Easter Baptisms 2022

Michael Anthony Ellington

(Verses 22 -26)

Verse 22 Paul and Silas were unfairly thrown in jail. Life is not always fair ....

The inner most cell …we have a word for this dungeon.

May have been tortured. Stocks were used to torture people.

They sang a song and the Lord joined in.

Life is not always fair… but we always get better than we deserve.

Mike you have not always been treated fairly in your life but you have recieved from God better than you deserved.

God has knocked the chains of sin off of you! Just like He knocked the chains off of Paul and Silas and knocked the door off of that dungeon.

Brenda Sue Nigh

(Verses 27 - 29)

The rumbling of the earth quake must have woken up the Jailer. He woke to a frighting sight all the doors of the cells were opened. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself and then he heard the voice of Paul.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 16

But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!”

It is like that for us oftentimes we hear the voice of God at just the right time. God comes into our lives when we are almost ready to give up.

But also, Paul and Silas’ godliness rubbed off on the others there in the prison. No one escaped. They all stayed and did the right thing. Your life can also be a testimony for God and can inspire others to do the right thing.

Brenda God came into your life at just the right time, (you have heard His voice) and just like Paul and Silas you can use your life as a testimony to prompt others to live for Him.

Braelynn Jo Nigh

(Verses 30 - 31)

I told you mom about the Jailer who wanted to end his life because he thought that He was going to be tortured because all the prisoners escaped. Well now that Paul has told him not to and he realizes that no one has escaped guess what He wants to do?

He wants to become a Christian too.

Acts 16:31 CSB

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

This verse is on one of my best friends Dad’s tombstones. Acts 16:31

We talked to you about being baptized and I asked you how do you get to heaven. Remember that.

I took off my wedding ring and asked you if I was still married. And you said, “Yes!” I said why you said because I love Sarah and Sarah loves me. The ring is only a symbol to tell the world that we love each other. Braelynn, your baptism is a symbol to tell the world that you believe in the Lord, Jesus.

The only thing that saves you is believing. That is why Paul and Silas said, “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

Chad Michael Nigh

(Verses 32-33)

Acts 16:32–33 (CSB)

And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized.

Chad this is quite the family memory here isn’t it?!

It was just like that in our story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16. because we are told that the Jailer’s entire family trusted Christ and then his entire family was baptized.

(verse 31 And your Household .... verse 33 all his family was baptized)

Chad! your whole family has trusted in Christ now and your whole family is following Him in obedience unto baptism. This is a remarkable thing that God has done in your household. But, why should we be surprised? When you see Acts 16 you can tell that God is in the business of not only saving individuals but whole families.

Sometimes God saves the whole family!!!!

It has been almost 2,000 years since the Jailer in Philippi and his family was saved and baptized but God is still doing a work today. He has saved the entire Nigh family and now they have all be baptized. It is like we are living in the pages of scripture!

Everyone

(Verses 34)

Acts 16:34 CSB

He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.

Folks, this is for all of you now!

Being brought into God’s family should cause us to fellowship with the rest of the family. (they set a meal before them)

Being brought into God’s family should cause us to rejoice.

Everyday is a party when you belong to the family of God! God’s kingdom is a party kingdom.