Intro: Biblical grace and biblical love are very closely related. These words are not just nouns. As nouns, all we do is identify them. But when these words become verbs, they we see life changing events happen. Let me illustrate with words from a famous musical composer: “A bell’s not a bell ’til you ring it – A song’s not a song ’til you sing it – Love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay – Love isn’t love ’til you give it away!” ― Oscar Hammerstein This same principle applies to grace. Let’s review the definition of grace. In this passage, Dr. Luke gives us two great examples of God’s grace in action. Jesus’ Grace In Action Opens HeartsDifferent experiencesLydia A women who was seeking God at a prayer meetingShe was a GentileJesus opened her heart to respond to Paul’s messageJailerA Gentile and government employee doing his jobPaul and Silas arrested and put in the inner jail and shackled under heavy guardThe reason for their arrestThe fortune teller slave to a spirit in her, and her ownersShe followed Paul and Silas shouting and disrupting for many daysPaul became annoyed and cast out the evil spirit which infuriated her ownersThey filed a complaint with the town magistratesThe magistrates and the town’s people joined together in trying to silence Paul and SilasThey had them stripped and beaten with rods and put Paul and Silas in jailEnter the jailer Jesus’s Grace Is Able to Break Through Our CircumstancesPaul and SilasSinging hymns and praying to God at midnightWorship lifted them above their unpleasant circumstancesThe other prisoners and jailers were listeningGod intervenedSudden violent earthquakeAll the prison door flew openEveryone’s chains came looseBut the prisoners did not leaveJailerWoke up with the earthquakeSaw the prison doors open and was about to kill himselfExplain the penalty for letting prisoners escape for the guard in chargeThey must pay the penalty of the most sever offender e.g. death rowPaul shouted to the jailer not to harm himself because all the prisoners were thereThe jailer rushed in before Paul and Silas and asked a key question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” v. 30Paul told him very simply, “Believe in the  Lord Jesus, and you will be savedJesus’s Grace Can Be ContagiousLydia’s HouseShe and her members were baptizedNote, each member of her family needed to personally receive Christ as their Lord and SaviorIt is not automatic the if one person in a house gets saved, the others are automatically savedJailer’s HouseThe Jailer and the his household were baptizedThe note above (Lydia’s house) applies here alsoJesus’s Grace Cannot Be JailedThe magistrates had no case against Paul and SilasThey send word to have them releasedPaul said no…let them come and escort us outThis held the government accountable and guarded the gospelPaul was a Roman citizen and was entitled to due process, which he was deniedThis frightened the magistrates and the citizensThe magistrates came and politely escorted Paul and Silas out of prisonPaul and Silas went to Lydia’s house, they met with the brothers and sisters, encouraged them and leftThe gospel goes on!