How to Have Faith in the Midst of Doubt

How to Have Faith in the Midst of Doubt

Acts 12:1-25

Acts 12:1–25 (NLT)

1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.

2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.

3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.)

4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.

5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.

7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.

8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.

9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening.

10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.

11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”

12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.

13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!”

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”

16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

17 He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place.

18 At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.

19 Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn’t be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.

20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant,

21 and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.

22 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”

23 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

24 Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.

Introduction

"Why Doubt Took Root" (Acts 12:1-4)

Acts 12:1–4 (NLT)

1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.

2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.

3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.)

4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.

A. James was one of the 12 1. Up to this point the 12 have been unkillable. a. They've been.. i. Hauled into court.

ii. Questioned iv. Beaten v. Threatened vi. But God always delivered them. b. In fact, whoever seized them always seems to end up with egg on their face. B. So when James was seized, the church was expecting a miracle. C. But that miracle never came. II. James death seemingly makes no sense. Every other time a major figure was persecuted or killed, there was always a chance to share the gospel. The text doesn't give us one this time. 1. That's because there wasn't one. 2. If events unfolded like the text reads, James was never given the opportunity to speak. 3. There was no trial. He was just seized and killed. No testimony, no miracle, and no one saved at this point in the story. It's a death that seems senseless, especially to those in the early church. III. This is why their faith is visibly shaken in Acts 12.

Message - "Responding to Doubt"

I. Our response. (Acts 12:5-11)

Acts 12:5–11 (NLT)

5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.

7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.

8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.

9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening.

10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.

11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”

A. Pray even though your faith is not very big. –

(v5)

B. Cling to God's promises.

1. Peter's response to imprisonment is the picture of faith. – a. He is the picture of inner peace - He's sleeping.

i. Peter knew death was coming. – (John 21:18-19)

John 21:18–19 (NLT)

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

ii. Peter knew where He was going. – (John 14:1-4)

John 14:1–4 (NLT)

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

This meant death was not the end. This meant Peter would be joining Jesus. This meant there was ultimately nothing Herod could do to Him. b. He followed God's direction. i. Even though He thinks it's a dream.

ii. It's doing this that got him here in the first. place. 2. He's overjoyed and amazed at the end result

II. God's response. – (Acts 12:11-25)

Acts 12:11–25 (NLT)

11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!”

12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.

13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!”

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”

16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

17 He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place.

18 At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.

19 Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn’t be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.

20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant,

21 and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.

22 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”

23 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

24 Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.

A. God delivered Peter by working a miracle. –(v11)

1. Just because God doesn't do what we ask in one circumstance doesn't mean He's abandoned us. 2. God is in the miracle working business. 3. Why did God allow James to die and rescue Peter? a. He had plans to further his kingdom, and both were necessary for that to happen. i. The Bible doesn't tell us exactly why this is. ii. It just tells us what happened.

B. God's ability to work a miracle was not dependent on the size of the faith His church had.

1. Even Peter wasn't expecting a miracle. - He thought he was dreaming. (v9) 2. The church thought the servant girl was seeing things. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”

a. The servant girl thought she was seeing things.

b. The others took his appearance as proof of death.

3. It wasn't a big faith that made a difference. It was faith in a big God!

a. The church prayed because they knew God could even though they weren't sure He would. b. Don't ever let someone make you believe the lie that the size of your faith is what kept God from acting.

c. Jesus said that faith the size of a mustard seed could move a mountain. – “ (Matthew 17:20)

Matthew 17:20 (NLT)

20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

C. God renders justice on those who refuse His name.(Acts 12:18-23)

1. The guards met their fate. (Acts 12:18-19)

2. Herod is struck and killed. (Acts 12: 20-23)

D.God calls many lost to himself. (Acts 12:23-24)

little faith,” he said. “I assure you that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you Because you have could say to this mountain, ‘Go from here to there,’ and it will go. There will be nothing that you can’t do.”

Conclusion "How should we live?"

Pray even when you don’t feel like your prayers will be answered.

Base your faith on what you know not what you feel.

Rest assured that God’s promises will come to pass.

Follow God’s direction even when you’re not sure where He’s leading.