Feb 08, 2015
Acts 16:31-40


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http://zachadams.org/acts/acts16_35-40.mp3

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Outline:


Scripture presents three motivating factors behind human suffering… 




  1. Suffering manifests as a result of God's judgment on all sin… Expulsion from Eden.



  2. Suffering manifests as punishment for individual sin… David's adultery.


  3. Suffering manifest independent of our involvement… The anguish of Job.


And while the first two manifestations of suffering are simple cause and effect making their plight understandable at least on an intellectual plain, it is this third manifestation of suffering we typically struggle and grapple with because it appears random and often unfair.


Such was the case for Paul and Silas in Philippi… As we saw two weeks ago for the high crime of faithfulness to God and a love for people Luke records that (Acts 16:22-24) “the multitude rose up together against them, the magistrates tore off their clothes,” they’re “beaten with rods,” before being “thrown into prison” with “their feet fastened in the stocks.”


Then during the “midnight hour” as a bloodied Paul and Silas are “praying and singing hymns to God” without warning a violent “earthquake” so shook the prison that not only were “all the doors opened” but “everyone’s chains were loosed.” What happens next is unexpected…


While most of us would have seen this supernatural event as God’s deliverance (His way of escape from suffering), this is not how Paul viewed things. Because Paul resisted the natural urge to see his suffering as random and instead trusted that everything he’d just experienced had been part of God’s plan, he and Silas willingly chose to remain in their cell.


Though many of us may consider this decision ludicrous, we should point out that three incredible things happen as a result (three things that will help you endure suffering): 



Acts 16:27-34, “And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.”



1. Suffering afforded Paul and Silas a greater opportunity for ministry.


Don’t forget why Paul and Silas were in Philippi… Acts 16:9 tells us Paul received a vision of a “man from Macedonia.” Which becomes all the more interesting as according to Luke’s record of their experiences thus far we have no mention of Paul ministering to any men. 


I’m personally convinced that, following this earthquake, as Paul surveyed the scene unfolding before him (one which included this Philippian Jailer “drawing his sword to kill himself”) he was able to see the greater purpose behind his imprisonment. 


The “man from Macedonia” they had been sent to help was in actuality this Philippian Jailer! Aside from the fact he’s the first recorded man they minister to in Philippi, it seems clear from his immediate reaction to Paul’s appeal that he “do himself no harm” that something deeper was already at work in his heart… He replies to this appeal, “What must I do to be saved?”


Don’t miss the implications for if the mission to Philippi had been to reach this Jailer all along, the events of the last twelve hours take on a whole new level of purpose. 


Paul and Silas were arrested, falsely accused, and thrown into jail because God wanted to place them in close proximity to the target… Then God allowed their suffering to afford them a powerful way demonstrate to the target the supernatural power of God… Which then becomes all the more significant as God finally uses this earthquake to create a desperate moment in this Jailer’s life perfect for the Gospel message!


Don’t miss this… The suffering, that on the surface appeared random and unfair, in actuality provided Paul and Silas the perfect opportunity and platform for ministry! The local yielded by suffering and the Godly witness of Paul and Silas while suffering made them the perfect men to reach this Jailer in the moment of his suffering.


Isn’t it true the best comforters are those who have been comforted? Doesn’t the bridge between empathy and compassion fundamentally require a measure of personal experience? In a practical sense doesn’t a person gain a certain level of credibility when they’re seeking to help you through a trial they’ve already had to endure themselves? No man in the muck solicits advice from the man perched in the ivory tower!


Because this is such a practical truth we can trust that our present suffering (even if it seems random and unfair) does possess a future value and a redeeming purpose. Suffering provides me a greater capacity to minister to sufferers! 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”


Though I can concede this point (while important) does little to alleviate ones present discomfort, never underestimate the profound significance the ability to find meaning in the moment of pain can have on ones ability to endure through pain.


During the 19th and 20th centuries, as European societies grew more secular, key thinkers sought to define the driving force of human nature apart from the divine.



Interestingly enough, these three theories were put to the test in the most brutal of ways during WW2 when millions of Jews were forced into the barbaric conditions of the Nazi concentration camps. As one might expect when removed from the halls of academia and placed into the test tube of human suffering the “will to pleasure” and the “will to power” proved to be an inadequate motivator for human survival.


In his 1946 book “Man’s Search for Meaning” neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl weighed in on the matter by chronicling his experiences as a prisoner at Auschwitz. During his four years incarcerated Frankl discovered the only thing that aids a human being to endure human suffering was the quest to find meaning in every experience. 


Based upon Kierkegaard’s “will to meaning” thesis, Logotherapy (what came from his experiences) states that “meaning is the most powerful motivating force within humanity.”


Frankl observed that it was “the way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, that gives him ample opportunity - even under the most difficult circumstances - to add a deeper meaning to his life.”


In contrast, he also noted that the greatest killer within the concentration camps was the singular acceptance that one’s life no longer had any meaning. He observed time and again that when a person lost a purpose in their suffering they also lost the will to live. He wrote, “The prisoner who had lost his faith in the future - his future was doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline and became subject to mental and physical decay. Usually this happened quite suddenly, in the form of a crisis, the symptoms of which were familiar to the experienced camp inmate. We all feared this moment - not for ourselves, which would have been pointless, but for our friends. Usually it began with the prisoners refusing one morning to get dressed and wash or to go out on the parade grounds. No entreaties, no blows, no threats had any effect. He just lay there, hardly moving. If this crisis was brought about by an illness, he refused to be taken to the sickbay or to do anything to help himself. He simply gave up.”


Though your suffering may appear random, the key to endurance is to realize like Paul and Silas that it isn’t! This notion is simply a lie from hell for if one believes there is a sovereign God one can trust there is always a purpose behind all the activities He allows. 


In 2010, doctors told Chad Arnold (a 38 year old with a wife and two kids) that he would need a liver transplant in order to survive. Almost immediately his younger brother Ryan volunteered to donate 60% of his liver to Chad in what was to be a fairly routine procedure. The family blog records how the post-op events unfolded…



Just four days after the surgery to save his brother’s life, Ryan Arnold (who had been the model of perfect health before the surgery) died from complications, leaving behind a wife and three young children. Chad, unaware of what had happened, was still in recovery when his father came to break the news. After wiggled his toes to wake him, his father, ever so gently, said, “Chad, Ryan is dead, but we still serve a good God.”


Even while Chad was able to maintain a Godly perspective on the death of his brother, he was still haunted by guilt and struggled with the purpose behind Ryan’s death. The knowledge your life was made possible because of your brother’s death is a weighty thing!


As Chad recounts the experience he said it was not until a visiting co-worker told him that his Godly example had caused him to reassess his own life that he came to the powerful realization that God could use his experience to help others. The tragedy of Ryan's death could be turned into something redemptive! After coming to terms with a new reality Chad would later write in his online journal, “1 John 3:16… “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”


Paul and Silas suffered greatly, but because they hung around to minister to this Philippian Jailer and to see him (along with his family) come into a saving faith I am sure they reached the conclusion the heavenly gains outweighed their personal costs!


Tragically, we live in a culture so consumed by luxury and comfort we’re more inclined to run from difficulty. Most of us when faced with the prospects of discomfort seek the quickest exit or path of least resistance. If you think you’re immune from this tendency, next time a tough situation arises in your life listen to your prayers. 


Now I’m not saying it’s wrong to pray in such a way (even Jesus prayed three times “if it’s Your will may this cup pass from Me”), but when it’s all said and done are you willing to resign yourself to the reality there are instances where suffering is actually God’s will for this season of your life. Can you pray like Jesus… “Not My will, but Your will be done?” 


Imagine if Paul and Silas decided to escape as soon as the moment presented itself? The case can be made they would have tarnished their witness… There is no doubt the Jailer would have killed himself… But most importantly Paul and Silas would have never known God’s purpose behind their suffering. 


And yet, because they chose to stay in their difficult circumstances (and I think it’s safe to assume God had communicated this during their time of prayer)… Their witness was further validated… The Jailer and his household came to know Jesus as their Savior… And Paul and Silas are able to rest in the reality their suffering had a divine purpose! 


Sadly, when many of us jump at the first opportunity to get out from under of our uncomfortable situations we may be robbing ourselves of the very opportunity to see how God planned to use these things to accomplish His purposes.


What we don’t often realize is that while I may enjoy the reprieve from whatever it was that caused me pain, the longterm effects of suffering without ever being able to see the redeeming purpose may prove to be much more detrimental. 


Think of it like this… If you jumped off the treadmill every time you felt a burn, not only would you never increase your stamina but you’d never experience the greater purpose behind the burning sensation. You see choosing to endure through pain and not quit prematurely allows a person to not only experience growth, but come to the all important realization there was always a redeeming value behind the discomfort. No pain! No gain!


Jon Courson (who suffered over the death of his wife and daughter) said, “Faith is developed through struggle. Faith says, ‘I will do what the Lord says even though it might mean a storm is headed my way. Even though there will be difficulties, obstacles, and challenges; even though it may be brutal and difficult; even though I must struggle… I will obey.’”



2. Ministry while suffering enabled healing from suffering.


Did you notice that following his conversion the Jailer does something amazing. Luke tells us he took Paul and Silas home, fed them, and “washed their stripes?” Understand… The choice to remain in the pit and minister to the Philippian Jailer proved to be the very way in which God practically tended to their own physical wounds.


According to a study coauthored by Paul Arnstein, PhD at Massachusetts General Hospital found that when chronic-pain sufferers helped others with the same ailment, they reported feeling less discomfort. On a scale of 0 to 10, after six months of volunteering people’s average pain ratings dropped from a 6 to below a 4.


A study by the Journal of Social Science & Medicine agreed with this thesis discovering that after individuals living with multiple sclerosis offered emotional support to other MS sufferers, they were less prone to the crippling bouts of depression often associated with the disease.


Here’s the point… If you’ve suffered or are presently in the midst of suffering, lending a hand to someone experiencing a similar pain not only gives your suffering meaning and purpose but it practically aids in your healing process! 



3. In the end the process brought glory to Jesus. 


It’s important we keep in mind one sobering reality… As is often the case when it comes to the nature of suffering, the events that unfolded that day could have easily been used by Satan to discourage Paul and Silas or worse yet destroy the life of this Philippian Jailer. 


However, because they held to the promise that “God works all things for the good” (even suffering) not only was everyone involved blessed, but Jesus received glory in the process. Luke tells us the end result of this entire evening was that the Philippian Jailer “rejoiced!” In the Greek this word is “agalliaô” meaning he “rejoiced exceedingly!” 


I have found that when a person comes to the understanding that their suffering has had a redeeming and lasting purpose there tends to be no limit to their capacity for worship!



Acts 16:35-36, “And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.” 


Did you catch that? Even after the events of that night Paul and Silas leave the home of this Philippian Jailer and return to their prison cell. As we’ll see in the next few verses they do this to maintain their innocence and ultimately defend their reputations.



Acts 16:37, “But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” 



Paul’s concern was that while the magistrates had come to recognize they were innocent of the charges that had been levied against them releasing them “secretly…” when they had been accused “openly…” would do nothing to publicly set the record straight. 


The only way to keep his name from being tarnished (which might have affected the effectiveness of this new church) was to demand a public acquittal! This is why Paul decides to play his trump card by letting it slip that he and Silas had been “beaten and thrown into prison” as “uncondemned Romans.” 


While the rights of most were trampled on throughout the Empire, the rights of Roman citizens were no laughing matter. As citizens of Rome, Paul and Silas were guaranteed a trial with the right to appeal the verdict. The way they had been treated by the magistrates would have had major repercussions if Paul decided to push the issue.



Acts 16:38-40, “And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”



After getting what he wanted, and following their release from prison, Paul and Silas return to “the house of Lydia” where he visits with “the brethren” before “departing.” Note: Since we’re told “they departed” it seems likely Paul leaves behind Luke to pastor this new church.


Before we wrap things up we should consider why Paul didn’t play the “Roman Citizen” card earlier - you know like when he was being beaten or placed in the stocks? 


I’m convinced that knowing most of the people he was seeking to reach weren’t Roman citizens and therefore didn’t have the same trump card in hand Paul willingly laid aside his Roman privilege desiring to practically model how to handle persecution! 


One of the things you will come to admire about the Apostle Paul is that he never preached a sermon he wasn’t willing to live himself! Paul rightly understood teaching the people what it looked like to rely on the grace of God when faced with suffering was one thing, but illustrating this life in a very practical way was entirely another.


I hope you realize in the moment of suffering that God has also suffered. Jesus was not immune to pain. He was not given a pass from the full human experience. Jesus willingly laid aside His heavenly citizenship to suffer, not only to make a way for our salvation, but to earn the right to be relied on in the midst of our suffering. Jesus is a credible comforter!


In his book “Walking with God through Pain and Suffering” Timothy Keller wrote, “Christianity teaches that, contrary to fatalism, suffering is overwhelming; contrary to Buddhism, suffering is real; contrary to karma, suffering is often unfair; but contrary to secularism, suffering is meaningful. There is a purpose to it, and if faced rightly, it can drive us like a nail deep into the love of God and into more stability and spiritual power than you can imagine.”


Friend, if the life of Jesus teaches us anything it’s that, while suffering may be an inescapable part of what it means to be human, God can use our suffering in incredible ways! Never forget the empty tomb would not exist if not for a bloody cross!

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