September 13
Bible Reading: Acts 16:25-40
Acts 16:30-31, “Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'”
It was the Jailor’s job. The authorities brought in the criminals; he would lock them up. Likely, this man had dealt with many prisoners before, but never any quite like Paul and Silas. Their crime? They had upset the local economy when they exorcised a demon from a fortune teller. The indictment against them? “They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice” (Acts 16:21). The magistrates ordered them to be beaten and thrown into jail.
The jailer threw them into the “inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks” (Acts 16:24), no doubt a dark and inhospitable place. They had, in that setting, no earthly reason to rejoice, but that is exactly what they did. Though their feet were bound, their hearts were not. The prisoners were listening attentively, for nothing like that had ever happened before (Acts 16:25). People are watching our response to difficult circumstances. We are sometimes prone to grumble, yet the Fount of Blessing can tune our hearts to sing His grace.
God caused a great earthquake which shook the prison and set the captives free. Roused from his sleep, and supposing his prisoners to have escaped, the jailer was about to kill himself. The penalty in that day for losing one’s prisoners was quite severe (Acts 12:19). Paul intervened, cried out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here” (Acts 16:28). The jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas (Acts 16:29). “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” he asked (Acts 16:30). Great question, one for which all should earnestly seek an answer. Paul and Silas declared to the Jailer, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31). And he believed (Acts 16:33).
We’re told nothing of the jailer’s background. But it didn’t matter, for the remedy for sin remains the same for all. With a mere ten words, Paul declared that all that was necessary to be saved was to trust in Jesus. It is as simple as that; no long list of rules to obey or sacraments to observe. Salvation is by grace through faith and that’s what happened with the jailer; he and his family were gifted with salvation as a result of placing their faith in Jesus. He was saved in the same manner as any ever are—by trusting in Jesus!
Trust in Jesus is the answer to life’s biggest question!
COME, EVERY SOUL
Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord;
And He will surely give you rest,
By trusting in His word.
Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
Refrain:
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.
For Jesus shed His precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.
Come to Jesus, come to Jesus,
Come to Jesus now; [Refrain]
Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay,
And you are fully blest.
Don’t reject Him, don’t reject Him,
Don’t reject Him now; [Refrain]
Come then and join this holy band,
And on to glory go,
To dwell in that celestial land,
Where joys immortal flow.
I will trust Him, I will trust Him,
I will trust Him now; [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 