The Worst That Could Happen

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Acts 16:16-40

16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” 22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. 35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” 37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” 38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town. (Acts 16:16-40 NLT)

This section of Acts is one of the most dynamic, action-packed stories in the New Testament! It moves from spiritual warfare and public beatings to a midnight earthquake, a near-suicide turned salvation, and a midnight feast in a jailer’s home. Because I don’t want us to miss the importance of every action and event, I’m breaking one of my GraceNotes rules today! I’m giving you two pages to read instead of just one because I want you to read the entire story before we look at its application to our own lives. I want us to be aware of three realities of life this story shows so clearly: 1) How quickly things can change. 2) There are times when there is absolutely nothing we can do about our circumstances but trust God. 3) There is something we can do while were waiting for God to do what only God can do. Here are three devotional thoughts for us from this story:

  1. Doing the Right Thing Doesn’t Protect You from Hardship (vv. 16–24). Paul and Silas freed a slave girl from a demon that was exploiting her. Their reward? They were dragged into the marketplace stripped of their clothes, beaten severely with wooden rods, and locked into the deepest, darkest dungeon with their feet clamped in stocks. Obedience to God does not guarantee a trouble-free life. Sometimes doing the right, compassionate thing costs us financially, socially, or physically. When doing good leads to suffering, it isn’t a sign that God abandoned you—it often puts you right where his light is needed most.
  2. Praise is a Powerful Act of Faith, Not Merely a Reaction to Good Circumstances (v. 25). At midnight, in excruciating pain, with bloody backs and shackled feet, Paul and Silas didn’t nurse their wounds or curse their enemies. They prayed and sang hymns to God. The other prisoners weren’t just sleeping; the text specifically notes they were listening. Worship is easy when life is good, but worship in the middle of a “midnight dungeon” shows the world that our hope isn’t tied to our comfort. Our response in painful circumstances—praising God when life hurts—is often the greatest testimony we can give to those around us.
  3. Grace Received Becomes Grace for Others (vv. 26–34) When a massive earthquake shattered the prison and opened the doors, the jailer drew his sword to end his life, knowing the Romans would execute him if the prisoners escaped. Instead of running to freedom, Paul shouted, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” They cared more about saving their captor’s life than escaping their prison. Radical grace is shocking! The jailer went from holding a sword to asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” By the end of the night, he was washing their wounds, and they were sharing a meal in his home. Think of people you might consider your adversaries. How might choosing mercy over judgment change their lives?

Prayer:

Father, Thanks for this story of Paul’s and Silas’s response to a very bad thing. When I feel helpless, help me not to feel hopeless! I do trust you! I thank and praise you for who you are, and what you’ve done, and what you will yet do! May I respond, not react to the challenges that come my way. And may I share your grace with others! Amen!