Jailhouse Rock

There have been some remarkable coincidences over the years. Some are almost too creepy to even believe, but they’re true. For instance, in 1950, a church exploded in the small town of Beatrice, Nebraska. The blast demolished the building, shattered windows in nearby houses, and forced a local radio station off the air. Choir practice was supposed to begin at 7:20 that night, five minutes before the explosion occurred. Yet none of the 15 members were injured because all of them were running late. That’s creepy.

In 1974, a man died when his moped was hit by a taxi in Bermuda. One year later, his twin brother was riding that same moped when he was struck and killed by the same taxi, driven by the same person, and carrying the same passenger. That’s creepy.

Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy were both assassinated while in office. Both men were shot in the back of the head, on the Friday before a major holiday, while sitting beside their wives (neither of whom were injured). Moreover, they were both in the presence of another couple and each time the man with them was also wounded.

Lincoln and Kennedy were both succeeded by vice-presidents named “Johnson,” who were both born in the year “08.” Andrew Johnson was born in 1808 and Lyndon Johnson was born in 1908. Booth shot Lincoln in a theatre and fled to a warehouse, while Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and fled to a theatre. Both assassins were detained by officers named “Baker.” Both assassins used 3 names (John Wilkes Booth/Lee Harvey Oswald), and each had 15 letters in their name.

Those are creep coincidences. However, what happened at the Philippian jail in Acts 16 was no coincidence; it was providence. It was the deliberate work of God through natural law and circumstance. For instance, the earthquake was so powerful that it unlocked every cell and unloosed every chain holding the prisoners, and yet the roof didn’t collapse, the walls didn’t crumble, and there wasn’t the slightest injury to anyone. Do you see what I mean? This was divine providence. When the jailer awoke and saw the cells opened, he assumed everyone had escaped and was about to commit suicide. Just as he raised his sword, however, a voice cried out in the dark saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” It was the voice of a prisoner named Paul.

The jailer, who had probably already sensed something special about Paul, was overcome with emotion and asked how to be saved. Paul then told the jailer and his family about Jesus (vs. 32), they were immediately baptized in water (vs. 33), and they ate a meal to celebrate (vs.34).

The earthquake in Philippi that night was not the work of Mother Nature, it was the work of Father God. He made the “jailhouse rock,” not to deliver the prisoners but to deliver the jailer and his family!