Acts 12:1-19 - Persecution and a Miracle

Recap: God starts a church in Antioch

Recapped story of Cornelius.

Learned about how God started a church in Antioch.

And how that church cared for other churches, believers, and the community around it.

Introduction - In Today’s Passage

We are going to see persecution ramp up in the church in Jerusalem

Main theme of today: The Lord and his church will triumph over any persecution.

The New Exodus

We will see God’s people persecuted and captured by an evil ruler.

God will then free his people from his grasp and then punish this evil ruler (we will study this next week).

Then the church goes forth to conquer the new promised land - the entire world.

The Text - Acts 12:1-19

Part 1: Herod Martyrs James & Captures Peter (v1-5)

Vs 1-3: The Violent hands that made a Martyr

Acts 12:1–3 ESV

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

The Apostles had hands that healed, fed, and served - Herod on has hands of violence.

See the contrast here

Grandson of Herod the Great who murdered infants in opposition to Christ.

Satan attacks from all directions

The Church imitates Christ in its suffering

Currently a famine going on

Kills an Apostle who traveled with Christ

Captures Peter - a pillar in the church.

Christ by his suffering has purchased an inhertance for the saints that cannot be taken away.

1 Peter 1:3–5 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

V. 3-4 - The Mighty Guard Around Peter

Acts 12:3–4 ESV

3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 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.

The Four Squads around Peter

Peter was on lockdown

Herod was going to parade his “victory” in front of the people after the festivals.

These feasts brought people to Jerusalem

Herod wanted a crowd to try and show himself off

He persecuted the church of God seeking the favor of man!

The Prayers of the Church (v.5)

Acts 12:5 ESV

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

The church prays.

This is not showing complacency - rather they knew what their strongest weapon was.

They were faith filled even though the circumstances looked grim.

The church believed that God orchestrates the events of eternity from his throne in heaven.

There was a higher King than Herod!

We can do the same thing in our lives - though things may seem grim - we too should remain faith filled.

You may not know:

How a diagnosis is going to play out

How you will get through a struggle in your marriage

How you can forgive that person who hurt you

If you will ever make it through your anxiety or depression

How this school year is going to go

Or How you will make it through a down economy

But you know what....

We serve a God who knows and has a plan for all these things!

Part 2: Peter Freed! (Acts 12:6-19)

God can do anything! (Main idea - tell the story)

Relate this to the bondage of sin we were under and how Christ freed us from the great enemy - our sin.

Read Romans 8

Conclusion - Application

Satan will try his best to attack

We pray because the Lord is in control

God breaks the chains of bondage of sin through the power of Christ