Thursday, January 16, 2020
After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. Acts 16:23-26 CSB
What Are You Saying With Your Life?
This past Sunday Pastor Jim preached on our first core value, Christ-centered worship. Worship is not an event we attend weekly. Worship is how we live our whole lives as followers of Jesus – in all we say and do in every circumstance. Paul definitely lived his whole life in worship to God. He also experienced a lot of suffering as a result of his fervent faith and obedience to spread the gospel. How we handle suffering as followers of Jesus is so important because the world is watching. Paul and Silas were in jail but still worshipping Christ with their whole lives. Then they began to praise God in song and something amazing happened.
As Paul and Silas began to sing, an earthquake brought the prison walls down. The one thing about this story that we should remember, is not the earthquake, or the prison walls crashing down. It was the fact that Paul and Silas were singing - praising God despite what was happening to them. Living their lives in Christ-centered worship had brought suffering but it was worth it to them. They had been beaten. They were in jail and had no idea what would happen to them. Would they ever see family again? Would they be killed? Would they die in prison? Would they even be fed? What would have been going through your head? If we were honest, we would probably not be thinking of singing and instead would be feeling some self-pity, fear, and despair. But they lived in suffering and hardship the same way they lived the rest of their lives – in Christ-centered worship. They sang praises in jail because they knew they served a great God who was in control and always worthy of praise - even in suffering. They were living proof of the greatness of God and that event brought people to Jesus as they witnessed
The thing about Paul and Silas that caught the attention of the other prisoners was that they were singing even though they were beaten, in prison, and did not know what tomorrow would bring. Their lives were a testimony of Jesus Christ and their faith in him. They believed that no matter what happened, or how they were suffering, that he was in control, and they worshiped through it all in words, actions, and song.
When we suffer, others will watch to see how we handle it. How we handle suffering will have the greatest impact on those around us. They will be watching how we handle everything, but it is matters of the heart that speak the loudest. Suffering catches people’s attention because we silently wonder how we would handle the same situation.
Jesus suffered for you and me as he was beaten, mistreated, and nailed to a cross so that we could have eternal life. Suffering brings sanctification and holiness. It is a refiner in our lives, burning up every single trivial thing and leaving us to focus on the most important things. The freedom he gave us through his suffering gives us the honor and privilege to live a life of Christ-centered worship given back to him.
Maybe you are in a season of suffering. Maybe it has been a very long season, and you are ready to give up, feeling completely hopeless. Many days the last thing you want to do is worship because you are weary, empty, and numb. God sees you, just as He saw Paul and Silas. Others around you are watching too, and your life is a witness of your faith in Jesus Christ, just like Paul and Silas. What are you saying with your life? Will those around you see that your life magnifies of the glory of God and His magnificent power in us to overcome all things? Don’t let your feelings of weariness and hopelessness drown out your praise for an all-powerful God. Don’t let your trials keep you from living a Christ-centered worshipful life.
Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13 CSB
