Acts 16:25-34 No matter your circumstances, God is still worthy of worship and praise.

No matter your circumstances, God is still worthy of worship and praise.

Acts 16:25–34 NLT

25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

We have at some point went over this same passage of Scripture likely on a Wednesday night. I don’t have the notes but it is marked up in my Bible as a lesson. If you have this passage marked and have made some notes on it...tonights message may be a little different....it will likely be in the same vein but I may bring out some different points tonight than we did then. I don’t want to do the same Scripture we have already done...but we also don’t want to skip this lesson....

So we left Paul and Silas in prison last Wednesday night. They were beaten pretty badly and thrown into prison for nothing more than setting a girl free from a demon that was possessing her. So we find them at midnight...in prison...what are they doing I wonder. Likely crying and talking to each other trying to keep the other ones spirits up. No it’s midnight and these two guys are praying and singing hymns to God. Not only are they worshipping but the other prisoners that are there are listening to the hymns.

How many of us when it gets tough have the faith to sing hymns even in the midst of the sorrow and struggle that we find ourselves facing? We are not in prison and we have issues praying through our trials now days. In church on Sunday morning I can count sometimes on one hand how many are really singing praises and worshipping God and we are in church.

How many of us assume that we know why we are where we are and what God is going to do through our current situation?

Paul and Silas did not let their situation get in the way of worship. They knew that God was in control no matter what the circumstance they faced they just worshipped and trusted God and praised God that they were able to serve Him. They were not aggravated with God for the situation and they did not complain and beg God to free them...they just worshipped God and gave Him praise. They decided that no matter what God was worthy of all honor and praise and that’s what they did.

They remained faithful even in the face of adversity. That is hard to do I understand that....I have been there a few times....I can promise you I was no Paul and Silas either. I was asking God why and wanting to know when God was gonna show up and rescue me and why are you leaving me here and what are you doing....I did nothing to deserve this that I find myself enduring I was only serving you and doing what you sent me to do...right...anybody been there before...your following God and spreading the good news and bam you find yourself in a bind....

Now Paul and Silas were worshipping God in such a way that there was a great earthquake that shook the very foundations of the prison where they were being held. Every door was opened and every chain was unfastened. Now we can take this one of two ways. We know that everyone was freed in reality but what about spiritually...I have often wondered about that. I believe that even if it did not there is a strong implication here that faith and worship break not only earthly bonds but spiritual bonds as well.

We know the physical was real because of the next verse but I really believe there is a spiritual application that can be made here as well. The spiritual strongholds of fear, doubt, and despair were also broken when the chains literally fell from their feet and the prison doors actually swung open....to be set free by Christ is after all to be free indeed.

Acts 16:27 NLT

27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.

The jailer was ready to take his own life because he thought that he had failed. It looked very grim indeed, however, this brings me to my next point. When we are worshipping God and following Christ things are never what they seem to be. It will get dark from time to time but there is always light coming. Look at verses 28-30 Acts 16:28-30

Acts 16:28–30 NLT

28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

We are all here.

3. How many prisons have you ever seen that if the doors were opened and the chains loosed they would all hang around and wait for the warden to show up?

4. What do you think they were doing in the mean time waiting for that to happen? I think Paul and Silas were preaching and saving souls and I think God was working in such a way that no one was able to leave they were captivated by the Spirit that lived in Paul and Silas and now lives in us.

Not one person left folks they all stayed right there. Notice how the jailer figured out that everyone was there. He brought in lights and lit up the whole jail. If you want your situation to look different look at it in the light of God’s grace and mercy. It doesn’t matter what the situation we find ourselves in God is still worthy of all worship and praise. Just because I am up against a wall does not mean that the wall my back is to can’t be moved by my God.

No matter how dim there is always a way no matter what...even if there is not and I am meant to be here that does not change the fact that God is still worthy. The reason our situations often look so dim and dark is because we ain’t been in the light of God in so long we have forgotten how. Our situation has taken hold of us instead of us taking God by the hand. We have forgotten because we are not always in an attitude of worship no matter what happens.

Paul and Silas did not run away instead they were likely saving souls while they waited for the jailer. “What must I do to be saved?”

5. When is the last time someone asked you that question?

6. When is the last time you saw believers living like they wanted someone else to know that they were worshipping God?

The worship of God is catching folks. The praise of God never ever ever returns empty. “What must I do to be saved?” The way they faced their trial lead not only the prisoners to be saved and set free but also the jailer got saved....but wait there is still more...he brought them to his house and everyone there got saved and baptized.

You know how you can tell that he got saved and baptized...he brought men from the jail to his house with his family and bound up their wounds and fed them and rejoiced that he and all his house got saved. Paul and Silas through their worship and praise lead many to God through the trial that they faced.

When you worship and praise God no matter where you are and what you are going through the lost will see that in your life and come to know Christ. Our worship matters....our attitude about trials absolutely matters Paul and Silas are setting the example. God is always worthy of praise and worship no matter what. It is through our worship and praise that others will see that God is real and that He cares for us.

Our God is always good and loving and there is always a plan. We don’t know why we are in the weeds sometimes....other times its because we are learning or being grown....I can attest to that fact this past week so far and it is not looking any better for me until I learn this lesson.

Know that no matter what God does not do random or unnecessary. Paul and Silas had no idea what came next they just knew that God was worthy no matter what and they lifted their voice in praise and worship just to say thank you for being my God.