Releasing The Shackles

• The only catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown.

• Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace.

• By midday he was very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground.

• Well into the afternoon;

• He realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point.

• He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky,

• And he began to run,

• He knew that if he did not make it back by sundown;

• The opportunity to become an even bigger landholder would be lost.

• As the sun began to sink below the horizon he came within sight of the finish line.

• Gasping for breath, his heart pounding,

• He called upon every bit of strength left in his body

• And he just managed to stagger across the line just before the sun disappeared.

• He immediately collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth.

• And in a few minutes he was dead.

• Afterwards, his servants dug a grave.

• It was not much over six feet long and three feet wide.

• The title of Tolstoy’s story was:

• How Much Land Does a Man Need?

Quote:

• When someone asked J.D. Rockerfeller how much does it take to satisfy a man;

• Her replied “A little bit more than you have”.

Twice in this story (verses 16&19) we are told how the men viewed the girl:

• She was nothing more than a money making machine;

• And they would make sure she stayed that way.

(4). The magistrates are imprisoned by their

tradition, pride and prejudice (vs 20-23).

• The owners of the slave girl win their appeal;

• By playing the race card against Paul & Silas. In verse 20 they say "They are Jews,".

• In verse 21: They appeal to the magistrates sense of tradition and custom.

• "They are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe,"

Ill:

• 1903 the Russian Czar;

• Noticed a sentry posted for no apparent reason on the Kremlin grounds.

• Wanting to know why he was there, he started making inquiries and he discovered;

• That in 1776 Catherine the Great found there the first flower of spring.

• On seeing it she commanded;

• “Post a sentry here, so that no one tramples that flower under foot!”

• For 127 years no-one questioned why a sentry was standing in the middle of no-where,

• Some traditions die-hard.

Quote:

“We need to build on our traditions, and not be buried underneath them!”

The slave-girls owners use both the race tactic and the traditions ploy to get rid of Paul & Silas:

• The magistrates decide to act fast.

• They flex their muscles and have Paul & Silas beaten and thrown in prison.

Eventually verse 39 tells us the magistrates try to appease to Paul and Silas,

• When they learn they are Roman citizens.

• And realise what a mistake they have made (Romans cannot be flogged).

• Once again they are worried and ask them to leave the city.