But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

Acts 16:28

For Meditation

The marvel of authentic Christian living is this. People believe in Christ because of the integrity of His disciples. I call it “the word on wheels.” So, come with me to the jailhouse of Philippi, at the midnight hour.

Two men, surrounded by convicted criminals, rejoiced in their Lord. They filled the midnight air with joyful praises to their King (Acts 16:25). They shouldn’t have been there, but for their kind act of delivering a poor slave girl from demonic affliction. Yet, they rejoiced and worshipped anyway.

The earth rocked, and the foundation of the jailhouse swayed, and everything in it rattled. Doors flew open, and chains fell off the feet of the prisoners. They were free to go. Call it divine release, yet they remained.

Like a calm after the storm and no melody in the air anymore, the jailer was sure of one thing: The prison is empty. He was as good as dead, so why not end it by himself?

“Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

The voice of Paul shook the jailer even more than the earthquake. With lantern in hand, and his entire body quaking, he fell at the feet of Paul and Silas.

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The lesson here is this. Paul’s action after the earthquake preached the Gospel better than any words could have. Why did they not run away after the earthquake? And how about the other prisoners? What had they seen from the life of Paul and Silas?

Will your action cause somebody to come trembling to ask you for the way of salvation? Does your life convict people of their lostness and their need for Jesus?

Shalom