Always Pray and Don't Lose Heart

Sunday, November 19th, 2023

Introductory information

Persecution was something that the early church faced a lot of

The Gospel is counter-cultural in a lot of ways and different groups opposed the church for different reasons

The most common opposition came from the Jews who rejected Jesus (and anyone who was trying to keep those Jews happy, as in the case of Herod)

READ

Question to consider as we read:

When should we pray?

Acts 12:1–17 CSB

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 who was called 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.

EXAMINE

What are the key points in this passage?

#1 | Persecution continues against the church in Jerusalem

This time the persecution is coming from King Herod

Acts 12:1–3 ...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...

Herod was motivated by a desire to increase his own reputation and popularity

Popular support was one of the ways the Herodian kings kept their position (1)

#2 | God orchestrates an incredible escape for Peter

The whole escape is so unbelievable that Peter thinks he’s dreaming

Acts 12:9 ...he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision...

The actions of the angel are a clear demonstration of God’s power

Acts 12:7 ...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 12:10 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...

Herod’s actions were about building his reputation and popularity, but God used the situation to display God’s power and authority

God didn’t even have to free Peter Himself - just one of God’s angels was powerful enough to overcome Herod’s defenses with ease

#3 | The church receives what they didn’t seem to expect

They don’t initially believe that Peter has been freed

Acts 12:12–15 ...he went to the house of Mary… where many had assembled and were praying… a servant named Rhoda… announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate. “You’re out of your mind!” they told her...

This is interesting - why were they praying so diligently if the release of Peter seemed so unlikely to them?

They were praying because they were faithful

Consider the instruction Jesus had given to the church in Luke 18:1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up.

Despite what must have seemed like impossible odds, they were praying diligently (Acts 12:5-6)

This is what Jesus had taught them - there will be many times when an answer to prayer seems unlikely, and its especially in those times when we must not give up praying

This story is a bit humorous - but we must think about the implications

The story shows the church diligently praying beyond the limits of their own expectations - and that is exactly what we must do

Ephesians 6:18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

APPLY

Explore and apply the passage with these questions:

[These questions must be focused, yet very open-ended. Allow the conversation to go where people take it - we want to encourage everyone to share and explore the topics of the passage. You don’t have to ask all these questions. Sometimes a group may only get through one or two questions. Select the questions you think are right for the conversation. Then, as it comes time to wrap up, refocus the conversation to “land the plane.”]

Let’s answer the opening question: When should we pray?

How can you relate to the people who were praying for Peter, but didn’t believe their prayer had been answered?

Why should we pray?

What needs to mature in your attitude towards prayer?

Where we want to “land the plane”

We must keep praying faithfully even when we struggle to believe that God can answer it or will answer it.

REFLECT

Prayer Points for Today

Ask the Lord to expand our faith

Ask the Lord to increase our endurance

Devotional Question for the Week

When do you find it easy to pray? When is it hard to pray? What is the Holy Spirit revealing to you in these answers?

FOOTNOTES

The Herod in this part of the story (Agrippa the First) was appointed king of Israel by the Roman Emperor Caligula, and was the nephew of Herod Antipas - the king that had been involved in the executions of John the Baptist and Jesus. It’s helpful to know that the kings of the Herodian Dynasty were essentially “middle management” between Israel and Rome and so they had to keep the people inline and happy to keep the support of the Roman Emperor.

The James that was killed was one of the Twelve Disciples and the brother of John (who wrote the Gospel of John) - not the same James who wrote the book of James. That James was the brother of Jesus, whom Peter references in verse 17.

Acts 12:12 This verse introduces the reader to John Mark who figures prominently in Paul’s first missionary journey. Evidently his mother Mary was a woman of prominence and means. Probably her house was a principal meeting place of the church, so it must have been spacious. Because John Mark’s father is not named, Mary may have been a widow. This same Mark is considered to be the writer of the Gospel bearing his name (cf. Mark 14:51–52; 1 Peter 5:13). Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 385.

Acts 12:17 Peter’s mention of James indicates that James had a place of prominence in the Jerusalem church. Quite clearly this James was the Lord’s half brother. Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 385.