Peter In Prison

Acts 12:1–19 NASB95

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. 4 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. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to 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.” 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.

Introduction:

Meanwhile, at Jerusalem! (was Antioch)

We pick up with a whole new wave of persecution

Christians & Apostles

1. James’s Death

Acts 12:1 NASB95

1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.

Herod the king!

NOT the Herod who slaughtered infants @ the time of Jesus (Herod the Great)

THIS is his grandson… Herod Agrippa

HIS DAD (Aristobulus) died when he was young

SO HE was sent to Rome @ 4YO… was raised in the Roman courts and became associated with a guy named Gaius, the nephew of the Emperor Tiberius… and when Tiberius died & Gais became Emperor, he appointed Herod Agrippa as the KING of Israel (or most of it)

& when Claudius became emperor a couple years later, Agrippa was given Kingship over ALL Israel, including Jerusalem & Judea which HAD been ruler by a prefect or governor (Like Pontius Pilate)

He IMMEDIATELY is made aware of the Christians in Jerusalem, UPSETTING the Jews.. and leads a campaign to persecute their leaders… namely the apostles

Arrests James… Beheads James

Acts 12:2 NASB95

2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.

You might wonder, as to why a mere solitary sentence is devoted to a chief man like James:

The first martyr among the apostles

The brother of John… they are the sons of Zebedee, the sons of THUNDER

Listed often among the inner circle: Peter James & John.

Now early tradition tells us, that when James was beheaded… that his guard, was so impressed by his unwavering trust in Christ, that in THAT moment the guard professed faith in Jesus, and was ultimately executed along side James

Early tradition ALSO tells us… that 11 of the 12 apostles… were martyred.

ONLY ONE lived to a ripe old age… can you guess who? JOHN… the brother of James

So out of the sons of Zebedee, 1 is the 1st apostle to die, one is the last apostle to die

And to just brush by him! .. why?

Because the book of Acts isn’t about glorifying men, it’s about glorifying God.

We don’t need a poetic, emotional movie made out of an apostles death.

What we need to see in the text is CHRIST

One things for sure… the Holy Spirit wanted us to know of James’ death…

We learn how small a thing, death is.

From our vantage point we may see James hiking up a mountain and fall behind a dark hill never to be seen again… but what lies beyond the peak is an eternal home of comfort and sunshine in the presence of Christ

You may ask another question: Why James & not Peter?

Why have an ENTIRE story on Peter and throw James in one measly verse?

It’s an easy question to ask, but a question that I nor you, could ever answer.

James was as dear to Christ as Peter was.

And there was no greater love in sending the angel to Peter, than in the death of James.

And in the sense, that James never relinquished his faith to the powerful jaws of Herod?… Might it be true… that James.. WAS… delivered, on that day

Delivered from a world of evil and corruption

Delivered from the constant persecution of Herod & Jews

Delivered, into the mighty hands of the living God above

2. Peter’s Arrest

Acts 12:3–4 NASB95

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

Herod looks out, sees the Jews SMILING from the BLOODSHED of James… and arrests Peter also

Herod is a puppet.

Like Pontius Pilate did with Jesus… so Herod did with Peter

4 Squads of 4

4 watches during the day… 4 teams of 4… 16 guards

2 are inside the cell with him… Peters right leg chained to one… left leg to the other

And the OUTER gates, are each guarded by a separate Roman guard

HIGH security…

Acts 12:5 NASB95

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

BUT… ‘prayer for him was being made fervently by the church of God’

On one hand, you have the pride and power of Herod (16 soldiers… 2 chains… 3 gates with guards)

And on the other, prayer…. prayer.

And based upon the fact that scripture tells us DIRECTLY that they fervently prayed… what else could we glean from it but that God heard them, and God answered their prayers

Prayer is stronger than the enemy… because God is present… it is our greatest weapon

Was prayer not made for James? … of course. Yet by God’s providence he allowed for James to die, and Peter to be delivered.

But make no mistake, God HEARS our petitions… and acts according to His divine will

In the few days he spent in prison, why only heed the prayers of the Church NOW?

There is always something to be learned in times of trial

Patience… Faith… Trust

You remember the 2 sisters who sent for Jesus past the Jordan river?

‘He whom you love is sick’

John 11:5–6 “5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.”

Did it not test the confidence the Mary & Martha? … faith… trust?

3. God’s Deliverance

Acts 12:6–11 NASB95

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.”

Iron Gate… opened by itself

I’ll give you an easy way to remember this event

Anytime you walk in a grocery store, or a mall, or even our own CHURCH building… and the door swings open without you even touching it, I want you to remember what God did this night in Jerusalem

That for the rest of your LIFE… anytime you walk in an electric door, you remember what God did for Peter, WITHOUT any electronic gadgets doing it for him

4. Rhoda’s Joy

Acts 12:12 NASB95

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.

Introduced to John Mark:

Who goes on a missionary journey with Paul… and is FIRED!

But he comes to his senses, sits down with Peter in the coming years and write a book: The Gospel of Mark

Went to the house of Mary (mother of John Mark):

And the church has become SO large that there is no building big enough to accommodate the worship of all these Christians

So they met in houses, particularly the houses of the most wealthy in the Church… and most notably would’ve been the house of Mary

So Peter SNEAKS there! In the NIGHT! And knows he needs to get inside quick bc when HEROD find out he’s MISSING… they will come a looking for him

Acts 12:13–16 NASB95

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.

Rhoda

Her name means ‘a rose’

It was her responsibility to answer the door…

And I want to point out, that even the smallest deed that someone does, is seen by God.

She is filled with Joy!

Illus. Weedman, pulling the blinds to see me then vanish…

So she runs over to them and says PETERS HERE! …

‘You are out of your mind… It is his angel’

Even today, how ignorant can we be… to not recognize or even acknowledge… our answered prayers

So at last they open the door and there he stands

Peter was their the entire time… knocking as they spoke

Bum Bum Bum… Bum Bum Bum

You’d think that would be enough for them to believe he’s there! … you would think

But Another stands at the door knocking, persistently… and patiently

Revelation 3:20 (NASB95)

20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

If we could only imagine the joy we’d have… in THAT moment. When we open the door of eternity to SEE… the one who paid the price for our sins

Acts 12:17 NASB95

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.

Keep silent

‘He described how the LORD had led him out of prison’

His mind goes beyond the instrument of God, the the very hand of God Himself

Its a time of persecution.

Any large gathering of Christians would’ve been suspicious

So people were praying from house to house

Yet Peter relays to them a duty, to make this known to James (the brother of Jesus) and the brethren.

Is this not a shadow of the work which we are called to do?

That amidst opposition and hatred to the faith, we BOLDY make the name of Christ known to those around us!

5. Herod’s Retaliation

Acts 12:18–19 NASB95

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.

Conclusion

This is the last we hear of Peter in this book, apart from a small reference in chapter 15

These heros of the faith.. live, and die. But there is one in this book, the greatest hero of all, the one Peter ascribed his deliverance to, and who is essential for us to know today… the Lord Jesus Christ.