A Sermon by David Carment
Acts 16:29,30. Then he called, for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved.
It may be proper, by way of preface, to mention some things to which we should direct our attention.
(1.) The person described. He was a jailor and a man of hardened feelings, who exceeded his commission. We find that he thrust the feet of the apostles into the stocks, and we are led to suppose that he was inclined to severity. This was the person who became a trophy of the grace of God.
(2.) The place. No place can exclude God. The place here was a prison – the most unlikely for God to manifest His power. But there were in this prison at this time two of the servants of the living God, but they were prisoners and bound. Yet God introduces Himself into the prison and He there reclaims from the error of his way a man who seems to have been worse than, perhaps, the greatest malefactor under his charge. When God comes He beats down every barrier.
(3.) The activity of Paul and Silas. It may put many Christians to shame in our days. They were not murmuring and repining; but mark the conduct of those men of God and let it teach us a lesson. Though unjustly treated and condemned by the magistrates, yet in the prison they are engaged not only in prayer to God, but also in praise – in the duty of thanksgiving. And we see the result of this conduct: they were made the honoured instruments in the hands of God of breaking the bonds of one who was, as it were, bound in the fetters of sin and Satan, and of bringing him forth into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
(4.) The occasion of this man’s conversion. There was a great earthquake; the doors were opened; every man’s bonds were loosed; the jailor was roused from his sleep and led to think that he would be held responsible for their escape. Under this impression he drew his sword and would have killed himself, “but Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm; for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas.” Some would attempt to say that his feelings were the result of being in terror for his life. This I deny; his natural fear had subsided as soon as he heard the Apostle calling to him that they were all there. The agitation of his mind evidently rose from a spiritual
source and, I maintain, had no reference to the situation in which he found himself before.
(5.) The Apostles’ conduct. Here we find an instructive lesson. How careful they were to save the life of the man who had injured them!
We shall direct your attention to:
1. The salvation which sinners ought to seek, and which awakened sinners do seek.
2. The feelings of those concerned about this salvation, feelings which are natural and proper in such circumstances.
1. Salvation. (1.) It is a salvation from sin that an awakened sinner seeks, for sin is not only the enemy of God but the destroyer of the soul of man. So long as you remain in your sins and they are unpardoned, you must be in a state of distress and anxiety of mind. All who have been taught by the Spirit of God must desire to be delivered from sin, for Christ came to deliver His people from their sins. There are many today who live as if Jesus merely came to deliver them from wrath. Sin is the great enemy of God as well as of man. It has put a wall of separation between God and man which has destroyed the beauty of his earthly paradise. It has brought down the fires of divine vengeance from heaven. It caused the earth to open her mouth and swallow up Korah, Dathan and Abiram. It kindled the flames that never die. It has opened the house appointed for all living. While sin remains unpardoned, man must remain at a distance from God; this is a natural consequence of the character of God.
Of course then the salvation we speak of is a great salvation, for it is a salvation from sin – which will, if you live and die under its influence, put a wall of separation between you and God. It makes us see the evil of sin in such a light as to lead us to cry out with the jailor: “What must I do to be saved?” Most gospel hearers are quite content with themselves, and I conceive that there cannot be a greater demonstration of the bewitching power of sin than to see so many congregating in the house of God and to see so little real concern for sin. You may say, “We are no reprobates”. True, but if you are not converted you cannot be saved. There is no other place for you except that into which the wicked are cast. All those whose sins are not forgiven must be driven out from the presence of God to all eternity. There is no comfort for you till you have scriptural assurance that your sins are forgiven.
(2.) It is a salvation from wrath. This is closely connected with salvation from sin, for “there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit”. Though the awakened soul will seek salvation from sin, yet it must also seek salvation from wrath. Of this the jailor was aware. His awakening was instantaneous, yet the flood of light
which was poured into his soul enabled him to see what sin was. Is there no danger of you being exposed to the wrath and curse of God? Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God? Is it not a precious salvation which not only delivers from the power of sin, but also from its penalty, and entitles you to all the blessings of Christ’s death? Is it a fearful thing to think how many in a land of light are still exposed to the wrath and curse of God, and yet no cry is heard: “What must I do to be saved?” Are you not afraid of the terrors of the Almighty? Are you not exposed to the terrors of the law you have violated? And unless you obtain an assurance that your sins are forgiven, is it not time to awake out of your sleep and to exclaim with the jailor: “What must I do to be saved?”
(3.) This salvation implies being entitled to, and made fit for, eternal unmixed happiness. The hearers of the gospel do not seem to mark the distinction that ought to be kept in view between being entitled to eternal happiness and being made fit for it. You see many who are strenuous supporters of what is called evangelical truth – many who contend for a gospel ministry, yet live in a manner that shows they are not fit for eternal happiness with God in heaven. If our justification gives us a title to heaven, our sanctification makes us fit for it. But they do not glorify God in their hearts or with their substance.
If we were to enter the houses of all who hear the gospel from day to day, do you suppose we would find no drunkards, no swearers and no Sabbath-breakers? I am afraid there are many parents in this congregation who never pray (if there are not, they are unlike any other congregation). Is there anything here like holiness of heart – like what ought to be found in those who are in the way of heaven? No, it is evident that the salvation spoken of here consists not only in being entitled to heaven, but also in being made fit for it. You must turn your back on sin and hate it with a perfect hatred. And every part of your conduct must illustrate the doctrine which you have professed to believe. Remember that this salvation implies not only that you become entitled to heaven, being justified by faith, but that you are also made fit for the holy society there – for without holiness “no man shall see the Lord”. This is the salvation which every sinner ought to seek, and which a soul truly awakened will seek.
2. The feelings of those concerned about this salvation. “What must I do to be saved?” was the cry of the jailor; and this will be the cry of every soul which has been truly awakened. When the Spirit of God accompanies the Word to a man’s conscience, he has no rest; like the jailor, he comes trembling. When he is once convinced of sin he has no rest till he obtains that deliverance which is pointed out in the gospel – until the way of escape
is opened up to him from the avenger of blood that now pursues him. He can have no peace until has been brought into a justified state.
Such a sinner is not satisfied with even the assurance of the pardon of sin, and this is one cause of those distressing feelings that agitate the minds of many true believers. A real Christian desires not only to have his sins pardoned, but he desires also to be delivered from the very being of sin in the soul. And often when he feels he is making no progress in holiness, he is inclined at times to fold his hands in despair; but here God steps in to his help. As the soul advances in the knowledge of God – as a greater flood of light is poured into the soul, it becomes more and more acquainted with itself and more ready to see those sins which he had not noticed before. And I believe the distresses of believers arise often, strange as it may seem, from the increase of knowledge; they become more acquainted with the guilt of their own hearts – they form a more correct estimate of what the Christian character ought to be. But still they must long after holiness; every fresh acquisition of light is employed in crucifying the body of sin, and to approximate nearer and nearer to God.
A strong feeling of self-preservation is implanted in the heart of man; yet it is quite common for the men and women of this world to be very surprised when they see any concerned about their souls. Now, it is perfectly clear that it is a natural instinct in man to seek his own preservation; and it is natural to be much concerned when the lives of those near to us are in danger. We often have seen an affectionate husband or wife shedding tears of the deepest sorrow at the bedside of a beloved partner. You can shed tears for a sick child, a sick husband or wife; but you have no tears to shed for a dead soul. You give tears in the one case; and unfeeling would the man indeed be who would say that in such a case you made much ado about nothing. Now, surely if it is natural to wish that the body be preserved, is it not proper that everything should be done to preserve your spiritual life?
After all your efforts to save the life of your friend, death comes at last and takes him away. But the life that God gives is a spiritual life that cannot be taken away; it secures an eternal existence. You surely are therefore called upon to seek the salvation of your soul as the one thing needful. This ought to be the occupation of every man and every woman. All is lost unless the salvation of the soul is secured. But we see an utter abhorrence of everything connected with this. A physician will not sell poison without taking the precaution of writing poison on it. Now, I ask you, ought it not to be equally our concern to preserve ourselves from everything that would injure your soul? A parent will remove out of the way of a child everything that would endanger his life, and are you equally careful to remove out of his sight every-
thing that would be harm his soul? No, under the influence of sin you will put in their way what will ensure the loss of your own souls and also those of your offspring.
If someone sees the wrath of God ready to lay hold on him, he must wish to escape from it. What then is it that makes the majority of hearers unconcerned under the gospel? It is just this: They do not see their danger. But if you awaken those asleep when the house is in flames around them, they will immediately become alarmed. So we wish to awaken you from the drunkenness of sin, and to take a true view of your state as sinners before God. You will profess to believe that you are sinners before God, but have you obtained an assurance of the favour of God? Have you been justified by faith, and brought to the enjoyment of peace of conscience? Now if you have not, it is time to bestir yourselves. Death is in the way; judgement is before you; the great white throne will be set, and you shall be judged according to the things that are written in the book, whether they have been good or evil.
But I must go on and, by way of application, ask you a few questions:
(1.) Are you convinced of sin? Has it ever been a trouble to you? Now it is evident that, unless you are convinced of sin, you will never seek a Saviour. Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. If you do not need a Saviour, it is evident that you are not a convinced sinner and that you are a stranger to the evils of your own heart. And so you must be a stranger to Christ.
(2.) Can you be satisfied with the trifles of time? I am sure if you will tell the truth, you would say that you are uncertain about your salvation. But your poor soul is forgotten and neglected, and death, judgement and eternity are put far out of view. Can you be satisfied while this is a matter of uncertainty with you? Is it not a fearful risk to lay down your head upon your pillow while in a state of uncertainty about your soul, when you do not know but that your soul may this night be required of you? And would you part with the joys of eternity for the trifles of time?
What are your thoughts on this subject? Are you not ready to say within yourselves that this man makes too much fuss about this matter, and that you hope matters are not so bad as he seems to suppose? I believe no man or angel could describe the ten-thousandth part of the danger that lies before you. Time is short; it is short with the youngest of you. Is there anything as important as the salvation of your souls? And will you not be persuaded, like Mary of old, to choose that good part which shall never be taken away from you? Will you despise the great salvation of God? The Son of God proclaims by my instrumentality: “Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out”.
(3.) Are you concerned about this salvation? What is the thrust of your
conversation, and what are your affections set on? Let me entreat you to lay these things to heart. Think about the salvation of your souls. Seek to make your calling and your election sure. Unless the Word is mixed with faith, it cannot profit you. Unless your way of life is a living commentary on the main doctrines you profess to believe, let me tell you that you are in great danger. Now, is there cause to fear that the Word of God is returning empty? Where is the heart on which it has made an impression? Where is the soul that is now ready to cry out, “What must I do to be saved?” Think of the Saviour weeping for you, as for the sinners in Jerusalem of old, because you will not come unto Him that you might have life.
Is there one soul awakened to see the danger of sin? To him I would say in my Master’s name, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”. There are blessings in Him that will make you happy in time and happy through eternity. While you remain at a distance from Jesus, you must be miserable. Let me entreat you to come to that Man who has opened a fountain to wash away the filth and impurity of sin. O then, come to Him for life and salvation! Come to Christ for peace and pardon, for redemption from all your iniquities, and for glory, honour and immortality hereafter. He will not only entitle you to the blessings of His salvation, but He will bestow His Spirit for the work of sanctification in your souls, to make you perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.
^1 A sermon preached in Trinity Chapel, Aberdeen, and reprinted with editing from The Scottish Pulpit, vol 3. Carment (1772-1856) was minister of Rosskeen in Easter Ross.