Acts 16:30-31 - Then he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are imprisoned for preaching the gospel in Philippi. Around midnight, while they are praying and singing hymns, a great earthquake shakes the prison foundations. All the doors open and everyone's chains come loose. The jailer, assuming the prisoners have escaped, is about to kill himself when Paul shouts out that they are all still there. The jailer calls for lights, rushes in trembling, and falls down before Paul and Silas asking "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They tell him "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." They then speak the word of the Lord to the jailer and all those in his house. He takes Paul and Silas, washes their wounds, and he and his whole family are baptized immediately. He then brings them into his house, feeds them, and rejoices with his whole household that they have believed in God.

This passage provides a beautiful illustration of salvation. The jailer, moments ago ready to take his own life out of fear, now trembling before Paul and Silas asking how he can be saved. And Paul gives that classic response - "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." Salvation comes through faith alone, by God's grace alone, in Christ alone. There is nothing we can do to earn it or deserve it. Like the jailer, we simply believe and accept this free gift from God. And the promise extends not just to the jailer, but also to his household. The passage makes clear that his family heard the word of the Lord spoken to them, and were not saved merely because he was. But there is hope here for us to believe that our own families and loved ones can come to salvation as we believe and share the gospel with them. As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:10, "God is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." Salvation has been accomplished for all through Christ's sacrifice, yet is only effective for those who put their faith in Him. So let this passage encourage us to share this good news of salvation with others, starting with our own families and communities. That they too may know the joy of the Philippian jailer, rejoicing with his whole household that they had believed in God.

Lord Jesus, we praise You for the gift of salvation, that while we were still sinners, You died for us, reconciling us to the Father. There is nothing we can do to earn this; it is only by Your grace, through faith in You. Give us opportunities to share this good news with our families, friends, and neighbors. Open their hearts to receive the message of salvation. Let them experience the joy and assurance that comes with believing in You. And may we reflect Your light to all those around us, that many more might come to know You as Lord and Savior. Amen.