Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, November 16, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.
HEAVENLY SUNLIGHT AT NIGHT’S DARKEST HOUR
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Acts 16:16-31
Text: Acts 16:25
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Introduction: If there were ever a midnight for someone to be singing the blues rather than shouting praise, this would have been one of them.
Everything was going wrong. Paul and Silas had been preaching the gospel on the streets, but one devil-possessed woman kept following them and
crying after them. When Paul cast the devil out of her, her owners had them thrown in jail.
Let’s see if we can’t learn some lessons from Paul, Silas, and GOD that will help us through our own midnight hour!
I. THE CRISIS AT THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
Acts 16:16-25
At the midnight hour, Paul and Silas experienced
A. Satanic opposition – V. 16
1. Satan is after you, too! (1 Pet. 5:8)
B. Sinful misrepresentation – V. 19-21
C. Stressful isolation – V. 22-24
But instead of complaints, from Paul and Silas was heard:
II. THE CRY OF THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
A. It was a cry of prayer
B. It was a cry of praise
C. It was a cry of purpose
1. “the prisoners heard them”
2. This cry no doubt moved on the hearts of some of the prisoners who were listening, on the hearts of the ones doing the praying, and on the Lord Himself!
Then followed:
III. THE CONVERSION AT THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
Acts 16:25-31
A. There was an unfavorable picture
1. No light
2. No liberty
B. There was an unlikely prospect
1. Acts 16:27 – he had slept through everything, it seemed.
C. There were unusual prisoners
D. There was an unseen power
1. Acts 16:26 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.
E. There was an unhappy person
1. Acts 16:27 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.
2. He was contemplating suicide
3. He was convicted and afraid
4. He cried out for salvation
F. There was an unshakeable promise
1. Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
G. There was an undeserved pardon
1. Acts 16:32-34
2. Mr. Jailor got saved, Mrs. Jailor got saved, and all the little Jailors got saved; they also got baptized immediately!
In summary, let me point out:
IV. THE CONQUEST AT THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
Acts 16:25-40
A. The prison was rocked
1. God is able to shake your prison doors open, too!
B. The prisoners were released
1. Don’t give up on your lost friends and loved ones!
C. The prisonkeeper was regenerated
1. Your greatest enemy could become your next convert if you would care for his soul!
D. The preacher was redirected
1. Acts 19:7 – Paul preaching again at midnight, people still sleeping through his preaching, and God still working miraculously!
God can work in YOUR midnight hour!
He is able to answer prayer!
He is able to change lives!
He is able to give victory!
Will you pray and sing praises to God when it’s darkest in your life?