Acts #13

The Great Escape

Thank you guys, and thank you Kristi & Eloise for that wonderful music, but before we continue in our studies of the book of Acts tonight, please if you would:

“Join me in a word of prayer.”

I’ve entitled tonight’s message, “The Great Escape”

Last week we talked about:...........................................

Tonight we’re going to talk about:.................................

Let’s begin tonight’s lesson by reading the 1st 12 verses of chapter 13 together.

Read text: Acts 12:1-19.

Aside from the death of Stephen and a bit of persecution from Jewish authorities, Luke’s history of the early church has been very positive so far. However, the conclusion of chapter 11 hinted of a famine and some financial needs in the church at Jerusalem. Notice chapter 11 verses 27–30.(“27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”). This section continues to report increasing problems for the church, in this case, intensified persecution. And while God continues to provide for some of the believers in miraculous ways, others are beginning to be imprisoned and even killed for their belief that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah.

It’s debated whether Luke presents the narrative in this portion of scripture thematically or chronologically. King Herod Agrippa the 1st was the grandson of Herod the Great and a nephew of the Herod (Antipas) who had beheaded John the Baptist. He ruled Judea from a headquarters in Jerusalem from AD 41 to 44, the year he died.

The famine mentioned at the end of chapter 11, occurred in AD 46. So it’s possible that Luke wasn’t writing chronologically. Or if Barnabas and Saul were in Jerusalem before the death of Herod and during the famine, it would have required two visits by them, which is a reasonable possibility for a pair who traveled as much as they did spreading the gospel.

Herod had Jewish ties and always tried to sustain a good relationship with those in charge of the Jewish people. As the Jewish believers fell out of favor with the established authorities, Herod found he could impress those in control by mistreating the Christians. He began arresting church members and had the apostle James, the brother of the apostle John put to death. The arrests were due to no other reason than the believers’ association with the church. This persecution was fueled by a political motive rather than by a religious one.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, or Passover, mentioned in verse 3, was one of three annual religious festivals that Jewish males were expected to attend, so the population of Jerusalem would swell with Jews loyal to their history and traditions. When Herod saw that the death of James pleased the Jews, he arrested and imprisoned Peter. By now most people knew that Peter was the top dog in the church, and that he had been associating with Gentiles. He was the perfect target in Herod’s ongoing thirst for popularity.

Technically, Passover was the meal celebrated to commemorate the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and God’s sparing of the firstborn in all the homes with blood on the doors (Exodus 12). But that specific celebration was followed immediately by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As the two events were commemorated together year after year, they became essentially one in the minds of the people. Passover was the popular term for the dual celebrations.

This is the third time Luke records Peter being imprisoned. The first time he and John only spent a single night in jail; in the second incident he and the apostles that were with him, were miraculously released during the night and were found the next day, preaching in the temple courts back in chapters 4 and 5.

Perhaps Herod had heard of Peter’s miraculous escape, because the precautions he took seemed a little extreme to assign sixteen guards to a single prisoner. The four squads of four soldiers should have provided more than enough security. A Roman guard usually chained his left hand to a prisoner’s right hand, but Peter was chained to guards with both sides. As verse 6 tells us.

Herod’s plan was to keep Peter in prison until the eight-day celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was over, and then he would bring him out for a public trial. Since James had recently been executed, it seems likely that Peter would’ve been concerned for his life. But in spite of him being in prison, the guards, and the chains, he was sleeping soundly. Peter had a habit of sleeping when he should have been praying, but in this case Peter’s ability to sleep seems to reflect a lack of fear or worry. Perhaps he had confidence in Jesus’ previous statement found in John 21:18 that he would grow to be an old man. Lets look at it. (“18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”). Additionally, we are told that the church was earnestly praying on Peter’s behalf.

What happened next was so unlikely that Peter didn’t know if it was actually happening or if he was having another vision. Notice verse 9. (“9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.”) An angel appeared and a bright light shone in the cell. Still, the angel had to strike Peter to wake him up. Peter did as the angel instructed. The chains fell off his wrists, the prison doors opened as they came to them, and Peter soon found himself alone and free on the street outside the prison. The reality of the situation suddenly struck him, so he began thinking of a safe place he could go.

He may have known that other believers were praying for him at the home of Mary, the mother of Mark. Notice verse 12. (“12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.”). Even though committed church members were earnestly praying for Peter’s release, they found it hard to believe when it actually happened. The servant girl named Rhoda was too excited to open the door, and the other believers were too skeptical to go see for themselves. Meanwhile, Peter kept on knocking until someone finally let him in.

Mark was a cousin of Barnabas as you know, who would later accompany Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. He and Paul would have a falling out, but it would later be resolved and the two would become close friends. Mark also wrote the Gospel that bears his name. Tradition says he was also Peter’s interpreter in Rome and established the church in Alexandria, Egypt, but God’s inspired word doesn’t tell us this. And personally, the Bible is the only recorded history I put my total faith in.

The assumption that the figure at the door was Peter’s angel, reflects the belief (based partially on Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10) that guardian angels oversee God’s people.

Since James, the brother of John, had already been killed in verse 2, the James referred to in verse 17 was almost certainly the brother of Jesus. James was becoming prominent in the early church in Jerusalem and will appear again later in Acts.

After Peter’s previous release from jail, he had been instructed to go to the temple courts and teach. This time, however, the political climate was much different. His life was in danger. Saul had left the area to spend time in Tarsus, and Peter was leaving, also. We know from the book of Galatians, that at some point Peter visited Antioch.

The next morning, Herod discovered Peter was gone. He held the guards responsible, for Peter’s escape and had them executed probably assuming they had aided Peter.

The sudden mention of Herod’s decision to leave Jerusalem in verse 19 may possibly be attributed to his desire to save face after losing a key prisoner. He decided to visit some of his subjects on the Mediterranean coast who were eager to regain his favor because their food supply depended on him.

Luke’s version of this account is quite concise. The Jewish historian Josephus elaborates considerably more. But as I said earlier, scripture doesn’t really tell us. But according to Josephus, Herod stood in the outdoor theater on a festival day, and was dressed in a silver robe that gleamed in the sun. The people, eager to flatter him, went so far as to call him a god, and Herod said nothing to correct them. He was then immediately struck with stomach pains and had to be carried out of the theater. According to Josephus, he died five days later. But the Bible tells us different. Notice verse 23. (“23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”).

People have speculated as to the exact diagnosis of the disease that killed Herod, but Luke makes it clear that Herod’s miserable death was a judgment of God. Herod had tried to hinder the growth of the church. Suddenly, he was gone and the Word of God was continually increasing and spreading.

Conclusion:

A logical question that often arises from this portion of scripture is why bad things happen to some people and not others. Why did James die at the hands of Herod while Peter was freed as the result of an incredible miracle? In this case it seems clear that we must leave such things up to a sovereign God. We certainly can’t make a case that Peter was a better person than James, or that James had done anything to warrant death. After all, Peter’s time was coming. Let’s look again at John 21:18–19 (“18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”)

What are some similar questions you tend to struggle with? Do you get frustrated when you can’t determine answers like why do bad things happen to good people? Or why good things happen to really bad people. Most of us really struggle with this.

Discuss your thoughts:............................. Are you able to leave everything in God’s hands and trust that He is in control no matter what happens?

Lets pray together:

Invitation:

As Kristi and Eloise are getting us ready to sing our last hymn tonight, and as we’re considering all the things we’ve learned together, about the beginning of the church in the book of Acts, and if you have never honored God by asking Him to save you from what we all deserve, which is spiritual death, this would be the perfect time to do just that. God has made that so easy for us to do. The Bible says that anyone, and I do mean anyone, who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus “SHALL BE SAVED”. It doesn’t matter what your past may look like. The Lord just cares about your future. And He wants everyone to spend that future with Him in heaven, forever. Don’t wait another second. If you have any doubt at all about your eternal security, or what’s going to happen to you when you die physically, I beg you to get it settled right now. Don’t wait another second. Get it taken care of right this minute, right here,----- just quietly, ----- with your eyes closed, ----- with your heads bowed, ----- and with your heart’s toward God, ----- just pray a little prayer like this......just pray......Lord, thank you that you love me. I am a sinner, in need of a savior. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins and for the sins of the whole world. I also believe that after three days He was raised from the dead by Your power, so that I also may live in newness of life. Save me Lord, so I may live the rest of my life for You.----- The Bible says if you prayed a simple little prayer like this “you will be saved”.

Please, as we’re singing our last hymn tonight, and if you still need too, just pray that little prayer I mentioned as we sing. And God will save you !! Lets sing together.