Christian Sermons | Acts 16 | Jailhouse Rock | Sunday Service

The story of Paul and Silas being thrown into jail and their response to their circumstances.

The importance of praising God even in difficult times.

The supernatural occurrence of the earthquake that opened the prison doors.

The keeper of the prison's response to the open doors.

Today, I'm talking about jailhouse rock. Okay. And I'm not talking about the Elvis Presley song. Probably that's what everybody thinks when they think of jailhouse rock. They think of Elvis Presley. I'm a favorite of that great movie of his, you know, House Rock maybe or something. But I'm not talking about that today. I'm talking about the blessing of being set free. I'm talking about the blessing about being anointed by God, by being given a second chance, if you will, by God. That's what I'm talking about today. Two great men of God, Paul and Silas. preaching, teaching, blessing people through the power of God. But something went wrong. They were caught and thrown into jail. Because it was not legal. It was against the law. it was considered bad to talk about Jesus, to talk about Jehovah God. And we say, well, that can't be. And that actually, it is right now. All around this world, countries, people are being persecuted. They're being told, you cannot talk about Jesus. You cannot talk about God. because if you do, we will throw you in prison. It's happening. I pray it never happens in America, but you never know. Paul and Silas were thrown into jail. Now, let's be honest here. If we got thrown into jail, most of us would be sitting there bemoaning our lives, sitting there going, oh, what was me? Look at how horrible I have it. you know, all this. But let's start at verse 25 of Acts 16 and it says this, And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. Well, I tell you, that's the way to be if you're in prison. Let's go a step further here. When we're going through bad things in our life, and we all do, it can feel like a prison. pain, mental anguish, spiritual problems, physical problems, financial problems, whatever the case may be, they can feel like a prison to us sometimes. We feel like we're bound up. Paul and Silas were physically bound to a wall. And let's be honest, these cells, this jail was not like what we know of now. Okay? You look at jail now, and I look at it sometimes, and I think sometimes these, I'm not saying they do, but I mean, you look at them, they got made almost to a degree. They got internet, they got television, they can study online, they can do all that, they can get their degrees, they can work out, they can do, prisoners pretty much got made. You know how Paul and Silas were? What they were doing? They were chained to a wall With roaches and bugs and snakes and rats running all around them That's where they were Now that was prison But where is Paul and Silas at this time? They're not in the jail cell here They're in praise to God Now that's a blessing they're not letting their circumstances dictate what their life is going to be like they're saying hey even though we are going through difficult trials even though this is going on we will praise the Lord wow no matter how I feel I'm not going to let my feelings dictate how I live think about the idea here Sometimes that's what we do. We let our feelings dictate how we praise the Lord. If we don't feel good, what do we do? Praise the Lord. Oh Lord, I don't feel like it today. Don't feel like it today. Well, maybe Jesus didn't feel like going to the cross. But He did. You know? Maybe God didn't feel like sending His only begotten Son, but He did. You ever think about that? That's the idea. It's not about what we live and how our circumstances are. It's about our connection with God. And our connection with God does not eliminate when we are in pain. I don't know about anybody else But I will say this When I'm in pain That's when I reach out more to God That's when I'm reaching out more to Him Lord, you know I need you I need you today Lord I'm in trouble boy My back's killing me My hips are hurting My knees are aching My shoulder hurts My head hurts My eyes are burning My nose is rotting You know, whatever. You know, I don't feel good. Lord, help me today. Right? That's the idea. And that's what Paul and Silas were doing. They were not letting the circumstances, what they were going through, say, you know what? Oh, today we just don't feel like praising the Lord. They were literally praising God for the blessing of being alive. even though they were sitting chained up to a jail cell with bugs and rats and snakes all around them. Why? And we can't praise the Lord because we got a little ache or we got a little pain or we got something. Why? Kind of makes us almost look kind of bad, doesn't it? I'm talking about me too. It does. It makes us look kind of bad when you think about it. They're here praising God in the midnight hour, in the darkest of the darkest of times. And what happens? The prisoners heard them. I wonder what their first response was as they're sitting there singing, Hallelujah. You know singing praise Were the prisoners around them going Sarah we trying to sleep in here You know sing and praise Were the prisoners around them going shut up We trying to leap in here You know Or did they just go wow maybe they well they can have a joyous heart maybe we can too Or did it start immediately? Or did it start out with a shut up and then go forward? We don't know. But we do know they heard them Praise the Lord So they weren't quiet about it They were not quiet about their praise They were letting the whole place know about it Hallelujah Sometimes that's what we need to do as Christians We need to stop being so silent About our love for God We need to start saying God I love you God I serve you And I'm thankful I can I praise you for all the good things you have done When is the last time we have said praise the Lord in his house? When is the last time you felt so crushed by God that you said amen? When was the last time you got up and waved your hand to God and said, God, I just want to thank you for all the blessings that you have done for me because you're truly worthy? When was the last time? Think about it. and it kind of makes us ashamed sometimes when we think about it well Lord maybe it's been three months maybe it's been six months maybe it's been a year maybe it's been ten years maybe it's been twenty years Lord help us they're praising the Lord in the jail cell and they're not silent about it They're not ashamed about it. Because the idea is simply true. The Bible itself says, if you're ashamed of him, he will be ashamed of you. That's what the Bible says. We can't be ashamed of our love for God. Something supernatural takes place in verse 26. Hallelujah. It says, and suddenly, there was no warning about it. We didn't know what was coming, but all of a sudden it happened. There was a great earthquake. And I want you to understand something. This great earthquake was not a physical thing. This was a God thing. This was a supernatural thing. And I'm going to show you why. I say it was a supernatural thing here as we look forward. It says that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Now that could be considered normal for earthquakes. Foundation will shake. But immediately the doors were opened. I want you to think about the idea there. It doesn't say the doors fell off. now if the doors fell off then it would have said the doors fell off it didn't say that it said the doors were opened earthwakes are not going to open a door it will make the door hinges maybe come loose and they'll fall off but it ain't going to unlock the door and open them up it's not going to do that and look at this and every man's bands were loose. Bands were loose. The handcuffs that were on their arms opened up. That don't happen with an earthquake. That don't happen with an earthquake. People, an earthquake's not going to break handcuffs. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. This is supernatural occurring. and the keeper of the prison awaked out of his sleeve seeing the prison doors open and he drew out a sword and was going to kill himself supposing that the prisoners had been fled or they left and they could have everybody could have left and I want you to understand something today with this situation right here many of us are in this exact same situation as this jailer. We look at our circumstances and we go, woe is me. And we get depressed and we get defeated and we get so discouraged and we sit there and we almost feel like drawing out our sword and saying, what is the use? I've been there. I know what it is to be in a situation mentally where you feel like drawing out your sword and saying, what is the use? I know what that is. I've been there. I have gone through it, and I've gone through it many times in my life before I got to know the Lord for the second time. This jailer was about to take God's precious gift of life because he felt the circumstances were too grave. We go through things physically, mentally, spiritually, financially, and we sometimes go, wow, this is heavy. This is really bad. I can't handle this. And in our mind, we want to draw out our sword. But we cannot let circumstances destroy us. Why? Why do we not let the circumstances destroy us? because if we do, we take the blessing that could be given to us away from God. God wants to bless us. God wants to anoint you. God wants to open the windows of heaven and pour down a blessing upon you. God wants to do for you what you can't do for yourself, but you can't get the blessing if you give up. You can't get the blessing if you quit. You can't get the blessing if you draw out your sword. You've got to keep pressing forward. You've got to keep going with God. You've got to keep walking with God. You can't give up. You can't quit. You can't turn back. I've come too far to turn back now, as the psalm said. Amen. And that's the point. I've come too far to turn back now. I've come a long way from where I was when I was the depressed person that I was many, many years. ago. I've come too far. See, so many people are just amazed about and I don't even give all praise to God for that, but so many people are so amazed when I tell them my story. Because they look at me now and they say, wow, he's so joyous. He laughs all the time. My mom will testify to the fact that I most of my life I very joyous I laughing I have a very upbeat attitude most of the time Take a time travel back a few years, quite a few years actually now, but take a time travel back and look at me back in the day and see me when I wasn't in church trying to put on the gray face, you would have seen someone that was not a happy person at all. I was depressed. I was so depressed that I, like I've told many people, I just can't believe it, that I was so depressed I contemplated suicide so many times thinking of how I could take my own life to be done with it. And people just can't imagine that. How can someone that has the joy like you have, have ever dreamed of doing that? What changed you? God. That's what changed me. That's what changed me. I was so depressed at one point in my life, and I told this story, but it's true. I was so depressed at one point in my life. I was in my music studio in my basement. And I was, my parents had left. And I was in the house by myself. And I was trying to think of a way to end this all in a way that it wouldn't be so horrible for my parents to see. And I sat there and I thought, well, maybe I can do this. Well, maybe this would be better. Well, this, this. And I finally realized, this is not right. And I got down on my face. I want you to understand. I'm kidding. I put my face on the ground in my studio, my music studio. And I lay there and I begin to bawl like a child. And I said, God, I can't do this anymore. I am torn up inside. I am dying inside. This is killing me and I can't live this way anymore. If you can help me, then you help me. Otherwise, I'm going to have to quit and I'm done. You know what happened? Chains broke. Because it was an earnestness of my heart. God saw tears. He came in and broke chains. I'm not going to say I was immediately better. I'm not going to say that. the joy of the Lord that has become my strength has been a long drawn out process but it all started with that time of me putting my face on the floor and bawling like a child God help me I can't do this anymore chains broke the idea here is sometimes we're like the jailer we let our circumstances destroy us don't let your circumstances destroy you you can have physical ailments financial problems, spiritual problems all these things but don't let them destroy you don't let Satan get the victory cast him out in the name of Jesus say with God I am victorious and walk with him. Don't let Satan win. Because he will if he can. Someone once said, and it's so true, give Satan an inch and he'll become the ruler. And think about the idea of what I'm saying. It's a double meaning. Give him an inch, he'll become a ruler, the ruler. Give him an inch in your life, will become the ruler of your life. This jailer was going to kill himself until he heard this. Listen to what happens as we go to verse 28. It says, And Paul cried with a loud voice and saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. I want you to understand that. He said, We are all here. That means everybody in the house didn't leave. There was not one prisoner that left that place. Kind of seems kind of strange, doesn't it? Because let me tell you something. If it was me and I was one of those prisoners, I probably wouldn't have broken. Bands were broken. I probably would have fled. I'd have probably left. But they didn't leave. They stayed there because they felt the very presence of God and they didn't want to leave where God was. because you can really tell when God is in the place. You really can. You can tell when God's in the place. I love what it says. And he called for a light. The jailer called for a light. He sprang in. He came in trembling. Trembling. He was literally trembling at the presence of God that he was feeling in that place. Hallelujah. And he fell down before Paul and Silas And he brought them out And he said, sirs, what must I do to be saved? He knew he had to have what was going on in that place Hallelujah I love it I love it They didn't have to preach a message to him They fell They knew that God was in that place He knew that God was in that place And he needed He needed to have what they had Hallelujah And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ And now shall we say It's a simple process People make salvation so difficult It's not that difficult What do you have to do to be saved? Believe That's it Say I believe in Jesus God and the cross for my sins And Father I thank you for his gift of salvation. Forgive me. There it is. That's it. It's not that difficult. We make it this big, long, drawn-out process. It's not that difficult. And I love what he says to him. He says, in your house, note that, your whole family will get saved too. And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house. And he took dead the same night, the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized in all his straightway. And when they had brought them into the house, he sent meat before them and rejoiced believing in God with all his house I want you to understand something The praise meeting went from the jail cell to the jailer's house. It didn't stop at the jail and move to the jailer's house. We don't have to praise God right here only. We can praise the Lord anywhere. Hallelujah. We can praise the Lord when we're in the car. You ever thought about that? Yes, sir. You can turn on some gospel music and just praise the Lord all the way driving down the wall. No, you can do it. Nothing wrong with that. You can praise the Lord in your own house. You can have a praise meeting in your own house. I've done that many times. See, the jailhouse rocked that day, that night, if you will. And people were saved. People were changed. I say this one more time. When was the last time you praised the Lord? I mean, let go and let God have His way. When's the last time? You know? Maybe you're going through something today. Maybe there's something physical in your heart, in your life, in your body that's bothering you. And you go, I need help. The jailhouse can rock for you today and set you free. Maybe there's something spiritual that's going on in your life. Maybe it's something mental or physical or spiritual, financial, whatever the case may be, that's keeping you and keeping you drugged down. And you're going, I don't know if I can make it. The jailhouse can rock to death and set you free. But you've got to take that first step. And you've got to say, Lord, I need help. let's bow our heads before the Lord this morning let's bow our heads and I don't want anybody looking around I want you to just focus on God for a moment and as you focus on God this morning I want you to think about your own heart and your own life this morning I want you to say Father God I have a need if there's something in your life that is keeping you and just dragging you down a little bit this morning I want you to be honest to God today. I want you to take that first step today. How do you take the first step? It's not a very difficult thing. All I want you to do this morning is raise your hand to God. That is your way of saying, God, I need help. Is there something that's keeping you? Say, God, help me. Raise up your hand this morning. Hand going up, hand going up, hand going up. Awesome. Awesome. All over the house. That's beautiful. people saying, Lord, I need help this morning. There's nothing wrong with saying I need help. Nothing wrong with that. We all need help. We all need something. It all is, that's what we're here for. Father God, help us today. Help me today. Father God, maybe you're watching this video this morning, this afternoon or this evening, whatever time you're watching it and you're saying, you know what, I need help. Raise your hand. Father God, you saw these hands going up today. Father God, I don't need to know what their problem is. I don't need to know what the difficulty is. I don't know if it's financial or spiritual or mental or physical. Whatever the case may be, I don't know what it is, God, and I don't need to know what it is. You knew that need before they even raised up the hand. But Father God, I ask them to do it so that they can take that first step. Father God, right now in Jesus' name, I pray that you will touch those ones that raised up the hand. Father God, touch them right now in Jesus' name. Father God, heal them right now in Jesus' name. Father God, begin to break the chains that are binding us. Set us free, Father God. That we can let go and let God have His way. That we can let go and be what You want us to be. That we will be able to be set free and be made whole in Jesus' name. I beg it right now in Jesus' name. Father God, I ask You to touch us, heal us, and make us what we need to be, Father God. that we will let go and let God have his way, that we will be able to see the blessing of God, that we will be able to be like the jailer that came out from the jail cell and was free, that we can be like set free, brand new, and made whole in Jesus' name. Father God, I pray for everyone that raised up their hand. Father God, help them today. Father God, break the chains today and help them to be set free. Father God, I thank you for it right now in Jesus' name. Father God, I love you today. I thank you for each and every one that came out today. I thank you for everyone that watched this video today, Father God. I pray, Father God, that you will help these ones. Father God, as the chains have been broken, Father, may they celebrate. May they praise you as they get in their cars, as they go home, as they do what they've got to do. Father God, I pray that they will praise you for breaking those chains. Father, I just want to thank you today. I want to thank you today. I want to praise you today. I want to praise you for all the victories we've seen. I want to praise you for all the amazing things you've done. And now, Father God, as we dismiss, Father God, we ask that you will not dismiss us. But, Father, I pray that you will go with us. Father God, that you will keep us safe. and then Father you'll bring us back in your house next time that we might be able to worship you we might be able to celebrate you and that we might be able to thank you for all the good things that you've done Father God be with us keep us safe for all that you are for all that you do we praise you and thank you in Jesus name Amen Thank you. you

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