Back In Jerusalem
Notes
Transcript
About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.
Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
But the word of God increased and multiplied.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
Evil men have been around for a long long time.
There is nothing new under the sun.
What happens when it looks like evil will prevail?
Is there hope?
Is justice a myth?
There is hope.
And Justice will prevail.
Sometimes it manifests on earth.
But it is an attribute of our eternal God.
Here we see a hopeless situation transformed by the power of God.
We see a true story were injustice seems to be winning and evil men seem to be prospering.
But eventually, God turns the story upside down.
An Unjust Execution
An Unjust Execution
About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Persecution is normal.
Lack of persecution is abnormal.
Preaching Christ might lead to your death.
Peter’s fate seems grim. For the church and for Peter, his death is very very likely.
All of this highlights the depravity of King Herod. Grandson of the Herod who killed John the Baptist. But these themes of depravity and corruption are not foreign to our current experience.
Even now rulers speak blasphemous and arrogant things.
Even now politicians tell us to obey their decrees while they don’t have to.
Applications
Don’t be surprised when depraved people behave like depraved people
Put your trust in God instead of corrupt political leaders
The church is desperate for a miracle. Just like we are now.
A Miraculous Rescue
A Miraculous Rescue
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
God rescuing Peter was in responding to prayer.
The church was making “earnest prayer for him”
At the same time, God was sovereign over all of the events.
Peter thought his rescue experience was a vision.
Maybe Peter saw his “vision” as a lesson regarding victory in death as a Christian.
Applications
God’s sovereignty does not mean we shouldn’t pray for him to work a miracle.
But still, trusting in God’s sovereignty means we can sleep at night. He holds our future.
Peter was surprised to find himself alive and out of prison.
Now the church that is praying for him will have...
An Unexpected Surprise
An Unexpected Surprise
When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
God rescuing Peter was a surprise to the church.
It was very unlikely that Peter would survive.
The Church understood this.
They knew that “Preaching Christ may lead to our death”.
Was Peter’s rescue the main goal of their prayer??
Applications
Even when we pray for miracles, the miracle shouldn’t be what our hope and assurance are in.
The church was SURPRISED by the miracle. The surprise happened when they were seeking God.
Don’t be too harsh with Christians who are skeptical of answered prayer. Let God show off.
Even the early church struggled to believe a miracle like Peter escaping certain death.
God’s Terrifying Justice
God’s Terrifying Justice
Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.
Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
But the word of God increased and multiplied.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
A terrifying thing about God’s justice is that it is reserved for men like Herod.
But what is even more terrifying is that being like Herod comes naturally to all of us.
We are by nature.
Unjust in our judgements.
Prone to murder others in our hearts.
Desiring praise from men.
Under the wrath of God.
Applications
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles themselves will be exalted.
Peter and the church were humble in their response to their circumstances - in response, God saved Peter.
Herod was prideful in his response to his circumstances - in response, God killed Herod.
Check your soul!
Are you a humble believer?
Have you repented of your sin?
Are you living for your own glory?
Recap
An Unjust Execution.
A Miraculous Rescue.
An Unexpected Surprise
God’s Terrifying Justice
Acts Applications
APPLICATIONS
• We say prayer changes things, but actually God changes things—and not all things.
• The present world is full of injustice and pain, and we should expect it.
• The early Christians were real people with real problems—like us.
• When you can’t do anything else, pray. When you can do something else, pray first.
We cannot loose our hope in Christ while the entire world seems to be burning down around us.
You may be like me: I tend to overly focus on what I cannot change: like injustice, unregenerate hearts, and false messiahs. When we choose to focus on those things, we actually do God a grave injustice. We wallow in despair when we should be rejoicing in His glory and victory.
This week, don’t focus on what you cannot change. Focus on the one who can change it!
Give him the affection and adoration he deserves.