Jail Break Acts 12:1-24

Introduction

Since the inception of the church Satan has tried to destroy it. He has used every tactic to destroy it, but while Satan is powerful, he is at war with an all-powerful God who sent his son to die for the church. Here we are going to see Herod try to stop the church and the word of God, but God will prevail.

This morning we are going to see the death of James, the imprisonment of Peter, the escape of Peter, the shock of the church, the death of Herod and the church continue.

The Death of James vs 1-2

The king in charge vs 1

King Herod mentioned here was Herod Agrippa 1 the grandson of Herod the Great, the evil king who ordered the killing of all the baby boys under 2 years old in Bethlehem in Matt 2:16. He was also the father of Herod Agrippa II who would later try Paul in Acts 25 and 26.

The goal of king Herod here was too vex certain or harass the church. One way to keep the Jews in Jerusalem and the surrounding area happy was to persecute the church and especially its leaders as we have seen since the beginning of Acts.

The first Apostle martyred vs. 2

As King Herod is harassing the church he kills James the brother of John with the sword.

Its interesting to note that James was the first Apostle to die and John was the last disciple to die.

Remember when James and Johns mom came to Jesus and asked Him to let her sons sit one on His right hand, and one on His left hand when they reached the kingdom. After that Jesus tells them that they would drink of the same cup that He did and that they had a seat prepared by the Father. Here James drank of that cup in his death and was met face to face with the Saviour who gave his life for him.

The punishment that James recieved was likely because he was charged with leading people astray to a false God.

The Imprisonment of Peter vs. 3-5

When Herod saw the reaction of the Jews and saw that the death of James pleased them he took it a step further and took Peter as well. Think about what him arresting Peter would mean to the Jews that hated Christians.

Peter had already schooled the Sanhedrin twice and now he had told the Jewish believers that they could have fellowship with Gentiles. He was a perfect target for King Herod to win favor with the Jews.

When Peter was taken it was during the days of unleavened bread which was a feast closely associated with the annual feast of Passover. They would go through there houses to make sure that no leaven remained.

John Phillips said this “While the Jews were ridding their houses of leaven in accordance to ritual law, their hearts were fermenting with the hidden leaven of malice and wickedness.”

The feast of Unleavened bread lasted from Nisan 15 until the 21st. The whole period began with the keeping of the passover.

Sometime during the feast of unleavened Herod apprehended Peter and he put him in prison and likely because they knew of his previous escape they put him four quaternions of soldiers that were in charge of keeping him. This would of been four squads of four soldiers that would have been in charge of making sure he didn’t escape.

Herod was going to keep him until after Easter which is the Roman holiday that corresponds with the Jewish feast of the passover. Herod wanted all the feast to be over before he brought Peter before the people to kill him. He wanted all eyes on Him.

So while Peter waits on death row, knowing that his life could be coming to an end shortly look where we find the Church. vs 5

They were praying without ceasing to God for him. They were interceding in prayer for Peter.

They could have been hiding but instead they were praying. Think about what was going on at this time. James who was a part of Jesus’ inner circle had just been put to death and now Peter who also was a part of the inner circle had been imprisoned and immediately taken to death row to be put to death in just a few days. We can learn some lessons here from the early church.

When everything around us is not going our way we can still trust in the power of prayer.

I like what the Psalmist said in Psalm 56:3–4 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear What flesh can do unto me.”

Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

Why worry when you can pray? Trust Jesus, He’ll be your stay; Don’t be a “doubting Thomas”, Rest fully on His promise, Why worry, worry, worry, worry, When you can pray.

Peter escapes prison vs 6-11

The same night that Peter gets put in prison, he was sleeping knowing that his death was just a few days away. Isn’t it amazing the assurance of heaven we have when we are saved. You can rest even though you might be put to death for your faith.

Peter was sleeping between two guards who he was chained to and there were guards at the doors of the prison, they believed that it would not be possible for him to escape, but they underestimated who his God is!

As Peter is sleeping the Angel of the Lord shows up and turns the light on and Peter is sleeping so good he has to get smote on the side to wake him up. As he wakes up the chains that had him bound to the guard falls off.

The angel of the Lord tells him to gird himself and put his sandals on, then tells him to get dressed and follow him.

How many of us have had a dream that felt so real that when you woke up you had to find out if it actually happened or not? Thats how I feel Peter felt at this moment, he couldn’t tell if this was actually happening or if it was a vision.

Notice that Peter was in the middle of the prison, he had to go through the first and second ward to get to the gate that led to the city and as he is running towards it, the gate opens on its own.

When they get out of the gate of the prison into the street the angel forthwith or immediately departs from Peter and Peter realizes this isn’t a vision the Lord really delivered him from the hand of Herod and the expectation of the Jews that Herod was going to kill Peter.

The Shock of the Church vs. 12-19

When Peter considered all the things that had just happened he headed to John Marks moms house where the church had been praying for him. vs. 12

As Peter gets to Marks moms house he knows on the door of the gate trying to get in. As he is knocking a young girl named Rhoda hears him and comes to the gate but she didn’t open it because she was too happy and ran inside to tell everyone that Peter was there.

Look what they told her. They told her she was mad or crazy. Though they thought she was crazy she continued to tell them that it really was Peter at the gate. They told her its not Peter its his angel, Peters in prison and might already be dead, he can’t be here.

I can imagine Peter, the fugitive standing at the gate looking over his shoulder making sure no one is on to him and they are inside arguing about if its really Peter or not at the gate.

Peter continues to knock and they finally come and they are astonished or surprised to see him there.

Im sure there was some shouting for joy as God had answered there prayer but Peter tells them to hold there peace and then tells them about how he got to them that day. He was told to go to James who was the half brother of Jesus, who seems to have assumed the role of pastor in the Church at Jerusalem

As day began to break all of the soldiers woke up to an escaped prisoner and there was a great stir among the soldiers, they knew that if Herod found out that there prisoner escaped they would be put to death.

Herod sent out a search party and couldn’t find him so he examined or put the keepers in trial and put them to death. While Herod Judged his prison guards he was about to receive judgement from God.

He decided to move from Judea to Caesarea

The death of Herod vs 20-23

Herod was unhappy with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they realized the importance of the king’s country so they tried to reconcile with them so they could continue to receive the goods from his country. Blastus who was the kings advisor and a friend of Tyre and Sidon sought peace because he knew the importance of the kings country to those countries.

On a set day Herod comes and makes an oration or speech, and the people liked it so much they say “it is the voice of a god and not a man” Immediately he was smote by God for not giving God the glory and then he was eaten of worms.

One commentary put it this way “Herod had gone to far. He had exhausted the patience of God. He had crossed the hidden boundary between God’s mercy and His wrath.”

We must be careful that none of the glory comes to us but we give it all to God. He deserves all the glory!

After he was eaten by the worms he gave up the ghost

The church continues vs 24-25

How did the church continue to go on?

Herod might have wanted to destroy the church, but he could never destroy the inspired, inherent, infallible Word of God that continued to grow and multiply in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth.

Someone said this “The armed might of the government may be mobilized against it, but the Word of God knows no boundaries to its empire, and no barriers to its progress

Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch from Jerusalem after delivering the supplies the church needed there in Jerusalem.

Conclusion

Herod tried to discourage and destroy the church, but through prayer the church continued.

As a believer do you believe that God answers prayer?

If youve never trusted Christ as your saviour come this morning and we can show you from God’s word how you can be saved.