The Daily Office for September 20, 2012
Scripture Readings
Old Testament
Psalm
New Testament
Gospel
Reflection
The singing recorded in today's passage from Acts must have startled and surprised both the jailer and the prisoners. The great earthquake that followed shook the prison foundations to the point that the doors were opened and everyone’s bands were opened. The jailer, hearing that all the prisoners had escaped and that he had failed his responsibility, prepared to kill himself before Paul cried out. The fact that he came in trembling and fell down before them implies that he was shaken not only by the incident but by the evident power of God which had been demonstrated in the earthquake.
His question, “What must I do to be saved?” appears to be genuine and Paul’s answer is really the gospel in a nutshell: “Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved!" Using the tragedy of the moment as an opportunity to present the truth of the gospel, the two missionaries told the jailer that faith in Jesus was the way of salvation for himself and his family. The jailer and his entire household believed their message and were baptized that very night. This evidence of “household conversion” does not imply that the family was saved simply because the father believed, but rather because each one in particular believed.
Collect for the Day
God of all tribes and peoples and tongues, who called your servant John Coleridge Patteson to witness in life and death to the gospel of Christ amongst the peoples of Melanesia: grant us to hear your call to service and to respond trustfully and joyfully to Jesus Christ our redeemer, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.