for preaching the gospel of salvation and now they were suffering for the sake of Christ.
They were not bitter—Their souls knew where their help comes from and they had learned what real peace feels like. It’s not found in the absence of troubles but in the midst of them, with Christ. With loud voices they cried out praises and songs of worship. At that moment, a strong earthquake rocked the place where they were bound. The rattling loosed all the prison doors and released all who were there from their stocks.
The prison guard almost committed suicide out of fear of his life. He was sure all the prisoners would have escaped. But Paul cried out, “We are here”.
This prison guard went from one moment being willing to kill himself and face the unknown afterlife to falling on his face and asking how to be saved, instead.
Had this prison guard been a witness to the slave girl crying out that these men were able to show him the way of salvation? Did he suddenly feel the power of the Holy Spirit calling his name to repentance and eternal life?
Did Paul snd Silas remain in the prison knowing God had allowed their feet to be fastened in the stocks, bound in this very place, for this very reason? For such a time as this were they placed as prisoners to be ambassadors for Christ! Could this dirty dungeon really become their god-given pulpit to exalt the beauty of Christ’s love?
What is your current platform to preach the gospel? Are you in a tight place that seems impossible for any good to come of it? Paul and Silas had an attitude of gratitude and were ready in season and out of season to preach the gospel. For their willingness to not run prematurely from their prison, they and this prison guard and his household, were richly rewarded. They were all in the right place at the right time for God’s glory.
BIG IDEA: The Bible says to be careful when suffering not to call evil good and good evil! Only God is wise enough to use all things (even the evil of men who mean to harm us) to work together for good for those who love God and are called according to HIS PURPOSE.
APPLICATION: What if you are right where you are because God has determined where you would live and move and have your being in this world?
What if your sometimes miserable circumstances are meant to be used by God for good?
What is your attitude in dark, uncomfortable places?
PRAYER: Let’s pray for an attitude of praise and give thanks to God for an opportunity to be his witness in these unusual places.
0 comments:
Post a Comment