Gospel Wednesday: Acts Chapter 16: The Keeper of the Prison

Acts Chapter 16

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard 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 every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Acts 16:1‭-‬40 KJV
http://bible.com/1/act.16.1-40.KJV

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Acts 16:33‭-‬34 KJV
http://bible.com/1/act.16.33-34.KJV



The keeper of the prison and his household were all saved. Paul and Silas were put in prison for preaching Jesus. About midnight, an earthquake came about and all the prison doors were opened.
The jailer thought the prisoners had escaped. He would have killed himself, but Paul reassured him and preached the Gospel to Him.
He and his household believed and were baptized. The jailer then rejoiced having believed in God.

You can rejoice too if you'll obey the Gospel today.


1 HEAR


14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?


17 So faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Romans 10:14;17 ESV


2 BELIEVE


24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in

your sins.

John 8:24 ESV


3 REPENT


The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent

Acts 17:30 ESV



4 CONFESS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD



9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10 ESV




5 BE BAPTIZED


38 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.”

Acts 2:38 ESV



16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

Acts 22:16 ESV


6 REMAIN FAITHFUL


10 Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 Revelation 2:10 ESV



11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Revelation 3:11 ESV


Read the Bible for yourself. You'll see that these, indeed, are the steps to salvation.


Consider these sobering words in the Bible:


“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21-23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/mat.7.21-23.kjv


“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:7-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/2th.1.7-9.kjv


Please, dear readers, obey the Gospel before it's everlasting too late.


For more information on obeying the Gospel, call your local church of Christ, the one true church.



What Must I Do To Be Saved?


Why Be Baptized?


1. It's a command


“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:38‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/act.2.38.kjv


“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:48‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/act.10.48.kjv


2. Imitates the example of Christ


“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/1pe.2.21.kjv


“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:4-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/mrk.1.4-11.kjv


“And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:15-22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/luk.3.15-22.kjv


“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:1-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/mat.3.1-17.kjv


Jesus was baptized though He never sinned. Seeing as He submitted to baptism we should as well.


3. Puts one in Christ


“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/eph.1.3.kjv


“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:26-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/gal.3.26-27.kjv


“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:3-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/rom.6.3-4.kjv


4. Allows one entrance into the one true church, church of Christ


“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/1co.12.13.kjv


5 Baptism saves


Jesus' blood saves. But baptism is when we are saved. Through the act of baptism, one comes into contact with Christ's saving blood.


“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/1pe.3.21.kjv


“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭22:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

http://bible.com/1/act.22.16.kjv


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