This Week\’s Sunday School Lesson, \”The Power Of Prayer and Worship\”, John 16:19-33, 1/16/2022

PRAISE AND WORSHIP OPEN DOORS

Acts 16:19-34

Paul and Silas were on a missionary trip in Philippi preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There was a young girl slave girl who had a spirit to predict the future, making money for her masters.

She began following them shouting “these men are servants of the most high God telling you the way to be saved.” After several days Paul was troubled and called the spirit out of her.

On the surface, it would appear that the slave girl lent her reputation to promote the Gospel.

You would think Paul would have been pleased to have someone in the pagan city

Announcing their mission to the public.

Perhaps Paul became annoyed that attention was drawn to the slave girl rather then

The preaching of the Gospel. Instead of aiding the Gospel, she had become a hindrance.

God does not tell us the reason for Paul’s troubling, therefore we can only speculate.

Let me suggest that the spirit the slave girl had was from Satan. Her predictions were used for the profits of pagan men. Her spirit kept her in slavery. The Spirit of the Lord brings freedom. The Spirit of the Lord will never be used for evil gain. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit for it is foolishness to them.

TROUBLE FOLLOW THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL

V:19 When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, \”These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.\”

1. The Gospel will not always be accepted by men/women.
2. Satan deals in lies and deceptions.
3. The owners of the slave girl only acted when their potential for

Profit was lost.

• The owners cared for themselves not the welfare of the girl.
• The text does not tell us that city was in an uproar or what customs

Paul and Silas preached that was unacceptable to the Romans

1. What we do know is the owners of the slave girl were angered

Because of their lost revenue.

• They took the law into their own hands by dragging Paul and Silas

Before the magistrates.

• The owners of the slave girl made allegations to support their

Action.                                                                                    

• It was a trial by public opinion, mainly the owners of the slave girl.
• The real problem to me is having my daughter or anybody’s daughter

Treated as a slave.

• One sin leads to many other sins.
• God does not tell us what happens to the slave girl.
• One thing we know is she was exposed to the Word of God

For several days.

• Since the Word cannot return void, she was affected by it.
• She lost the ability to profit men. But the Word transformed

Her life to spiritual profitability.

SUFFERING IS PART OF THE MISSON OF CHRIST

V:22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

1. All you got to have is one person to stir up a crowd against you.
2. Working for God will sometimes cause hardships in your life.
3. According to the text, Paul and Silas didn’t get a chance to tell their side of the story

Before they were punished and jailed.

• Why would a Holy God allow this to happen to His humble servants?
• The effect on the slave girl is one reason.
• Notice Paul and Silas were in pain and bleeding from the beating.
• They were thrown into a dark inner cell and chain to the wall by their feet.
• They were heavily guarded so there was no way to escape.
• They were unfairly treated like the worst criminals.
• Sometimes God has to force us into places we would not normally go to

Get the Gospel to people who need it the most.

• Enduring forced punishment strengthens our faith.

THE POWER OF WORSHIP

V: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 everybody\’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, \”Don\’t harm yourself! We are all here!\”

1. We hear no complaints from Paul and Silas.
2. We hear of no resistance of Paul and Silas against their unfair and harsh treatment.
3. The text teaches us what to do when unfairly treated.
4. The text teaches us to remain faithful in difficult situations.
5. The text teaches us that God has a plan for our hardships.
6. If Paul and Silas had begun complaining it may have eliminated their desire to pray
7. The text does not tell us what Paul and Silas did between the time they entered the

Jail and midnight.

• It is possible that they were in silent prayer.
• Maybe they considered the events of the day.
• Maybe they were getting adjusted to their wombs.
• Maybe they were considering how to make themselves joyful in their

Present situation.

• At midnight, the start of a new day, they began to pray and sing out loud.
• The sound of their voices ringed out throughout the prison.
• God gave them a ready audience for church services.
• When you start praying and sing out loud, you never know how you are encouraging the lives of others.
• The text says an unlikely audience, the prisoners were listening.
• Notice there is no mention of the Roman guards listening.
• Paul and Silas praying and singing caused God to unleash His power

Over the elements

1. A violent earthquake shook the jail so hard that locks on all

Jail cells open up.

• Paul and Silas praying and singing calmed all the prisoners

So they stayed in their cells and didn’t try to escape.

• The Word of God in prayer and song is powerful.
• The jailer woke up assuming all the prisoners had escaped.
• He knew his faith was death, so decided to kill himself.
• Paul knowing the jailer\’s intention spoke up, we are all here.
• Even in pain having been judged unfairly, Paul had compassion

For the jailer.

• When God’s in charge of your life, you will do the right thing.

THE PURPOSE OF YOUR TROUBLES

V: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?\”

1. The purpose of Paul and Silas imprisonment was realized
2. A jailer having heard the Word and witness the miracle asked to be saved.
3. Here is the answer to what Paul and Silas was probably doing between the time they entered

The jail and midnight.

1. They were preaching the Gospel while in pain and in chains.
2. They seized the opportunity to preach to the lost.
3. The jailer dozed off and went to sleep doing the message.
4. The jailer got the message of salvation before he went to sleep.
5. Let me suggest that when the jailer awoke and found the doors open

And the prisoners in their cells, his gratitude flowed to obedience to

God’s call to repentance.

1. God in His sovereignty purposed our trials so He gets the glory.
2. God is glorified when one soul is saved.

SALVATION THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION

V: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 family 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 family.

1. The church is built, one person at a time. The jailer first, then his whole household.
2. Faith in Jesus is the only requirement for salvation.
3. Romans 3:28

 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

• Paul and Silas preached Jesus to the jailer and his household.
• The jailer showed his gratitude by taking Paul and Silas to his house and cleaning

Their wounds.

1. Paul and Silas obedient to the commands of Jesus baptized the jailer and his family
2. We should never put our own needs before the Gospel.
3. When God is first, He will supply our needs.
4. Jesus brings joy into the lives of all believers

      Rev. M. Mitchell