Acts 12:1-19

V 1-5

persectuion in the church has begun to ramp up due to political unrest

The jews and many others that did not like the Christian message had begun to possess strong opposition to what was taking place in the early chruch movement

Herod then imprisons James and Peter

James is killed for his faith. He is the first of the apostles to die for the name of Jesus

members of the “big 3” that were Jesus’s inner circle

Peter is being saved to be killed when passover has completed

There is this duality of mind to obey what is sacred, but the moment that what is sacred no longer exists, this violence may resume

V 6-11

Peter is sitting in prison and then an angel comes to deliver him from the sure chains he is in

most prisoners were given just a 1:1 ratio to keep them in chains

But Peter had a habit of escaping so the romans put 4 different men chained to him

Peter then one night sees an angel of the Lord who tells him to get dressed and that he is being set free

This is so radical an idea that peter merely thinks that this is a vision

Peter gets to the edge of the city and then comes to the gate that is there

this gate would have been used to keep enemies out and protect the people inside of it. It would have been hard to break through and what was relied upon to merely keep everyone safe

No individual is going to open this gate by themselves. It’s too much and too powerful

Yet God, as he does, delivers Peter from this trial

V 12-19

The body of Christ was praying fervently for him

Prayer is not something that is merely personal, but rather when we petition the Lord, he hears us

When we pray for things, we come with expectant hearts knowing God can save if he so chooses to

If he chooses not to, we pray all the same

Yet even though they pray for such bold things, they pray with hearts that do not believe

“you are out of your mind”

Peter shows up and tells them to spread word of his deliverance, then he departs

Is God still as good with Peter and He was with James?