Illogical Praise
The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 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. 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. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 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 16:22-31
Welcome to Philippi! What happened to the pleading Macedonian who wanted Paul to “Come over and help us”?! It’s a good thing this game plan came directly from the Holy Spirit, because had it come from denominational headquarters, somebody would have gotten fired over it. The missionary team had skipped over territory right in front of them, in order to sail to Europe, shortly to encounter this ignoble welcome. Their crime? Delivering a slave girl from some sort of evil spirit! (Her masters had been using her fortune-telling abilities to generate income; they didn’t appreciate Paul turning her back into an ordinary slave girl).
Things quickly went from low-key evangelism along the river bank to a high-profile mini-riot, complete with being stripped, beaten with rods and thrown into jail, with the added discomfort and indignity of their feet being placed in the stocks. So this is where helping people in Jesus’ name gets you!
The apostles had plenty of reasons to moan, to be angry and bitter, but they’re stronger men than that. What they do is the exact opposite of what logic or their bodies must have told them to do: they sang praises to God. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. It won’t be long, now!…
Dave Ness
The Bottom Line: The less likely the circumstances, the more powerful the praise.
