You shook the earth.

 

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Acts 16:30-31

God can turn a jail into a revival tent! That's exactly what happened in Philippi. Paul and Silas had been wrongly beaten and imprisoned by mob injustice. The persecution and violence was intense. Yet the two of them sang and prayed in worship as they were bleeding in their jail cell. And in that moment God sovereignly shook the city of Philippi. An earthquake rattled open the cell doors and the gospel was unleashed upon a fearful and repentant jailer.

There was no denying the power of God. The jailer saw it in singing prisoners who worshiped in their woundedness. He saw God's power in the earthquake that rendered his life's work meaningless in one bone rattling instant. He saw God's power as he fell before Paul and Silas wanting most the salvation that they sang about. And in their simple statement of the gospel was the source of all the power of God in their lives. It's a beautiful thing to see the radical transformation that the magnificent gospel of Jesus Christ will bring.

O Lord,

You'll shake the earth if that is what it takes to make Your Son known. As dramatic as the Philippian jailer' conversion is, there are also great salvations in Acts 16 as evidenced with Lydia and a delivered slave girl. Your power changed a city over many days when two men were determined to faithfully preach the gospel even if it meant physical torture and imprisonment. And the gospel broke all the barriers because You will not let Your Word return to You empty. The gospel will accomplish Your purposes. Truly it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. May I never be ashamed of it.

Amen