"Satan’s Warfare Against God’s Plan” Series

In Jesus Holy Name September 11, 2022

Text: Acts 12:1,2,5 Redeemer Lutheran

“Satan’s Warfare Against God’s Plan”

Acts chapter 12 is all of life's experiences in one chapter. There are 4 possible sermons: The Sovereignty of God; Spiritual Warfare; Power of Prayer; the Judgment of God.

Years ago Dr. James Dobson wrote a book which he titled: “When God Doesn’t’ Make Sense.” He wrote the book after serval good friends, who were active on the Board of Directors for Focus on the Family were killed in a plane crash. They had been together the night before praying and talking about the future of the ministry . Dr. Dobson remembered praying for their safety for their journey home. He wrote: “I was staggered by their death.” (p.125)

In Acts chapter 11 the Holy Spirit was bringing great success to the church in Antioch. The mission of God in Acts 1 was to empower the disciples to be witnesses to the Lord’s resurrection and share His message of forgiveness…. “In Jerusalem, Judea and to ends of the earth. Antioch was not the ends of the earth but a multi-ethnic economic powerhouse in the Roman Empire. Gentiles were coming to faith.

Chapter 12 brings us back to Jerusalem. This chapter reminds us that the enemy of God, Satan will use political power to strike with vicious, slashing power against the church. We may be twenty centuries away from this first century, but we are not twenty centuries away from the book of Acts. This is a very contemporary book because it is the account of the work of the timeless Spirit of God and the ongoing spiritual warfare against God’s people and His values.

Chapter 12 begins with the arrest and murder of James the brother of John, both had been fishermen and both were part of the original 12 disciples. Peter is also arrested and is expected to experience the same fate, as soon as Passover and the Feast of Weeks celebrations are over. The Christians in Jerusalem are afraid.

Maybe the conversation in the Christians community went something like this: “Did you hear? Herod beheaded James! No, Not James, he was one of the 12 with Jesus. I thought sure that God would protect James!” “Now Herod has arrested Peter and after the feast there will be a trial….. There’s a prayer meeting tonight at Mary’s house. I’ll see you there.”

There are times when evil seems to be winning the day. Wicked men get away with murder and slander and their popularity goes up. The righteous suffer. Their loved ones are bereaved. Acts 12 returns us to the question: When God’s doesn’t make sense. “Is this God’s will that James should be killed? It doesn’t make sense.”

I’m sure these early Christians in the house of Mary are asking the question: “Why”. “Why would God allow one of His 12 be murdered?” They are praying at the home of Mary, who is the mother of Mark who was on the first missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas. Later in this chapter we will see their shock when Peter knocks at their door.

For some people like Joni Eareckson Tada, the “wonderful plan” means life in a wheelchair as a quadriplegic. For others it means and early death, poverty or the scorn of society”. Clearly, unless the Lord chooses to explain Himself to us which often He does not, His purposes are beyond the reach of our human mind and experience. When questions begin with the word “why”, some will have to remain unanswered for the time being. Far all of us there have been times when circumstances don’t add up, when God doesn’t make sense. (When God Doesn’t Make Sense” Dr. Dobson p. 9)

In the 12th chapter of Acts Luke reminds us that the enemy of God, with whom we wrestle has a way of striking when everything seems to be going well. with nothing but blessing ahead -- then everything seems to fall apart at once.

The Apostle Paul, himself, was beaten 39 times, ship wrecked, and put in prison. He writes in Ephesians: We are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but we are engaged in a life-or-death struggle against principalities and powers and wicked spirits in high places,” who are able to unleash a vicious, lashing attacks against us -- just when we think things are going well. (Ephesians 6)

Revelation 13 tells us that the Beast of Revelation is a tool of the devil, and “he was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them…..if anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. Revelation 12 states the same theme: “The dragon was enraged …and went off to make war on those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” ( Read Rev. 12:17)