Philippian Jailers Conversation

Announcements

DC - deserts and clean up
Announcement 2

This Month's Topic: Encountering Jesus and the Gospel

Scripture Reference: Acts 16:24-34

Discussion Objective:

Opening

Set the stage: Paul was on his travels and they were in Philippi. They were outside the city gate on a Sabbath day where the women gathered. Lydia (seller of purple goods and therefore wealthy) heard them speak and opened her house to them and was baptized. They were going to the synagogue when a fortune telling slave girl met them and continued to follow them for several days until Paul was annoyed. It was obvious to him that an evil spirit was in her so Paul turned to her and commanded the spirit to come out and it did.
This created quite the stir in the city and the people rose up and demanded that they be punished. The magistrates ordered them beaten and thrown into jail ordering a jailer to keep them safely.
Picture a dark, dank dungeon like area with Paul and his followers locked up with the jailer beside them.

Paul & Silas were "singing hymns" - why do you think they were given the terrible circumstances they were in?

Acts 16:24-26 - ESV

²⁴Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
²⁶and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.

V24-26: We aren't told about the damage to anywhere else, but what do you think the other people and prison guards were thinking? You can imagine that all of the other prisoners were escaping.

I suspect that the guard had lost sight of Paul & Silas since we are told he thought they escaped. Describe what you see in your mind's eye as this scene played out.

Acts 16:27-30 - ESV

²⁷When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
²⁸But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
²⁹And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
³⁰Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

V27-30: It doesn't appear to be much time passage before the jailer ask what must I do to be saved - why do you think that is?

Technically the jailer was still charged with the prisoner oversight since it was at night and he hadn't received any orders - so he took them to his home - what do you think the family's reaction was to them walking in the door?

Acts 16:31-35 - ESV

³¹And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
³²And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
³³And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
³⁴Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
³⁵But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”

V31-35: Outside of the fact that it was God's will, why did the magistrates let them go?

Notes from same book of the bible

File	Chapter	Resource
1_Acts Overview	-	Bible Book Overview
Acension and Be My Witnesses	1	Discussion
Paul, John and the gift of healing	3	Discussion
Everything in Common	4	Discussion
Power of Corporate Prayer	4	Discussion
Ananias and Sapphira	5	Discussion
When we buy the magic trick	8	Teaching
Philip and the Ethiopian	8	Discussion
Annanias and His Response in Risking	9	Discussion
Dorcas Raised to Life	9	Discussion
Peter Preaches to Cornelius and Family	10	Discussion
Angel Break Peter Out of Jail	12	Discussion
Paul Brings Along Timothy	16	Discussion
Lydia Converted	16	Discussion
Paul Before the Areopagus	17	Discussion
Leaders Are Stewards of God's Flock	20	Discussion