Lostness of People
Acts 16:25-34
Do you remember what it felt like to be lost? The darkness? Hopelessness? People around us are facing that feeling every day.
Ephesians 2:1-5
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Introduction.
“They sang praises,” means in the Greek “to celebrate (God) in song”
Paul derived from a Latin word meaning to stop, restrain, quit, desist, come to an end: Why do you think that God changed Saul’s name to Paul?
Why do lost people do so wickedly? They are lost! That is what lost people do and if it were not for the grace of God, we would be in the same boat as them. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
I. The Jailer
1. Like the jailer lost people are asleep.
A. They are not conscious of spiritual things. Eph. 2:1
2. Like the jailer lost people are hopeless. (Verse 27)
A. We see that in our world today that people are hopeless. Suicides, drugs,
3. Like the jailer lost people are in darkness (Verse 29)
Illustration: Have you ever been in a cave when the lights were turned out? The darkness that overcome you, being able to see nothing. Picture this… they turn out the lights and said “See Ya!” Then your begin to remember the deep canyons and step cliffs that went straight down and you realize I can’t get out of here on my own and you start to grope around in darkness. If you can picture that then you have an idea of what lost people face every day. The only difference is that it is the only way of life they have ever known!
II. Paul
1. Like Paul we must tell people there is hope. (Verse 28)
A. He was not bashful. Did not care what others thought.
Illustration: If I was on some train tracks and a train was coming.
B. He had a genuine concern for the lost.
2. Like Paul, We must always be ready to share the gospel. (verses 31-32)
A. Look at what Paul says in verse 31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" there is only one-way of salvation.
