Singing Hymns

JP Bohanan -

1-2
June 2019, Christ Mountain Top, Lord’s Table
Praying
the Psalm, Psalm 97
Children,
Luke 24.44-53
Message,
Acts 16.16-40
Mission
Moment, None
2
contrasts in the passage:
1.    
Captivity and liberty
2.    
Hostility and community
1.
Captivity and liberty
·       Slave
girl (ventriloquist, Plutarch) and “these men are slaves of the Most High God”
·       Suicidal
jailer and imprisoned disciples
·       Chastened
officials and beaten apostles
Only
the slaves of the Most High are free
And
they offer freedom
      To the slave girl, in the name of Jesus
      To those in prison, by the power of praise
            A two-edged sword… Psalm 149.6
Story of the “cheerful hearts” SS class

2.
Hostility and community
“These
men are” (same form as the girl) “JEWS”
      Dog whistle for the times
Ever
become hostile? With a telemarketer?
Palestinian
prisoner sharing his story
BUT
Paul and Silas
      Saved the retired Roman soldier &
jailer
      Offered Jesus to the enemy
1st
century prayer of Jewish men: Thank you God that I am not a Gentile, a woman,
or a slave. (And we utter that same prayer in all kinds of ways today.)
      First character in this portion of the
story is ALL THREE!
Paul
grew up with this prayer, yet shows compassion and kindness
      Galatians 5, “no Jew or Greek, no male or
female, no slave or free”
Resources:
F.F.
Bruce, The Book of Acts
John
Stott, The Spirit, the Church & the
World
Jaroslav
Pelikan, Acts