“Livin’ on a Prayer” - Acts 12:11-19

Acts 12:11–19 (CSB)

11 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.” 12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. 13 He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.” 16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

17 Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.

18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Introduction:

Let’s all be honest - prayer life is hard.

Prayer is the sweat of the soul.

Martin Luther (Founder of the German Reformation)

We call it one of the disciplines of the Christian life. If we want to succeed, we have to DISCIPLINE ourselves to pray.

But our prayers have to become more than just something we do — As Warren Weirsbe rightly says -

Prayer is not something that I do; prayer is something that I am.

Warren W. Wiersbe

Would that qualify your life? I know many times I fall short in this area.

In our text this morning, we examine an early New Testament church prayer meeting. Yes, the reason we still have prayer meetings on Wednesday evenings in our church is because the early church believed in prayer meetings.

They were together and they were “earnestly” praying. Remember we talked about that last week?

It’s the Greek word “EKTENOS” - it literally means “stretching out all they can for something.”

John MacArthur said it was like a “muscle stretching to its limits.”

It’s the same word used about Jesus’ agonizing prayer in the garden.

Luke 22:44 (CSB)

44 Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

So the church is in a prayer meeting. Why? Because as we learned last week, Peter was in prison! James (one of Jesus’ Apostles) had been beheaded and Peter had been thrown in prison for a possible execution any day.

“The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.” - Thomas Watson

I think from this prayer meeting we can observe some “A,B,Cs” about our own prayer life and prayer meetings as a church.

1. Ask - for the impossible! (vv. 12)

Acts 12:12 CSB

12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had assembled and were praying.

This group of believers is praying fervently for Peter.

Now, I want you to notice that this is the FIRST thing they do. This is not their back up plan. When they hear that Peter has been captured and is scheduled for execution, their knees hit the floor and they assemble to pray.

They believed in the power of prayer; they weren’t trying to formulate an Oceans 11 escape plan.

Their prayer literally had to be two fold:

1) Please deliver Peter - do a miracle! Get him out of jail.

2) Please give Peter boldness as he dies for the Gospel

There are no other options here. Either Peter is delivered physically or Peter is delivered spiritually. That is what the church is praying for.

Now the first part of their request is literally impossible. Peter delivered from prison? Let’s remind ourselves where Peter was and how many guards he had.

Acts 12:4–6 CSB

4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him. 6 When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

Peter was in a Roman prison chained by his hands and his feet, between 2 soldiers inside the prison and 2 soldiers outside the prison.

There is nobody on earth who have come up with a plan strong enough to get Peter out. Even Chuck Norris would be unable.

These guards take this job VERY seriously. How do I know that? In vv. 19, Herod KILLS them because Peter got away. They knew that if they lost this prisoner, their heads would be on the chopping block.

And so Peter is here in an impossible situation and the church is praying for the impossible.

Why are they praying for the impossible? Because they know that even though Herod has the power of soldiers and weapons - the church had the power of prayer.

They knew that while Peter’s prison gate was closed, the gates of heaven were wide open.

And they knew that they worshipped and served and prayed to a God who could do the impossible.

What a mighty God we serve! We have a God that we have access to that can do the impossible.

Maybe you are here today and you are facing an impossible situation, life is filled with them.

Luke 1:37 CSB

37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

If you are here today and you are facing an impossible situation, I wish I could bring some people from the Bible here to talk to you…

I’d like to bring Moses - and he could tell you how he was facing an impossible situation at the Red Sea.

I’d like to bring Joshua - who faced the impossible city and walls of Jericho.

I’d like to bring 12 disciples who faced an impossible situation in a boat in the middle of the sea.

I’d like to bring Noah who faced an impossible situation of building a massive boat.

I’d like to bring Gideon who had an impossible war task when God reduced his arm from 32,000 to 300 warriors.

I’d like to bring David who had an impossible situation as a shepherd boy to face a giant.

I’d like to bring Elijah who had an impossible situation as the Shunnamite’s son was dead.

I’d like to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abendago who had an impossible situation as they were thrown in a fiery furnace.

I’d like to bring a 12 year old girl from Mark 5 who had an impossible situation because she was dead.

I’d like to bring a man from Mark 5 who had an impossible situation because he was inhabited by demons.

I’d like to bring Mary who had an impossible situation of having a child even though she was a virgin.

I’d like to bring Jesus who had the impossible situation of dying on an old rugged cross.

OUR GOD DELIGHTS IN DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE.

And that is what the prayer meeting is praying for - God DO THE IMPOSSIBLE!

“Remember, Jesus is aware of those circumstances in which we feel it is a seemingly impossible situation. Notice I did not say impossible, but seemingly impossible, meaning it appears to be impossible.” [Dr. Charles Stanley]

2. Believe - that God can do it! (vv. 13-15)

Acts 12:13–15 CSB

13 He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate. 15 “You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”

Now this is quite comical.

Imagine the picture. Peter has been freed from prison. He goes to the place where the church is meeting and knocks on the door. The servant girl, Rhoda, answers and is so incredibly astonished, and overwhelmed, and overjoyed - that she forgets to open the door and runs to tell the rest. Literally - she leaves Peter out in the cold. (This story reveals the humanity of the situation) - How many of us would be guilty of doing that?

Now get this picture - Rhoda bursts into the prayer meeting and shouting “Peter’s at the door!” She’s hoping they will join her in her excitement. Yet, what do they say “You’re out of your mind!” I.E. Literally - “You’re insane!”

So picture this - they are PRAYING for Peter’s release and God answers and releases Peter and then they don’t believe that God actually did what they were praying for.

“Oh Rhoda. You’re a blooming idiot,” the believers must have thought. That can’t be Peter. Don’t you know he’s in prison? Then they returned to their praying: “Lord, free Peter in Jesus’ name. Oh, Lord, we look to You to free Peter.”

THIS IS THE FIRST and only time that someone could get out of prison but not get into a prayer meeting.

For those of you who enjoy going deeper in the text - the idea of the phrase “It’s his angel” has caused quite a bit of troublesome explanation for expositors. They have come up with three possible meanings:

1) “It’s his ghost” - Jewish superstition held that a person’s spirit lurks around for a couple of days after death. Not probably likely since Peter hadn’t been executed yet and the church would know that.

2) “It’s his guardian angel” - Based on Psalm 91:11 and Daniel 10:21, the Talmud teaches that a guardian angel assumes the appearance of the person he protects and can act on his or her behalf. If some of these Christians accepted this extrabiblical tradition, they could have jumped to this conclusion. It is possible, reflecting the state of denial they were in.

3) “It’s his human messenger.” - The word “angelo” literally means “messenger.” The congregation may have insisted that Rhoda had heard Peter’s assistant coming to them with a commique, perhaps conveying his dying wish or last minute instructions.

Either two of the last are the most possible.

But regardless, they do not believe that it’s Peter at the door.

They are like the person James mentions in James 1:6

James 1:6 CSB

6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

They are asking in faith but doubting that God could do what they prayed for!

Haven’t you been there?

You pray to God for something but you don’t think He will actually do anything.

I struggle with this as well. How many times have I prayed for revival in this country? Countless times. Yet, honestly, sometimes I convince myself that even though I pray for it, God will never do it.

How many of you have prayed and prayed for a family member to come to Christ? But honestly, you don’t believe it will ever happen.

Or you’ve prayed for your finances, or your marriage, or your job - and you honestly don’t believe it will ever happen.

Don’t give up!! Don’t stop praying! And never stop believing!

Doubtful prayer is no prayer at all.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

3. Celebrate - when God answers! (vv. 16-17)

Acts 12:16–17 (CSB)

16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

17 Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James (not the one beheaded, the brother of Jesus) and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.

The last point isn’t spelled out completely in the text but it is hinted at in the text.

So Peter keeps on knocking and they finally let him in. Notice the word used in vv. 16 - “and THEY let him in.” Now they are all gathered at the door to see the Peter and join in the joy together.

We can see their celebration in two places - 1) Rhoda is joyous when she sees Peter at the door. 2) They are astounded (amazed, astonished) when they all go to the door to check.

I have no doubt they stopped and praised God for saving the life of Peter. I have no doubt their intercessory prayer became celebratory prayer!

They now believed Ephesians 3:20-21

Ephesians 3:20–21 CSB

20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

By the way, I need to remind you that “no” is also an answer we should celebrate.

God answers three ways: Yes, no, just wait.

How many times can you celebrate the fact that God said no?

Sometimes the “no” is hard to accept, like in the case of David.

2 Samuel 12:15–18 CSB

15 Then Nathan went home. The Lord struck the baby that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became deathly ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted, went home, and spent the night lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them. 18 On the seventh day the baby died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him the baby was dead. They said, “Look, while the baby was alive, we spoke to him, and he wouldn’t listen to us. So how can we tell him the baby is dead? He may do something desperate.”

God said “no” to David. But guess what David did?

2 Samuel 12:19–20 CSB

19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he guessed that the baby was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the baby dead?” “He is dead,” they replied. 20 Then David got up from the ground. He washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the Lord’s house, and worshiped. Then he went home and requested something to eat. So they served him food, and he ate.

David celebrated the Lord, even when he recieved a “no” from God.

Lord, day after day I’ve thanked You

For saying yes.

But when have I genuinely thanked You

For saying no?

Yet I shudder to think

Of the possible smears

The cumulative blots on my life

Had You not been sufficiently wise

To say an unalterable no.

So thank You for saying no

When my want list for things

Far exceeded my longing for You.

When I asked for a stone

Foolishly certain I asked for bread

Thank You for saying no

To my petulant “Just this time, Lord?”

Thank You for saying no

To senseless excuses

Selfish motives

Dangerous diversions.

Thank You for saying no

When the temptation that enticed me

Would have bound me beyond escape.

Thank You for saying no

When I asked You to leave me alone.

Above all

Thank You for saying no

When in anguish I asked

“If I give You all else

May I keep this?”

Lord, my awe increases

When I see the wisdom

Of Your divine no.

Charles R. Swindoll, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart and 1501 Other Stories (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016), 451–452.

Closing

Do you realize the access that you have to God? When the curtain in the temple ripped in half when Jesus died, it now means we have direct access!

These believers in Acts had direct access to God in their prayers (and so do you and me)

The story is told of a king who was in his throne room, holding a council with his advisers, noblemen, and high ministers of state. Suddenly there was a bang and a clatter at the door of the throne room. All eyes turned as the door burst open and a young boy ran into the room.

One of the king’s royal guardsmen tried to stop the boy. “Hold there, lad!” he shouted. “Don’t you know you’re disturbing the council of the king?”

“He’s your king,” laughed the boy, “but he’s my Daddy!” And the boy bounced into the open arms of his father, the king.

So how are you at asking for the impossible?

How are you at believing that God can do it?

How are you at celebrating when God answers?