A Miracle At Midnight

Acts 16:25-26, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26) Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Today’s Sermon Title:

“A Miracle At Midnight!”

I AM THOROUGHLY CONVINCED – THAT THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE WORLD – IS IN THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL!

MANY OF YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME WHEN I SAY – THAT YOU WILL NEVER FIND A PLACE MORE SECURE – THAN BEING IN THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE!

(BUT AT THE SAME TIME…) I AM ALSO CONVINCED THAT THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL (THOUGH IT IS THE SAFEST PLACE…) IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST PLEASANT AND PAIN FREE PLACE! (THIS IS WHAT I MEAN…)

MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SEDUCED INTO BELIEVING – THAT AS LONG AS OUR LIVES ARE BEING LIVED OUT (WITHIN THE WILL OF GOD…) THEN EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT!

(BUT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SUCH IS NOT THE CASE...) IN FACT, WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED – IS THAT GOD IS FAR MORE CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING ME HOLY – THAN HE IS ABOUT MAKING ME HAPPY!

SOMETIMES, IT MAY NOT BE AN IDEAL SITUATION (BUT WHEN GOD TELLS US TO GO…) THEN WE HAVE TO TRUST HIM – BELIEVING THAT HE HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES!

(WE SEE THIS CONFIRMED IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING – LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT IT…)

PAUL & SILAS WERE CALLED BY GOD – TO TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO THE REGION OF MACEDONIA (BUT WHEN THEY ARRIVED…) THEY WERE MET WITH OPPOSITION!

IF YOU GO BACK AND READ THE 16TH CHAPTER OF ACTS – YOU’LL DISCOVER THAT PAUL HAS A VISION AT TROAS. THIS VISION INVOLVED A ‘MAN FROM MACEDONIA’ CRYING, “COME OVER INTO MACEDONIA AND HELP US.”

(AND SO…) THERE’S A CONNECTION – BETWEEN PAUL’S VISION IN TROAS – AND HIS VISIT TO PHILIPPI. (OR I GUESS I COULD SAY IT LIKE THIS…) THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN HIS VISION…AND HIS VISIT!

NO SOONER THAN THEY ARRIVE IN MACEDONIA – THERE WAS A WOMAN BY THE NAME OF LYDIA WHO WAS CONVERTED!

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THIS YOUNG GIRL BEGINS TO FOLLOW PAUL AND SILAS – EVERYDAY, AS THEY MADE THEIR WAY TO THE HOUSE OF PRAYER!

NOW, LUKE SAYS THAT SHE WAS A FORTUNE-TELLER! BUT HERE SHE IS FOLLOWING PAUL AND SILAS DAILY – SAYING, “THESE TWO MEN ARE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD!”

(THIS YOUNG LADY HAD THE RIGHT MESSAGE – BUT IT WAS COMING FROM THE WRONG SOURCE…)

PAUL WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER (THE BIBLE SAYS IT VEXED HIM IN HIS SPIRIT…) SO MUCH SO THAT ONE DAY – HE TURNS AND HE SAYS TO THIS WOMAN (OR SHALL I SAY TO THAT UNCLEAN SPIRIT WITHIN HER…) “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST COME OUT OF HER!”

THE WORD SAYS, “SHE WAS DELIVERED THAT VERY SAME HOUR!”

NOW, HER PIMPS WHO WERE PROFITING FROM HER – SAW THAT PAUL HAD BROUGHT AN END TO THEIR MEAL TICKET – AND THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT!

(AND SO…) THEY HAD PAUL AND SILAS ARRESTED – THEY WERE BROUGHT BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE (ON TRUMPED-UP CHARGES…) THEN THEY WERE BEATEN AND THROWN INTO JAIL!

THE ONLY THING THEY WERE GUILTY OF (IS BEING USED BY GOD…) TO DELIVER THIS YOUNG LADY – FROM HER DEMONIC POSSESSION!

(BUT HOW MANY KNOW TODAY – THAT WHENEVER YOU GET DELIVERED FROM SOMETHING – EVERYBODY IS NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT IT?)

•WHEN THE LORD DELIVERS YOU FROM A BAD SITUATION…

•WHEN GOD SETS YOU FREE FROM AN ADDICTION…

•WHEN THE LORD LITERALLY STEPS IN AND TURNS YOUR LIFE AROUND…

NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO SHARE IN THE EXCITEMENT!

SO HERE THEY ARE – BEATEN, BLOODIED AND BROKEN – LYING IN A PHILIPPIAN JAIL! (YAW REMEMBER ME PREACHING A SERMON ENTITLED, “HOW BIG IS YOUR BUT?”)

WELL, NOTICE THAT OUR TEXT STARTS WITH THIS 3 LETTER CONJUNCTION! IT SAYS, “BUT” AT MIDNIGHT, PAUL AND SILAS PRAYED AND SANG PRAISES UNTO GOD.”

NOW, WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT MIDNIGHT?

•WE KNOW THAT WILSON PICKETT SAID, “HE WAS GONNA WAIT ‘TIL THE MIDNIGHT HOUR!”

•MARIA MULDUAR SPENT HER MIDNIGHTS AT THE OASIS!

•AND WE ALL KNOW THAT GLADYS KNIGHT – TAKES THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA!

BUT WHAT MAKES MIDNIGHT SO SPECIAL? WE KNOW THAT MIDNIGHT IS THE DARKEST PART OF THE NIGHT – AND IT IS THE DEEPEST PART OF THE NIGHT…

BECAUSE ONE SECOND AFTER MIDNIGHT – IS A BRAND NEW DAY! ONE SECOND AFTER MIDNIGHT IS OFFICIALLY MORNING!

AND I THINK THERE’S SOME CORRELATION – WHEN WE READ THE SCRIPTURE, “WEEPING MAY ENDURE BUT FOR A NIGHT, BUT JOY…COMES IN THE MORNING!” IF YOU CAN JUST MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT…JOY – IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!