A Journey Through Luke & ActsVoorbeeld

Luke continues to tell us about Paul’s missionary journey throughout the Roman Empire. As he travels, he boldly shares the good news about Jesus’ Kingdom, and many hear Paul’s message as a threat to their Roman way of life. But there are others who eventually recognize Paul’s message as good news that leads to a whole new way of life. For example, Luke tells us about a jailer from Philippi. We meet him as we follow the story of Paul and Silas’ wrongful imprisonment.

After being accused of causing city wide confusion, Paul and his coworker Silas are unjustly beaten and thrown in jail. Lying awake in their cell, bruised and bloody, they begin praying and singing to God. The prisoners are listening to their worship songs when a huge earthquake shakes the foundations of the prison so violently that the prisoner’s chains break off and all the prison doors fly open. The jailer sees this and knows he will be executed for letting the prisoner’s escape, so despairing of life, he draws his sword against himself. But Paul stops him just in time to save his life. At this, the hardened jailer softens and falls down before Paul and Silas. He recognizes that his life also needs to be saved eternally, and he wants to know the way. Paul and Silas are eager to share with him, and that very day the jailer and his whole family begin to follow Jesus.