Prison Break

Title: “Prison Break”

Text: Acts 12:1-10

Big idea: “Jesus has promised to build his church!” (so the word of God spread...12:24)

Complement: to show God’s power and continued care for Jewish Christianity.

Acts 12:1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.

2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each.

Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

5 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. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him.9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Introduction – Alcatraz (in San Francisco Bay)... movie “Escape from Alcatraz” (Clint Eastwood)

Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) offshore from San Francisco...

The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and

a federal prison, the latter operated from August 11, 1934 until March 21, 1963.

The strong currents around the island and cold water temperatures made escape all but impossible.

..., it has become a major tourist attraction

Famous inmates:

• notorious criminals in American history...gangsters such as Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Bumpy Johnson, Mickey Cohen, Arthur R. "Doc" Barker, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis

• It also provided housing for Prison staff and their families.

o Children took a boat to SF every day for school...

• During its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary claimed that no prisoner successfully escaped.

• A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, two men trying twice; 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed during their escape, two drowned, and five are listed as "missing and presumed drowned."

On June 11, 1962, American criminals brothers John and Clarence Anglin, and Frank Morris escaped using an inflatable raft, never to be seen again. It was never determined by the FBI whether they succeeded in their escape or died in the attempt.

Here in Acts 12 we read a story about a prison escape...

1. Another Crisis Hits The Church – James Is Killed; Peter Is Imprisoned...

Acts 12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.

2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

Quick Review;

- John the Baptist has been killed

- Jesus has been crucified

- Stephen is martyred

- Saul is converted...

Now in chapter 12...

- Arrests... v. 1

- James is killed. V. 2

- Now, Peter is thrown in prison.

There’s a strong effort to wipe out the church...

This is not merely political... it's spiritual warfare!

My first reaction to James being killed is ... what a waste!!!

- Killed in ad 44 – only 11 years of ministry. (from 33-44)

- James was one of the inner circle - Peter, James, John.

- Brother to John – “sons of thunder!”

- First of the 12 disciples to be martyred!

- Eye-witness of the resurrection!

- He could do so much for the kingdom!

I wonder how James mother felt?

Or his Dad... (if alive)