Paul and Silas Help a Jailer
Acts 16:16-36
Our story comes from a book of the Bible called Acts. That name is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.” The word "Apostle" is another word to describe a helper of Jesus.
Our Bible story is about two men named Paul and Silas. Both Paul and Silas loved Jesus. They went from one town to another telling about Jesus’ love. Traveling with Paul and Silas were two friends who also loved Jesus. The friends were a man named Luke and a young man named Timothy.
They went to a town called Philippi (pronounced “fi-LIP-eye”). Paul and Silas told the people about Jesus. They met a slave girl who was controlled by an evil spirit.
Paul wanted the girl to be well. Paul prayed and asked Jesus to help the girl, and Jesus did! The evil spirit left the girl and she was well!
But some people didn’t like what Paul and Silas were doing. They told the authorities that Paul and Silas were bothering the people.
They had Paul and Silas beaten and put in jail.
Paul and Silas were locked in the jail. They could look out the door, but they couldn’t open it and leave. A jailer stood nearby. It was his job to make sure that Paul and Silas stayed in jail.
What do you think Paul and Silas did in jail? They weren’t sad. Paul and Silas decided to show that they loved Jesus. They prayed. They sang about Jesus. The jailer and other prisoners listened as Paul and Silas sang and prayed.
Late one night, God sent an earthquake! The ground began to shake. The jail doors flew open. The prisoners could run away!
The jailer was afraid that everyone in the jail had run away. He would be in big trouble if the prisoners had gone. But no one had gone.
Paul said, “We are all here!”
Then the jailer asked Paul and Silas to tell him about Jesus. Paul and Silas told the jailer and his family about Jesus.
The jailer and his family believed in Jesus and they were baptized.
The next day, Paul and Silas were let out of jail. Paul’s and Silas’s actions in jail showed that they loved Jesus. Our actions can show that we love Jesus, too.
Bible Paraphrase: Serve one another in love. (For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. – Galatians 5:13 NIV)
Text Truth: Our actions can show we love Jesus.
Even in the midst of persecution, Paul and Silas maintained an attitude of faith and praise. They were praying and singing hymns to God—in jail! Their attitude not only served to keep up their spirits, it witnessed to the other prisoners and the jailer. Their actions really showed that they loved Jesus. Their actions gave them an opportunity to help the jailer and his family believe in Jesus.
Our words and actions matter. We have a choice in everything we say and do. But we also have help if we ask and are ready to accept it. God will give freely an attitude of praise when we are open and ready to receive and respond.
Ask Him to give you an attitude of faith and praise each day.
Our story comes from a book of the Bible called Acts. That name is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.” The word "Apostle" is another word to describe a helper of Jesus.
Our Bible story is about two men named Paul and Silas. Both Paul and Silas loved Jesus. They went from one town to another telling about Jesus’ love. Traveling with Paul and Silas were two friends who also loved Jesus. The friends were a man named Luke and a young man named Timothy.
They went to a town called Philippi (pronounced “fi-LIP-eye”). Paul and Silas told the people about Jesus. They met a slave girl who was controlled by an evil spirit.
Paul wanted the girl to be well. Paul prayed and asked Jesus to help the girl, and Jesus did! The evil spirit left the girl and she was well!
But some people didn’t like what Paul and Silas were doing. They told the authorities that Paul and Silas were bothering the people.
They had Paul and Silas beaten and put in jail.
Paul and Silas were locked in the jail. They could look out the door, but they couldn’t open it and leave. A jailer stood nearby. It was his job to make sure that Paul and Silas stayed in jail.
What do you think Paul and Silas did in jail? They weren’t sad. Paul and Silas decided to show that they loved Jesus. They prayed. They sang about Jesus. The jailer and other prisoners listened as Paul and Silas sang and prayed.
Late one night, God sent an earthquake! The ground began to shake. The jail doors flew open. The prisoners could run away!
The jailer was afraid that everyone in the jail had run away. He would be in big trouble if the prisoners had gone. But no one had gone.
Paul said, “We are all here!”
Then the jailer asked Paul and Silas to tell him about Jesus. Paul and Silas told the jailer and his family about Jesus.
The jailer and his family believed in Jesus and they were baptized.
The next day, Paul and Silas were let out of jail. Paul’s and Silas’s actions in jail showed that they loved Jesus. Our actions can show that we love Jesus, too.
Bible Paraphrase: Serve one another in love. (For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. – Galatians 5:13 NIV)
Text Truth: Our actions can show we love Jesus.
Family Devotional
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. – Acts 16:25
Even in the midst of persecution, Paul and Silas maintained an attitude of faith and praise. They were praying and singing hymns to God—in jail! Their attitude not only served to keep up their spirits, it witnessed to the other prisoners and the jailer. Their actions really showed that they loved Jesus. Their actions gave them an opportunity to help the jailer and his family believe in Jesus.
Our words and actions matter. We have a choice in everything we say and do. But we also have help if we ask and are ready to accept it. God will give freely an attitude of praise when we are open and ready to receive and respond.
Ask Him to give you an attitude of faith and praise each day.
Activities You Can Do at Home
Show Love
Help your child plan a way to show love to a family member. You might suggest sharing a favorite toy with a sibling or saying “Jesus loves you” to an adult relative.
A Taste of Love
Use a heart cookie cutter to cut a heart shape from a slice of bread. Then, spread jelly onto the heart. As you eat your “little taste of love,” talk about ways we can show we love Jesus.
Good and Kind
As you go places during the week, name each place and, on the way, talk about how you and your child should act there. Reinforce that our good and kind actions show others we love Jesus.
Build a Jail
Build your own jail with furniture or empty boxes and close yourselves inside. Talk about what Paul and Silas did when they were in jail, and then do the same together. Thank Jesus for being with you wherever you are, and sing a song about Jesus’ love, such as “Jesus Loves Me.”
Sing, Pray and Praise
Sing a song of prayer and praise to God, just like Paul and Silas did while they were in jail.
-
Story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence.
-
Comments
Post a Comment