Sermon Notes:

· Dallas Willard – Joy is a deep sense of well-being, knowing God is for us and is at work on our behalf.

· How do we know we are a church of joy?

· Acts 16:22-24 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

· How much pain are you willing to suffer for Jesus?

· 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

· Greater is he who is in you, than he who is in the world.

· 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

· 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

· How we respond to adversity says a lot about our faith.

· James 1:2-4 - 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

· 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

· 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

· 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

· Dads, you set the spiritual temperature of your house.

· 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

· How do we know we are a church of joy?

· We know we are a church of joy when lives are changed.

· Can people see that Jesus changed your life?

· Are you more loving?

· Do you have more joy?

· Do you have more peace?

· Are you more patient?

· Are you more kind?

· Is your goodness increasing?

· Are you more faithful?

· Are you more gentle?

· Do you have more self-control?

LIFE Group Discussion Questions

Opener: Since you decided to follow Jesus, what kind of life change has occurred?

Go Deeper

1. Read Acts 16:22-24

a. Imagine enduring beatings and being imprisoned for speaking about Jesus. In your opinion, why were Paul and Silas able to endure this?

2. Read Acts 16:25-26

a. Why were Paul and Silas able to sing and pray?

b. In your opinion, why do Jesus followers today not have a faith that holds on in the face of trouble?

3. Read Acts 16:27-30

a. Imagine the jailer’s surprise when he finds all the prisoners still there. Why did they stay?

b. What do you think the jailer is asking when he says, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

4. Read Acts 16:31-32

a. Notice Paul’s simple reply. In your opinion, do people think being saved is complicated or simple?

b. Imagine what Paul and Silas must have said when they were presenting the word of the Lord.

5. Read Acts 16:33-34

a. Notice the immediate change in the jailer. What fruit of the spirit is he displaying (see Galatians 5:22-24)?

b. The jailer is filled with joy. Do we see new converts filled with joy when they are baptized? Why or why not?