Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction I have preached in several prisons during my ministry.

People are often skeptical of jailhouse religion and rightfully so.

Sometimes inmates try to play the conversion card in order to manipulate the guards and the prison officials.

Acts 16:

However, when the conversion happens to the jailer, we better sit up and take notice.

That is what happened in Uganda back in 2003.

On my recent trip to Uganda my mentor, Bill Thomas, was preaching in a prison in an area called Masafu.

The jail was a dank place with no cots for the inmates, over crowded cells and a pot in the corner for the bathroom.

13 people came to Christ including the district jailer.

One of my mentors, Bill Thomas, invited me to be a part of a crusade outreach in Eastern Uganda.

was preaching in a prison in an area called Masafu.

The jail was a dank place with no cots for the inmates, over crowded cells and a pot in the corner for the bathroom.

13 people came to Christ including the district jailer.

He was preaching in a prison in an area called Masafu.

The jail was a dank place with no cots for the inmates, over crowded cells and a pot in the corner for the bathroom.

13 people came to Christ including the district jailer.

Introduction On my recent trip to Uganda my mentor, Bill Thomas, was preaching in a prison in an area called Masafu.

The jail was a dank place with no cots for the inmates, over crowded cells and a pot in the corner for the bathroom.

13 people came to Christ including the district jailer.

That evening, the district jailer came to the meeting where Bill was preaching, publicly apologized for abusing the prisoners and vowed to make the Bible his guide for running the prison from that day forward.

That evening, the district jailer came to the meeting where Bill was preaching, publicly apologized for abusing the prisoners and vowed to make the Bible his guide for running the prison from that day forward.

God is in the business of changing hearts

Today, we are going to look at the chain of events that led to the salvation of the Jailer in Philippi.

We don’t know much about him other than he was in charge of the prison and therefore would have been a roman soldier.

We are also going to look at how Paul and Silas responded to a time of testing and trial in their lives as they were arrested, beaten and imprisoned for the sake of the gospel.

I think there are some lessons we can learn from their experience that will help us endure hardship.

Let’s look at the chain of events that led to the salvation of the Jailer in Philippi.

Background

A SURPRISING SONG (v.

25)

A SURPRISING SONG (v.

25)

These men were stripped naked, beaten black and blue with rods, bleeding, imprisoned unjustly in the innermost cell, chained in stocks, cold, tired and sore - yet they sang!

Illus.

Spurgeon: “It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but the skillful singer is he who can sing when there is not a ray of light to read by … Songs in the night come only from God; they are not in the power of men.”

Only those who are saved have the strength to sing in the midst of their sorrows!

Prayer and praise are powerful weapons in the face of adversity.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996).

The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 468).

Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Only those who are saved have the strength to sing in the midst of their sorrows!

Their song was inspirational

Have you ever watched someone who is strong in their faith as they go through unimaginable difficulty?

Illus.

The greatest sermons I have ever heard were not preached from pulpits but from sickbeds.

The deepest truths of God's Word have often been taught by those humble souls who have gone through the seminary of affliction.

~ M.R. De Haan.

Their song was influential

The prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas sing!

People are watching Christians very closely.

Especially how they react to adversity.

When suffering comes to your life do you have someone to sing about?

Not something, mind you.

Someone.

Illus.

On the old Happy Days television show, Richie Cunningham had just been "grounded for life" by his father, Howard, for misbehavior.

As they talked about it, Howard asked his son, "Did you know that there is a lesson in this for you?" Richie's response was priceless: "I figured anything with this much pain had to have a lesson in it somewhere."

Jesus is the only one worthy of our praise no matter what the circumstances are.

(Illus.

Personal trial)

A SUDDEN SHAKE (v.

26)

No dungeon has ever been designed that could withstand a Divine deliverance!

(vv.

23-24) This earthquake was:

A response to prayer

“Paul and Silas were praying and singing.”

Not only were the jail cells open, it says that everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

A reminder of God’s presence

Paul ans Silas knew that God had not forsaken them in this dark prison.

Sometimes, in the middle of our trials, we might be tempted to think that God has abandoned us - forgotten us.

But that is never the case.

Deuteronomy

A reassurance of God’s plan

A reassurance of God’s plan

A reassurance of God’s plan

God was not finished with Paul.

He had plenty of work for him to do before calling him home.

If God can deliver these men out of the chains of a roman jail cell, surely, he can forgive everything you have ever done.

Illus.

There is more grace in God’s heart than there is sin in your past – Erwin Lutzer

Illus.

A man died and stood before the gates of heaven where he was confronted by an angel.

The angel said, "Here's how this works.

You need a hundred points to make it into heaven.

You tell me all the good things you have done, and I will give a certain number of points for each of them.

The more good there is in the work that you cite, the more points you will get for it.

When you get to a hundred points, you get in."

"Okay," the man said, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."

The Angel replied, "That's wonderful.

That's worth three points."

"Three points?" said the man incredulously.

"Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my money and service."

"Terrific!" said angel, "that's certainly worth a point."

"One point?" said the man with his eyes beginning to show a bit of panic.

"Well, how about this: I opened a shelter for the homeless in my city, and fed needy people by the hundreds during holidays."

"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," said the angel.

"TWO POINTS!" cried the man in desperation.

"At this rate the only way I will get to heaven is by the grace of God." "Come on in," said the angel.

A STIRRING SALVATION (vv.

27-33)

Sinners often must be shaken from their spiritual slumber before they will surrender to the Savior.

He was concerned (v.

27)

He was convicted (v.