Acts 16:16 - 35
New International Version (NIV)
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
Benjie Kim continues the Ekklesia series last Sunday with his message from Acts 16 and "open doors." What do they mean? When God opens doors in our lives, they should always lead to His glory, alone - not our comfort. When Paul and Silas were freed from prison, they could have just escaped with all the prisoners and let the jailer kill himself. Instead, Paul led the jailer, and eventually his family, to Christ.
The Spirit guided the early church's decisions - and this church was eager to share the good news to everyone, even if it meant death.
Will we pray for a safe life or a life that allows a risk, in the name of Christ, even when our comfort is threatened or even taken away?
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Sermon Rewind 3/18/12 - An Authentic Church
Acts 5:1-11
New International Version (NIV)
Ananias and Sapphira
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
Pastor Peter continued the Ekklesia series, extrapolating from Acts 5:1 – 11. The passage sheds light on the first sin to take place in the growing church. Ananias and his wife Sapphira conspired to withhold money from the church and lied to the Apostles about it, and promptly died when they maintained their innocence. Scenarios similar to this one occur in other parts of the Bible – in each case there is coveting and hiding, followed by death. God is harsh with deception because it is destructive and divisive – the exact opposite of his goal to unite all of us as one. Gossiping, talking behind others’ backs, and not confronting are some of the easiest ways to divide. These actions never fix situations. We need to confront and be authentic to build and fix the church. We should call out gossip and encourage direct communication to solve conflicts. Deception divides. Authenticity unites.
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives
New International Version (NIV)
Ananias and Sapphira
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
Pastor Peter continued the Ekklesia series, extrapolating from Acts 5:1 – 11. The passage sheds light on the first sin to take place in the growing church. Ananias and his wife Sapphira conspired to withhold money from the church and lied to the Apostles about it, and promptly died when they maintained their innocence. Scenarios similar to this one occur in other parts of the Bible – in each case there is coveting and hiding, followed by death. God is harsh with deception because it is destructive and divisive – the exact opposite of his goal to unite all of us as one. Gossiping, talking behind others’ backs, and not confronting are some of the easiest ways to divide. These actions never fix situations. We need to confront and be authentic to build and fix the church. We should call out gossip and encourage direct communication to solve conflicts. Deception divides. Authenticity unites.
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives
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