When God Shakes Things Up

Publically humiliated… Stripped… flogged… beaten with rods… thrown into a central jail cell… and shackled with chains. This was the result… this was the response of the city after Paul set free the slave woman from the spirit tht had possessed her.

Why did they receive this punishment? Why were they treated so poorly? Because the “fortune telling” ability that this slave woman had that brought her slave master great proffit… had been cast out.

She was under spiritual oppression and her slave owner took full advantage of that. He used this for his finacial gain but her spiritual freedom and delivereance meant… less money in his pocket. He, therefore, turned very aggressively toward those who had set her free.

He accused the missionaries saying “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” (Acts 16:20-21)

The power of God had shaken the city. The power of God had caused a stirring in the marketplace.

It’s interesting when we engage in a massive clean up effort that often times… things get worse before they get better.

Clutter is pulled out of closets, the dust is stirred up and the piles get bigger. But you really don’t know how big a mess it is until you dig in and start doing something about it.

When Paul set the woman free of the spirit that lived within her… it began to stir things up. It began to expose just how troubled this region was. God was beginning to shake loose the chains… and He was only getting started!

Time out… you just said that Paul and Silas were in a center jail cell chained to the wall! How is God shaking loose the chains when it appears that chains are keeping the missionaries in bondage?

Paul and Silas were where they were by the direction AND directive of the Holy Spirit. Do not forget that it was by a vision that they landed in this region.

God did not bring them here to be punished or to go through a rough season without reason. GOD WAS SHAKING THINGS UP and we are going to see just how far that shake up would go! But before we look at the rest of the story… there is something I want us to keep in mind as we move through Scripture.

Despite their difficult circumstances… the missionary team STAYED ON MISSION. Their faithfulness to God never wavered. In fact, I would say their trust in God INCREASED as they found themselves in this perdicument. They didn’t know what was on the other side of this situation… but this they did know… God had led them there, and God was not going to let them down. Therefore… they were not about to abandoned their trust in God.

When God shakes things up… when things go a direction that maybey we didn’t see coming, we can be assured of this truth: If God led us here, He won’t leave us here. We must fully trust in His plan and His purpose to get us through.

Ever been there? Ever been in a place or a position that you knew God had brought you to and then… BOOM! Here comes the shake up?

To be clear… I’m not talking about situations that we find ourselves in because we gave into our fleshly impulses. So often we find ourselves in rough situations that we placed ourselves in. Different story and different message for a different time.

As we aim to be the salt and light of the world as Christ has called us to be… as we deliver the truth of God’s Word to communities and cultures that have been resistent to such truth… we migt encounter road blocks.

Prayerfully, we won’t face public humiliation, stripped down, flogging, sever beatings with rods, and jail time in shackles. But… what if we do? What will our response be? Wil it be woe is me or will we sing praises to our God?

This story in Acts 16 reveals exactly what we should do as believers as God shakes things up. It shows us what can happen so long as our trust remains in the One who led us there in the first place.

Do you believe that God, through His Holy Spirit, is leading His people for His glory?

Do you believe that God’s way it the ONLY way to go?

Then let’s take to heart what the Word says and glean from this example of what it looks like to remain faithful when God shakes things up.

Shake up means staying PRAYED up and PRAISED up.

Acts 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

Now I’ve been to some pretty POWERFUL prayer and worship services before… but this takes the cake! imagine for a moment spending time with God and suddenly… the earth begins to move and shake. And the very foundation of the place you were at were effected!

These guys were in prison. These guys were injured… badly. These guys were not in a good place physically but their hearts remained connect with God Spiritually.

In the middle of the night… they did what they knew they could do.

They didn’t try to get the key. They didn’t try to break free of their bondage on their own. They didn’t attempt to persuade the guard to let them out or do the “sick prisoner” routine. Scripture says they began to pray to God and they began to praise Him with singing. And notice something here: THE OTHER PRISONERS WERE LISTENING.

So their street ministry might have been postponed due to imprionment but they conituned to reach the lost even when held behind prison bars.

Their circumstance had changed… but their mission remained. Instead of moving into a depressed state, they kept their eyes on the One that had sent them to this region in the first place. They stayed prayed up… and they sent their praise up.

They knew their help… their hope would come from the Lord.

When God begins to shake things up, I pray that we NEVER forget where our help comes from!

Psalm 121:1-2 reads, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Psalm 46:1-3 reads, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

I bring these Psalms to our attention… these words of prayer and praise to remind us that when we find ourselves shaken up… GOD IS NOT SHAKEN! God might very well be the One doing the shaking and if that is the case… YOU KNOW HE HAS GOOD THINGS ON THE HORIZON!

Notice something in our passage in Acts. it says the foundation of the prsion that Paul and Silas were in were shaken. I see this as significant.

God was beginning to break down the foundations of bandage in that region. It began with Lydia and her household. It continued with a slave girl oppressed by a spirit… and God wasn’t finished yet! Not only was He lieterally shaking things up that Paul and Silas might be freed… He was shaking loose the spiritual chains that were binding hearts and lives.

Pastor… how can you make that claim? Because Scripture shows us that is exactly what was taking place!

Shake Up Means Staying OBEDIENT and FAITHFUL.

The earthquake happens. The foundations are shaken. The chains and prison doors… COME LOOSE! God was doing something big but because of the faithfulness and obedience of the missionaries… this move of God would not stop at setting the prisoners free! GOD WAS GETTING READY TO SET THE HEARTS OF THE JAILERS FREE!

Imagine being a jailer… being woke up by an earthquake… running to your prison only to find ALL THE DOORS ARE WIDE OPEN! I can imagine my first thought would be, “Man… I am SO getting fired for this!”

Now consider this… remeber how I said Paul and Sials were placed in a center cell and shackled? This was done because the magistrate had commanded the jailer to guard them carefully. This jailer was specifically instructed to watch these guys closely. And now… their prison doors had been opened. This was a MAJOR problem for this guy!

In light of the situation… the jailer prepares to do something drastic. Verse 28 tells us that he drew his sword and was about to take his own life. But before he did… Paul shouted out, “Don’t harm yourself! WE ARE ALL HERE!”

Stop and think for a moment… verse 26 said that EVERYONE’S chains were loosened. Verse 27 said the jailer saw the prison DOORS open - all the doors were opened. AL THE PRISONERS COUD HAVE ESCAPED… but chose not to. The big question is… WHY?

Paul and Silas were obedient and faithful to what the Lord was wanting to do. They had been led to this place and God was moving in this place.

Remmeber when they were praying and praising? Scripture said the other prisoners were listening to what was going on. I cannot help but think that the other prisoners recognized that God was moving in this moment! NONE OF THEM LEFT.

Watch this: Paul and Silas were more committed to their calling rather than being committed to their comfort. Paul and Silas were EXACTLY where God needed them to be.

Watch what happens in response to their obedience and faithfulness. Acts 16:29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then 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—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

God was on the move and the darkness was being shaken from the land! But God wasn’t finished yet!

The same magistrates that had imprisoned them had… let’s say a change of heart. After learning that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they realized they had made a mistake.

The magistrate had previously been under the influence of a crowd that had brought accusation against them. But now they saw the error of what they had done.

Although Scripture doesn’t say that the magistrate came to know Jesus that day… his foundation had been rocked. His world had been shaken. I doubt very highly that he would easily forget the events that had taken place that day. GOD HAD MADE A HUGE IMPACT IN THE LAND.

As God LEADS us… He will not LEAVE US.

God has a way of shaking things up. God has a way of doing things that goes beyond our imagination or comprehensin. We often say God moves in mysterious ways… well… GOD MOVES IN MYTERIOUS WAYS!

As God leads, I pray we will follow. And as God leads, I pray we will be more comitted to the call and less committed to our comfort.

Even though Paul and Silas were in chains… their hearts were free to serve and honor our God. Their influence can be seen all throughout this story. Because of their faithfullness and obediednce...

They made an impact on the other prisoners.

They made an impact on the jailer (the guard)

They made an impact oin the magistrate.

And all of this began with prayer. All of this began with praise. All of this began in this way because these guys knew that God was with them.

Their trust in God increased and God continued to shake things up… to their very spiritual and physical foundations!

When God shakes things up… it is important that our faith does not become shakey… it is important that our resolve to serve the Lord remains strong.

We may not always know how and why God does things… but this we do know: GOD IS ON THE MOVE and we can trust in His move. We can trust in His way.

Listen: our level of comfort is NOT what determines the magnitude of what God is doing. I’m sure those guys would have preferred to be somewhere else besides jail. BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER PLACE THEY WOULD HAVE RATHER BEEN THEN IN THE PRESENCE AND PLAN OF GOD.

I believe God is shaking things up… and I don’t know exactly what and how this will be… but this I know: As God leads us… He will never leave us.

So we make three commitments tonight.

God, I will place your call over my comfort.

God, I will remain obedient and faithful.

God, I will pray and praise no matter what.