The Grands Letter (GLJ)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D. on October 2, 2017 7:01 am (CST)Dear Grands,
Acts 16:27-31, “And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and
had seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to
kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried
out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!’
29 And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell
down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said,
‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 31 And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord
Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.’”
What a night! Paul and Silas had been singing hymns and praising the LORD.
But the jailer had been asleep. When he awoke and saw what had occurred,
he realized that he would be blamed and determined to kill himself. But Paul
SHOUTED to him to STOP! While all of this was actual, two things could be
easily allegorized: one, the world, like the jailer, is asleep to what’s really
going on. They see the melee, the chaos, in the world, but they have no idea
that everything is winding down and headed to the LORD Jesus’ Return! The
only way out they know is suicide. And suicide is NOT the way out! It’s the
way in to Hell itself. The second allegory is that Paul shouted with a LOUD
voice. Sometimes we think the lost world should just “see” us living out our
faith. They may see that we are different, but they have no idea why. And
just “seeing” is not knowing. ~ Ultimately, the jailer asks the universal
question: “What must I do to be saved?” In all probability, he was only
concerned about the salvation of his human life. Yet, Paul replied with a
decidedly spiritual answer: “BELIEVE on the LORD Jesus Christ!” People want
to be “saved” from bankruptcy, from illness, from the loss of loved ones –
from every conceivable physical and mental aberration. Yet, true salvation
is first spiritual and always and only from the LORD. Just think about it.
Our Love and prayers are always for you,
Nana & Dado III
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas
“We never know that God is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”