10. Paul and Silas

This seems to be as good a place to start as any.  I thought about breaking this in to a group of two, specifically so I could address Paul’s writings about knowing Jesus and the night in the Phillipian jail separately.  However, the more I thought about this list the more I realized that I easily have more than enough content to fill just 10 spots, so Paul and Silas will stay together.

I think it is important to point out that Scripture gives us no indication that Paul or Silas thought they would be freed from prison that night.  I say that because in retrospect we often use worship as a magic formula:  If I worship God, He is obligated to get me out of this mess.  That is utter bunk as demonstrated by numerous believers who were filled with praise and worship right up until they met their demise as martyrs.

AROUND MIDNIGHT – when most of us would be tossing and turning in our beds unable to put the affairs of the day behind us – Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.  At that moment the power of God rolled through the prison and demonstrated that strength of men cannot thwart the designs of God.  But you know what, that was just the icing on the cake because the joy of Paul and Silas in the midst of great tribulation had already proved that point.  (Acts 16:16-40)

Now I turn to Paul writing to the Phillipian church.  It is a familiar passage, but no less profound each time I read it.  Paul was a great man from many vantage points.  He was brilliant, prolific, and revered – he was an overachiever at everything to which he put his hand.  But everything Paul had achieved he counted as garbage compared to intimacy with Christ.  Christ was truly his all in all.  (Phillipians 3)

We should learn these two things from these worshipers:

1. Cherish closeness with Christ above everything else.
2. Don’t let our worship suffer because of our circumstances.