A Time for Identification
By Senior Pastor Dr. Bill Rains | November 9, 2025
Father, thank You for Your goodness and presence. Bless every soul here and online—may the unsaved trust Christ today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
On November 9, 2025, Pastor Bill Rains preaches the final message in the long-running Miracles in Acts series: “A Time for Identification” (Acts 16:35–17:4). After the earthquake, the jailer’s salvation, and the illegal beating of Roman citizens Paul and Silas, the magistrates want them gone—quietly. Paul refuses: “They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans… Nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out” (Acts 16:37). Pastor Rains, voice breaking with emotion, drives home three urgent truths: Identify yourself as a Christian, identify the situation threatening your family and nation, and keep identifying the Savior to a dying world.
1. Identify Yourself as a Christian
Paul was already boldly preaching Christ—that’s why he was beaten. But when the time came, he also identified himself as a Roman citizen with legal rights. Likewise, we must first and foremost identify as Christians. “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:10, 13). Jesus warned: “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words… of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed” (Mark 8:38). Tell people you got saved. Invite them to church. Hand them a tract. Little Kayla, freshly saved, turned to her dad and declared, “I got saved!” That’s identification.
2. Identify Yourself as an American Christian—with Rights
Paul did not roll over. He stood on his God-given Roman citizenship and demanded justice. Pastor Rains thunders: “We are American Christians—we have rights!” He quotes the Christian Law Association: “He who does not use his liberty to preserve his liberty does not deserve his liberty.” From city councils blocking church expansions to boys invading girls’ locker rooms and dominating girls’ sports, wicked policies abound. “Wicked as hell,” the pastor declares. Christians built this nation seeking liberty to worship God. We must stand up—vote in every election, show up at school board meetings, refuse to let ungodly authorities trample biblical truth and common sense. Roll over now, and one generation later we lose everything.
3. Keep Identifying the Savior to the World
After the ordeal, Paul didn’t quit—he went straight to Thessalonica and for three Sabbath days reasoned… out of the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ who suffered, died, and rose again (Acts 17:2–3). Religious or not, no one enters heaven without being born again. The animal sacrifices were only pictures—Jesus is the Lamb of God. Pastor Rains pleads through tears: “If you could get to heaven any other way, why did God put His Son through hell on that cross?” Keep telling people about Jesus—with firmness and with love. That’s the Christian’s lifelong mission.
Identify yourself. Identify the situation. Keep identifying the Savior.
Today is the day of salvation—call on Christ right now.