Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 2 verses 25 through 40:
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ 29The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 31They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ 32They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.
35 When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, ‘Let those men go.’ 36And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, ‘The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace.’ 37But Paul replied, ‘They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.’ 38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens; 39so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40After leaving the prison they went to Lydia’s home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed.
Now here is a story straight from our current headlines.
Paul and Silas are in Philippi. They have involved themselves in the emancipation of an exploited person, which disturbs a lucrative part of the evil economic system in the city’s economy and upsets the powers that be. Soon Paul and Silas find themselves behind bars — taken into custody because they were “Jews” and “disturbing the city”, neither of which were actual crimes. And not only are they wrongfully arrested, they are also beaten, and their rights as citizens are completely violated by the authorities.
But at midnight, as songs and hymns and freedom songs were being sung, a mighty earthquake shook the jail. It was as if the LORD had acted to shake the very foundation of this wicked and unjust symbol of justice perverted. And then the doors swung open and all the captives were set free.
Seeing the open doors, the jailer was about to take his own life — probably to avoid vengeful torture from the prisoners. But to his shock, the prisoners had no thirst for vengeance. They wanted, instead, to tell him about Jesus. For they knew this jailer, this deputy official was also a prisoner in this wicked and corrupt jail of a system, and they wished that he would be set free also. So, the jailer heard the good news; and he was not only spared, but he and his whole family were saved.
Afterward, the city fathers grew scared. They had been shaken by all the happenings and so there was an attempted coverup. Paul and Silas were let go and told to leave the city without more incident. But Paul and Silas refused to just go quietly. Instead, they demand redress and reform. They will not leave until wrongs are rectified, apology is given, and public accountability is ensured. So then, the magistrates come down and publicly acknowledge the injustices done and promise to reform their ways.
Like I said, this is a story straight from our current headlines.
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