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)
(This truth is confirmed by Charles Colson when he tells in his Book Kingdoms in Conflict how some community leaders were responsible for removing the “Ten Commandments” from school Classrooms in Chicago. This is the point of Revelation 12…The Culture war is not new. Satan must destroy God’s commandments and those who give strong witness to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Stephen and James were the first martyrs. Peter would be next unless God intervenes. God knows…so John can write “This kind of conflict calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” (Revelation 13:7-10)
Satan gives His power and authority to kings and rulers, to the State, to challenge and thwart God’s will on earth, from becoming reality. He used Jewish religious Pharisees and the Roman government under Pilate to arrest and crucify Jesus, the Messiah, God’s Son. One factor hasn’t changed. Christian values and morals are in a clash with the secular the values of the world. This culture clash can be violent or mild, but it’s always there. Living out of step with society often creates adversity for Christians. The apostle Peter began his letter with these words: “To the saints of God, strangers, foreigners in the world….” And so we are.
In Acts 12 Satan uses the political power of Herod to blunt the expansion of the Gospel. (Read Acts 12:1-5)
James was arrested and beheaded. God’s love for James was the same as it was for John the Baptist, who lost his head because he called Herod Antipas a thief for stealing the wife of his brother, Philip. James was allowed to die, and Peter was allowed to escape from prison and certain death. Rev. Reubin Welch, minister and author wrote: “With God, even when noting is happening…something is happening.” God was preparing to send an angel into the prison to rescue Peter at the request of prayers in the house of Mary.
God could have spared James if it had been His will. It is a reality that doesn’t make sense to us. It was the same with Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsie. Betsie ten Boom died in Ravensbruck prison camp on 16 December 1944, at the age of 59. Corrie was released due to a clerical error and went on to set up the projects that she had seen in her visions, including traveling the world to speak about her faith.
No prison can shut God out or keep His servants in if He so decides. When you and I are about God’s business we should expect opposition from the devil, who “roars around like a lion seeking someone to devour.” “Sometimes God can be agonizingly slow in solving the problems we bring to Him in prayer. We live in a fast paced world where we have come to expect instant responses to every desire an need. Instant coffee. Instant cash from the little money machine. Instant relief for sore muscles. But God doesn’t operate that way. He is never in a hurry.” (Ibid p. 50)
The bible tells us that God knows us. He loves us. Jesus Himself said: “If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” If your son asks for bread will you given him a snake? Of course not. Psalm 31 David wrote; “I trust in You, O Lord; You are my God. My times are in Your hands.”
Paul wrote: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God.” Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.” That is why Peter could sleep with soldiers chained to each of his arms. The fear of what the morning would bring, did not disturb his rest.
There were two soldiers chained by the wrist to each of Peter’s arms. Two more stood guard at the door of Peter’s cell. Then there were two more guards plus an iron gate that led into the city. God sent one angel. Peter was so deeply asleep that the angel had to kick him in the ribs.
Yet when the angel comes Peter is taken by surprise. The angel has to kick him hard, telling him, "Now get up. Put on your shoes. Wrap your mantle around you." He leads him by the hand out into the city streets. Peter is not sure what is happening. But when he gets outside and sees the iron gate open of its own accord, he knows that God is at work. And the realization suddenly strikes him that God has indeed set him free from prison. When Peter reached the house where the church was praying, they were even surprised their prayers were answered. (read Acts 12:12-16)
The basic motive of prayer is a sense of dependence. If you really think that God, and God alone, can work, and that there are elements of a situation in which only
He can change things -- then you pray.
This is what happened to this early church. When they realized that James had been put to death, and that this vicious attack of the enemy could be successful, it suddenly crystallized in their minds that they had a part to play in God's program. Prayer has the ability to postpone or to delay the judgment of God -- or the act of an enemy, the victory of Satan, as in this case. James was taken, but Peter's execution was postponed to a later day. This is a primary power of prayer. It can put off something which is impending and threatening right at the moment. It may not remove it entirely, but it can change the time schedule.
When Peter knocked at the door …They were surprised. Read Acts 12:13-17
Our personal history, at the time may not make sense…to us… but God is our Good Shepherd…. He knows the future… trust is our responsibility “When God doesn’t Make Sense.”
It made no sense to the disciples that Jesus would be arrested and crucified. But without His death and resurrection our broken commandments would not be erased. Without His resurrection the knowledge and promise of eternal life in heaven would be like a leaf blowing in the fall breeze with no destination.
Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life….” So we live our lives, keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, even when events don’t make sense.
Prayer.
