Embassy of Heaven

Going to Jail

CONTENTS

 

Previous Page Home Page Next Page

Trip to Jail

Going to Jail You're now on your way to jail, you may be on the road 10 minutes, it may be 30 minutes, depending on how far it is to the jail. I remember riding in the back of a squad car, trying to get the officer's attention:

"Sir," I said.

Silence.

"Sir," I said, louder.

Silence.

"Sir, I have something I'd like to ask you."

Finally, he turns and asks cautiously, "Yes, what is it?"

"There sure are a lot of wild beasts out here aren't there?"

He shakes his head and says, "Yes, there are."

"Well, I just wanted you to know one thing, there are a few lambs of God, too."

That one statement started to soften the officer's heart and he began asking me questions and was sincerely interested in what I was doing. We talked about the Word all the way into jail.

Not only are you going to testify before the judges, but you're also going to convert the policemen. Apostle Paul was chained and put under Roman guard, which is the equivalent of the police of today. For two years, he kept making conversions so the guards needed to be replaced.

By a long, light chain Paul's right wrist was linked to the left hand of a Pretorian guardsman. . . . Paul was chained to a soldier by day and to two by night, and this for two years! Many soldiers were thus forced to observe closely the life and labor of Paul when alone and with visitors. Can we imagine Paul not preaching Christ to his guards? Can we not imagine the soldiers in their guard-room discussing Paul and Paul's Christ? Can we doubt some of them were converted? Sent abroad through the empire, they scattered the seed of the Gospel throughout the world. Thus Paul turned even his prison into a Practical Missionary Seminary. William Dallmann, PAUL - LIFE AND LETTERS

Even though that police officer is your enemy, you are to love him. You are to treat him as you would want to be treated. If he slaps you around, offer him the other cheek. Be kind, talk with him of your Lord Jesus Christ. Again, your only purpose is to speak of the One who sent you. Don't be ornery, don't be nasty, treat him civilly.

One of my friends began singing praises to the Lord on the way to jail and the officer joined in with the singing. Another time my wife started singing from the back seat and the police officer turned up the music on the radio to drown her out. Eventually, he realized his rudeness, turned off the radio and joined in the singing.

Previous Page Home Page Next Page