Sermon Tone Analysis

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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.

Acts 12:6-

In the words of Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

God, What is going on?

These were dark days for the church.

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.

“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!

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

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.

3 Questions We Are All Asking When Life is Difficult.

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.

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!

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.

Acts 12:4

Is God really listening?

Acts 12:14-

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...

God broke the chains that were binding Peter but Peter had to do some things.

He had to put some clothes on.