Saturday after Cantate
Posted on May 8, 2021 by under
Scripture: Acts 16:25-36 (NKJV)
16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 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 chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”
Devotion
Jesus said in Luke 9:56, “The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Paul demonstrates this by saving the jailer’s physical and eternal life. Once the earthquake frees his prisoners, the jailer knew that his life would be required for their escape. He draws his sword to end his life. Out of the darkness Paul’s voice brings good news which saves his life. “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
The jailer then asks Paul for good news to grant him eternal life. Salvation comes by faith in Christ Jesus’ death on behalf of sinners and His perfect righteousness for sinner’s benefit. The jailer takes them to his house so that his entire household can believe and be baptized for their salvation. “He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” The jailer washes Paul and Silas’ physical wounds, then Paul and Silas cleanse him and his family “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
Through the preaching of the good news of the forgiveness of sins and Holy Baptism, the Triune God applies the blessings Christ earned on the cross to us. “By His stripes we are healed” (Is. 53:5). In the Gospel and Baptism His stripes heal the wounds of our sins and wash us clean from guilt.
Prayer: O God, who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will, grant unto Thy people that they may love what Thou commandest and desire what Thou dost promise, that among the manifold changes of this world our hearts may there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
