God is There, Even in the Midst of Trials
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsGod knows what imprisons us, and we can find comfort in God's sovereign will and His willingness to hear and answer our prayers.
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Introduction |
While going through trials and tribulations, it is easy to wonder if God is there. Let us take comfort in knowing that God is there. It doesn’t matter how dark our time is, or how shackled we may feel by our sin, our hurt and pain, our circumstances, God is there.
Focus Passage | Acts 12:1-5
1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm. 2 And he had James the brother of John executed with a sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were the days of Unleavened Bread.) 4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after the Passover to bring him before the people. 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.
Outline |
Glory Without the Grief (vv. 1-2)
The Herods were a nasty family that cared not about the Jewish populous or the life of others. The Herods just cared about power. They saw this revolution taking place and wanted to squash it. To do so, we find Luke writes, about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church. Herod the king’s intent was obvious. His intent was the intent of the enemy himself.
The enemy has always wanted to intimidate and harm you - ‘…to do them harm...’
This has always been in the intent of the enemy. He has fought the hand and will of God from the beginning. The devil tried to use Herod the Great, Herod Agrippa I, the Herod of our text, to kill Jesus as a toddler. (Matthew 2:16) The devil used Herod Agrippa I’s uncle, Herod Antipas, to have the forerunner of Jesus, John the Baptist beheaded. (Matthew 14:1-12) Now, the devil was trying to continue to destroy the move of God by bring harm to the church and her leadership, to do them harm. When Gk word for harm, ‘kakoo,’ is broken down, one finds that it means ‘to injure’ or ‘to exasperate.’ This is exactly what the enemy wishes to do to you.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.
The enemy wishes to do nothing less than kill you at all costs - ‘...And he had James the brother of John executed with a sword...’
The devil wants to intimidate you, harm you, injure you, exasperate you. He wants to wear you down mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He wants to kill you. He will continue to throw different assaults at you from all different angles to bring you to your knees and have you wonder if God even cares. May we know that God knows and God cares. We may feel that we are on our own. We may feel that we are in retreat. We may feel that we cannot take anything else. I have heard multiple times in my life from multiple sources that God does not put more on you than you can handle, but that is not so. God does allow us to go through seasons that bring us to our knees and make us realize that we cannot do it on our own. The only way to make it through the fire we are in is through our faith in the Lord. That means that we become completely dependent upon Him and Him alone.
As the enemy attacks us, which God does have to allow, we find peace in the midst through our shield of faith. We find peace in knowing that God is still sovereign. We find in knowing...
God is there, even in the midst of our trials
There is comfort in the words of Peter as he writes...
12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”
As we face our trials in life, as we face the attacks and what seems to be an unending barrage of arrows from the enemy, may we find comfort in the fact that God sees our struggles, hears our prayers, and will judge the enemy in due season.
This is why James, the brother of Jesus writes...
2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
As we look at our text, we read that Herod Agrippa I, had James, the brother of John, beheaded for his faith. This is the recording of the first apostle to be martyred for the faith. Within that we are reminded of the request of James, John, and their mother. They requested positions of glory and honor in the kingdom to come. They asked to set on the right and left hands of Jesus in His kingdom. Jesus’ response was a clear response. God makes that choice. He then asked them a question that they rashly made an answer too. Can you handle my baptism (death)? They stated, yes we can. Jesus finally reminded them that one does not find glory without grief, nor does one find the grace of our Lord without persecution and grief. Jesus tells them...
22 But Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
James and John would both feel the string of persecution and the baptism of Christ. James, as stated within our text, was beheaded for the faith. John would exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith by the emperor Domition (Revelation 1:9).
One will never find glory without grief, but praise God, He knows and He is there.
God Knows What Shackles and Binds Us (vv. 3-4)
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were the days of Unleavened Bread.) 4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after the Passover to bring him before the people.
When Herod saw that his assault on the church and murder of James was a good thing, he did what most politicians do, appeased the masses. He proceeded to arrest Peter as well. Peter’s arrest was a political sham and and was simply a means to an end for Herod. Peter’s arrest comes on the heals of the annual passover during the seven days that follow, the days of Unleavened Bread. However, when we look at Peter’s arrest, we see some spiritual truths about our life that comes to lite.
The enemy attacks out of convenience - ‘…intending only after the Passover to bring him before the people...’
The enemy wants you intimidated and imprisoned - ‘…When he had arrested him, he put him in prison...’
The enemy wants you feel there is no way out - ‘…turning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him...’
Often we find ourselves placed in prison of some addiction, doubt, or worry and we feel there is no way out. However, there is a way out. What is that way out you ask? Prayer!
God Hears the Prayers of the Saints (v. 5)
5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.
God is sovereign in the midst of our imprisonment - ‘…So Peter was kept in prison...’
James is martyred. Peter is kept alive but finds himself in prison. How can this be? Why? Who are we judge the right from wrong? God is sovereign. Herod was attacking the church just like his grand father and uncle before him. He martyred James, the first apostle to be martyred. He kept Peter alive, but why? I believe it was to show God’s sovereignty. God had a plan for both men. James’ ministry was complete. Peter still yet had work to do. God was going to show his sovereignty through Peter. While Herod thought he had Peter locked up securely, God was about to bring about a jail break. I wonder how many us of are needing a jail break this morning? There is one key to freedom that many forget, prayer.
God hears the prayers of the saints - ‘…but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church...’
The key to our release from whatever is imprisoning us is prayer. Faithful, fervent, honest, gut wrenching prayer to the Father.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Conclusion |
I do not know what imprisons you this morning, but I know the God who can free you. I know the Savior who is calling you unto Himself this morning. I know that prayer is the key.