Comfort in Prison

Introduction

Darlene Diebler Rose was a CMA missionary to New Guinea in 1938. Originally, Russell her husband had been a missionary to Borneo, but when he returned to the field with his new bride, God led them to be some of the first missionaries to reach the inland tribes of Papua New Guinea. She and her husband moved into the interior jungles to work with the Kapauku tribe. In roads were being made among the people when news came that the Dutch government was evacuating the island. This was right at the outbreak of WWII and the Japanese were invading the South Pacific.

All the missionaries had gathered at a central missionary house on the island when Japanese soldiers found them. They tied up the men and loaded them on a truck to be taken to a concentration camp. This would be the last time she ever saw her husband, but before getting into the truck, he reminder her of this truth.

“Remember one thing, dear: God said he would never leave us nor forsake us.”

Everyone else was kept a prisoner in their own home. For awhile they survived this way eating rats and growing a vegetable garden until one day the trucks returned. The women were put into a separate prison camp where they worked all day taking care of pigs, gardening and loading Japanese trucks with supplies. Eventually, she received news that her husband had died. She expresses how she felt:

It was one of those moments when I thought the Lord had left me. I turned away and said, "God?" And immediately He spoke to me... He said, "My, child, did I not say to you that when you pass through the waters, and these are waters of sorrow, that I would be with you?And through the floods, they would not overflow you? And neither will will the fire kindle upon you?" I said, "Alright, Lord." In the night hours the tears would flow, and then my Lord would come to me and He would speak peace to my heart, and I learned experimentally about the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”

Through this experience, Darlene was able to witness to Mr Yamachi who was the head of the prison camp. Eventually, another leader in the army came and accused Darlene of being a spy. She was put in solitary confinement in a tiny room with no bathroom. She was often taken out and beaten. In her darkest moment, when she felt like giving up; Mr Yamachi sent her a special gift: 92 bananas. This was a reminder of God’s presence and His goodness even in our darkest prison. Eventually, Darlene Rose was released from prison and you can listen to her testimony on youtube.

When I think of the story of the Apostle Paul, I can imagine he had many moments like this in his life. Our text today, tells the story of his first official trial. In it Paul begins to defend himself, but he is beaten. Vs 3, Paul seems to lash out at the high priest for having him beaten. I do believe this was a lapse in Paul’s walk with the Lord because he corrects himself in vs 5 by quoting scriptures. But this story is relatable because it is often in our suffering that we are tempted to sin. Every trial is a temptation to sin. We can’t always help what happens to us, but we are always responsible for our responses to the trage dies of our lives.

The scene ends in vs 10 with the people thronging Paul and Lysias is afraid that Paul is going to be torn in pieces. pulled in pieces is used in Mark 5:4 “Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.” for the demon-possessed man who ripped apart his chains.

Much like Darlene Rose, Paul finds himself in pain, locked in a prison and most likely anxious for what the future holds. But it is in this moments, that God himself comforts us. This morning I want to look at how God comforts us in our darkest moments. When we know we are doing right, but we are rejected, hurting, feeling stuck and hopeless.

God encouraged Paul at the exact moment that he needed it

Acts 23:11 “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

Paul has been locked in a prison cell. The darkness has fallen around him. Isn’t it interesting how the weather or our environment can affect our mood? Take for example this past Monday and Tuesday with all the fog we had. Doesn’t it just make you feel a little depressed. The darkness can make us feel like we are all alone. It leaves us to our own thoughts and we can chase that rabbit down a dark hole if we let ourselves.

But it was in that very moment, when God came to Paul. It was when he would be tempted to despair the most that God was trying to comfort him the most.

2 Cor 1:3-4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

But what about the times when it seems like God is silent? God’s silence is never meant to torture you; rather, He is trying to show you that you need Him. You will find the comfort, the satisfaction you need in Him. And He promises James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Psalm 56:3 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” It is in that moment, that I need to choose to trust and reach out for God in my life. He will be there and He will draw near to us.

God encouraged Paul with His presence

Acts 23:11 “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

God could have just spoken to Paul and comforted him, but God allowed Paul to experience God’s presence in his life.

Maybe when you were in college, you had something bad happen to you and you called your mom or she wrote you a letter. When you got that phone call and received that letter, it was a comfort to you in ways you could never imagine, but imagine if your mother and flown out there to just be with you. To hold you and let you cry on her shoulder.

Maybe you can’t relate to that illustration because you never had a good relationship with your parents. Imagine your husband or a really close friend just coming and holding you in their arms. They don’t need to say anything right away. Just being there is enough.

God doesn’t comfort in platitudes; He comforts by giving us Himself. We try to find all kinds of things to comfort us: a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy, we drown out the pain with distractions, or sinful addictions. Maybe if we can keep the music loud enough we won’t hear our thoughts. Relationships, entertainment, pleasures of the flesh become our substitute for God. Jer 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

God’s presence shows that He knows where we are and what we are going through. God is not ignorant of our circumstances and He has not left us alone. Over and over again, God offers comfort by the promise of His presence.

Isa 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isa 43:2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

Matt 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

God encouraged Paul with words of cheer

Acts 23:11 “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

The words for cheer in this passage speaks of courage. Be courageous. Don’t be afraid. Continue standing strong; but it is important to ask where does courage come from. The other definition of this word is to be enheartened. Courage comes from reviving joy and confidence in our task.

Imagine a scene from some historical drama where the troops are in the foxholes. They are cold, tired, and discouraged. They know when morning rises and they make this charge it is probably over for them. That morning as the sun breaks over the horizon, their commander stands up to speak. His words are something similar to those of Napoleon before the battle of Marengo:

Shall we allow our audacious enemies to violate with impunity the territory of the Republic? Will you permit the army to escape which has carried terror into your families? You will not. March, then, to meet him. Tear from his brows the laurels he has won. Teach the world that a malediction attends those that violate the territory of the Great People. The result of our efforts will be unclouded glory, and a durable peace.

Courage came from showing them what they would lose if they failed.

Courage came from determination to continue on even when they felt like giving up.

Courage came the promise of success and glory if they should win.

Like Jesus Paul could endure the trials he faced for the joy that was set before him. Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This world is not the end. No matter how bad it gets for the Christian there is courage to be found in knowing what lies ahead for us. Neh 8:10 “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

God encouraged Paul that his work was not in vain.

Acts 23:11 “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

Sometimes when we are stuck in life, we feel like we have accomplished nothing. It is in those moments that we need to remember the past. God had used Paul. Paul had been able to testify in Jerusalem though ever so short. God did not want Paul to give in to despair thinking that he had not accomplished anything.

A dear friend of mine has often struggled with this very thing. He periodically feels like he is accomplishing nothing in his life, but if you sit down and listen to his story God has used him in amazing ways in the past. Sometimes circumstances change and you can’t do all the things you were able to do. After all Paul was in a prison cell. I am sure he longed to have the opportunity to preach to thousands once again, but now if he was able to preach it was to one or two guards here and there.

God wants Paul to be courageous because he had used him in the past and that ties in to the next point: God still had a plan to use him in the future.

God encouraged Paul that he had more for Paul to do still.

Acts 23:11 “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

God was not done with Paul. God had a purpose for Paul to do great things. Paul would eventually have the opportunity to speak with Caesar Himself, the ruler of the known world. Acts 25:11-12 “For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.”

Paul would bring the gospel to Rome. In Romans 1:13 “Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.” Paul expressed a desire to have fruit among the Romans as well as the other Gentiles. A church had already been established in Rome but that did not mean there wasn’t work to do.

You remember Dave Wilts testimony two Wednesday’s ago. In NYC, there are so many people you could put on church per every square mile. God had a plan for Paul’s life.

If you are still breathing today (I’m not preaching at a funeral parlor) then God still has a plan for your life. The struggles of your life are not all there is. The tragedies of your life though life altering are not life ending events. God has a purpose and good that He wants to work in your life.

Conclusion

Imagine if Paul had decided this was it, I’m done. Would the world, would Christianity have been what it is today? God wasn’t going to let Paul rot in a prison cell. In that moment, God knew what Paul needed: comfort.

My friend, God has not forsaken you. He is right there waiting for you to turn to Him. In your darkest moment, God can calm your fears and care for your pains. He knows where you are and what you are going through. There is reason for courage. God has not abandoned you and He still has a plan for your life or good and not of evil.

If I could leave you with three applications this morning:

Draw near to God. He can comfort the broken hearted. It is said of Jesus that a bruised reed he would not break.

Think back over all the times, God has been good and faithful to you. Make a list. Put it on paper if you need to. Revisit it often if the struggle is persistent.

Trust that God has more for your life than this. This is not the end; it is merely a valley you walk through to the next mountain top. There is light in the morning.