CHECK YOUR MANHOOD AT THE JAIL
ACTS 16: 16-34
INTRO-
THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURE WHERE PAUL AND SILAS ARE PUT IN JAIL. DURING THIS STAY THERE WAS A EARTHQUAKE AND THE JOKE IS THIS IS THE FIRST “JAILHOUSE ROCK”
IT IS THE MAN’S MAN KIND OF SERMON- THERE IS ACTION, THERE IS DRAMA, GOOD GUYS, BAD GUYS... AND FOR KICKS AND GIGGLES, THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING.
LET’S SET THIS UP-
APOSTLE PAUL, AND SILAS WERE HEADING TO A PLACE OF WORSHIP. THEY ARE MET BY A SLAVE GIRL WHO HAD A SPIRIT THAT PREDICTED THE FUTURE. SHE EARNED A LOT OF MONEY FOR HER MASTER BY TELLING PEOPLE’S FUTURE.
THIS SLAVE GIRL FOLLOWED PAUL AND SILAS AROUND- MANY DAYS THE BIBLE TELLS US. “THOSE MEN ARE SERVANT’S OF THE MOST HIGH GOD” WHO ARE TELLING YOU A WAY TO BE SAVED.
FINALLY THE BIBLE SAYS- PAUL HAD HAD ENOUGH OF IT- TROUBLED THAT THIS GIRL WOULDN’T STOP HE TURNED AROUND AND SAYS TO THE GIRL AND THE SPIRIT “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST- I COMMAND YOU TO COME OUT OF HER”
FITS LAST MESSAGE I GAVE DON’T IT- THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
HE USES THE AUTHORITY THAT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND THIS GIRL IS DELIVERED FROM THE SPIRIT.
SHE IS NO LONGER ABLE TO PROPHECY OVER THEM AND ANNOY THEM ANY LONGER.
***GOOD FOR PAUL AND SILAS- BAD FOR THE OWNERS THAT WERE MAKING MONEY FROM HER.
THEY SEIZED PAUL AND SILAS FOR PREACHING AND DOING THINGS THAT WERE NOT EXCEPTED AND THEY WERE BROUGHT TO THE MAGISTRATE.
THE CROWD GOT INVOLVED IN WATCHING MEN BEING PUNISHED (SOMETHING MEN ENJOY)
THE MAGISTRATE GAVE PAUL AND SILAS A GOOD BEATING AND PUT THEM INTO JAIL. NOT JUST ANY JAIL BUT WERE PUT IN THE INNER COURT, WHICH HAD A TRAINED JAILER WHO BOUND THEM IN CHAINS AND WAS RESPONSIBLE BY HIS LIFE TO KEEP GUARD OF THEM.
THE STORY SHIFTS ITS CHARACTERS- PAUL AND SILAS ARE FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF JESUS- THEY ARE NOT CRYING OVER THE BEATING THEY TOOK. THE BIBLE SAYS IT WAS MIDNIGHT AND THEY WERE SINGING AND HAVING CHURCH, AND THE PRISONERS WERE LISTENING.
GOD SUDDENLY BEGAN TO MOVE -
PRAISE AND WORSHIP MOVES THE HAND OF GOD
THE PLACE BEGINS TO SHAKE.
GOD’S GREATEST HOUR IS OUR MIDNIGHT HOUR.
V26- THE FOUNDATION WAS SHAKEN, THE PRISON DOORS FLEW OPEN, AND THE CHAINS CAME LOOSE. THAT IS SPIRIT OF GOD AT WORK.
THE STORY IS NOW ABOUT THE JAILER-
THE JAILER HAS A FAMILY,
THE JAILER HAS A JOB HE GOES TO EVERYDAY.
HE HAS KIDS THAT HE IS TRYING TO RAISE.
HE HAS A ROUGH AND HARD JOB.
A JOB THAT IF HE MESSES UP COULD COST HIM HIS LIFE.
THE JAILER IS AWAKEN BY AN EARTHQUAKE, PRISON DOORS FALLING OFF THEIR HINGES, PRISONERS THAT COULD OF GOT AWAY- HE IS READY TO TAKE HIS LIFE, BEFORE A PRISONER KILLS HIM, BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE CALLS FOR THE PRISONERS HE COULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR AND WOULD BE KILLED
PAUL SAYS- DO NOT HARM YOURSELF, WE ARE STILL HERE ALL THE PRISONERS STAYED.
MOST PEOPLE WANT TO SAY THE MIRACLE IS THE WAY THAT THE LORD SET PAUL AND SILAS FREE. BUT THE LORD DOES MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
HE TOOK THE JAILER WHO HAD HEARD THE MESSAGE OF THE LORD
LISTEN TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP, WATCH THE LORD DESTROY THE JAIL
HE SAW MEN WHO COULD OF BEEN FREE STAY WITH THE JAILER.
THE JAILER IS THE ONE WHO HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD.
HE BELIEVED AND HE WAS SAVED
JAILER WENT ON THE COMPASSIONATE MISSION AND WASHED THEIR WOUNDS, INVITED THEM TO HIS HOUSE TO MEET HIS FAMILY,
TELL THE GOSPEL MESSAGE... AND THE WHOLE FAMILY GET’S SAVED,
WHOLE FAMILY IS IMMEDIATELY BAPTIZED
LISTEN TO ME
MEN ARE THE HARDEST GROUP TO REACH FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. BUT WHEN THEY GET SAVED, AND WHEN THEY BELIEVE WHAT IS BEING SAID- THEY ARE THE ONES WHO BEGIN TO TURN THIS WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.
HOWARD HENDRICKS SAID:
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH:
PILLARS- UPHOLD CHURCH WITH PRAYERS, WORRKS, MONEY.
CATERPILLARS- CRAWL IN ON SUNDAY, SING SONG, CRAWL OUT TILL NEXT WEEK.
IF THE MEN ARE DEAD, THE CHURCH IS DEAD.
****THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE HAS GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT MEN ARE TO CHECK THEIR MANHOOD AT THE DOOR AND TAKE UP BEING FAMINE
MEN LIKE RISK AND REWARD
WHEN IT IS DANGEROUS TO BE A CHRISTIAN HERE IN THE U.S.A. WE WILL SEE MEN MORE RESPONSIVE.
****THIS JAILER SAW AND EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN EVERY MAN ‘S LIFE, AND HE TOOK IT TO HIS FAMILY.
61% OF BORN AGAIN WOMEN COME TO CHURCH WITH OUT THEIR HUSBANDS
MEN NEED VISION- THEY ARE TASK ORIENTED
CHRISTIANITY IS MORE THAN SUNDAY SCHOOL, POT LUCK, CAR WASHES, GIVING TO THE POOR- AS IMPORTANT AS THAT IS- MEN NEED TO HAVE DIRECTION, BE AGGRESSIVE, AND THEY NEED TO LEAD THE WAY.
PROVERBS TELLS US- “IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE MAN SHARPENS ANOTHER”
10 % OF CHURCHES TODAY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL MEN’S MINISTRY BECAUSE THEY RUN IT LIKE THE REST OF THE CHURCH.
RISE THE HOOD/SEE HOW IT WORKS
FIX THINGS
THE WARRIOR INSTINCT
THE HUNTER / PROVIDER
***TIM THE TOOL MAN TAYLOR IS AN ICON TO MOST OF MEN.
SURE SOMETIMES WE HAVE SET BACKS, THE THRILL OF VICTORY IS ALL WORTH IT
MEN ARE HUNTERS, WOMEN ARE GATHERERS
***WHEN STRESSED WOMAN SEEK COMMUNITY (OTHER PEOPLE)
***MEN SEEK ISOLATION.
PLAN, WORK, CELEBRATE, REST, - THE NATURAL CYCLE OF MEN
THAT’S WHY WHEN WE GET HOME FORM WORK WE GRAB THE REMOTE AND LOOK FOR OUR FAVORITE CHAIR.
***THE CHURCH IS A FUNNY ORGANIZATION- IT IS USUALLY LEAD BY MEN AND DOMINATED BY WOMEN ATTENDEES
WHAT AM I SAYING THIS MORNING:
***UNTIL MEN HAVE AN ENCOUNTER DIRECTLY WITH GOD, WE WILL NOT SEE THE RESULTS WE HOPE FOR.
WHEN THE JAILER GRASP SALVATION- HE WS READY TO TAKE IT TO HIS FAMILY
***WHEN THE MOTHER GETS SAVED, THE REST OF THE FAMILY FOLLOWS AT
17 % OF THE TIME.
***WHEN THE FATHER COMES TO CHRIST 93% A FAMILY FOLLOWS
PAUL AND SILAS SHARED THE GOSPEL WITH THE JAILER,
THE MAN WAS INSTANTLY CHANGED.
HE IMMEDIATELY SHARED CHRIST WITH HIS FAMILY.
BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS THROUGH, THE ENTIRE FAMILY WAS BAPTIZED AND FOLLOWING JESUS.
THE JAILER DIDN’T FOLLOW A PROGRAM, HE FOLLOWED OTHER MEN.
CLOSING:
SOMETIMES I THINK THE WORD FELLOWSHIP WAS INVENTED BY CHRISTIANS TO REPLACE THE WORD FUN.... CHURCH SHOULD BE FUN
A GROWING CHURCH WILL BE A RISK TAKING CHURCH, REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE
MEN OF GOD- IT IS YOUR TIME TO SHINE- TO RAISE UP AND BE THE MEN GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE.
TO GO AFTER OUR FUTURE BROTHERS AND LET THEM KNOW IT OKAY TO BE ALL MAN AND STILL BE A CHRISTIAN.
WOMEN ACCEPT THE MASCULINE SPIRIT. DON’T BELIEVE ME. WOMEN TAKE SATURDAY MORNING WORKSHOPS AT HOME DEPOT, BUT WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A MAN ENROLL IN A CLASS TO MAKE PILLOW CASES- EXCEPT ON THE HOME AND GARDEN CHANNEL.
WOMEN:
IF YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING AND YOUR SPOUSE ISN’T HERE, KNOW THAT WE ARE PRAYING FOR THEM AND TRYING TO BUILD A ATMOSPHERE OF CHRIST. AND THAT IT IS OKAY TO BE A MAN
WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO SEE THE MEN TAKE BACK MORE OF THAT RISK TAKING AND BE THE HUNTER AND PROVIDER AGAIN?
IT IS A NEW DAY AND IT IS ALL GOOD
GOD IS REACHING OUT TO FAMILIES THIS MORNING.
WHEN YOUNG MEN SEE OTHER MEN LIVING THE ADVENTURE, THEY’LL WANT IN
WISE CHURCHES ARE RISK TAKERS, DREAMING BIG, AND BRINGING A MEASURE OF ADVENTURE BACK TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
