The Most Important Question You Will Ever Ask
Acts 16:16-34
In case you haven't noticed, people ask a lot of questions. One of the most prominent questions today is "what exactly is a government shutdown?" Others are asking "how long will it last?" Many people have recently began to ask the question "what are the implications of North Korea possessing nuclear weapons?" There are many important questions that we ask throughout our lives.
Many of you men have knelt before the woman you love and asked her "will you marry me?"(Hopefully you had a good idea what the answer was going to be before you asked it!)
Every four years we ask ourselves who we will vote for to be our next president. Well, usually we ask "which one of these morons is the lesser of two evils"
There are many important questions that we will ask throughout our lives. It is my belief that the most important question you will ever ask is the one that the Philippian Jailer asked in our selected text. In Acts 16:30 he asked Paul and Silas "sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
The story of the Philippian Jailor is one of the most detailed and dramatic conversions recorded in the Bible. Paul and Silas had been whipped and arrested because of their success in winning people to Christ. In the midst of great trouble, Paul and Silas didn't through a pity party for themselves, they decided instead to have a prayer meeting and a time of praise. Because of their response, God was able to use them. That night, God brought a new soul into His kingdom. In fact it was more than just one soul, the jailer’s entire family was brought into the Kingdom! The Philippian Jailer reached a point where he was contemplating his eternal destiny. When he thought of the afterlife, he knew that he was not ready. He reached a point of desperation and began to seek information concerning salvation. He was saved that very night. His conversion shows us the immediate change that Jesus brings into a life. This passage also shows us the impact that we can have on our family once we have been transformed by the Savoir.
Let's take a moment and set the stage for the events that are about to take place in that jail: Paul and Silas had encountered a slave girl who was possessed by a demon. She was a fortune teller and she made much profit for her masters. She followed God's men mocking them for several days. Finally Paul had had enough and he turned and said to the demon "I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her".... and the demon was cast out!
The men who owned this girl were furious because they had just lost their source of profit. So they took them before the authorities and said: - v20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
It would seem that Paul and Silas were in a bad place. But these men of God made the best of a bad situation. They didn't gripe, whine, complain or blame God for their circumstances. Verse 25 (says) ...at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. The way they responded to this situation caught the attention of this jailer.
He came before them and asked the question "What must I do to be saved?" Have you ever have asked that question? If not, I hope that you will today. I can assure you that is the most important question you will ever ask. Because the answer has eternal implications.
Let's look at the conversion of this Philippian Jailer and examine "The Most Important Question You Will Ever Ask"
- Notice first of all:
I. AN INSTENSE SITUATION - v26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
It was this man's job to ensure that Paul and Silas did not escape. He took them to the innermost part of the prison, and to be sure they were secure he fastened their feet in the stocks. He then laid down and was soon fast asleep, then all of the sudden he was awakened by a "great earthquake".
The prison began to shake and all of the cell doors were jarred open. This was a terrifying moment for this man. Look to verse 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
This jailer was responsible for keeping his prisoners secure. If they escaped, he would have been punished with death! He was so convinced that Paul and Silas had escaped that he was about to commit suicide. But verse 28 (says that) "Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." Needless to say, this man was in the midst of an intense situation.
Most of us would testify that the moments before our conversion were intense as well. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sin it is rather intense. When you come to the realization that if you were to die without Christ you would spend eternity in the Lake of Fire... it is intense! When that battle begins to rage inside of you, when you feel like The Holy Spirit and the forces of evil are playing tug of war... it is intense! When you realize that the God of the Universe is offering you the opportunity to be born into His family, to be cleansed form your sins, to be rescued from Hell and to be granted with eternal life... trust me, IT IS AN INTENSE SITUATION!
Notice how the jailer responded to his own intense situation - v29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, - He got a light and ran into that cell fully expecting Paul and Silas to be long gone, but these were special prisoners. He must have known something was different about them when they sang praises to God after being whipped with many lashes. The intense situation that this jailer experienced, prompted him to ask a very important question.
- That leads us to the second point I would like to consider, and that is:
II. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION - v30 And (he) brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
This Philippian Jailer did not just ask any question, he asked the most important question anyone could ever ask. He didn't just calmly ask, "hey guys, tell me a little bit about salvation through Jesus". No, he cried out "SIRS WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED???
This was essentially the same question that the Rich Young Ruler asked Jesus. Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? - Unfortunately, after hearing Jesus' response, this young man rejected salvation.
In John chapter 3, Nicodemus came to Jesus and they had a long conversation on this very subject. And from certain scriptures it seems that somewhere along the way, Nicodemus was indeed saved.
Twenty years ago I asked that question, and I have never been the same!
What about you? Have you ever asked that question? It is important because this question is one concerning eternity.
Notice something interesting... the jailer laid his head down that night and went straight to sleep. It seems that when he went to bed he was not concerned with his soul or eternity. But in an instant everything changed and that is all that he could think about.
I want you to see how God was working behind the scenes. This man is clearly under conviction. The Holy Spirit has revealed his lost condition to him. He came to a point where he knew that his greatest need was salvation. And it is no coincidence that right there in the jail cell were two men who had been arrested for preaching Jesus. He goes to their cell and cries out "SIRS WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? Upon hearing this question, Paul and Silas begin to share the answer with Him.
If you are asking that most important question today, I want you to know that the answer for you is the same answer Paul gave him.
- Look with me to verse 31 as we see:
III. AN INFORMATIVE ANSWER - v31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
I would imagine that this is not the answer that this man was expecting. He probably thought there were certain ceremonies and rituals involved. He, like many others likely believed that there was something he had to do before Jesus would save him. This is indicated in his question "What must I do to be saved? "
The fact is there was nothing that the Philippian Jailer could do to earn his salvation. And there is nothing that you can do either. The good news is, Jesus has already done all that is necessary to secure your salvation!
One day, after a series of meetings was over, the evangelist was pulling up his tent stakes. A young man approached him and said "preacher, what do I have to do to be saved?" The evangelist answered, “Sorry son, it's too late.” “Oh no,” was the response. “I mean it’s too late because it’s already been done. Everything that could be done for your salvation has already been done.” After explaining Christ’s finished work on the cross to the young man, he led him to saving faith.
My friend, if you are going to be saved it will only be by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
There is no way for you to earn your salvation. It is not possible! If we could earn our salvation, Jesus would not have had to die for our sins.
Jesus Himself made it perfectly clear that in order to be saved, we must believe in Him.
* John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
* John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
You must understand the context of this word "believe". It is more than mere head knowledge, it is a word that means to entrust.
This Jailer did more than believe that Christ existed. He trusted that He was the resurrected Son of God. He trusted in Him as Lord and Savoir. And that is what you must do. You must "believe" ... you must trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ! -- Romans 10:9 if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!" - That is it... that is the answer to the most important question you will ever ask!
- So far we have seen An Intense Situation, An Important Question and An Informative Answer. Now I would like to take a minute and consider:
IV. AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY - v31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved"
Do you see what I see? Paul and Silas made this man a promise. If he would trust in Christ he would be saved. There is not if, and or maybe... they said "believe and you will be saved". There was nothing that this man did to qualify for salvation. He was not worthy. He stood by as God's men were beaten and whipped He was the one who bound their feet in the stocks. But because of God's amazing grace, he qualified for salvation.
There is nothing about you that is worthy of God's salvation. But thanks to His grace you can be saved. In fact, the promise in the text applies to you.... If you believe in Jesus... YOU WILL BE SAVED!
- There was an incredible opportunity, the jailer seized that opportunity and once he did an amazing transformation took place. Notice that there was:
V. AN IMMEDIATE TRANSFORMATION - v33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
There is a visible difference in this man's life. It is likely that he was present when Paul and Silas were whipped. And we know that he is the one who locked them in their cell. But now he has taken them and “washed their wounds” and “set a meal before them”!
A genuine conversion evident by the change that is wrought in the life of new convert. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Remember earlier in the night this man was on the brink of suicide. He was in the midst of a very dangerous situation. It seemed to him that he had nothing left to live for. Now he is rejoicing. He is fellowshipping with his new Christian friends. He and his entire family have just been baptized.
Amazing things happen when you trust in Christ as your Savoir. Jesus can make a difference in your life, just as He did in the life of the Philippian Jailer.
Maybe you would ask the question that the jailer asked today....Perhaps you would like to know what you must do to be saved. I am here to tell you that you must do exactly what this man did. The answer is recorded right here in Acts 16:31 ...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Believe in Jesus... trust Him as Lord and Savoir! God made salvation so simple that anyone can do it. - Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
You are saved by placing your faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation. Trust Him and nothing else to save you and to take you to Heaven. I encourage you to surrender your life to Him today. This passage of scripture gives us a promise... Paul said "if you believe... you will be saved!"
That my friend is the answer to "The Most Important Question You Will Ever Ask"
