Acts 16 v 19 - 34 From Suicide to Salvation
1. The Marks of God's Salvation
Proclamation - 20 These men being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city 21 and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans
Persecution - 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Prayer - 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed,
Praise - and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them
Power - 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Preservation - 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
2. The Must of God's Salvation
30 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
It is Palpable - 30 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do
Pivotal - what must I do to be saved?
Personal - what must I do
Practical - what must I do
Punctual - what must I do (Now)
and Possible - Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
3. The Means of God's Salvation - 31 And they said, Believe
Believe Who - 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
Believe What - He Cares, Calls, Cleanses, Controls, Comes, and Crowns.
Believe When - 2 Cors 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Believe Where - Behold, Now is the day of Salvation.
Believe Why - and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
4. The Man of God's Salvation - on the Lord Jesus Christ,
When they said, “Lord” they meant, “He’s the Master.”
When they said, “Jesus” they meant “He’s the Mediator.”
When they said, “Christ” they meant “He’s the Messiah.”
5. The Meaning of God's Salvation - and thou shalt be saved,
Saved from -
The Penalty of Sin - Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Pollution of Sin - 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Power of Sin - Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
And ultimately from
The Presence of Sin - Revelation 21:27
It's Purity - and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,
It's Piety - neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
It's Pedigree - but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
6. The Miracle of God's Salvation - From Suicide to Salvation
From Failure - 27 and the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
To Fear - 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm:
for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
To Faith - 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
To Fellowship - 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord,
and to all that were in his house.
To Forgiveness - 33 And he took them the same hour of the night,
and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway
To Fullness - 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
