Reading: chapter 12 verses 1-19:
Ill:
Former heavy-weight boxer James (Quick) Tillis;
• Was a cowboy from Oklahoma who fought out of Chicago in the early 1980s.
• He still remembers his first day in the Windy City after his arrival from Tulsa.
“I got off the bus with two cardboard suitcases under by arms in downtown Chicago and stopped in front of the Sears Tower. I put my suitcases down, and I looked up at the Tower and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to conquer Chicago.’ “When I looked down, the suitcases were gone.”
• Life does not always work out how we imagine it to be!
• Often we are surprised, and the surprises are not always pleasant.
Ill:
• Sir Alexander Mackenzie is a Canadian hero.
• He lived in the 1700’s and was a fur trader and explorer,
• He accomplished a magnificent feat when in 1793 he led an expedition;
• Across Canada from Fort Chipp-e-wy-an on Lake Atha-basca to the Pacific Ocean.
Mackenzie’s earlier attempt in 1789, however, had been a major disappointment.
• His explorers had set out in an effort to find a water route to the Pacific.
• They followed a mighty river (now named the Mackenzie) with high hopes,
• Unfortunately, it didn’t lead them to the Pacific Ocean, but into the Arctic Ocean.
• In his diary, Mackenzie called it the “River of Disappointment.”
This chapter could have been called a series of disappointments:
• But with God, even our disappointments, our trials, our difficulties;
• Can be opportunities for him to work, for us to grow & for others to be blessed!
(1). God Sees Our Trials (verses 1-4):
C.E.V:
“At that time King Herod [1] caused terrible suffering for some members of the church. 2He ordered soldiers to cut off the head of James, the brother of John. 3When Herod saw that this pleased the Jewish people, he had Peter arrested during the Festival of Thin Bread. 4He put Peter in jail and ordered four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after the festival”.
ill:
• A little bird was flying south for the winter.
• It got so cold it froze up and fell to the ground in a large field.
• While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some manure on it.
• As it lay there in the pile of manure, it began to realize how warm it was.
• The manure was actually thawing him out!
• He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
• A passing cat heard the little bird singing, and came to investigate.
• Following the sound,
• The cat discovered the bird under the pile of manure, and promptly dug him out;
• And then ate him.
• The morals of the story are:
• (1). Not everyone who drops manure on you is your enemy.
• (2). Not everyone who digs you out of a pile of manure is your friend.
• (3). When you’re in the manure, keep your mouth shut!
Experiencing trails and difficulties are part of:
• Life in general;
• And will be part of the Christian life.
• My subject last week at New Farm Chapel was 2 Timothy chapter 3 here in verse 12;
• Paul wrote: “Everyone who wants to live a godly life will face persecution”
Quote
• Years after the events of Acts chapter 12;
• Peter writing to Christians going through difficult times;
• Would encourage them by saying (1 Peter chapter 3 verse 12a):
• "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous"
• In other words he was saying; “Don’t give up, look up!”
• God is aware of your situation, so don’t handle it by yourself! In your own strength.
Background:
• The Herod clan were a scheming and murderous family,
• King Herod (that is Herod Agrippa)
• Was the grandson of Herod the Great,
• Who ordered the massacre of the Bethlehem children just after birth of Jesus.
• He was also the nephew of Herod Antipas,
• The man who had given the order for John the Baptist to be beheaded.
• So injustice, murder, and cruelty were part of the Herod clans genes.
• Anyone in their right mind avoided contact with them as often as possible.
Because of their background and history, the Herod’s were despised by the Jews,
• Herod Agrippa knew this; and so he persecuted the church;
• Hoping to convince the Jewish people that he was on their side (good vote winning policy).
• So we read in Verse 1: that he arrested some Christians;
• And in Verse 2: He arrested James, the brother of John,
• And had him put to death with the sword;
• Which is a polite way of saying “He had him beheaded.”
• (Thus James became the first of the apostles to be martyred)
Herod the schemer must have been thinking to himself:
• If it pleased the Jews when James was killed,
• How delighted they would be if Peter was also executed.
So in Verse 4: We read God permitted Herod to arrest Peter:
• He was immediately placed in prison under a heavy guard.
• Sixteen soldiers, four for each watch, kept guard over the apostle,
• With two soldiers chained to the prisoner and two watching the doors.
• Herod was making sure that Peter stayed put, until his execution!
Question:
• That naturally arises, is why was James allowed to die while Peter was rescued?
• After all, both were dedicated servants of God, both needed by the church.
Answer:
• Humanly speaking - we do not know.
• Theologically speaking - the sovereign will of God.
• God allowed Herod to kill James, but He kept him from harming Peter.
• Ultimately it was the throne in heaven that was in control, not the throne on earth.
Quote:
“My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me.
I cannot choose the colours He worketh steadily.
Oft times he weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride
forget He sees the upper and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttle ceases to fly
shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.”
For the Christian:
• It is good to know that, no matter how difficult the trials or how disappointing the news,
• God is still on the throne and has everything is under control.
• We may not always understand His ways,
• But we know His sovereign will is best.
(2). God Hears Our Prayers (verses 5-17):
Quote
• Earlier on I only gave you half a quote of Peter;
• Years after the events of Acts chapter 12;
• Peter writing to Christians going through difficult times;
• Not only said (1 Peter chapter 3 verse 12):
• "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous"
• But went onto say: "And His ears are attentive to their prayers"
Verse 5 is a turning point in this story:
• N.I.V. “But the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”
• K.J.B. “But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
• The key word “prayer" is the turning point in the story.
• Never underestimate the power of a praying church!
• I could have headed my sermon ‘PUSH’. ‘Pray Until Something Happens’.
• That’s what the Church experienced in this chapter.
Quote:
• The Puritan preacher Thomas Watson,
• "The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel."
There are four scenes in this exciting drama in Acts 12:
(No 1). Peter sleeping (verses 5-6):
“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.”
• If you were chained to two Roman soldiers;
• And facing the possibility of being executed the next day,
• How would you sleep?
• The answer is probably not very sound!
Yet look at Peter!
• He was so sound asleep that the angel had to poke him hard in the side to wake him up!
• Despite his circumstances, Peter seems unconcerned, calm and content!
Question: What was it that made Peter so tranquil and at peace?
Answer:
• It was not the fact that Peter had been in prison twice before;
• That gave him his calm heart.
• For Peter this third prison experience;
• Was very, very different from the previous two times:
e.g.
(a).
• Before he had always had a companion alongside to encourage him.
• This time, he was all alone!
(b).
• Before his prison experiences had been short;
• But this time his deliverance did not come right away, he was required to wait.
(c).
• Before the prison cell gave him an opportunity to witness for Jesus;
• But this time, no special witnessing opportunities appeared (otherwise they would be recorded)
(d).
• Before Peter's previous arrests had taken place after great victories,
• Which meant he entered prison on a high and full of faith.
• But this imprisonment followed the death of James, his dear friend and colleague.
• So humanly speaking he should be depressed, afraid, worried.
Question: So what gave Peter such confidence and peace?
Answer(s):
(a). Prayers of Gods people:
• To begin with, verse 12 says many believers were praying for him;
• And kept it up day and night for a week; and this helped to bring him peace.
• Prayer is not twisting God’s arm to make him work our way;
• Rather it releases God’s arm, we are inviting and depending on God to work.
Ill:
• William Carey has been called; ‘The father of modern missions’.
• 200 years ago he changed the history of missions and also changed the face of India.
• Few know of Carey had a sister,
• She was paralysed and bedridden for 50 years.
• Although unable to speak for much of that period,
• With great effort she allowed herself to be propped up in bed.
• She wrote long encouraging letters to her brother.
• And she prayed for him several hours per day for 50 years!
Quote: Proverb:
“Behind every great man is a great woman.
Behind every great work of God is a praying person(s)”.
Verse 5: reminds us:
• That the Church was fervently, enthusiastically praying for Peter;
• And those prayers were having an effect.
Quote: William Law, (in J. S. Baxter, Explore the Book, p. 236)
• It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are;
• Nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are;
• Nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be;
• Nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be;
• Nor the logic of our prayers, now argumentative they may be;
• Nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be—which God cares for.
• Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.
(b). The promise of Jesus.
• The main cause of Peter's peace was the promise of Jesus;
• Peter had the knowledge that Herod could not kill him.
• Jesus had promised Peter (John chapter 21 verses 18-19).
• That he would live to be an old man.
• That promise did have a sting in the tale;
• He would die old by being crucified on a Roman cross
• Peter simply laid hold of that promise and committed the entire situation to the Lord,
• And God gave him peace and rest.
• He did not know how or when God would deliver him,
• But he did know that deliverance was coming.
Application:
Ill:
Life’s Survival Kit
• Supplies needed: Toothpick, Elastic band, Plaster, Pencil, Rubber, Chewing gum,
• Mint, Love heart, Kiss, Tea Bag.
How to use the supplies:
• Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others...Matt 7:1
• Elastic band - to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out...Romans 8:28
• Plaster - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else’s...Col 3:12-14
• Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings everyday...Eph 1:3
• Rubber - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it’s okay...Gen 50:15-21
• Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything with Jesus...Phil 4:13
• Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint to your heavenly father...John 3:16-17
• Love heart - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday... Romans 16:16, 1John 4:7
• Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of God’s blessings...1 Thess 5:18
Christian survival kit for times of trouble:
• Prayers of God’s people – outside support.
• Rely on the promises of scripture – inside support.
(No 2). Peter obeying (verses 7-11).
• Once again in the book of Acts we see the ministry of angels (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3, 7)
• Angels are spiritual beings (often help but we don’t recognise them).
• Both the Old & New Testaments teach that angels at certain times help God's people;
• E.g. Psalm 34 verse 7 & Hebrews chapter 13 verse 2.
Ill:
John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands.
• One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station,
• Intent on burning out the Patons and killing them.
• Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them.
• When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave.
• A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ.
• Remembering what had happened,
• Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them.
• The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?”
• Paton knew no men were present;
• But the chief said he was afraid to attack because;
• He had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords;
• Circling the mission station.
Peter too experienced the supernatural help of an angelic being:
• The angel brought light and liberty into the prison cell,
• But the guards had no idea that anything was going on.
• However, if Peter was going to be delivered,
• He had to obey what the angel commanded.
• He probably thought it was a dream or a vision,
• But he arose and followed the angel out of the prison and into the street.
• Only then did he come to himself;
• And realize that he had been a part of another miracle.
Notice:
• The angel asked Peter to do the ordinary:
• To put on his clothes, sandals and cloak and then to follow him.
• When Peter obeyed;
• The angel did the extra-ordinary! (loosened secure chains & opened locked doors).
In miracles, God is often very practical.
• e.g. Elijah – water brook, food from ravens.
• e.g. Jabirus' daughter – Jesus raised the dead, the parents told give her something to eat.
• e.g. Jesus raised Lazarus from dead, but people had to roll away the stone.
• God alone can do the extraordinary, but His people must do the ordinary.
Application:
• Obedience in the Christian life is always the most important thing,
• It’s basic yet it is something we have to learn and relearn and relearn again.
Ill:
• A friend told me about the problems he had getting his teenage son to clean his room.
• The son would always agree to tidy up, but then wouldn’t follow through.
• Several years later as soon as the son was old enough he joined the armed forces.
• When he came home for leave after basic training,
• His father asked him what he had learned in the service.
• “Dad,” he said. “I learned what ‘now’ means.”
Question:
• How many of us miss out on the blessings of God;
• Because we fail to obey when God gives us instructions?
(No 3). Peter knocking (verses 12-16):
• As Peter followed the angel, God opened the way to freedom;
• And once Peter was free, the angel vanished.
• His work was done;
• Now it was up to Peter to trust the Lord & use his common sense in taking the next step.
Verse 12: On his release from prison:
• Peter headed for the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark.
• The early Church was a house Church movement, buildings came later.
Verses 13-15: Are almost comical:
• Peter turns up on the door step and knocks,
• The place is packed with people praying – more than that - praying earnestly,
• It would have taken courage for the maid Rhoda ("rose") to go to the door;
• The knock at the door might have been Herod's soldiers, coming to arrest more believers.
• To her surprise when she recognized Peter's voice!
• So overcome is she at the sight of Peter she forgets to open the door!
• When she reports to the Church that Peter is free and outside the house;
• They respond in a very spiritual and trusting way:
“You're out of your mind, they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so,
they said, It must be his angel”.
Remember that they prayed night and day for perhaps as long as a week:
• For this very moment and God had heard and answered their prayers;
• They prayed specifically and they got a specific answer from God.
• Yet they don't seem to have faith enough to believe their prayers could be answered.
• Poor Peter;
• It was easier for him to get out of prison,
• Than it is to get into this prayer meeting!
(No 4). Peter declaring (verse 17):
“Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. Tell James and the brothers about this, he said, and then he left for another place.”
This verse contains perhaps the most important statement in the whole narrative:
• “The Lord had brought him out of prison.”
• Luke who records what took place;
• Emphasises the intervention of God.
• And the passivity of Peter.
Quote Rev F.S. Webster:
• Some years ago, when I was in Dublin;
• I remember seeing in the study of Mr Bradshaw a motto with only two words.
• I had a motto made like it and put up in my study,
• The two words were “But God”.
• Over the years many visitors have asked me; “What do you mean by those two words?”
• And I have been able to tell them.
• If you want an interesting Bible study,
• Just find out a half score of places where you have the words, “But God”
• They always turn the scale from despair to hope;
• From defeat to victory, from sin to salvation.
You get one example in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 3-4:
• We “were by nature the children of wrath…” there is despair there is wrath.
• “But God” stepped in and saved us”.
Final Question:
• Have you been rescued?
• Christian are you relying on self or on God?
