Some Disciples left everything to follow Jesus about 2000 years ago. They were sinners, family men, working men, men like you and me in every way. Although these men and women led simple lives, just like you and me they had problems.

Their country had fallen to enemies centuries ago. Prophets of God had asked centuries before how long the punishment of the Lord’s Chosen would last.

Habakkuk 1: 

² How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?

Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?

³ Why do you make me look at injustice?

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.   ⁴ Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.  The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

How like our 21st century after Christ! How like the days of the early Christian church are these last days.

Their political and religious leaders were corrupt and greedy. Few followers of the Way, local Jews or anyone else were rich or had adequate income to live comfortably for more than a few days. Again, how like today are these areas devastated and affected by violence and war by the hand of the enemies of the Lord God.

A world super-power had conquered their homeland, taxed and ruled over them with an iron hand, occupying their towns with soldiers of superior strength. (Romans called this area of the world, Syria, from the name of a former empire.)

These Messianic Jews and Gentile followers of the Way came to be known as ‘Christians.’ It would not be long until Romans, Greeks and Jews alike would persecute them.

A Prison of our world and the Witness of Christ-followers

Christians were known to do strange things, like singing Psalms or songs in prison or as they faced certain death by execution. Paul, a Roman citizen and messianic Jew had been thrown into prison along with Silas, but by the Hand of God they were released from their shackles in a great earthquake.

Acts 16:

The Philippian Jailer Converted

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and 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.

²⁷ When 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. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ²⁹ And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

³² And 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 wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. ³⁴ Then 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.

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Who was really imprisoned here? Was it Paul and Silas? Or was the jailer, a husband and provider for his family who was about to take his own life over a perceived mistake at work, truly the prisoner of his daily existence?

Were the prisoners two men singing Psalms from a jail cell or a family suppressed in the futility of their daily lives in a home of hopelessness?

The jailer realized that these two men had a higher hope in Christ Jesus.

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³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” ³⁶ And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”

³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” ³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.

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Justice will be served. Paul and Silas, though imprisoned falsely by men in power, experienced a temporary justice. Though the Christian prisoners were freed, they were asked to leave the city.

The imprisoned jailer who thought Roman soldiers would execute him for his mistake had asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul, Silas, the Philippian jailer and his family all received a better justice – an eternal justice of the Lord God Almighty.

We have been released from the prison of our sin and guilt of our unrighteousness.

We have received mercy and grace in Christ Jesus.

To be continued…

NEXT: The Holy Bible