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From Suicide to Salvation



June 24, 2012
 
 From Suicide to Salvation



      Acts 16:25–34

          I.      Introduction
         A.      Drama in a Dungeon
         B.      Paul and Silas in Prison
         1.      Their feet in stocks
         2.      At midnight, they pray and praise the Lord
         C.      Questions from the Darkness
          II.      Body
         A.      What Makes the Soul Delight? (v. 25)
         1.      The pain, the darkness, tomorrow’s prospects
         2.      Reasons they might have been depressed
           a.      They had obeyed the Macedonian call (16:9)
           b.      They had been leading people to Christ
           c.      They had been sensitive to human needs
           d.      Now they were in prison
         3.      Nevertheless, they praised God
         4.      How can the soul delight in the dark?
           a.      By focusing on Jesus rather than problems
           b.      By identifying with Jesus in suffering
           c.      By believing God will bring us through
         B.      What Makes the Soul Despair? (v. 27)
         1.      The earthquake, the prisoners freed
         2.      The jailor becomes suicidal
           a.      He saw himself as a failure
           b.      He envisioned shame for his family
           c.      He feared the reaction of his superiors
           d.      He expected to die anyhow
         3.      Suicide is now an epidemic
         4.      Suicide is a terrible solution
           a.      The pain to those we love
           b.      A permanent solution to a temporary problem
           c.      The destroyer or the Good Shepherd (John 10:10)
         C.      What Brings the Soul Deliverance? (vv. 30–31)
         1.      Concern by another: “Do thyself no harm”
         2.      Consistency of believers: “We are all here”
         3.      Turning to God: “What must I do to be saved?”
         4.      A message of hope: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”
          III.      Conclusion
         A.      The Jailor Trusts in Christ
         1.      Wanted then to minister to others
         2.      Wanted his family to hear
         B.      What Was …  And Might Have Been
         1.      Baptisms … instead of a funeral
         2.      Rejoicing … instead of sorrow
         3.      Salvation … instead of separation



Roger F. Campbell, Preach for a Year (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1988-). 213-14.

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