Readings: Acts 16:22-34; Psalm 138; John 16:5-11
Following the cure of a girl with a spirit of divination, the masters who profited by her pitiable spiritual state mobilised public sentiments against the apostles and because Paul and Silas were the leading men, also looking very Jewish, fuelled by Anti-Jewish sentiments, the Romans in Philippi descended upon them.
Paul and Barnabas were severely beaten, imprisoned in maximum-security conditions.
Then the extraordinary happened. Though arrested, beaten and imprisoned for doing good, Paul and Silas were filled with joy and sang praises to God, it was unusual praise, nothing would make them stop praising God. I feel like ending this reflection here by asking “What can stop you from praising God?” Or “What has stopped you from praising God?”
I preached on the Joy of Jesus, the joy of Jesus comes from within and cannot be taken away by external circumstances.
The wall of the prison and the prisoners heard something they have never heard before, prayers and praises in prison. Listen to this- the same kind of situation that makes many of us blame, curse and lose faith is what led some people to praises. Songs of lamentation and chorus of protest against God lead us to self-pity and it glorifies the devil, songs of praises from someone in a troubling situation confuses the devil, it glorifies God, creates an atmosphere of miracle, an atmosphere for heaven to invade our prisons.
The jailer wanted to kill himself, he was sure they had escaped, he knew the punishment when prisoners escape. Yes, when the miracle occurred, their first impulse was to escape but love says “wait, for the sake of this man.” The miracle was not meant for them to escape but for the man to be saved.
The jailer, the same man who flogged them was saved by their love shown in not escaping and the joy shown in an unpleasant circumstance.
Dear friends, like Paul and Silas, God wants our lives to be like a magnet to attract others to Jesus. A life that will make others want what we have.
There are three powerful ways to do this;
- When we face adversities with the calmness that faith brings.
Jesus in the Gospel talked about His impending cruel death and He announces this with such peace.
- Our love, especially for those unfair to us.
Some of us choose to be mean to those unloving to us. We can never minister to them that way. Love puts the interest of others before ours. This is why Jesus says it is for your sake that I am going away.
- A life of joy
A life of joy attracts others. They simply want to know how we can have joy despite what we have been through or are going through.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart with love and joy and may nothing be strong enough to interrupt my praises to God, Amen.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami May 11, 2021