Long ago in the city of Philippi, two men, Paul and Silas, had charges brought against them that were not true. They had been telling the people of Philippi about the Lord Jesus Christ. However, there were those who were against the work of God, and they brought Paul and Silas to the officials. Many of the people spoke against Paul and Silas and made the officials believe that the two men were guilty.
After beating them with whips, the two men were turned over to the jail keeper who chained them in the inner prison and locked their feet in wooden stocks. Knowing there was no way they could escape, the jail keeper went off to bed.
Poor Paul and Silas! They were in bad shape. Their backs were cut and bleeding from the beating, and they were locked in a cold, dark prison cell. They were probably hungry too, since it does not say in the story in the Bible that they were given anything to eat.
There were other prisoners in the same jail who probably had been beaten with whips too. They expected to hear the usual groans and swearing from the two new prisoners. But the evening hours passed, and they did not hear them complaining. Instead, at about midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God. Imagine the surprise of the other prisoners. These two new prisoners, who had to be feeling miserable, were actually singing and thanking God!
The difference was that Paul and Silas served a wonderful God. They found such joy in serving Him that even prison bars and beatings could not upset them. They knew that God must have a special reason for their being thrown into prison.
God had not forgotten His faithful servants. He had His own plan for that prison and its jail keeper.
Suddenly, the ground all around them began to shake violently. It was an earthquake! The prison walls trembled and the gates flew open. All of the prisoners’ chains fell off, and the stocks came apart that locked their feet. But Paul and Silas did not run out of the prison, and the other prisoners were probably too frightened to escape.
When the jail keeper saw the prison gates open, he thought that the prisoners had all escaped. He knew that the penalty for allowing a prisoner to escape was death. So he pulled out his sword to kill himself.
Paul realized what the jail keeper was going to do and he shouted, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.”
The jail keeper more than likely knew about Paul and Silas and what they preached. Perhaps he had even heard Paul preach. He knew that he was a sinner and that he needed a Saviour. After helping Paul and Silas out of the wrecked jail, he asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Their answer was plain and simple: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
The jail keeper must have done just that, because the next thing we read is the remarkable change which took place in him. This same change takes place by the power of Jesus Christ in the lives of children and grown-ups too. It changes them - it makes them new creatures: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:1717Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The story goes on to tell of the change in this jail keeper who accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. This once coldhearted, cruel man took the two prisoners to his own home. There he washed and treated their bleeding backs and then gave them dinner.
Then Paul and Silas talked more to the jail keeper and his family, and during that night they all rejoiced together.
What a wonderful change takes place in those who accept Christ as their Saviour. This jail keeper was shown God’s power through an earthquake which made him feel his own weakness and see his need of a Saviour. Sometimes God uses earthquakes or hurricanes or floods to get our attention so we will listen to His message. The message that was given to the jail keeper almost 2000 years ago is the same message for us today. Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins and trust Him to forgive and save you, and He will!
ML-04/17/1994