The Baptism of the Philippian Jailor (Acts 16:25-40)

This sermon was preached on 6/11/2011 (it was a baptismal service)

Luke, in Acts 16, has already given details about two converts of the gospel in Philippi and he would have selected them as samples of the type of persons from there who became followers of the Lord Jesus. First, Paul described the conversion of Lydia, and she represents those in the church who were converted from a Jewish background (she was a proselyte from Thyatira in modern-day Turkey, a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, which was an indication that she was seeking an interest in the true God). After her conversion her home in Philippi became the location where the new church met. On believing, she and her household were baptised (her household would have included servants but perhaps also family members as well).

Second, Paul described the deliverance of the slave girl from her pagan activity of fortune-telling (she had been a tool of Satan to try and discredit the ministry of Paul, but her deliverance showed how the gospel could penetrate a false religion and deliver even the most active of their devotees).

Third, Paul described the conversion of the local jailor, whose name we are not told (Luke would have known his name because he remained in Philippi afterwards and would have got to know the jailor well). The jailor became involved because Paul and Silas had been arrested at the instigation of the owners of the slave girl. In a sense it was all none of his business, although he soon discovered that he had to make it his business. Of course, behind it all was the arranging hand of God. It is highly unlikely that Paul and Silas thought in the morning that they would be in prison in the evening, and further that they would be the means of the conversion of the jailor and his household. No doubt, Paul and Silas would have prayed to be guided to converts, but such prayers can result in unexpected answers.

The incident also tells us that the Lord will give opportunity for salvation in unexpected places and to individuals who would not have been expecting to be converted. I am sure it had never entered the jailor’s mind that he could be saved; we don’t even know if he had heard that there were such people as Christians.

Also with regard to the jailor, this was the only occasion he would have to hear Paul and Silas. They would have been released the next day and moved on to their next place. Sometimes providence only gives one opportunity for hearing the gospel. Therefore when such an occasion arises, the unconverted person should repent of their sins and be saved.

What kind of man was the Philippian jailor?

Usually the impression is given that he was a rough and wild man. Nevertheless, such a suggestion is open to question. It is very unlikely that the Roman authorities would have used such an undisciplined person in this important position. It is clear from the passage that he was used to obeying orders and his treatment of Paul and Silas was according to the instructions he received. In a sense, this man was a government employee, with all the privileges that came with his role. So he would have enjoyed a measure of security.

Whatever may have been these securities, he found himself in a situation where they could not do him any good. In a moment he discovered the fragility of his situation. He knew that he was accountable for any escaped prisoners with his own life, and suicide seemed the only option for him. All his hopes for the future had been dashed.

In these two factors, the jailor is a picture of many of us. We have reasonably secure positions in society through our work and station in life. Then something happens that shows to us that these things cannot really help us when troubles come. If that situation has not yet happened for some of us, it will yet come.

Sometimes God has to remove things from us before we will listen to him. He does not do this with everyone; for example, he did not bring any problems into the life of Lydia. With the young girl, he removed her from various evils that were afflicting her. It was different too with the jailor; he needed to experience a major crisis. God knows what it will take to bring a person to repentance.

The simplicity of conversion

We have seen that this man had very little knowledge of the Christian message. But he knew enough that he needed to be saved. Where he had received this information from is not the crucial question. It seems as if the earthquake and the non-escape of the prisoners had convinced him that the Christian message was true. We are not to be surprised at the methods God uses to convince a person of the truth of the gospel. Sometimes it can be rational arguments as Paul used when he debated with the philosophers in Athens; sometimes it can be a miraculous preservation in providence in which God answered a prayer of desperation, say, by a person drowning at sea; sometimes it can be the quiet, ongoing witness of a converted wife to her unconverted husband as he observes her Christlike character. Whatever the method, they are brought to ask this most profound question, ‘What must I do to be saved?’

Perhaps some of you have not yet asked this question. You may be convinced already about the truth of the Bible, but for various reasons you have not asked the question. You may even think that it is not suitable for you to ask the question. But anyone can ask this question. You can ask it out of curiosity or you may ask it out of desperation, but the answer will be the same.

Why do you need to be saved? The answer to this question is that you need to be saved from the danger of perishing eternally under the judgement of God. Because this is the case, you have to personally ask this question. Note the stress that the jailor put on his own involvement – what must I do?

The answer is a surprising one, is it not? The jailor had wanted to do something, and he was told that the work had been already done by Jesus Christ. Of course, we are not to quibble over the errors in the man’s question. Yet this surprising aspect reminds us of an important problem that recurs again and again in people seeking salvation. In a variety of ways, they don’t focus on what Jesus has done on the cross. They imagine that they have to prepare themselves by making themselves better by reforming their lives. But salvation is based on what Jesus Christ has done.

The answer is also a simple one. The apostles told the jailor that all he had to do was to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not have to move his body an inch in order to be converted. What he needed to do was believe in Jesus.

In thinking about faith, we have to believe about Jesus as well as believing in Jesus. We have to recognise who he is, that he died on the cross as the Saviour and that he has risen from the dead and been given the place of Lord. We depend upon him and devote ourselves to him. Our trust in him is marked by gratitude and reliance. For his sake we receive the forgiveness of our sins and have peace with God.

Think of some potential changes in his life. Right away, there was the beginning of a prison ministry in Philippi because the church there would have access to evangelise the prisoners. His old friends, probably soldiers who had fought with him in military campaigns for the Roman Emperor, would see a remarkable change in his life and would enquire about why he was serving another Ruler. Perhaps some of them became members of the congregation in Philippi – this may be one of the joyful discoveries God’s people will make when they meet all the members of the family of God in heaven.

The baptism (Acts 19:31-34)

The baptism of the jailer followed on from a time of instruction by Paul (v. 32). This took place in the early hours of the morning – the earthquake had taken place shortly after midnight (v. 25), so perhaps an hour or so had passed before the period of instruction would have started. The city authorities wanted Paul and his friends to leave at daylight (v. 35), which would be about six in the morning. So the instruction would have lasted only for a few hours at most. This tells us that a few hours’ instruction is sufficient to prepare candidates for baptism.

What would Paul have said to them? Obviously any answers are a guess, but here are several likely details. They can be summarised as doctrines, duties and destination. The doctrines would be connected to who Jesus is and what happened to him. So Paul would have explained how God the Father sent his Son into the world, how his Son died on the cross bearing the penalty of sin, how he had risen from the dead, then returned to heaven after informing his followers that they had to spread the gospel, and sent the Holy Spirit to guide his church until he returns as universal Judge at the end of history. The duties would include church attendance and personal devotions of prayer and witness. And their destination was heaven, where they would be with Jesus forever. Paul knew that Luke, who was left behind in Philippi, would repeat and enlarge the basic teachings given to the jailor.

In addition to having a time of instruction, the jailor revealed that he was a changed character. We can see the evidence for the change in verse 33 – he washed the stripes that the magistrates had ordered for Paul and Silas (v. 22). Instead of being indifferent to their physical needs he was changed into a compassionate, tender man. How long does it take for grace to show itself in a changed life? It shows itself very quickly. The first sign displayed by the jailor was brotherly love. So on the evidence of his willingness to be instructed and of a changed life, he and his family were baptised (v. 33), perhaps using the same basin as the jailor used for washing the stripes.

Why were his family members baptised? They were baptised because he now believed in God. We are not told who they were, whether his wife was alive, or whether he had young children or teenagers. All that we know about them is that they were all baptised following his profession of faith. The same detail is said about Lydia and her household in verse 15. The practice in the New Testament was to baptise households if possible. Obviously, at that time, it was possible for an unconverted male head of the house to prevent his converted wife from baptising their children. But if it was possible, the practice was to baptise the adult convert and his or her family.

The baptism was followed by a meal gladly provided by the jailor (v. 34). Immediately he realised the importance of hospitality and sharing. This action was potentially dangerous for the jailor because it was a capital offence to perform such an action on behalf of prisoners. Yet his joy in salvation made these potential difficulties seem rather small. He began to show that he wanted to live a Christlike life of service.

Then it was back to normal life. Paul and Silas went back to the prison – they were there when the magistrates command was given at daylight. The jailor resumed his duties (v. 36). At that time, the city of Philippi was unaware of the important event that had occurred during the night hours in the prison. But they would see its effects in the coming days as the jailor and his family lived out the consequences of him now believing in God. In a sense, this is what happens at all baptisms. The outside world is not aware that it has occurred, but they should see its effects in the lives of those who have been baptised and wonder why they are different.