Image Is Everything (Paul & Silas Part 2)
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Martin Luther kings Ten Commandments for non violence
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who had been influenced not only by his readings of the work of German theologian Reinhold Niebuhr but also Mahatma M. Gandhi, required his adherents to take the following pledge against violence:
Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
Remember always that the non-violent movement seeks justice and reconciliation - not victory.
Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.
Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.
Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.
Sunday Recap -
My Midday Vs. My Midnight
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
A great earthquake
Shook the foundations of the prison
Immediately all the doors were opened
Everyones bonds were unfastened
This supernatural deliverance reminds the reader of the parallel experiences of Peter
they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
The supernatural is real!
When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
“When the jailer woke”
He was sleep while they were praying and singing.....
When he woke up he saw that the prison doors were open
He thought that the prisoners had escaped
He drew his sword and was about to kill himself
He was shook....
God has a way to get our attention....
But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
This question was filled with significance.
He must have understood what he was asking.
Undoubtedly he had heard the story of the slave girl and how she had announced these men to be servants of God with the message of salvation
I want to contrast Acts 2 vs. Acts 16
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
It was not the tongues that cut to the heart…
It was peters sermon about the Jesus whom they crucified
“Brothers, what shall we do?
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Repent: to reconsider (repent) v. — to have a change of self (heart and mind) that abandons former dispositions and results in a new self, new behavior, and regret over former behavior and dispositions.
For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
“So those who received his word” - Everyone didn’t receive it!
Acts 16 - The Jailer asked - What must I do to be saved? (Personal)
It’s interesting to note that it wasn’t recored that any other prisoner wanted to be saved!
Feeling free doesn’t mean that your are saved!
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Believe!
And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
The only way you can believe is by hearing the word of God
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
Lexham Survey of Theology Baptism
two sacraments ordained by Christ to be practiced in the church until he returns.
Communion
Baptism
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Baptism is an open declaration of an inside transformation!
Baptism means nothing if a person doesn’t believe in the work of Christ!
Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Rejoiced!
But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”
But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
Wait a minute!!!
Image is Everything!
Being a citizen of Rome Paul was able to use his rights and privileges to his advantage when dealing with the Roman authorities.
Paul was born a Roman Citizen… (He was a Jew)
The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
Just because I am the Image of Christ doesn’t mean I can be mis-treated!
I have rights
I know protocol
I understand the system
I can speak up!
I don’t deserve to be mistreated
I don’t deserve to be spoken to that way!
I can speak up
I can use my voice
but I don’t have to be ugly doing it.......
Image is Everything
“So they came and apologized to them”