Sermon - #41
Title – “A Miracle in the midst of a midnight Dilemma”
Scripture – Acts 16:22-36
Key Terms –
Miracle – A marvel or act of God
Dilemma – A situation that requires a choice between options usually unequally or unfavorable
Background – I have personally witnessed a miracle in the midst of a dilemma, I was driving a truck in which I went sleep while at the wheel. Upon my waking up, I discovered that the truck was upside down and about to begin flipping again, I was in the midst of a dilemma that wasn’t looking favorable for my safety or well being. I did have enough presence of mind to say “Lord, Lord, don’t let me die”, miraculously I was thrown from the truck and the truck continued to flip over and over again. The cab of truck where I was sitting was completely smashed. When it seemed I was destined for death, God delivered a miracle in the midst of my dilemma. I was left to marvel at the power of God. Some of you have been in some dilemmas and only through the grace of God or his miracle power were you delivered. In the text, Paul and Silas are in the midst of a dilemma and their fate is certain death. Paul has commanded a demon to come out of a demon-possessed girl who is a fortune teller. She has been making a lot of flow for her masters and due to the fact that Paul has healed her, she no longer has the gift to tell fortunes and as a result she is no longer a money maker. The owners (Romans) are 38 hot, they are off the chain angry, and you could even say they were smoking over the fact that they could no longer pimp this little girl for her services. They have Paul and Silas arrested, severely beaten and thrown into jail with stocks and chains. Here they are forced to await their uncertain fate likely death. They are in the midst of a dilemma that will require a miracle. Let’s look at what happens in the midst of their dilemma.
Point # 1- Look at the circumstances (v.22-24), Paul and Silas have healed the demon possessed woman and as a result their clothes have been torn off, they are beaten with rods many times and they are cast into a prison which is dark, dirty, rat infested, roach infested and they are thrust into the inner cells (solitary confinement) with their feet locked in chains. They have been immorally treated, unjustly treated and dishonestly treated and that happens too many of us in life today. We are often locked in dilemmas of abusive relationships, dilemma’s of drug and alcohol addiction, dilemmas of sickness and disease and dilemmas of being trapped in a world of sin. The question is what do you say or do in the midst of your dark dilemma represented in the text by midnight.
Point #2 – Look at the commitment (v.25), even though they are in a dilemma they continue to be strong witnesses for Christ. They have been stripped, beaten, imprisoned and put in chains. Their backs are lacerated, bloody and swollen and they are in severe pain. Even though they are in the midst of a dilemma, they bear a strong testimony to the wonderful grace of God. First of all they pray, they probably ask for strength to help them, to forgive their persecutors to use their suffering to reach others for Christ. Secondly, they praised and thanked God for his salvation, the privilege of suffering for the name of Christ Jesus. Can we today as believers pray and praise God in the midst of our dilemmas, don’t answer that because I need to give you specific details, when your husband or wife leaves you and takes all the money and you still pray and praise him, when you lose your mother or father in death can you still praise him, when the house burns up, no clothes, no where to go can you still pray and praise him, when a drug or alcohol addiction has stripped you of your dignity and pride can you still pray and praise him and when our children are off the chain can we still pray and praise him. In other words, in the midst of our dilemmas can we still give him supplication and praise, note all of this took place at midnight and they sang so loud the entire jail could hear them, they were singing “Father I stretch my hands to the no other help I know”, they were even singing “he’s a battle ax in the time of a battle shelter in the time of a storm”, and Paul even led “want it be grand”, because they were not ashamed of the Lord and prayed and praised him despite their circumstances and situation. We are to be committed despite it all and through it all.
Point #3 – Look at the confusion (v.26-28), confusion means to be unclear in mind and purpose to mistake one thing for another. Well when the Holy Ghost gets to moving a lot of people get a confused look on their faces, they want the what, when, why and how are we acting the way that we are, in other words, why are we running when nobody chases us, why are we making so many ugly faces when no one is saying anything about us. Well in this dilemma or in the jailhouse there was some movement, movement via God in the form of an earthquake and we all know God moves in mysterious ways. He can move in our lives through nature, a tragedy, an event in someone’s life, by death or even by the gospel. God moves to prepare the souls of people for salvation. In this case the jailer was being prepared for salvation. He was confused for the earthquake had sprung open all of the jail doors, making it possible for all of the prisoners to escape due to the fact that the jailer had fallen asleep while on duty. The penalty for allowing prisoners to escape was death and the jailer drew his sword to kill himself. Everyone in here has, will or is coming out of a dilemma that causes us to fell helpless, hopeless and insecure. It is at this point we can get closer to God or get farther away from him. Paul sensing the jailer was about to kill himself for it was dark and he was deep in sin shouted to him we are all here. The voice or call was ever heard by the jailer and it saved his life. The point is this; in order to be saved from our dilemmas requires our crying out to God, the cry is part of being prepared for salvation. Don’t be confused surrender to Christ.
Point #4 – Look at the conversion (v.29-32), conversion means to change to another form. Any converted people in the house, look at your neighbor and say “thank God I’m not all that I should be, yet, I’m nothing like what I use to be.” The jailer in the text immediately began searching for light, some of ya’ll missed that “he brought me out of darkness into the marvelous light, look where he brought me from”, he called for light and sprang into the cell of Paul and Silas. God had caused an earthquake and had saved him from being executed by keeping all the prisoners in their cells. He had heard about Paul and Silas preaching throughout the city and he had witnessed their prayers and praise even in the midst of their dilemmas and now because of their great witnessing he feared the God that they prayed to and praised. As a result, the jailer repented out of fear and fear is a legitimate reason to seek salvation fear of where will I spend eternity, fear of if I died right now where would I go. Because of his fear he cried out “sirs what must I do to be saved.” In other words, I el, I el, I can’t hold out any longer, he ran down the aisle and gave his life to Christ. Paul and Silas were hurting, they were sore and hungry, yet, they took the time to minister to and meet this man’s need. If we would just confess with our mouths and believe in our heart that Jesus died, he was buried and rose on the third day we would be converted, we would be made whole!!!
Point#5 – Look at the Celebration (v.34-35), celebration means to rejoice. The influence of the head of a household in spiritual matters can’t be overemphasized a strong spiritual leader almost assures the salvation of his family. The man and his family were ignorant of Christ. The man’s household was within the prison walls and Paul and Silas had to instruct (equip) them on the basics of salvation. The necessity to repent and be baptized was part of their equipping. The jailer and his family were immediately baptized and the jailer displayed genuine repentance in caring for the wounds of Paul and Silas. He fed them (broke bread with them) showing his appreciation for what God had done for him. A believer just doesn’t sit around, they move into action helping those in need around them and God helps us when we help others. As a result, the jailer and his family rejoiced for being saved.
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