A Earth Shaking, Ground Breaking, and Bond Dropping Expierience
(Acts 16:25-26) “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 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.”
I. The condition of the singers.
A. Beaten
1. Where he could’ve been. (Philippians 1:21-24) “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”
2. Where he was. In a prison totally beaten down in the flesh but not in the spirit.
B. Spiritual
1. Not in this present day worlds meaning of spiritual but in the true meaning of it. The strong foundation that says “No matter what happens in this world I’m thinking of a better thing coming down the road.”
2. With a song on their heart.
a.) The sad thing is we let a little thing come in our life. Such as a long traffic light and we lose our song.
II. The condition of the hearers.
A. Beaten
1. By the world.
2. By sin.
3. By no hope.
B. Ready to hear.
1. They were in their lowest of the lows way before Paul was cast in there. They were ready for something better to come along
C. Ready for something new.
1. Pool of Bethesda. (John 5:5-8) “And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”
III. When those two meet.
A. Ground Shaking experience
1. You can feel it in the air. (Jesus Bumps)
B. A foundation crumbling experience.
1. Everything I’ve ever thought was true before I realize now doesn’t matter.
C. A bond loosing experience.
1. When sin lets go.
IV. What happens next?
A. The world sees.
1. Wow wouldn’t it be great to have that revival experience.
Conclusion: It’s time to have an Earth shaking, Ground Breaking, and Bond dropping experience.
