Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts Series #20

Back to the Beginning:

When Church was Church

*When the Prison Door Opens*

*Acts 12:1-18*

 

 

Open your copy of God's Word with me to Acts chapter 11 and follow with me as we read about the early church

 

PICK UP AT 11:26b

 

What can we do … in response to Hurricane Katrina?

It is important for you to know what Southern Baptists are already doing and be thankful for the hearts, hands, backs, work of Southern Baptists already.

As of Friday Southern Baptists had already sent $800,000 to disaster through the North American Mission Board

 

On the Paper we passed out to you today you can see on both sides tangible physical things that you can do in response to this tragedy through the mechanism of the Southern Baptist Convention who is working directly with the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the United States Government.

Let's continue reading in Acts

 

Read Acts 12:1-18 -

 

Considering all that has happened this week in the South Central Part of our country it is difficult to prepare this week.

But the Lord was already preparing my heart from this passage

 

I would say that most of us have never faced anything like what these people are facing this week

 

But many of you have faced your own difficulties.

Perhaps some of you are here today and feel like a storm has roared through your life.

Perhaps you are in the winds of change right now

Perhaps the hot breath of persecution is hard on the back of your neck

 

What do we do?

How do we move on

 

I titled my message today, "When the Prison Door Opens" …

 

/<Hold up your WATER>/

 

What is the state of this GLASS …

 

½ Empty?

½ Full?

 

Well … Standing before an Open Prison Door …

 

*1.

What Do You See? *

 

We need an accurate perception of the situation

We need an understanding of who is in Control

 

Is the Door Open to Let you IN the Prison or to Let You OUT?

Is the Door open to a Dead End or A New Beginning

Is the Door open to destroy all or your wisdom and belief system or

Is the Door open to a new Experience and Understanding of God

 

I think if you are going to accurately assess the Prison door that is open, you need to accurately access the circumstances

 

Sometimes we cry "woah is Me" over things that WE created, or things that WE could have prevented

 

  *A*.

*Why* did the door *open* for *Peter* into the Prison?

Was he a bad citizen?

Was he a bad guy?

NO … he was a obedient follower of Jesus

 

Was Peter Fretting?

Was Peter even Sleepless?

No

He was Sleeping  like a baby

 

16 guards

Bound between 2 with guards on the door …

 

Peter is Sleeping

 

Why?

How?

Perhaps he remembered the Words of Jesus from the beginning of his public ministry

 

Mt 5:10-12 /Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you/

 

You think maybe he remembered that?

I DO

 

/"How do you know?"  /Well I'm glad you asked because

 

1 Peter 4 says ?/12?// //Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

?//13?// //But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

?//14?// //If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

?//15?// //If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.

?//16?// //However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name./

*B*.

We *Live* in a *Fallen* *World*

    1.

Bad things happen to good people

    2.

Bad things happen to bad people

 

  *C*.

*Why* do *you* *stand* before the Prison Door?

    1. is it a result of your own choices?

    2. is it a result of our sinful nature?

    3. is it a result of obedience to God?

    4. is it a result of disobedience to God?

    5. is it a result of the world we live in?

 

Answering that questions will determine how you move ahead.

If the Prison door before you is the result of your decisions, your choices, your actions, then you may be left to deal with some consequences

 

Step one then would be to confess any sin ~/ error, and repent go in the other direction, turn to the Lord

 

Even if you face a real Prison for your sin and mistakes, you can face that prison cell in the freedom of forgiveness, mercy, and grace

 

 

 

*2.

Believe The Word of God*

 

  *A*.

*Believe* his *Messenger*

    1.

God sent an Angel to Peter and told him to /Get up, get dressed, put on your sandals, and follow me/

    2.

Believe the Messenger

    3.

Believe it or NOT, I am an ANGEL, if you don't believe me, go to the book of Revelation.

Will be studying on Wednesday nights and you will find that Jesus himself refers to the Pastors of those 7 churches as the ANGELS of those churches.

4.

An angel is a Messenger of God and that is all I am.

AM I PERFECT?

NO 

    5.

Do I seek to bring you a Message from God every week YES

    6.

If you do NOT think I'm a messenger of God, you probably need a different Pastor

    7.

Believe the Messenger - as long as he brings the Message of God

 

But I am imperfect for sure but more than the Messenger

 

   *B*.

*Believe* the *Message*~/the *Word* of God

    1.

the story goes that a guy falls off a cliff and clings for his life from a little branch sticking out.

He calls out "Help!

Is anybody up there?

Is anybody up there?

Finally a voice says "I am here" "who is it the man asks?

Please help" The voice responds, "it is The Lord Almighty."

"Do you trust me my child" "Yes Lord, help me please" … "Let Go!"  "Trust me and Let Go"  There's a Long pause and then the man says "IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE UP THERE"

    2.

We must trust the Lord, Trust the Word of the Lord