worship preview

Billions of people around the world have seen their economic well being plummet over the past year.  Housing prices have plummeted along with the stock market, unemployment has risen to dizzying heights, companies are either going out of business or into bankruptcy.  Virtually no one has emerged unscathed by what is happening.   Sometimes economic downturns are global in their scope.  Other times, a reversal of fortune can be much more personal in nature.  A case in point happens in a Scripture passage in the book of Acts. Some entrepeneurs have benefitted by the special talents of a fortune teller.  Unfortunately, her talents have a rather dark source as she is receiving her info. from an evil spirit.  When the apostle Paul heals her, the owners lose their souce of income and react angrily.  What happens next is both intriguing and inspiring and leads to a family being redeemed.    In preparation for Sunday, I invite you to read this passage (Acts 16:16-34, included below).  As you read this passage, pay particular attention to the theme of freedom.  Who are the people who are free in this story and who are not?  Who ends up being imprisoned and who is liberated?  What does this story tell us about freedom?  In what ways are you needing to be set free?  What hope does the gospel give you about having this need met?   Please be in prayer for our worship gathering that God might work in our lives to experience the deep and abiding freedom offered to us in Christ.   --Bryan   Paul and Silas in Prison  16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.  19When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."  22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.  25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"  29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.