Sermon by Pastor David Layman,

Sunday, May 23, 2004

"Singing Hymns At Midnight"

Acts 16: 22-34

One Sunday morning during worship, a 2,000 member congregation was shocked to see two men enter, dressed from head to toe in black, wearing ski masks, and carrying sub-machine guns. One man called out "Anyone willing to take a bullet for Christ remain where you are." Immediately, all but one in the choir left, all the Deacons but one fled, and almost the whole congregation. Only about 20 were left in the congregation! The man then looked at the preacher, said "OK Pastor, I got rid of all the hypocrites. Now you may begin your service. Have a nice day!"

I presume this is story is fiction--one never knows with the internet! But after reading the account of Paul and Silas in Philippi, we know that these men would have been among the 20 ready to take a bullet for Christ! Paul and Silas healed a deranged slave girl who was used by her owners to make money for them by telling fortunes. Having lost their source of income, the owners drug Paul and Silas before the magistrates and provoked a riot. Supposedly to "keep the peace", the authorities gave us another example of "Roman justice". They ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten with rods. After a "severe flogging" (vs. 23), Paul and Silas were put in the innermost cell of the prison and their feet were fastened in stocks. Most people would rather "take a bullet" than endure such a beating and confinement!

But Acts 16:25 tells us that "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." Such hardships harden the hearts of many, holding them back from developing faith in God. They'll say "If God exists, people wouldn't experience suffering like this." But Jesus taught that "It rains on the just and the unjust", and the New Testament teaches that many a time, proclaiming God's truth invites rejection and suffering. That's certainly what Jesus and many of the earliest followers of Christ faced.

David Steele wrote an article about the contrast between American and Scottish golf courses. Steele wrote that American golf courses are designed to reward virtue and punish sin. (Some of you may not want to hear this!) But Steele says the top American golf courses are lush, well-watered, and have level landing areas for good shots. "There is a correct way to play each hole and when the right shot is hit the course rewards the golfer with a good lie for the next shot. Sand and water and the rough abound on American courses, but are only put in play when one hits the ball poorly." (July 16 -3 0, 1990 Presbyterian Outlook.)

But the Scottish theory of golf course design is different, in that Scottish courses don't always strive to reward a good shot. Scottish courses incorporate the randomness and arbitrariness of life. "Gorse" is a spiny, yellow-flowered, prickly shrub that is often found in the rough surrounding Scottish golf courses. We might agree that life is more like Scottish golf courses than American ones. As Paul and Silas experienced, they were doing the right things... .healing and teaching in Jesus' name, but they still had to suffer unjust beatings and imprisonment.

Yet at midnight, in that foul Philippian jail cell, their backs raw from a severe flogging, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, "and the prisoners were listening to them." Two important points to note: when we're hurting and suffering, we need to pray and sing hymns to God. Speaking to God about our pain is what we need to do. After praying to God, venting our pain and frustration, then we're grateful to God for being with us, and start singing hymns of praise. When we begin to focus on God, instead of our pain, we immediately start to feel better. Our back doesn't hurt so much from the scourging, the Holy Spirit is flowing through us, and the other prisoners start listening in amazement. And that is a wonderful time to witness!

Our fifth purpose is reaching out beyond the community of faith by sharing the Good News of God. Some will say "But I really don't have much of a story to tell." And sometimes, when things are quietly humming along in life, that's true. Our lives may seem very much like everyone else's. But when we face a time of hardship and struggle, when we're suffering, even unjustly, people are paying attention to how we're responding to this challenge. Just like the other prisoners paid attention to Paul and Silas, severely beaten, but singing praise to God, people will be open to receiving the good news of our witness, if we can pray and sing praises to God when times are tough!

Life can be hard, and the tragedy is that many people experience a "severe flogging" in life, many feel like they're locked up behind

prison doors, but they're not praying to God and seeking the comfort of the Holy Spirit. They may shoot up a "Hail Mary" prayer, but if there is not immediate relief, they quit praying. Jesus prayed on the night of his temptation for "the cup to pass" from him. But when it didn't, Jesus continued in prayer, "Not my will but thine!" .and moved forward. When Jesus experienced a more severe flogging than Paul and Silas endured, even when nailed to a cross, Jesus continued to pray to God, praying the first words of Psalm 22, "My God, my God " and concluding with "It is accomplished! Into thy hands I commend my spirit." Some believe hardship and suffering have the final say in life. Christians know that beyond life's scourging and crucifixions is an empty tomb and a risen savior! William Barclay has written "with God there is freedom even in a prison and even at midnight there is light."

Bob Chamness testimony, paraphrased: Several years back, I began to have vision problems. After a period of testing, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This came as quite a shock to me, for I had been doing distance running and considered myself to be in great physical shape. I knew that the prognosis for someone with m. s. was not good--I'd had a brother in law die with the disease. At this time, I went on an Emmaus Walk. In God's wisdom, there was a man serving as a "prayer warrior" on that walk by the name of Dave Gerwig. Dave at that moment was facing a far more difficult set of health problems than I was--confined to a special wheel chair and requiring a breathing machine to be with him at all times. Yet I found Dave to be a cheerful and committed believer in Christ. Here I was, feeling sorry for myself, and I meet Dave, in the words of Acts 16, praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. You'd better believe Dave Gerwig's witness had a profound impact on me. And now, as I face the progression of my disease, I will have the same opportunity to witness to Christ as Dave had to me. I can only pray I have a fraction of the impact on others Dave's witness has had on me!

The most powerful moments of life come when the Spirit inspires us to sing hymns in prison at midnight!