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!
PAUL AND SILAS FOUND THEMSELVES BEATEN, BLOODIED AND BROKEN – THEIR SITUATION COULDN’T GET ANY DARKER!
BUT AT MIDNIGHT – YOU DON’T FIND THEM WHINING! AT MIDNIGHT – YOU DON’T HEAR THEM SAYING, “WOE IS ME!”
INSTEAD, LUKE SAYS THEY PRAYED AND SANG PRAISES UNTO GOD!
THIS MESSAGE SHOULD RELATE TO EVERYBODY IN HERE TODAY (BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN HERE THIS MORNING…) IS EITHER IN A MIDNIGHT EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW!
YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY OUT OF A MIDNIGHT SITUATION! OR YOU ARE HEADING INTO MIDNIGHT! BUT THE FACT IS…WE ALL HAVE TO FACE MIDNIGHT!
MIDNIGHT IS WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A SITUATION – THAT’S WAY BEYOND YOUR CONTROL! MIDNIGHT IS WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF CAUGHT UP IN SOMETHING – THAT YOU CANNOT HANDLE ON YOUR OWN!
BE IT SICKNESS – SUFFERING – OR SORROW! BE IT TROUBLES – TRIALS – OR TRIBULATIONS (WE WILL ALL HAVE OUR MIDNIGHT SITUATIONS…)
SO, IF YOU HAVEN’T FACED MIDNIGHT JUST YET – JUST KEEP GOING TO BED AT NIGHT – JUST KEEP GETTING UP IN THE MORNING…BUT WE DON’T HAVE TO BE DEFEATED BY MIDNIGHT!
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR REMINDS US – THAT SOMETIMES GOD DOES HIS BEST WORK – WHEN WE THINK IT’S TOO LATE! GOD HAS A WAY OF BLOWING OUR MINDS – RIGHT AT THE POINT WHEN WE FEEL LIKE GIVING UP!
(IN OTHER WORDS…) GOD HAS A WAY OF SHOWING UP – EVEN AT MIDNIGHT! (AND PAUL AND SILAS WERE FULLY AWARE OF THIS…)
(AND SO…) I’M NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THEY PRAYED AT MIDNIGHT (BECAUSE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE HAD TO FACE MIDNIGHT…) KNOWS…THAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS PRAY!
EVEN IF YOU HAVEN’T PRAYED IN A LONG TIME – YOU WILL PRAY WHEN YOU ARE FACED WITH MIDNIGHT! EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRAY – YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO PRAY WHEN YOU ARE FACED WITH MIDNIGHT!
(WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS…) MIDNIGHT IS AN HOUR OF PRAYER – SO IT DOESN’T SURPRISE ME THAT THEY PRAYED AT MIDNIGHT!
BUT WHAT’S REMARKABLE IS THAT LUKE SAYS (NOT ONLY DID THEY PRAY…) BUT HE SAID THEY ALSO SANG PRAISES UNTO GOD…NOW I THINK THAT’S REMARKABLE!
BECAUSE IT’S EASY FOR US TO PRAISE GOD – WHEN ALL IS WELL IN OUR LIVES!
•IT’S EASY FOR US TO SING, “THIS LIL LIGHT OF MINE, I’M GONNA LET IT SHINE!” (WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING….)
•IT’S EASY FOR US TO LIFT OUR VOICES AND SING, “I KNOW THE LORD WILL MAKE A WAY SOMEHOW!” (WHEN ALL YOUR BILLS ARE PAID…)
•IT’S NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO LIFT YOUR HANDS AND SAY, “I WILL BLESS THE LORD!” (WHEN YOU HAVE A REASONABLE PORTION OF HEALTH AND STRENGTH….)
BUT CAN YOU SING SONGS OF ZION WHEN YOU’RE GOING THROUGH? CAN YOU PRAISE HIM IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM? CAN YOU PRAISE HIM DURING YOUR MIDNIGHT EXPERIENCES?
(I DARE YOU TO ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBOR THIS MORNING…) TELL ‘EM – SAY, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT ‘TIL THE BATTLE IS OVER…”
(HERE’S SOMETHING ELSE I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER…) PAUL AND SILAS WERE NOT THE FIRST ONE PERSECUTED – FOR DOING THE LORD’S WORK!
MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I READ THIS TEXT (I DON’T HAVE TO GET TO THE END…) TO KNOW HOW THIS STORY IS GOING TO TURN OUT!
WHEN I READ ABOUT PAUL AND SILAS – SITTING IN THE DUNGEON OF THAT PRISON FLOOR (BEATEN, BLEEDING AND BRUISED…) FOR A MOMENT I DON’T EVEN SEE THEM – BUT I SEE OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE THEM!
•I SEE DAVID ON THE RUN – HIDING IN A CAVE (COLD, SCARED AND HUNGRY…) RUNNING AWAY FROM THE VERY MAN – THAT HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIS LIFE FOR!
•I SEE JOSEPH IN PHARAOH’S PRISON – SENT THERE BY HIS JEALOUS BROTHERS!
•I SEE DANIEL SLEEPING LIKE A BABY – WHILE THE LIONS PROWLED AROUND HIM!
•I SEE THE 3 HEBREW BOYS – THROWN INTO THE FIERY FURNACE!
SO IF “I” CAN READ THIS TEXT TODAY (AND SEE HOW THE LORD HAS ALWAYS MADE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY…) THEN IMAGINE THE CONFIDENCE AND THE FAITH THAT PAUL AND SILAS HAD BACK THEN!
THEY KNEW THEY WERE NOT ALONE IN THAT PRISON CELL (IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME…) BEFORE GOD WOULD STEP IN AND DO WHAT HE DOES! (LET ME DO IT LIKE THIS…)
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY TODAY – STRUGGLE THROUGH THEIR MIDNIGHT EXPERIENCES…) AND YOU WITNESS FIRST HAND – HOW GOD MAKES A WAY FOR THEM…
WHEN IT’S YOUR TURN TO GO THROUGH – YOU CAN FACE MIDNIGHT WITH A NEW FOUND CONFIDENCE!
KNOWING THAT GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS – MEANING, IF HE DID IT FOR THEM – THEN HE WILL DO THE SAME THING FOR YOU!
WE’VE GOT TO BE WITNESSES FOR CHRIST – DURING THE GOOD TIMES – AND EVEN IN OUR MIDNIGHT SITUATIONS!
INSTEAD OF SAYING, “OH LORD, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?” THEY SAID, “I WILL TRUST IN THE LORD UNTIL I DIE!”
(IN OTHER WORDS…) PAUL AND SILAS DIDN’T PANIC WHILE THEY WERE IN PRISON – BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY SEEN (OR HEARD ABOUT…) GOD’S DELIVERING POWER!
TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR – SAY, “DON’T BE SCARED!” (FINALLY MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS – LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THIS…)
THE BIBLES SAYS, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, AND THE PRISONERS WERE LISTENING TO THEM.
WHAT GAVE THE PRISONERS A LISTENING EAR?
WELL, PAUL AND SILAS WERE ON THE INSIDE – JUST LIKE THEM!
THEY HAD BEEN BEATEN, CHAINED AND BOUND – JUST LIKE THEM!
(IN OTHER WORDS…) THEY WERE IN THE SAME BOAT AS THE OTHER PRISONERS (BUT AT MIDNIGHT…) THEIR TEST BECAME THEIR TESTIMONY!
THE BIBLE SAYS, “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.”
NOW, WHILE I WAS DOING THE EXEGETICAL ANALYSIS (ON THIS PARTICULAR PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE…) SOMETHING SIMPLY PROFOUND CAME TO MY MIND!
LUKE SAID THERE WAS A “GREAT” EARTHQUAKE! BUT WHEN I READ THIS TEXT – IT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE A GREAT EARTHQUAKE TO ME!
•THE ROOF DIDN’T CAVE IN!
•THE WALLS DIDN’T FALL IN!
•THE BUILDING DIDN’T SHAKE UNTIL IT CRUMBLED!
THE DOORS JUST OPENED…AND EVERY MAN’S CHAINS FELL OFF! BUT LUKE CALLS IT A GREAT EARTHQUAKE!
(I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THIS MORNING…) THAT WHAT MADE IT A GREAT EARTHQUAKE – WAS NOT THE DOORS OPENING! WHAT MADE IT A GREAT EARTHQUAKE – WAS NOT THE CHAINS FALLING OFF!
WHAT MADE IT A GREAT EARTHQUAKE – IS THAT THE PRISONERS WERE RELEASED – AND YET RESTRAINED! (I KNEW YAW WAS GONE LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT – LET ME DO IT LIKE THIS…)
YOU’RE LOCKED UP – YOU’RE IN CHAINS (THE GROUND IS SHAKING UNDERNEATH YOUR FEET…) AND THEN SUDDENLY, THE DOORS FLY OPEN – AND YOUR CHAINS LITERALLY FALL OFF!
WHAT DO YOU DO? REASON SAYS, “RUN FOOL!” YOU GET UP OUT OF THERE AS FAST AS YOU CAN…RIGHT? (BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED…)
YES, THE DOORS FLEW OPENED – YES, THE CHAINS FELL OFF – BUT NOBODY LEFT THE SITE! THAT’S WHAT MADE IT A GREAT EARTHQUAKE!
AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE – THE PRISON GUARD SAW THAT THE DOORS HAD FLOWN OPEN! ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY HAD ESCAPED (HE DREW HIS SWORD…) AND WAS GOING TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE!
(YOU SEE…) THE PRICE, OR THE PENALTY FOR LOSING A PRISONER – WAS THAT YOUR LIFE MUST BE TAKEN! AND RATHER THAN GO THROUGH ALL THE DRAMA – HE DECIDED TO KILL HIMSELF!
BUT TO HIS SURPRISE, PAUL SAYS, “DO THYSELF NO HARM!” PAUL SAID, “WE ARE ALL HERE!”
THAT’S WHEN THE JAILER REALIZED – THAT THERE WAS A GREATER POWER AT WORK…IN THAT JAIL HOUSE! IT WAS A GREATER POWER AT WORK – THAT KEPT EVERY MAN IN HIS CELL!
THE JAILER CRIED OUT, “SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?”
OH, IT WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE ALRIGHT! IT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE THAT NOT ONLY SHOOK THE JAIL HOUSE – BUT IT SHOOK THE JAILER AS WELL!
(IN OTHER WORDS…) GOD DIDN’T JUST SHAKE UP THE JAIL HOUSE – GOD SHOOK UP THE JAILER! AND WHAT DID IT TAKE TO SHAKE UP THE JAILER? IT TOOK AN EARTHQUAKE!
SO MY FINAL QUESTION TO YOU IS THIS, “WHAT WILL GOD HAVE TO SHAKE-UP IN OUR LIFE – IN ORDER TO GET YOUR ATTENTION?”
IS IT MORE SICKNESS? IS IT MORE PAIN? IS IT MORE SUFFERING? IT TOOK AN EARTHQUAKE TO GET THIS MAN’S ATTENTION!
HE SAYS, “SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?” SAVED FROM WHAT? THE EARTHQUAKE WAS OVER – THE TRIMMERS HAD STOPPED – THE AFTER-SHOCK WAS OVER!
SAVED FROM WHAT? THIS MAN WAS LITERALLY ASKING PAUL AND SILAS, “HOW CAN A MAN LIKE ME BE SAVED?”
(AND 2,000 YEARS LATER…) THAT’S THE QUESTION THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKING TODAY! THEY’RE SAYING, “HOW CAN A PERSON LIKE ME BE SAVED?”
AFTER ALL THE WRONG I’VE DONE (AFTER ALL THE MISTAKES I’VE MADE…) HOW CAN SOMEBODY LIKE ME BE SAVED?
WELL, THERE ARE THOSE OF US HERE THIS MORNING – WHO CAN STAND UP AND TESTIFY FOR YOU! (AND I’LL GO FIRST…) BY SAYING, “IF GOD CAN SAVE A WRETCH LIKE ME – THEN GOD CAN SAVE ANYBODY!”
PAUL WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST THEOLOGIANS (THAT THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN…)
BUT HE DIDN’T GIVE THIS MAN A LECTURE – AS TO WHY IT TOOK HIM SO LONG TO COME TO THIS REALIZATION! HE DIDN’T GO INTO A THEOLOGICAL DISSERTATION – ABOUT THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OR THE B-ATTITUDES!
PAUL SIMPLY SAYS TO THIS MAN, “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST – AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED!”
NOTICE, PAUL DIDN’T SAY, “YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND…” HE SIMPLY SAID, “YOU NEED TO BELIEVE!”
I’VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE – THAT WE ARE NOT SAVED HEAD FIRST! BUT WE ARE SAVED HEART FIRST!
THAT’S WHY ROMANS 10:9 SAYS, “THAT IF THOU SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART, THAT GOD HAS RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD…THOU SHALT BE SAVED! FOR WITH THE HEART ONE BELIEVES UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION.”
