Series: Action [#26]
OPENING DOORS
Acts 12:1-25
Introduction:
How do you know when to go through doors of opportunity? How do you know if the door is even open? In the Book of Revelation, a message was given to the Church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7-8
Our text today, shows us how to open doors in life. Don’t forget that if God opens a door, it cannot be shut and if God shuts a door, it cannot be opened.
Acts 12:1-4
King Herod was arresting Christians with the intention of torturing them publicly before they were killed. Christians were being persecuted at an intense level. This King Herod is the grandson of Herod the Great who ordered the killing of boys under the age of 2 in and around Bethlehem. The Herods were ruthless and cruel.
James, the brother of John, was put to death. Peter was the next to be arrested. Herod planned on making a public spectacle of Peter before executing him. He was in prison, guarded by 16 soldiers, bound with 2 chains. Peter was a well-known Christian leader in the Church at this point, so Herod could make his point to a lot of Christians all at once. Things did not look good for Peter or Christians. So, what could they do?
Acts 12:5
You can open doors through…
1. Prayer.
This is a reminder that the most important thing we can do for one another is pray. Those Christians could have said, “Well, there is nothing we can do”; or, “The only thing we can do is pray”.
Acts 12:6-12
Look at all that God did while these Christians gathered together praying for Peter. They had already seen 1 of the Apostles killed and it wasn’t looking good for Peter. They had no idea that God was opening a door for Peter to escape.
I want to make a note about open doors- You have to walk through them. If Peter would have stopped or went back, he would have not escaped. Peter was out before he even realized that his escape was real.
Acts 12:13-17
You can open doors through…
2. Belief.
I love this part of the story. Peter had been freed from prison and showed up where the other believers were. Peter is knocking on the door to go inside and when Rhoda hears his voice, she runs to tell everybody. She didn’t let him in first; and then tell everybody. Instead, she was arguing with everyone that Peter was at the door. Peter kept knocking and they finally opened the door.
Once they saw Peter, they believed. Did they believe that God would really free Peter? There are times that we pray for things that we know God can do; but even after God acts, we are shocked. I think what threw them off is how God freed Peter.
Acts 12:18-25
You can open doors through…
3. Trust.
You may be wondering about this point. Herod had the guards questioned and sentenced to death. Then he went to Caesarea where he sat on his throne and spoke to the people. When the people said he was the voice of a god, Herod did not stop them. Herod immediately was struck down, eaten by worms, and died. That is a seriously painful death.
How is that trust? The Christians had to trust that God would deal with Herod. Herod had done terrible things to Christians and was continuing to do so. The Christians didn’t try to do something to get rid of Herod- God took care of it.
Conclusion:
The Christians continued to spread the Word of God and people were being saved. As God opens doors, we need to walk through them. Keep praying, believing, and trusting.
