Acts 15-16

Be careful!  The whole world is watching.  Did you see in the account before us today that there were some prisoners and a prison official who had Paul and Silas under strict observation? 

Acts 16:25 tells us that about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.  Notice carefully that something highly unusual under the circumstances was taking place while the imprisoned duet continued to sing hymns and praise God.  Prisoners were listening to them.  The word for listening is a strong word.  They were listening attentively, with rapt attention.  This was in the inner prison where condemned prisoners were kept.  There were no windows, and one door, that when closed, allowed no light and limited air.  

Would you expect hardened criminals to be listening intently, or might you expect them to be screaming for Paul and Silas to be quiet and let them sleep?  Wouldn’t it be more reasonable to assume they would be trying to drown out the religious noise with cursing, shouting, and violent threats?  

Why did they listen?  I believe they listened because Paul and Silas were living such unusual lives before them that it demanded attention.  Paul and Silas had been falsely imprisoned.  They were innocent of any crimes.  They had been seized and dragged into the marketplace.  They were attacked by the crowd and beaten with rods.  The Scripture says the magistrates inflicted many blows on them.  The NIV says they were severely flogged.  The magistrates were not limited to 39 blows like the Jews were.  Then they were put into the inner prison and their feet were fastened in the stocks.  Stocks were used for torture, not just security. The legs were forced apart, causing great discomfort and pain.

Not many people would respond to all of that torturous treatment with hymn singing and praising God.  The prisoners were listening intently. What were they expecting - Paul and Silas to curse and complain bitterly? maybe some resentful silence? cynical questioning of God and His fairness? or maybe even something worse? 

The prisoners listened and heard evidence that a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, controlled and empowered by Him, can rise above even the harshest of circumstances, no matter how difficult.  Think about the Voice of the Martyrs and heroes of the faith such as Richard Wurmbrand.  Bad things happen to good people.  And good people continue to bring praise and glory to God under the most severe persecution. 

The whole world is watching.  How do they see us respond to adversity?  How do I respond to even the most minor irritations?  Am I able to count it pure joy when I meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2), because I trust God in everything?   

Paul Thompson