* Concept of being undefeated: a rare occurrence
- Only 1 NFL team; 7 NCAA basketball teams; no NBA or MLB teams
* Being undefeated symbolizes that no one was able to be better, play harder, or accomplish more
* It's practically impossible to always be undefeated: the longer you play, the less likely it is
* To say that God is and will always be undefeated is a major statement
* God has always had an enemy who wants to defeat him, yet God has never lost a battle...he is undefeated
* Acts 12 records another attempt to defeat God and his plan for the church
- The attempt in Acts 4 with Peter and John's persecution
- The attempt in chapter 5 with Ananias and Sapphira's sin
- The attempt in chapter 5 with the apostles being arrested
- The attempt in chapters 6-7 with Stephen being stoned
- The attempt in chapter 8 with the Jerusalem church being scattered
- The attempt in chapter 9 with the Jews plot to kill Saul
* Here in chapter 12 Herod kills James and imprisons Peter...another attempt to stop God and his plan for the church
* Though all these attempts, God prevails again and again.
* Why will God always win? Why will he always be the undefeated champion?
1. God cannot be defeated because no one can match his power (v. 5-19)
* The power of God revealed in these verses: there's no way Peter has enough power within himself to defeat the enemy, but God does!
* Explain doctrine of omnipotence
* Because no one can match his power, there is absolutely nothing God cannot do!
* Jer. 32:17
* How Peter and the church experienced the power of God...
A. They experienced God's power because of prayer (v. 5, 12): James 5:16
B. They experienced God's power because of faith (v. 6-7): John 21:18-19
C. They experienced God's power because of obedience (v. 8-10): Eph. 3:20-21
2. God cannot be defeated because all glory belongs to him (v. 20-23)
* Why would God strike down an unbelieving ruler for not giving God his glory (v. 23)? Because all glory belongs to God!
* God will always defeat those who try to take his glory for themselves because God and God alone is worthy of glory (Rev. 4:11).
* God created us to enjoy his grace and extend his glory.
- To enjoy his grace (Gen. 1:27-28a)
- To extend his glory (Gen. 1:28b)
* Examples of how God created us to enjoy his grace and extend his glory...
- Abraham (Gen. 12:2-3)
- Pharaoh (Ex. 9:16)
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3:28-29)
* The reason God blesses us and extends his grace is so we can give him glory.
3. God cannot be defeated because his plan can't be stopped (v. 24-25)
* Every attempt to defeat God originates with Satan. His goal in defeating God is to keep the Gospel from spreading.
* Matt. 13:19
* 2 Cor. 4:4
* The plan of God is for the church to carry the Gospel to those whose eyes are spiritually blind
* The opposite of Satan's goal occurred (v. 24): the plan of God cannot be stopped!
* Since the plan of God cannot be stopped, the question becomes... Will we be a part of the unbeatable plan of God and fulfill our biblical mission?
