Good Men in Prison
W. Burrows, B. A. Acts 16:19-26 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas… It is a great disgrace to humanity that its greatest benefactors have been ill-treated. Next to the Saviour, the world has known no truer benefactor than Paul. And yet he was cast into prison. We feel ashamed of our complaining as we think of this God's true hero singing songs of praise unto the Lord. I. A GOOD MAN RADIATES HIS INFLUENCE. He cannot help it. 1. Silas was benefited by his connection with Paul. Silas was a man of mark, but he became more remarkable from his identification with Paul. We may not get earthly greatness or riches, but we must be better in a moral sense by allowing ourselves to be touched by a good man's influence. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise." 2. Paul and Silas together exerted a good influence — (1) On the prisoners, who listened to the sweet singing. (2) On the jailer, whom they rescued from death. It has been so ever since. "The path of the just is as the shining light." A bird will sing in a cage; a preacher has spoken through the grating of his cell. II. A GOOD MAN'S CHARACTER IS NOT DAMAGED BY OUTWARD CONDITIONS. His reputation may be affected by them; for a man may have a good character and a bad reputation. Paul and Silas had a bad reputation. But a change is soon brought about. The very jailer acknowledges them as messengers of God. Today the world delights to honour those men who sat in that cell. If we suffer as evil-doers, we have reason to be ashamed; but if we suffer as Christians, let us glorify God on this behalf. III. GOOD MEN ARE TRUE TO THEIR PRINCIPLES, THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSES OF DISASTER. If the world were morally right, correct principles would never bring a man into trouble. If the apostles had been brought up in the school of worldly prudence, and had sat at the feet of Professors Pliable and Worldly Wiseman, they would not have had a sore back that night, though they might have had the worse evil of an uneasy conscience. But they were brought up in the school of Christ. The lesson impressed upon their mind was, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." It was theirs to dare to do the right, and leave consequences. Throw the mere professor into prison, and he soon recants. But when Paul and Silas are thrown into prison, they pray and sing praises unto God. They do not change their mode of procedure. IV. GOOD MEN ARE SUSTAINED AND ENCOURAGED IN THEIR SUFFERINGS. 1. The consciousness of having done right is a sustaining power. Paul and Silas had songs given to them in the night time of their confinement, while the poor jailer was in agonies, and the magistrates who condemned were sadly troubled. 2. The consciousness of a helper in heaven is a sustaining power. Paul without prayer would have been Paul without his lofty heroism. Prayer nerved his arm for the conflict, and brought down heavenly blessings. (W. Burrows, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, WEB: But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.