Shaking the Foundations of the Prison House

The Gospel Message Transitioned to the Gentile Churches and World • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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As Paul and his missionary party journeyed, they were forbidden to preach in Asia and the surrounding areas by"The Holy Spirit," but through faith and obedience they continued, not knowing they were on divine appointment to preach in Macedonia Philipi, to establish the first christian church on the European continent (Rome), as God shakes its foundations.

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Shaking the Foundations of the Prison House

Acts 16:25-31 (KJV) 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 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. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Introduction

After confirming the churches Paul, Silas and Timothy traveled throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Of which is to be noted that the seven churches of Revelations are all in the province of Asia. But being led by the Holy Spirit they continued to the province of Mysia and desired to go into province of Bithynia and Pontus of which the Holy Spirit would not allow them also. If my calculations are correct they traveled nearly or over 400 miles and were not allowed to preach the gospel by the way of which they traveled on the northern region of Asia and Mysia and southern region of Bithynia and Pontus. If we would bring this occasion unto today, probably some of us would have said; Are We There Yet? No doubt with curiosity and others with contempt, therefore dismissing the leadership as being incompetent, because the journey would not have been as exciting as they would have imagined it thus far. But these were men of faith and knew their God and they had come to the mission field to work and not sight see as if they were on vacation.

But after passing through Mysia and coming to Troas, Paul had a vision in the night of a man standing in Macedonia, praying him to come over and help them. And immediately they gathered themselves together to go into Macedonia, assuredly believing that the Lord had called them to preach there, and therefore traveled to the chief city in that region Philippi. This is the first work to be established upon European or Roman soil. Where men call themselves Gods and superstitions ruled their world and the people were captive by them.

1). Down by the Riverside

Acts 16:13-15 (KJV) 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

A). There was no Synagogue or established building, just a river side

Praying women were there

An Asian Woman of Substance was there (Lydia-a Seller of Purple from Thyatira):

1. She was a worshiper of God and a businesswoman

2. In hearing Paul and Silas, the Lord opened her heart

3. She attended unto the things which was spoken of by Paul

She was baptized, and her household, and then opened the doors of her home to the missionary party, constraining them to abide with her.

God in His Omniscience and Providence had provided all things for this church to be established. For time, place and individuals had come together by the leading of the Holy Spirit and the new work had begun.

2). Going to Prayer Down by the Riverside on the next Sabbath day

Acts 16:16-24 (KJV) 16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

A). The spirit of the Oracle of divination was cast out

A young woman enslaved by a demon of which only it’s demonic influence mattered when concerning men, and her masters of which primarily only gain mattered to them.

1). It is noted in many commentaries that many of these oracles cast their voices as ventriloquists with head shaking wild frenzies delivering their prophetic messages.

2). This young woman followed Paul and his party for days prophesying that these are the servants of the most high God, which is showing us the way of salvation. It may have deceived some that the demonically infused prophetess was speaking truth in the light of God’s revelation. But demons always have an arterial motive and do not acknowledge truth without deception. It would appear that this cultic spirit was attempting to place this occult on the same level as the gospel in the eyes of the people. We have seen the influence of this even in our times by propagating prophets of prosperity and people putting them on the same level of the ministerial gifts and offices that Christ has given unto his church. But Paul knew in the spirit that this was a deceptive spirit, and became aggravated by its continual attempt for days to parade itself as an ally. And in the name of Jesus Christ he commanded it to come out and it released her within the same hour.

B). When the Hope of Prosperity Is Gone, the Money Loving Masters Feel Wronged

The Masters caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace before the rulers, and then brought them before the magistrates of the city. And accused them of troubling the city and teaching customs which were not lawful for them to receive or observe being Romans. And the whole multitude rose up against them and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded that they be beaten. And they beat them with many stripes and delivered them to the prison and commanded the jailer to keep charge of them of which he puts them in the inter-most part of the prison and bound their feet in the stocks.

It is not strange when we see those empowered by money influence the minds of the little or simple people who are influenced by power, wealth and prosperity. As Christians we are taught not to love the world or its ungodly prosperity, for the love of money is the root of all evil and even ungodly prosperity . And those of this world love money more than they love God. Lydia is a woman of means and her means does not influence her righteous thinking, for she understands that true prosperity comes from God and is not burdensome or grievous with the cares of this life, and by faith she accepts Jesus Christ. But the young woman needed to be delivered, being double bound by the demon spirit and her masters, scavengers who cared not for her soul but only for their prosperity is made free , and is restored in mind. For God cared about her fullness of body, soul and spirit. This was the Gentile world with its prisons of which Jesus commissioned Paul and Silas to deliver the captives by their Christ given authority. The question is and must be observed, who rejoiced for this young woman deliverance or who cared? Was it the world? Or was it Christ, His church and Heaven?

Conclusion

3). Shaking the Foundations of the Prison House

A). At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God

The prisoners heard them:

Then suddenly there was a great earthquake, so great that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and all the doors were open, and all the prisoners bands were loosed.

The jailer was awakened out of his sleep, and seeing the condition of the prison doors that they were opened and thinking everyone had fled, drew his sword to kill himself.

But Paul cried out with a loud voice; “Do not harm yourself! For we are all here.”

He (the jailer) called for a light and sprung in trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas.

And he (the jailer) brought them out and said; “Sirs, What Must I Do to Be Saved?”

The uproar in the marketplace which inflamed the city and its officials had probably penetrated the prison as Paul and Silas arrived and were badly beaten. What crime did these Jews do? They don’t look like criminals or act like criminals but they are being treated like criminals. What crime did they do? They preached Jesus Christ the miracle worker, saying he is the Savior of Jews and also the Greeks, for he was crucified in Jerusalem and arose from the dead the third day and gave gifts of authority to men to baptize and carry out his work through the Holy Spirit . Also saying that through the confession of faith in His name a man can be forgiven and saved unto righteousness proceeding unto holiness. And now they have come here and cast the spirit of divination from the Delphi Oracle of the sun god Apollo in that same name, Jesus Christ.

Paul and Silas being badly beaten showed no resistance or worry as they were put into the innermost prison and secured in stocks. But at midnight they prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them. In the midst of this how could anyone be joyful and sing praises to their God, it would seem that it was improper to carry on like this, but only if their God had not brought them to this place. Strange things we have heard and seen this day they thought and strangers still was yet to be experienced, “As God comes to Collect on Respect.” When suddenly there was a great earthquake, so great that it shook the foundations of the prison, and all the doors were opened and all the bands were loosed from the prisoners. The prison keeper is awakened in such horror, thinking that all the prisoners had escaped, and drew out his sword to extinguished his life; when Paul crowd out with a loud voice “Do not harm yourself! For we are all here.”Therefore he called for light and sprang in trembling, falling down before Paul and Silas. The prison keeper realized that he had never seen anything like this before; no doubt he had jailed many criminals and gave it no thought. But this time it was different for the foundations of his life were shaken loose also and he said; “Sirs,what must I do to be saved?”

It may be in your life you feel that God has come to collect respect, because your life foundations have been shaken loose. If you are that person then you’re under the divine appointment, for God has directed time, place and you to hear these words. Maybe you’re like Lydia and God has opened your heart in obedience, to established the things He has called you too, “Be Faithful.” And lastly your life may be like the young damsel, a religious whirlwind of bondage, connected with wrong spirits and dominated by greed, and God has shaken your foundations. I want you to know that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and deliverance.

Please pray this prayer:

Father I confess, I am a sinner in need of your saving grace which you have provided for me through Jesus Christ my Lord. I repent and ask your forgiveness, I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, renew my heart and spirit and draw me nearer to you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and finish the work you have started in me, Amen.

Reflective Questions

1).Can you give any simple enlightenment of why the Holy Spirit forbade the missionary party to preach in Asia and the surrounding areas at that time?

2). In accordance with the message and narrative: Who are the real prisoners enslaved and bound in shackles?

3). Explain your answer giving the reasons why you think this is so.

New Covenant House of Worship Inc. - Sanford, Florida - Dr. Karl Scott Redmond Sr.

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