“Set Free: The Imprisonment & Release of Peter"

“Set Free: The Imprisonment & Release of Peter”

Acts 12: 1-19

Rutherford Bible Chapel – July 15, 2007

Introduction

Here is the account of Peter’s imprisonment and release

It is a reminder to us of power of prayer and how God responds to prayers of His people as they call upon Him in faith to demonstrate His power

It also presents a tremendous picture in Gospel of power of Christ to save seen in the way that Peter is delivered from prison  

And it also presents a number of valuable lessons for the Christian as they go through trying situations as Peter did here under Herod Agrippa who stretched out His hand to persecute early Church

This was actually the 5th persecution of the early Church

For some reason God allowed Church to go thru another period of persecution

We don’t have this type of persecution in our country – but in others yes 

Nevertheless God allowed it &was accomplishing His purposes through it

Perhaps it was to refine it or perhaps to set the pattern of what the Christian life and faith should really be like

Discussion

1.  The Ire (vv. 1-2)

We read that about this time Herod the King stretched out His hand to harass some from the Church

This persecution was political and was different from previous one which were religious in nature

Devil likes to mix the menu at times in his strategy to thwart the growth of the Church and so this time persecution came from hand of Herod

It almost seems fitting that Herod is the one – the grandson of the wicked King Herod who slaughtered the innocent babies at the time of birth of Christ in effort to destroy Messiah – and nephew of the Herod who killed John Bap.

It was from this same wicked line that this persecution came

On this occasion he killed James the brother of John

It was these two brothers who once asked the Lord if they could sit on either side of His throne in glory and the Lord asked them are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with – symbolic language regarding suffering and they said yes – indeed yes

James here is killed and John later on would suffer tribulation/banishment

The Apostle Peter was also object of king’s wrath and Herod seized him and imprisoned him with intent of executing him also which never happened

Why some people suffer certain things and others do not is a mystery of God’s sovereignty – it was just what happened and hard to reconcile

2.  The Irony (vv. 3-4)

Not only do we see the Ire of the King but we also see the irony of the King

Here he is meticulous in regard to the law – seizing Peter yet delaying exe because it time of Unleavened Bread, wanting to wait until Passover was over   

Here is the major difference between organized religion and Christianity

Organized religion is fastidious in regard to details—it observes outward aspects of religion as Herod did here but no true interest in God

Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Jn 16:2-3 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

There are those who are outwardly religious and who may appear to be believers but who have never been converted through faith in Christ

And so when they are dealing with God’s true children they have resentment in their hearts

3.    The Imprisonment of Peter (vv. 5-19)

Now from these verses on, we see imprisonment/subsequent release of Peter

We read in verse 4 – we read that he arrested him and was put in prison and delivered to four squads of soldiers (each squad to watch him for six hours)

And that Peter was kept in prison but, but prayer was offered to God by for him by the church

Here was a problem in the Church – and here was the response to that problem – prayer by the Church

Here is the resource for all our problems – prayer with three aspects to it:   

·       Persistence – constant prayer was made by the Church

Get the real clear sense that they did not give up but were diligent in prayer

·       Precision – they did pray in generalities but instead they were precise in their targeted request (prayer was made for him by the Church)

·       Power – Peter’s release came as a result of their united prayer effort

Now with all the plans in motion to execute Peter we find that the night before he was to be brought out – Peter is sleeping away in his prison cell

Sleeping how could that be?! Sleeping knowing his execution was imminent

It is an example of resting in the Lord – the Church was prying for him  

Let’s face it -- when things are looking bad for us how do we respond – Rolaids or do we rest in the Lord

Psalm 37:5-9 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of  man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

There is a discipline in resting in the Lord – trusting fully in Him realizing that He is truly in control and that circumstances can change as He allows

But for some reason we keep are hands in it and have a way of complicating

But if we rest in the Lord we save ourselves a lot of nervous energy

·       Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord (Ex. 14:13)

·       Be still and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10)

·       Sit still and see how the matter will go (Ruth 3:18)

Now there was possibly another reason why Peter was sleeping

In John 21:18 – The Lord said that Peter would live to be an old man      

John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

We all need to be resting in the Lord

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and you will find rest

Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me and ye shall find rest for your souls

Through my God, I have leaped over a wall – power of prayer

And things will begin to fall in place and gates will open of their own accord and believers will be encouraged and the work of God will prevail!!

We may not see that work at first just as Rhoda and the others were in disbelief at first – thinking it was the ghost of Peter  

4.  The Illustration – (vv.  5 – 10)

Now I mentioned at the outset that there are also many valuable lessons for us in the Gospel

Peter’s imprisonment is picture of a person being freed by power of Christ

Peter was a believer, a disciple of Christ but the actions that take place to free him is a little picture of the Gospel

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to Jew first and also to Greek

Now how is this illustrated?

·       Peter under a death sentence (for all have sinned and come short..)

·       Peter was asleep -- Yes, as a believer Peter was asleep but in the same way, the person outside of Christ is asleep to their desperate situation

Hudson Armerding – past president to Wheaton College would tell the story of his grandfather who was in Spanish- American War of punishing prisoners by lowering them in the galley of the ship at night – who unaware of situation would fall asleep – next day in sunlight allowed to see who they shared their confines with – bugs and other things

·       Peter was confined, bound and kept by guards – layer by layer

Demonstrating that Peter would be incapable of extricating himself from this dilemma – as is the sinner who is bound by the cords of his sin

But constant prayer was made to God for Him by the Church – and just as the Church prayed for Peter’s physical release so too we have an example of how we can be praying for a person’s spiritual release from sin

And what will happen when we do?

First – we need to understand that there are spiritual forces for good that are ever present – just as there was with Peter – an angel of Lord stood by him

Second -- there was light will shine through in person’s life as it did w/ Peter

2 Cor 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ

Third – the angel struck Him on the side as he raised him up

God’s word and His servants have a way of rousing an individual from their false sense of security and comfort/raising them out of their situation

This is what happens when a person comes to the Lord what is result?

·       And then the chains fall off! – like many who thru centuries found Lord  

·       Clothed – clothed in Christ’s righteousness

·       Went out – left that situation

·       He came to Himself – like prodigal son understood what had happened

·       Went to the place where the Lord’s people were gathered praying (looking for fellowship with the Lord’s people)  

·       He kept knocking – even the Lord’s people are slow to get the message of how God can dramatically save someone (cp. Saul of Tarsus - Acts 9)

·       He declared to them what God had done for him

Psalm 66:16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,//Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray//I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free//I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,//I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Conclusion

And this could be your situation today if you simply trust the Lord!