An Open Door for Witnessing

Acts 16:31 "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and you and your family will be saved."

Most who are acquainted with the Bible are familiar with the context of this Scripture. Paul and Silas were ministering in Philippi. This was a chief city in Macedonia where Paul had been instructed to go by receiving a vision. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Apostle Paul cast out an evil spirit from a girl who told fortunes for a living. As a result he and Silas were cast into jail, bat as they sang praises in the midnight hour a great earthquake was sent which loosed the prisoners. The jailer, thinking that the prisoners had fled and fearing the consequences, determined to kill himself. At just the last moment the Apostle Paul called out "Do yourself no harm, we are all still here!" The jailer brought the missionary team into his home and cleaned up their wounds. The jailer then asked the question, "What must we do to be saved?" 

 Paul's answer is compelling. Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and you will be saved. This has been analyzed Theologically many times. What I want to draw attention to is what opened the door for this powerful witness. Think about it, this Philippian jailer had probably seen religious zealots before. No doubt Paul and Silas looked like any other set of prisoners to him. What opened this door of witness for these gentlemen? It was the measure of love and forgiveness they extended to him. They could have escaped. The doors were opened by what most believe was an act of GOD. They could have left him to deal with the consequences, yet they stayed behind and comforted their tormentor. This reminds me of a story that comes to us from Mozambique. A young man who was the door keeper for a church there was brutally beaten and murdered by four men. The church earnestly prayed for the man who had been killed and the LORD raised him up! The miracle doesn't stop there. He was instantly healed of his wounds and released from the hospital morgue. The police had taken one of his murderers captive. In spite of their insistence the young man wouldn't press charges so the young murder was released. Upon his release the man who had been miraculously healed hugged the troubled young man and lovingly led him to Jesus Christ. The murder turned believer went to Bible College and Seminary and today is a pastor in Mozambique! 

From the Cross Jesus cried "Father forgive them, they know not what they do!" When we are wronged we must keep in mind the great sin debt that HE has forgiven for us. Stephan when he was being stoned to death cried out "LORD don't hold this sin against them!" This led to the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Now Paul extended the same grace to the Philippian jailer which lead to his conversion. Instead of harboring ill will and resentment we should exercise forgiveness and express love to those who wrong us.