God is Always There.
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1 About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church,
2 and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword.
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.
12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.
Good morning and welcome to The Bridge!
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ends with Barnabas and Saul taking relief funds from the church in Antioch to those impoverished by the famine in Jerusalem.
1 About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church,
2 and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword.
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.
6 When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.
7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.
8 “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.”
9 So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.
10 After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him.
11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”
12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying.
13 He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.
14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.
15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”
16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
17 Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.
18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
Acts 12:6-
24 But the word of God flourished and multiplied.
In the words of Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
God, What is going on?
God, What is going on?
These were dark days for the church.
Devotion: a consistent movement in the same direction
Devotion: a consistent movement in the same direction
These were dark days for the church. Luke already told us that the church in Jerusalem was experiencing a shortage of food because of the famine that was ravaging Judea.
Stephen had already been martyred. Families were scattered all over the empire.
Pride, prejudice and pretentious behavior was already prevalent in the early church. Now James one of the orignial disciples of Jesus had been murdered by the hand of King Herod and Peter, the rock…the strong man who was fortifying the church’s foundation in Jesus was thrown into prison and scheduled for execution.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.
“C. S. Lewis introduced the phrase “pain, the megaphone of God.” “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains,” he said; “it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”3 The word megaphone is apropos, because by its nature pain shouts. When I stub my toe or twist an ankle, pain loudly announces to my brain that something is wrong. Similarly, the existence of suffering on this earth is, I believe, a scream to all of us that something is wrong. It halts us in our tracks and forces us to consider other values.”
― Philip Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts?
But before we move to quickly through the passage I want you to notice something. In verse 5 we’re told that when the believers were experiencing yet another set back, they prayed fervently to God. That’s good! But take a look at this.
Peter shows up on their door step as a direct answer to their prayers and this is their response!
15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”
16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
Think about the last time life knocked you down.
Maybe you suffered a big loss like being fired or having a marriage fall apart.
Maybe you’ve experienced a big financial setback.
Perhaps like the early church some natural disaster has turned your life upside down.
Maybe you feel the weight of political corruption and are frustrated with the systems of government.
Maybe you responded emotionally.
Peter was imprisoned but…the believers lost faith...
Peter was imprisoned but the believers turned on each other and were divided...
Peter was imprisoned but the believers God angry with God...
Peter was imprisoned but the believers withdrew from society and lived a lonely existence...
Peter was imprisoned but the believers prayed fervently to God...
This wasn’t an emotional response but a devotional one. How do I know? Because even when God answered their prayer, they didn’t quite believe it! They told the messenger, “You’ve lost your mind!”
They didn’t know what God was doing. They didn’t know what was happening to their tightknit community. But they knew God is always there! And so in an act of devotion they prayed.
Emotion or Devotion
Emotion or Devotion
Devotion: a consistent movement in the same direction
Devotion: a consistent movement in the same direction
When life is difficult and it often is, this passage provides the encouragement we need to keep moving forward in faith instead of allowing fear, frustration, & worry to rule the day.
BIG IDEA: No matter what I’m going through, I can trust God because He sees me, he hears me, and he’s doing a work in me that’s bigger than me!
How do I trust him? Peter & The believers gave us the answer. Pray fervently. Rest peacefully. Worship continually. In other words, be devoted. Consistently move in the direction of God’s presence.
Why? Peter said it best.
12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.
3 Questions We Are All Asking When Life is Difficult.
Does God see what I’m going through?
Does God see what I’m going through?
God was watching as the believers in Jerusalem were facing dire situations because of the famine...
God was watching as King Herod Violenty attacked the church
God was watching when James was murdered.
And God was watching when Peter was thrown into prison...
There’s a great demonstration of faith here. The night before Peter’s execution he was asleep.
2 In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food— yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.
8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.
3 You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.
Isaiah
You need to know that God sees you. When life is difficult and it often is, when your back’s up against a wall and chains are holding you down you can rest in this...
God is on the throne! God has everything under control. We may not understand HIs ways, but we can trust His heart. He sees you! He loves you! His sovereign will is best!
6 When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.
4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
The text tells us that a light was on in the cell. It evidently didn’t wake Peter up because the Angel had to strike Peter in the side.
You can be sure that God’s light is shining in your circumstances. You may not see it yet. You may not recognize it. You might still be in the cell. But it’s there. God sees you. His light is on shining on you.
7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.
Acts 12:4
Is God really listening?
Is God really listening?
14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.
15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”
16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
Acts 12:14-
12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.
1 Peter
What gave Peter such confidence and peace? The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers. Peter knew God saw him and he knew people were praying for him and God listens.
Prayer has a way of reminding us of God’s word. We pray as an act of devotion even we don’t feel like is God listening…prayer is moving your heart in the direction of God’s heart. And when you draw your heart near to God, he draws his near to you...
But you can’t miss this… See God is at work doing the extraordinary but we have to do the ordinary. He’s listening to our prayers, but God wants us to listen to him too...
8 “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.”
God broke the chains that were binding Peter but Peter had to do some things.
He had to put some clothes on.
He had to put his shoes on. Peter had to stoop before he could walk. It was a lesson in humility and obedience.
Think about it, every time Peter stooped to put on his shoes he must have been reminded of the prison miracle and the promises of God that he sees us and he hears us and it would have encouraged him to keep trusting the Lord.
Does God see me? Is God really listening? What is God doing?
Oh I’ve asked this question so many times.
What is God doing?
What is God doing?
24 But the word of God flourished and multiplied.
God is making me more like Jesus(Vv 1-5).
God is working for my good (Vv 2, 11, 23).
God is working all things for his glory(V 24).
No matter what happens in our lives, God never fails.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.
TAKEAWAY: Increase your ability to trust God by deepening your relationship with Him.
Do you believe that God is always there? Do you need to be reminded today?
What dark days are you currently experiencing?
abandonment
discouragement
wounds from a friend
an uncertain future
a colossal setback
compromise
compulsions
ridicule
a negative attitude or a critical spirit
lack of confidence
lack of security
lack of trust
lack of hope
Are things tough at home right now?
Have you received some bad news recently?
Are you struggling to find the joy in life?
Your emotions are running wild. Try moving your heart in the direction of God’s heart. That’s devotion. A consistent movement in the same direction.
Increase your ability to trust God by deepening your relationship with Him. You’ll come to know him by experience.
You’ll call him names.
The God who sees me
The God who hears me
The God knows me
The God who loves me
The God who won’t abandon me...