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DAVID'S EMAIL BIBLE STUDY:
A. INTRODUCTION
... doing a few weeks of "favorite verses" led me to ACTS 16:31. As an eight year old I was sent to summer Bible Camp in the Adirondack Mountains. I remember horses, archery, bug juice, and my "salvation verse". One night, around the campfire, each kid had to search the Bible to find a verse about "salvation" to adopt as their lifetime verse. I found Acts 16:31. There is a power to the old practices of thumbing through the bible, even randomly; and memorization. Or at least to such familiarity that verses and stories come quickly to mind when needed.
B.
TODAY... Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house". If you want the full context, Acts 16:20-34
C.
SUMMARY
(including back story):
Paul and Silas are travelling widely to tell people the GOSPEL (Good News) of Jesus: his death, the forgiveness of sins, his resurrection, and eternal life. In the process they heal a disturbed woman being exploited by others. The owners of the woman have Paul and Silas put in prison for disturbing the peace. Their faith kept them strong and at midnight an earthquake broke open the chains and prison cells. The prison guard prepared to kill himself, assuming his prisoners had escaped. Paul and Silas chose to stay put. Amazed by their faith he asks, "What must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:31 is the answer. The guard then asks them to baptize his whole family. The next day, as the story becomes known, they are set free.
D.
4 KEY POINTS:
1. BELIEVE. Christianity talks about "accepting Jesus into your heart," "following", and here, "believe". Are they one and the same? Mostly, yes. To believe someone, or believe in someone, is to accept what they say as true. You take the sum of Jesus' teachings, whether about life or faith or himself, and you agree that they are correct; and you choose to follow that way of life and course of action that follows logically from believing and accepting. If you believe that 2+2=4 you agree to abide by these results whenever you buy or sell. And you choose to follow that mathematical principle in all your dealings. Same with Jesus.
2. LORD. In the Old Testament God is King. In the New Testament Jesus is Lord. Lord and King are not comfortable words for Americans. We overthrew our King, remember? We don't want anyone to "Lord it over" us. To understand the Biblical use we need to think back to Biblical times, and the times of Bible translators (i.e., King James, 1600's England). Kings, Lords etc. had no authority, responsibility, even God given positions (like "the divine right of Kinds"). It is definitely humbling to willingly subject ourselves to someone else's authority, to give allegiance to bow before, to recognize their leadership over us. Our American way doesn't allow for much of that. But we admire it in the military. Excellent sports teams often thrive under strong leadership. In times of crisis we want someone to project authority, to be in control. If JESUS is LORD we humbly allow his ways to become our ways.
3. "Thou shalt be SAVED". Classic Christianity offers two salvations: from sin, from death. Christ's death on the cross is called "substitutionary atonement". Jesus subs for us, he takes our place. As the hymn declares, "he paid it all". If we imagine each sin as a dollar we owe God, Jesus clears away our entire debt. Salvation #1. Jesus' resurrection is called "the first fruits", the living proof that God has saved us from the lasting effects of death. Salvation #2. Both Salvations liberate us to live as fully, boldly, courageously. We don't have to be weighed down by guilt, or constrained by fear. We are forgiven in the present, immortal for eternity.
4. "... and thy HOUSE". House means household or family. Paul was promising the jailer that his decision to believe and follow Christ will have a huge impact on his whole family. That's true for anything we take seriously, good and bad. The choices we make directly influence people close to us. It does not guarantee they will follow your choices, but by seeing them up close they will be in the best position to decide if your choice is good for them. Paul is assuming a whole-hearted, genuine, vital Christian life on the part of the jailer will influence his family to embrace a Christ-like life. This isn't about dogma, doctrine, or ritual. This is about Christlikeness. If you live it others will be more inclined to want it.
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