Sermon Title: Overcoming Independent Behavior
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
“I’m the boss.” This is an attitude that many will display in their lives as they relate to others. What is important to these individuals is that they get their way and that relationships benefit primarily themselves. For others, because they have experienced material success, they feel as if they don’t need anyone to help them. They believe that they “pulled themselves up” through their own power, so they certainly don’t need to be dependent upon anyone else.
The truth is humans lack control of so many circumstances in life. No one can totally control when and how disease will impact one’s life. Many a person who is seemingly healthy today may be in the hospital tomorrow. A simple drive to the grocery store one afternoon may alter a person’s life if he or she experiences a serious automobile accident on the way there. Millions of people in the past have gone to sleep thinking they were wealthy but woke up the next morning to learn that their financial advisor embelizzed their savings. Humans don’t control all their affairs or circumstances; ultimately events will happen in every life that will be unexpected, unavoidable and very much unwelcome.
The passage above demonstrates this. At one moment the jailer is in charge. He was respected and controlled the lives of those who were in the jail. Later, we find that he is not even in charge of his own fate. At this point, he becomes dependent on Paul and Silas, mere prisoners, and ultimately, God. His perspective changed because his circumstances changed. However, the truth never changed – the jailer never really was in charge of his life, before or after the earthquake – God was always the final authority.
This coming Sunday we will talk about how we can overcome our natural tendencies to display independent behavior and by doing so, become more dependent on God in our lives as we conclude the sermon series, “Love Busters.” Hope to see you then!
