Text: Acts 16:25-34
Did you notice the saying on the church sign this morning? His light still shines in this dark world. That saying didn’t come from a book. It came from me. This dark world—some might say that’s kind of overstated. But I say: Ask the people of Paris. Ask the people of New York. Ask the people of Nigeria. Ask the police of Petaluma who recovered the bodies of 9 homeless people last year. Visit a prison. An inner city neighborhood. Stand outside an abortion clinic. Listen to people who know nothing in their hearts but this darkness. And we can relate because some of that darkness still lives in us. Yes friends this world is a dark place and no one escapes alive.
In this Word of God we find two Christian men experiencing this world’s darkness. They were locked up in a gloomy, dark Roman jail. And yet in that dark place, they shine a wonderful light.
This is the season of Epiphany. During Epiphany we remember a light, a star, God put in the sky. He put it there not to be admired but to guide the Magi to a far more brilliant light-Jesus Christ the Light of the world. During Epiphany, we remember how that light came to this world and shined in our darkness. We remember how God pointed us to this Light at Jesus’ baptism as his own Son. And now we Christians on whom this light has shone are to be like mirrors. People who reflect his light on those around us The light of God’s forgiveness and the light of hope. A light that still shines in this dark world.
Well it seems to me that these two men locked away in the darkness teach us something important:
What the World Needs to hear from Us Christians
What a day it had been for Paul and Silas. This day they were dragged before the Roman magistrate. Their people falsely accused them and convinced the magistrate of their guilt. He had them stripped, beaten and flogged so their backs were a bloody mess. Then he had them thrown into the Roman jail in Philippi where their feet were chained to a post. What a day it had been for Paul and Silas.
And to think it had all started with a vision God gave Paul. Come to Macedonia and help us. So Paul and Silas made their way to that part of Greece. They went through the towns telling the good news of Jesus. They came to Philippi where they rejoiced at the conversion of a woman named Lydia. Then they rejoiced to come to her home and baptize her family.
But now they found themselves locked away in jail. Their bodies ached. They had no idea what would become of them. Yet what are we told? About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.
Picture that scene. People locked up in jail are usually not the most soft hearted guys or gals. So maybe at first, some of the other prisoners told them to shut up and go to sleep. Well if so, that changed. For we’re now told. The other prisoners were listening to them. The word listening like a doctor might listen to a patient’s heart. They were closely listening to these men who praised God even when they were suffering in the darkness.
It makes me think of a lady named Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie lived in Holland when the Nazis took over their land and began to round up the Jews. Corrie and her sister Betsie did what other Christians did. They helped to hide Jewish families so they would not be murdered.
The Nazis arrested Corrie and her sister and put them in a concentration camp. They suffered greatly with many others. Cruelty, disease, and death were all around them. They lived on the verge of starvation and finally Betsie died just two weeks before their release.
But what did the people around them find in these two Christian ladies. They saw people who did not despair when every human hope was gone. They saw people who clung to Christ and his promises. They saw two women, who found in Jesus reason to praise God in spite of what they were suffering. And like Paul and Silas, those around them, even the guards, could not help but notice.
I pray that none of you ever suffer what these people did or what some Christians do today in places like Nigeria or Syria. Yet the Bible tells us, Through much tribulation, we must enter the kingdom of God. So we cannot expect to live in this fallen world and not suffer. But look what we have for those times. We have the Light of Christ to shine in our darkness. We have God’s precious promises. We have the rock solid assurance that God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble. And in Christ we have the confidence that God will deal with as his forgiven children. So look what we have for those times.
And that brings me back to my point. What the world needs to hear from us Christians. For rarely do we suffer alone. People see. People notice. What do they see? What do they hear from us? When we suffer, let them see us cling to Christ and his promises. Let them see us gather with our fellow Christians. And let them hear us In the darkness, praise the Lord. For people are watching. They are listening like the prisoners in that jail long ago.
But the world needs to hear something more from us Christians. They need to hear what people heard from the Shepherds of Bethlehem. They need what they heard from Simeon and Anna in the temple courts. They need to her what a trembling desperate man heard from Paul and Silas in that Roman jail long ago. When people despair like the suicidal man who came to my office, when people fear what their conscience tells them about their life, when life crowds them into a hopeless corner, what will you say. Let them hear the hope that Christ gives.
You know the story. The Lord sent an earthquake so violent it caused the jail doors to fly open and the chains to come loose from their legs. The jailor wakes up. H e assumes the prisoners have escaped. He drew his sword and he was about to kill himself. For he knew what the Roman higher ups would do to him. He despaired.
Then he heard these words that must have startled him. Don’t harm yourself. We are all here. Think about that. Somehow Paul and Silas got everyone to stay. And here you might think that everything would return to normal. Close the doors and go back to sleep. But no, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. Why? My guess is this. The earthquake, his brush with suicide woke up his sleeping conscience. A conscience that pointed an accusing finger his way and made him afraid. Afraid of the One who shook the foundations of his prison. Afraid of the one he would face at his death. Trembling, he said to these men who he once put in chains, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Paul and Silas told this man what this dying world needs to hear from us Christians. When this jailor despaired, Paul did not say live a better life. Do better things. There is no hope there. The wages of our sin is death. No they pointed this man to the hope we have in what Christ has done. What he did for us all. His life lived for us. His life given for us. His blood which cleanses us from all our guilt. They pointed this frightened man to Jesus. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved-you and your household.
And look here how the Holy Spirit changed his despair into joy. He invited them into his home where Paul and Silas told the jailor and his family about Jesus and what he had done for them. They told them about God’s forgiveness from Jesus’ cross and the hope that is ours in his resurrection. And then they baptized them. Parents and children. Big and small. With the water and the Word of baptism, they brought God’s personal assurance that he has brought to you in your baptism. For what does the Scripture say? Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved.
So here Luke tells us about this man caught up in despair. In that concentration camp, Corrie Ten Boom and her sister were surrounded with despairing, hopeless people. Corrie tells us that one day at long last the news came that she and the others would soon be free to go. I suppose the Nazis were about to abandon the camp before the allied advance.
Corrie tells us that she stood by the gates and thought about the privilege God had given her. To bring the gospel to so many women. She thought about the privilege to see so many believe in Jesus and die with a new found hope.
While she stood there, someone came up and told her about two ladies who had just died. Corrie writes this: Then I looked at this cruel concentration camp…and I said: Thank you, Lord that you brought me here, even if only for these two women, who were saved for eternity because they found their way to you. You used Betsie and me…Lord, if it were only for these two women, it was worth all our suffering, even Betsie’s death.
You see, Corrie knew. Her sister knew. Paul and Silas knew what this world needs to hear from us Christians. And I realize that many people don’t seem to care. Many seem to have it all together. But believe me, there are more things than earthquakes or concentration camps that can make us tremble. Just the realization of what kind of person I have been. That is a fearful thing.
So tell this world what it needs to hear. When you suffer, let them hear you praise the Lord. For we can, even with tears in our eyes. And when people despair in this dark world, when their hearts are troubled, let them hear what Jesus has done for them. Let them hear the hope Jesus gives. Amen.