30. Open the Gate!
Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsWhen we pray, we come with fervency in spirit because we believe God can answer any prayer.
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Announcements
Announcements
Boys & Girls Night
Boys & Girls Night
May 22, 6-9:30
Guys: Fishing, get your license if 16+. Bring a rod if you have one. Glen Porter will be teaching us how to fly fish.
Girls: My & Shaylyn’s place, outdoor fun (Weather permitting), painting lesson with Kelita & awesome snacks.
Middle School Activity
Middle School Activity
May 29th, 6-9pm
Random Question
Random Question
What’s your favorite hobby?
Lesson
Lesson
Vs. 25-26
Vs. 25-26
Show them what Antioch looked like on the TV
Barnabas was an amazing fit for Antioch, so we see the Lord at work and many people coming to know the Lord. So many people were getting saved, so many people needing someone to teach them where it got to the point Barnabas realised, “I need help!!!”
What does he do in vs. 25?
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
Little note: the wording here seems to indicate he had a hard time finding Paul...
26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
We find something pretty amazign at the end of the verse, can you see what I’m talking about? (Disciples called Christians)
Why do I say that’s amazing? Why do you find that amazing? (This name was given to them, their testimony was BRIGHT)
Christ - ian (Belonging to) = Belonging to Christ
What a testimony! They lived out their Christian lives so boldly in the world to the point that everyone knew, they knew what you stood for.
Vs. 27-30
Vs. 27-30
27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.
“Then one of them, named” … (Agabus)
What a name!
Agabus arrives in Antioch and warns them of a severe famine that was coming soon.
If you were in the crowd, how would you take those news? Legit or no?
Why? (stood up and showed by the Spirit)
Like every Biblical account, history backs up these claims...
Flood in A.D. 45-46
- Nile river floods
- Famine in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and even Rome
What do the believers do in response to this distress? (Send a care package to Jerusalem church)
Were they in danger in Antioch too? (Yes, plagues show no favorites)
What does that show us about thei character? (Sacrificial giving)
Here’s the important point, the gave “each according to his ability”
Giving as much as you are able...
Application
Application
Be like the Antioch Christians, they were bold with the Gospel, they were genuinely growing, and they gave!
Vs. 1-4
Vs. 1-4
Now, as we turn to chapter 12, we’re introduced to a new guy, who do we see come into the scene? (Herod)
Herod Agrippa the 1st
Grandson of Herod the Great
Sent to Rome as a child where he received his education.
Built solid friendships with important Romans
Which developped into his friends giving him much power in Israel. He became the king of the Jews politically in Romes eyes.
Important in the eyes of Jews and Romans alike, and like we’re about to find out, Herod is fixed on keeping that power.
All that history brings us to vs. 1
“Now at that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to” What? (Harass the church)
So, what does Herod end up doing to harass the church (Vs. 2)? (Kills James)
This Herod family has something about chopping heads off!
Back in the days when Paul persecuted believers, who did he target? (Anyone who named the name fo Christ)
But here, Herod goes after James, an important leader of the church.
If you want to see Christianity fail, why would you target the leaders first? (Sheep scatter without a shepherd, morale in the church would be lost without her leader)
How do the Jews react to all of this in vs. 3? (pleased)
What’s Herod thinking of that? (OH YEAH!)
He’s getting exactly what he wants. The Jews are happy with him because he was “zealous” and killed one of the Christian heretics. Yet he probably killed him the Roman way, which was beheading.
If you could describe Herod with one word, unstable might be the best choice. One guy says he’s a political chameleon, changing his values depending on who he’s talking to.
Who’s next on Herod’s target list? (The big one, Peter)
He would’ve had Peter dead reight on the spot, but it was the feast of Passover at the time. Do you think a people pleaser like Herod would want to kill someone on the Jews most important feast? Absolutely not!
So, instead of killing him right away, he throws him in prison in vs. 4
4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
4 Squads of soldiers keeping watch of Peter
- 1 squad = 4 soldiers, that’s 16 men guarding Peter, a fisherman!
- The guards changed shifts every 3 hours throughout the night to ensure full alertness.
Anyone calling this slight overkill?
Imagine throwing a fisherman like Wayne Hunter into a max security prison, it’s rediculous!!
Why put such attention on Peter? (Heard of Peter’s fist prison break? (Acts 5))
Either way, they were dedicated not to let Peter go.
Vs. 5-9
Vs. 5-9
What was happening while Peter was kept in prison (vs. 5)? (Constant prayer)
This is the secret to Peter’s escape we’re about to see! Little did these believers know, but these prayers were about to be answered in an incredible way.
Could the believers praying for Peter see the circumstances he was in at the moment? (no)
Would they see the results of their requests as they are praying? (No)
Do we always see how our prayers are being answered? (No, sometimes we’ll never even realise that they will be answered)
But what kind of prayer are these believers doing anyway? (Constant; this is diligent, fervent prayer)
Check out vs. 6,
“And when Herod was about to bring him out”
DO you think he was bringing him out to give hiim fresh air? (He was going to kill him!)
What do we find Peter doing though? (Sleeping!!!)
The very night before he’s going to bexecuted, Peter is sleeping like a rock!
Would you have a couple things on your mind if you were in his shoes? (I’d be worried all night, I definitely could not sleep)
To make matters even worse, take a look at those with him...
Bound to two soldiers
other two standing at the cell door
Do you like Peter’s odds of escaping?
Despite all this, Peter is sleeping! There’s absolutely no sign of anxiety in Peter, he’s resting in the hands of the Lord.
Just like Jesus in the stormy sea, Peter learned his lesson!
7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.
Not only was Peter sleeping, he was sleeping so hard that the angel had to kick him to wake up!!
Are any of you hard to wake up like Peter?
Willow’s alarm clock...
What lesson can we learn from Peter’s example?
No matter what happens around us, we can be at peace because we are in the Lord’s hands
The angel tells him to get up
Gird your clothes
Tie your sandals
Get your outer cloak on and follow me
Now, remember, Peter had to do this with two Roman soldiers by his side, and another two right at the door! So, he follows orders as quickly but quietly as possible.
I absolutely love vs. 9,
9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
I’m convinced Luke wrote this part with humor in mind...
Peter had no idea what was going on!! I picture him groggy as ever, confused why an angel is giving him orders, and putting his sandals on...
Do you ever feel this way after a nap?
I feel like this when I sleep in the daytime, wake up and it’s dark, confused what day it is...
Vs. 10-11
Vs. 10-11
10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
Suspense as they walk through each guard post
Iron Gate
What happens to the gate? (opens on its own accord)
Where we get the word “automatic”, this door opened up like the ones at walmart!! Another little miracle!
Door leads to street, and the angel vanished
Finally Peter realises what just happened
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
How do we see God’s sovereignty in this verse? (Sent the angel, delivered Peter from Herod and the Jews)
If God can deliver Peter from Herod, can He help us with our problems? (Absolutely! We serve an awesome God who cares about us!)
Vs. 12-16
Vs. 12-16
Peter’s on his own now, and he’s thinking through his game plan. The the idea comes to mind...
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
What were they doing at Mary’s house? (Praying for Peter!)
13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
Rhoda = Christian servant in the house, keeping watch at the gates (typical thing for servant girls to do).
Hear a knock at the door
Wonder who it could be
“Could it be a soldier ready to arrest us?”
Hear a voice, it’s Peter!
Could you imagine being Rhoda? You’ve been praying for Peter’s deliverance, then you see the answer to your prayer face to face!
Look at her reaction...
14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
What does she do? (Runs out of joy, doesn’t open the gate!)
Every second Peter is out in the streets increases his chances of being caught again.
You ever find yourself doing this when you’re excited?
- A friend comes back home from college, and you’re so excited you forget everything you were just doing...
What do the believers tell Rhoda after she shares the news with them?
15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”
Literally saying, “You’ve gone insane, settle down and smarten up!”
What does this tell us about their faith? (Too weak to believe God answers prayer)
They had enough faith to pray, and pray fervently above that. But now that God answered their prayers, they just can’t believe it!
They even say that she saw his angel, what does that imply? (He’s dead)
They thought it easier to believe Peter died and his guardian angel appeared at their door than believing that their prayers were really answered.
Should that be a rebuke to us? (Absolutely. It seems like everytime we pray for something big, we have a sliver of doubt. But time and time again, God shows us He’s more than able to answer the craziest of requests)
16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
Continued knocking
Believers couldn’t believe it
They’re going crazy
(vs. 17 he tells them to be quiet, they’ll bust him
Tells them to report to James (Jesus’ half brother) that everything is ok.
Vs. 18-19
Vs. 18-19
18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.
How do you think the guards were feeling at this point? (GULP)
Couldn’t find Peter, and Herod has the guards killed.
Roman practice of giving guards same punishment as their escaped prisoners
Application
Application
How can we apply this text to our lives?
Pray fervently
But pray with faith! Faith that God can actually answer the prayers you are praying!
