Luke the beloved physician shared how Paul and Silas were beaten for delivering a “damsel” from an “evil spirit” that caused her to divine for her “masters” who were now without their profits. Afterward Paul and Silas were cast “into the inner prison” and the jailer “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 yourself 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 in chapter sixteen and verse thirty of the book of Acts Luke shared how the prison keeper asked, “what must I do to be saved?” where we read:
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
The verse begins, “And brought them out, and said,, ...” Luke began with the words, “and brought them out” which means “and carried and lead Paul and Silas out of the inner prison”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked” the following question. Luke shared how the “jailer” lead “Paul and Silas” out of the interior part of the prison and questioned them with the following words.
The verse goes on to say “... Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Luke continued with the word, “Sirs” or “honorable and respected ones”, “what must I do” which means “what is it that I, the jailer, am to make ready, produce or perform” “to be saved” or “to be preserved from danger of destruction and be rescued”? Luke shared how the “jailer” asked “Paul and Silas” what He needed to perform or produced so that he might be eternally preserved from danger and destruction.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “jailer” was tremendously affected by the worship of Paul and Silas, the earthquake and the words of “Paul” who kept him from killing himself. The “jailer” lead “Paul and Silas” out of the inner prison after bowing before them and questioned them as to how he might be “saved”. God desires to “save” every person through a relationship with His Son Jesus, and this “gospel” message was given to “Paul and Silas” to share. The “jailer” not only heard their witness, but also saw it by the reaction to their adversity. Those who are wise will carefully examine the actions and attitude of this “prison keeper” and realize God is willing to “save” all who humble themselves before Him and receive His Son Jesus as “Savior and Lord”.
Next time Luke shares how Paul and Silas tell the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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