God Is In Control - Acts 12:20-25

The Death of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:20-25)

If I were going to sit down and plan out my life, it would be a straight line from point A to point B.

No detours, no side roads, just here to there.

If you were able to see, laid out before you, the course my life has taken, it would not be point A to point B.

The course of my life has had many detours, many side roads, and sometimes U turns and roundabouts.

Every single time God led me down a path I didn’t expect, or took me on a detour, I learned to trust Him better, I learned to depend on Him more, and I learned that God never makes mistakes.

The end of Acts chapter 12 comes right after a big detour for Peter.

Arrested and imprisoned only to be miraculously delivered by an angel!

Coming right off of that story is our text for today.

In some ways, this story can feel like one giant detour.

Let me read the story, and then we can dig into it.

Acts 12:20–25 ESV

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. 24 But the word of God increased and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.

Here’s the situation.

Herod is angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon.

This is the same guy who was just thwarted in his attempt to kill Peter after having succeeded in killing James the brother of John.

Now, he gets angry at these cities so he cuts off their food supply!

The people persuade someone close to the king, Blastus, to be their inside man.

They want peace with Herod because they want to eat.

Their plan works.

Herod comes in full royal regalia, sits on the throne, and begins a speech.

These people are so desperate for his favor that they start shouting, “the voice of a god and not of a man!”

The implication from verse 23 is that Herod recieved this praise and adulation as if he viewed himself as a god.

Because he took for himself glory that rightly belonged to God, His life was ended by an angel.

The word “angel” means messenger. God has a message for Herod, a message for the people before him, and (I believe) a message for the church. What is the message? “I will not give My glory to another” (Is. 48:11).

This gruesome scene of Herod’s death is contrasted with v. 24.

God’s Word grew and multiplied!

Giving a hint at what’s to come, the chapter closes by mentioning Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark.

What is the point of this passage?

God is in control.

God is in control when the king gets mad and cuts off the food supply.

God is in control when the king thinks he is god.

God is in control!

He rules and reigns!

And no matter what chaos is happening in our world, God’s Word will still grow and multiply.

God’s people will still faithfully serve Him.

No matter how out of control life may feel.

God is in control.

So what does that mean for you and me?

It means we faithfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter what is happening in the world around us.

This may be scary, but it is well worth it.

Here is the challenge today.

If the chaos and uncertainty of this world has you fearful, sit down, write out what it is, and pray, reminding yourself that God is in control of that situation.

Once all of your concerns have been written down, commit to being faithful and telling others about Jesus even in the middle of chaos.

We can keep talking about Jesus because God is in control.