Persecution, the Power of God, and the Power of Prayer

What are three things every Christian should know?

Title: Persecution, the Power of God, and the Power of Prayer

Date: July 14, 2024

Text: Acts 12:1-19

Acts 12:1–19 NASB95

Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Gird 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 continued to follow, and 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 second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place. Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

I. The persecution of God’s people (Vs. 1-3).

1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

-Acts 12:1-3

A. The promise of persecution

10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

-2 Timothy 3:10-13

B. The Persecutor

Period: Herod Agrippa I reined from AD 41-44.

Herod’s Family Tree

QR Code available on handout for congregation

Why does persecution happen?

-Persecution happens when citizens of the domain of darkness recognize something or someone that doesn’t belong. The reaction is to reject it.

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

-John 15:19-21

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,”

-Colossians 1:13

C. The Persecuted

35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

-Mark 10:35-39

D. Profile of James; The Son of Thunder

1.The Eldest

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

-Matthew 10:2

2. Good reputation/status

Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

-John 18:15–16

3. A part of Jesus’ inner circle

Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

-Matthew 17:1–3

And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled.

-Mark 14:33

4. A man of great zeal.

When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

-Luke 9:54

Twelve Ordinary Men Chapter 4: James—The Apostle of Passion

He was outspoken, intense, and impatient with evildoers.

II. The Power of God.

6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

-Acts 12:6-11

God is in control of every atom in his universe, and even those things which seem a direct contradiction of his love will one day be seen to be a dynamic confirmation of his power.

John Blanchard

III. The Prayer of God’s People (Vv. 12-19).

12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

-Acts 12:12-19

“Satan trembles when he sees the weakest Saint upon his knees.”

-William Cowper

Moment of Meditation and Application

Persecution is something that we need to see coming to our door. It could be in the form of lost friendships, families, jobs, spiritual warfare, etc…

How could Peter sleep knowing that he was very likely going to die the next day? Isaiah 26:3 says, ““The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in You.”

Peter had no problem sleeping. Perhaps he remembered what Jesus had said to him in John 21:18.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”

-John 21:18

It had been around ten years since Peter heard these words from his Lord. Maybe he slept so well because he knew his time wasn’t up yet. Do you stay up at night due to stress or wondering what is in store for you tomorrow? How do you approach the day when you wake up in the morning?

Another aspect is prayer. While it’s commendable that the group was praying for Peter, were they praying with a spirit of expectancy?

Ask Yourself

What things would you like to improve in your prayer life?

What are some forms of persecution have you faced? Sometimes, writing them down helps. Anne Frank once said, “Paper is more patient than people.”

This week, may we discover that God is our providential planner, protector, and provider for every circumstance we will ever face.