Message delivered at the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows, Inc. Mid-Southwest Region 39th Annual Conference held in Oklahoma City Oklahoma
TITLE: RHODA, OPEN THE DOOR
SCRIPTURE: ACTS 12:1-16
Here, in our text, we find one of the wildest chapters in the Bible. It’s like a short story in 24 short verses.
• There’s grisly violence
• There’s high comedy
• There’s faith
• There’s blasphemy
• There’s ruthless power
• There’s the power of love called prayer
We meet a young girl by the name of Rhoda in Acts 12. The chapter opens by letting us know that King Herod decided to harass some from the church. He started by killing James, the brother of John, with a sword. He saw how it pleased the Jews, so he seized Peter as well. But he captured Peter during the DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, and he didn’t want to do his killing during the holidays, so he imprisoned him first. His plan was to wait until after Passover concluded to bring Peter before the people.
Herod was careful to secure Peter so there would be no means of escape. He delivered him to four squads of soldiers. A Squad consisted of four soldiers and there were four of them - that’s 16 soldiers total for this one prisoner by the name of Peter. King Herod then bound Peter to two soldiers and stationed guards at two different guard posts. In the midst of this description of Peter’s imprisonment, though, VS. 5 tells us Peter was kept in prison, “BUT CONSTANT PRAYER WAS OFFERED TO GOD FOR HIM BY THE CHURCH.”
Almost every Christian would agree that prayer is essential to the life of the church.
• We want our Pastors and leaders to pray
• We expect prayer to be central in worship services and vital in decision-making
• Many of us would even say we long to be part of a praying church — one where members regularly seek God together with dependence on Him
Yet, often there’s an interesting contradiction. While we value prayer in theory, many of us shy away from attending prayer meetings in practice. Church calendars often include prayer gatherings, but these meetings are often the least attended events. How do we reconcile our deep desire for a praying church with our reluctance to participate in corporate prayer? If the church would get back to Prayer and fully recognize its power.
• We like to say “It Happens After Prayer”
• I guess that’s why things are not happening in the body of Christ
• When I was growing up, Prayer Meeting was 1-hour
• Now we have reduced it to 30-minutes if the Church has it at all
In face of ruthless power, when you put prayer on it, ruthless power doesn’t have a prayer!” But there are more kinds of power than the power of the sword, and the church is called to lay hold of a different kind of power through prayer.
Let me cut through the Alley and get back to the Street -- Herod put Peter in prison. He was already condemned and would be executed the next day. He was in the dark prison asleep on the last night of his life. How could he do that? Because prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
• The people were praying for Peter
• Sometimes it takes trouble for us to get down to business with God
• The people were coming off the execution of James, so they were praying hard for Peter
We have to learn to be specific in our Prayers.
• It was not time to pray for the White House – there is a time for that
• It was not the time to pray for the Republican or Democratic Party – there is a time for that
• It was not time to pray about DEI – there is a time for that
• It was time to pray for Peter and what he was currently going through
Prayer should be the first resort not the last. The people didn’t try to break Peter out of jail. They prayed.
• The many believers did not go to Herod and try to petition him to see if he would change his mind about Peter – They Prayed
• They did not go to the Pharisees and Sadducees in power and ask to make a deal, or beg for Peter's life - They Prayed
• Nor did they try to plan to storm the prison, like the State Capitol on J6 - to spring Peter through force or cunning -- They Prayed
I can see them now. They were not praying for selfish desires but for someone else. When we pray for others first, God takes care of our needs too.
• They prayed expectantly and readily
• They were willing to take the risk of being together
• Peter was headed for the chopping block
• But the people still prayed
• ST. MATTHEW 19:26 “…WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”
However, it seems they are praying for something other than Peter's release, because they all expected him to be executed.
• Further, they were completely shocked when Peter was released
• It is likely they are praying for Peter's peace
• Which was answered, as Peter was soundly sleeping earlier in the jail
• As well as Peter's faithfulness in death
Now, here is where the text gets really exciting -- As Peter slept soundly in his cell an angel suddenly appeared, and light filled the room. You might have expected something like that with an angel’s appearance. But this angel was different. When the light did not wake Peter up, the angel shoved him, yes, that’s the word, shoved him in the ribs. Jostling him awake the angel said, “wake up, Peter, hurry, wake up.” The chains fell off. Peter was in that foggy, fuddled, half awake, half asleep state of mind. Have you ever awakened in that kind of state? Not sure if you are in a hotel room or in your own bedroom at home. The angel then pushed him to get dressed, practically putting his clothes on for him. Like parents getting their children dressed for church.
Herod was king. He did everything in his power to restrain this fisherman - turned-preacher.
• It was a surefire plan, positioning all these guards - so he thought
• But God showed that man’s power is nothing compared to His
• PSALM 62:11 “GOD HATH SPOKEN ONCE; TWICE HAVE I HEARD THIS; THAT POWER BELONGETH UNTO GOD”
Anybody ever been in that kind of predicament before?
• When the Doctor says No – God says Yes
• When the Banker says No – God says Yes
• When the Job said No – God says Yes
• When the Judge said No – God says Yes
• When you are told you don’t Qualify – God says Oh Yes You Do!
Peter, now dressed, was still in a daze as he followed the angel out. He didn’t think it was happening. He thought it was a dream. They passed out the cell door, then passed the first squad of soldiers and the next. The soldiers were fast asleep. They came to the big iron gate leading out to the city. The door seemed to swing open by itself. Out they went and began walking down the lane.
• Suddenly, the angel vanished
• Peter stood and was all alone
It does seem like a dream, doesn’t it, when you really think about it?
• Light flooding into the cell
• Chains falling silently off
• An angel jostling him awake, leading him past the guards
• The giant gate opening for him
• Then they were free
According to our text, Peter, upon being miraculously released from prison in the dead of night by the angel, found himself standing in the darkened streets of Jerusalem. What he had thought, while it was happening, to have been a dream, he now found to be reality. It is probable that the intense coldness of the Judean night air quickly demonstrated to the somewhat lightly clad Apostle that it was no dream. The city was, of course, deserted at that time of night except perhaps for an occasional watchman. The immediate question for Peter was -- What Next?
As soon as he realized what happened, HE HEADED TO THE HOME OF MARY, MOTHER OF JOHN MARK. This portion of text has always fascinated me. Why did he go there. You do recall with me that Peter was married. ST. LUKE 4:38-39 “AND HE AROSE OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE, AND ENTERED INTO PETER’S HOUSE. AND PETER’S WIFE'S MOTHER WAS TAKEN WITH A GREAT FEVER; AND THEY BESOUGHT HIM FOR HER. AND HE STOOD OVER HER, AND REBUKED THE FEVER; AND IT LEFT HER: AND IMMEDIATELY SHE AROSE AND MINISTERED UNTO THEM.”
• You would think Peter would have gone home as his wife must have been worried sick about him
• You would think he would have travelled home as his first stop to reassure his wife, mother-in-law and family
The early Christians had gathered at Mary’s, in prayer for Peter’s safety. Where did Peter go as soon as he was released? To the HOUSE OF MARY, MOTHER OF JOHN MARK. God allowed this woman, this mother, to house the group of early believers.
• Women like her played a powerful role in the life of the early church
• Though she may not have preached or served outwardly, she opened up her home and provided a safe place for the disciples to gather and pray
It was an unusually important prayer meeting, and Rhoda was there. Although she was only around fifteen-years old, she was as earnest as any of them and just as aware of the calamity that had overtaken them.
• She sat near the door, at the back of the room in which they were meeting, and bowed her head in reverence
• Prayer was being made of the church unceasingly on behalf of Peter, cast into prison by King Herod and in imminent danger of death
Yes, my brothers and sisters, Rhoda, a servant girl. Though Rhoda lived at her home of service, this was late at night. This was her off time. She could have been sleeping, getting rest so that she would have the energy to serve the extra people staying in the home.
• Instead, she participated in the prayer service
• She may not have been an active participant
• More than likely, she huddled in the shadows, observing from a distance
Peter knocked on the door. “Are they going to be surprised to see me!” he must have thought to himself. He knocked as loudly as he dared, after all he, a prison escapee in the middle of the night in a strange neighborhood should not bring attention upon himself.
It was really a rare compliment that Peter paid Mary in so doing. He might have surmised, but could hardly have definitely known, that there was a prayer meeting in progress at the time of his release, but he evidently had confidence that his welcome at Mary's house would be full and free even in the middle of the night.
• If only our communities knew there was prayer going on at our churches
• They see the cars around the church on Sunday morning
• They see the cars around the church during Revival
• They see the cars around the church and down the block during Simultaneous Revival
• But they don’t see cars during Prayer Meeting
• If only the community knew that Prayer is going on at our Churches
When Rhoda heard knocking on the door, she instinctively went to answer it. How can we not smile and feel joy at her reaction? This servant girl realized immediately that God had answered their prayers. In her excitement, she couldn’t wait to share the good news. Though we may make fun at her silliness of leaving Peter outside, this girl’s faith is to be commended.
• From behind the locked door Rhoda asked, “Who is it?”
• When she heard Peter’s voice, she recognized it was truly him
• She ran to tell the others the great news
• But, in her excitement she forgot to unlatch the door and left Peter standing out in the night air
Rhoda told the others Peter was at the door. They thought she was crazy. At her insistence that it was Peter, they said it was his ghost. Don’t get so shortsighted. expect an answer from God.
• It may not be what you expect or how you expect it
• God put the guards to sleep
• Unshackled Peter, and let him walk out
When we ask God something He sends a real answer to knock on our door.
• Open it
• You’ll be satisfied with the answer
• It may be yes
• It may be no
• It might be maybe or wait a while
Whatever the answer it’s fine. Sometimes we peek through the keyhole and if we don’t like what we see we don’t open the door. When the answer comes knocking, it will be all right – Open the Door. Peter not only knocked but also spoke, for we read that Rhoda knew his voice — the dear voice she had listened to so often expounding the sacred truths of the Word. The gate is such that she cannot see the one standing at it but can only hear them speak.
• Peter asks to be let in, probably identifying himself
• She hears him, and her reaction is one of excitement
But she was so stunned and overwhelmed at the answer to those midnight prayers standing there, that she failed to draw the bolts and admit Peter. “SHE OPENED NOT THE GATE FOR GLADNESS.”
• Such gladness would have been changed to sadness had Herod’s soldiers appeared at that moment and taken Peter back to prison
• We can understand Rhoda not opening the gate as soon as she heard the knock
Perhaps the entire meeting heard the knocking on the outer gate, maybe only Rhoda heard and slipped out to investigate; in either case, for all her youthful eagerness, it must have been with a certain amount of trepidation that she crossed the courtyard and stood behind the gate, resounding with the thunderous blows which it was very probably suffering under the hands of the impetuous and not always too patient peter.
• For all that Rhoda knew, the knocking might be the harbinger of Herod's officers, seeking someone else, or even all of them, to be taken to prison
• Peter, however, on the other side of the gate, was probably reasoning that the sooner he got out of the public street and into the cover of the house the better
Now here is the most intriguing part of the narrative. The assembled brethren did not believe Rhoda. "Peter at the gate - Rubbish" they said "You must be mad". They knew perfectly well that Peter was in prison and people didn't get out of Herod’s prisons so easily as that. The girl was imagining things; whoever it was, it couldn't be Peter. They had been praying unceasingly for Peter's release, and now they were told he was standing at the gate they refused to believe it. One is really justified in wondering how much faith was mingled with their prayers. I wonder how much faith is actually intermingled with our prayers.
• Perhaps though it might be more charitable, and maybe nearer the truth, to assume that these immature and inexperienced Christians had not yet appreciated the true power of prayer
I am sure as God is watching this from Heaven, He is saying – Rhoda, open the door. But Peter continued knocking - probably definitely thunderous knocking by now, so that at last for very shame's sake they had to open the door - "AND WHEN THEY SAW HIM, THEY WERE ASTONISHED."
• This is the only place in all the Scriptures where a company of believers joining in supplicatory prayer are stated to have been astonished at receiving the object of their petition!
--Yes, Yes, “Rhoda, Open the Door”
--We don’t know all that had been attending that Prayer Meeting, their names are not mentioned
--But Rhoda, if you Open the Door your faith will be mentioned for Hundreds, if not Thousands of years to come
--“Rhoda, Open the Door”
--You don’t need permission from the Pastors
--You don’t need permission from the Church Board
--You don’t need the vote of the Church
--“Rhoda, Open the Door”
--Open the Door to your Destiny
--Can I challenge you this evening my sisters to “Open the Door”
--You are more than just the “Pastors Wife”
--You are more than just the “First Lady of the Church”
--You are more than just the former “First Lady”
--You are more than just the “Ministers’ Widow”
--You are more than someone that just sits in the Pews
--Open the Door to all God still has in store for you
--Open the Door to your Teaching and Preaching
--Open the Door to your Travelling and Witnessing
--Open the Door to your Leadership
--Open the Door to your Mentoring
--Open the Door to your Gifting
--Open the Door to all God has in store for you
--Open the Door until God says “WELL DONE THY GOOD AND FAITFUL SERVANT”
--“Rhoda, Open the Door”
