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GOD'S POWER ON DISPLAY
(Acts 16:25-34)
Date: ____________________
Read Acts 16:25-34 - A cartoon shows two high ranking military men walking down a hallway.
One carries what looks like a bolt of lightning in his hand.
He says, "I had no idea we had this kind of technology and power!"
That would be good power to have!
BUT - we do!
The unlimited power of Almighty God is the foundation of all Xn faith.
Paul speaks in Eph 1:19 of the "immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe."
Note: the power is immeasurable, but unleashed by our faith.
It's not always on display in spectacular miracles.
God is not an exhibitionist.
And that wouldn't grow our faith.
But, behind the scenes, mostly unseen, God's power is in constant motion for our good and His glory.
It's there; it's real; it's never-failing.
To help us get that, God has occasionally done spectacular, like our text today.
What a display!
But we must realize we live and minister with that same bolt of lightning in our own hands - power that is unleashed by faith.
This is the awesome God we serve on full display for our motivation and encouragement.
I. God's Power Over Human Nature
God's power was certainly displayed in that earthquake, right?
But there's something even more amazing here.
Imagine being thrown into this dank dungeon after being beaten within an inch of your life.
Your back is raw flesh - unwashed and untended.
Your legs are splayed out in the stocks adding to the torture.
All for the sake of Christ.
How would you react?
Pray for rescue?
And question, "Why did I ever take this on - and why didn't God protect me?
All I've done, I did for him.
How could He let this happen?"
But look at Paul and Silas: "Praying and singing hymns to God."
At the risk of stating the obvious, may I say - that is not normal!
Are they even sane?
What's going on?
What we are seeing here is God's power over human nature.
P&S aren't supermen.
They're just like us.
Human nature would never go to such a place on its own.
Only the power of God could take it there.
And look: "The prisoners were listening to them."
They'd never seen this before -- an incredible testament to God's greatness - even more than the earthquake.
To P&S, God was worth everything, even being in jail!
Perhaps Nehemiah 8:10b came to mind: "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
Their joy spoke volumes to the sustaining power of God in their lives.
Paul later wrote in II Cor 9:8: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
That's an amazing promise.
We have all the grace at all times under all circumstances to get us through.
That's as rock solid as a promise can get.
If and when you need grace - you'll have it.
P&S hurt just as much as you or I would.
They're not supermen!
Paul says in Eph 6:18: "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel."
He feared like us; he suffered like us; he was human like us.
But he believed in the power of God to overcome human nature.
And he believed he'd have grace when he needed it.
And God's grace is sufficient for you, too.
Whether He's asking you to overcome some besetting sin - some fear of being mocked for Jesus' sake - some fear of a ministry calling, His grace is sufficient.
Corrie Ten Boom's Dutch family hid Jews during WWII resulting in her imprisonment, survival and later life as spokeswoman for God's grace.
As a little girl she was taken to visit the home of a man who had died.
That caused her to fear that her parents would die someday.
Her father comforted her: "When we go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your train ticket?"
Corrie replied, "Just before we get on the train."
Her father replied, "That's right, Corrie.
Just as your heavenly Father will give you exactly what you need when we die - He'll give it to you just when you need it."
Grace doesn't mean no sorrow or suffering.
But it means He'll be there with what we need when we need it.
The old hymn is true: "He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, / He sendeth more strength when the labors increase; / To added afflictions he addeth His mercy, / To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace."
He can do that because He has power over human nature.
II.
God's Power Over Circumstances
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 everyone's bonds were unfastened.
In Philippi, the first sacred music concert brought down the house.
The power of God was changing circumstances in Europe.
It dramatically delivered P&S from jail; it delivered the jailer and his family from sin.
God has power over all circumstances.
Peter's case showed no jail can hold someone that God has determined to release.
God has power over any circumstance.
Nothing is too great for Him to overcome.
God has parted seas, rolled up flowing rivers, brought water out of rocks, lit fires in water trenches, held the sun in its place, and destroyed vast armies just for starters.
Nothing in life is beyond His control.
So, if God fails to intervene in any difficulty we've prayed diligently about, that means there's a very good reason for it.
It's not for lack of power on His part.
It may be a severe mercy, but it is a mercy nevertheless when He does not change something that's in our best long-term interest.
Never.
We must look for the God behind the circumstance to find joy and blessing.
Whatever God has left in our life is for our wholeness.
Always!
Malcolm Muggeridge wrote, "I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I have learned in my 75 years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction."
So, if God has all power over circumstances and if He is good, then whatever He allows to continue in my life must be for my good in some way.
We largely forget God in the good times - begin to make our own plans, credit ourselves for our success, and get caught up in trivialities.
So, as C. S. Lewis wrote, "Pain is God's megaphone.
He whispers to us in our pleasure, but shouts to us in our pain."
And a lot of times, we need the pain to hear Him.
III.
God's Power Over Sin
This brings us to the heart of the passage - a glorious picture of what it means to be freed from the bonds of sin.
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