WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

 

Acts 16:16-40

Key Verse 16:30

1. Refer to verses 16-21.

a. Who is meant by “we” in verse 16?

b. Verse 16 indicates that it was when they were going to the place of prayer that they were met by a slave girl who had a bad spirit.  What does this tell you about the nature of the reality which we are living in?

c. What can we learn about the main characteristic of these bad spirits?

d. What can we learn about what angers worldly people the most?

**Paul, Silas, and Luke.  Possibly others.

**It’s a constant battleground where there are people (and celestial beings) for and against us.

**Their purpose is to distract people from the work of God.

**There are a lot of things that anger worldly people but the loss of money or money-making opportunities is one of the greatest, if not the greatest.  While God is in the business of saving souls, man is often only concerned about his own pocketbook.

2. Refer to verses 22-26.

a. What happened to Paul and Silas after they were brought before the authorities?

b. How much security were they under?

c. Yet how were they able to be released?

d. What does this indicate about the work of God despite the work of the devil?

**They were stripped, beaten, flogged, and then thrown into prison.

**It was like maximum security: Inner cell, feet fastened in stocks, and a guard was ordered to personally guard them carefully.

**As they were praying and singing hymns to God, there was suddenly a violent earthquake such that the foundations of the prison were shaken, the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.

**It will continue to go on.  And the way it continues is in and through men of faith like Paul and Silas, especially as we pray and worship God.  We may see may discouraging things happen to us and the church, but the important thing is to keep prayer and the worship of God no matter what.

3. Refer to verses 27-34.

a. Verse 27 indicates that upon thinking that the prisoners had escaped, the jailer was about to kill himself.  Why would he do that?

b. How did Paul save him physically?

c. How did Paul save him spiritually?

d. Think about the word “believe” in verse 31.  What does this teach about the way to be saved (1 Peter 2:6, John 3:16)?

e. Why was the jailer suddenly filled with so much joy?

**Because of man’s curse of putting too much hope in a job.  He thought that if his boss found out that prisoners had escaped during his shift, then he would lose his job and his whole life would be ruined. Unfortunately, there are many who think this way:  job = life

**By putting this jailer’s life even ahead of his own.  It seemed that time was of the essence for Paul and his companions to make a run for their own freedom.  Indeed this is what any ordinary person would have done when the doors flew open.  Paul also could have held a grudge, hardening his heart to all those who had caused him trouble.  But instead Paul had mercy on him, hoping that his “enemies” would be saved, and even making efforts to save these “enemies”.  Paul was sticking around to win the ultimate victory with the jailer (and beyond).

**By speaking the word of the Lord to him (and his family), especially telling him the way of salvation – that he (and his family) needs to believe in the Lord Jesus.  But it was also through his own desire as he asked, “What must I do to be saved?”  He thought that he must do something to be saved.  But really he just needed to believe in Jesus for it is really Jesus who did the work of saving us through shedding his blood on the cross to forgive us for our sins.  We need to recognize when someone has great desire like this, especially desire for salvation.  At such a time we should be especially diligent to feed them God’s words (the most applicable ones for their salvation).  Still there are many who think they need to do something for salvation.

**It is through believing (trusting) in the Lord Jesus, who did what was necessary to save us from sin and death.  He did this through his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.  Believing in the Lord Jesus of course does not mean merely believing that he existed as a man but rather believing in who he is and what he has done (See 1 Peter 2:6).

**Because he had come to believe in the Lord, he and his whole family.  Indeed the joy of salvation for ourselves and others are the greatest joys we have in life.

4. Refer to verses 35-40.

a. Why did Paul not want to leave when they were given the opportunity (as the order was given “Release those men”)?

b. What was the result?

c. Once they were escorted out of prison, what did they do and why?

**Because he wanted people to clearly understand, and even admit, their wrongdoing (for they were Roman citizens who had been unjustly treated).  Paul could get them in big trouble for this.  Paul had a mind of mission wherever he went, and whenever.

**They were alarmed.  Basically they came to fear Paul, and were now at his mercy.  This created a better environment for the rest of the church of Philippi (Lydia and the jailer’s families).  The magistrates would think twice about mistreating a church member in the future.  Paul had completely turned the tables on them.

**Met at Lydia’s house, had fellowship with the brothers and encouraged them, then left to carry on with his life of pioneering mission work.  There are two points to learn here:

1) Fellowship is important and should not be ignored.  2) As important as it is, fellowship cannot last forever for there is always more work to be done, until Jesus comes again.

---