In the case of the woman, she was a fortune teller, a psychic, who earned a great deal of money for her owners. She was an exotic figure, probably dressed in a bizarre fashion to draw attention to herself for she was possessed by the spirit of Apollo (the python), who was regarded by the pagan world as a healer and who inspired the Delphic Oracle to make predictions. She must have listened in to the meetings the apostles were having and heard them expound the way of salvation through Jesus. I can imagine her on the edge of the crowd drinking in the message of the Gospel - the good news of the salvation she longed for. Her weirdness was merely a cover-up for her insecurities and loneliness. Dr. Luke, who was recording this for us writes that she began following them around shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Both pagans and Jews referred to the supreme deity as the Most High God. "It was the slave of this healer god, this inspired god, this most high God, who recognized in a superior power a greater inspiration and a better savior. She was not disappointed, but came to taste the savior she recognized." (Michael Green, The Meaning of Salvation, p.149)

After several days Paul became fed up with this commotion and confronted the spirit in her, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her."At that moment the spirit left her. The name of Jesus Christ became "the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." (Rom.1:16) The Spirit of Jesus delivered her from bondage to the spirit of Apollo. What an occasion for celebration - she had been saved, delivered from the spirit. But instead of this being a time of joy the consequences for the apostles were disastrous. Her healing got the apostles into trouble, for her owners were furious that they had lost their source of income. They accosted Paul and Silas and charged them before the magistrates with disturbing the peace with a foreign and unlicensed religion. The mob was incited to attack the apostles and they were stripped and beaten. After being severely flogged they were thrown into prison where the jailer put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. Gospel ministry is dangerous. It changes people and situations. Any change is viewed by stakeholders as a threat to them.

How did the apostles react as preachers of salvation, of deliverance from darkness? They prayed and sang hymns to God and conducted a revival in the prison. All the prisoners were listening to them. They had a captive audience. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11,12) While not many of us are thrown into prison for our faith, or for doing good, we do experience suffering and our response is not as positive as Paul and Silas. For the apostles, suffering was to be expected because they followed Jesus who suffered for them. When we suffer, or are offended, we need to remember these words: "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you... if you suffer as a Christian, do not be be ashamed but praise God that you bear that name." (1 Peter 4:12-16) That is what Paul and Silas were doing in the Philippian jail.

Then there was a violent earthquake. Never a dull moment for Paul and Silas. The jailer thought that all his prisoners had escaped in the turmoil and was about to kill himself when Paul reassured him that they were still there.

How circumstances can suddenly change in your life - the abuser becomes the victim, the powerful becomes the powerless. On Sunday, January 19, 1986 I preached on this passage in the Anglican cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand. My title was: "How do you handle earthquakes?" Little did I or anyone there know that an earthquake would hit that city in February 2011 and severely damage that cathedral and many other structures. Millions of dollars of damage was caused. Thousands have lost their homes and moved away. Circumstances over which we have no control can cause us to despair of life. The jailer fell trembling before Paul and Silas (had he been listening to their prayers and hymn singing?) and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

What did he mean by that question? What would you mean by it in his situation? You have just been through a traumatic experience. What does he need to be saved from? Loss of face, fear of the future, awareness of his weakness and guilt over how he had treated Paul and Silas? All of a sudden he became aware of the fragility of life. The ground had shifted under his feet. Perhaps he had ignored God all of his life and he had much to answer for. His sins had caught up with him. He felt trapped by the brutality of his life and faced the prospect of sudden and unexpected death with no hope. He has been cut down to size rather dramatically. So are we when we experience sudden suffering and the prospect of the loss of all that we hold dear.

How do they respond to this man? "'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.' Then they explained the good news of salvation to him and to all the others in his house." That must have been an interesting conversation in which the apostles told them all about the salvation Jesus came to bring, his Lordship as the eternal Son of the Father and the Ruler of the universe, who came and suffered and died for our sins and rose again so that we might receive eternal life and the gift of the Spirit. They were called to put their trust and allegiance in Jesus as their Savior and Lord by being buried with him in baptism, showing their desire to be cleansed and to receive the new life of grace.

The jailer was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God - he and his whole family. He was saved from sin's guilt and power into the life of the age to come which was made present through the Holy Spirit in his life which he received through his repentance, faith and baptism. He would join the other believers in Philippi: Lydia and her household, the slave girl and others as members of the newly formed church.

What does it mean to you to believe in the Lord Jesus? When life changes for you, when the earth moves under your feet, and you experience the fragility of life, believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

(Ted's new book, Volume 2 of SOUL FOOD, DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE HUNGRY, April, May and June, is available to order from assist@ameliachapel.com for $14.99 plus S&H.)