Can God Shake This Place?

CAN GOD SHAKE THIS PLACE?

Acts 16:16-34

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR. IF ONLY 4 WEEKS TO LIVE

1. A Bible study group was discussing the possibility of sudden death. The Group Leader asked, "What would you do if you knew you only had 4 weeks of life remaining before your death, and your Judgment Day?"

2. One man said, "For those 4 weeks, I would go out into my community and tell everyone the Good News of Jesus." "That’s wonderful," said the group leader.

3. A lady said, "For those 4 weeks, I’d dedicate all of my remaining time to serving my family, my church, and my fellow man with a greater conviction." "Great!" the group leader said.

4. A truck driver at the back spoke up, "I would travel throughout the United States with my mother-in-law in a Ford Escort, and stay in a Motel 6 every night."

5. Everyone was puzzled by his answer. "Why would you do that?" the group leader asked.

6. "Because," the man smiled sarcastically, "it would be the longest 4 weeks of my life."

B. EARTHQUAKES THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

1. Earthquakes happen frequently. This year on January 1, Japan suffered an earthquake of 7.5 on the Richter scale. On April 2 Taiwan had an earthquake of 7.4. On July 19 Chile had an earthquake of 7.4. On June 28 Peru suffered an earthquake of 7.2.

2. So far this year (2024) there have been over 1,100 earthquakes of 5.0 or greater, and many of them have resulted in severe devastation.

C. A GOOD EARTHQUAKE?

1. Earthquakes wreck mass destruction. Just like the power of wind, water, or fire, you have to have respect for the power of an earthquake. They move with great power and speed. They are a phenomenon to be feared.

2. But can an earthquake be a good thing? On first thought we would say no. God can take things that seem

bad and use them for something good.

3. Today we’re going to see a good earthquake and ask the question, “Can God shake this place” too?

D. TEXT: Acts 16:16-34

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. 19When 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. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice." 22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly 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. 27The 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. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" 29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The 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.

E. THESIS

1. We’re going to see how God turned tragedy into triumph.

2. Three things brought about a manifestation of God’s power on this occasion;