THANKFULNESS, SOLD OUT FOR JESUS Acts 16:23-34

 THANKFULNESS, SOLD OUT FOR JESUS

Acts 16:23-34

THE TEXT

Acts 16:22-34

22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!"

29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

Holy Bible, New Living

THE WORLD’S CELEBRATION OF THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is the time we plan to get together with family and friends to

Celebrate the first year in America by the English setters at Plymouth

Rock. THey came for religious freedom. Half the first group who came by

Ship died. Along with American Indians they celebrated their first year

Of survival. 

The Thanksgiving holiday is not much about thankfulness anymore. It just a another day off. We plan trips to visit family and friends. We spend time preparing a meal with turkey and ham and all the fixing. Before the meal

We say a prayer and may be recite what we are thankful for. Back to the TV watching football. It was a good time but Jesus only got a few minutes of prayer. The true meaning of thankfulness is lost in the preparation, the meal and football.

GOD’S DESIGN FOR THANKSGIVING

Paul and Silas on a missionary journey traveled to Philippi a Roman Colony. On the Sabbath met a group of woman at riverbank. One of the

Women was Lydia a seller of purple and a worshiper of God accepted

Christ and invited Paul and Silas to stay at her house 

Paul and Silas traveled the city proclaiming the Gospel but were followed by a demon possessed woman, Acts 16:16 . She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved."

Paul was distracted by her and call the demon out of her. The owners

Having lost their means of income caused a ruckus in the city and caused Paul and Silas to beaten and thrown into the darkest part of prison

And chained by feet to their cell. A guard was posted to make sure they

Did not escape

THE MIDNIGHT SONG AND PRAYER OF THANKFULNESS

God works in ways to make himself known in the darkest corner of the

World.   It was the work of the devil that Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail. It was the thankfulness in their hearts that wouldn’t allow their voices to be silent.  When they began praising the Lord, the first miracle happen. An earthquake shook the person and all doors opened and chains fell off all the prisoners who had been listening to praise service. In the inner darkness God was working to bring light to the prisoners and the 

Guard.   

This was a powerful prayer. Consider the reasons for the prayer

WHAT DID PAUL AND SILAS HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR?

• It was a joyful prayer

• It was a prayer of deliverance

• It was a prayer of thanksgiving

• It was a prayer that brought comfort 

• It was a prayer of faith in Jesus

• It was a prayer of conviction

• It was a prayer of healing

• It was a prayer of forgiveness

• It was a prayer for salvation

• It was a prayer that broke chains and open doors

• It was a prayer that needed immediate attention

When the jailer found out the cells were open, his change began

SALVATION, THE PRISON MINISTRY

 When the jailer found out the cells were open, his change began

Acts 16:27-30

He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!" 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

It was the suffering of Paul and Silas and their faith that brought the jailer to his knees. He was brought to the  light out of deep darkness.

THANKFULNESS TO GOD BRINGS FAVOR TO YOU

Acts 16:31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

Sometimes it is the hardships God allow in our lives that bring us to the lost

Who need salvation. The miracles are changed lives. The chains of sin are broken and freedom in the Lord Jesus is given.

Notice the process of salvation

   The shed blood of Paul and Silas

    Praise and worship cause God to break the chains of bondage

    Confessing of the Jailer

    The Gospel proclaimed by Paul and Silas

    Jesus through Paul and Silas invited to the home of the jailer

    Jailers change heart noted by washing and of wounds feeding of  

    God’s Ministers 

    The baptism of new believers

    Paul and Silas released to serve another day

Thanksgiving is not a noun, it a verb, it is shown in action

Thanksgiving starts in the heart that drives you to serve the Lord. 

The evidence of our thankfulness is in our service 

It not in a meal that goes in one end and come out the other

It is what we do for others in need to glorify the Lord

Thanksgiving removes the devils distractions to do the work of the Lord

Thanksgiving endures hardships so others can be encouraged

Thanksgiving is not based on circumstances but love

Thanksgiving is focused on the goodness of the Lord

Thanksgiving is remembering what God has done

Thanksgiving recognizes what God is doing through trials

 

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU

THE HEALING TOUCH Luke 8:40-48

                                             THE HEALING TOUCH

Luke 8:40-48

40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come home with him. 42 His only daughter, who was twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. 43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. 44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked.

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you."

46 But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me." 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees before him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 "Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace." 

Holy Bible, New Living Translation 

Mark 5:26-27

26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him 

Holy Bible, New Living Translation 

WE LOVE TO BE ENTERTAINED

Everyone likes to be entertained , even church folk. We like our favorite choir. We like our pastor. We come in part to be entertained.

We love sports, clubs. Social outing. We like being entertained. 

People wait in line to be entertained. In this day age people pay big money to be entertained. A ticket to see your favorite entertainer cost hundreds of dollars. A ticket to see a major league sports team may cost thousands of dollars.  

Notice in the text, the  crowds was waiting on Jesus to showup. They knew

When He showed up He showed out. People came from the other side of

Sea of Galilee  to see Jesus, some chartered a boat.  Some may have 

Traveled around the lake on foot. But they came to be entertained. They came to be healed. 

Can you imagine seeing the blind receiving their sight? Can you imagine seeing the lame walk.? Can you imagine seeing crazy folk acting normal.?

Can you imagine lazy folk getting active? It was an exciting time.

That is what you see in the Church every Sunday. Those who come to Christ receive their spiritual sight. The broken are healed. The Lost are

Find Jesus. The lonely find a friend in Jesus, 

THE WOMAN

We don’t know anything about the woman who came to Jesus.  We don’t

Know if she had family. Was she married? Did she have children? All we know is she had an issue of blood that made her unclean for 12 years

Let me suggest if she didn’t have family, she was business woman or

Had been left with a significant estate. At one time she had money because she had been paying doctors for 12 years.

Let me suggest she was not married because the issue of blood made her ceremonially unclean and by Jewish law she could not touch any one    Lev 15:19 "Whenever a woman has her menstrual period, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her during that time will be unclean until evening. Holy Bible, New Living Translation 

She was an independent woman who did all she could to get well. She spent all her money going from doctor to doctor and her condition got worse. She felt unclean every day. She was isolated from the community and in a desperate situation. No doubt she felt alone with no one to comfort her.

THE GOOD NEWS

The  good news is she had an abundance of God’s grace. She  had survived for 12, She had money to spend, and perhaps a place to stay.

In spite of her medical condition she was healthy. 

The best news is she heard about Jesus. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. I have no doubt she meditated on all the

Stories of Jesus' healings. She came to the conclusion by faith that Jesus

Would heal her. She made up her mind to go seek Jesus. They that seek the Lord will find Him. Look at the text. It was her condition that drove her to Jesus. He was her last hope.

She made a grand plan.  I will slip into the crowd touch the helm of Jesus’s

garment , get healed and slip back out. The law to her was irrelevant. The

Temporary uncleanness of the crowd was no determinant to getting to Jesus. You can’’t let the law or public opinion stop you from getting to the Lord. She was thinking outside of the box. Jesus healed by touch or speaking. She believed if the garment was on Jesus, there was power flowing through it.  That belief did not come from witness, but by inspiration of the Lord.

JESUS’S PLAN

One thing she didn’t consider, you can’t touch Jesus without a relationship.

Jesus knew she was coming and stopped for her. It is my belief that Jesus arranged the trip for the woman with the issue of blood to get to Him.

THE HEALING TOUCH 

She got through the crowd, slipped through and touched Jesus' garment.

This was a touch with much meaning

• It was an intentional touch

• It was a purposeful tough

• It was a change in direction touch

• It was a touch of desperation

• It was a relational touch

• It was a secret touch made public 

• It was a touch in faith

• It was a power releasing touch

• I believe it was a prayerful touch

• It was a healing touch

• It was a confessional touch 

• It was a cleaning touch 

• It was a peaceful touch

• It was a total restoration touch

The woman thought she could get out of the crowd without worshipping Jesus. Jesus had a better plan;  to expose her weakness and enlighten the crowd with hope. The healing was done but she was still broken.

HER SIN’S REVEALED

Luke 8:45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you." 

46 But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me." 

Jesus know when you come to Him and His power will heal you

The disciples didn’t understand the power of  a faith touch.  They didn’t understand that there is power in everything that Jesus touches, They didn’t understand that Jesus' back may turn from you but His heart is always focused  on you. Many in the crowd had touched Jesus but came with the wrong motive. The crowd came to be entertained, the woman with issue of blood came to be healed. 

When you deliberately, intentionally, purposely come to Jesus by faith power with be released to your circumstance.

HER CONFESSION

Luke 8:47-48

 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees before him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 

Your troubles are designed for you to be drawn to Jesus, confess your sins and worship Him. The confession was made publicly before the crowd so they could be enlightened and given hope in Jesus. Life is not all about you but all those around you.

The doctors tried for 12 years and failed. Jesus healing was instant. The doctors left her for dead. Jesus gave her life. The doctors took her money.

Jesus gave her grace and mercy for FREE. The doctors left her is a worst condition, but Jesus gave her eternal life.

MADE WHOLE BY JESUS

Luke 8:48

 "Daughter," he (Jesus) said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace." 

The woman with the issue of blood came for a physical healing. But developed a relationship with Jesus and receives spiritual healing,

Salvation and peace.  Jesus always gives more than you deserve.

She came broken and was made whole.

Notice it was her faith that healed her. You and I must make a choice each day to be faithful to Jesus. He should be our first call, not our call of desperation. The doctor prescribes medicine and does medical procedures, but all healings come from the Lord. Doctors are mechanical. You don’t need mechanic, you need a healer. Jesus uses doctors to prescribe medicine and do procedures. But the healer is Jesus. 

Had Jesus not spoken up the woman would not have  had the opportunity to confess her sins. 

She came unclean, but left clean. She came broken, but left whole

She came spiritually bankrupt, but left spiritually full. She came in the 

Dark, but left in the light. She came without a friend but left a friend of Jesus. 

She came without Jesus but left with Jesus in her heart. 

Her presence taught the crowd about the power of faith. Her troubles blessed the whole crowd.

Jarius a Jewish leader of the Synagogue, came to Jesus because his daughter of 12 years old was dying. Jarius reached Jesus before the woman.  The faith of the woman with the’Issue of blood gave Jauris hope for his daughter 

Luke 8:49 While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now." 50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed." 

I see a pattern by Jesus of women first

It was a woman that made Adam complete

Jesus took on human flesh through a woman

The first to know His presence on earth was a woman

The first to anoint Jesus for burial were women 

The first to witness His resurrection were  woman

The first ministers of the Gospel were woman

Jesus healed the woman first before raising Jarius's daughter

OTHERS  CHANGED BY YOUR TESTEMONY

Notice the Synagogue leaders who hated Jesus were quick to come to

Him when they needed help. It was the Synagogue leaders who tried to

Kill Jesus immediately after His first message in the Synagogue . See the attitude, you are not welcome in my home unless you can do something for me. John the Baptist called the Jewish leader vipers. The Lord is no respecter of person. All who come to Him are welcomed

I CAN HAVE JOY James 1:1-8

 COUNT IT ALL JOY

James 1:1-8

James 1:1-8

 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting. 

2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;

3 Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.

4 And let patience have (its) perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

5 But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;

8 a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

THE LIFE OF MAN

We live in a world full of God’s goodness, yet full of the evil desires and actions of men. At the same time, we are rewarded with grace and the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are reminded by our Savior that  Life is but a few days and full of problems.

Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 

2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. KJV

We don’t mind the few days, but we hate the full of trouble. You can’t have one without the other. We live in a world where social media gives us instant news from all over the world. At the same time, social media presents a world of glory, good times, and fun all the time. Behind the smiling faces and made-up reality is much pain, agony, and destruction. We make it our goal to live for the good times.

It is good for the Chriatian to remember that this is not our home, we are just passing through. We have to deal with the good and the bad to get to our final destination. 

The Bible reminds us of the reality of living in this world and the attitude God expect of each believer. We can expect pain physically and mentally every moment of our lives. Yet there is a way to count it all joy. You and I cannot count all pain as joy by ourselves.

James reminds us of who we are and whose we are,

First we belong to the Lord. We were brought and paid for with the blood of

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

James 1.1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting. 

POSITION OF SERVANT

James identifies himself as a servant of the Lord. We really don’t like the idea of being a servant but that is our position in the Lord. We are sons and daughters in this world but still servants. 

James was writing to the Jewish christians, many of whom had been scattered throughout the Roman Empire after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Billions of Christians are located throughout the world.

As servants we are under the divine directions of the Lord.

It should be our desire to be servants of Jesus rather than servants of the devil.  We strive to to be like Jesus by becoming pure in nature and reverent and obedient to the Lord.  

2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;

Joy in difficult situations is difficult to entertain and certainly not part of our

Nature or attitude.  The text is not joy of the flesh, but joy in the spirit. The trials we face are numerous. They come one after another. The trials we face vary. The devil knows every weakness we have and will attack us in

Those areas. Trials come at different times in our lives and vary in intensity 

How can you be joyful and in pain at the same time?

First we know that Lord has measured our pain to be no more than we can handle.

1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.

The way of escape is to go to the Lord in prayer and meditation with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)

We must understand and conclude that trials are necessary to christian discipline. They are designed to reveal our weaknesses and sinfulness

Through them we discover the mercy and grace of God.

Trials are designed to show the love of God, 

Prov 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him.

The world today has new way of discipline, time out, go to your room or

Denial of some activity. This is no discipline at all. I  believe this new world order of discipline has resulted in more violent activities. A disciplined lifestyle  pleases God. He said; if you love me keep my commands. 

PROVING YOUR FAITH

James 1:3 Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.

It takes faith to follow God’s commands and allow Him to work in

Your life in His way and His timing. 

Rom 8:28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, (even) to them that are called according to (his) purpose.

We can have joy because the trials are the proof of God’s love for us. When we consider what we are going through, we should ask ourselves

What weakness is God trying to improve. Patience is a virtue that can only be developed when we let God work in His timing. God’s time schedule is

Always best. If we are in a rush, we eliminate God’s work. 

We are like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.  On the box is a pretty picture.

But it takes time to fit all the pieces together to look like the picture on the 

Box.  To start with we have have confidence we can fit the pieces together.

No one knows us like God He know how to fit the pieces together. That is our joy that God is working on us 

GOD IS PERFECTING US

James I:4 And let patience have (its) perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

In the Garden of Eden, man and woman were made perfect. Adam and Eve became broken when they disobeyed God’s command. Over the ages

We have become more broken because of a multitude of sins that are normal in our lives. Some of the pieces are missing and we are lacking the

Character and likeness of God. 

We have many pieces that don’t fit the mold God designed. Pieces that need to removed so the correct pieces can be places.

      Sin must be removed  so righteousness can be placed

      Intolerance must be removed so tolerance can be placed

      Hate must be removed, so love can be placed

      Selfishness must be removed, so unselfishness can be placed

      Pride must be removed, so humbleness can be placed 

      Lying must be moved, so truth can be placed

     Ignorance must be removed so wisdom can be placed

     Doubt must be removed so confidence can be placed

FROM WISDOM TO JOY

James 1:5 But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Wisdom cannot be gained with the Lord. Knowledge of the Lord cannot be gained without the study of the Word of God

Would it be great to make the right decisions all the time. Wouldn't it be great to know the right thing to say all the time. 

Wouldn’t it be good to be pleasing to God all the time.

Can we learn the secret of extracting joy from troubles?

Joy is a gift from the Lord.  It cannot be learned without practice and it cannot be practiced without opportunity.

There is a difference between happiness and joy.  Happiness is based on 

Circumstances, but joy is from the Lord. Joy is internal. 

John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and (that) your joy may be made full.

Joy is meant to balance temptations. Temptations in life are many and non ending. We need the full joy from the Lord. We need the Joy that cannot not be exalted  without the Lord

SUMMARY

Now lets look at the verse Count it all Joy in the Greek 

Greeting from the end of verse one is placed at the beginning of verse 2

Greeting, count it pure joy when you fall into various temptations

It could read, Wishing you count it pure joy. It takes a change in attitude

To count trials as pure joy. 

1, EXCEPT THE REALITY THE GOD HAS DESIGNED YOU TO HANDLE   

    TRIALS

2. EXCEPT THE FACT THAT EVERYDAY YOU MAY FACE A NEW TRIAL

3. YOU ARE UNDER GOD’S CONTROL

4. HE WILL NOT GIVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE

5. TRIALS ARE DESIGNED TO SHOW GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU

6. TRIALS ARE DESIGNED TO GROW YOUR FAITH

7. GOD II PERFECTING YOU 

8. GOD IS GIVING YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE JOYFUL 

    LIVING|

COUNT EACH DAY AS THE JOY OF THE LORD