Sermon 20

Wake Up To A Miracle

Acts 12

Can you imagine what it would be like to have an angel awaken you? Well, that's what happened to Peter in Acts 12. Let's open our Bibles there.

Peter may have been thinking about this event, years later, when he wrote first epistle and quoted Psalm 34:15-16. I Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. That quotation certainly summarizes what God did for Peter in Acts 12 and reveals to us three wonderful assurances to encourage us in the difficult days of life.

God Sees Our Trials, Acts 12:1-4

"the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous"

God watched and noted what Herod was doing to His people. This Herod = grandson of the Herod who ordered the babies of Bethlehem murdered at the time of Jesus' birth; the nephew of Herod that beheaded John the Baptist. In this case, the apple didn't land far from the tree. This was a wicked family.

Verse 1 says that he "stretched forth his hand to vex (harm) certain (some) of the church." This was a political move intended to improve his relationship with the Jews he resented the fact that an Edomite reigned over them. Once the church openly began to reach out to Gentiles, Herod thought he could win points with the Jews by hurting the church.

Verse 2 says that Herod "killed James the brother of John with the sword." The second Christian martyr and the first of the 11 apostles to die was James as Jesus had predicted in Matthew 20:20-28. His brother, believed to be the youngest of the disciples was the last to die, after being exiled to the Island of Patmos and receiving the Revelation from God.

If it "pleased the Jews" (v. 3) that James was dead, just think how delighted they would be to see Peter dead. And so, Peter was arrested, put in prison and placed under the guard of 16 soldiers, four during each of four shifts, two chained to the prisoner and two watching the doors, v. 4.

Why James and not Peter? - sovereign will of God

Note: James not replaced as an apostle.

It is good to know that God's eyes see it all. Herod may be on the throne of Israel but God is on the throne of heaven. God is in control. No matter how difficult the trial, how disappointing the news, how confusing the events, God sees and knows. His sovereign will is always best.

God Hears Our Prayer, 12:5-17

"his ears are open to their prayers"

Church Praying, v. 5. The turning point of this story is two little words in verse 5 - "but prayer". Never underestimate the power of a praying church! The angel may have fetched Peter out of prison but it was prayer that fetched the angel (Puritan preacher Thomas Watson). Notice ...

Peter Sleeping, vs. 5-6. Amazing! In prison, chained to two guards, scheduled to die and Peter is sleeping like a log! How? (Remember John 21:18-19).

Peter Following, vs. 7-11.

Peter Knocking, vs. 12-16. When you remember that many people were praying; they were praying earnestly; they were praying night and day; they were praying specifically for Peter's deliverance. This scene seems comical. The answer to their prayer is standing , but they don't have enough faith to open the door and let him in! God could get Peter out of prison, but Peter cannot get himself into a prayer meeting! "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!"

Peter Declaring, v. 17. Apparently, everybody was talking at once and Peter had to silence them to give them the account of the miracle. He instructed the make sure that James (brother of Jesus; author of James; leader of the church). When Peter left the meeting, no one, to this day, knows where he went. Except for a brief appearance in Acts 15 at a conference, he is not mentioned again in the book and Paul and his story of taking the gospel to he Gentiles takes over.

God Deals With Our Enemies, Acts 12:18-25.

"but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil"

What happened to the prison guards and to Herod? All the guards on that shift died by the command of Herod.

Herod also died. The story of his death is told in verses 20-23. And as a result, the "word of the Lord grew and multiplied."

At the beginning of this chapter, Herod seemed to be in control and the church seemed to be losing the battle. But by the end of the chapter, Herod is dead and the church - very much alive -and growing rapidly. The secret? A praying church!

Keep you chin up and your knees down! I Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.