ASPECTS OF EVANGELISM "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And 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. 27And 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. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." [Acts 16:25-34] INTRO: We find in Acts 16 an example of early evangelistic zeal. We find Paul & Silas in dire surroundings, transforming a jail into a pulpit to preach deliverance to the captives. They were in chains physically; but spiritually they were sitting in heavenly places! Their bodies were held captive, but their spirits soared as eagles. Their surroundings were dreary, yet their fires was not extinguished. They had been set ablaze by the Spirit of God and brought light to those in darkness; hope to the despairing; courage to the fearful. They rested in the strength of the Savior and sang songs of praise in the midnight hour! In Acts 16 we catch a glimpse of real Christianity. Christianity as it is meant to be. We are allowed to see the early workings of the Spirit of God in this lives of men. We find in Acts 16 a model of evangelism. How did the early church evangelize all the known world? What was the process? What were the ingredients of evangelism? Many of these questions are answered for us here. ["Aspects of Evangelism" -- Cont'd] In Acts 16, I have identified at least 7 aspects or ingredients to evangelism. They are: I. ADORATION (v 25) Scripture records in verse 25 that in the midst of a great trial of faith, Paul & Silas prayed and sang songs of praise to God. I don't know what they were singing that night, but I want you to notice their singing make and impact1 V 25 records "...the prisoners were listening to them". I have read this passage a number of times and I had always missed this portion of v 25. Yet as I was preparing this message, the Spirit turned the spotlight on those six words---"the prisoners were listening to them." These prisoners were incarcerated for a variety of crimes. Undoubtedly some were awaiting trial while others were awaiting sentencing. In that "captive congregation" there may have been those awaiting a whipping which would tear at their back and leave their flesh hanging like ribbons, or their may have been those awaiting the executioner. Have you ever thought about what kind of people these prisoners were. They were some mother's son. They once had dreams and aspirations. Now, because of one reason or another they sit in a Philippian jail cell. Men without hope---forgotten by society. Some guilty---some innocent. Awaiting God only knows what. And as they lay upon their bed in the midnight hour, perhaps dreaming of home they hear melody & merriment coming from the adjoining cell. It is the sound of the redeemed offering praises to their God! I don't know what they were singing that night. If it were present day maybe they would have been singing--"Thou Art Worthy" or maybe, sensing the presence of God, their soul would usher forth "O How Sweet Is The Anointing". ["Aspects of Evangelism" -- Cont'd] What would we sing at the midnight hour from the inner prison with our feet in stocks?! Could we sing "Victory In Jesus" or "God Is So Good" or "I Will Enter His Gates" or "Amazing Grace". I don't know what Paul & Silas was singing that night, but it got the attention of those around them. Adoration, my friend, will do that. This is an essential element in evangelism. I wonder if the prisoners would have "listened to them" if they had been grumbling and complaining about their situation? There is something compelling about adoration and praise. It points those with whom we come in contact to a Higher Being. It speaks of our confidence in Him. II. DEMONSTRATION (v 26) 26And 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. We serve an "Awesome God". He is not the anemic, weak, powerless god of this world, but rather He is the Omnipotent One---the One who possesses All Power. Scripture tells us that the early Church went forth preaching with signs and wonders confirming the preached Word. This is God's way of doing things! Our scripture text tells us in verse 26 that not only did the prisoner's take notice of the prayer and praise of Paul & Silas, but Heaven took note as well! We find here the second aspect of Evangelism. First there is adoration, and then there is demonstration! Friends, for our evangelistic efforts to be truly effective, they must have the touch of the supernatural upon them! This, after all, is the grand purpose of the filling of the Holy Spirit. I read Acts 1:8 to you earlier: "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be my witnesses ...." Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul some years later to those at Thessalonica: 1 Th 1:5 "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." This perhaps is one of the reasons for a small harvest of souls --- those to whom you witness see too much disparity between lip and life. I don't mean to make disparaging remarks here this evening, but God knows we often present Him as a religious figure. Friends, He is not a religious figure. Present Him as a: Real Friend Reconstructive Force Righteous Foe Refining Fire But never present Him as a Religious Figure! Paul and Silas prayed and praised, and God responded to their situation. They were living their lives in such a way that those around them came in contact with the Risen, Regal, Righteous, Reigning Lord! This world needs desperately to come face to face with a God that is bigger than they! We need to once again experience the miraculous! (John Wimber - Airplane) Friends --- that's demonstration!! In Luke 9:1-2 we read a remarkable scripture: "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick". Friends, while preparing this message, God arrested me on this passage. Listen to it again: "... he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases..." Did you hear that!! That chorus begin to race through my spirit which said: "I command you Satan in the name of the Lord to pick up you weapons and flee. For the Lord has given me authority to walk all over thee!!!" Friends --- That's demonstration! Many we come across in our day to day lives are being literally torment by the devil and his minions! We must exercise our authority!!! We must let the world see that "greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world"!! NOTE: v 27 "the jailer ... aroused out of sleep" ["Aspects of Evangelism" -- Cont'd] III. COMPASSION (v. 28) 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Not only are adoration and demonstration aspects of evangelism, but we find in v. 28 another great ingredient. Scripture records that after the Philippian jailer was awakened and saw what had happened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. The reason for this is that the law of that day required a prison guard to take the place of the prisoner if a jail break happened on his watch. He couldn't live with that fact, so he prepared to take the easy way out. Now, undoubtedly this jailer had been injurious to Paul and Silas. Undoubtedly he had caused them great pain and discomfort of soul. It would have been easy to have simply sat back and watched the jailer kill himself. It would have been easy to justify. After all, they wouldn't be the ones killing him --- they would simply let him kill himself. Yet our text tells us that Paul "...cried out with a loud voice, saying 'do yourself no harm ..." I can almost hear the compassion in Paul's voice. Friends, to be an effective witness for our Lord, we must have compassion. Yes we need adoration. Yes we need demonstration. But perhaps above all we need compassion. Psa 126:5 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." Jer 9:1 "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" It's not enough to tell of the judgments of God --- we must display compassion! Listen --- Paul & Silas cared if their enemy perished --- do you?! IV. CONVICTION (vv 29-30) 29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? V. INSTRUCTION (v 32) 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. NOTE: They didn't bring this man to the point of salvation and then abandon him. Scripture records they "spoke the word of the Lord to him ..." VI. SUBMISSION (v 33) 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. NOTE: "... and immediately he was baptized ...." We have seen Our responsibility in evangelism: Adoration; Compassion; Instruction. We have seen God's responsibility in evangelism: Demonstration and Conviction. And now we see the Repentant's responsibility in evangelism: Submission. VII. JUBILATION. (v 34) 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." NOTE: "...rejoiced greatly ..."